The Doghouse has relocated to Ward Road from their original location on Browns Rd. The Doghouse put Dundee on the music map through introducing such acts as the Views and housing such acts as The Enemy, Love, Susan. Their new venue occupies a refurbished church. The outside and the inside retains the dogmatic feel of entering a space of higher power. The sound quality inside this venue is amazing! The Doghouse is predominantly a gig venue with a real emphasis on loving live music. As most gig venues around the world the patrons that come out to play KNOW music. This is not to say that if your itunes library is not up to scratch you’ll be stoned out of the venue. I would however suggest that you don’t mention Aqua or Take That in any form of communication.
MEETING THE LOCALS
Our first real night of filming was suppose to be the battle of the bands. Instead it turned into the battle of the brains with a complex four round quiz hosted by the Doghouse’s very own Sarah Hill. If you have never been to a quiz night before, this one is good one. The only way I can describe this is an interactive themed stand up comedy act game show with an amazing prize in the end. The majority of the crowd happened to be regulars which added to the heckling fun. Since Fiona (my apprentice) and I added a few questions to the quiz we were forbidden to partake. We would have completely lost anyways; some of these teams were stacked with big brains. Grand prize was a bottle of whisky with secondary prizes of a Dundee cake.
The team I was sitting with unfortunately won a Dundee cake but the real mission was to film some quiz action and to make friends with the locals. Luckily the locals didn’t mind us filming. We found out that night that not only is this a big gig/ alternative music/ rocker venue it is also home to a huge skateboarding community. I didn’t actually know there was a skate park in Dundee, but I do now. Some of the skateboarders range from professionally sponsored to gear sponsored skaters (so, they’re very very good).
LOVE LIVE MUSIC
We got to see some amazing acts during our time at the Doghouse. An Echo, Our Future Glory, and Delays played on the Wednesday. I forgot how much I enjoyed going to see live music. Becoming a pseudo adult with too much stuff to do really fills the schedule. It was great to see Delays as well. I’ve heard of them before and have listened to only one of their tracks . Adam and Sekai (both of my apprentices) were particularly keen in filming the gigs since they’re both music buffs. Adam also told me he has the Delays album. There was quite a buzz in the air before the supporting gigs started. With sound checks and roadies running around triple checking if everything was alright. Adam was given the JVC camera to hand hold and tape the action from the crowd. Sekai had the SLR camera and the audio recorder and I had the Panasonic HD. The gig was awesome I think we covered pretty much all angles and got some good footage of the sets and the in between waiting times. Sekai managed to get an interview with the band Our Future Glory which was quite cool. Though I think she almost had a panic attack before interviewing them she pulled it off with flying colours!
On Thursday Ruth (another apprentice)and I managed to see the band Millyseck and The Fire and I play. The starter band for that day was playing their last gig ever. Apparently the lead guitarist is moving to the States and the band has decided to de-band instead of trying to carry on without him. The lead guitarist started this band with his friends and the sentiment expressed is that if he was not a member of the band there would be no band. On a happier note The Fire and I was an amazing two part band consisting of a drummer (which also played the xylophone and a loud hailer) and a guitarist (which also played a strobe light). The music was fast, angry, polished and completely refreshing. It’s such a cliché when people describe liking the music because of the passion of the performers, but I was completely sucked in by the energy. Also we got two free EPS from the band.
JAGERMEISTER PARTY
Friday was the degree show at the Duncan and Jordanstone College of Art and Design. After the hustle and bustle of trying to get at the art through a mob of humans, Fiona and I decided to attend Bobby Digitals birthday party at the Doghouse. We were invited earlier in the week with a disclaimer that went as follows: It’s my birthday come have fun. Bring the camera’s if you want or don’t. We’re bringing 12 bottles of Jagermeister and an electronic dispenser. Anyone that is bringing a birthday present is also bringing a bottle of Jagermeister. It should be fun. The invite was a Jagermeister card that allowed us free entry to his birthday. Bobby Digitals birthday was on the top balcony of the Doghouse. From the top you had an amazing view of the entire venue and the bands playing. By the time we arrived at the party all the Jager had been drunk already. I think the correct term to describe Bobby was "steaming". We talked to him for awhile had a Jager and then proceeded to tape Bobby have Happy Birthday sung to him on stage with other unmentionable acts occurring to him from all angles.
Another regular of the Doghouse Jamie did an awesome job taking the lead and doing interviews with both the video recorder and audio. It takes a very special person to have the gift of chat and boy did Jamie have it. Through the eyes of a regular we received an amazing snapshot of a venue through a community basis!
LIAM TAKES US TO WORK
One of the bartenders Liam took a shining to the hidden camera. I think through most of the bars a lot of bartenders responded very well to the hidden camera. I myself think it’s quite secret spy like and super cool. So an idea cropped up at the Doghouse where we were talking about good uses of the hidden camera. Someone suggested that a bartender should track their way to work via the hidden camera and the responsibility was handed over to Liam. The footage was awesome! He rode his skateboard to work where we tracked his route and then he gave us a wide shot of Doghouse before muttering “work, work, work… “
KEEP YOUR EARS PEELED OPEN MIC NIGHT IS COMING UP AT DOGHOUSE!
0 comments:
Post a Comment