In so many ways it’s lovely to live in a part of the world that has been - and remains firmly - a globally significant centre for cultural production.

From music to movies, art to politics, fashion to beer, brand Camden holds weight - even if locals have occasion to raise their eyes to the heavens at the more commercially exploitative characterisations of this broad creative juggernaut.

And now, hot on the heels of Camden Town being stylised as de facto backdrop to the latest Amy Winehouse movie, comes Camden: Where Music Icons Are Made, the four part docu-series hitting Disney+ in a few days time (it’s available to stream from the 29th, to be exact).

Hosted/exec produced by Parli Hill schoolgirl-turned-Glastonbury-headliner Dua Lipa, it promises a whole load of talking head anecdotes about legendary local gigs, rock ‘n’ roll misbehaviour, formative moments and ensuing global success, courtesy of an all-star line up.

They include proper locally-rooted acts like Dublin Castle royalty Suggs, Hampstead mansion-owner Boy George, Chris Martin of Gospel Oak studio band Coldplay, and Mornington Cres res Jazzie B OBE of Soul II Soul - of course - plus there’ll be input from Camden-adjacent acts like Pete Doherty, Chuck D, Mark Ronson, Questlove, Little Simz and Yungblud, too.

Without having seen it yet, it’s hard to tell if Nile Rodgers has a killer Camden story or two up his sleave, or just pushy management, and whether less mainstream but 100% Camden-born musical history such as DJs Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge’s genre-defining house-jazz fusion Sunday afternoon sessions at Dingwalls, or Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson’s midweeker The Loft, over the yard at HQs, get given rightful and meaningful airtime, too. Let’s see…

The danger is that all the misty-eyed reminiscence from music’s big hitters simply amplifies the lowest common denominator view, reducing our whole Borough to little more than a faux-debauched Disneyfied (very on brand) music heritage circuit, based around a few iconic pubs, venues and the Market.

While it’s sure to draw yet more visitors, the current global box set spotlight could equally give the area some welcome boosts. Despite the cultural renown, as we also know too well, creative life right now can be barely navigable economically, and much talent can no longer gravitate - or percolate - here as a result.

If the Disney show inspires more next gen musicians to grab the reigns and stamp their mark here, preventing the area flagging into the future, then it will be worth it for having a few more pavement-clogging tour groups and Camden Square shrine pilgrims, right?

Primrose Hill’s luvvies special

It’s not just the rough side of the Euston mainline that’s getting a moment in the sun, either. Beatles progeny James McCartney has been eulogising local well-appointed semi-precipitous urban Royal park, Primrose Hill, as the title of his latest eponymous single, including asking social media fans to self-submit footage to make up the official video (see below).

The crowd-sourced result is a curious thing, particularly all the bits clearly filmed at an out-of-London location, but if you’re a fan of either his unimpeachable pop-rock lineage via dad John, or Camden’s unique and spectacular P-Hill views regardless, you might just tap a foot to this…

🐕‍🦺 Still in that corner of town, the always-impressive Primrose Hill Festival returns this Sunday (19th), bringing multiple stalls, pop-up performances and the acclaimed annual dog show to the ‘main street’ thoroughfare of Regent’s Park Road, plus Chalcot Square and surrounds.

💚 Or head over to the Borough’s other iconic big green hill on Saturday evening for the famous Night of 10,000m PB’s, the athletics ‘festival’ that includes races, beer, fire performers and lots more , all for free, up at the newly refurbished Parliament Hill track until 10pm.

🗞️ I was speaking to media students at UAL London College of Fashion the other day about the world of hyperlocal publications, and they were a little negative about the Primrose Hill’s neighbourhood On The Hill magazine, and how uncool/undiverse it felt to them for an urban title. Dare we suggest that Camden’s remaining local mags, papers and online titles might aim so much higher, even team up, to explore what this part of London can deliver media-wise in the unswervable A.I. era ahead?

FOOD & DRINK

New on Jamestown Rd’s food riviera: Cushla, Shrimp Shack, plus 50% off at the launch of The Lock Inn

New F&B places to try out are arriving in a wild flurry, rather like busses, on Camden’s waterfront backstreet of Jamestown Rd this week.

As we mentioned a couple of weeks back, All About Eve bar has now transformed into new nightlife proposition Cushla, (which opened last night), and will still host the exciting weekly Monkey Business Comedy Club and Camden Cabaret on weekend evenings, alongside some fresh new elements soon to be revealed.

🍤 Shrimp Shack are preparing to bring their roadblocked Streatham original to NW1 in the coming weeks, taking on the Jamestown strip’s former Camden Social unit and mounting a lip-smacking seafood challenge to Chalk Farm’s incumbent, Trap Kitchen.

🍺 The Jamestown strip‘s brand new music boozer, The Lock Inn, also opens this Monday, with a soft launch offer of 50% OFF everything on your bill until the end of May. Check out their roof terrace, cocktail menu and DJs until late at weekends in this brand new spot.

Duke it out: Outdoor tables return + a new cafe, too

Swain’s Lane’s minor outdoor seating drama (see poll results below) seems to have been resolved since we reported last Friday on the struggles of fledgling new pub the Duke of St Albans to place benches and plants outside.

Summer in the Highgate West Hill foothills is officially saved.

Meanwhile, the nearby former failed Wine Cellar unit is about to become a new branch of East London fave cafe, Trade. Expect fine coffees, grilled cheese sarnies and brunch favourites for the post-stroll Heath crowd and increasingly spoiled locals.

🥃 Award-winning USA bourbon brand Buffalo Trace has just opened a distillery store on Covent Garden’s Longacre, where you can go on tours, enjoy tastings and get stuck in to other spirits-related celebrations here.

🍕 Fast growing street food-indy-done-good Pizza Pilgrims opens a big new Euston on June 3rd, complete with an Italian water feature centerpiece. Just a quick heads-up: they’ll be dishing out 1,000 free slices on the first day 😉, and then opening another branch over in King’s Cross in the autumn, too.

Euston’s new Impact Hub is having a couple of free open days (May 23rd and June 13th) so you can try out their state-of-the-art facilities for co-working and community events. Find out more & book here

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STAGE

🎭 Our top 5 performances to go see locally this week

MUSIC

🎶A whole world of music in the vicinity

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