Tuesday 30 August 2011

Some Thoughts On 'Clubbing In.. Glasgow'




It's not often Glasgow gets featured on an international music site, but when it does, it's usually the Sub Club, Numbers, Pressure or Soma that's making the news.. It's interesting then, that the recent feature on Resident Advisor has nothing more of a passing reference to them, much to readers dismay, although, the same can be said for most of the nights in Glasgow, as almost all of them got a shoutout at the least, and a sentence at the most.. Except from the Artschool, a club that didn't really appeal to me, and although it had a diverse selection of nights and a varied crowd, it isn't deserving of the praise it's receiving here.

It wasn't changing the face of clubbing in Glasgow, it didn't put Glasgow on the map, and it wasn't on everyone's go to list. It did host many excellent parties, and a lot of the worlds most popular DJs have played here - but the importance placed on the Art School is misleading at best, for someone who isn't from Glasgow. It was an opportunity to put more deserving nights and clubs in the spotlight, that was squandered due to the writers personal taste.

Many people have complained about the lack of a mention for various nights, clubs or labels, but I genuinely think it's refreshing to read something on Glasgow that isn't dominated by Sub Club, Pressure or Soma (Numbers too now). There's no doubting their importance, and the fact that they have been going for so long is only testiment to their love and dedication to what they do, but there's more to Glasgow than them and that is this article's greatest failing. It made a statement by only briefly mentioning big nights like Pressure and leaving out the likes of subculture completely, but it didnt do nearly enough to justify that.

I doubt their was ever anything malicious about nights not being included, you could argue that too many nights have been mentioned, but I don't think that any night has a divine right to be included in a piece like this - so it's a bit of a shame that the comments section on RA is littered with people who are criticising for one reason or another, if you draw comparisons from another 'Clubbing In' feature then the difference is remarkable for a 'friendly & forward thinking scene'

I do however, find it interesting that the writer barely mentions anything techno related, which I think draws an interesting parallel with the lack of good techno nights that are on in Glasgow on a regularly basis.. Certainly in comparison to the overwhelming amount of nights that feature beatport house & minimal artists, or the weekly nights at subclub (that feature no dedicated techno night). There's Animal Farm at the subclub every so often and CODE now at La Cheetah on a bi-monthly basis.. it's not much, and it puts doubts into my mind about the artists that we would like to book.. Is there still a techno scene here?

I hope there is because Glasgow, for me, is techno.. and it's sad that the city has a feature on RA, with Techno nowhere to be seen.

9 comments:

  1. I feel a similar despair about the lack of techno in the scene here. Despite quality bookings, AF and CODE only seem to draw small crowds.

    Glasgow, with its tough reputation and countless abandoned industrial spaces, make it seem like the perfect city for a killer techno scene...but few are interested.

    The lack of dedicated techno nights isn't just exclusive to Glasgow....Berlin has Klubnacht @ Berghain, but if this isn't an option, you might just struggle to find your techno fix.

    I worry techno has a gloomy prognosis.

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  2. Yeah it's a weird situation, I don't know if more promoters could work together to put on bigger nights in order to try and re-invigorate the scene? Or work together at promoting all the various techno nights and ensuring they don't clash..
    I definitely don't think it's a lost cause.. yet.


    As for Berlin, I disagree - there's great bookings every weekend all over the city.. Berghain may have some pretty good line-ups, but there's a whole lot more there.


    As for Berlin, I disagree - there's great bookings every weekend all over the city.. Berghain may have some pretty good line-ups, but there's a whole lot more there.

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  3. What is techno in 2011? Techno is meant to be music that looks forward and evolves and mutates into new forms but sadly 99.9% of techno is retreading existing forms and templates.

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  4. What sort of stuff are you listening to? For me, I think there's a lot of excellent techno being made. Have you checked out any of the mixes or records I have posted up on here previously?

    If you're not into them then fair enough, is there anyone you do find interesting?

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  5. Glasgow will never be a major player in the European techno scene until it sorts its opening hours out. Everything is a compromise when you can only open for 4 hours. If you can open for 9 hours +, you can have more guests, more music and people are willing to invest time and money into it.
    Glasgow is nothing compared to Berlin, London or even Zurich when it comes to partying. All of these places have long opening hours and as I type this, they are all still functioning countries.
    The opening hours issue will not be sorted until council's get real and start to give people more freedom to have fun. Right now, the 'we know what's good for you' attitude needs to change. It's pathetic.

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  6. So true. The ridiculous opening hours are a big part of the problem. People here have to cram all their energy into 3hrs and you end up with over zealous clubbers going mental for beatports top10 minimal tech house. RA's controversial review of July's Electric Frog (http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=9543) sums this up nicely...I wasn't there but I understand where the reviewer's coming from. I think Glasgow's clubbers are definetely keen but these stupid licensing restrictions mean we dont have a scene with mature clubbers who have the patience for the slow burn and subtleness of a good techno set.

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  7. Yeah, but having been to a lot of things abroad, the nights often never get going, and if they do, they peter out as the crowd is more transient. I actually kind of like our cramped little nights.

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  8. Actually, I posted before looking at the rest of our site which is exactly the kind of stuff I'm into.

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  9. Nice one, good to hear - get yourself down to our party on Saturday or to our next night in October with Forward Strategy Group. Got a mix and interview from them coming soon.

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