(no subject)
The gig last night was strange. It ran from 3pm - 10pm for a start, on a Tuesday, and was aimed mainly at 14 - 18 year olds, but was an all ages gig. I suppose it resembled a school disco a bit, with a few oldies hanging around. Thom, Stoney and I didn't feel totally alienated with a few older people there, but it was very strange being surrounded by kids there with a common purpose. All the bands were young, as was the nature of the event and it was quite sparsely populated until a bit later but never got above half full. The organisation was also pretty poor due to band cancellations and whatever.
Anyway, the event was worth it for Crystal Castles. This duo being a 16 year old singer with a 35 year old guy on the electronics, who apparently met whilst doing community service readings for deaf people, are fucking awesome. The set was performed in pitch black, the only source of light being from the strobe light that the singer was waving around as she threw herself around the stage. You could only just make out the guy in the background, creating a wall of pounding techno beats, squelching beats and the occasional gorgeous melody. They looked and sounded amazing and the crowd went mad, we were dancing like we would at a club night, and the crowd's fists were pumping the air in time to the techno tracks. Sadly, they managed to clock in at about 20 minutes and then promptly walked off. I love a bit of attitude on stage, but 20 fucking minutes? I strongly suspect it was down to the organisers though, as CC's set time was changed about three times during the course of the night. How typical the best band of the bill should get fucked over.
Out of the bands we saw, it was a real triumph of electronic music over guitar music. Partyshank totally owned the Red Room, mashing up jungle, rave, techno and drum 'n' bass. They were comic, loud, fun and chaotic. I despise the term nu-rave, it means nothing, but they really are what you would describe as NEW rave music. Put Partyshank in a decent club night and the roof would blow off. Watching them was fun too, the two of them jostling for space at the desks. They closed with a blinder, suddenly one of them screaming into the microphone like he's out of Bleeding Through or something, over thunderous jungle music. Awesome. Bearsuit, stalwarts of Norwich's little indie scene, were on their usual bright form as well, mixing ska, punk, indie and pop into a breakneck set.
However, Poppy and the Jezebels, the much-hyped young sunshine indie band that NME keep banging on about were boring as sin, with an irritating doe-eyed little child singer and a twat who wears sunglasses indoors on guitar. Twisted Charms were also indie-by-numbers dullards. Headliners Friendly Fires were decent but ran out of ideas after a while and we decided to call it a night during their set. We left craving more Crystal Castles. Fucking love them.
Anyway, the event was worth it for Crystal Castles. This duo being a 16 year old singer with a 35 year old guy on the electronics, who apparently met whilst doing community service readings for deaf people, are fucking awesome. The set was performed in pitch black, the only source of light being from the strobe light that the singer was waving around as she threw herself around the stage. You could only just make out the guy in the background, creating a wall of pounding techno beats, squelching beats and the occasional gorgeous melody. They looked and sounded amazing and the crowd went mad, we were dancing like we would at a club night, and the crowd's fists were pumping the air in time to the techno tracks. Sadly, they managed to clock in at about 20 minutes and then promptly walked off. I love a bit of attitude on stage, but 20 fucking minutes? I strongly suspect it was down to the organisers though, as CC's set time was changed about three times during the course of the night. How typical the best band of the bill should get fucked over.
Out of the bands we saw, it was a real triumph of electronic music over guitar music. Partyshank totally owned the Red Room, mashing up jungle, rave, techno and drum 'n' bass. They were comic, loud, fun and chaotic. I despise the term nu-rave, it means nothing, but they really are what you would describe as NEW rave music. Put Partyshank in a decent club night and the roof would blow off. Watching them was fun too, the two of them jostling for space at the desks. They closed with a blinder, suddenly one of them screaming into the microphone like he's out of Bleeding Through or something, over thunderous jungle music. Awesome. Bearsuit, stalwarts of Norwich's little indie scene, were on their usual bright form as well, mixing ska, punk, indie and pop into a breakneck set.
However, Poppy and the Jezebels, the much-hyped young sunshine indie band that NME keep banging on about were boring as sin, with an irritating doe-eyed little child singer and a twat who wears sunglasses indoors on guitar. Twisted Charms were also indie-by-numbers dullards. Headliners Friendly Fires were decent but ran out of ideas after a while and we decided to call it a night during their set. We left craving more Crystal Castles. Fucking love them.