TMC reviews… A Taste of Sonar at the Roundhouse, Camden

by Ground Almond

Scene: Ground Almond’s house, London

7pm: Classic Nokia ringtone pierces eardrums..

Ground Almond: Hello?
GA’s mate Jaz: Ground Almond, I’m back in London, what are you doing?
GA: Well Jaz, currently am lounging in my new fox one peice Kigu PJs, smoking cigarettes, dreaming, listening to a mix tape and…
J: Enough. I have a gig for you. Get to the Roundhouse, back entrance, meet you there in half hour.
GA: Yeah? I guess so, who’s playing?
J: Beep beep beep…

Scene: The Roundhouse, Camden

7.43pm: Ground Almond: Casually late. Reads ‘A Taste of Sonar‘ on the multiple ripped posters leading up to the door surrounded by an ocean of hustlers and agitated individuals, puffing down cigarettes faster than Soulwax ups their BPM. Witness: a gaggle of 15-year-old girls in short skirts downing multiple bottles of water preparing for what is to be a night of lights, top European DJs and multimedia performances of brilliant excess.

8pm: Finally gets the line up script in hand. It reads: Laurent Garnier (FR), Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet (UK) dj set, LSP by Edwin van der Heide (NL) multimedia show, John Talabot (ES) dj set, Hudson Mohawke (SC) , AD Bourke (IT) , Cherry Chan (SG) dj set, Infestus (PT) dj set, Ango (CA) live, Monosyllabikk (PL) live and a very special surprise act. Soon to learn that a “very special surprise act’ means the multi talented Soulwax, under their side project name, 2manydjs.

Scene: GA writes review for TMC:

11 pm: Writes… “What a line up. Jaz took care of a flawless lighting performance and multimedia show, featuring stop motion animals eating each other and ghosts on swings (Ground Almond’s personal favourite…) And the music? The splendiferous 2manydjs. They have been circulating around your ipod playlists since the 20g white block first appeared, and I can tell you their live show will make you strap those dancing boots on ‘toiter’ than you do in your bedroom.
If you have not seen Laurent Garnier play before with his live band including a trombone and saxaphone… well, you just should. He has been smashing out hit records since the early 80s and your mother has probably taken pills listening to his records. Go on, ask her. And while you’re at it, jot down a ticket for A Taste Of Sonar 2011 on your Christmas list.”