A small step in Emo's world and lesbian bar
- Posted on October 25, 2006 3:17 PM
- 0 comments
Last Monday, a friend sent me this emails:
Right, first come first served; Just had a call from Carling informing me that I'm on the guestlist for the Panic! At the Disco gig at Brixton Academy tomorrow night. First person to respond gets my +1. Have free drink vouchers as well...
The day before, another text message said 'Amee's Band playing at the candy bar in soho 2mw. Free entrance, selected drinks £2!'
After a quite heavy weekend including a touristic visit of B'ham, all i wanted is a quiet week-beginning, but fate seems to always strike whenever you less expect it (or want it). Anyways, Monday evening comes. After a decent pizza @ Convent Garden's Fire & Stone (has a decent Capetown pizza, Nouvelle Vague played in the background a cover of sister's of mercy 'Marianne' when I got there), we head towards the candy bar, off Soho square.
At the door, a lady advised us Candy Bar is a lady bar, and whether or not we were aware of this. Well, it appeared that non-lady members were allowed within the premises, therefore we got in, and looked for the stage. We were a bit early, therefore had plenty time to enjoy £2 selected drinks while chatting to our Friend Amee from the band Crazy Jalfrezi.
The set they played was quite short, first of all because that is their for show for about a year, plus the singer is on the way of expecting a baby , therefore its best to keep the show short. The full band was not there tonight, so the stripped down version contained one vocal, one bass plus backing track. The set was quite energetic, made of exactly what it says on the label, a mix of Disco House, Death Metal and Christian Rap (don't we all love Christian rap?). The audience nodded and danced along the set, as the songs were quite catchy and easy to jump in. Would have liked to see the full band version, but that's for another day.
Tuesday evening. 6:30 @ the living, Brixton (ex-living room). The space was surprisingly empty (there were just three of us there), but after all it's Tuesday, and people are supposed to rest sometimes. Plus the majority of the audience was surely not allowed to get into a bar, as we'll see later on. After a £3 bloody excellent bloody Mary (just spiced enough) and a refreshing £3 Moscow Mule, and a quick chat with the singer of the new band i just started drumming for, we're heading towards the Academy.
Tonight's show, Emo's new favourite 'PANIC! At The Disco'. We get to the box office, get our guest list tickets( to get in) and an orange wristband (to drink for free). There we go, we're in. Shock and awe! We're in a nursery! I suddenly feel the weight of years as the average age before my very eyes seem to be 14. We get to the Stalls after a short trip to the bar (no Guiness, you can only drink Carling!), a supporting band 'the sounds' are about to play.
On Stage, a large backdrop featuring the members of this very band looking moody. A Techno Pop song fires while the lights do the exact opposite. We're in the dark, surrounded by thousand of emo kids (looking like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25HUJ6BlTU8) that are raising their hands doing the 'rock' sign. The band arrives on stage, start playing a kind of re-heated pop melt topped with 80's synths and an unattractive voice. No melody, no catchy tunes, no feel. Runaway to the bar (no Guinness, you can only drink Carling!).
Still, even if the sound is inaccurate and Carling is not the best beer in the world (but we must be friends with them because they have a huge network of venues. Carling is good! Crisp, refreshing, it's so cool you look cool just by drinking it! You still have to be over 21 to have one, and no, showing your ID upside down will not make you '12' years old look '21') things taste better when they're free.
A few Carlings later, it's time for the main act, Panic! At The Disco (www.myspace.com/panicatthedisco). A Large black curtain unveils a surprisingly well crafted stage featuring a windmill in the middle, a backdrop with a winking moon, two dead trees on the edge, and a massive glowy ' Panic! At The Disco ' written in a 'Saturday Night fever way'. A troop of burlesque pantomimes arrive on stage with the band, dressed in 1920's burlesque clothing. One man with a painting frame over his head announces the band. It starts.
The kids are good. The songs are well crafted, there's a cello on the left that is quite audible for once ( as sound-men have the bad habit to hide non regular instruments in the background), a glockenspiel on the right, three keyboards ( including a piano for the singer), and drum/bass. A banjo and a sax appear during the show: this band collects my good points. I loved the fact they are touring with a burlesque theater troop that are appearing for every song, giving a grainy edge that melts very well with the goth-ey background. They also interact with band members in the theater side-show. The result is highly entertaining and very professional. The music itself has a hard emo side, but you can feel a certain progressive rock touch that gives a maturity to the pieces.
The band also performed two covers. The first one, Radiohead's 'Karma Police' was very well performed, the band version had an obvious harder edge than the original, but remained pleasant. I was less convinced by the second one 'tonight, tonight' by the Smashing Pumpkins, that lost all the feel that made it a great orchestral song. Even the cello presence could not make it up.
The only downside of the act was the lead singer voice. He did not sing badly (def. Better than Billy Corgan), but the grain of his voice just gets unnerving, the same way it's hard to listen to Pearl Jam for more than 10 minutes.
Overall, that was a surprisingly good night, The main act was good, that was free, so was the Carling. Shall I keep my wristband on for next events?
By Ben Levy
Tags
candy bar, carling, carling academy, Crazy Jalfrezi, emo, gig, london, panic! at the disco, review, wrist band
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