EBM

Synthetic Culture dropped the hard house from the loft and had old skool Goth and EBM all night on friday.

http://www.syntheticculture.com/

It was really good - really full on and the crowd loved it. A very different, darker vibe than the techno and darkwave on the middle floor.

I hadn't heard much EBM before - it's all the dark stuff in between Kraftwerk and New Wave, basically, although there is a lot of nu-EBM or nu-industrial stuff about that apparently gets it in the neck (and where else?) from all the old skool purists. I think there's only 3 or 4 'real' EBM bands, who all seem to be from Belgium in about 1982 - but fortunately the DJ wasn't too much of a purist.

They put some NIN on, as well as some Laibach and German synthcore. Which probably isn't even industrial, let alone EBM, which apparently stands for 'Electronic Body Music'. But it was all good to dance to. There was, perhaps, a slightly high level of crypto-fascism in the air - too many pasty goths wearing tight, post-cold war military uniform and looking pained. But I guess that's the scene.

Dave and Phil both seemed to have a damned good time. I loved it - I'm happy for them to drop the crappy house for ever. The three floors now work really well and the summer should be even better, when you can actually stand outside for more than 5 minutes without freezing.

Rock and Classic Metal (and nu-metal, sadly)
Darkwave, Techno and Goth
Goth, Indstrial and EBM

Not bad at all.

Apparently there are two other nights playing music on the goth-rock-techno line, from the same stable as SynCult -

http://www.turbulentsoundscape.com/clubs/lowdownanddirty/default.htm
Low Down and Dirty in Old Street

http://strengththroughjoy.org/about.html
Strength Through Joy upstairs at the Garage

I should check them both out.