Mojo - The Music Magazine

Strummerville Christmas Benefit Party 2008
The Tabernacle, London
Sunday, December 21

"Come out of the cupboards, you boys and girls," said the invite. Just a handful of revellers turned up to toast Joe Strummer and support Strummerville (the charity set up by his family and friends), but for those lucky few that packed into The Tabernacle on Sunday night, it was an evening to cherish.

Among those who filled the intimate venue were filmmaker Julien Temple, Carbon Silicon bassist Leo Williams, the Rude Boy movie’s Ray Gange and infamous Clash mate Robin Banks. All were set to enjoy performances from three bands connected with the Strummerville cause. First up were the Savage Nomads, fronted by Cole Salewicz, son of veteran journo and Strummer biographer Chris. It could have been disconcerting playing to an empty dancefloor, but the group piled into their angular psych-flavoured post-punk commentaries with disarming confidence. These Arctic Monkeys-esque rascals were followed by Dan Smith's one-man band routine. An electric piano, assorted percussion, surreal lyrics and a homemade instrument fashioned from what looked like a detergent bottle were all used to bizarre effect.

Before taking the stage, Alex Thompson of The Riff Raff was basking in semi-disbelief that Mick Jones had borrowed his guitar for tonight’s gig. He talked of how his band had come on leaps and bounds since Strummerville had secured them rehearsal time at Camden’s Roundhouse and studio slots at Notting Hill’s Sarm West. Onstage, the six-piece group, including a besuited cellist, whipped up a joyous storm shot with the kind of diverse musical strains which seem integral to artists affliated with the Strummer camp.

The Rotten Hill Gang were something of a revelation, coming on like Dickensian wide boys transplanted into Notting Hill’s yuppie-besieged artists’ community, flying the neighbourhood’s tattered flag with a splash of old school South Bronx vigour. Bassist Gary Stonadge and guitarist Andre Shapps were in later incarnations of Mick Jones’ post-Clash sonic foragers Big Audio Dynamite, but it still must have come as a bit of shock to see their old boss saunter onstage with a beer and a Telecaster, primed and ready to play. Fronted by rabble-rousing street rapper Reds and propelled by the stunning operatic range of Krystin Cummins, the group powered through a fearsome hybrid of thunderous hip-hop-funk grooves, scathing guitar racket and ingenious vocal interplay (think everything from P-Funk chorale to Music Hall).

In 32 years of seeing Mick Jones take stages everywhere, from New York’s Roseland Ballroom to London’s Roxy, I’ve rarely seen him look so relaxed as he did tonight. Swapping his old Clash strut for a relaxed, syncopated stroll, he smiled his way through the set. I first encountered Mick in Mott The Hoople's dressing rooms and here he is, 37 years later, joining in a raucous update of Mott anthem All The Young Dudes (‘If Beyoncé can do it…’, he reasoned afterwards). For the finale, the ex-Clash man brought out a guest whose reaction mirrored that of the very surprised crowd. Fun Lovin’ Criminals' Huey Morgan, in town following a tour of Russia and now roped into a take on Andy Williams' Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, tore the roof off as The Tabernacle was suddenly gripped by that indefinable, electric Strummer vibe, the atmosphere redolent of Joe's legendary camp fire singalongs.

The festivities were set to continue through the night at the nearby Globe, another old Strummer haunt, at which point MOJO made its excuses and skipped jauntily into the night, bathed in the sort of positive energy glow that came with every one of those old Strummer encounters. You really should have been there.