- This past bank holiday weekend, London's dancing denizens were spoilt for choice, as every nook and cranny of the city seemed to boast substantial lineups full of electronic music's finest DJs. One such event, Black Atlantic, promised the bold pairing of Detroit legend Moodymann and local purveyor of dark garage and bass-heavy sounds, Joy Orbison.
The venue for the evening was a raw 5,000 square foot warehouse space on the ground floor of Netil House, a massive building which houses artist studios and start ups, right near London Fields park in the heart of East London. Entering just after 11 PM, it was immediately apparent that the party's organizers had made an effort to set everything up as logically as possible (which meant a plethora of women's toilets—such a rarity). Big speakers sat near the stage at the front of the room, which meant people could miraculously hear each other talk when standing next to the bar in the back.
The crowd was initially rather sparse, but a discernable party vibe filled the air as projections of peppermint-like circles floated across the back wall. Brixton-based DJ/producer Photomachine was warming up the decks, having received a lot of praise over the past few months for his uptempo sets comprising house, post-dubstep and UK funky tunes. Expertly weaving between disco and house classics like Chic's "I Want Your Love" and Laid Back's "White Horse," along with contemporary tracks from the likes of Breach, Boddika, and Hudson Mohawke, a proper audience finally amassed. He ended the set on a somber note, dropping "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Gil Scott-Heron, whose death a mere day prior had left many with heavy hearts. "Make some noise for motherfucking Gil Scott-Heron, people," he exclaimed into the mic, providing the perfect point of entry into Moodymann, who was supposed to go on at 1 AM, but surfaced closer to 2.
The audience cheered wildly and appreciatively as he took to the stage, his trademark afro in tow. "Give it up for my man Gil Scott-Heron," he proclaimed, picking up a piece of vinyl and placing it on one of the turntables. Immediately, it was clear there was a problem with the sound. None of the tunes were coming across at full volume, and a technician rushed up to try and fix things. "I told them I was bringing records," he said loudly into the mic.
Unfortunately, the issue did not get solved for the duration of his set, and it was hard to tell what was playing or what he was saying—a major shame, since speech is so vital to his live performances. Was that J Dilla's "Workinonit"? Stardust's "Music Sounds Better With You"? Al Green's "Love and Happiness"? Perhaps the problem stemmed from the fact that Moodymann was playing a vinyl-only set, whereas Photomachine used digital equipment. While this was a hindrance to the festivities, the crowd did seem to be having a good time anyhow, with a crew of girls getting on guys' shoulders and bouncing around enthusiastically in front of the stage. Since the night had become a de facto Gil Scott-Heron memorial party, everyone was happy enough to celebrate his legacy alongside such a mythical figure in the annals of dance music.