Mr. Scruff @ the Arches, 18/11/11
Written by admin on November 21st, 2011
Neon glow sticks in a hippy girls hair, cut across the dance floor to the easy beat of ‘Good Life’.
Kevin Saunderson was not the producer behind this remix of Inner City’s hit from 1988 but the crowd are happy with Andy Carty aka Mr. Scruff, who is working hard behind the decks to bring an intelligent mix with Caribbean flavour to Glasgow on this mild November night.
People float and bop around to trip hop sounds in an ethereal way - nobody is tearing up the dancefloor - but that’s not why you would come to a Mr. Scruff gig.
It is totally chilled out in here…
Through in the bar area, the Scruff team have installed a mini tea marquee, where you can buy mint tea and brownies and 20p from each brew goes towards saving the Western grey whale.
Lit up by fairy lights, the tea tent brings a friendly festival vibe to the cool, stripped back interior of The Arches.
Scruff’s trademark animated visuals are projected over 2 large screens and add to the overall arty atmosphere.
There is nothing missing here tonight, I even hear the unaffected voice of Freddie Mercury and a lion roar through the sound system at one point.
Overall though I felt it was a bit tame compared to the social revolution going on outside… and maybe on the other side of the now segregated arches… but Mr. Scruff’s fans love it and he deserves the adoration.
He has distanced himself from the troubled times of humanity and created a low tempo aqua environment which feels safe, the plight of the Western grey whale being the only reminder of the pollution and real inner city life outside.
Words: Janice Curless
Photos: Debbie McCuish
