El Guincho
Washed Out
Happy Mondays Rooftop Festival - Curtain House
Monday 13th December 2010
An hour ago Pablo Díaz-Reixa had just finished telling me how he doesn't like touring. That after an
El Guincho show he usually feels either "sad" or "mad". Not at the music but at the frustration with trying to make it sound the way it does in his head; in the confines of his studio where he's happiest. So the grimaces on the Spaniards face, first after an elongated set-up that went way over start time and, secondly, as he tried to will his music to life on the rooftop of Curtain House in inner-city Melbourne, spoke volumes. There was no need necessarily - his inimitable blend of tropicalia, afrobeat, latin rhythms and collage sampling had me wondering if the roof of Curtain House was up to the task of 200 or so bouncing bodies - but the fact that he wasn't happy on stage was plain to see. So on the strike of 10pm when one of the nights organisers had to jump up to tell the band and their faithful that we'd reached curfew - after just half an hour of El Guincho - appeared particularly punishing.
Pablo Díaz-Reixa looked forlorn, saying into the mic that, "If anyone has a big house we'll come and play there, we don't care". Cue lateral thinking. Another quick word from the organisers and Pablo returns with good news, "They say we can go downstairs (to the Toff Bandroom). We'll take all our stuff down there and be there in 10 or 15 minutes". Cheers.
Ernest Greene of
Washed Out looked on, perhaps a little bummed that he himself didn't get to make use of what Díaz-Reixa and his two cohorts on bass and guitar respectively were now enjoying. Earlier, Greene and Co had put in a similar set upstairs to their Meredith gig two days prior, one that lacked the crunch and scope of his recorded material but still perfectly appropriate for tonight's breezy, balmy summer eve. Now, a teeming, sweaty Toff dancefloor was wriggling themselves silly to El Guincho's high-energy, makeshift, night-saving set. What could have been a good time was turned great. "This is crazy", Díaz-Reixa said at the end of another 40 or so furious minutes on the Toff stage. "What's this place called again? The Toff! Thanks to all the Toff people for making this happen. This reminds me of when I used to play house parties in Barcelona". To his credit, the sense was we were all primed for a sleepover.
Marcus
(Pics: Tim O'Connor)
Stay tuned for video interviews on the night with Washed Out and El Guincho. TheVine is a co-presenter of the Happy Mondays festival. So you should go. Here's the remaining dates.
HAPPY MONDAYS ROOFTOP FESTIVAL - MELBOURNE 2010/2011
Monday 20 December
Dan Kelly’s Dream Band + Those Darlins (USA)
Half Back Flank DJs
Monday 27 December
Charlie Parr (USA) + special guests
DJ Ritchie 1250
Monday 3 January
Neon Indian (US) + Kyu (NSW)
DJ Michael K
Monday 10 January
Sally Seltmann + Lawrence Arabia (NZ)
DJ People
Monday 17 January
The Middle East (QLD) + Mountain Man (USA)
DJ Michael K
Monday 24 January
Mysterytone Presents - details to be revealed shortly!
Zsa Zsa
Mistletone DJs
Monday 31 January
Robert Forster (QLD) + The Twerps
DJ People
www.happymondays.com.au
HAPPY MONDAYS SUMMER FESTIVAL
Rooftop Bar, Curtin House.
Level 7, 252 Swanston Street Melbourne
Monday 13 December 2010 – Monday 31 January 2011
Doors 7pm
www.moshtix.com.au
1300 Get Tix
(438 849), on your mobile via www.moshtix.mobi and Moshtix outlets including Polyester
(Fitzroy and City).