Dj Trev’s guide to knowing November now, you know?
Last week the referee at my Wednesday Six a side league said that he reads this column. Which was nice. But then he also said he didn’t like it. Initially I was like “woh” but then, thinking on, in my mind that makes him MORE of a fan than someone who reads it and likes it; I imagine it’s easy to read this if you enjoy it, whereas if he DOESN’T LIKE IT and still reads it, he’s going the extra 9 yards of dedication … It’s easy to subject ourselves to things we like, but if – even though you don’t like it – you still take part in the “Dj Trev multimedia world of entertainment” you are MY kind of fan. Much like most of the people who still come to my nights who I’ve suspected for some time do not really enjoy me, yet are still prepared to expose themselves to me. And in return often I expose myself to them.
The reason I’m bringing that up is this week it’s been my birthday. I went to Manchester for a couple of nights to see Bring Me The Horizon on Monday and then go clubbing on Tuesday. This was a mistake. Whilst Bring Me the Horizon were truly excellent, going clubbing is like going to work only without the money (I know it’s not cool to be into anything for the money, but really, it’s more about the products and services that money can buy – food, bum wad etc – so I’m actually keeping it quite quite real). We went to a place called Satan’s Hollow, which is a really cool club, but I spent all my time in there hating on the Dj’s. You would think that after years of hearing myself I would be prepared to tolerate a low standard of djing, but I’m one of those finikity people who thinks that, even if you are not going to do such far fetched futuristic things as “mix songs together” you should at least manage to not have a 4 second gap of silence in between every other track. It kind of spoiled my night because the place was really busy so I know that the next time I’m djing to like 30 people I’ll get to thinking “you know what, maybe I should give this up, I’m never going to be as good as those really really really bad dj’s I heard in Manchester”.
Unfortunately if I give it up I’ve no idea what else I’m going to do for a living; this writing stuff is fun but I’ve not exactly got publishers beating down my door to get the rights to a book about me complaining about my life whilst I’m meant to be writing about what’s on in Harrogate.
So what I’m saying is: I really feel for the people who come to my nights and don’t enjoy my dj’ing; I can empathize with you, but if we can just keep this balance of you not liking my djing and me not really enjoying you shouting titles of bad songs at me followed by the word “next” then maybe I can keep riding this down hill slope for a few more years. Remember, APART from the money, the only reason I do this is because you are there, looking at me with a raised eyebrow, shaking your head because I dare to play something other than “Teenage Dirtbag” and “Mr. Brightside”. Both of which I DO play, just when you are outside having a fag.
Aside from my moaning, the real point of all this is (what I really learnt in Manchester) whilst, yes, Manchester is big and there are quite a few places, for the size of Harrogate, we really do have quite a lot going on proportionally:
Take Saturdays at Moko Lounge: every week now they have got a Dj on called Alex Simmons in the main room at “Risque”. If you like dance music this guy is just brilliant, seriously. At the other end of music, you can see totally un-electronic acoustic guys like Aaron Bertenshaw regularly, for example at banyan from 8pm on Sunday. Retro Bar puts on excellent “different” night like this Friday: a properly heavy heavy metal night,“Blood and Thunder” with Jamie Bramhall. Now, Jamie might not do a lot of mixing, but he also pushes things much further than just playing the greatest hits of pop punk like most rock clubs seem to do these days. If that’s not for you pretty much any night you could wish you can go to a good quality pub quiz, be it touring ones like Tim Paul’s Big Fat Video quiz (this Sunday at The Empress) or weekly ones like Dj Piemans Mondays at The Alexandra. And if you fancy something live, the Blues ALWAYS has something on, plus joints like Christies put on one off events like this Friday with The Blue Flies. Now I don’t know if the Blue Flies are any good, just like I don’t know if the Elvis Presley Tribute who is on at the Harlow Inn this Friday is a real guitar man or just a hard headed woman, nevertheless, the fact that it is on, the fact Bars and pubs are making the effort to run events really makes me think: you know what, Harrogate’s pretty cool. So whilst I do have the standard “birthday, bit glum” thing going on, I reckon I would rather be a little fish, in our nice little ornamental pond, than than a floating turd in the vast lake that is a place like Manchester.
Quickly, before I move on from my ramblings and get to what I’m meant to be talking about, this week’s actual listings, here’s a heads up for something next week, which logically I will feature in next week’s listings, but deserves a nod now:
The Manhattan Club has a charity “Burlesque without Borders” night next Saturday the 16th , raising money for Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Alzheimer’s Society. Tickets are £7 but I’m reliably informed it WILL sell out, so whilst they probably don’t need me to give it a plug, it looks really cool and I’m going to, here is the website for your ticketing needs : www.wegottickets.com
Whilst this is all well and worthy, Dj Trev would like to point out to promoters in Manchester that for £500 a night he’d be there in a shot.
Here are this week’s ACTUAL LISTINGS:
THURSDAY 7th November
Rehab Nightclub, 2 floors, free entry, £2.50 drinks all night.: upstairs Flex R’n’B night with Dj Tex, downstairs Party Rock Anthems with Dj Trev, “Teenage Dirtbag”, “Stacies Mom” and all the hits played whilst you are in the toilet.
charlies Bar, live music from Alibi.
Revolution, “Vodology” NuDisco, Electronic 80‘s & House with Dj Disco Dave, free entry.
Blues Bar, Live music with The Sharon Colgan Band, Free entry
The Alexandra, Live music, free entry.
Viper Rooms Nightclub, Y.O.L.O. R’n’B night Door charge applies.
Christies Bar, Pub quiz with Sean McGrath.
FRIDAY 8th November
Retro Bar, Blood & Thunder Heavy Metal night, free entry.
Rehab Nightclub, “Electro Circus” dance Night downstairs. Upstairs live music with Ghost Town Soldier, Adam Graham and dj cGi. Free Entry.
The Harlow inn, Elvis Presley Tribute.
Christies Pub, live music from The Blue Flies.
Grape & Graze, Acoustic Night with Aaron Bertenshaw + more.
The Blues Bar, live music from The Rocketeers. Free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, “Frat house Party”.
Viper rooms X-Factor Finalist. Entry £5 or £8 to meet and greet the “celebrity”
SATURDAY 9th November
Charlies Bar, live music : Ziggy Battle band.
The Blues Bar, live music with The Jed Thomas Blues Band, free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, “Risque”, house night. Robert Amllinder & Alex Simmons, main room, house and electro. Leon Hithchen, VIP Room, R’n’b.
Revolution Bar, front bar Dj Tex (Soul & R’n’B), main room Disco Dave (upfront dance and chart) free entry.
Rehab nightclub, Rock music upstairs from Your Dj Pieman, Downstairs, dance music with Dj Wayne & James. Free entry.
Vipers Rooms Nightclub, Chart & house music, Dj Jay Collins upstairs, downstairs Dj Angel Lee playing guilty pleasures and feel good music, free entry before 11pm.
Christies Pub, Sean McGrath’s Cheesy disco, free entry.
SUNDAY 10th November
Banyan, Aaron Bertenshaw live acoustic 8pm.
Empress on the Stray, Tim Paul’s Big Fat Video quiz. 8.30pm.
The Alexandra Pub, Live music at the Sunday Soundcheck acoustic night. Free entry.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Trev playing songs that get played too much and moaning about it. Free entry..
Viper Room’s Nightclub, Peek-a-Boo Urban night.
Blues Bar, live music from Palconudo in the Afternoon and Emmott & the Folkestra in the evening. Free Entry.
Fat Badger , Cold Bath Road, Pub Quiz.
MONDAY 11h November
The Alexandra Pub Quiz, with Dj Pieman.
The Harlow Inn, Otley road, Pub Quiz.
Zoso Bar, Dj Max & Rum Chaser, house music.
Blues Bar, open mic session with Pete Oliver including Aaron Bertenshaw acoustic, free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, Karaoke..
TUESDAY 12th November
The Tap n’ Spile pub, folk night.
The Blues Bar, live music with The Miguel Banon, free entry.
Moko Lounge Nightclub, “Skint” main room upfront dance and electro, VIP Room Rock Box Rock night Dj Jaye Selway.
Revolution Bar, “Back to Rev’s” House Night, Dj’s Tex & Sixus.
Coach and Horses Pie and Peas night with proceeds to Martin’s House Children’s Hospice.
Zoso Bar, Union Street, Electro Jam, open decks sesh.
WEDNESDAYS 13th November
Rehab nightclub, Dj Pieman playing party music.
The Blues Bar, live music from the Paul Middleton Angst band .
SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION
I’ve not done anything on Mixcloud for a while, but should you wish to see whether or not I actually can mix,, it’s Mixcloud.com/djtrevuk, last week I blogged about 3 times, at facebook.com/djtrevuk so probably I’ll not bother this week, as essentially I’ve done all my high horse complaining and pontification at the top of this page, so by now you’ve probably already stopped reading. If not, thanks for reading, drink responsibly and don’t be loose with your affections.
Trev x x x
