bun-u

Eel Night

I'll be djing at this fun-packed show in a couple of weeks. Four bands, DJs and other entertainers will perform against the back-drop of a traditional working mens club

posted by David M @ 4:15 pm 0 comments

Grindie

I remember about 8 years ago on UK Dance, Simon Reynolds and Bat were having this debate (the board at the time was a twice daily emailer) about future paths of UK garage and within this the role of “The London Massive”.

Bat would put his unerring faith in the Massive, following its chosen path whatever that was. Reynolds wasn’t so sure…”What if the Massive took up indie?” he pondered, to which Bat replied “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it”…no doubt sure that that day would never come.

Well, that day may have already come – as Statik has produced a mixtape mashing up the best of grime and current indie and imaginatively called it Grindie. I like the audacious idea, but early impressions suggest some of the results are, at best, mixed. Have a listen yourself by downloading it at Logan Sama’s myspace.

posted by David M @ 3:12 pm 0 comments

Ricoh Rat-Run

The bizarre escape route out of Coventry City's Ricoh Arena referred to here (last paragraph). Photos followed the game against Leeds last Saturday....

posted by David M @ 8:55 am 0 comments

St Paddy's day

Will be spent at this place, The Perseverence

posted by David M @ 12:53 am 0 comments

London films

I’ve seen about three films about the big smoke over the past few weeks, courtesy of the burgeoning documentaries section of the Film Shop on Broadway Market.




First of all I saw “London” by Patrick Keiller from the early 1990s, brilliantly captures the feel of the city at the that time (Major’s years, the final few flourishes of the IRA’s mainland campaign, the stock & house market crash). It’s filled with lonely images shot throughout the city. The premise is played out with a narrator taking us (an old friend who has been working at sea and been away from the city for a long time) on a journey of rediscover so that we can re-familiarise ourselves with the city once more. It’s beautifully done, and hopefully soon I might get around to watching the “Robinson in Space” sequal.



Then, next up, it’s "Finisterre" by members of St Ettiene (or Bob Stanley at least) and soundtracked with their music. Overall it is a bit disappointing. Billing itself as a film, which celebrates the parts and aspects of London which are sometimes over-looked or forgotten, it ends up being very sentimental in parts (bordering, almost, as a tourism promo). The music doesn’t come off too well either….I quite like some of there stuff but they seem to have lost their way recently.




Then finally, I watched "London Orbital" a film by Chris Petit based on the Iain Sinclair and friends’ walk around the M25 in 2001, which also led to Sinclair’s excellent book. More similar in style to Keiller’s film and probably the best of the three as it explores the myth and boredom of modern Britain around the buildings and sites situated near the road. They take in the mythical Sibel building, the gangster wasteland and Bluewater in Essex, Waltham Abbey, Heathrow as well as plenty of hospitals, golf courses and other retail parks. It's probably the best of the lot.

posted by David M @ 5:15 pm 0 comments

Creeper Volume 1

Logan Sama is giving away Roll Deep's mixtape Creeper at his myspace site (here - scroll down through blurb to red text)

Meanwhile here's Willy.....

posted by David M @ 9:29 pm 0 comments

Fundraiser for Spirit

I will be reaching this...a benefit gig to help keep Spirit's shop and home on Broadway market

posted by David M @ 4:51 pm 0 comments

Aim High 3 - The Original Babylon Burner

I’ve had this mixtape on heavy rotation for over a month now and I'd say it’s probably even better than the first two. Put together by Roll Deep’s Target and showcasing pretty much of the crew’s 2340 or so members, plus others including Ruff Sqwad, Bruza, Doctor and Syer – this mixtape series has worked better than most others largely because the sounds have a consistent, unified feel to them. The whole thing is produced mainly by Target with (other RD producer) Danny Weed chipping in occasionally.

Things kick in when several MCs get to work on the Alligator Riddim, sounding very new agey in using seductive middle eastern horns and a fuller rhythm, which seems to be a post-Duppy trend. Riko and Flowdan are on particularly good form here, the latter appointing the riddim ‘the original Babylon burner’. Other standout tracks include Ruff Sqwad’s gothic freestyle, Dog Z’s sanguine ‘nightshift’ (using the old Commodores tune), and All in One’s freestyle, which announces his return to the scene. The only downsides really are the contributions from Alex Mills (I’m all for R’n’G but she doesn’t do anything for me) and the DVD is the standard fare of overlong interviews (the same people proclaiming "big tings for 2006" as had for 04 and 05) interspersed with some occasiuonally good footage.

posted by David M @ 3:37 pm 0 comments

Old tunes which sound a bit like grime #1

Pink Fairies’ James Bond mash up - a grime classic

posted by David M @ 2:50 pm 0 comments