A great deal of thought has gone into every detail of Cha Cha Moon
Mayor Boris Johnson witnessed first-hand a knife-wielding thug being caught as he went out with police on a crackdown on blades
More...
It’s all The Rage
By Amira Hashish, Evening Standard 18.04.08
Lyricist: Davey MacManus (bottom left) and his band The Crimea gave a captivating performance
Free bar: The next Rage event at Cargo will be in July
Look here too
THE RAGE INTO SPRING AT CARGO
Tucked away on a graffiti-ridden lane just off Shoreditch High Street is Cargo; an alternative music venue with Banksy artwork in the courtyard. This is about as trendy as it gets if you wear tight trousers and logo t-shirts – a mecca for indie kids and art lovers.
The difficulty with this sort of setting is that it has the potential to suffer from 'all style and no substance' syndrome. Luckily for Cargo, it doesn't. Instead of sticking to standard gigs it welcomes fresh music concepts and this is what makes it quirky.
Joining forces with The Rage, a company that organises 'gigging for grown-ups', The Rage Into Spring event was never going to be run of the mill. Being greeted with immaculately-dressed waiters, that serve champagne and chicken casserole bowls on well-polished trays, is not the norm at gigs. Neither is a calm atmosphere. But this is supposed to be a different experience, a wine club but for music,' so the brochure says.
The Rage offers entertainment to an audience who feel alienated by teen-dominated indie music nights. The live events scheme was launched last year with the aim of giving a more mature crowd the chance to see up and coming bands in a comfortable environment. With an inclusive ticket, in this case costing £75, guests can eat as much of the five star food as they like and have the use of a complimentary bar throughout the evening.
The music ethos is to showcase bands before they become more mainstream and headliners from 2007 include Dirty Pretty Things, Young Knives and Newton Faulkner. The organisers must have a knack for predicting big things.
At least The Click Click would hope so. The London-based foursome (Stefan Abingdon, Maya Yianni, Henry Baukman, Dru Wakely) have already caught the attention of Zane Lowe and Peter Robinson. To say their set went down well at the Spring event would not do it justice. Their energy was infectious and the sight of a man in his fifties dancing enthusiastically next to a 24-year-old (the type that wears purposefully ill-fitting jeans) was somewhat refreshing, if a little odd. The age/music barrier was being broken.
Tom Hatred And the Angry Band and James Yuill added a calmer edge to the evening; a good opportunity to take advantage of the leather sofas – the kind that you sink into slightly when you sit down. Relaxing. This was an event where you could mingle and chat without screeching over speakers, should you have wanted to of course. If pulling a pensive pose in a quiet corner was more your thing then so be it. (Yes, you get them everywhere).
The Crimea headlined the night, launching some of the latest songs penned by lead Davey MacManus. The intelligent lyrics were sung with a degree of intensity that was captivating to watch. The band, who's latest single Loop A Loop was well received, has exciting projects in the pipeline, including a new album. The Rage crowd got a taste of what to expect.
So as the evening drew to a close, the final chords were played and the last Krispy Kreme doughnut served before the crowd went their separate ways - some back to the office the next morning, others to college. Their everyday lifestyles would most lilkely clash. But the previous night they would have shared a unique gigging experience, where everyone was welcome.
GET IN ON THE ACT
Up and coming Rage events are:
*Rage At The Race, Monaco, May 24 & 25
*The Rage On In Summer, Cargo, July 2
*The Rage Through Autumn, October 8
*The Rage Out In Winter, December 11
You can join The Rage as a member. This will entitle you to priority access and discounted tickets to all rage events. The membership section of the website has access to features, videos and downloads from hotly tipped artists. After attending two events as a guest the membership fee pays for itself. For more information go to www.therage.tv or call 020 7993 3281.
8°c
12°c
