Indie club night of the week: Designer Magazine
YOUTHFUL VERVE: The Mandigans
ERM, ISN'T THIS MORE OF A 'CLUB AFTERNOON' – THAN A CLUB NIGHT?
True. But that's because Designer Magazine (the reputable webzine/gig promoters) are one of the few promoters in Manchester who recognise the needs of all those starved indie-mad teenagers who are too young to 'legally' attend gigs. And so, every month, at Sale's Bar Amp venue, Designer Magazine host their special 'all-ages' events, showcasing the finest fledgling rock talent, whilst providing Manchester's teens with a joyous music haven where they can finally feel welcome.
HMM. KIDS? CLUB NIGHTS? ROCK'N'ROLL? SURELY A RECIPE FOR DISASTER?
Now, now – please stop patronising the young. Designer Magazine's All-ages gigs are well supervised affairs, like Byker Grove gone indie-tastic; booze is out (of course), replaced by fizzy pop and Space Raiders, whilst the music offers a tantalising glimpse of the Manc music stars of the future.
Designer Magazine head honcho Alex McCann defends his South Manchester teen rock revolution: "I'd love to say there's been placards and a campaign to keep rock'n'roll away from the kids, but it's all gone swimmingly well. I think to be honest, the parents would rather have their kids come down to a gig where they're in a safe environment, than hanging around parks and tram stations."
BLOODY HELL, THIS IS ALL MAKING ME FEEL OLD. BUT SHOULD 'GROWN-UPS' BE ATTENDING THIS SORT OF THING?
Of course! As they say, you're only ever as old as you feel (although a pair of skinny jeans and buckets of hairspray may help your cause). And anyway, when it comes down to it, Designer Magazine events are all about the music, and over the past year, they've unearthed some prodigious teen gems that will wow any music lover, regardless of their age. Lend an ear to the likes of El Policia, The Mandigans, Kid 4077 and Natalie Findlay (awesome teen acts all discovered by Designer Mag), and you'll have your ageist misconceptions blown away.
McCann enthuses: "We started with about 150 peeps on the first couple of gigs and now we get between 300-400 on each one. Because we do it in South Manchester you really notice the impact it makes - kids that went to the first gig a year ago as fans have now picked up guitars and have formed their own bands. There's actually more under-18s bands in this part of town than there are over-18s bands and all these bands are so relevant. For them, it's year zero and they're not tied to the Madchester legacy which holds back so many older bands."
ISN'T ALL THIS 'TEEN ROCK REVOLUTION' THING A FAD INVITED BY BORED MUSIC JOURNALISTS?
Far from it – in fact, the Manchester teen indie division is thriving more than ever; promoters like Designer Mag and Same Teens expanding their clubbing empires exponentially in the past 18 months. Indeed, after today's gig at Bar Amp in Sale, Designer Mag's all-ages events will be moving onwards and upwards, with nights pencilled in at the Roadhouse and Sale's Waterside Centre in the new year.
McCann is highly optimistic about the future of the under-age scene: "I think in about two or three years, when these kids hit 18, we're gonna see a seismic shift in indie club nights. There's become this whole lazy DJ culture of playing blindingly obvious default indie records and I don't think this generation will put up with having an old man reliving the record collection of his early 20s. You're gonna see some great club nights over the next few years inspired by the all ages scene."
COOL! SO WHEN CAN I NEXT, ERM, 'GET DOWN WITH THE KIDS'?That would be on Friday (Nov 14, kicking off at 5pm), at Bar Amp in Sale, where you can catch sets from teen stars like League Liege, Tinmen, My Sports Monocle, Punctured and Seven Deadly Sins. Also, keep your eyes peeled on www.myspace.com/designermagazine for updates of future Designer gig/clubbing events (both teeny and non-teeny ones).
Designer Magazine All-ages gig @ Bar Amp (Sale), Friday, November 14, (bands start at 6pm), £5.
Published: Wed, 12 November, 2008
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