Credit: The mighty Turbowolf

You know why the Camden Crawl lost its way? Popularity. Suddenly, they went from boasting that they had the Fratellis as one of the opening acts before they ‘made it’, to suddenly finding they were able to book the Fratellis as one of the mid-evening acts. People would pitch up into the Dublin Castle of wherever, and stick there all night just to catch the uber-sized headliner play at tiny venue. Suddenly it wasn’t so much of a Camden Crawl, more of a Camden Halt.

Which brings us to the first ever Stag & Dagger festival – just over a dozen venues all over Hoxton, stuffed with a whole load of bands you won’t find boring you off on an XFM playlist. For one night. For £15. One wristband gets you in everywhere, and it’s all fun and games till someone is dead. Or at least until the last bar stops serving.

First off: Rod Thomas (whom we saw an aeon ago in Brixton) – was opening the courtyard at the Vibe Bar on Brick Lane. We’ve settle into our Shoreditch comfort zone – we’re standing between a car decorated in plastic skulls and a pie stall, surrounded by an indifferent audience, watching a musician who’s far too good for them. Rod Thomas loops his own guitar, his handclaps, and even his own voice to give himself backing vocals – and has a damn sight more talent than bands with six times as many members. Music Towers drains the dregs of the first of tonight’s many drinks, and gets on with the task at hand – seeing as many bands in as many venues as possible.

We work our way through the backstreets in time to catch some of Micachu at the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen. It’s still early in the evening though, and the venue is sparsely filled. Micachu do their best to try to raise smiles with casio-meets-ukulele tom-tunery like ‘Lone Ranger’, but it was never going to work with a crowd thinner than a supermodel with dysentery. Music Towers decides to make a break for it after the Worst Bar Staff In London decided to keep us (and every other punter) waiting for ten minutes for the privilege of buying a drink.