Dréa
11-16-2005, 11:21 PM
Hey, hey, sugar!
By Andréa E-D
I am pleased to let you know that my first evening at the Ace Cafe was as rock and roll as I had anticipated.
There may not have been too much of the old R&R, (although the jukebox is as smart as you like) the leathers were padded to safety standards and no one started any riots… but the essence was still well dammed there. The familiarity everyone . approaches you with, the genuine interest of the punters, just the place itself! It makes you envy your parents because they got to actually live it! How could my mom possibly not had fallen for one of those half sided smile boys? How the hell did my dad not hit the drums in some band while trying to put some money together dreaming of a ’53 Blue ‘bird?
As soon as I persuaded a friend of mine to come with me, we set off. It actually didn’t take that much begging, I have been ranting about motorbikes for the last 2 weeks, and this is a very contagious passion.
Just as I started considering I had been giving the wrong directions, it was a nice surprise how out of the blue your prayers are answered… you go around the corner et… voila!
There it is, looking smart, polished but full of character… the Ace Cafe London.
I couldn’t stop smiling, black and white imaginery slided in front of my eyes , the bikes that rode that parking, all the bands who boogied and flirted and stole girlfriends, all the gangs, the territorial fights, the brand new R&R singles playing for the first time in some juke box … if them walls could talk, some stories those would be!
I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I knew it had been refurbished but kept most of the original features; however, I didn’t want to have a mental picture of some kind of “Diner”, that would have been far too commercial, and that is something these boys are not about.
After a few mugs of coffee, a self promise to have one of those special burgers next time and a quick word with Mark “Ace Face” Wilsmore, we left.
The rain had subdued slightly but it was too late to expect anymore riders for a night with Triumph + Royal Enfield OC and if the rain was not enough, the England Internationals were entertaining. I will most definitely be back
very soon, and not just for the Triumphs. They have live bands on weekends and I will be checking those out too. There are plenty of things organised on weekdays, on top of the usual monthly meetings. Something for everyone!
You can still feel “something” in that place, most bikes have changed, (some of them will never!) and the regulars may be from all over the world but the spirit is still there, this is certainly one of my favourite places in London, between Old North Circular and Heather Park Drive, standing proud.
We left speeding off, me dreaming of blue exhaust smoke lingering in the air behind me… and a tune in my lips…
“.. he wore black denim trousers and
motorcycle boots
and a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
he had a hopped-up 'cycle that took off like a gun
that fool was the terror of highway 101
then he took off like the devil and there was fire in his eyes
he said i'll go a thousand miles before the sun
can rise.
But he hit a
screamin' diesel
that was California-bound
sung and when they cleared the wreckage, all they found
was his black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
and a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
but they couldn't find the 'cycle that took off like a gun
and they never found the terror of high way 1 oh 1 …”
Rock on
By Andréa E-D
I am pleased to let you know that my first evening at the Ace Cafe was as rock and roll as I had anticipated.
There may not have been too much of the old R&R, (although the jukebox is as smart as you like) the leathers were padded to safety standards and no one started any riots… but the essence was still well dammed there. The familiarity everyone . approaches you with, the genuine interest of the punters, just the place itself! It makes you envy your parents because they got to actually live it! How could my mom possibly not had fallen for one of those half sided smile boys? How the hell did my dad not hit the drums in some band while trying to put some money together dreaming of a ’53 Blue ‘bird?
As soon as I persuaded a friend of mine to come with me, we set off. It actually didn’t take that much begging, I have been ranting about motorbikes for the last 2 weeks, and this is a very contagious passion.
Just as I started considering I had been giving the wrong directions, it was a nice surprise how out of the blue your prayers are answered… you go around the corner et… voila!
There it is, looking smart, polished but full of character… the Ace Cafe London.
I couldn’t stop smiling, black and white imaginery slided in front of my eyes , the bikes that rode that parking, all the bands who boogied and flirted and stole girlfriends, all the gangs, the territorial fights, the brand new R&R singles playing for the first time in some juke box … if them walls could talk, some stories those would be!
I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I knew it had been refurbished but kept most of the original features; however, I didn’t want to have a mental picture of some kind of “Diner”, that would have been far too commercial, and that is something these boys are not about.
After a few mugs of coffee, a self promise to have one of those special burgers next time and a quick word with Mark “Ace Face” Wilsmore, we left.
The rain had subdued slightly but it was too late to expect anymore riders for a night with Triumph + Royal Enfield OC and if the rain was not enough, the England Internationals were entertaining. I will most definitely be back
very soon, and not just for the Triumphs. They have live bands on weekends and I will be checking those out too. There are plenty of things organised on weekdays, on top of the usual monthly meetings. Something for everyone!
You can still feel “something” in that place, most bikes have changed, (some of them will never!) and the regulars may be from all over the world but the spirit is still there, this is certainly one of my favourite places in London, between Old North Circular and Heather Park Drive, standing proud.
We left speeding off, me dreaming of blue exhaust smoke lingering in the air behind me… and a tune in my lips…
“.. he wore black denim trousers and
motorcycle boots
and a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
he had a hopped-up 'cycle that took off like a gun
that fool was the terror of highway 101
then he took off like the devil and there was fire in his eyes
he said i'll go a thousand miles before the sun
can rise.
But he hit a
screamin' diesel
that was California-bound
sung and when they cleared the wreckage, all they found
was his black denim trousers and motorcycle boots
and a black leather jacket with an eagle on the back
but they couldn't find the 'cycle that took off like a gun
and they never found the terror of high way 1 oh 1 …”
Rock on