Dataphiles' Music Madness

I’ve wanted to write this post since I got back last Saturday, now that I’m done with all of the album release stuff I can finally do it.

I love the Edinburgh festival, truly. It doesn’t matter if it rains or they’ve dug up half the roads to put in a tram network, it is quite simply awesome. Wandering around there is such a buzz and such a wide spectrum of people, it doesn’t feel exclusive in any way you just drink it in. In all fairness different people go to different things and for me (perhaps unsurprisingly) the music stole the festival.

In one evening I managed to see a funky Australian fusion act, my favourite acoustic guitarist and go to an awesome club night. First off was Tom Tom Crew, the aforementioned fusion act made up of a turntablist, a beatboxer, a drummer and a bunch of acrobats.  I left the purple inflatable cow shaped tent (don’t adjust your sets, its actually a venue in Edinburgh/London) feeling thoroughly pumped. Check out the vid below for some idea of what they’re like.

A particular highlight was the drummer performing a song on (and dedicated to) a bizarre brown and beige electronic instrument from the 80s called the omnichord . I was also shocked to find out they still make them (although they’ve changed name and lost their beigeness)

Then across the city in a wooden tent (its starting to sound like a camping holiday) with an interior reminiscent of a private room at the moulin rouge I saw Antonio Forcione perform a set. He really makes his guitar sing, it felt like all of the velvet drapes were gently reverberating. I sat there sipping single malt (well I was in Scotland, it has to be done) completely transfixed

Then to top it off I went to a Silent Disco. Which, if you’ve never been, trust me you should, just for the experience. Imagine being at a club except there are no speakers, only radio headphones that can tune into one of two DJs channels. While you’re wearing them it feels like any other rave, visuals, lights and all. Take them off  and you realise you’re in a completely quiet room with a bunch of nutters dancing out of time with each other occasionally cheering when there’s a shoutout on a channel … Genius!

Heh, and that was one evening. Other highlights include – the comedy stylings of Jo Caulfield,  all of the street performers soldiering on throughout various levels of downpour, and a bizarre late night victorian themed quiz show run by a friend of mine.

Love the city, love the vibe … Thank you Edinburgh for running such an awesome event

Dataphiles

Recently I’ve wondered why we’ve lost the concept of eccentricity, the UK used to be the world leader in it 😉

I think the unusual, colourful people that you meet are what gives life its flavour. While I still meet them, everyone seems more guarded somehow. People don’t tend to show their hand until they know that you’re not going to judge them. Its kind of a sad situation.

There are probably a lot of reasons for this: fear of being medicalised, our glorious leader (and predecessors) wanting to make everyone as bone-numbingly dull as he is or perhaps the reality tv freakshow giving difference a bad name.

Whatever the cause is, I miss it though… an overly conformist (or even just an outwardly conformist) world would be far far too dull for my liking. So lets bring it back, a bit of leftfieldism, to break the daily grind. If you haven’t tried it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Love and Peace

Dataphiles