; ‘IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE 2 CROSSING OVER INTO THE 3 ROCK, LIVE MUSIC SCENE'
Oulriends e eclrik
There’s been a quiet revolution in drum & bass over the last few years. Mark Edmundson looks forward to LONDON ELEKTRICITY’s live show at Manga.
resh from their triumphant headlining
appearance before 16.000 happy campers at
this year's Big Chill. Hospital Records‘ London Elektricity live band return to the Manga stage this fortnight for another evening of l()()‘/( live. soulful breakbeat.
Originally a double act formed in the mid-90s. London Elektricity comprised Hospital Records' master surgeons Tony Colman and Chris Goss. the latter stepping back from the production table when the label got too hot to handle. Their first major underground hits had already arrived: among them an oddly prescient ‘Pull the Plug‘. Such soundboard classics are now being performed live on stage alongside the band‘s new material. ‘It's just good. live, quality music.’ adopted front man MC Wrec claims of the phenomenon. ‘And you don‘t even have to be a drum & bass fan to get into London Elektricity. It‘s about taking the genre further. to different people and age groups. It is just like Nu- Jazz: this is new. future funk.‘
The cross genre potential of a live I)&B act was realised after the suggestion from Fabio and Grooverider (sitting in for John Peel at Maida Vale) that Colman should perform some of the London Elektricity output with a live band on the show. Billion Dollar Gravy was subsequently toured to great acclaim. and the band has gone from strength to strength. ‘Tony very much made the last album. then decided to put a band together and tour it. So while we were a band we were just playing one man‘s music.’ explains MC Wrec. ‘Now. while Tony is still
the MD and calling most of the shots. it‘s a lot more of a band project.‘
Hospital Records‘ spokesman Tom Kelsey goes further in his acknowledgement of the band‘s impact. ‘The band has changed the label massively. not just because it's taken off so much and takes up so much of our time. It feels like we‘re stepping out of the dance music scene with it. and we‘re crossing over into the sort of rock. live music scene. which is something that hasn't really been done in this way — a whole live show being built from the ground up. with an actual drummer. no computers. just everything played live.‘
Hospital Records are no strangers to innovation in their field: the label has been putting out their own unique brand of D&B for nearly a decade. actively encouraging its cross-fertilisation with other music genres among their wealth of artists. Kelsey claims the label ethos can be most succinctly encapsulated as ‘Iiast Soul Music‘. a track from the last London Elektricity album. ‘We get branded with the Liquid tag. which isn‘t true at all.‘ he says of Hospital’s diverse output. ‘We've brought our own take on things and not tried to copy what anyone else has done: not trying to fit into a mould. just putting out music that we‘re really into. A lot of people say you can tell a Hospital tune straight away. It's like we’re a sort of mini genre of I)&B. and we‘re obviously really proud of that.‘
Manga: Live, the Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Fri 16 Sep.
./l i ‘r: 2121 Cotton Cake If you haven't already tried out this newish Art School electro night then shame on you. Big. bangin’ and beautiful. Art School, Glasgow, Fri 9 Sep.
9'33 Return to Mono Nathan Fake's (pictured) latest offering ‘The Sky is Pink’ has been remixed by James Holden and is getting its US release on Francois K's Wave label. Funky. rocky, electronic genius. Sub Club, Glasgow. Fri 9 Sep.
37% Madisons’ Rook Night The annual rock club reunion is back for 2005. brought back to life by three ex—punters who decided to resurrect it just for old times’ sake. Expect glam, classic rock and metal from the 80s to early 903 from the original Dds. Mariners, Edinburgh, Sat 70 Sep. Progression The tribal house sessions‘ big ECA bash may have been cancelled but that's not going to stand in the way of a good party. This is their fifth birthday (part 1) with a residents' showcase. The Liquid Boom, Edinburgh, Sat 70 Sep.
“ii; The Funk Room What do you get if you put every quality soul provider in Scotland under one roof? A special Funk Room with the likes of Chris ‘Beans' Geddes (Belle & Sebastian) and Goodfoot stalwart Big Kev. A rare treat. The Arches. Glasgow, Fri 16 Sep.
Manga: Live The masterful London Elektricity put in a live set at this Manga special. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Fri 76 Sep.
It: Heatray Records Launch Party Hip hip Heatray. A new Glasgow-based electro label has been born. Check out their newly signed artists’ wares tonight. Basura Blanca, Glasgow, Thu 22 Sep.
8—22 Sep 2005» THE LIST 29