White Mink
Voodoo Rooms
12 August
Midnight - 3am
Electro Swing is exactly what it says on the tin. A literal blend of various elements of electronic music mixed with samples taken from the swing and jazz of the 1920s to 40s, it is hard not to stop your toes tapping and hips shaking when you hear it. No, honestly. It's like Astaire and Rogers, or vodka and lime, or marmite and cheese, this is mix that works. A sort of Creamfields meets The Great Gatsby.
And although Edinburgh may not be renowned for its decadent demeanour or its banging swing scene, this year's Fringe Festival sees White Mink come to West Register Street's Voodoo Rooms each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this month. Pioneered by DJ Chris Tofu, godfather of the movement, and founder of London's Electro Swing Club (of which there are now several throughout Europe), this is a blend of cabaret, swing, dance, magic, drum & bass, jazz, house and many more that is guaranteed to please even the most dubious of punters.
As the fringe blurb proclaims, White Mink "blur[s] the line between fantasy and reality", and this couldn't be more right. White face paint, pearls, polka dots, cognac cocktails, crackly black and white cinema reels, cigarette holders and shiny shoes; from the moment you entered it felt as though the clocks had actually gone back, but raving was totally the thing to do.
Featuring guests Le KKC Orchestra and The Twilight Players, interspersed with mixes from the DJ booth all night, the all-dancing crowd had plenty to get their teeth into. The French KKC Orchestra - fresh from Too-luuuse - were a sure-fire crowd pleaser; with their franglified rap, dextrous guitarist-cum-bassist, and Amelie Poulain-esque demoiselle on keys. Effortlessly charming the crowd, the band cranked out some vessel-bursting energetic swing mixes, and had just enough English for the somewhat well-oiled crowd to be able to bark out the choruses. Their finest moment was undoubtedly the break into drum and bass, which not only sent the dancers into raptures, but was evidently the kind of thing the KKC-ers lived for. Speaking to the band member after it became obvious that, as players on such a new platform, they essentially assess crowd reactions and adjust their set accordingly, something which worked to win the audience over in Glastonbury's Shangri La this year. Watch this space for more from this French trio...
Although this seemed like a seriously hard act to follow, dancing laddies The Twilight Players, didn't even break a sweat. Their understated entrance, air of self-consciousness, and preppy dress - each sporting wide-shouldered tweed jackets and matching brown and white loafers - didn't provoke much confidence. Yet they soon proved us wrong, and embarked on a remarkable display of energy, hilarity and (surprisingly) flexibility. Mission most certainly accomplished.
12 August
Midnight - 3am
Electro Swing is exactly what it says on the tin. A literal blend of various elements of electronic music mixed with samples taken from the swing and jazz of the 1920s to 40s, it is hard not to stop your toes tapping and hips shaking when you hear it. No, honestly. It's like Astaire and Rogers, or vodka and lime, or marmite and cheese, this is mix that works. A sort of Creamfields meets The Great Gatsby.
And although Edinburgh may not be renowned for its decadent demeanour or its banging swing scene, this year's Fringe Festival sees White Mink come to West Register Street's Voodoo Rooms each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night this month. Pioneered by DJ Chris Tofu, godfather of the movement, and founder of London's Electro Swing Club (of which there are now several throughout Europe), this is a blend of cabaret, swing, dance, magic, drum & bass, jazz, house and many more that is guaranteed to please even the most dubious of punters.
As the fringe blurb proclaims, White Mink "blur[s] the line between fantasy and reality", and this couldn't be more right. White face paint, pearls, polka dots, cognac cocktails, crackly black and white cinema reels, cigarette holders and shiny shoes; from the moment you entered it felt as though the clocks had actually gone back, but raving was totally the thing to do.
Featuring guests Le KKC Orchestra and The Twilight Players, interspersed with mixes from the DJ booth all night, the all-dancing crowd had plenty to get their teeth into. The French KKC Orchestra - fresh from Too-luuuse - were a sure-fire crowd pleaser; with their franglified rap, dextrous guitarist-cum-bassist, and Amelie Poulain-esque demoiselle on keys. Effortlessly charming the crowd, the band cranked out some vessel-bursting energetic swing mixes, and had just enough English for the somewhat well-oiled crowd to be able to bark out the choruses. Their finest moment was undoubtedly the break into drum and bass, which not only sent the dancers into raptures, but was evidently the kind of thing the KKC-ers lived for. Speaking to the band member after it became obvious that, as players on such a new platform, they essentially assess crowd reactions and adjust their set accordingly, something which worked to win the audience over in Glastonbury's Shangri La this year. Watch this space for more from this French trio...
Although this seemed like a seriously hard act to follow, dancing laddies The Twilight Players, didn't even break a sweat. Their understated entrance, air of self-consciousness, and preppy dress - each sporting wide-shouldered tweed jackets and matching brown and white loafers - didn't provoke much confidence. Yet they soon proved us wrong, and embarked on a remarkable display of energy, hilarity and (surprisingly) flexibility. Mission most certainly accomplished.
For both the acts, the DJ, the dancers, and even the unassuming punters of the bar next door, this was a night to be proud of. Electro Swing, fresh from it's somewhat hidden adolescence, shows that it is made of tough stuff, and there is no doubt that it is here to stay.
White Mink
The Voodoo Rooms
19a West Register Street
Edinburgh, EH2 2AA
Phone: 0131 556 7060
Email: info@thevoodoorooms.com
Website: www.thevoodoorooms.com
19 - 20 August, 25 - 27 August 2011
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