The N16 Fringe returned in triumphant style on the weekend of 19-21 August. Organised, co-ordinated and promoted by N16 Magazine, the Fringe entered its fourth year with the venues again packed and the streets full of happy punters, entering into the anarchic spirit of this largely free, local festival.

Now becoming something of a landmark in the London music scene – and recognised as such by the likes of the Guardian, Independent, Time Out, Hackney Gazette etc – the Fringe kicked off with a thrilling, sell-out performance by Stoke Newington’s own Mediaeval Baebes at the new St Mary’s Church, the concert followed by the launch of the Baebes’ new album Mirabilis at Abney Public Hall. 

Over the weekend, Ryan’s contributed a full programme of punk and garage rock, featuring, among others, the Corn Rocket Club and the musical sermonising of Reverend Savage and the Holy Rollers, while Bodrum joined in with the Brick Lane Boogie Boys’ classic rockabilly rhythms and the darker, avant-garde Disco Volante. The Others in Manor Road was the main rock venue and included the Drones Club on Friday night as well as high octane, storming sets from the likes of Monkey Island, Soixante-neuf, Venom Seeds and Great Bear and a host of other talented local bands on Saturday and Sunday (see Warren Neill, next page).

On Saturday night the old St Mary’s Church provided the perfect atmospheric setting for headliners Mike Gibson’s City Farmers, ably supported by Specci Chris, Louis Jones and the impressive Morning Bride, and the venue was amiably but effectively policed by the imposing, tattooed figure of Andrew (aka ‘Wax’), a DJ on totalrock.com, trainee vicar at the church and not a man to argue with. Thanks Wax. Plaistow were the star turn at Barracuda on Saturday night, and the venue also hosted a standout acoustic gig by Stoke Newington soul king Luddy Samms and relaxed but stunning guitarist Bruce Knapp on Sunday afternoon (see cover picture). Luddy and Bruce’s interpretations of soul and blues classics enchanted the crowd in the back garden and, as the songs of the Drifters, Wilson Pickett et al drifted over the rooftops in the summer sun, their performance ensured that this concert will be remembered for years to come by those lucky enough to have been there.

Other venues also joined in, with local twosome Moses playing to an appreciative crowd on Saturday night at the Daniel Defoe, while the same day featured an eclectic mix of acoustic folk, poetry and belly dancing at Abney Public Hall and Hollywood Design Studio paying tribute to late local artist Pat Whiteread by showing her complete video work. 

The Auld Shillelagh again contributed to the Fringe in typically enthusiastic and engaging fashion, staging the mellow vibes of the Jazz Duo on Saturday afternoon and flling the back garden with the Ska Bar on Sunday, DJ Tad spinning his unique collection of recordings by such ska legends as the Skatalites, the Maytals and Desmond Dekker. Bagabon and the new Vortex also had a full programme, the Lion was home to an open mic all day Sunday, and the White Hart had a full crowd the same evening for another night of Slack Sabbath, an evening promoted by Disastronaut. Not to be outdone in terms of originality, Yum Yum organised an evening of Thai classical music, featuring a 2-stringed fiddle and a 42-string dulcimer, a relaxing contrast to the raucous goings-on elsewhere. 

he weekend proved yet again that if enough people in a community believe in an idea and give freely of their time and talents then nothing is impossible. There were too many people involved in this year’s Fringe to mention them all, but you know who you are, in particular the performers, venues, sound engineers, volunteers and the advertisers in the programme. 

Particular thanks must go to Next Move and Yum Yum who were the Fringe’s main sponsors and very generous they were, too. And I cannot finish without thanking our master of ceremonies MC Ricky B (love the hat) and our musical director Warren Neill who did a magnificent job in ensuring the event ran smoothly.

We’ll be back next year, bigger and better than ever.