Dawn of the Don is over. Months of planning, stressing and hoping accumulated in the most beautiful manifestation possible. London was scorching on Friday 29th May, and with all the excitement of preparation, it was only as we sped through the shimmering streets on route to the show that it struck me; the summer has officially started.
The Gaff is one of the most charming venues in which we could possibly have hoped to stage a gig such as this. Friendly and accommodating staff made for an instantly relaxed atmosphere as we set up our wares in sunny Holloway. A few of the regulars were a little perturbed when large rappers strolled in and started soundchecking, the anxiety was written on their faces. Being predominantly Punk, Rockabilly and Metal oriented, I think they were just a little unsure as to what sort of crowd was about to descend upon their darkened haven. It was just as well then that the audience were diverse, friendly and universally ecstatic at the proceedings.
Blonde Jeremy Deacon (Ex Piranha Deathray Frontman) introduced the night spectacularly. His mix of obscure Japanese tracks and horror soundtracks really brought the essence of the night into fruition. Playing for over an hour, he treated all the early arrivals to a plethora of unheard treasures and will hopefully grace the decks again sometime soon (as this was his DJ’ing debut).
Yours truly was up next, showcasing my favourite surf, soul and B-Movie records (which I somehow managed to sneak through Ryanair’s draconian luggage stipulations, leaving me somewhat short of clothes for the weekend). The response was brilliant and by this time the floorspace was becoming scarce. On the door, makeup artist Sam was offering professional zombie makeup to anyone who hadn’t come prepared. News and stories of zombies being spotted on the tube and about town really helped to build anticipation and everyone was surprised with how many people arrived fully made up. Thanks to all who did so, the effort was greatly appreciated and you all looked wonderful.
Marvin the Martian and Pixel gave a balls-out performance (Marvin’s first live outing in about 6 months) and really got the crowd going (including the regulars). DJ’s Kill Witnesses provided some turntablist trickery which helped once again to illustrate the variety of acts which existed upon the bill. When the time came for Akira The Don to grace the stage, it was hot, sweaty and the crowd were baying for him like rabid wolves (or hungry zombies as the case was).
With the Lynchian red light creating an otherworldly feel, ATD ran onstage in a pink dressing gown emblazoned with his moniker on the back, a name that will become more familiar to the masses over the coming year. Having seen ATD several times now (even once bringing him over to Ireland for a show) my expectations would have been higher than most. I am so pleased to say that they were not only matched, but exceeded beyond any preconceptions that may have existed. Banishing the laptop in favour of a full time beats genius (Joey2tits) Akira is now the frontman that he has always meant to be, allowing himself to bask in the presence of his adoring followers without having to distract himself after each song. His rapport with the crowd is second to none. James Harrison’s guitar adds a depth and power that was previously absent from his performances and backing Singer Morty added a nice accompaniment also. The brass section should most definitely be a permanent feature if the crowd’s reaction was anything to go by. New songs were played alongside old favourites, the audience absorbing and almost subliminally recognising every hook and chorus and belting them out with both ferocity and vigour. The sign of a truly great pop song is when you can sing along by the end of the first listen. This is essentially what Akira has brought to the table, he has recreated intelligent pop music the likes the world has not seen in almost 20 years.
In an age where the ideals and structure of the music industry are collapsing, due to the greed and ineptitude of an antiquated, insular system, it is clear that the future holds great things for Akira. Long has he existed on the precipice of stardom, precariously balancing his talent, voice and ethics. His strong willed nature and complete refusal to compromise his integrity may have famously cost him a record deal with Interscope, however, it is in this humble journalist’s opinion that this was meant to be. What would have sent most artists retreating to their hometowns with their tails between their legs, only served to make him stronger, more committed and improved the output and content of his work dramatically. One can’t help to think that had the Interscope deal worked, ATD would have been pigeonholed and forced to be more malleable than he is, probably being made to do duets with The pussycat Dolls and other such promotional garbage where the dollar takes precedence.
A comment was heard during the performance (from an industry insider) that it was akin to ‘Seeing a stadium show in a pub’ and that is one of the best summaries that I have heard sofar. It was electric. During the video shoot, the zombie crowd participation was phenomenal. Envy appeared for a brief, but powerful duet, which served to illustrate how well Akira plays off equally talented artists. His diction and delivery has increased in strength so much since I last saw him, which allowed his spectacular lyrics to resonate successfully with the baying undead that lurched towards him.
To summarise, this was an event more than a show. An event which suited Akira perfectly in every way. Unique, heartfelt and memorable, which is more than can be said for about 70% of live shows these days, were pretenders to the throne present by the numbers gigs. It leads me to wonder what the future will hold for him and it’s an exciting prospect.
Production legend Stephen Hague (New Order, PIL, Pete Shelly, A-Ha) appeared to play a selection of wonderful party tunes (many of his own creation), while Joey2tits finished the night with a great selection of electro and breakbeat goodness. Dawn of the Don may now be over, but if the comments and banter that I overheard from revellers upon the conclusion of the night was to be taken on board, it won’t be long before we see something similar and I for one, can’t wait.
For more photos see : http://zombiehamster.com/?p=483
http://zombiehamster.com/?p=488
and akirathedon.com
