September 5th, 2002
by EdIt was a historical September the 5th, as it was the day of the first Bandland, and we were all very aggravated, but also excited. Andy made gold pictures of Patti Smith and Little Richard. Comics and posters went on the walls, incuding Dan Clowes' 'Art School Confidential' - a must read for all academic hucksters, grifters, drifters and snifters.
Before the soundcheck the drums went missing, as drums do. I sat outside waiting for the drums, and had a chicken sandwich with salad. It was okay, needed pepper. Most sandwiches, I find, are improved by pepper. Eventually the drums came, and then we went back to worrying whether the people would come.
Some people arrived, and I started playing records, I think I started with 'Women of the World' by James "Diamond Jim" O'Rourke. There was a bit of milling, some clustering, a bit of helloing, some 'good to see you' and a bit of 'hiiiiiii'.
The very first Bandland act was Eugene Wolstenholme, chief conquistador of Long Good Luck. Eugene, being a sound and decent individual, opened up with 'I See A Darkness', the Will Oldham masterwork, and proceeded to enchant all and some of sundry with his stories, songs and general flair for meandering.
More songs were played, and it was remarked that the DJ was particularly outstanding, having the habit of playing song after song whose function it was to make people happy. Speaking of which, Linus were up next. Now, if we wanted to blow our own trumpet, we'd buy a bugle. So, we'll leave it at this - it was fab.
A little more music, a little more dancin', and then the main event- Zombina and the Skeletones. Remember how much fun it is to be young and not alive? Zombina, who has 'S T A R' gouged in her forehead, and the Skeletones who have 'R O C K 'N' R O L L' slashed in their knuckles (the 'N' is on the bridge of their noses) socked it to us, and an almighty time was had, and skull and crossbones balloons popped around the room, and even the people who don't like to dance on account of not being able to danced, and everything was just all right.
The place shook and shone with all our favourite tunes until 2am, when we clattered out to find a night bus, cross eyed and saddlesore, happy as monkeys in a big banana bonanza, or poets full of stanza, or rommel in a panzer.
