27th February
Sound Control
6/10
My excitement for tonight is dampened somewhat upon entering an empty Sound Control. Intimacy can be nice, but club nights thrive on togetherness and atmosphere: the spacious room warns these are unlikely to be found tonight.
The residents perform solid sets whilst I linger by the bar, giving the occasional glance to the door hoping the room fills up. It does slightly, but barely to 10% of the 350 capacity room. Unfortunately this proves of detriment to the night and as headline act number one, Jacques Greene, steps up his set is downplayed by the lack of atmosphere present in the room. He moves unfazed through a fun selection, Autre Ne Veut’s ‘Play By Play’ a particular highlight, but stationary appreciation is favoured by the scattered crowd.
Next up is SOPHIE. Producer of hyperactive, bass-pop tunes like ‘Bipp’, his sense of fun translates equally into his dj sets as he drops the likes of currently unreleased ‘Hey QT’ and debut release ‘Nothing More To Say’ whilst dancing wildly behind the decks, floppy fringe bobbing. (‘Dance like nobody’s watching’? Not far off.) His set is engrossing and euphoric, and I have no doubts it would have caused a pack room to go off. In tonight’s circumstances it is enjoyable, but not in an ideal way.
Jacques Greene and SOPHIE are both two excellent bookings and it’s a real shame they didn’t pull the crowd they deserve. I especially look forward to seeing SOPHIE again, hopefully with a few more people up for a dance.
