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PREVIEW PUNK FAST CLUB The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Fri 5 Sep
‘We call it a punk night,’ says Christopher Fast, ‘but it’s more about a punk attitude to music. From rockabilly, 60$ soul, garage and hip hop to disco and electro, we set out to make different genres work together in an interesting way.’ For five years, self-confessed ‘record- collecting obsessive’ Fast has been whipping the Bongo Club’s dancefloor into a frenzy with DJ and promotion partner George Bloodfeast, spinning a thrilling mix of tunes alongside the latest hotly tipped live bands.
Club Fast was launched after a pub chat about providing the Edinburgh scene with a genuine alternative. To date The Royal We, X-Vectors, These New Puritans, Gay Against You and Dolby Anol are just a few examples of the explosive acts who have
So 80 Modern
darkened the club’s doors since it first opened. For this forthcoming fifth birthday bash Kiwi punk-funkers So So Modern appear along with a host of surprises. ‘We can’t believe we’ve lasted this long,’ laughs Fast, ‘so we’re planning a really special night to celebrate. Plus, there’s the country club upstairs with Keith Douglas playing his blend of Roy Orbison-esque pop if anyone feels things are getting too raucous.’
With anthems courtesy of The Fall, Gloria Jones, Late Of The Pier and The Rapture drawing a devoted crowd over the years and an impressive range of guests already booked for the coming months, Fast is going from strength to strength. So what is the secret to the club’s continuing success? ‘We’ve always done it our way,’ says the DJ. ‘We've never booked a band we don’t like just to get people in, and we’ve always pleased ourselves first and then hoped that would please other people, which luckily it has.’ (Camilla Pia)
FCLECTIC ELECl'RONlCA WRONG ISLAND Nice’n’Sleazy, Glasgow, Sat 13 Sep.
'Last month. a guy from London came up to us and said. "this is exactly what I remember the old Basement .Jaxx parties being like".' says Teamy. co-promoter and DJ at Slea/y's finest basement party since it won itself a late licence. ‘That's just what we're trying to do: a no-holds-barred celebration of anything that's danceable. Larry plays electro and dubstep. I play acid house and disco. and we meet in the middle around the techno area.‘
When Teamy's old Smash Team Disco night at the Admiral finished and his partner in Wrong Island. Larry (ex of the School of Arts Eskrima. 'also known as Dirty Larry. Leisure Suit Lariy . . .‘l, returned from living abroad. the situation was just right for the pair of old friends to finally work together. ‘Doing this in Slea/y's basement is the most fun,“ says Teamy. ‘You have people coming down from the bar upstairs who maybe wouldn't dance much otherwise: others randomly coming in off the street and folk who actually do come to see us. It's perfect.’
He's also equally pleased With their first birthday guest. Xaver Naudascher, one half of Berlin-based duo Mogg and Naudascht-zr. whose new prOject. Moon Unit. Will be playing Optimo on Sunday 5 October. ‘l'll give my best to make Scotland dance. scream and throw its hands in the air.' says Naudascher, entering into the spirit. ‘I heard that Scots are real party animals so I think I might be able to succeed there.‘ (Dawd Pollock)
The best new nights in town This month: Soundcrash Residents: Big Dada's regular tour DJ and a contender for the title of ‘Aberdeen‘s most famous DJ‘. A' La Fu. Also Mixed Bizness' Boom Monk Ben. although he’ll only be appearing at this first instalment in his guise of promoter.
Guests: The riotous ragga. grime and dancehall fusion of The Bug (aka Londoner Kevin Martin). who has released material on Ninja Tune, Rephlex and Soul Jazz. He‘ll be joined by regular collaborator Warrior Queen. and the pair will be using Mungo’s Hi- Fi's mighty soundsystem. Also included in the line-up are Somdcrash Records' own glitch- dub artiste Memory9 and the label's own Rob Soundcrash. all the way from London.
Music policy: 'Alternative hip hop. Warp. Ninja Tune. reggae,’ says ‘Boom Monk' Ben Coghill. ‘A select amount of really good alternative electronic and organic music. really.“
What they say: ‘Soundcrash do a lot of very high quality clubs in London and Bristol already.‘ says Coghill, ‘and they first got in touch with me when they put Method Man on at the Academy in Glasgow earlier this year. They were just looking to be pointed in the right direction at first, but we discovered we had the same attitudes to work and the kind of music we each wanted to promote. so they asked me to take a more prominent role in promoting Soundcrash up here. It'll be a bi-monthly club. and the next date will be a Ninja Tune special in November, we'll also be presenting a live date by the Wu- Tang Clan‘s GZA in the same month.’
What we say: With a bill like this. you won't be disappointed with this first part of what promises to be a big regular fixture for Glasgow. Brilliantly, entry also gets you into Ballers Social Club's first birthday downstairs. with guests Platinum Pied Pipers, Andrew Meza and Hudson Mohawke.
(David Pollock)
I Soundcrash is at the Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Fri 12 Sep.
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