Standing amoungst the happy, dancing people on Sunday, I realised that this was why I put in the hours to help in the day to day running of the club. Being part of creating the ritual of magick that was that night was most satisfying. The day began with the creation of the sacred space; from putting up the club’s new oil lamp to clearing away all the furniture from the place.
The leaners were put outside for the night where they served a useful purpose providing support for those many would be punters who could not get tickets. A camouflage net was draped over the walls of the stage, and a smoke machine and laser light put up; all lent for the occasion by Mark. The band arrived for their sound check, and all was tuned in to a perfect balance and pitch. Our staff arrived all 10 of them. Thanks to you all. The phone rang all day, and people turned up, keen to buy tickets that were not available, as we had already sold our legal limit of 120. (Where were all these people when Warner delighted us with his band ‘The Friendly barnacle” and Samuel Flynn Scott with ‘BOP’ last year?)
A few people began trickling in, and at first the empty club reminded me of an old dance hall, where people sit around the sides looking at each other. The atmosphere changed quickly as the room filled up, and people began to buzz expectantly. Warner did a few songs on his own first. He had dressed for the part, by attaching a long curvy fake nose to his own. The driving rhythm that he provides on the bass for phoenix was there in his clever guitar playing topped with some surreal keyboard effects.
The main act began and the dancing intensified. Luke Buddha, on guitar and keyboards, Samuel Flynn Scott on Vocals and guitar, the afore mentioned Warner on bass, Will Ricketts on keyboards and percussion took us on a journey where all was lights, and joy, and uplifting, sound with a beat that just carried you on and on. This music took even the most sad and bitter people into a good place, and the Penguin Club entered a Groove, and stayed there until the band finally packed up their boxes and cases of spells and other magick paraphernalia, and departed.