Strange Fruit - Sat 14th July - who's going?

Well... "duh" on my part.

All I'd say is get there early and wait in the pub across the street to see if a queue forms. The entire western world thinks it's going- yesterday Paul was handed a guest list from Domino that was 50 people long. In a club that only holds 150... ARGH!!!!!

Yeah... *definitely* get there early. I should be on the door, but there's a real danger we'll hit capacity around 9pm or so. Stressed, me? Nah...

I'll be there, natch.

so, can you put my name on the guest list?

Where is...?

Oh. London. Upstairs at the Garage (yes, we know how much everyone on this board loves it) in Highbury-Islington.

Pram - fucking PRAM!!! - are playing. It's going to be madness.

::slaps Duane::

i'd like to go, but it looks like i am out of circulation until 22nd, i'd like to see pram again too (have they sorted out their out of tune vox yet though), and i actually love the garage. the fact that it is 15 mins walk from my house is entirely co-incidental, natch. ahem

I are going to be in attendance too, but for now I'm enjoying having weekend net access. Shortly before commencing on my mammoth preparing for going out routine.

let's hope it stops raining soon too, if we're going to be queueing.

Band at SF = DUD (lots of bands I like have played there, but it's a never an enjoyable experience, for one reason or another)

Post-band Disco at SF = CLASSIC. (best ever disco at SF = THE BAXENDALE SOUND SYSTEM)

I quite like Pram, but I preferred seeing them in a bookshop last year (Pram are one of those bands who should ONLY play in bookshops), and I am otherwise engaged this evening. I wonder if I will be able to get in if I stroll up at midnightish?

It's funny you should say that, Stevie. After the Captain Soul/Loves debacle we did discuss the possibility of doing band free nights. The idea got lost amongst the deluge of other stuff we had to deal with in the last month or so, but I think it's time we reconsidered it. Would any of you apart from Stevie still come if we didn't have the bands?

If you come after 11ish, you'll pretty much be guaranteed to get in. We're only going to be packed for the bands, I think.

Oh, and you don't want to know how many people disliked the Baxendale DJ stint! I had people actually coming up to me and complaining! It was only for half an hour, for heavens sake...

Anyway - I'm about to leave (yes, I'm at SF from 4pm to about 3.30am!) so hopefully I'll see some of you there. I'm taking three (!) crates of records, so get your requests at the ready. And yes, I have Baxendale... :)

Oh, and to add to what RickyT said, if ever do a non-band SF it'll probably only cost £3/£2 with flyer to get in; maybe even less. Most of our money goes towards paying bands and the venue.

Goddamn Baxendale! Will there ever be a SF where they don't get played?

I'm still in Italy which is a shme cos I'd really like to see Pram.

The people disliking the Baxendale dj set was what made it so classic. As I walked up the Garage steps, indie kids were pouring out the door with their hands over their ears screaming "EW! THEY ARE PLAYING DISCO MUSIC!". Glorious.

So it must be over by now, how'd it all go?

It finished 52 minutes ago by my reckoning, but I left just before 2am as I was knackered. It went OK, I think. The sound cut out for five minutes half way through my dj set, thus depriving the crowd of my stupendous Cannibal Ox/Peaches mix, but they didn't seem too upset about it. It got very full for Pram and hence very hot, so a lot of people left quite early. Things didn't seem to cool down much after that, but this didn't prevent a fair bit of grooving on the dancefloor. In particular, a not entirely sober Kate didn't stop dancing for two solid hours and during this time appeared to have invented a new style of dance which I can only call Circling The DG.

Oh, and no Baxendale got played. Hurrah!

I must see this new mystic dance style in the flesh, oh yes.

RickyT - you told me just as you were leaving, and I was midway through my second set, that no Baxendale had been played. Which reminded me that no-one had played Baxendale which made me play 'Music For Girls'. So Baxendale was played, and it was all your fault! :)

Oh, and it was a top night. A bit overcrowded for Pram (we managed to get about 230 people in before the door started turning everyone away), but it quietened down for the dancing and actually got very quiet towards the end. Oh, and some really drunk guy completely lost it and freaked out during the Moldy Peaches. He started screaming and banging against the DJ booth, which was a worry. The record skipped too.

A top night though. Anyone coming to Spearmint next week? If so, can you bring a selection of sandwiches, 20 litres of Evian, and 8 freshly cooked meals (long story!)?

Oh, and Kate apologises. She is very hungover, but that's what happens when you actually manage to be drunk at Strange Fruit three hours *before* the doors open...

Stevie: I hate to disagree with you, and I'm sure you don't care anyway. But what you say about Baxendale above is rubbish, and offensive. I felt physically sick because of the music that was being played; I had to go outside and wait on the street despite having paid to get into the club. I don't think that was 'glorious', or big, or clever, and it didn't endear the stupid bloody band to me any more than anything else they'd ever done.

I must agree with Mr Pinefox. Well, partly. Baxendale music for dancing to = classic (mostly). Baxendale djing = hideous, awful, one or two decent tunes sandwiched in between THUD THUD THUD! Gave me a headache.

Did you know that Baxendale are returning on July 31st? I am preparing my shining sword of pop truth for the ensuing "BAXENDALE: CLASSIC OR DUD?" when I will finally SMITE the POP INFIDELS.

Put your sword away. I won't be there.

I don't know what a Pop Infidel is. Is it someone that doesn't like pop music? I don't know many of them.

I was not Circling The DG. It was the room that was spinning round and round and round, not me.

Immense apologies to all involved. At least I only fell off a chairt this time, and not the stage itself.

I have to have to HAVE TO stop drinking like that. I only end up having to apologise to everyone in the morning.

You don't have to apologise Kate, it was a giggle, and we appear to have invented a HOT NEW DANCE CRAZE. And you owe me a drink, madam. :- )
Thanks to everyone for a lovely evening, now BRING ON THE PICNIC!

I would love to be there for that picnic, I have to say. Sounds lurvly.

Kate owes *everyone* a drink. When she fell off the chair I told the bar not to serve her any alcoholic drinks (who says I don't have power?!) which led to her getting everyone in the venue to buy her drinks instead. Meanwhile, I had no money whatsoever and couldn't buy any drinks at all: made a nasty mess-up with paying the bands and had to give one of them extra, cleaning me out. You all pay £3 to come to Strange Fruit... I pay about £350! Sob! Still, it *was* worth it. What a night...

a fun night indeed. the guy who played the Blondie megamix deserves a special mention!

You may be the only person who actually liked that record! Instantly ensured that no other Blondie records would be played all night!

Hey, I thought that Blondie megamix roX0red.

*You* pay £350... ha-hem... Yup.

Well, you fuxOred yourself on the drinks thing, as you never drink at SF anyway, and the only person who actually remembers to bring you vodka when you're stressed is meeee... so when I was banned from the bar, you effectively banned yerself as well. Nee-ner. ;-)

Maybe if your upstairs at garage nights were just 1 band and on later, it'd be more like the club vibe?

It must be said, from the performer's POV, SF is pretty much the best small London gig you can get, since they actually give a fuck and pay the acts, unlike so many. Plus you get a decent audience - I'm not ideal SF material by any stretch but they were cool. Compare Fonda 500 at SF to Fonda 500 at the Monarch, it's totally different.

Anyway I only posted this to boast loudly: I got a Quasi support! I got a Quasi support!

I like the two bands thing. Often we get to pair a well-known band with a total unknown, guaranteeing that people will see the unknown. Hence The Starlets, and next month Idiot Son. I like the way it's only £3 for a flyer, so that for very little cash you get to see two bands and go to a club until 3am (if you have the stamina). It's just a shame the drinks are so expensive.

And yes, Kate, I paid the £350 this time! You paid me your half of the rent, which I then gave to the bands! And then the £50 I'd taken for drinks and cabs went to the bands, too!

REALLY?!?!? Where? When? Kudos to Chris! (Though I kinda have Quasi issues cause they were the support band on my mad lesbian-not-a-lesbian's mad trans=American stalkerfest of Elliott Smith)

SF is not about the money (when it goes well, at least). It's about supporting bands. And giving a good, cheap night out to punters who care about music. And about the music! And about soul, man!!! It's all about soul!!!!! Either you got it or you don't!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and there's no such thing as SF Material really. That's why we have our Spitz nights, to cater to as many different tastes as possible. Which is kind of what we're about, I suppose. We're just lots of people with broad tastes who play records and put gigs on in an amateurish way...

When's the Quasi support, Chris? Wonder if Quasi want extra gigs...?

Whilst I remember, too... Chris - do you have a contact for your record label? Have been trying to approach Candidate and Animals That Swim but not getting any success...

And it's true - I never drink at SF. The Starlets made me down a whisky at the bar and I felt all woozy. If I DJ drunk it's an unmitigated disaster...

The Starlets bought me a vodka, as well. I don't remember a note that they played, but they're my new favourite band ever for that!

I'm surprised you remember anything! Do you remember Pram? Or any of the DJ sets? Or the scary fight when that guy lost it during The Moldy Peaches and later started attacking one of The Starlets. I stupidly ran in between them without thinking, then got a comment that I was lucky I didn't get my head kicked in. Lovely. The first ever fight at SF, that, and it was all over a girl it seems...

We used to have more fights at SF Oxford. I remember having a bottle thrown at my whilst DJing. Those were the days.

Paul, I emailed you.

The end of the night is far more clear than the beginning. As soon as I started dancing, I think I started working off most of the vodka, and start to remember things again.

I told you all the problem, didn't I? Ver Lolleez had to do a photo shoot on Saturday afternoon, and seeing how my two least favourite things in the world are 1) being photographed and 2) putting up with the other Lollies, and I have to drink to get through both activities, I was shitfaced by 2pm.

I don't think I actually heard The Starlets, I think that was when Irene and Roz took me to sober up at the chippie and I told them all about Freemasons while dropping pints of vodka on the floor. Or was that Pram? It's all jumbled up, I only remember bits and bobs.

If you have to get that drunk to deal with the rest of your band, does that mean my job a tour manager is going to be hell on earth come August? I hope the remaining three bands aren't the same way or it'll be just be in a bus full of drunk girls for two weeks. Not a pleasant experience.

Thanks for the mail, Chris. Already on the case, now. And I'm not around for the Quasi gig... damn! On the tour, above. Double and triple damn. With knobs on.

bus full of drunk girls for two weeks

You know, some boys would kill for that experience. But only cause it sounds like the premise for a crap porno film... especially a bus full of drunk lesbians... ;-)

So if you're Janine, going on tour with the Missus, that makes Kate Nigel, Rachel Chris St Hubbins, Jane Derek and Matthew's gonna combust on the third date. Channel Heaven = Stone 'enge

AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!! Don't make me retract my love for you, Chris. I am clearly David St.Hubbins, Rachel is clearly Nigel. ESPECIALLY since it is my boyfriend doing the tour managing. And I wrote something much nastier and then deleted it for the sake of band unity.

Actually you're right there - not in terms of any Lollies stuff, purely that I thoroughly muddled my Tappisms: Is the guy who PLAYS DstH called Christopher something? Or was my insertion of the word *chris*, in between the word *rachel* and the word *st.* more subconsciously sinister than that?

xxx