Fun House - The Club Congleton 9th July 2011
I should, really, begin with an admission. The things is, I’m well out of my comfort zone when it comes to Drum ‘n’ Bass, Dubstep, House, Trance, Techno, and a good few musical styles I don’t even know the names for. Still, on Saturday, I went along to Fun House, at The Club, in Congleton.
Really?
Yes, little pigs, I did. What is more, I enjoyed myself, too.
Oi! You lot! Yes! You! At the back, with the hair… pick your jaw up off the floor. I will attempt to administer some perfunctory first aid and elucidate.
Really?
Yes, little pigs, I did. What is more, I enjoyed myself, too.
Oi! You lot! Yes! You! At the back, with the hair… pick your jaw up off the floor. I will attempt to administer some perfunctory first aid and elucidate.
DJ Prophecy (Metropolis)
Fun House is an event that has been organised by two, young, Congleton-based DJs, Sam Hurst and Tom Ellis. Sam, responsible for booking the turns, the venue, and the sound system, did a truly outstanding job, as did Tom with the visuals. Starting at 3pm, on a very warm, sunny, Saturday afternoon, featuring sets from a number of DJs from the North West, including, DJ Prophecy, a well-known entity around Manchester, rural Cheshire was about to get a good 12-hour cleansing. To be honest, this part of the world could use a repeat prescription…
Yeah, I know. I hear you. It’s not my usual kind of thing, I’ll give you that. What do I know about Drum‘n’dubhousetrancetechnostep? Bugger all! Whilst, in some circles, I am considered a bit of an authority on rock and metal music, I am the first to admit to knowing less than nothing about all this mixing, scratching, and, er, slipping, dipping, topping and tailing. See, I don’t have a clue about this stuff. Pathetic! To know nothing, I would have to, first, learn something.
Yeah, I know. I hear you. It’s not my usual kind of thing, I’ll give you that. What do I know about Drum‘n’dubhousetrancetechnostep? Bugger all! Whilst, in some circles, I am considered a bit of an authority on rock and metal music, I am the first to admit to knowing less than nothing about all this mixing, scratching, and, er, slipping, dipping, topping and tailing. See, I don’t have a clue about this stuff. Pathetic! To know nothing, I would have to, first, learn something.
Jump Up Josh
So, why was I there?
Not rocket science, little pigs. I got a message from Sam saying that I was on the Guest List and he mentioned beer. What’s to think about?
So, I wandered along, not even knowing why, myself. I figured it was a nice day, a beer wouldn’t go amiss and, it wasn’t as if I was saving the world from an invasion of brain-sucking, alien, demons before dinner.
In the same way that I will not slam a band I haven’t heard, or trash a book I haven’t read, or a movie I haven’t seen, I’m not going to say that all this is crap, not until I have my own proof, that is. In some twisted way, part of me didn’t want to like this music. It’s not my speed and, besides, if I like it, what are the youngsters going to listen to?
There I was, doubling the average age stats just by walking through the door, feeling a little bit like some weird Uncle that no one is quite sure about. I had intended to stay about an hour then, slope off, without anyone noticing; I figured that would be the decent thing to do and I wasn’t likely to be missed.
Plans. Men. Mice.
Not rocket science, little pigs. I got a message from Sam saying that I was on the Guest List and he mentioned beer. What’s to think about?
So, I wandered along, not even knowing why, myself. I figured it was a nice day, a beer wouldn’t go amiss and, it wasn’t as if I was saving the world from an invasion of brain-sucking, alien, demons before dinner.
In the same way that I will not slam a band I haven’t heard, or trash a book I haven’t read, or a movie I haven’t seen, I’m not going to say that all this is crap, not until I have my own proof, that is. In some twisted way, part of me didn’t want to like this music. It’s not my speed and, besides, if I like it, what are the youngsters going to listen to?
There I was, doubling the average age stats just by walking through the door, feeling a little bit like some weird Uncle that no one is quite sure about. I had intended to stay about an hour then, slope off, without anyone noticing; I figured that would be the decent thing to do and I wasn’t likely to be missed.
Plans. Men. Mice.
Dave Grigger
See, what I hadn’t planned on was that I would, actually, enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, I am not about to delete the Savoy Brown back catalogue from my hard drive, nor am I likely to load any Drumndubstepbass on my laptop - this old dog don’t do new tricks – but I did realise that if you add humans, this stuff all suddenly comes alive. It’s not just about the music, it’s about the event. The selection of the music, the style of the DJ, the audience, they all come together at some point and, when they do, it really is quite something.
Back in the day, when I was 17, I fancied myself as a bit of a Rock DJ. Did it for a couple of years in a dark and dank cellar, and it was a lot of fun. Choosing the tracks, playing them, with a bit of chat in between, it was a real blast. It was nothing like what these lads do though.
Today, the technology is really impressive and the software very sophisticated, allowing mixing of CDs, vinyl, mp3s and, probably, other stuff too. What surprised me the most was the DJs. I had imagined hour-upon-hour of the same old migraine-inducing torture but, I was wrong. There I have writ it. The God of Thunder was wrong. OK?
Back in the day, when I was 17, I fancied myself as a bit of a Rock DJ. Did it for a couple of years in a dark and dank cellar, and it was a lot of fun. Choosing the tracks, playing them, with a bit of chat in between, it was a real blast. It was nothing like what these lads do though.
Today, the technology is really impressive and the software very sophisticated, allowing mixing of CDs, vinyl, mp3s and, probably, other stuff too. What surprised me the most was the DJs. I had imagined hour-upon-hour of the same old migraine-inducing torture but, I was wrong. There I have writ it. The God of Thunder was wrong. OK?
Splinter (Piri Piri)
Don’t gloat. It isn’t nice, little pigs, and, if you continue, I will have to come and poison your bunnies.
I don’t pretend to understand the music. I don’t, for one minute think I’m supposed to, just as my parents couldn’t understand why I listened to Ian Gillan, or why their folks couldn’t understand their fascination with The Rolling Stones. I do see why they like it though.
There are two types of music: Good music and Bad music. One makes you tap your foot, shake your head, and drum your fingers on the nearest surface. The other leaves you cold. On Saturday, I can’t deny that the foot was going, the neck and shoulders got a small workout, whilst the fingertips did, indeed, find a nearby table top.
The DJs though… Fantastic! I couldn’t believe how hard they worked. In my day, play one, cue next, play next, get another one ready, take a break, rinse and repeat, as necessary. If you needed the toilet, you put on Kashmir, or Starship Trooper. These guys are all over the damn place, constantly tweaking knobs, flicking switches, pressing buttons, and tapping away on a laptop. I really couldn’t follow what they were doing, or how many sources they were using, but the effect was quite exhilarating.
I don’t pretend to understand the music. I don’t, for one minute think I’m supposed to, just as my parents couldn’t understand why I listened to Ian Gillan, or why their folks couldn’t understand their fascination with The Rolling Stones. I do see why they like it though.
There are two types of music: Good music and Bad music. One makes you tap your foot, shake your head, and drum your fingers on the nearest surface. The other leaves you cold. On Saturday, I can’t deny that the foot was going, the neck and shoulders got a small workout, whilst the fingertips did, indeed, find a nearby table top.
The DJs though… Fantastic! I couldn’t believe how hard they worked. In my day, play one, cue next, play next, get another one ready, take a break, rinse and repeat, as necessary. If you needed the toilet, you put on Kashmir, or Starship Trooper. These guys are all over the damn place, constantly tweaking knobs, flicking switches, pressing buttons, and tapping away on a laptop. I really couldn’t follow what they were doing, or how many sources they were using, but the effect was quite exhilarating.
Mr Bus (Mucky Noise)
I suppose the purists will whip out the age-old argument of whether it is music, or not, as I would have, at one time, but that is what this is all about. It is music. They are creating it new and fresh every time. It’s always different, it’s always live, and it’s about having fun and enjoying yourself. Their instruments are pieces of existing music, which they use to create new music. It is inventive, exciting, and the feelgood factor is off the scale. To me, that is good music.
Would I go again? You bet your sweet bippy, I would! You’re only as old as the music you listen to and I need something to counterbalance my Son House recordings.
See you down there…
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
11th July 2011
Would I go again? You bet your sweet bippy, I would! You’re only as old as the music you listen to and I need something to counterbalance my Son House recordings.
See you down there…
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
11th July 2011