Claire who I've mainly known as a festival buddy offered me a ticket to go see Sunshine Underground at Birthdays at the now beard achingly trendy Dalston which is so cool even Shoreditch and Hoxton residents say they live in South Dalston. It's a single ticket which she got for free on line I think as part of a pledge crowd sourcing thing for the new album. Anyway it's very much appreciated Claire. Thanks.
I get off the train at Dalston Kingsland into a murky darkening evening with a light sprinkling of rain and glancing over at what would be the start of Ridley Road Market, which looks as grimy as I remember it from years past, I wander north towards the gig passing the Dalston Rio independent cinema where I spent many a lonely night when living opposite a pub and above a chemist on Stoke Newington Church Street. A useful combination. The gig starts at 9.30 so I hang around by myself for a while in the bar before descending to where the gig is, of course underground. The DJ's spinning naughties pumping dance tunes and the atmosphere is good and expectant. Quite a mix of folk in here tonight and all up for it as I assume they've all pledged for the new album. This is a one off cosy gig before an autumn tour. The club is nice and sleazy with a vogueish industrial edge and the sound proofing egg cartons peeling off the ceiling.
The band come on to applause and launch into the set with everything going down well amongst the crowd whether old or new. The songs that is, not the age of the crowd. The four piece Sunshines deliver a quality tight set which starts off in a fairly funky Nu Wave flavour reminiscent of Talking Heads. This gets punters down the front dancing and it doesn't really let up although we could've had a bit more movement towards the back folks. We are treated to a great set of indieesque funky dance with some psychedeliky rocky parts thrown in for free. I can't help thinking Klaxons but maybe that is a little lazy and doesn't do justice to either the Sunshines or the Klaxons. The front man chats a bit to us even asking a couple of girls their names in an odd Liberace Live in Las Vegas sort of a way. They finish on a high leaving us shouting for more, well, the more optimistic of us, but of course no one does encores any more so we're left with just the hour of music.
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| Sunshine definitely Underground |
Once out of the underground pit it's hardly sunshine not even moonshine but at least the rain has stopped and it's an easy journey home. I really enjoyed the gig and am so grateful for the ticket that I rashly text Claire offering a Glasto cocktail and even offered one for Mark. Hopefully they'll forget by mid June...
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