Wednesday 27 May 2015

dälek, Hackney Oslo, May 1st 2015



As I’ve got older, the experience of a gig goes beyond enjoying the music and the company of good friends (in this case my long time gig buddy Bossman)
It also, more recently includes sampling new drink and food, exploring a new venue or part of London, so on Mayday we ventured to Hackney Central to enjoy all of the above experiences where we went to the great bar and kitchen known as Oslo.
I spent a lot of my childhood in Stoke Newington, so I had an inkling as to how far Hackney is from central London by public transport, however, I will say it’s well worth the bus or train ride.
It’s a great venue for food (the burgers are amazing), drink, conversation, with great staff and fast service. The band were sitting behind us enjoying some pre-gig beers and food. And of course they have a gig / club venue attached to them. This review from the Guardian pretty much sums it up.



The gig space itself is intimate with a great view of the stage and fantastic acoustics.
As for the gig itself, dälek were fearsome hip hop noise merchants, churning out brutal beats and grooves overlaid with beautiful white noise with the MC, dälek, throwing himself into the moment with his lyrics. Their energy live is just astounding.
As this article points out on their long absence and return to the live scene and recording, they do take from the more brutal end of shoegaze noise combined with the scalding power of rebellious hip hop and rap. Together it’s a powerful combination.



I love all sorts of music and these guys are so unique and eclectic. Sometimes I love my music to be quiet and contemplative, but sometimes I want the noise to consume me, so I break into fragments, atomise, become nothing. And when I reform, I’m renewed and refreshed. This is what I wanted that night. Noise. The Beautiful Noise.


Monday 4 May 2015

The Old Barn

Since I’ve lived in the village, the old barn has stood, it was of indeterminate age, but definitely venerable. On a sunny crisp day in March, our friends from New Zealand visited, this is probably the last ever photo of the old barn. The next day when I walked to work through the moors I saw its remains burning in a pyre.

We saw it yesterday, just a fragile frame of wood,
ivy caressed,
the fragile skeleton on the edge of the moor,
the men came, and without ceremony,
dismembered it,
piled its bones and set it on fire,
yellow flames licking at the edge of memories,
ashes rising in the air,
history atomised





Words by Mel Melis, All photos by Donna Grewal ©

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