I've been an indie/rock/metal fan properly since the early 00s (I listened to stuff before then, but this was when I became hooked). Just after 2000, the indie scene became huge with a huge amount of tiny clubs and venues playing the coolest, most popular and underground music they could get hold of.
Mine and one of my mates places was The Roxy (which soon became a popular haunt with many of our other mates too). The thing I loved about The Roxy (even in it's smokey, crazy packed nights), was it was intimate, had great staff and DJs and you felt reasonably safe in there (unlike so many bigger venues). We also used to visit Borderline, The Metro (sadly gone), The Astoria and Mean Fiddler (also both sadly gone : s), Bar Rumba, Strawberry Moons and Button Down Disco (when it was still in secret venues and you had to follow your cartoon map and the bubbles in the air) and White Heat (if we wanted to look at the pretentious people, lol) All these nights were fuelled with jugs of cheap cocktail (in happy hour to get the party started in the club or a visit to Bulushi's first) followed with socialising with randomers whilst dancing our shoes off - it was so much fun (and the pictures only tell half the story). In these clubs and nights out I really became the person I am today and realised that life is for living (which sometimes with work I tend to forget). In these places I felt that all my worries just floated away and the euphoric nature of the music just took me away (it was amazing!).
Anyway, in this great period of amazing music, live gigs and tons of clubbing (I went out all the time then), there were so many bands to listen to. The songs were addictive, with great beats and lyrics and it was just a brilliant turning point for all these fans of grunge etc that had just kind of lurked in the background rather than had a true focus point. I loved it!
So, because this is about one of my favourite eras of music (I'm listening to Bloc Party's first album - in true spirit). I am going to let the music itself prove itself to you with just some links to some of the tracks that made those years so amazing. I don't know what happened to you all (one of the guys from Phantom Planet is actually a known actor now and appears in HBO's Bored to Death) but the ones that haven't returned to the scene (whether your link is below or not) I hope your music and memories at least live on through us, your dear beloved fans and listeners : )
Bloc Party - Helicopter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6S5CJWlco
The Libertines - Up the Bracket: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8lTyYlQ-Wg
The Rapture - House of Jalous Lovers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HP04nfUi4g
Le Tigre - Deception: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SyBR-M2YvU
The Strokes - Last Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1vvUec71v8
Razorlight - Somewhere Else: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iun3RtbCE6A
The Departure - All Mapped Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2nS4plebWM
Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92GEqgbXE_I
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY
The Rakes - 22 Grand Job: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flESd2vFXy4
Title of blog taken from The Strokes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3qgrSon4To
Mine and one of my mates places was The Roxy (which soon became a popular haunt with many of our other mates too). The thing I loved about The Roxy (even in it's smokey, crazy packed nights), was it was intimate, had great staff and DJs and you felt reasonably safe in there (unlike so many bigger venues). We also used to visit Borderline, The Metro (sadly gone), The Astoria and Mean Fiddler (also both sadly gone : s), Bar Rumba, Strawberry Moons and Button Down Disco (when it was still in secret venues and you had to follow your cartoon map and the bubbles in the air) and White Heat (if we wanted to look at the pretentious people, lol) All these nights were fuelled with jugs of cheap cocktail (in happy hour to get the party started in the club or a visit to Bulushi's first) followed with socialising with randomers whilst dancing our shoes off - it was so much fun (and the pictures only tell half the story). In these clubs and nights out I really became the person I am today and realised that life is for living (which sometimes with work I tend to forget). In these places I felt that all my worries just floated away and the euphoric nature of the music just took me away (it was amazing!).
Anyway, in this great period of amazing music, live gigs and tons of clubbing (I went out all the time then), there were so many bands to listen to. The songs were addictive, with great beats and lyrics and it was just a brilliant turning point for all these fans of grunge etc that had just kind of lurked in the background rather than had a true focus point. I loved it!
So, because this is about one of my favourite eras of music (I'm listening to Bloc Party's first album - in true spirit). I am going to let the music itself prove itself to you with just some links to some of the tracks that made those years so amazing. I don't know what happened to you all (one of the guys from Phantom Planet is actually a known actor now and appears in HBO's Bored to Death) but the ones that haven't returned to the scene (whether your link is below or not) I hope your music and memories at least live on through us, your dear beloved fans and listeners : )
Bloc Party - Helicopter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6S5CJWlco
The Libertines - Up the Bracket: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8lTyYlQ-Wg
The Rapture - House of Jalous Lovers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HP04nfUi4g
Le Tigre - Deception: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SyBR-M2YvU
The Strokes - Last Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1vvUec71v8
Razorlight - Somewhere Else: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iun3RtbCE6A
The Departure - All Mapped Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2nS4plebWM
Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92GEqgbXE_I
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY
The Rakes - 22 Grand Job: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flESd2vFXy4
Title of blog taken from The Strokes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3qgrSon4To
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