In itself a symptom of the malaise.
Club Music in 2019
- Thread starter pattycakes_
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In itself a symptom of the malaise.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Dunno much about clubs in 2019, but I remember a tipping point where both gigs and clubs started to fill with people who didn't seem to particularly care for the music they were seeing, or know that much about it. Where music began to be used by more and more people as an 'experience' to be had, rather than something you did because you were actually into it in a positive way. Venues with hordes of people who don't know the words to any but an artist's biggest track etc, clubs with punters who don't seem that bothered who's playing. That surprised me at first, seemed to be a shift.
Comparable shift as when football tickets got expensive and the atmosphere went to shit because more and more people went for the experience, rather than to rabidly support one team. Where football or music is kind of the same as going to a restaurant.
Comparable shift as when football tickets got expensive and the atmosphere went to shit because more and more people went for the experience, rather than to rabidly support one team. Where football or music is kind of the same as going to a restaurant.
it's not good saying the dumb masses because the dumb masses would presuppose that they could be reeducated at the feet of shaikh patty for 20 years. That's not how it works now. its an interchangeable consumer. there are still dozens of freaks dedicated to all kinds of music, be that electronic or not, they just don't tend to show up on ppls radar. hey are now the hinterlands, to use a crude metaphor.
the dumb masses would presuppose they are sold bad shit and they eat it up.
But it's not like that. They are sold concepts, not shit music, be that a techno value set, a rave/jungle value set, an experimental/deconstructed value set. the valued commodity is less the music than the marketing. the music just serves to confirm or reaffirm existing marketing tropes, or serve as a backdrop. it's the underground version of popcult, or weirdly enough the triumph of progressive rock.
But it's not like that. They are sold concepts, not shit music, be that a techno value set, a rave/jungle value set, an experimental/deconstructed value set. the valued commodity is less the music than the marketing. the music just serves to confirm or reaffirm existing marketing tropes, or serve as a backdrop. it's the underground version of popcult, or weirdly enough the triumph of progressive rock.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
people wearing t-shirts saying 'the ramones' like they wear a t-shirt saying 'nike', or wearing a half-an-half scarf and it's all OK (didn't someone say something about wu tang t-shirts at primark on another thread).
pattycakes_
Can turn naughty
The only shake I'm interested in is that of booties, to a fine disco groove, tyvm.
Yeah, me. And that's just the tip. Ramones, Megadeath. Basically any of those types of bands that it girls get snapped wearing in the style magz. Plus a bunch of other 'cool' shit like retro brand logos n whatnot. Whoever they hired to curate all that had their finger on the pulse. Worst thing is, some of it is not that bad
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
apart from rendering everything meaningless it's fine. but yeah, it's band as brand, hollowed out, the logo more important than the music (saw a girl wearing an Aaliyah logo in the Megadeth style - metal bands might not be cool, but the 80s graphic design is)
pattycakes_
Can turn naughty
Couldn't attach but check it
Not one, but two biggie shirts.
https://www.primark.com/en/categori.../t-shirts/biggie-brooklyn-t-shirt/p/126904992
https://www.primark.com/en/categori...hirts/biggie-photographic-t-shirt/p/127692935
https://www.primark.com/en/categori.../t-shirts/white-paramount-t-shirt/p/125788503
And yeah, I'm over giving a shit anymore. Not worth the energy. No turning back the tide.
Not one, but two biggie shirts.
https://www.primark.com/en/categori.../t-shirts/biggie-brooklyn-t-shirt/p/126904992
https://www.primark.com/en/categori...hirts/biggie-photographic-t-shirt/p/127692935
https://www.primark.com/en/categori.../t-shirts/white-paramount-t-shirt/p/125788503
And yeah, I'm over giving a shit anymore. Not worth the energy. No turning back the tide.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
oh yeah it's a different era, that other era is never coming back. interesting though how mass ironic branding/repurposing has achieved the total domination/reach that individual artists flogging merch never really could, even though both are using the same logos and materials.
pattycakes_
Can turn naughty
Yeah. A word that keeps coming to mind lately is trivialising. Corporates are on this mission to co-opt everything that was ever cool which takes away everything that made those things cool in the first place. The conspiracy minded part of me could imagine this really sneaky long game starting in the 80s to keep us all stunted and addicted to our past (to nab a sub heading)
Pop culture has most definitely eaten itself at this point.
not shake, shaikh or sheikh. and even as hard core non-religious I'd fucking be honoured to be a sheikh, puffing on cigars all day in my isolated cabin with scantily clad servants serving me beaurdeau and hashish in private away from religious prying eyes. what's not to like?
pattycakes_
Can turn naughty
How long til the Baudrillard, Zizek and PKD shirts when the bro intellectual trend hits it's peak?
pattycakes_
Can turn naughty
Haha I know man, just joshin. It was the worshippers at the feet the put me off. The cabin, cigars and servants are all fine.
First learned the word due to this LP
Dissensus' fave Mr Z. My mum had it in her collection
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Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
Corpsey
bandz ahoy
I went to that Printworks place not long ago to see Theo Parrish, Moodymann, et al. It felt like going through airport security on the way in. And then inside it was this weird sort of pastiche of a warehouse party, only with proper, overpriced bar and the knowledge that you're probably being monitored by security at all times.
The venue is quite good, this huge hulking corridor with good sound the whole way down. But there was something rather soulless about it. Almost like a recreation of what a club/rave used to be, but with all the danger taken out of it.
It sort of reminded me of Tate Modern. Anticapitalist art sponsored by Suisse Bank.
The venue is quite good, this huge hulking corridor with good sound the whole way down. But there was something rather soulless about it. Almost like a recreation of what a club/rave used to be, but with all the danger taken out of it.
It sort of reminded me of Tate Modern. Anticapitalist art sponsored by Suisse Bank.
Corpsey
bandz ahoy
The last club thing I went to that I really liked was Josey Rebelle's night at Oval Space. Also have really enjoyed the Hyperdub nights at Corsica, you get some really weird music being played there (and you get to hear drill/afroswing on a massive rig). If they weren't on a weeknight I'd probably go to every one.
I think like most other things the internet/smartphones has ruined clubbing. It's the extension of that commercial/branding thing into every nook and cranny of life. And people don't feel liberated when literally everyone around them has a camera.
The smoking ban was the first big blow in my clubbing life - anything that encourages people to leave the dancefloor, leave that zone of engagement, is deleterious. And having a smartphone means you can disengage whenever you like.
OTOH OTOH OTOH I am 34 and a has-been. So maybe it's all still delightful for the 20-somethings.
I think like most other things the internet/smartphones has ruined clubbing. It's the extension of that commercial/branding thing into every nook and cranny of life. And people don't feel liberated when literally everyone around them has a camera.
The smoking ban was the first big blow in my clubbing life - anything that encourages people to leave the dancefloor, leave that zone of engagement, is deleterious. And having a smartphone means you can disengage whenever you like.
OTOH OTOH OTOH I am 34 and a has-been. So maybe it's all still delightful for the 20-somethings.
Corpsey
bandz ahoy
These machines for absorption and castration of rebellious/subversive art.
Occurred to me earlier that if I had been around for the proper rave scene I don't know if I'd have had the balls to go to one, let alone put one on. I get the feeling there are a lot of people like me involved in the club scene these days. Nice polite wouldn't say boo to a goose boys.
The point about liberalism/monoculturalism is interesting to me also. From the POV of music criticism it neuters things because you are more inclined to understand that everybody has a different musical taste now.