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“Do you like Baile Funk?” asks DJ Sandrinho, who had flown in from Rio to make sure the Rio Rox night had that authentic touch. Unfortunately, that was as far as the interview went as that was as much English as he could speak and my Portuguese translator didn’t seem to understand Hectic!

But he had come all that way just to talk to me and you’ve got to take your hat off to Alex Proud , who is full of ideas and continues to innovate and improve. If you’ve not been to Proud yet (it could also possibly be called The Gin House), at last, he seems to have got the venue in Camden Town that he can be truly, erm.. proud of.

It seems a long time ago that he held the Roger Sargent photo exhibition, ‘Future Legends — The New Faces of British Music’ (supported by the then unknown, Lupen Crook, The Metro Riots and a DJ Set by Carl Barat) in a tent around the corner from the tube station.

Talking of which, the new place is ideal for photographic exhibitions, having a party or just having a drink; once you’ve manipulated the stairs that is. Being on the first floor, you seem separated from the hustle and bustle of the market. The interior is a strange mix of tent, waiting room (comfy seats though), racecourse bar (there are two life-size horses on show) and to top it off, there’s an outdoor deck chair area to lounge in with views of Chalk Farm’s Roundhouse.

Perhaps the blown up front pages of The Sun are a temporary thing as they made me feel uncomfortable. The usual gutter sex, political lampooning (“Blair: Have I Lost Plot?”, “Mrs T-Ears”, “It’s Paddy Pantsdown”) and arguably to most [in]famous, “Up Yours Delors”.

Let’s stick to the music as also playing last night was the tailor made Latino house Lynda Phoenix with Sheyi on percussion, live samba by Ritmos da Cidade (Rhythms Of The City), live capoiera by the Angola Collective, Carmen Selktra & Martelo (The Shower Rangers) and Kiss FM new boy Sinden (Counterfeet/Lougin’ Recordings/A.Brucker & Sinden (BITA ‘Move Aside’ and remember Lady Sov Remix?).

Walking past the Roundhouse towards the nearby Chalk Farm Road tube station, this is another refurbishment that looks from the outside to be a big success. I used to spend a lot of time in this area many years ago and the level of investment in property wouldn’t have been thought of back then. Not forgetting, Proud is almost opposite The Lock Tavern where you might have seen Sinden on the Blogger’s Delight day (which unfortunately clashed with Sunday Afternoon’s At Dingwalls. Apparently the ‘mystery guest’ that day supposed to be Fat Boy Slim, can anyone confirm?

So interesting times in Chalk Farm as Rio Rox is definitely the place this unseasonably warm autumn to keep those Brazilian rhythms following. Forthcoming dates 1st, 15th and 29th November and December dates to be confirmed.

Links:
www.myspace.com/ellejsmall
www.myspace.com/atproud
Rio Rox Wednesday 18th (then every other Wednesday until the end of December) 7.00pm — 1.00am Free Entry.
Terrace Bar & Photographic Gallery, The Gin House, The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, Camden, London, NW1 8AH tel: 0207 839 4942
www.myspace.com/lyndaphoenix
www.myspace.com/graemesinden
“CATCH UR BOY ON KISS EVERY WEDS 1AM-2AM”
www.myspace.com/abruckerandsinden
www.myspace.com/bloggersdelight
www.ideageneration.co.uk