Proud Gallery

Proud Gallery, said to be the "hippest, most fun and most important, is also the most popular privately funded photograph gallery in Europe." Quite a statement.
A gallery situated in the heart of London's music scene Camden town.
It is known to be the home of "Parties, product launches, fashion shows, Press and preview screenings, conferences even weddings."
Once a rehearsal room for the Clash in the 70's, it's a gallery approaching things in a sort of "modern way".
A gallery "run by the people for the people".

It reminded me of another new Gallery recently opened in Caernarfon, North Wales, called "Galeri".
Again a place that has a vast pallet of entertainment and exhibitions.
"The Galeri is an exciting place full of life night and day".- Bryn Terfel

The ICA, another venue I have recently visited, also seem to be following the same blueprint.

This seems to be the "new" way of running things. A collection of modern art and culture all under one roof.

Proud is now open for private hire and has an organization that arranges regular live music called "Band Wagon".
All in all the idea sounded great, so I thought that I should experience a piece of the action, so to speak.


It's a chilly night in the heart of Camden's stables market. I'm walking up a modest cobble stoned walkway leading nowhere it seemed, trying to find Proud Gallery.
I find the entrance. It's like a back door to the Tate or White Cube.
Inside are a selection of London's trendiest bunch, casually sipping overpriced, European beer in their glad rags.
The room is a dimly lit hall with a little stage and a display of impressive photographs of musical legends from the past thirty or forty years. The atmosphere's nice. Relaxed and friendly.
In the next room through the two inch castle like door, is a bar with several little private booths reserved for bands, v.i.p's and the press.
There is a friendly brool inside accompanied by up beat songs from the Beatles, the Clash and all sorts of classic bands.
The first phew bands come on and deliver an admirable set. It's nice to see that a crowd has gathered even for the very first acts.
The support band Bad Robots come on and the crowd start swaying. As they play Members of Dirty Pretty Things stroll in one by one politely greeting fans as they shouted "GARY" and other over excited blurbs.
After what seemed like hours of waiting, legendary figure Carl Barat comes on stage greets the masses and starts strumming his guitar. The band plays a very well received set of new material before bursting into some older songs from their first album such as "Gin and Milk", "Dead Wood" and finishing with "Bang Bang You're Dead". The crowd went wild.
As we all left back to the cobble stone pathway, there were smiles all round.
well done Proud gallery, I wasn't disappointed.

Is this the way forward for future gallery's? All I can say is that Proud seem to be doing a great job at the moment. It's a nice change from more traditional venues, even though I do have love for them also. At the moment I am happy to declare Proud a success.

Long Live Proud Gallery!


www.proud.co.uk

www.dontstayin.com

www.Myspace.com/thebandwagencamden

www.galericaernarfon.com