Featuring The Cavemen (NZ), The Snides, Suicide Generation, Moto Vamp and Flesh with DJ John The Revelator, DJ La Titis and DJ Alexander Coates-Leprechauns

By Nick Kuzmack (DJ Nix Beat)
nicholaskuzmack@gmail.com

Poster: Dawn Aquarius

Helen De Joie’s fourth club all-dayer/night has a knack for featuring some tremendous talent. Usually it’s a night dedicated to all things 60’s psychedelic and hedonistic, but tonight Factory De Joie’s theme is punk rock in the vein of an Andy Warhol vibe, meeting the infamous CBGB’s – just not in New York City, but rather at the ever so hip Victoria in Dalston, East London. Thanks to the dim lighting and scenes from Punk Revolution projected onto the backdrop of the stage, the atmosphere for Factory De Joie was set. This night drew on strictly vinyl DJ’s serenading the audience through spinning classic and deep cuts of punk records, with punk and glam bands wreaking havoc. With the inspiring expressiveness of burlesque dancers providing the intermissions more saucy entertainment.

To kick things off, Kirsty Allison of Cold Lips Magazine provided a spoken word performance. Allison who was armed with a tall glass of wine, an iPod and an assertively arty aloof disposition, set the mood for her audience. Although appreciated, it may have been somewhat abstract for one such as me searching for the bottom of a pint glass. Then again, reveling in the poetic nature of spoken word is Patti Smith like, just in this case minus the rock n’ roll.

The first band to play this shindig was Flesh. They unapologetically boast a sound that carves out the primal sensations of post punk. Playing to a handful of attendees, this duo held nothing back. It’s a set that the term short and sweet, shock and awe was meant for.

After a DJ set courtesy of DJ Alexander Coates-Leprechauns of The Embrooks, Moto Vamp gets on stage. These cats boast a style that harks back to proto punk meeting glam infused 1970’s punk. Think Hamlett playing with the decisiveness of The Stooges coupled with Venus and The Razorblades. Moto Vamp blasts out tunes ‘I Want You To Be My Love Slave’- which has a similar tone to ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ and my personal favourite of their set ‘Rock Me.’ They close with ‘Fall Into The Abyss.’

Suicide Generation provides a much needed full frontal lobotomy on their audience. Blasting out a blitz filled sound, these guys invoke the furious speed of The Ramones with the destructive power of The MC5. They are a band that knows what they are doing and are a tight act.

During each intermission, burlesque dancers take the stage and the attention from the DJ’s. These dancers blast their favourite tracks and draw the somewhat captivated attention of the assembled rock n’ rollers. Each performer dominates the stage. I managed to catch most of the acts, but sadly missed Helen De Joie’s. After sheepishly asking DJ John The Revelator if Joie would do it again, it is suggested that I’m out of luck. Oh well.

The Snides, simply put, are impressive and unique. Channeling the defiant attitude of Poly Styrene with a style that is sinisterly glamorous, this group has a sound that takes no prisoners. It is vibrant and well refined. I’m not sure that the confines of this room do them enough justice. So, I hope to see this group take on speakers that can handle their might!

After taking the stage, The Cavemen waste no time in breaking the sound barrier. They offer a no holds barred, assault on the senses barrage of garage punk. It reminds of me Ex-Cult coupled with the nihilism of The Dead Boys, minus the hardcore punk and remarkably more brutal. They have a sound that is devastating untamed rock n’ roll at its most destructive.

Overall, Factory De Joie is an experience. It brings together some of London’s tremendous talent into the same room. This kind of night is not put on so often, but when Joie puts on another, it will for sure be a party to check out. Until then, there will be other nights that will whet one’s depraved appetites.