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www.planetnotion.com |
| The Rage Into Spring w/The Crimea at Cargo! |
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| 01/05/2008 |
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 The Rage Into Spring
Cargo, Shoreditch
Sometime back in April
The Rage events have a philosophy. The kind of philosophy that garners one of two reactions. There’s no in-between, no but; it’s either “that’s good” or “that’s bad”. Those that say The Rage is good are people who like to sip champagne, munch on posh nibbles and sway gently to cutting sounds secure in the knowledge that they are “one”. Maybe they have an inner rock demon fighting to break free with a twenty-four carat pitchfork and a penis like a pen-knife; who knows?
Alas, at The Rage these people are made to feel special; part of a selective almost exclusive sect. The people who say that The Rage is “bad” are people who feel hard done by when they’re not granted access to the selective ‘mature’ sect because (A) they can’t afford it due to (B) a job that churns their guts about like a cement mixer which (C) leads to giddiness and projectile vomiting; probably because (D) they spent their meagre wages at a club called ‘Tiger Tiger’ or ‘The Blue Fountain’ that has a special deal on cocktail pitchers, including ‘Blackcurrant Bum Fuck’ and ‘Orange Cum Sunshine’. Or they could just be too young as The Rage events are strictly for a “mature audience”.
Anyway, I went to The Rage’s first event of the year, The Rage Into Spring, and despite feeling somewhat out of my depth because (A) I can’t afford such things - (E) came into the equation – (E) being the fact I’m a journalist with powers of persuasion and flattery that continue to astound. To pen a modern phrase: “I blagged my way in”.
An initial reaction: Everyone looks very smart. A second reaction: Good god man, you’re a fish out of water. Alas, we go to these things for the music not for a set dress code. Besides scratch beneath the suits, shirts, and fancy skirts and you’ll find there are people just like you whose clothes look worn and are there for the music too. ‘The Rage Into Spring’ had an eclectic bill, breaking talent that “can be appreciated by the more mature attendee” and acts familiar “with a more mature attendee”.
Close friends of Hadouken! – The Clik Clik were there; a band (3 guys + 1 gal) who are rapidly gaining popularity and recognition with a couple of upcoming dates on the festival circuit. Championed by circles of the music press, with a firm fanbase and distinct sound, “Post-punk band” The Crimea were also on the bill. Though whether such a sound can be described as “Post-punk” is debatable… And a few of the more obscure acts like ‘Tom Hatred and The Angry Band’ and ‘Tom Yuli’ were playing on the night. Let’s be quick about this: Tom Hatred and The Angry Band should be watched with an eagle eye (V.good). The Crimea were exceptional. And our party missed The Clik Clik and Tom Yuli because we were fashionably late. But hey, if God intended us to be perfect there wouldn’t be pillaging, mugging, rape, murder, stabbings, shootings, and fungal foot rot.
I managed to catch a few words with The Crimea’s bass player Joe Udwin. I was after a reaction, an opinion, a view on playing to such an exclusive ‘mature’ audience: “We knew what to expect and we knew what we were expecting would be good,” said Joe. “It’s great”, he continued. “To be honest, the age group doesn’t make it any different to any other gig I’ve been to. There are probably just less smuggled in bottles of cider”. Indeed…
Joe was right. Nobody at The Rage would smuggle in a packet of painkillers, let alone a bottle of cider. The most they’d probably stretch to would be a Cuban cigar rolled on the thigh of a virgin. The Rage events are full to the brim with over
 twenties describing the ‘full-bodied’ flavour of their wine and the ‘delicate texture’ of their meat (dish). Hell, even the people were friendly and - by god, that wasn’t expected. An attractive girl from Sweden, a PR guy, a journalist, a guy simply here to see the bands - all talking, mingling and sharing the scene as one. To borrow a quote from the American self-help luminary Wayne Dyer: “Judgement prevents us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances”.In conclusion: The Rage events may be somewhat exclusive - where people wear perfume, aftershave and sip champagne with an elegance ‘unfamiliar’ to those who “fiddle with stem” and “down like sun-drenched Cowboy”. But at heart it’s a great event, with great music, and great people. An event that those ‘unfamiliars’ should attempt to attend in their quest to feel “special” and become “one” (if not for the limitless Jack Daniels, live bands, and attractive Swedes). Words: Dangerous
For info on The Rage visit: www.therage.tv
The Rage On In Summer: 2nd July
The Rage Through Autumn: 8th October
The Rage Out In Winter: 11th December |