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I
found the opening weekend of the Matrixx nightclub a little disappointing.
While the club was heralded as the "new" Catch 22, what I witnessed was a
rehashing of already existing EBM/industrial dance style club nights, which I
normally don't (or no longer) attend. And after that first time, I decided not
to go back. So I was initially sceptical of the possibility for improvement
upon hearing about the recent change in the Saturday night DJ line-up. But
having nowhere else to go (literally) on a Saturday night (I'm not a
Darkrave/Reverb Fetish Night kinda guy), I decided to check the new night out.
Having now gone four times on a Saturday night, I feel I can put forth a proper
review. Needless to say, I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy it there.
There tends to be two crowd "rushes" throughout the night. The first
occurring around 12-ish with those taking advantage of the drink specials
($3.00 before 12:00) and the second after 1:00 consisting of those who are
making their final appearance from a night of bar hopping. Despite the ups and
downs in attendance, there tends to be a core crowd that remains keeping the
dance floor continually "active" even during nights in competition with the
larger Reverb events.
Admittedly, however, this night isn't for
everyone. I doubt you'll hear the new Suicide Commando or Das Ich. It is far
more lo-key and while the djs throw in "the usual" bands (e.g., Covenant,
Wolfsheim (I heard Kunstliche Welten no less!!), VNV) during peak hours, there
is definitely an appreciation for the old-school. Notable plays of this type
include Malcolm McLaren's Madam Butterfly, Shriekback's Nemesis, Duran's
Chauffeur, Simple Mind's Somewhere, Someone, in the Summertime, Bauhaus's
Spirit, Sister's Amphetamine Logic. In this respects, the atmosphere is
reminiscent of Catch 22 (on a Wednesday night). If they had a smoke machine and
made proper use of the strobe light, it'd be the Empire (on a Monday) or dare I
say Club Noir (on a Thursday... remember, Ghoul's Night Out??) all over again.
Put more simply, it's a thirty something crowd. If you constantly hear yourself
saying how this or that song is "soooo overplayed" or this or that scene has
"no energy" than S! aturday nights at the Matrixx might not be the place for
you. It's a chill out night that will appeal to those who venerate the old, not
because the old is "better", but because of a profound scepticism of what's
considered to be "new."
-
review by Hartley -
November 2003
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