German Overalls

to rococo rot.  93 Feet East, Brick Lane, London, E2.  29 May 2001.

I seem to be slowly wading through the many venues in London.  It's not been a conscious decision.  The plan is a gig a week.  Sometimes that may not be possible if there's nothing much on offer or whatever.

Anyway, last Tuesday night was an opportunity to visit Banglatown - Brick Lane, East London - and 93 Feet East.  This is one of several new venues that are, I'm told, sprouting in "up-and-coming" areas of London.  It's not 1000 metres from The Spitz were I was the week before.

This club/pub is basically a garishly painted bar with lots of cushions in one room, a patio/beer garden overlooking the Brick Lane brewery and a small hall for gigs.  At one of the latter is a small slightly raised stage.  It's not clear to me what the booking policy is meant to be.  From what someone told me, I think it's mainly DJs and, for some odd reason, German bands.  Kreidler played there back in April.

to rococo rot were perhaps a bit of a coup.  Their latest CD has had solid reviews and Time Out plugged this as one of the gigs of the week.  Someone at the bar told me that they're big pop stars in Germany.  (Ah, but so was David Hasselhof of Baywatch fame.)

Truth be told, they've cut a couple or more excellent dance records and helped make the last but one St Etienne CD listenable to.  I was looking forward to a get down dirty dancing evening.

Support for the night was a geezer on a laptop with some 12 inchers thrown in and mixed about.  Thanks.

In contrast to rococo rot came on and, in a unpretentious and quiet manner, hit a solid dance groove from the first knob twist.  I can't catalogue the tracks because the beers had kicked in and I'm not a trainspotter.  But, I recognised several tracks off the new platter, including those with Alex Balanescu guesting on violin.

No one was dancing, though there was a few feet shuffling and heads bobbing.  Shame that because it was good electronic dance music if a bit Teutonic.  Ah, yes.  It's taken me a while to get to the Kraftwerk allusions.  Well, music aside, cop the cover.  If that ain't a Kraftwerk nod what is?

Dance people.  This is dance music.  There's no tables, chairs or seats in the way.  Dance, dammit.

Well, okay.  Listen.  Listen good.  And, I did and it was good.

What I want to know is:

(a) how they get all those noises out of those little boxes they fiddle around with;

(b) where will my travels take me next in London gig world (answer the Royal Festival Hall for Philip Glass); and,

(c) why does 93 Feet East serve Michelob?

Vielen danke schoen.

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