It was all going on around the Kirchplatz and we strolled in
through the gates easily, flashing our tickets and receiving a little cloth band
which was lovingly tied around our wrist. There was a wonderful, relaxed ambience,
people milling everywhere - a huge diversity aged from 0 to 100 (and probably
over, knowing the Swiss) We grabbed a couple of Chopfab Truebs from one of the
many pop-up bars and relaxed on the beautiful raised terrace which had been
fixed temporarily to the side of the church for the event with laidback seating
amongst a host of potted tomato plants and herbs. Many people were enjoying a bite
to eat from a great variety of food stalls offering plenty of vegetarian and
vegan options. It was such a relaxed and happy atmosphere. We felt in the midst
of a giant sociable hug.
With this lovely fuzzy feeling still strong, we made our way
back down to Steinberggasse and managed to bag a spot close to the stage 10
minutes before Metronomy were due on. And at 8pm, there they were, walking
quietly onstage and then – BAM! - they began to play with FUNK, glorious FUNK.
All I can say is wow. Wow, WOW! I haven’t experienced such an energy of this
calibre in a gig since The Coral at Liverpool’s The Royal Court many moons ago.
Metronomy is one of the most exciting British bands around
right now. They’ve been called a host of things, from lounge-pop to fairground
synth, to disco, to sexy electro-pop but for me they just ooze funk, the best,
sexy, kind of funk, which all began in the bedroom of Joseph Mount. They’re
slick, they’re full of surprises – I loved it when the drummer Anna Prior returned
to the stage dancing with her tambourine before launching into Everything Goes my Way with her sexy
sultry voice. There was the nostalgic Love
Letters with its boppy beat and a new exciting song and then towards the
end a tub thumping hypnotic performance of The
Look which left us in no need for an encore. And best of all, the band were
having a great time – I love how they all sing along to each song - feeding off
the energy of the crowd. The tempo would constantly change and gather pace,
keeping us under a spell, then Olugbenga’s boom, boom base line would cut in
and the crowd surged, roaring with appreciation, a mass of bodies rising and
falling in time with the beat. I did not stop dancing, along with everybody
else around me. Neither did Gray - and he has a bad back (for the time being forgotten)
Winterthur has done it again, bringing us a 12 day long love
affair with music, enhanced by the perfect garnishes of food, beer, fellow
music lovers and stunning array of places to sit, stand, dance and enjoy the
buzz.
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