London Calling

We stepped off the plane in London this past October and found ourselves in a place that feels permanently tuned to a low hum of music and chaos. Eager to shake off the jet-lag, we didn’t come to sightsee. We came to find out where a band like ours fits into London’s electric mess of venues, characters, and late-night shenanigans. And the city didn’t disappoint.

We crossed the Atlantic with a mission… to explore live opportunities, shake hands, meet the people shaping the scene, and get a feel for what it might be like to bring Deep Trouble’s full-tilt Canadian rock to UK stages. What followed was a blur of shows, hangouts, gear lust, late-night chats, and a few pints for good measure.

First up on our agenda was to catch Queens of the Stone Age at the hallowed Royal Albert Hall. This wasn’t the usual QOTSA blitz of sweat and riffs, but rather the London stop on their Catacombs tour. The Royal Albert Hall felt more like an underground chapel than a rock venue, even with its velvet balconies and perfect acoustics. The band moved through the show with a slow-burn intensity, letting the darker, more atmospheric songs bloom and echo through the room. It was hypnotic, brooding, and strangely intimate for a place that big. It was equal parts inspiring and surreal.

Next up was our pilgrimage for another kind of worship: Denmark Street. For musicians, it’s basically Disneyland. Vintage amps humming like old gods, guitars you definitely don't need but desperately want, and shop owners who have seen it all and have opinions about every pickup ever made. We didn’t exactly break the bank… but we also didn’t exactly leave empty-handed.

And of course we did what any band scoping out a new city should do: we played. We found ourselves in Camden at the legendary Dublin Castle, a place dripping with history and spilled pints. We jumped into the open mic, traded songs with locals, and felt the unmistakable spark of live music connecting strangers in a tiny room. Sheep sounds and all!

London gave us exactly what we were hoping for: energy, inspiration, connections, and a sense that there’s a real place for what we do over there. It’s a city that rewards bands who show up curious, hungry, and ready to play. So we’ll be back, guitars in tow.

Until then, we’ll be turning all that jet-lagged magic into new songs, new ideas, and whatever trouble comes next.