Monday, July 20, 2009

Our first night



So folks we just announced our first night at the end of last week and since then we've been hard at work trying to promote the bejaysus out of the thing - local press, national listings, Facebook, Twitter etc etc. It's been a blast thus far and the words of encouragements we've received to date are much appreciated. We thank you.

To be honest, when we decided to create a new club night we did not know where we would end up to start things off with TomTom. We've always intended - and still do - to make this a movable club; to transpose the night to places like Galway and Dublin - and anywhere else that'll take us (anyone have any ideas of good spots?). But it's starting to make a lot of sense that we kick things off in Sligo - back home, where we've not played for nearly a couple years, we are very much looking forward to seeing some familar faces throwing shapes.


In that sense, we're hoping of course that those of you who might remember Funk Up/Off from the old Garavouge ('old' being a very important distinction if reports I've heard about it's new incarnation are even half accurate) will be encouraged to check out TomTom this Saturday July 27th in the Clarence on Wine Street.

One thing that needs saying up front is that TomTom is not "Funk Up! Part Deaux". "Boo-urns" we hear some shout; "Thank God" a few others exhale. Well saying that , it's not going to be far removed from what you might have heard if you came along on one of those monthly shindigs. What we're getting at is this though: Funk Up! was lots of fun - not least for ourselves - but there was a feeling at times that at any moment we could have played some rowdy Balkan folk tunes as long as a few drunken loonies were on for it. We don't want to take ourselves too seriously but we don't want to take the piss either! Variety is great but you don't want to become an iPod shuffle either if you catch my drift.

It's great though in a way when people do take a night seriously to the point where they feel like it's now there's and you - even though you're the DJ - cannot fuck with it. I recall spinning INXS 'Need You Tonight' the week after I heard it standing in a Bank of Ireland queue in Galway when I thought, "Yeah, those guys weren't that naff afterall!" only to be informed afterwards on said night after playing said record that "this is not what Funk Up! is about". "I think I know what Funk Up! is about," I thought to myself all aggrevied, before sneering at the soon-to-be-even-more-offended party: "don't be a snob". Well, I take it back, sir - maybe you knew what the night was about more than I did by that stage...

I digress, in a way, but what I want to say here is that TomTom intends to be a little more focused for the most part. Our scope will take in most of the Seventies, early 80s, jumping forward from there to the 21st century. So, deep breath, that would be the likes of : James Brown, Donna Summer, Grace Jones, ESG, Liquid Liquid, Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club (duh), Sylvester, The Rapture, Hercules & Love Affair, LCD Soundsystem, Cut Copy and on and on (who knows, maybe even INXS). Compared to Funk Up! we'll be putting a little less of a spotlight on hip-hop, 60s soul, and indie in order to place the emphasis on the groove - beats, basslines, and general boogie-ing. But fear not, for we shall not be too dogmatic and you may just hear some Gang Star, Motwown, or The Strokes along the way.

So that's what we're about right now. We hope that this sounds good to you. We hope that you will come along and help make a night that we know Sligo needs. So please spread the word, bring your mates, and dance the legs off yourselves.

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