kissed, banged and all shagged out.

[darren_stranger]

Had fun last night.  Retro's top floor was even smaller than i remembered it (we've only been there once before, five or six years ago) but had a very nice feel to it - more a loft than a club, and all those winding corridors and blackened walls with uv-lit paintings added great atmosphere - when there was room enough to see them.  There were far too many people than was comfortable (much like the first Carpe Mortem) but once the crowd started to thin out the breathing room was much improved (and the fashion perving easier). 

Sorry if i didn't sit still long enough to talk to anyone properly - i was more nervous than i thought.  (Don't think i even wished Dom a happy birthday in person).  The 'main' room probably wasn't the best spot for conversations anyway - more use of those side rooms may be a better idea next time, methinks. 

I was probably equally worried about working out how to use the equipment (it's been a while) and also whether anyone was going to like what i'd planned to play - perhaps a little more leaning to the horror punk side than what was playing (and going down really well) earlier in the night.  But i wanted to try some of that stuff not just because i love it but because that was part of what we advertised and i figured there'd be a few others that came expecting to hear that kind of thing.  I was reassured in that by a couple of requests, especially one fellow who came up at the end of Lyle's set and literally demanded to hear some Devilish Presley and Screaming Banshee Aircrew.  It all seemed to go down okay, and maybe the best thing was getting a few reactions of pleasant surprise at songs by The Redresser and Zombie Ghost Train (that's one thing that always makes me feel like i'm doing something right).  On the other hand, there were much fewer people by the time i finished, though oddly enough half of them seemed to clear out to My Girlfriend's Girlfriend, which was the last thing i expected to clear the room.

I'm really looking forward to the next one, should be really good, especially if half as many people turn up.  I do wonder how many of the people really did expect Rammstein, Placebo and Rob Zombie (since goth can mean anything to anyone these days) and may not have had as great a time.  But i think now that people know what music to expect and what the venue's like (probably best thought of as a loft party with a bar, rather than a nightclub, but i think that suits the mood better anyway) the crowd may be smaller but more comfortable, and hopefully it'll settle in as a nice enjoyable night. 

Hopefully also the uptairs toilets will be working next time, as someone had apparently kicked them in a couple of nights earlier.  Luckily my leg was in pretty good order for all those trips up and down the stairs, but some of the downstairs crowd were a bit ugly later on in the night (i'm not really fond of having ox-necked bogans in my face asking what the eyeliner's in aid of while i'm trying to take a piss - it seemed to take him a few seconds to decide whether to make something of it or not, and luckily he decided he couldn't be bothered as i was in even less shape to defend myself than usual). 

Anyways, here's what i did play:

Siouxsie & the Banshees - This Wheel's On Fire
The Redresser - Pleasure
The Cure - Primary
Screaming Banshee Aircrew - Banshee Aircrew (request/artist)
Virgin Prunes - Pagan Love Song
Specimen - Stand Up Stand Out
The Misfits - Scream
AFI - Days of The Phoenix
The Cramps - Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon (request/artist)
The Sisters Of Mercy - Vision Thing (request)
The Damned - Smash It Up (request)
The Horatii - Island of the Zombie Women
Zombie Ghost Train - In The Shadows
The Horrorpops - Where They Wander
Star Industry - Nineties (request)
Type O Negative - My Girlfriend's Girlfriend (request)
Nightmares In Wax - Black Leather (request)
Alien Sex Fiend - I Think I
Dream Disciples - Room 57 (request)

 

(Looking over it, i could probably do with shifting away from splitting it so much between old/safe goth and new/iffy horror rock, but i'll work on that.  Been meaning to go shopping for some new goth even since Lyle mentioned this, but haven't had a chance to get down Heartland way yet).

 

Comments

[kits-the-dm.livejournal.com]

hehe, nm, it was a good night.
I think you worry too much. :)

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

I always worry too much - it's What I Do. :)

[kk-bb.livejournal.com]

You played a very good set. Yeah i think Type O was not what people wanted to here. I played The 69 Eyes and people danced which was good. Thanks for your set. See you next month :0)

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Great photos by the way - i'm going to have to trawl through them to steal fashion ideas.

[damien-wise.livejournal.com]

Sorry for missing the night.
Looking at various posts on LJ, it was quite impressive. Nice playlist!

[cat-a-pillargal.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed your set, Stranger. For the first night of a club doing something different, I think everyone did a great job with their music choices. I had someone ask me to play Depeche Mode that very second, but I'd consciously removed DM from my CD case knowing that you can hear them at any goth club, whereas this night is for all those things we rarely, if ever, get to hear.

I'm sure we'll have a better idea of what works and what doesn't after a few of them. Last night was really an experiment, and thankfully it worked!

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, i loved everybody's set (as did the crowd, which is nice to see). I was kind of worried i'd undo that by going too much into the punk/rockabilly territory, but i think it was okay.

I made a point of leaving certain cds out too. I know what it's like to not hear music you like, and feel bad if anyone didn't know what the music was going to be (one bored looking fellow was requesting Ministry and Rammstein near the end) but a Depeche Mode request here, a Nine Inch Nails track there, and next thing you know the whole point will be lost.

[andispandex.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great nite!
yay for ZGT
boo for Type o

CHOC!

[kk-bb.livejournal.com]

hahaha boo for TYPE O allright

[andispandex.livejournal.com]

thats what ya get for pandering to the masses! Do yer own thing and trust your instinct!

zombie women!

[agent-riotdot.livejournal.com]

ARGH!!!i knew i knew your face! wasn't til lyle told me the next day over the phone , it came to me :0) nice set , horror punk is always great! :P hmm was weird hearing AFI however :P

Re: zombie women!

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Hmm - i wasn't sure about playing AFI, probably the furthest from the rest of the playlist, but i couldn't go past that "teenage deathboys, teenage deathgirls" line, so what's a boy to do?

*thinks*

Were you the lass in the purple fishnetty gear near the speakers a lot of the night?

Re: zombie women!

[agent-riotdot.livejournal.com]

yes :P

i was soo tired i had a big week , i just wanted to fall asleep ZZZZZZZZZZ but KKBB was my reason for going to melbourne so i had to last the night :0)
and muh feet were killing me.

Re: zombie women!

[agent-riotdot.livejournal.com]

ps i wanted to steal your walking stick for my sore legs ;-) :P

Re: zombie women!

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

Getting about with the stick was probably more tiring than without. It was still a bit more dignified way of hobbling about though.

Mind if i add you to my stalking, i mean, friends list?

Re: zombie women!

[agent-riotdot.livejournal.com]

yeah go for it! :-)

i'm hoping to make my way back to melbourne at the end of the year
i had heaps of fun!
and it's more relaxing then the hassle of sydney.

Re: zombie women!

[andispandex.livejournal.com]

hey-you in melb? Will ya be there on the 20th for the thatch gig?

Re: zombie women!

[strang-er.livejournal.com]

I will!

(touch wood, inshallah, break a leg)

(second thoughts - my leg's had enough trouble)

Re: zombie women!

[andispandex.livejournal.com]

sweet action. And indeed god willing we will rock your face. We're a lot tighter these days!