Kitsch in sync
Trendy Wendy talks to Davi reach their tenth birthday.
heesy pop nights come and cheesy pop nights
go. leaving nothing in their wake hut a heap oi
ill-fitting school uniforms and the hitter taste that also rises while watching l’l‘V3 reruns of Steps
pretending they‘re Ahha. rather than a rrroh of
gooning holiday camp reps. It‘s evolution in reverse. with young imaginations that might just have been excited hy something other than the sanre old shit harhecued at the stake of kitsch until they comply.
So 'l’ackno might well he a cheesy pop night. hut you don‘t get to he ten years old in cluhland unless you‘re doing something right. It‘s fun. it’s nostalgic. it doesnd take itself in the least hit seriously. it‘s everything that the venerable and hard-to-please cluhher should stand against. Yet. from the old Vaults on Niddrie Street (now the lloneycomh) to .‘Vlassa and now ligo. it's sustained a crowd ol' adoring followers precisely hy heing the first and hest of all of the ahoye in lidinhurgh. and through 1)] and founder Trendy Wendy's playl'ul mastery of a genre that's deceptively hard to get right.
"l'ackno started as liresh when l was at Stirling liniy'ersity.‘ recalls Wendy. hersell~ something of a name l)J around town thanks to the club's good reputation. ‘lt started off as a test run. almost as a joke hecause myself and my friends wanted to take the piss out of techno. At the time most cluhs only played techno and everyone who went to these clubs took themselyes really seriously. So we just wanted to do something different. to put the tan hack into going out. ()hy'iously these days cluhhirrg has diyersil‘ied. hut I still don‘t think there‘s anything quite like 'l‘ackno.‘
32 THE LIST Qt Jul 4 Aug .7005)
‘SCHEMIE TACKNO WAS GOOD - LOTS OF PRAMS AND SHELLSUITS'
Trendy Wendy
ollock about Tackno’s enduring appeal as they
()ne of the main talking points ahout 'l‘ackno oyer the years has hccn the enrergcnce of the cluh's themed nights. Basically a chance to play some more obscure related classics and get the crowd iny'oly'cd hy exercising their tancy dress skills. they‘ve covered all the classic hases and added one or two that are 'l‘ackno trademarks.
"l‘he themes just add a different dimension.‘ explains Wendy. "I hey nrean you can explore all aspects of cheesincss. rather than just having one general cheesy disco theme eyery time. What have heen my layourites'.’ The classic one has to he Sclrernie 'l‘ackno. and it‘s the one that eyeryone else says they loved too. l.ots ol prams. lots ol shellsuits 'l‘acchini ones in particular. l‘or' some reason lots oli ray'e music and glowsticks. I also really enjoyed School l)isco 'l‘ackno. although we did that long before all the other nights sprang up. Then there are the ohscure ones like Bearded 'l'ackno. 'l'anktop 'l'ackno. l-‘or the tenth hirtlrday we’ll he doing 'l‘op 'l‘en ’l‘ackno. like a ’lrr/r (if the I’rr/rs rundown ol‘ our layourites.’
Describing the crowd as roughly split hetwecn gay and straight. Wendy says that the turnoy'cr of younger l‘ans goes hand in hand with the staying power of those who‘ve heerr going tor years: ‘I get people coming tip to me all the time saying they were at the first 'l'ackno. or that this is their let consecutiye 'lackno. l’eople show a lot of loyalty to its. which is why I think we‘ye heen a success.‘
Tackno's tenth birthday, Ego, Edinburgh, Sun 31 Jul
Departure Lounge the jazz grooves and funky global beats night reaches its second birthday so you'll get the residents in full effect as Astroboy & Mr Zimbabwe and Diwan and more take over one of the coolest venues in town. The Caves, Edinburgh, Fri 22 Jul.
Inner City Acid S'Express frontrnan Mark Moore armed with a bundle of electro and house classics looks like a damn fine party to get yourself along to. He is still one helluva Superfly Guy. The Sourrdlraus, Glasgow. Sat 23 Jul.
One in Ten presents Summer Sounds Hurrah for this new gay party from Andrew Back (Emergency) and Niall Connolly (Discopia). They have not only managed to persuade Gerard (tangent) to DJ for the night but have also secured the flamboyant Nut Brothers for a live stint. Carnival Arts Centre, Glasgow, Sat 23 Jul.
Release Free 1 ibet Music Festival that mixes cool music with a good cause. It‘s a mash— up line-up that takes in everything from rockers Alfonzo to house master Gareth Somrnerville on the decks. The Bongo Club. Edinburgh, Fri 29 Jul.
‘ ? Liquid Fusion New set of Beach nights kick off doon Leith with Bugz in the Attic and Bruce C) for some mighty breaks and beats. Ocean terminal, Edinburgh, Sat 30 Jul. -- Superfly present Bummer in the Summer As well as the finest in funk and soul from Duncan and Iain, this summer special includes a live set from the hotly-tipped Gems. l he sun always shines at Supertly. Woodside Social Club, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jul.
Disco Badger Manny Norte (pictured) is an urban legend, hosting one of the most cutting edge radio shows around on Radio lXtra. His MC and DJ skills are a cut above the rest too. Bamboo, Glasgow. Sun 31 Jul.