Published: 1 December, 2011
by ROISIN GADELRAB

The crafty Camden Crawl party machine has been toiling away to ensure the borough’s most awaited annual music festival becomes a year-round event.

It’s as if they can sense how much true Crawl fans need something during the long countdown to next May’s bank holiday weekend, when the real thing finally begins.

The Camden Crawl Christmas Party (Dec 7) is the final Variety gig of 2011, a mini-festival taster.

The only difference is that this event is completely free and all takes place at the Star of Kings, King’s Cross.

Expect killer headliners Engine Earz Experiment, a Moshi Moshi pub quiz, comedy from Tiernan Douieb and celebrated surrealist Dan Antopolski, and dubstep, grime, electro, hip-hop, drum & bass, reggae and more from warehouse maestros DJs Rattus Rattus & Klose One of Urban Nerds.

Engine Earz Experiment, described as the Massive Attack of the dubstep generation, must been seen live.

They have won fans among respected industry professionals including Nitin Sawhney and Mike Skinner and will support DJ Shadow on his December tour.

Made up of five core musicians, Prashant Mistry (synths/ electronics), Data (MC), Jade Browne (vox/guitars), James Billinge (drums) and Kabir Kainth (percussion), plus full live visuals from VJ Splatty, the band fuses international sounds with dubstep, drum ’n’ bass, electronica and alternative rock. Their debut album Symbol features collaborations with Aloe Blacc, Akala, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, flautist-beatboxer Nathan “Flute Box”, Flux Pavilion and more.

The Camden Crawl (May 4-6), features a full daytime programme of music, quizzes, comedy and entertainment before the evening music begins.

Earlybird tickets for the 2012 weekend, featuring more than 250 acts plus special guest appearances, are on sale now.

• More information from www.thecamdencrawl.com