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1995 seems like ages ago, huh. Take that, tartan a-line skirts and football before school started (and getting bollocked for having a muddy school uniform) were all the rage. And that was the year that The Camden Crawl started in North London.

Fast-forward to 2009. Last year saw massive bands such as Kasabian, Madness and Yeah Yeah Yeahs grace the tiny stages of backstreet pubs and bars in Camden Town – slightly perturbing seen as a few years back, the Crawl was seen as a showcase to newer bands on the scene instead of household names returning to test new material, but it’s good, clean fun all the same.

Year-on-year, Camden Crawl grows and grows, and it’s certainly blossoming. 2010 brings even more surprises as daytime events are added to the line-up with plenty of things to keep you occupied until 6pm when the real adventure begins:

COMEDY:

CAMDEN FRINGE (Sat @ Fifty Five) The creators of Camden’s very own annual comedy festival present an afternoon of quirky cabaret; comedy, variety and magical acts with an emphasis on the weird and wonderful.

THE FIX (Sat & Sun @ Camden Head) Both a national comedy magazine and promoter, The Fix will be hosting two days of the best new sketch and stand up comedy from the UK and around the World.

MYSTER GENERAL & FRIENDS (Sun @ Fifty Five) Brendan Cleaves and Kurt Driver present variety of musical, cabaret, stand up, double act, sketch comedy and general craziness. Think Butlins on acid.
SPOKEN WORD:

BOOKSLAM (Sat @ Edinboro Castle) The Bookslam event features a wide range of storytellers from all disciplines, from novelists to poets and musi- cians, gathering together for an eclectic day of words and music.

LITROLIVE! (Sun @ Edinboro Castle) As an evening of stories and music showcasing fresh and exciting talent from within the world of the spoken word, the programme includes performances from authors, poets and musicians interspersed with live music and DJ sets.

ONE TASTE (Sat @ The Constitution) Founded by Dannii Evans & Jamie Woon in 2004, OneTaste launched such UK talents as Newton Faulkner, Scroo- bius Pip, Polarbear. In addition to live music, their events spotlight talent from a multitude of underground art disciplines.

POEJAZZI (Sun @ Bar Vinyl) Described as “London’s premier spoken word and music night”, PoeJazzi deliver the finest nights in captivating lyrical wordplay and amazing music you haven’t seen yet.

THEATRE:

GRAND THEFT IMPRO (Sun @ Theatro Technis) The masters of fast-paced, improvised comedy arrives at Crawl with a set of four unique shows, each taking a different slant on the world of music. GTI will create sketches, skits and even an entire musical in front of your very eyes, inspired by audience suggestions.

THE MAGIC BANDWAGON (Sun @ NW1) Magic Pete & friends astound with astonishing illusions and stupefying trickery all entwined with kick ass live music!

SKIPTHEATRE (Sat @ The Crescent) This London based collective creates large scale performance & theatre pieces and runs interactive workshops. Collaborating with a wide variety of artists, bands and DJs, look out for a thoroughly new live music experience combined with theatrical mayhem.

VISUAL ARTS & CRAFTS:

CRAFTACULAR (Sun @ The Pirate Castle) BUST magazine have influenced the handmade revolution for over 16 years and bring their Craftacular event to the Camden Crawl for the first time this year. Come along to shop, dance and be merry! DJs and drinks all day.

GRAFIK WARFARE (Sat & Sun @ all over Camden Town) A loose collective of street artists based in Brighton with friends all over the UK and beyond. Its members work in all media: paint, ink, stickers, screenprint and stencils and on surfaces including canvas, cardboard, MDF and walls. Expect some big surprises & live creations as GW comes to life throughout Camden.

POSTER ROAST (Sat & Sun @ The Black Heart) Showcasing the cream of the crop of poster artists, this exhibition highlights the growing rock-poster culture. Screen-printing, etching, hand drawing and digitally creating posters for bands is more than a mere advert for a gig.

STITCH LONDON (Sat @ The Pirate Castle) Get your graffiti knit on as the Stitch London Stitchettes turn mild-mannered non-knitters to sneaky stitchers. They have been stomping across London like a woolly Godzilla since 2005 and in 2010 they’re bringing out de- mand to “Submit to the Knit” to the Crawl.

LIVE MUSIC:

ANDY ROSS PRESENTS (Sat & Sun @ The Spread Eagle) The former head honcho of Food Records and the man who brought us Blur and Idlewild amongst others hosts two afternoons of idiosyncratic semi-acoustic performances from some of his favourite new artists.

FIERCE PANDA SHOWCASE (Sun @ Lock Tavern) Born in a pub in the West End of London Town circa 1994 and a multitude of bizarre decisions later, the panda continues to amble onwards accompanied by fellow travellers as stout and hearty as The Walkmen, Hatcham Social, The Raveonettes, Goldheart Assembly and many more.

HAWLEY ARMS SESSIONS (Sat & Sun @ The Hawley Arms) A favourite local pub and renowned Camden hotspot, The Hawley presents a series of acoustic live sessions from their friends and favourite acts.

HOOCHINOO (Sat @ Bar Vinyl) Alternative hip hop, MCs, beatboxers, breakdancing, scratch DJs, live grafitti and any other underground revolutionary stuff they can come up with as they hit the Camden Crawl for the first time ever!

ISLAND RECORDS BOAT & BBQ PARTY (Sun @ The Constitution) Returning after last year’s storming daytime debut, Island will once again host an afternoon filled with live special guests and intimate acoustic performances accompanied by a SXSW style BBQ. Narrowboat shuttle service from Camden’s famous canal included!

THE LANTERN SOCIETY (Sat @ Lock Tavern) Founders Trevor Moss & Hannah Lou have become pivotal figures on the capital’s folk scene, founding and hosting “London’s finest folk club” and broadcasting ‘The Lantern Society Radio Hour’ live from the Betsey Trotswood.

LOOSE RECORDS SHOWCASE (Sun @ The Hope & Anchor) Currently Europe’s premier folk, Americana and alt country record label, since 1998 Loose has released the likes of The Duke & The King, Giant Sand, M Ward, The Arlenes, Inara George, Neko Case, Blanche, Willard Grant, The Felice Brothers and The Handsome Family.

ROCK A HULA (Sun @ The Crescent) A 1950s beach party combining all the fun of the fifties in one tiki tidal wave including a Hawaiian oasis filled with inflatable palm trees, DJs, swing dancing and hula hoping. This is good clean fun for guys and gals who love nothing more than to rock n roll!

INTERACTIVE EVENTS & GAMES:

BRING & SHARE MUSICAL BINGO (Sun @ The Oxford Arms) A Crawl favourite returning for their third consecutive year, B&S are back with brand spanking new games. Expect all the hottest tunes as they play out a fast and furious medley of tunes. Only the eagle-eared will walk away with supa-snazzy prizes.

HIP HOP KARAOKE (Sun @ The Bucks Head) A consistently road blocked residency at The Social for four straight years, this lot has also entertained the masses at Glastonbury, Bestival and Lovebox Festivals to name but a few. This is your chance to act out your rap fantasies supported by a DJ, host and adoring crowd!

KARAUKE (Sat @ The Bucks Head) (kar’e-yoo’ke) v. you sing, they play ukuleles! After they ripped the Crawl to shreds last year, they return with an even bigger repertoire….for you to perform, backed by an enormous live ukulele backing band.

RINGO: MUSIC BINGO (Sun @ Quinns) Everyone’s favourite music intro/pun-based game makes its debut at the Crawl in 2010. It’s bingo with music instead of numbers. Knock off the artists on your card as the MC plays them and….the MC is “sickeningly hilarious!”

MOSHI MOSHI POP QUIZ (Sun @ Grand Union) In the Caffrey’s Book of World Records as the longest running pop farce since records began. After the charming botch jobs at the last three Crawls, the Moshi Quizmasters have become something of a Camden Crawl institu- tion. Loved and tolerated in equal measure.

ROUGH TRADE POP QUIZ (Sun @ Grand Union) London’s coolest new music quiz featuring many exciting rounds testing knowledge on everything from lyrics, pictures and catchphrases before finishing off with the “slightly rubbish live music” round.

SCRABBLE SUNDAY (Sun @ Old Eagle) They bring the boards, a referee and live music. There’s no tournament and you play as you want. Score, don’t score; it’s all up to you.

WHO KILLED BAMBI? (Sun @ Grand Union) The famous music quiz which touted as the “best music quiz in London” returns to the Crawl for another genre spanning journey into musical knowledge.