The other night was a blast. I was gutted about missing the film (and the ensuing Q+A), but managed to hook up with Mr Grievous Angel (whose new funky tune is imminent) and Mr STN and posse for the party at the Rhythm Factory.
I have to say I was in two minds about coming out on a Tuesday night to an event which hadn’t exactly been promoted to the fullest. But it was worth it.
Adrian Sherwood manned the decks first, using some serrato or laptop or new fangled tricknology. Also some bashy syndrum stuff which then looped into the mix. Nice selection including Shaggy’s “Stricly Rub a Dub” and a mash up of Max Romeo’s Chase the Devil instrumental with the vocals from the Beatles’ “Day In The Life”. Also some mad jungle mash ups including The Congo’s “Congoman”. He did great considering the place was half full and nobody was really ‘aving it. A work night, we all agreed “the main worry’s job security“… Sherwood feeds some Mark Stewart vocals into the mix. Except it then emerges that it’s the man himself on the mic, hidden away at the side of the stage.
Kevin Martin takes to the stage and ramps up the volume and intensity, tweaking the controls so he can mess with our heads. It’s been too long and the arrival of both Flowdan and Ricky Ranking heralds yet another leap in levels. Mark Stewart also MCs over some Bug beats. The audience responds in kind, the gaps near the stage fill up, bizarrely a load more girls seem to appear from nowhere. We all ended up staying much longer than we’d intended. Things like that interfere with my work life balance. Heh.
The film was good, especially re The Pop Group, but it just felt as though they hadn’t had that much footage to edit it together from; no Dennis Bovell or Eskimo Fox, for example.
Definitely worth watching though. Schiffer should be proud.
“I have to say I was in two minds about coming out on a Tuesday night to an event which hadn’t exactly been promoted to the fullest. But it was worth it.” Glad you had a good time John. And I’m with you on not just this event but the whole of the East End Film Festival 09 – of which it was a part – not being properly promoted. I was otherwise engaged on Tuesday but only knew about Mark Stewart events because you’d blogged them. Today I blogged the screening of The London Perambulator last night at the Whitechapel Gallery, but I only knew about that because the director John Rogers had emailed me about it (at least twice, and I think sent me a Facebook invitation too). I was somewhat miffed to discovered I’d missed an Iain Sinclair weekend at the Rio (and I know Sinclair but he rarely does his own email promotions, and if I’d been doing an event for the Festival I’d have assumed they were more on the case with the promotion, so might not have done one myself). I was also rather upset to discover some of the free events I’d missed, especially the screening of the 1922 silent “Nosferatu” with live music at Spitalfields Market, since that is one of my favourite films of all time! The Rogers screening last night sold out but then he works at Vanity with Russell Brand so they understand something about promotion. With backing from The Arts Council and UK Film Council etc. you’d have thought the East End Film Festival would have been a lot better promoted! Strange!
Aw man – now I’m also pissed off that I missed the Iain Sinclair weekend at the Rio! First I’ve heard of as well!
yeah, tom’s sister, who i think is quite up on this sort of stuff, was saying how shit the promotion was.
goddamn it man- i knew you had to be there somewhere.
i was jumping around at the front- sorry to have missed you but that certainly was one almighty Bug set wasn’t it?
Stewart has got to be one of the all time under-rated chaos merchants of the world of music. Anyone who hasn’t got the new album `Edit’ (on Crippled Dick Hot Wax) or the Souljazz compilation that came out a couple of years back should get hold of a copy. The film is well worth seeing as it gives a good account of the character of the man and useful background to his development and influences. Mark gave a good performance form the back row whilst watching the film getting agitated at Paul Morley and shouting `post-modern wank’ during that section. As a good Bristol boy I’m obliged to `big it up’ but it is a great film and a useful addition documentaries in this area.
I don’t think Paul Morley was in it, was he?
Simon Reynolds definitely was…
Yes, you’re right Paul Morley wasn’t in it, it was Simon Reynolds! MS mentioned Paul Morleys name in disgust during the Q and A session. My memory needed stitching back together after a long night out!!
Ah, right, didn’t stay for the Q+A for some reason. How was it?
I was sat two rows in front of Mark, so got to hear his gleeful cackling at the key moments; this improved the film.
Ah, so that was YOU at the front clearly having a VERY good time? Big up!
Q and A was not bad, MS was witty, critical and as cutting as ever. I look forward to seeing the Maffia again soon – missed the last London show at the Southbank. Lets hope they do some gigs in the UK soon!