3.11.11

Music preview: Annie Mac Presents... @ the Arches, Glasgow

Published by METRO

It’s Bonfire Night tomorrow, didn’t you know? Well done if you did, because it’d just about slipped my mind. It just doesn’t seem quite as exciting as it was when you were wee, does it? Back when mum and dad would buy you sparklers and take you to one of their friend’s houses, where, for the only day of the year, you’d be allowed to get dizzy on lemonade until ten o’clock on a school night. Ah, the memories…

Well, now I’m going to snatch away those rose-tinted glasses just as easily as I placed them over your eyes in the first place. We’re all grown ups now, and, unless you have kids of your own, there’s a far more important occasion occupying the November 5 square on your calendar – Annie Mac is coming to Glasgow.

Yes indeed, this Dublin gal – renowned for enriching our airwaves with the very hippest in new dance and electronic music on her Friday Radio 1 show – will be travelling with a convoy of talent into town to play at the Arches tomorrow night.

Since 2005, the Annie Mac Presents tour has covered practically every partying inch of the country, showcasing the very finest electro, dubstep, disco and drum n’ bass. This year, she’s taking it to North America and Australia as well as to best clubs over here – high time for the Arches crowd to show her what it’s capable of, methinks.

Supporting the good lady herself is dance music legend Erol Alkan, who, as with each since his breakthrough in the early noughties, is enjoying another hyper-productive year as an artist, producer and DJ. Alkan is probably best known for pioneering the ‘mash up’ – the art of throwing together two different tracks and making it work – the most famous of which was a fusion of Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head with New Order’s Blue Monday.

Joining the bill is experimental pop artist Charli XCX, whose infectious dark and moody style has attracted a growing army of followers, and Brooklyn MC Azealia Banks, known for her blend of filthy raps and bouncing electro beats. Glasgow’s own rising sub-house star, HaHaHa, also makes an appearance on the main Arches stage.

No, you won’t be getting any lazy conclusions like ‘she’ll set the dancefloor alight’ or ‘there’ll be fireworks when she takes to the stage’ from me. Just go out and experience Annie Mac’s set live tomorrow, as opposed to annoying your neighbours by cranking up her radio show tonight. And remember, remember, the fifth of November – whatever that means.