Possibly the most famous pub for Indie band wannabes in Camden. The old hang out of Madness, this grimy, old school venue goes down well with bands and punters alike.

The Venue
Walking your way up Parkway, the red glow of the Dublin Castle makes it the most striking building on this stretch of road. The cute hanging baskets and the skinny jeaned Indie men loitering outside whilst having a smoke are an amusing contrast. Once you’ve got past the pale-skinned, fag chugging groupies, you are presented with the large bar with resident goth barmaid plonked behind it. Also, you notice that the red theme is continued on the inside where glaring red lights are used instead of normal light bulbs.

Above the bar are two massive framed posters of Madness and one has Suggs in front of a tube sign of Camden Town. It’s great that they still have a fondness for this group who started their career here.

For seating you get to enjoy the badly upholstered booths and grotty tables with writing and marks splattered all over them. If you’re not here to see a gig in the back then the front has an awesome jukebox, filled with many classic juicy tunes. The only downfall of this venue is the size of the front bar and the lack of seats. This is not a place to hang out and have a few drinks, it is basically a gig venue and it shouldn’t try to be anything else.

The Atmosphere
Busy, busy, busy is how the Dublin Castle is a lot of the time. Expect to see a blend of old rockers and rockers-to-be huddled around tables swigging beers and chatting about obscure Indie bands.

Many who come here think that they are going to see the ‘next big thing’ as a lot of bands started their gigging life here; these are typical Camdenites. You know, the heavily styled, fashion conscious Indie guys and gals, similar to Shoreditch types but not as arrogant. They always play top notch music on the jukebox and the punters do not cause too many problems in the front bar. The gig venue in the back? That’s a different territory.

The Drink
Considering it’s basically a gig venue, the prices and selection of booze available is pretty reasonable. For Kronenbourg, Kronenbourg Blanc, San Miguel and the like, expect to pay £3.20, and for Fosters Extra Cold and Strongbow it’s around £3.

Normal spirits are available but they proudly display their Jagermeister machine for everyone to see, and everyone knows a good night out involves a few shots of the spring break special. Typically, you’ll be wanting to reach for their beers as their other spirits are a bit budget and not that appealing.

The Last Word
If you want to bump into some indie celebrities then come on in and lap up the ambience at the Dublin Castle. If, however, you’re not bothered by the music scene and its history, potter down the road, it’s where you belong.

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