31/12/09 NY Refugee’s Night @ Kebele [pics]

We have a phrase where I come from: “from the half-arsed last-minute attempts of two miserable gits trying to find some way of distracting themselves from the rest of the world’s ushering-in of yet another hideous decade, great things may grow”. We don’t necessarily have that particular phrase where I come from, but I reckon it’s better than; “alright, shag?”

Anyway, yeah, so, kicking off the night (or at least sneaking it in quietly through the side door), Rachael Dadd’s simultaneously childlike and somehow completely ancient brand of musical urban folk stories set the scene and hauled in the assorted human flotsam and jetsam set adrift of the tide of New Year’s Eve celebrations. Fed and watered (and even given free oranges – don’t ever let it be said we don’t make sure you get your five-a-day), the refugees settled in for an altogether more cosy and regret-free end to the decade. Andy Skellam/Andi Skellam/The Fingerless Hoodlum/

whateverthefuckhisnameisthesedays, after joining in for the second half of Rachael’s set, provided further musical tales of the comic, the tragic, and the utterly absurd, along with his ever-popular “spot the fish” competition. There were ten. Apparently. Following some serious badgering and ultimately ill-founded phone-based threats of beard burning by Andy, a clean-shaven Dan Hollowbody took to the stage for a surprise set (so much of a surprise even Theo didn’t know about it). With bellies full of food and cider, and the candles starting to sputter, and the night itself curling up inside its sleeping bag and mumbling itself to sleep, all were brought back into the world of the living; Men Diamler stomping and hopping and bellowing his way around not only the room but the whole building. Spurred on by his dramatics, by the time everyone had finished collectively howling “LIFE IS SUCH A TERRIBLE THING!” we had missed zero hour by a full ten minutes. Mission accomplished.

See you next time. Fuckety bye.