Eccentronic Research Council

The Minx noted recently that our next three gigs were all related to the Eccentronic Research Council, the band consisting of Adrian Flanagan and Dean Honer, who also work with or as The Moonlandingz and International's Teachers of Pop (and, no doubt, others). 

The first of those gigs was this evening at Night and Day Café to celebrate its 29th birthday, where the ERC were performing, as they sometimes do, with Maxine Peake.

The Minx and I started our evening at Dishoom, where the food was great, although I can't help feeling there's a touch of the Emperor's New Clothes about the place; I'm not sure it warrants the queues. Thankfully we only waited outside for five minutes as it was bloody freezing.

The Night and Day café was nice and warm, though, and we arrived early enough to find a decent table to sit at while we watched All Girls Arson Club, who were not really my bag but still very good, and then Adult Entertainment, which features Adrian Flanagan from the ERC.

The main act were on at ten and their highly political show was telegraphed by the fact that Maxine Peake came on with a 'Vote Labour' poster on her back. And I have to say that I enjoyed it all the more for it. I mean, I love their music - which is performed on analogue synths, so right up my street - and, frankly, it was refreshing to hear someone as eloquent and intelligent as Peake calling out the current government and promoting a progressive future. 

In fact, I ended up wondering just why we don't see more of this. Why is it down to artists in their forties and fifties to be providing the protest music? I'm not saying for a minute that they shouldn't but is this happening with younger bands? Am I just missing it?

Extras: The first of these is a slight variation on the main photo. I think you can just make out a bit more clearly Maxine Peake is enjoying herself and she really did seem to have a blast. The second is a shot of their synths. True fact: I was once (literally) man-handled out of a Kraftwerk gig at Tate Modern for going down the side of the stage to get a look at their kit. No biggie, though; the concert was already over.

****
-11.3 kgs
'Look To Windward' by Iain M Banks