Seatwave

GIG REVIEW: Neon Neon

• Posted on July 11, 2008 2:20 PM
• 0 comments

Neon Neon
Cargo, Sunday July 6th

Review by Chris Todd

Does anyone remember the mid-90's hard techno track 'Hackney Council are a bunch of c*nts'? Well, ten years on and Hackney Council continue to live up to their reputation.

When Lex Records announced a one off live gig featuring a number of artists from their roster and headlined by Neon Neon playing their first UK date (apart from festivals), they excitedly announced that it would be in a car park off Shoreditch High Street. With their 'Stainless Style' album being influenced by the life of John DeLorean, the car park idea was a great one, as was if you turned up in one, you'd get in free. Hackney Council in their infinite wisdom agreed to this...to the very last minute.
Then the usual inefficiencies of that boroughs council came to light as they decided at the last minute that the gig would be 'too loud' and it was moved to the club Cargo.

Thanks to this moment of wisdom, Hackney Council became responsible for serious health and safety issues as Cargo became rammed to dangerous proportions, although this was also quite exciting.

Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) and Boom Bips' Neon Neon is a side distraction of brilliance but being an 80s influenced electronic album parts proved hard to replicate. 'I told her on Alderran', gloriously camp on record is dirgy and bereft of its' shiny pop sheen, the electro dirt of 'Michael Douglas' is anonymous and had you concentrating of the cut-up backdrop of er...Michael Douglas.

When it worked however, it was fantastic. 'Raquel', possibly the only song ever influenced by early Erasure is a mash-up a calypso style bongos and 80's synth riffs ending in a mess of brilliant techno squelches and some impressive VJing of some of Raquel Welsh's finest shots whilst 'I lust u' and 'Belfast'; two of this years finest pop tunes are even better live. Even the unwanted appearance of professional freak Har Mar Superstar can't ruin the evening although he does try his best as always.

All in all, a victory in the face of Hackney Council, maybe next time, huh?

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