I’d been at the London Toy & Game Fair at Olympia all weekend, scouting out all the cool new games that would be seeing the light of day over the next 12 months (plus sneaking a peek at the new Lego, Playmobil and other toys that we didn’t stock at Leisure Games but I had an interest in) and had been working all Monday before heading down to The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town for my live music fix.

I actually knew members of all three bands playing, which was a rarity outside of seeing local Barnet bands. Cries of Tammuz were first up, and Paul and co. put on another good show continuing to cement themselves in my mind as one of the better new bands on the goth circuit. Enrapture was up next with Belle, who DJ’d the Electric Ballroom at the time, on drums. I’d seen Enrapture before (GIG 138) and thought they were better on that occasion as I wasn’t overly keen on them for some reason on this performance. Headlining was Restoration II, whom I’d never seen live before but knew all the guys in the band from clubs, gigs and pubs – plus I think atleast two of the band lived fairly close to me in Finchley or the surrounding area. The band had formed after the original Restoration split into Vendemmian (whom I’d seen a few times) and Restoration II. Restoration II later went on to change their name to Revolution By Night. I really enjoyed Restoration II.