02/11/2012

Camden...What?

So about a week ago I went to see my friend in Camden Town, and to my utter horror, lo behold - an American Apparel, right opposite the station. Next to it, a H&M (or something equally mainstream). Now, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against a bit of H&M (it's one of my favorite high street stores to be frank) but for the love of god, Camden used to be the one place in the whole of London where I could go and feel like I don't have to dress like a million dollars.

I walked down the road searching for the punks and goths that used to fill the high street, the multi-coloured hair, the tattoos. In their places, tourists, tourists, everywhere. The studded belts that used to hang down from the stalls have been replaced with Dr Dre headphones and New Era caps, and the music store on the corner near the canal is now selling clothes and shoes. Of course, the market still exists, with it's hard-headed merchants advertising overpriced t-shirts that you can get for 5 quid less down the road, and the chinese food that'll have you squirming on your toilet for 2 days straight. However most, if not all of the band jumpers and t-shirt stalls are gone, with extensive amounts of London memorabilia in their place. Drunken teenagers that used to hang out by the lock are no more (good times), instead large glass apartment buildings now line the canal, making Camden look more like Manhattan than market.

The one thing that hasn't changed, (and I don't think ever will) is the music venues and pubs. Despite a lot of them being filled with hungry families during the day, most are transformed into old school Camden music venues during the evening, which still stay true to their names, Underworld, Barfly and Electric Ballroom to name a few. One thing's for sure - you can still have a decent night out no matter what you're into, which is what makes Camden so special to me.

Either way...I MISS YOU CAMDEN!!

xox

2 comments:

  1. Damn...sucks when things change so drastically. I liked your description of what Camden used to be better and that's coming from someone who's never been there. How you described it as looking now is kind of what I see around me all the time in Lebanon. High fashion, latest gadgets, nothing original or new. Aaah! I wanna travel so badly now...

    ReplyDelete
  2. You should come to London! It's nothing special...just people, shops and buildings, but some seem to like it :)

    ReplyDelete

Comment as much as you like - all are appreciated! :)

Contact Form for Cazzy Bean

Name

Email *

Message *