Monday 15 June 2009

Carnaby Street


Dear all, I've run away to join The Sixties.







And this man is about to run away with that outfit...



Saturday 12pm - London's Carnaby Street was transported back to when it was the hub of the Swinging Sixties.








For those unfamiliar with the street, a short film I grabbed off youtube plays below:



Although I am a child of the eighties and nineties, I adore The Sixties/60's (along with the thirties). So many "ies" in that sentence. The best music burst forth from that decade, The Who, The Beach Boys, Cat Stevens, The Kinks, Motown and John Barry - Mozart of the century. The poetry discarded form, the books broke barriers. Such a flood of creativity, colour and vivacity, while the rest of the world tried to cope with a new identity, a new era.

One of my favourite films is a little known gem from that time called "The Knack and How to Get It" - someone kindly put a preview up on the 'tube:




It spells out the struggle between new and old, wild and innocent, pretentious and truthful, it also sends up the era it exists in. This is the film I show to very special people on a rainy day in.

Back to Saturday; Londoners and tourists alike came for the spectacle. I liked it that those who experienced the era got to revisit it so fondly. A few even dressed for the occasion and brought their beautiful toys:




The most 60's Woman (not age wise, mind) was this lady, I want her choker:



The male equivalent was him:


A gigantic crowd suddenly gathered around a stage; they knew before I did that the highlight of the day was the sound of The Small Fakers, tribute band to (The) Small Faces.
If the point of the day was to celebrate the 1960's, then this band brought it home sweet home.


The drummer and Hammond organ/piano player were consummate professionals. The solid base player complemented the overly charismatic lead singer/guitar player.


The energy The Small Fakers brought was raucous and wide open, underpinned by serious musicality. The crowd, a mix of ages and tastes, was swept up by the music and good humour pouring from the stage. Classics from "Tin Soldier" to "All or Nothing" rocked out.
Who knew that one of the best live sounds in London would spring up in Carnaby Street? If they wrote some original material, I would film them. Do check them out, you might be as pleasantly surprised as I was.

After the encore, it was time to drive away and savour a Waterloo sunset. Wish you were here.

Peace,
x

33 comments:

Deidra said...

What a fun post! There is so much I love about it...and about the sixties. I was born in the sixties and part of me seems to always want to be there...especially my hair. No matter how the stylist cuts it, it always looks a bit sixties-ish to me.

I never heard of The Knack, but now I'm off to Hulu to see if I can find it. Thanks so much for including us in such a fantastic excursion!

Purple Flowers said...

What a great time you must have had. My childhood was in the sixties, with an older brother and sister who had all the albums. The clothing style was wild and fun. I love your photos. Great post!!

pve design said...

what fun! I was always a bit jealous of my big sisters, they had lots of Beatles cards and short skirts with trim, fringe and headbands. What a groovy time!

la cuisine bourgeois said...

can i join you in the 60s? looks fabulous!!!!

VanessasRunway said...

fun post! Nothing beats the 60's music! ;)

Emma Lavelle said...

thanks for your lovely comment, i love this post! I've just posted some photos of jena seberg on my page, i love all things 60s related xx

Anonymous said...

Have you bookmarked it now??? I sure hope so!! I like your blog and I have marked it....now...Done! I'll pop in again, okay??

Clarity said...

Deidra, your comment about the hair made me smile, hey go with it!
Thank you, welcome and relax into the movie, it's unlike anything else.

PurpleFlowers- thank you. You actually experienced what I admire secondhand, lucky girl

PVE and bel - I know, it's so evocative.

Vanessa, The Socialite - I know what you're thinking, tsk tsk

Lavelle, you're my next stop

CT - Thank you and OK it's bookmarked, phew.

corine said...

Wow, that place is a riot!

Modern Crush said...

can i run away to join the sixties too?

Annie Spandex said...

Right on! Thanks for your sweet words about my tie dye! I've actually thought about making some to sell, so what you said is encouraging :)

Diana said...

ah yes, i believe i was born in the wrong era as well <3

Chuck Dilmore said...

what an incredible scene!
thank you for bringing it home for us!

your photographs are wonderful.
i'm really enjoying your site!

by the way...
you bought the coat in picture #1, right? (man, i would soo wear that!)

peace~
Chuck

Clarity said...

Modern Crush - 'course you can!

Chuck, thank you for the complement. Re. the coat, I'm the girl who snapped the guy behind it. I don't think it would have gone with my shoes or femininity.

Anika said...

A killer post indeed, I love the fond reminiscing about decades gone past. And especially love al the outfits you've highlighted.

p.s. I can see that union jack blazer being todays 'it' thing..worn open with distressed skinny jeans and a sheer tank? Perfect!

Thanks for your comment too :)

♥ Cara Mia ♥ said...

i love the 60's! what a cool post! thanks for dropping by my blog :)

Dream Sequins said...

I love the mods of Carnaby Street and that whole era for fashion and music. Very inspirational. We draw from these sources again and again. And how awesome does a Hammond organ sound?

Moonie said...

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Rock on Clarity!!!
Prue

crystal said...

Whoa that's awesome! I'd love to visit Carnaby Street. :)

Unknown said...

Love this!! I want to go now.

Wanderlusting said...

I am a HUGE sixties fan, especially in Britain, and am so envious of you right now :)

Bonbon Oiseau said...

thanks for visiting my blog clarity...this post hits too close to home...i always wanted to be in the film quadrophenia...i had a big poster above my bed...i loved the mods...then i used to get my haircut at a place called "mods and rockers" and they ended up cutting my hair like keith richards. i didn't like it.

Shell said...

Im loving this post, Clarity. I love the freedom,fashions and passions of the sixties. I am a flowerchild in my heart.

Prairie Girl Studio said...

groovy.cool.man.neat.righton!
i kinda freak my kids out with this phrase from time to time when i see something hip from the 60's ...
thank you so much for commenting on the 'bed of flowers' posting ~ i am so delighted now to follow you in your wonderful wonderland ...
you're 'the most'!
prairiegirl

beauty comma said...

Sounds like fun! I loved the lady's dress...
PS. Hope I didn't post this message more than once. Blogger's acting up again...

Anatol Braeunig said...

hm... i thought i left you a comment before, but maybe i am mistaken. anyways, again i must say that's a very fun post. somehow i would have loved to live in the sixties. a very exciting decade...

talk soon and keep posting more interesting stuff.

- a.h.o.s

Le Meems said...

Holy Hell, that looks like so fun. How did you hold yourself back from jumping on the stage?

Unknown said...

How fun. Thanks for stopping by my site and leaving a comment. I do have wanderlust indeed but I'm blessed and have traveled lots. I spent all last summer backpacking Europe and leave for a summer in South Korea in less than a month.

Great post and thanks again!

ticklishfromadistance said...

Such a fun post! SCan I come with? O glad I found you!

French Fancy... said...

"It's all so beau ut ii ffuuullll"

Renee said...

I feel like I was kinda there with your descriptions and videos.

What was nice about the video and I noticed right away is that people were more in the moment by not being on cell phones.

Love Renee xoxo

muralimanohar said...

Nobody ever wants to do those things with me. But I would have had fun. :)

Karen Ard said...

Loved these! We must have grown up around the same time. Is this Covent Garden perhaps?