Scene Report - Bristol, June 2008
By: Sian Norris, Various Scribes
It seems ages since the beginning of May, what with all the jet setting to New York City and moving house, however I'm back and happy to tell you of all the happenings of the past few months.
Casting my memory back to the beginning of May I can assure you that my musical journey began in earnest with a trip to Start the Bus to see electro masters MSTRKRFT. Favourites with electro stars Justice and featuring an ex member of Death from Above, it was with much enthusiasm that we trooped down to Bristol's new favourite bar to shake our booty to some dirty electro beats. It was a bit of a shame that it was on a school night and they didn't play until gone midnight (the next day at the office was interesting...) but it was worth it. These guys know how to use their beats to create deep and dirty basslines with bleeps a plenty - taking the listener on a dancing journey. Seamless mixing and smooth transition from track to track. The bar was packed with all the prettiest faces, including the guys from Turbowolf and, I assume, lots of people who don't have to work during the week! I think the performance from MSTRKRFT could have been more dynamic - maybe some visuals or something. The problem with playing electro on the laptop is that it can be quite dull to watch, but that said, with such good sounds, you don't really need the visual stimulation as well... I think I have just been spoiled with electro played on analogue systems, and big venues with big screens and bright visuals. Start the Bus isn't the venue for such theatrics, but I really enjoyed seeing such douanniers as MSTRKRFT doing their thing.
The weekend saw a welcome return to Bristol for the NME tour at the Thekla, aided by newly signed bands White Lines, my old chums the Friendly Fires; and Crystal Castles. Friendly Fires' star continues to rise, and rise, with Ed becoming more and more Mick Jagger as the days go by...It was an incredible sight to see the whole of the Thekla singing along to 'Paris', making me blush with pride. A couple of new songs were played which sounded fantastic, and for once I am in agreement with NME for once - this is one of the bands that are going to be big this year. Catchy and clever is a winning combination after all.
Crystal Castles headlined and were... interesting. I really liked the very eighties synths, the instrumental was really clever and polished, but it was the vocal I had an issue with; all a bit too squealy for me. Still, I can see why people are getting excited about them, and going forward I can see them doing good things. The eighties influence is really strong, and that is bound to give you a hit these days!
I had hoped to go and see Glass Candy at the Croft however due to spending the sunny day getting drunk at the Countryside Birthday BarBQ I was unable to stagger down there. Plus I had to get packing for my holiday! Whilst I was wandering through New York checking out CBGBs and the spot where JP saw Anton from the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Octopussy were busy playing the Clockwork Goodbye Party. I caught up with Ghettozoid and BUF to see what got them in to the business, and where they see themselves going...
"I got in to music when I was about 11 or 12 listening to pirate radio," reminisces BUF. "It seemed really exciting and I used to tape shows - Kiss FM was a pirate then, they had Fabio and Grooverider. I got really into the sound of jungle and hardcore - but I had no knowledge of what it was like to go to a rave. I loved The Prodigy, but I never got to see them live until I was 16, and by that time I was in an awful Britpop and indie stage - aargh!"
Having got back to her techno roots, BUF turned her attention to other forms of "urban" music.
"I started going out to Hip Hop nights when I was about 14 where they played a lot of old funk and soul, this got me interested in Vinyl and the art of dj-ing. I wanted to go to a block party, a lot - but they didn't exist - there were just a couple of our mates playing hip hop in a basement."
As she got older, and techno came more in to the forefront, raving became the reality that BUF had been dreaming about as a teen. "When I was 17 I got to know a group of people that were all into techno, and going out raving became a reality - it was really exciting when I first started. All the boys in the group dj-ed. We just used to spend a lot of time before going out listening to tunes and we'd all take it in turns to select tunes. I got my decks because I had a mad friend who decided to give his away - they were shit but I loved them."
BUF and Ghettozoid met and along with Stella and Yolande, formed Octopussy, an all female line up of djs, Yolande MC-ing and Stella doing the visuals.
Ghettozoid took a different route, with an ambition to make music turning into a passion for mixing. "I started thinking about making music 6 yrs ago (when I was 20!). I wanted to write music so I went on a course in Portishead. Once there I made friends with the Beatmonkeys and they taught me how to mix-which totally distracted me from producing for years! I got totally hooked on Dj-ing. And I still am!"
Ghettozoid and BUF met and the rest is Bristol Music History.
"By working together we are able to use each other's strengths," Ghettozoid explains. "For example, BUF and I are very different, and so by playing together we cover all bases. We can bounce off each other and play co-operatively. Then with Yolande MC-ing and Stella doing the visuals we can bring all our talents together."
DJ-ing together as a collective is becoming more popular, with Bristol collectives Cherry Bomb and Dutty Girl taking the clubbing scene by storm and nationally, women like Queens of Noize pooling their talents to create a rounded and exciting musical line up.
"I didn't choose to start dj-ig in a collective," BUF muses, "It just happened - but we found it was more fun to have each other to bounce ideas off and just to have a laugh with really and it grew from there. Dj-ing is taken way too seriously by a lot of people so it's good to have a laugh and be stupid - I wouldn't have the guts to do that on my own because it's not in my nature to seek situations where I make an idiot out of myself - however I'm starting to enjoy it more now! And I think if you are willing to have a laugh at yourself then it makes for a much more fun time for your audience"
"It is definitely important that the audience have as much fun as you," agrees Ghettozoid. "If they see you are enjoying yourselves, then they will have a great time as well."
Octopussy are famous for their dirty bass lines accompanied by smooth and energetic MC-ing from Yolande, who with her unique rapping style makes any tune her own, whether as part of Octopussy, at Shanti or her unforgettable impromptu performance on the mic at Cosies, rapping over Nza Da Baron's tunes. I am curious as to whether the style of music they play has shocked or confused people, with the common conception that women play so-called "girly music".
"I have never really thought of our music as girly," explains BUF. "I guess what me and Ghettozoid play is seen as 'boys' music in a lot of ways. It's seriously bass heavy. Some of it's pretty rude - but who is to say if that is the territory of boys or girls? We just play the sort of music we want to hear ourselves when we go out."
With gigs all over the city and festival spots at the Glade, Glastonbury and my favourite: Girl Wonder, things are looking good for Octopussy. And jolly nice ladies too!
Back in New York, sadly I missed Hercules and Love Affair in Brooklyn, because, despite the credit crunch, New York is still quite pricey if you are there for ten days, even if you do live off hamburgers and bagels.
And then I missed them at Dot2Dot at Bristol, because I went to see Terry Hall of The Specials dj at the Croft. But it was totally worth it. Dj-ing with Claire-O together they played a selection of really beautiful classic reggae tunes. There were a few people there yelling for 'Too Much Too Young' but Terry didn't oblige, which is only correct I think. It is a bit arrogant to play your own hits when you're dj-ing after all! After the reggae intro the music switched to some pop magic, with Groove Armada feat Stush which was fantastic. Then there was Madonna, Blondie, Michael Jackson and loads of indie and pop classics that had the dance floor going crazy. Terry told us over coffee on a hungover Bank Holiday Monday afternoon afterwards about how he and the band used to make up corners in New York and ask cabs to take them there. I found that pretty amusing.
Venn Festival came and went in a whirl this year, leaving me spinning and missing a lot of it which was a bit gutting. I was under the faulty impression that Matmos were playing on the Saturday so I missed them on the Friday night, but I urge anyone who has not seen Matmos to go and do it, they are incredible. Fuck Buttons also played, as well as good representation from Bristol djs such as Tight Fit and the lovely Peverelist. Moritz von Oswald too! Venn has grown a lot in the last few years, attracting bigger acts and more venues, but it still has a very Bristolian heart, helped by the efforts of promoter and all round good Bristol face, Chis. I for one will always treasure the memory of dancing like crazy in the Blue Mountain as I discovered Dubstep thanks to Pinch and Bass Clef at Venn a few years ago.
Still, I spent my Venn with Juke 2000 back at Start the Bus for the comedy stylings of Boys and Dance, the lovechild of the Dave Fish Theatre Company, as well as bands Let's Tea Party and another band whose name I've forgotten. They weren't very good, pretensions of the Zutons and an incredibly stroppy lead singer who continually blamed his incompetence on the sound guy and the equipment. If you can't play on analogue then you should stick to digital or not at all. That's my advice. Also, very odd borrowing from Gary Numan, crossing the line of inspiration to plagiarism. Let's Tea Party were ok, if a little pedestrian, although I loved the jazz flute!
Next was Cat Power, my full review of which you can read here. She was sensational with a perfect cover of Billie Holiday's 'Don't Explain', one of my favourite songs of all time.
Finally was Sexy Bitch's final gig for the summer (bar some secret gigs I'll let you in on later in the day) and some great tracks from the Espionage djs, plus the boys played a new song and a cover of 'You Are So Beautiful' which was half hilarious and half quite touching.
And that's it, until next time!
Artists in this article: Scene Report