ELECTRO HOUSF DEATH DISCO The Arches, Glasgow, Sat 17 Jan
Many unrelated club nights share the same name. There are only so many hip words and meaningless phrases to go round, after all. But one weekend in November 2001 two Death Discos arrived in town: the Arches’ new experimental night and the Glasgow wing of Alan McGee’s punk/indie club.
It might not have been pure coincidence: the early noughties have seen post-punk tracks like Public Image Limited’s ‘Death Disco’ return to light. But promoter Tamsin Austin, the Arches’ outgoing music programmer, says the choice of name had nothing to do with the song. ‘It was just a great name for what we were trying to do,’ she says. ‘We had an opportunity to do a different club from the other stuff we had on Saturday night, something that was a bit experimental and a bit partyish, getting European acts and off-the-wall guests. We didn’t want to do
another night of seamless beats.’
They didn’t get one. So far Death Disco has seen 2ManyDJs, Jacques Lu Cont, the Detroit Grand Pubas, Patrick Wolf and Erol Alkan bring their hugely
HOUSE. TOKYOBLU Ego, Edinburgh, Fri 9 Jan
If ever there was a case in point for hard work getting you meryv-rhere it's surely Tokyobru. Although the men behind it ~ John Hutchison and Ian Gibson - also run Mocha Rocka at Berlin. regutar nights at Nicoi EleélrUS and City and lltO'tilll‘,’ spots .n Dundee and Glasgow. the monthly gig downstarrs at Ego is their flagship event.
Originally playing together at Kirkcaldy's locally-renowned live venue the Path Tavern rwhich Hutchison owned at the lllllOi. the pair eventually decrded to move to the nearest big city and take on the DJing thing full-time. As Hutchison explains. however. it was a star of the Jazz-funk scene who indirectly influenced this change: ‘We saw Gilles Peterson at the Honeycomb in 200l. and l VIVidly remember being in the middle of a dancefloor with Ian. Surrounded by stunning women. the place absolutely going off. and I turned round and said "Enough's enough. we should be haVing a hit of this!" Lo and
64 THE LIST is 7? Ja" yew.
‘lnvisible waves are slowly frying the minds of all humans’
varied takes on house, rock and electro to the Arches alongside residents Mingo-go and Manda-Rin and bootleg king and regular guest Freelance Hellraiser.
This month sees Mark Moore and Rob Bright guest at the club. Moore is perhaps best known as one half of the team that produced 805 house smash ‘Theme from 8 Express’, but he’s remained hugely active since then, working with Sonique, Prince and Malcolm McLaren, running his own club, Electrogogo, guesting around the country (he recently stood in for the residents at the ultra-hip Nag Nag Nag), as well as producing and mixing.
He famously favours a red telephone over more conventional headphones during his DJ sets. ‘I can’t use normal headphones,’ he explains. ‘They just feel so clumpy! I’ve been using the telephone for ages - it’s like a sailor that’s been at sea for so long, he comes back to dry land and is unable to keep his balance. And I still haven’t got a mobile phone. I think those invisible waves are slowly frying the
minds of all humans. Have you noticed when a
(James Smart)
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behold, it's 2004 and here we are haVing a hit of that. I've always wanted to meet Gilles Peterson and thank him for getting us out of Knkcaldy.‘
Playing what Hutchison describes as an eclectic mix from ‘Joey Negro— esgue disco and Latin' to ‘iackin'
‘I remember being on the dancefloor surrounded by stunning women’
mobile rings and your speakers go bonkers? Well that’s what I think it’s doing to our brains.’
Derrick Carter Chicago house' by aura; of an electro influence. the ll word is always very much in eVIdence at Tokyoblu. The result is indeed a fine night: sweaty. packed and without art ounce of musical flab to let you escape the dancefloor. (David Pollock:
clubs@list.co.uk
WATCHTHISSPACE
Clubs editor Henry Northmore gives a knowing nod in the right after dark direction
A new label is setting itself up to rock the Scottish. and world. drum & bass community. DJ Kid. one of the driving forces behind Manga and Jungle Magic. is setting up the capital’s first D88 label. Restless Natives. planning 'to hunt down and bring forth undiscovered drum & bass )roducers.' The first release is from the mighty fine DJ Kryptik with his ‘28 Dayerew Enc0unters' tQin '-.*./tii(:'tl should be hitting the shops come February or March. VVlll‘ hes current track ‘Gomg Down' getting played out by the likes of Groo\'(‘:-rrder. DJ 88 and Trace. this IS defrnrt -:-:y a riaiite to watch.
For Gtasgow. one of the most (BXCHillg venues has to be The Soundhaus a private members clu _) hosting a selection of underground nights from techno (Monox. to disco in the form of X Factor l‘ormerly Disco Xi and house wrth Chakra. However. all these nights take the >asic genre and run '.r-».retl‘. 1. creating a new form and atmosphere specific to the Club. No one else :53 putting on nights like this l.'l Glasgow. Check it.
Over in Edinbur'gt“. it's good to see The Bongo Club now up and running on all cylinders. Nights of the duality of Headspin, Pogo Vogue and Messenger are hard to (:on‘te by. and wrth the venue now going tron strength to strength With most structural and architectural rrrggles sorted. 2004 should be off the hook. And there is also a new night that mignt be coming into effect to (:Orriplement its already solid steel roster With 100%; Dynamite bringing their reggae to the capital on a semi-regular basis.
l-‘rnally. look out for some exotirig therigs in the v-rorid of Glasgow Fabulous. There- are gonna be a few surprises in the coming riionths for Our f;.t\./ourite Surreally satirical comic strip.