For one night only last Thursday, Whelans turned into an amalgamation of sorority/fraternity parties usually seen across the Atlantic rather than on a grey December night on Wexford Street. The catalyst was the affable and hyperactive Gregg Gillis aka Girl Talk. The man is a complete loon – dressed in high-tops and looking like a hobo, laptop covered in plastic to stop drunken spillages, a stage invasion within 15 minutes of starting and crowd-surfing meant sweat and booty-shaking was on the menu for tonight. Being a mashup DJ means there are no rules but to entertain and dropping Ace of Base’s “All that she wants” along with some more recognisable Girl Talk material such as the Grizzly Bear / Clipse mashup encouraged normally reserved boys and girls to abandon their clothing and ride the beat.
It all got a bit messy towards the end but it was worth it. Unfortunately, a pleasant Christmas Party meant I missed the night’s hors d’oeuvre – Owen Pallett’s third night in a row in Dublin but others have assured me, he was more relaxed than Tuesday night in Vicar St.
