BUNTY + BATTERY OPERATED ORCHESTRA + WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING + CUTLASSES + TESLA GIRLS DJ’s – PRINCE ALBERT, BRIGHTON 28.4.18
Tonight, Brighton celebrated ‘Yuri’s Night’, which is an evening of Space visuals, Space décor, Space-themed fancy dress and Space music. The quirky showcase event gathered over 100 space enthusiasts to celebrate the anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s first manned spaceflight.
Created and coordinated by Virgin Galactic’s CEO, George Whitesides and his wife Loretta Hidalgo over 10 years ago, ‘Yuri’s Night’ is truly a global happening. With over 150 official events taking place on the same day in over 40 countries around the world, this year marks Brighton’s 5th annual ‘Yuri’s Night’ party.
Brighton’s ‘Yuri’s Night’ was organised by Mama Tiger Events, a small collective of multi-disciplinary creatives. According to event organiser Blanca Balaguer: “Some of us used to work in the aerospace industry in the US, where ‘Yuri´s Night’ parties are huge – the one in LA has the dance floor under the space shuttle Endeavour! We love going to gigs in Brighton and thought it would be great to bring some of the space fun here. For us, Yuri´s Night parties are a great way of bringing together local talent and celebrating mankind´s cosmic achievements”.
The Brighton event brought together space enthusiasts, experimental music lovers and other creative minds alike for an evening of space-inspired performances to celebrate more than half a century of human exploration of space.
This year, ‘Yuri’s Night’ Brighton featured live sets from: multi-dimensional beat merchant and vocal juggler Bunty, irony-free synth-pop from Battery Operated Orchestra (BOO), psychedelic electronica from While We Were Sleeping and cinematic soundscapes from Cutlasses with a special space themed DJ set from the Tesla Girls.
First up was………..
★ CUTLASSES ★
Cutlasses is the solo project of Scott Pitkethly, who tonight was sporting a space helmet. He combined his effects and field recordings taken from various sites around the British Isles with heavily manipulated DIY electronic controllers that he has designed and built himself. He accompanied this by also playing live guitar drones and melodies over the top. The lush and cinematic soundscapes were topped with delicate melodies and were performed in one continuous mix. Listen to Cutlasses here: https://cutlasses.bandcamp.com/releases
Up second was………
★ WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING ★
While We Were Sleeping is the solo project of Brighton based Guy Schneerson. His speciality this evening was playing instrumental spaced out psychedelic electronica and ravey acid space techno. Comparable to a bit like a soundtrack to an obscure Star-Trek episode meets Orbital. Once again the tunes were performed in one mainly continuous knob-twiddling mix. Listen to While We Were Sleeping here: https://soundcloud.com/whileweweresleeping
Up third was……….
★ BOO (BATTERY OPERATED ORCHESTRA) ★
The Battery Operated Orchestra, known as BOO for short, specialise in 80s-style, irony-free synthpop. The married duo are Chris Black and Brigitte Rose and they have been steadily building a reputation for their quirky chiptune influenced pop and futuristic instrumentals. Tonight, they were well on form and teasing the lucky space punters with a decent set that included a couple of numbers from a forthcoming album, as well as their terrific ‘Radiation’, ‘The Sea’, ‘Diamond Feelings’ and closing track ‘Fairy Tale’, which all appear on the last album ‘Radiation’. BOO were very well received by tonight’s crowd and are a must see band. Their next gig in Sussex is in Hastings with the Vile Electrodes on 18th May. Details HERE. Listen to BOO here:
https://batteryoperatedorchestra.bandcamp.com/
Last music act was……….
★ BUNTY ★
Bunty is a solo multi-dimensional beat merchant and vocal juggler and I am sure Laurie Anderson fans will like her. Tonight, Bunty used her renegade mullti-instrumentalism, voice, effects pedals and a mash of real and made-up languages. She whispered, bellowed, beat-boxed, clapped, stamped and produced frenzied harmonies and thus created her music from scratch. BBC6 DJ Tom Robinson commented on Bunty “It’s all very Bjork of the Jungle”. My three mates enjoyed her set, I was intrigued as to what was happening but decided it was not for me. Listen to Bunty here: https://buntycamp.bandcamp.com/
★ TESLA GIRLS DJs ★
After the four musical artists had finished their sets, it was time for Brighton’s very own F.A.B intergalactic DJs – The Tesla Girls to crank up the space tunes! The ladies took us on a journey through space and time, through the best electronic tunes from the past, present and future.
There was HI-NRG, italo disco, electro-pop, disco and europop. We had the Cozy Powell rip off ‘Nightflight To Venus’ by Boney M (as well as their blimmin’ ‘Rasputin’ number), the Filthy Dukes stomping ‘This Rhythm’, the ravey ‘Tb Is In Da House’ by Romrez, the terrific ‘True Mathematics’ by Ladytron, ‘Always More’ by AutoKratz, ‘Maskindans’ by Todd Terje feat Det Gylne Triangel, the Mode-esque ‘Russian Radio’ by Red Flag, the retro ‘Cybernetic Love’ by Casco, and the EBM ‘Eisbaer’ by Groovezone. The Top 3 tracks that did it for me were ‘Automatic Lover’ by Dee D Jackson, ‘Sensoria’ by Cabaret Voltaire and the ear-piercing ‘Warm Leatherette’ by The Normal (aka Daniel Miller of Mute Records fame).
You can check them out at UTOPIA every first Friday of every month at the East Street Tap, with the next date being 4th May – Star Wars any one? Details HERE. Find out more from the Tesla Girls here: https://www.facebook.com/teslagirlsdjs/
Lean more about Yuri Gagarin HERE.
An ‘out of this world’ night, great fun.