Gash at The Macbeth

Gash at The Macbeth

10 November, 2008
by: SpecialK

There's something really rather pleasing about seeing the beautiful young things of Shoreditch getting harshly rejected by bouncers who couldn't give two shakes of a rabbit fur wrap if they went to nursery with Peaches and Pixie or not.  Word to the wise (and easily embarrassed) get to Gash fashionably early because it's at The Macbeth, it's in Hoxton and it's really, really good.

Maybe it's the venue; The Macbeth is a great live space, complete with old man ambience, pool table and terrace for all your smoking, posing and heavy petting needs.  Maybe it's the concept; Gash is run by two girls which usually means, more fun and less taking everything too seriously, although one of them works at Ninja Tunes and the other DJs under the alias of Pure Filth so they know their glitch from their grime.  Speaking of which, maybe it's the music.  Finally a night where hip hop doesn't mean (and R n B) where indie doesn't mean no dancing due to over accessorizing and pointy uncomfortable shoes and where reggaeton doesn't mean everyone is slightly scared of getting stabbed (or worse, grinded by a fool in a string vest and sunglasses).

Music genres are always varied yet complementary and live act choices are on the whole eclectic, eccentric and quirky. Last Friday was no exception.  With nine DJs and two live acts going through a repertoire of old to new school hip hop, electro, drum n bass, grime, reggaeton (and much, much more!) between the hours of 8 ‘til late, you get a lot for your 4 quid (or 3, depending on if you're cool enough to get concessions). 

This type of non-genre specific night can be a frightening commitment on a Friday.  We hate to admit it but London has many scenes, most of which only cross when people with similar taste in trainers but dissimilar taste in music work together at Size? and decide misguidedly to go out after work of an evening.  Inevitably this ends in disaster, they wander the streets of Soho or Shoreditch, lost and in disagreement over venue, eventually going home, empty and alone.  They should go to Gash.

There really is something for everyone and here comes the science bit: the live acts create a wonderful camaraderie amongst the audience by being either so good (The Pharaohs) or so bad (Juiceboxx) that even the most retiring of stiff upper lipped Londoner is forced to smile shyly at their fellow humans, either in approval or (let's repeat) absolute horror when for example, Juiceboxx of Milwaukee takes to the stage.  (One more time to clarify – he was so embarrassing; he made everybody else feel comfortable).

For all of you that have been searching for a place to go with your multi-coloured, multi-talented and multi-tasted friends, look no further.  By the end of the night the rude gals were doing the sprinkler with the electro boys, the shoredicks were doing the hump with the IT crowd and the martians were jumping up and down on the spot with the goths (lets not get carried away, no goths or uglies please).  Gash=good so get down there on the first Friday of every month, when you've paid off the VISA and there's still a few readies left for a shandy or two.  One final thing, the only bad point is the bouncers.  They really seem to enjoy GBH, so don't be cheeky and Macbeth if your listening, please ask them to be nice.

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SpecialK