The Waiting Room, Stoke Newington, London, UK25th September 2026
The Secret Cameras - Support: Nothing New & MTTM
Tonight I had the pleasure of seeing three bands at a venue in Stoke Newington called The Waiting Room. It’s not too far away from home and is around the corner from Abney Park Cemetery. I’ve visited numerous times in the past, the last time being before the plague hit and subsequent lock downs, I think. Anyway, the bands were NOTHING NEW, never heard of them, MTTM, never heard of them, and SECRET CAMERAS which I have. So, a varied mix of Synth Wave, Post Punk and Alt Rock to titillate the sense for a few hours. It turned out to be around four hours. And I came away impressed for the most part and satiated. Let’s get stuck in!
Nothing New
NOTHING NEW are based in London and have been around since 2019. The concept of the band is to make non original music that uses sounds and atmospheres already out there in the public domain and used by most of the synth bands from the early 1980s onwards. Because it took so long to finish any music the actual project was no longer new. So, you could say they created something new by accident / design? I think the latter. For more information check out this link: https://nothingnewuk.bandcamp.com/
Music & Performance
This was interesting. Two blokes get up on the stage. The first one I thought was part of the band and the other I thought was just part of the venue staff, the other member coming along when the set up was complete. No, he was the vocalist Nathan Nothing. “Middle aged SOFT CELL” I thought, or maybe PET SHOP BOYS? The vocalist looked like Jeremy Clarkson with a Phil Oakey haircut, both of them are from Yorkshire and so was he. The audience sat on the benches to the sides of the stage waiting in anticipation for the set to start. And when it did my impression of SOFT CELL was confirmed.
As the set progressed a few people were cajoled to dance but most sat down. Nathan filled the gaps between tracks with quips and dry humour which got the crowd laughing, at one point even saying when no one would get up to dance something like “Come on what’s up with you yer bastaads?” The tone a mixture of jest and irritation, in my view, that got the crowd laughing again. Also the subject matter of the songs was about nothing being new, climate change being real (The world is getting hotter and we are all doomed) and not wanting to grow up, get married and have kids and staying up at the weekends, taking the piss.
The whole vibe from the start was of my comfort zone being prodded. And one of pastiche/satire and piss take. John Shuttleworth!!!? I watch him and I feel my butt chewing the seat I’m sat on but with some nicely done minimal synth tuneage to back it up. My summary: Think HUMAN LEAGUE from the ‘Being Boiled’ era, the aforementioned SOFT CELL, HEAVEN 17 or THE NORMAL. Cringly interesting.
Setlist
01. Nice Weather
02. Can’t Stand The Silence
03. Literally
04. Recycling
05. Falling
06. New Not New
07. Hot & Old
MTTM
MTTM are based in Berlin but from Brazil originally. This current project was started in the latter stages of 2024 and they released their first video called ‘The Flow’ in January 2025 followed by the album ‘The Diver’ later in the year. Description?? Post Punk, Synth Pop, new Wave. More information can be gleaned via the following link: https://wearemttm.com/
Music & Performance
The atmosphere is set with red stage lights. A sleazy danger imposes itself over the stage and out into the punter land. There’s darkness by the benches but when I turn my head from the stage to the floor there are many bodies already set in position for the performance, the antithesis of the first act. “Ooooh these guys are popular then?” I thought. The set was fluid with limited chatter between tracks, just the bare minimum to introduce tracks, introduce themselves create a connection to the audience. That was appreciated because I hate disjointed nervous waffle that ruins the rhythm of a set.
The set was opened by the punch of ‘Dive’ a track about self-connection. The vibe is of letting go and going with the flow. There’s a nice synth piece when the refrain “I see myself in you” is sung. ‘Electricity’ is a foot stomper about connection and intense emotions that enliven and then subside. A bubbling drum pattern starts ‘Flood’, it has a bit of Pat Benatar about it. The subject matter is about triumph over adversity, that wasn’t my concern though whilst listening, the vocal was a semi demi tone out of tune and it was annoying me as were the fizzy synths. ‘Lovesong’ is a cover of THE CURE track from the 1980’s but with a more synthetic vibe to it. Its colder but more emphatic, NEW ORDER couldn’t have done better.
The guitars on this ground it back to the original though. ‘Meet Me At The End’ started out promisingly. Another track about connection and finding oneself, this was pleasing to the ear, the bass line was full to the ear and pleasing in a slightly warmish manner and so were the trinkets and phrases that darted in and out of the main lines. Craft-wise this was well crafted. This is a liquidly cinematic track that spacious and floaty. My mind has conjured images of black undulating torpid seas with silver crests and aluminium foam, it’s dangerous but if you focus you can ride the febrile rhythm. Finally, the set is closed out by ‘The Flow’.
The second from last tracks was ‘We Are Alive’. This for a brief moment flies in formation with another band called SCENIUS that create modern synth music with a nod to the templates laid down by the pioneers from the 1980s. But then that formation breaks and MTTM go off in their own direction but in the background there’s an ever-present VISAGE vibe. The saw edged bass and then sustained lighter synth line in the background creating a daydream effect and once again alluding to connection and reconnection. And there we have it ladies and gentlemen, the set is over.
I’ve never heard of this band before. On first exposure I liked them. My impression was like a chain, like a lot, like, like more, like, like, like a lot, like.... Musically MTTM were easy on the ear and punchy. The tracks were well crafted and the in house engineer did a good job, as with all the band getting the sound right. Towards the end I tuned out a bit because the sound got louder. And most of the tracks alluded to connection issues. I also had an itch in the back of my head that I could not scratch. That stayed with me until mid-set. And then I had a ‘Eureka’ moment. I will say no more.
Setlist
01. Dive
02. Electricity (Homage to the drummer)
03. Flood
04. Beyond The Sea
05. Lovesong
06. Meet Me At The End
07. We Are Alive
08. The Flow
Secret Cameras
The first time I heard SECRET CAMERAS was around 10 years ago. So, they weren’t long formed. They played a gig in the Good Ship in Kilburn on the High Road. I remember the stage being overlooked by balconies and as I looked down on them, I thought “God almighty the sound is crap!” Everything sounded off and unpalatable. It turns out the engineer and the acoustics were to blame for that. Anyway, I didn’t like the sound so I went and sat in a corner with a pale ale and wrote some notes on my Nexus 5 before leaving and buying a few bottles of Ukrainian beer in a supermarket up the road and going home on the overground.
So, since 2016 SECRET CAMERAS have played many shows, one being a sell out at The Lexington in Islington and released numerous singles, a couple of EPs and a self-titled album. Tonight’s show was to promote their recently releases new EP called ‘Dear Roses On The Border’, a collection about conflict and those living through it. More information can be found via this link: https://secretcamerasofficial.bandcamp.com/
Music & Performance
Currently SECRET CAMERAS are a two-piece consisting of Jgor Ognibeni on drums and founder Itamar Starets on guitar / vocal duties. All the textures, keyboards and bas are on a backing track. I was immediately taken aback by how much better they sounded compared to 2016. It was like listening to a different band or the same band that wasn’t competing with another band for attention and thus confusing my ears. Good start. There were the four tracks from the recently released EP along with others released over the past ten years. The EP being the focus is about conflict and those living through it.
First track tonight though is ‘Scientific’. This has an EDITORS feel to it what with the punchy bass lines and the sinewy screaming guitars, all kept together by snappy precise drumming. The track gallops along nicely paced, the audience that appeared for the previous band staying rooted and ready for SECRET CAMERAS, foot tapping frenetically. By the time ‘Under Attack’ from the EP started a chap was gyrating and bobbing right in front of camera lens. Anyway, the track, it was abrasive and smooth like 80-grit sandpaper dancing with its 300-grit equivalent. And it was also pacey. I like the wind chime / dream catcher jangling in the background that could also be a multitude of bullets falling from a hot gun.
“Can we get rid of this poison...” are the opening lyrics of ‘Celebrate Our Differences’. The track is a cacophony of sound, the screech of guitars in the mix and the drums front and centre. The vocal was wide and precise, something slightly higher than baritone and with good range. That bass line at the midpoint I like. And it sounds like MUSE. This soars and hovers and soars again. Good track this. ‘Together Till The End’ is led by keyboards, thumped pianos and resonant vocal. There’s a subtle NICK KERSHAW vibe in that vocal. The second track from the EP is ‘No Future’. The lyrics go “You failed to protect use, you tried to erase us. We had we had been programmed, ancestors taught us all the signs. We don’t need your slogans empty words won’t solve this.” An emphatic and to the point message all wrapped up in a focussed vibe darkly marvellous to the ears.
I look around the room, eyes are closed, feet at tapping, thighs are slapped. No one is letting go completely but this set is being enjoyed. Next up is a two-year-old track called ‘No More’ – bum, bum, bum, bum goes the bass, the guitar filigrees away with a metallic swagger and keyboards fill the spaces melodious and cacophonous noise. This track would TOTP material if it was still the 1980s, it would I tell you! Next from the EP is ‘Our Love’. Another ear pleaser about love and all that slushy stuff, but paired with darkness and tremolo picking. There are two competing riffs here, one lighter and one darker. Great track that.
‘Back And Against The Wall’ is blunter but still retaining a pleasing progression. All the usual jangles and web weaver installed. The bass gargling like I’ve my head up gargling a mouthful of red wine. The final track from the EP is ‘Night Lust’ stamps itself into the silence and silence is now just shattered experience. RED LORRY YELLOW LORRY? It’s the bass on this, love that bass! It’s the energy and emphasis of the action. Yeah, I know it’s a back track. But it fits in here as if played by a live human onstage in front of me. “We are the creature of the night; we want to be free...”
The final track of the set is ‘The Silence’ and it has an EDITORS / SPACE 1999 vibe in places. Of note the set was played straight-laced mostly with no theatrics but every now and again there’d be an abrupt downward motion on the guitar or a stamp or quick turn. All done with a frenetic spontaneous jerk. The end. A damn good set that amplified by the full-on commitment and enjoyment. Again, there was none of that inter song waffle garbage that bordered on indulgence and / or nervousness. SECRET CAMERAS were damn good to experience live.
The sound engineer did her job to elevate that opinion and the crowd although not screaming and waving their arms about were into the set and showing their appreciation, the band could feel that energy and obviously fed off it. Nuff said.
Setlist
01. Scientific
02. Under Attack
03. Celebrate Our Difference
04. Together Till The End
05. No Future
06. No More
07. Our Love
08. Back Against The Wall
09. Night Lust
10. The Silence
All Pictures by Claudia Black
