NIGHTLIFE LIST
Although they’ve existed, with various members, torthree years, Edinburgh’s very
l own Go Go band D.C. Ellis are
preparing to play only their fourth ever gig within the City, at The Venue on Thursday 10 —the only other date they‘ve played has been in York.
The problem, explains drummer Taylor Philips, is not one of laziness or snobbery, but the fact that there aren't stages big enough torthe eight-piece group, which includes percussion and a brass section, to play on, even at a tight squeeze. Add to this the problem of rehearsing a group of that size in a set that can last up to two hours and it’s not hard to understand why audiences, even in their home town, very rarely get the chance to see them.
Wheneverthe group have played,
however, their non-stop dance sets have left audiences tired, sweaty and happy. Their style comes from the Go Go explosion in Washington DC, the scene that spawned artists like the excellent Trouble Funk and Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers, and is played with a precision and authenticity that belie theirorigins. I venture that, from my experience of the band, they’ve stuck far too slavishly to their influences, even down to the ad libs of the very black-sounding singer, Dave Ellis.
‘I don’t think we copy the ad libs at all,’ replies Taylor. “They’re similar, but ours are original. In fact I would take what you said as quite a compliment. There are two ways of looking at it, and the other is that we’ve succeeded in doing what we’ve aimed for. We’ve heard Trouble Funk and the other great bands from Washington, and we’ve done our best to follow that.’
The band have been into the music since it first appeared on the radio over here, and before the records were readily available. In the midst of a deluge of machine-produced dance music Go Go stood out by virtue of being played by real live musicians. D.C. Ellis’s infectious sound is free of sequencers or click tracks, and the music is propelled forward, even in the ‘breaks’ between songs, by the constant rhythmic clatter of the percussion.
There are no gigs lined up following the Venue show, though the band would love to tour soon. ‘The band is all about playing live,’ Taylor concludes. ‘It’s a shame we just can’t do it very often.’ (Mab)
biggest stadium-filling metal act in Japan. and have been building up a following here over the years with a series ofArista albums. Californian support Leatherwolf are worth seeing for the delightful name alone.
I Dave Robb Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9.45pm. Free. See Tues 14.
I Mike C. Smith Trader Vic's. Victoria Street. 225 6569. 9.30pm. Free. Acoustic singer-songwriter.
THURSDAY 23
Glasgow
I Fini Tribe and Birdland Fury Murrys. 96 Maxwell Street. 221 651 1. 10.30pm. Another odd combination: Fini Tribe‘s musical forrays defy definition while
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Birdland. however bad they are. and industry reports suggest very. deserve credit for charging A& R men (those daft enough to believe the hype) more to get in to one of their recent London gigs than what the ordinary paying public were charged.
I Rose of Avalanche Rooftops. 92 Sauchiehall Street. 332 5883. 10pm. Little introduction needed here: fans will be out in force. the rest ofthe world will be happier at home watching Question Time. I Slab The Wasp Factory. The Buck. 272 St Vincent Street. 221 5279. 9pm. Listening to Slab's Descmmon album was one of last year‘s most disturbing experiences for me. That in itselfprobably acts as a recommendation for at least 900}- ofthe readership.
I5288 Band La Tanicrc. 15 Fox Street.221 4844. 9pm. Free.
Edinburgh
I Boxing Clever. This Is It and Warren Peace Cirkus Club. Venue. Calton Road. 557 3073. 9.30pm. Stu Who makes a fool of himself and introduces three more potentially fab Scottish bands. under the auspices of Tennents Live!
I The Den Blocker Experience (TBC) Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9.45pm. Free. Possibly Hillbilly Deluxe will be appearing instead.
I Dave Robb St James Oyster Bar. Calton Road. 9pm. Free. See Tues 14.
I eo’Weevll Ryrie‘s. Haymarket Terrace. 337 7582. 9pm. £1. Rhythm‘n‘blues.
I Johnny Steele Trader Vic‘s. Victoria Street. 225 6569. 9.30pm. Free. Acoustic singer-songwriter.
I The Brothers Preservation Hall. Victoria Street, 226 3816. 9.30pm. Free. Residency.
l
NIGHTLIFE
I Nightlife is listed as a diary. first by day (in this section each of the two particular days of the lortnight are treated as one). then by city and then by venue. Special Club nights are listed under their club name followed bytheirvenue. A separate venue list follows the diary listings. with addresses
and phone numbers. NB In order to be as
accurate as possible, only those discos able to confirm their prices and days are listed in
i the diary. The venue list may be consulted for ; more nightlile locations — but checkwith . venue. Please send information ten days
before publication.
KIiY: students and gucslsonly; [ND] no dcnims: [NI] no trainers:
[A] available for private hire on certain nights. please contact venue.
FRIDAYS
Glasgow
I The Alhambra 31 Waterloo Street. 221 3260. 8pm—midnight. Free. Resident DJ with the latest sounds.
I The Batcave at Henry Afrikas. 11pm—3.30am. £4 without ticket; £3 with. I Bennets 11pm—3.30am.£2.50. Mainly Gay with IIi—NRG music.
I Cleopatras1(i.3()pm—2.3(iam.£3. Non-stop mixed disco sounds in the West End. Come early — stay late. [A]
I Club Huovo Knighlbeat £2.50 with ticket: £3 at door without. DJ John Cameron with guests. playing acid. rap. funk. etc.
I Club Sandino at Tin Pan Alley. 10.30am-3.30pm. £3 (£2 for unwaged). I Colors at Joe Paparazzi. 11pm till late. £1.50. Colors has revolutionised Friday nights with their ‘Rap. deep house. dope beats and funky jams' and particularly with their price and drinks promotions.
I Crash at the Cotton Club. 11pm—3.30am. £3.50 (£2.50with ticket). A wide mixture of music will be played by DJ David Ross. a bit different from normal disco material. Look out for drinks promotions every week.
I Downtown at Hollywood Studios. £2. Fridays and Saturdays.
I Follies 10.30pm—3.3(lam. £3.50. Chart-based disco sounds. [NT]
I Hallucination Generation at 46 West. 10.30pm—3am. £2. Fortnightly. This new psythedelic club will be on at 46 West the Friday after The List‘s publication.
I Hard Rock Catfe at the Venue. 10pm till late. £3.50. Live music and disco.
I Hellraiser at Fury Murrys. 11pm—3.30am. £2. Remember Eden? Well. Hellraiser (great name!) is the new club run by Andrew Dollard of Eden fame. He dubs it ‘the ultimate rebel‘.
I Hollywood Studios 10pm—3am. £3.50. Over 21 House disco. [A] [NT]
I Joy at Sub Club. 11pm—3.30am. £3.50. It‘s very strange — suddenly Friday has become the best night in Glasgow. Between Colors. 1992. Club Sandino. and Joy. there is a mini-revolution going on. [A]
I The Kraze at the Warehouse. 11pm—3.30am. £2 with ticket; £4 without. Deep house. funk. hip-hop.
I Mayfair 1 1pm—3am. £3.50. Over 255 night in the ballroom and Radio City at the Cameo Suite. See below.
I Mardl Gras 10.30pm—3.30am. £3 with ticket. Commercial sounds.
I MrD’s 10pm—Zam. £4. Fun atmosphere and games at Shawlands‘ one and only nightclub.
I 1992- Head Damage at 46 West. £2. 10.30pm-3am. This is rather confusing. so listen carefully! 1992 is now on fortnightly. sharing 46 West with the Hallucination
l
Generation. it will be on the Friday the week after The List is published. Ifyou can understand that. go along for Tackhead. Fini-Tribe. Nitzcr libb and other such glorious sounds!
I Palomino Club 9pm --3am. £3. ‘Just ask the DJ. he'll play anything for you . . .60s. 70s. early Slls and all current pop sounds. Don't expect too much house or acid. if any at all! All drinks fairly priced and there’s a friendly crowd‘ says the I’alominos press release.
I Panama Jax 10.45pm-330am. £3.50. Soul and mixed chart music with resident DJs. Tommy Arnold or Raymond Davren.
I Radio City at the Mayfair. 10pm-—2am. £1.50. Radio City has provided an ideal alternative to student unions for psychedelic sounds — and long may it continue!
I Raffles III.30~3am. £3. Discosounds with DJ Roddy Stewart. [A]
I SWDS (Single. Widowed. Divorced. Separated club) at Rooftops. This runs on Fridays and Saturdays and plays 60s' and 70s' music. Members£l (£5 tojoin); non-members £2.
I West End Kids at Cleopatras. 7pm—10.30pm. £2; £1 with ticket. Another under 18s' night. this time at Cleos.
I Whizz at the Sub Cltib ( 14-12s's night). 7—11pm.£2.'l’he popular under lb’s' night has a name now and is on Fridays as well as Saturdays. [A]
I Young and Fresh at Mardi (iras'. 7—<l 1pm. Under 18s‘ disco.
I Zoom at Tin Pan Alley. 10.30pm—3.30am. £3.50. A new venue for a new vear. but still the same music.
Edinburgh
I The Adventures OI Tin Tin at the Mission. 10pm-4am. £2. Winners of the worst name ofall time award. A 'fun time'one presumes. IThe Amphitheatre lopm 4am. The Friday Night Spectacular. £3.50. [ND] I Buster Browns l Irvin-43.30am. £2.75; half price drinks and admission before midnight. Chart and dance music. Aimsat over 20s atmosphere. Buster Browns‘ Under-le disco. Spm -1 1pm. Very popular with the early teens. I Cale St James Club 25 Disco Fri and Sat 8pm—2am. £1 members; £2 non-members. Membership £2. A wide range of pop sounds played to a relaxed. friendly crowd. [ND] [NT] I Chaplins at Finsbury Park's Night Club. 11.30pm—6am. £2. Free before midnight. the middle floor of Finsbury is now open serving snacks throughout the night. Dancing upstairs. [A] [NT] I Clnderellas Hockertellas 9pm—3am. [A] INDI INTI I Edgars 10pm-4am. £1 before 11pmz£2 before midnight;£3 after. Quirkyinterior with plenty ofdark corners. Also Edgars has probably the most expensive air conditioning. very cool. [A] IJoltat Rage. 10pm—3am. £2. A riewclub with a varied music policy. from hip-hop to house to indie sounds. I Millionaire’s 10pm-6am. £2. (£1 before midnight). Mostly but by no means exclusively gay club with a predominantly Hi-NRG soundtrack. I Outer Limits at Coasters. 10.30pm—4am. £2till 11pm; £3 after. Very popular conventional disco. [A] [NT] I Potterrow 8pm—1am (Happy Hour 8.30-9.30pm). Students free; Guests 50p. A lively night with an alternative soundtrack. [S] I Reggae Club at Shady Ladies.
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