Ok, I think it's safe. Open your eyes. Take your fingers out of your ears. It's over.
The first enormous instalment of Lost & Broken was a screaming success. Thanks to all you lot who graced the dance floor and feasted on the sonic and visual buffet. Buffet? Nay, banquet. For those of you whose illicit consumption got the better of your memory banks, let's recap.
doublejo(H)ngrey started the metaphorical ball rolling by playing a delicate selection from their multiple record boxes. No stone was left unturned. Contributors included Neil Young, Polysics, Pink Floyd, At The Drive In, Two Lone Swordsmen, Blackbeard's Allstars, Clinic, Sonic Youth, Wishbone Ash, Melt Banana and Black Devil Disco Club. The set built to a climax in preparation for the delights to come.
Mister Fist lived up to Manchester Music's quote, "first degree bass rape," with a set to separate the wheat from the chaff. Showcasing tunes from their new release ''Semi-Normal" they built a wall of hissing, biting, melancholy chaos to rival the likes of Mogwai or Sonic Youth at their fiercest. They even had audience members so frenzied that they dived into the drum-kit. I mean, they didn't even know the cunt. Of course the drummer was furious, but, it seems, that's the effect of the Fist sound.
The strobe lights strobed and Dr Caligari and Nosferatu loomed across the back wall. Meanwhile, Jon Du Nord span Can, Hawkwind and Electralene to maintain the fever.
doublejo(H)ngrey took to the stage with their trademark, bass-heavy opener "All Greetings are Goodbyes," and followed through (like much of the audience) in a slightly chaotic version of broadcast, grinding to a halt mid song, to be greeted by a new stranger with a dub rhythm and chopping synth and guitar lines. The epic "You Go, I'll Stay" gave way to meaty dance floor favourite "I Should Be Your King," finally descending into the incontinent, uninhibited rave of "Crippled Feet."
The carnival rolled on with Penguin Map Majinko's pumping J-pop rhythms and an ode to Tom Waits. Imagine if Lawrence from Denim had lived most of his life in Japan, maybe above a karaoke bar, or in the foundations of Takeshi's castle. Confused but intrigued, the audience were left begging for more. Elementary.
From there on it's really a blur. Some DV camera footage exists, but mainly just shows slowly pulsing strobes and undulating silhouettes. Snatches of "Rhythm is a Dancer" and jerking guitar from Uberstompf's resident Jon Du Nord, struggling to make out the labels on his 12"s in the gloom. Spilt drinks and burned lips. Cracked microphones and empty wraps littered the floor.
In the slightly tongue in cheek words of Mister Fist's frontman, "Bring on the drugs. Fuck the System!"
Indeed. See y'all next month.