No One Wants To Dance Anymore
We’ve all had too much to drink and you had set the mood for something completely different Mr Dj. What happened? I guess you lost the plot. Just like every other place in town you’re now here to serve the masses whilst forgetting your own integrity.
Im not the only one who, by the time the week is over, ponders over where the hell to go to have a great night out. The only problem is, my requirements are absolute. Meaning they aren’t flexible. So then, Im usually found at home over the weekends playing music off my iPod & honestly? I don’t complain about that.
Last Saturday night was different though. I headed out. Went to the famous Hard Rock Cafe in the hope I might get to listen to some unadulterated music. In their defense, they tried but couldn’t really manage to sustain themselves so I walked out. Happier than when I walked in because I’d had three pints by this time. Second stop was supposed to be my one of my favourite pubs in Delhi - TC at Aurobindo Marg, Adchini.
For those who aren’t aware, TC is a dingy, smoke filled pub which plays (or used to) classic rock and metal tunes with some blues thrown in for good measure. I used to frequent this joint a lot earlier and was visiting after years. I’ve always enjoyed TC for it’s vibes, the atmosphere and it’s non pretentiousness (Some people may call it cheap) but there’s something about the smell of beer and cigarettes that just oozes rock and roll.
But TC sold out. I heard EDM here. And my god did that make me bleed.
See the truth is, if you’re a club you’re allowed to play EDM (hell, if I have my way, I would destroy the very core of EDM and make it extinct) As a club, your audience is only there to get hammered and dance their night away (usually in a fist pumping motion which again looks absolutely ridiculous but that’s another story). The audience doesn’t even give two hoots about what’s blaring through the speakers at 110dB either so no worries! Play EDM! I won’t be there but, when EDM creeps it’s way into pubs that aren’t meant for such blasphemous music then Houston, we have a problem.
What I’m getting at is that I’m starting to slowly realise that the audience that I fall into is being ignored. For us, it’s about putting up with this when we go out and it’s hard. For us, we haven’t found an answer yet to - “Hey, where can we go for good music and drinks?” and that makes me sad as well as pretty frustrated. Truthfully (and Im certain I speak for legions of people here ) we would love a line of bars and pubs that play everything from the blues, to classical, jazz and of course heavy fucking metal. Our ONLY absolute requirement is GOOD MUSIC and we really fucking mean it.
Why is it that every place plays EDM now? Every damn time you enter a pub or a club, you get to hear the same damn thing. How is it that people don’t find this stale yet? It doesn’t take someone who is as passionate about music the way I am to realise that EDM stands no chance against all other forms of music. In the sense of dynamism, emotion, vibes, musicianship and change. You can hear regurgitation, repetition and that one virtual instrument that leads you to the ‘drop’. Come the fuck on.
But I also sort of understand why it’s almost a ‘necessity’ to churn out EDM in the middle of a rock set. Given that everyone today knows Avicii & Hardwell but not Pearl Jam. It can be good for business. Attracting across the board fans of both hard rock and EDM. Everyone’s happy. But are they?
If I wanted EDM (and by now it should be pretty darn clear that I don’t) I’d go to a club but I came here because your name said you aren’t. And you play music, the kind I really love. I came here because I wanted to be part of a crowd air guitaring and air drumming to classic rock & metal songs. But you just played a number of EDM tracks and I couldn’t help but lose you.
I’m not glad we’re the minority (although it would be pretty rad to abolish EDM) but in a way I am. We are because of what we listen to. We’re the underdogs. Our iPods and music libraries contain artists that most people don’t recognise. It’s pretty fucking cool. But unfortunately, our voice is drowned in this cornucopia of noise that surrounds us.
As I sip on my beer, I look around me and notice how the crowd reacts to this wild change in music. I really don’t see too many dancing. What I do see though are people, suddenly lost. Of course, you threw them off too.
I knew I’m not the only one.
