Comments | surje: Sol Invictus @ Water Rats

surje

Sol Invictus @ Water Rats

Dec 03, 2006 13:10

The Water Rats is an excellent venue, being about 3 minutes walk from Kings X (apart from getting very hot inside when filled with NeoFolk fans). The CD stall was very good, at least it made me spend lots of money ( Read more... )

gigs, neofolk

Comments 14

karohemd December 3 2006, 14:25:02 UTC

I figured you'd be there but didn't spot you.

A very good gig indeed, despite Josef K's guest appearance (not my favourite neofolker).
Given the cramped venue, the sound was surprisingly good and I was in a lucky position where the aircon worked.
I had my usual "won't make it to the last train on time" paranoia and left about 15 minutes earlier than I needed to (I'm a really slow walker) to catch the 23.36 so that's why I disappeared before the end. How long did the gig go on for? I left at about 10 past 11. I think next time there's a gig that could take longer than 11 and I can't crash over somewhere, I'm going to drive to one of the end of line tube stations because tubes run longer.

surje December 3 2006, 21:53:51 UTC

we did a similar thing about 5 minutes later. yes tube run sounds like a good plan, we might try that as well, although we have the occasional option of crashing in watford. it's a shame they stopped the 12:06 as that wasn't too bad.

karohemd December 4 2006, 16:16:51 UTC

I usually have a place to crash about 10 mins walk from Kings Cross but I wanted to sleep in my own bed so I had more time to do stuff on the Sunday.
I think there was still a train to Stevenage with a bus to Cambridge (it was like that last Saturday) but I didn't fancy getting home at 3am...

lsur December 3 2006, 17:15:49 UTC

I've only ever been to one neofolk gig, at the Leipzig Treffen. I found it somewhat weird - I suppose I haven't reached any conclusion about that scene. I did like Vox Impus though. Sounds like a good evening.

surje December 3 2006, 21:57:18 UTC

it's definitely weird. i'm still getting my head round it after it being my main area of interest since i used to bop to scy11a's tunes at wraith. it constantly challenges the perceptions and prejudices, and makes you re-assess your own opinions about things that are considered taboo or censored. and the general approach or theme is both cynical but also optimistic in some ways. i'm sure that there are some people that get into it for the wrong reasons, but i'm also sure that the main protagonists are not involved in anything "dangerous".

lsur December 4 2006, 15:18:24 UTC

It occurs to me that maybe the challenge to perceptions and prejudices stems from the 'foreign' element in the music. I mean, a continental, especially German slant on things. I recall being mildly appalled when an Israeli friend told me what Holocaust survivors are disparagingly called by younger Israelis. It mad me realise that the English attitudes we grew up with are not the be all and end all of perspectives on life and society.

karohemd December 4 2006, 16:23:53 UTC

The variety of the audience actually surprised me. The highly styled fans were actually in the minority and mostly there were "average goths", lots of people in jeans and tshirt and a number of "mundanes" and artsy types, too.

As it's often the case, a lot of the bad rep of Neofolk stems from ignorance. Many of the themes are based on old Germanic/Nordic/Pagan mythology and values which wouldn't be such an issue if they hadn't been tainted and corrupted by the Nazis...

Thread 11