clubs@list.co.uk
MANGA promotes itself as providing ‘monster drum & bass since 1996 AD’, so it’s no surprise it has planned a gargantuan celebration to mark its birthday celebrations. Words: David Pollock
his eighth birthday is
so huge. one city"s just
not big enough to hold it all. It‘s split over two weeks between Edinburgh and Glasgow. with some big- name guests and the official opening of Manga‘s new monthly residency at the Sub Club thrown in for good measure.
The club‘s name is a byword for the Scottish drum & bass scene throughout the UK. and has been consistently plugged and critically respected by national music press and radio stations. But how did Manga reach this plateau of cool in just shy of a decade‘.’
‘I‘ve spent half my life in record shops and I‘ve been bombarded by all sorts of different styles of music in that time.‘ says founder and resident (i-Mac. ‘Back in 1995 I really got into drum & bass. [just loved the tempo of it. the whole range of styles and influences that were going on within the music.
‘At the time. I was heavily involved with clubs at the old La Belle Angele. I‘d been working with a visual artist. and we were looking at doing something that hadn't been done. something that looked good visually. too. So we put a lot of work into the launch in January 1900. just thinking. "we‘ve got good music. we've got a good visual thing. we‘ve got a good venue. let's go for it." And the response was like nothing we could have imagined: we sold out the first four nights. People in lidinburgh thought. “we‘ve never been to a drum 8; bass club before. let‘s try it". and it was a complete revelation for them.’
Punters in the city might well have been blown away by just a taste of Manga action. but which nights live on in the memory of someone who‘s been there right from the start‘.’ ‘Personally speaking. it was the time I opened a live broadcast on Radio One. when we had lllpm until midnight on a liriday as part of their One in the Jungle tour.‘ (i—Mac recalls. ‘lt was a pretty special gig -~ as a D] it doesn‘t get much better than that. The night we had Repra/ent just before they won the Mercury was a good one too.’ But after
66 THE LIST 2'2 .Jan 7'; l of: 700.:
‘IN THE BEGINNING THE RESPONSE WAS LIKE NOTHING WE COULD HAVE IMAGINED; WE SOLD OUT THE FIRST FOUR NIGHTS.’
The legendary Doc Scott
that. he‘s hard pushed to pick from any number of
established names and rising stars of the l)< scene that .\langa hay c play ed host to.
llis it roll call that \\’ill be added to once this month‘s guests have put in an appearance. lidinburgh will be graced by original .\lctalhcad and sometime scene originator l)oc Scott. 'llc's very much respected across the board. as a IN. a lttlk‘l thl\\ tllltl littl' till the fantastic records he's put ottt in the past.' says (i— .\lac. ‘llc‘s not played at .\langa in a while. so it'll be good to hay c him again. .\l(' l-‘o\y‘l| be there as well. and he just won the Knutr/m/ut' ltcst .\l(‘ award. It‘s a good llll\ between the old and the new.’ (ilasgow' sees a Soul:ls’ Recordings show case with (‘alibrc and .\larcus lntalc\ behind the decks. (i‘.\lac describes the sound as ‘soull'ul. but with tough party attitude. They make back—ol-thc bo\ tunes that tt/u'uyiy get a response when you play them.’
Honeycomb, Edinburgh, Fri 23 Jan; Sub Club, Glasgow, Fri 30 Jan
The latest club news
Seb Fontaine
WHILE THE LAW SURROUNDING file sharing and downloading is getting more and more muddy by the minute, www.trax2burn.com is a new site for dance music downloads. Fatboy Slim’s Southern Fried Records, Darren Emerson’s Underwater Records and Mr C’s End Recordings have already signed up and Some is apparently on the way. What’s available is at the label’s discretion, sometimes with a selection of extras that you can’t find elsewhere. With mixes, singles and even whole albums available at out rate prices and as fast as your internet connection can handle, it’s well worth checking out.
BBC RADIO 1 AND UKCLUBCUI TURE are holding a massive search for the best 0.1:; under Entrants rnust be aged between t-'1-- t 7 and the Scottsh neat takes place at Revolution an Edinburgh 17 February. For more l!li() check
‘-.'.-".'."‘v.‘~.v'.l')l)(2.(L().th radio‘- or vent .w/mkccdiseairtth.eoni for an appl:<:at-on form. UNFORTUNATELY, A COUPLE OF DJs had to cancel over the Christmas period. Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzales couldn’t make the New Year’s Day Audio Deluxe (Phil Asher stood in and made sure the party rocked) but he’s back at the Honeycomb, Edinburgh, on 7 February. Staying at the same venue Jungle Magik would like to apologise to anyone who turned up for DJ Hype’s rescheduled gig on 15 January. This gig will go ahead, dates still to be confirmed, but hang onto those tickets as free entry will still be available for those who bought them for the original December date.
A ()tJlCK Rt’lvllNDl-R OF OUR
'A tnst' (:aro' oftorang; cheap entry to a sole-cacti of clubs. lhis fortnight offers :.'t(:i'.t(l(? free entry to Instant Access tSun (:i'ttl)‘ and l‘reakmoves tGlasgow School of Art: both on 2? 8 29 Janine; Also Colours are offering ’2 for 1 onto: for their 2-": Jan date at the Arches with Set) l-‘ontaine.