Tuesday, 16 September 2014

Bongozilica

 
A woman resplendent in a beautiful red feather headdress with diamante jewels twinkling in the light sashays and grooves to thunderous bongo accompaniment. Whistles shriek, drums clatter and the percussive wall of sound rises to a fabulous crescendo. Muso Bango, Yeah Yeah Party Party Freedom Drummers, Sambalanco and  Dende Drummers, all cheer and whoop each other’s performances in mutual respect and admiration. Each collective dressed in their own ‘colours’ adding another dimension to the already radiant event. Poi dancers sway to Samba whilst swinging lit weights through a variety of rhythmical and colourful geometric patterns. There are gorgeous, Lucy FX bodyart paintings vying for attention on dancer’s bodies and Christmas lights sparkle around gyrating limbs. The vivid rich vibrant colours against the austere club brickwork give the place an otherworldly feel. Everywhere you look the visuals and projections are spellbinding enriching the celebratory Brazilian Carnival feel of the evening. But this is not Brazil. This is Hastings.
The brainchild of the ever effervescent Remi Vibesman, Bongozillica landed in West Exit Nightclub last Friday, and things will never be the same again. Following on from Africazillica held at the Roomz back in May, Bongozilica was bigger, better and quite possibly the most joyous uplifting experience I’ve experienced in quite a while. Promoting live music alongside circus performers, samba dancers, and DJs in the wrong hands can be a recipe for disaster but Remi’s enthusiasm and passion for his events are a force to be reckoned with. This was no quick assemblage of random acts to make a quick buck. The whole event had been lovingly programmed over months and all proceeds were being donated to St Michael’s Hospice. Nothing better than dancing to amazing music knowing it’s all for a good cause. Allan ‘Funki’ Francis had the crowd rocking earlier and now DJ Bad Muthafunker took to the decks and the attention seamlessly moved from under the brick arches to the main dancefloor. Both drummers and punters dancing to her brilliant tribal carnival set. As she spins her tunes a striking dancer takes to the small stage and under the flashing lights - creating spiral zebra stripes over her - with silk and fans she mesmerises the crowd. I walk past huge mounds of tropical fruit and venture into the second room where Loic Kinstre and Mark Ramsden have been rocking the party with their uplifting tunes all night. Such an uplifting joyful and life affirming night.
There’s talk of another Bongozilica in December and I can’t think of a better way to drive those winter blues away. Don’t sleep!

Monday, 15 September 2014

Sherman's 25 BAOL Memories

Was made up when original founding BAOL member Sherman sent me his top 25 BAOL tunes the other day. Everyone a Balearic beauty. He's been sorely missed, still doesn't like capitals and will hopefully return to the fold one of these days.

Top 25 (20 baol memories, 5 new ones for next time):

 

lexx - symptom of the sea

 

woolfy vs projections - the return of starlight

 

badly drawn boy - promises (reverso 68)



elkin & nelson - jibaro

guy cuevas - ebony games (lexx ivory players re-cut)

quintus project - night flight (psychemagick remix)

begin - velocity

alan parsons project - eye in the sky

nikki nicole - i believe

double fantasy - heartbreaker

st tropez - belle de jour

marianne faithfull - the hawk (el gavilan)

paco de lucia - entre dos aguas

one dove - white love (guitar paradise mix)

banderas  - this is your life (less stress mix)

pat metheny  - chris

sebastian tellier - la ritournelle

astrud gilberto  - black magic

earons - land of hunger

womack & womack - life is just a ballgame (ballroom remix)



eylin de winter - love or hurt

joe dassin - l'ete indien

coyote - san raphael

mark barrott - deep water

johannes schmoelling - matjora is still alive