That was the Monarch

Man, they shut down the Monarch -
sticky floors and booths of glory -
the place we made our own mark,
and lost at pool to Will Varley.
I'd come in with a broken mind,
anxious, twitchy, on the search,
desperate to somehow find
Lost Evenings in the Monarch.

[chorus: call and response]
  That was the Monarch
    That was our church
(x4)

Sanctuary, seat of ease;
Marwood's singalongs were the most;
RPMs; Apologies;
Ducking Punches raising ghosts;
Tracey Wise was on the merch:
Safe Gigs badges; Nick brought cake;
CDs, vinyl, hoodies, shirts:
spend some money, for fuck's sake.

  That was the Monarch
    That was our church
(x4)

We fixed our heads and straightened out -
overdrafts for breaking chains -
double goblets, Legion shout,
then dash off to catch last trains.
Now it's just called "Monarchy" -
polished wood and hipster shit -
and it's always fucking empty.
Sometimes karma's such a bitch.

  That was the Monarch
    That was our church
(x8)

and the toilets were upstai - ai - airs.

Written 2021-09-17 in the crowded Camden Assembly (open mic for Lost Evenings IV), just along Chalk Farm Road from the deserted "Monarchy" beer experience.