CLUBS | Interview
Why will you miss the Bongo Club at Moray House? Andrew Nation (Assistant Venue Manager): For decades it’s been a place of entertainment and culture, with friendly, knowledgeable staff, performers and audience. It’s bricks and mortar, but the folk who come together give it a pulse. DJ Deburgh (Big’n’Bashy): I will miss the great acoustics as the main room has a decent high ceiling meaning the music has space to breathe and the fact that my flat is a stone’s throw across the road making stumbles home all the easier with heavy record bags.
What made it a great venue? Simon Hodge (Four Corners): As soon as you entered you knew this was an independent venture with no connection with the corporate life of the capital. It was individual, rough around the edges, and proud of it. Steve Roberts (Mumbo Jumbo): It was a great venue because of the people who went there, the staff and security. There was no passing trade and people were there for a good time as opposed to pulling and fighting. What are your favourite memories of the current venue? AN: The huge success of It’s Funtime, which people have taken to their hearts; that event couldn’t have happened anywhere else in Edinburgh, it took 18 months to evolve and create, and Bongo gave it the time it needed. Allan Dunbar (Headspin): One was the DJ Yoda AV set during the Festival. Everyone had enjoyed Yoda doing his thing, but it’s not really danceable so they were champing at the bit to have a boogie. Yoda finished at 4am and then I went on and started pumping out the techy house beats and the place just went nuts. Good times. Simon Xplicit (Xplicit): Noisia in December
2006 is my personal favourite as it was the first time they had been to Scotland and the whole place went off. They went on to say it was their favourite gig of the year. DJD: That would have to be the time the entire Chase & Status live tour entourage came down just to party and ended up swamping the stage with Tempa T and Maverick Sabre. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was happening. What can we expect from your last night at the Bongo? AN: A big, happy Hogmanay Party, squeezing in some of our favourite resident club DJs, with bells on. SX: For the final Xplicit [30 Dec] we have enlisted our friends G-Mac and The General from Manga, as well as convincing our former resident Paul Reset back to the decks for his first drum & bass set since 2010. It’s going to be a great way to end a great chapter for us. DJD: You can expect DJs Slimzee and Spyro on top form dropping the hits allowing us to celebrate being five years young and giving Moray House a special Big’n’Bashy send off that it deserves [15 Dec]. SH: To be honest we don’t really look on this as a last night [14 Dec] but yet another chapter in the history of The Bongo.
What next? AN: Seeking to complete paperwork on a new venue, start a massive building project, evacuate Moray House, move in and make our new house a home. SX: We are back hosting the relaunch party at the new Bongo Club on 1 February. SH: Really excited by the plans for the new Bongo, and hugely looking forward to being with them as they move into Mark III.
Various dates, the Bongo Club, Edinburgh, see listings for details.
BONGO-A- GO-GO As the Bongo Club prepares to pack up and leave its Moray House venue Henry Northmore catches up with some of the club’s organisers and residents about the past, present and future
78 THE LIST 13 Dec 2012–24 Jan 2013