FunkySoulyElectroBoom - Tru Thoughts @ KoKo

I think it was late on a Saturday, coming back from some bar on Kingsland Road, that I saw a red poster on a wall with the word 'Quantic' printed on it, big enough for me to notice it from across the street. I instantly got really excited; I still had the sweet aftertaste of his amazing gig last summer at The Hackney Empire, with his vintage cumbia project Ondatropica . That night had been like dying and resurrecting in the sixties, in a tropical village of Colombia where people wore short sleeved shirts and played güiros with big smiley faces. This time though, Will Holland (AKA Quantic) was performing on his own, doing a DJ set, as part of a mini festival organised by Tru Throughts, the independent label from Brighton. I thought it was worth finding out what this DJ set would sound like, so I made a mental note to buy the tickets the very next day.

That was a long time ago, but then February came and so the Tru Thoughts gig. The chosen venue had been Koko. I had agreed with a friend to meet at the pub right outside Mornington Crescent station, so I got there in time for a pre-show beer. Once inside he got two Delirium Tremens, a cool ale that comes in a ceramic white bottle with a shiny blue label that has pink elephants printed on it. Only in London, I thought, and I thanked my friend for getting the first round. The beer wasn't only nice to look at, but tasted damn good too.

Shortly after that we got into KoKo, not before having a chitchat with some people at the queue. I love queue friendships; they are forged with alcohol and the excitement of something that is about to happen. Sadly most of the times these friendships finish at the cloakroom; I never met anyone that introduced a friend saying ‘hi, this is Ed, I met him at a gig queue’. The world probably needs some more friends made in queues.

Belleruche was the first act I saw; they were playing when we entered the venue. Right from the top of Koko, the sound was a bit weak and Kathrin deBoer, singer of the band, looked tiny. However, you could feel how the 3-piece band was rocking the stage downstairs. I had listened to some Belleruche records before and I had loved their rusty soul feel, funky basslines and a dash of MAC magic. The first chords I listened when I got in instantly brought me back to that. Kathrin’s voice is a good one when live, kind of in a Billie Holiday’s mood and with a Blondie reminiscence. The band itself has also a powerful presence on stage as well, like owning the bloody place; this is my night boy, Belleruche is in tha house.

To my big disappointed, after a few minutes I realised I had missed the Hidden Orchestra set. I coursed myself for sucking at estimating set times in long gig nights. But then again, I think even the owner’s son was playing that night, doing a Garage Band remix of a cult Swedish band from the 90s. It had never been part of the plan to get there from the beginning, at 9 o’clock; mygroupie days died long time ago, when I decided that Axl Rose wasn't that cool any more.

Quantic came on stage with his classic low-key and relaxed look, showing the smile of someone that is going to enjoy what he’s about to do. I had thought beforehand what his set would be like: the first things I heard from him are at least 10 years old, and the guy has evolved so much ever since, from his early electronic soul to the current tropical explorations. I thought he had a tough one mixing all that and keeping everyone going. Well, I have to say the whole set seemed a bit jumpy to me, and the magic of live playing (like the one I remembered from the Hackney gig) wasn’t there of course, so I got the feeling I had been short-changed. The problem was actually his, because he had done such a great job in the previous gig. I guess I’ll just have to wait until he comes back with his full band.

The night finished with Anchorsong, a young Japanese musician that looks very much like a character of one of Murakami’s books (or at least as I imagine one of his characters). Tall and long haired, looking down most of the time, the teen-looking chap started off with his live samplings and changed the atmosphere of the place. The vintage, unpolished sounds from Quantic gave space to minimal claps and steady kickdrums: it was the change from colour to monochrome, from earth to air. People’s moves were now more controlled, sometimes with closed eyes. Anchorsong takes you to a place where things come and go in waves; long waves, like the ones in a big ocean. You just have to sit in your little boat and let them rock you as if you were a floating on a cradle.

At some point I got distracted and landed back on Earth. I run into my friend and with a short look we decided it was time to go. I left Koko with the feeling it had been a good night, but it felt more like a party than a gig. Maybe it was meant to be like that from the beginning. Or maybe not, but for some reason I keep expecting acoustic drumsets and furious blowing horns from a gig. Either music is changing faster than me, or I’m getting old. Probably a bit of both.

Photos - courtesy of my good friend Rusty Rich