I set myself a challenge yesterday. A small one. I promised myself I would stay out long enough for El Guincho’s debut Irish show in Crawdaddy which was to start last night at 1am. I was already out at the Electric Picnic launch at 7pm, so after that it was upstairs in Whelans, where Adrian Crowley was playing the last night of his residency. I met Loreana, Storkboy and friends who told me they were refused entry to El Guincho for lack of ID. Yeh, it was that kind of club that those comfortably in their mid-20’s who had forgotten how vital ID once was, were superceded by all the giddy youngsters with IDs at the ready.
For those who are unaware, Antics on a Wednesday night in Crawdaddy is a student indie night, who frequently put on decent live acts. It’s cheap admission (€5), cheap booze (€3 – All pints, scummy blue alcohol etc). Unfortunately, a night at Antics is akin to running a gauntlet of well-dressed stumbling and eventually falling – fey 19 year old girls, inebriated young males dressed like extras in Skins propping themselves up and feigning dance moves to ward off sleep. They laugh and shout at each other across the room, dance, snog, snog and dance, and fall down all over again.
Now, it may sound like I’ve hit an elder age in which to curse the folly of youth. Fuck it, this ain’t that. It’s probably because in them, I see parts of my former self I recognise, parts that I have largely shed with passing of time – the awkwardness, the uncontrollable drunkenness, all those elements of adolescence you’d rather forget. It was more of an experience and a reminder of what happens below my age bracket, as I rarely have to spend time with a mass of people in their late-teens. In a way I envy them, as when I was their age (I’m 25 now) going out with college buddies etc, meant a lowest common denominator known as Turks Head. I shudder when I think of it. They are lucky that they have a place called Antics where they can catch a savage Catalan one-man band El Guincho on a school night.
And what a show Pablo Díaz-Reixa puts on! With one microphone, one sampler, one bass drum, one tambourine and one drumstick, his brand of tropical Mediterranean hypno-dance was fitting in its strangeness and repetitous Spanish-sung melodies. Comparisons abound to Panda Bear-esque visions but El Guincho moves your feet a lot more than your mind. Upbeat African polyrhythms infuse the tracks, and sampled steel drums add an unmistakable ray of sunshine. Despite the chaotic young crowd before him, he had them on his side in moments, leading to a stage invitation, a pissed off bouncer and a set cut slightly short. Beats a night out in Turks Head anyday!
More: MP3 @ State
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
As a 26-year-old last year, I felt very out of place and seedy in Antics. Like a pervy uncle at a kiddies birthday party. Plus, I nearly took my eye out with a fringe a few times.
fuck it, i just turned 30. You young ‘uns have it all ahead of ya. I just have to sit at home listening to Smog on my really expensive headphones (coz I save the money I don’t spend on nightclubs) and dribbling Horlicks all over my longjohns, wishing me fringe would grow back, let alone just grow..
wtf guys imagine what it’s like being 35!
[quote post=”1112″]wtf guys imagine what it’s like being 35![/quote]
no thanks. i’d imagine it’s the same with more grey hair and blubber.
It was good stuff from himself alright. Don’t think Antics is ever going to change.
a night at antics is tough work alright…especially if the only reason you are there is to catch the live act…if they dont go on til 1am thats an awful lot of listening to annoying fucking kids with haircuts and listening to fairly shit indie music.
you have to get absolutly hammered just to be able to tolerate it.
i agree with cash on that one, although it’s not something that i could care less about nowadays
i discovered my first full clump of greys yesterday, so i think that makes me too old for antics now and i’m only 26!!
🙂
Ha. Antics is hilarious. It’s a paedophiles wet dream at the best of times. It is especially disturbing and week the schools are off when you are inundated by the foetal fashion parade. Nevertheless they sometimes throw some good shows on which makes me bear it all for a while. And the cheap booze make it all sweet too.
“…the foetal fashion parade…”
haha
stroke of genius
😀
ha! 36 tomorrow but could i give a flying f&ck! 😀
it’s my 30something mates who i’m more worried about!
christ, i’ve been with livlier 60 years olds!
if that ever happens to me, you guys have express permission to shoot me on sight! ;D
Absolutely perfect description of Antics
Another 36 year old pensioner here. Gig, what’s a gig?
El guincho absolutely loved antics and considered it one of the best shows of his tour. His main comments were of the energy and positivity of the crowd. So I feel you’re being a bit harsh in your comments.
I think Nialler was fair, it is a young crowd and, yea, people like to get dressed up but what’s wrong with that? They’re young, they can go get dressed up and enjoy themselves if they want. If that’s not your thing and if you feel too old then so be it, I wouldn’t for a second try persuade you otherwise.
I’m just trying to get decent music into Dublin and good live shows on a limited budget that people can enjoy without having to spend a fortune. What do you get for your 10quid into Whelans on a Saturday night?
Nice review Nialler. It was great to get someone so good over and he’s a fucking lovely bloke too. Everyone should head over to Primavera, he’s playing at 3 in the morning. Although, I have to warn you, people love their fashion in Barcelona so you might not be able to enjoy it :b
[quote post=”1112″]I’m just trying to get decent music into Dublin and good live shows on a limited budget that people can enjoy without having to spend a fortune. What do you get for your 10quid into Whelans on a Saturday night?[/quote]
And a good job you are doing too Dave. Where else would you see El Guincho for a fiver. Looking forward to the primavera set now.
I was reading your review thinking you were like 35 or something by the way you were talking about antics… but you’re 25?!! What the hell? I’m 25 and I regularly go to antics.. for the MUSIC.
I haven’t read one comment from a girl thats 25 or more here.It’s just 25+ year old guys complaining about people that are only approximately 5 years younger than you.
I think maybe the only reason why irish men go out when they’re teenagers is to drink and score girls, and you were just the same. Now that you’re 25+, you just don’t know what to do when you go out drinking cuz the girls are probably not scoring you anymore… Oh wait I know! Pretend to go out and say that you absolutely enjoy music but then criticise the people that go to these club nights, like you’re a bunch of girls bitching about who was wearing this and who was doing that.
If you really enjoyed music and cared about music you would go out and actually ENJOY THE MUSIC! and not worry about who else is there. Maybe my parents can teach you about this… my dad is 65 and he still goes out to gigs and feeds off from the energy of the young crowd and doesn’t think he’s a fucking paedophile!.. What the fuck?
I think if your blog is meant to be about music and you saw a great gig then maybe you should write about that.
Sincerely,
25 year old Antics goer and not ashamed of it.
you trying to score 18 year old ladies nialler? filthy sod, bit old aren’t you?
🙂
[quote post=”1112″]If you really enjoyed music and cared about music you would go out and actually ENJOY THE MUSIC! and not worry about who else is there. Maybe my parents can teach you about this… my dad is 65 and he still goes out to gigs and feeds off from the energy of the young crowd and doesn’t think he’s a fucking paedophile!.. What the fuck?
I think if your blog is meant to be about music and you saw a great gig then maybe you should write about that.[/quote]
You’re making no sense Andrea.
For the record I went with my girlfriend. My thoughts above are just observations of what I saw in the venue. I was there for the music. If you read any of the rest of my 710 entries on MUSIC this should be very clear to you.
Well I think going out to a place like Antics and Whelans is more than just about music. It is a whole package of an experience. You can go somewhere where the music is good but the place is full of cunts you probably wont enjoy it. Therefore I think the crowd and its composition is important, less so than music but still an integral part of a place and reasoning behind going out.
Antics is a good club. The music is good and the people are cool. Sometimes you do become aware of the under age aspect of it. A nice social experiment, go to Antics the Wednesday before and the Wednesday during mid term and see. Is that a bad thing? I don’t think so. People can be mature or immature at any age, whether you’re 15 or 25 or 65 like Andrea’s father. But sometimes Antics can degenerate into farce simply because it CAN be at times full of underaged fuckwits but not all are but you are aware at times of that. I think that can be the crux of this issue with age. You immediately think because they are young that is the case. Its a simple visceral mental opinion.
I love Antics but I have moved on to Chemistry which is a bit more fun. It doesn’t have the cool new bands playing but it is fun.