Illuminuaghty On

Illuminaughty lighting up the clubbing landscape
Reported by Stef Elrick / Submitted 25-01-10 15:14
A gem in the crown of northern clubbing, IllumiNaughty rocks Manchester’s clubbing scene
once a month with a eye catching blend of great psy trance and in depth visuals and stage
shows. Stef Elrick tells us more about this indoor extravaganza!
In general, two kinds of mammal can be identified in the exotic eco-system of clubland. One
breed, from the offset, love to hurtle themselves headlong into the centre of the action, glee-
fully stomping their way through days of excess without even stopping for breath. These re-
silient revellers (usually found gyrating wildly at the front, throwing ninja shapes till the wee
hours and grinning like Cheshire cats who’ve just cained an ounce of ‘nip) are driven purely
by adrenaline and live solely for the beat. The second, more reserved species (tending to be
more restrained and chameleonic in nature) prefer to stand back and observe the scenery.
In general, two kinds of mammal can be identified in the exotic eco-system of clubland. One
breed, from the offset, love to hurtle themselves headlong into the centre of the action, glee-
fully stomping their way through days of excess without even stopping for breath. These re-
silient revellers (usually found gyrating wildly at the front, throwing ninja shapes till the wee
hours and grinning like Cheshire cats who’ve just cained an ounce of ‘nip) are driven purely
by adrenaline and live solely for the beat. The second, more reserved species (tending to be
more restrained and chameleonic in nature) prefer to stand back and observe the scenery.
Grazing quietly at the bar these few ease themselves into an evening, letting an experience
unfold gradually whilst their sensibilities slowly loosen. Studying the décor, visuals and local
wildlife for amusement they take their time to ease in and warm up. Whatever floats your
boats it seems obvious that both these varieties of reveller require differing and specific
stimulation to rouse their rowdy sides; rarely do you find a club night that caters specifically
for both. Even more rarely is this done well!
IllumiNaughty seems to have found this balance perfectly. Over three years it has trans-
formed from a quirky club night at The Zoo (Manchester) to a full-on theatrical explosion of
dance, debauchery and delight. Currently residing at the notorious Ritz Ballroom (as well as
moonlighting for guest appearances at The Chapel and Europe’s largest student night Pan-
gaea) illumiNaughty has become the brightest of the Northern scene’s lights, its reputation
spreading globally. A mind-boggling multi-media spectacle merging playfulness and unpre-
dictability, its heady cocktail of music, art and performance attracts a huge cross section of
people, providing a massive alternative social platform and artistic arena for a mischievous
and open-minded community. With a springed dance floor for extra leverage, balcony seating
for optimum viewing, comfy crannies for conversing or canoodling and labyrinth like propor-
tions the old theatre The Ritz is the perfect playground for illumiNaughty’s dance-fuelled Digi-
tal Theatre to run riot.
Nobody in the UK (nay Europe!!) could have missed the grinning Goblin tag plastered every-
where on lamp posts, street signs, posters (even the odd geriatric) by a tireless tribe of street
-stalking devotees. The Goblins have been spotted up and down Oxford road and all around
Manchester city centre, even doing a spot of guerrilla filming in the Printworks, Market Street
and Piccadilly Gardens last year for a pre-filmed piece of video art screened during an event
against capitalism to Adam Freeland’s We Want Your Soul.
The Goblin Gang, appearing on each flyer reeking havoc and hilarity upon fair Mancunia, are the
fantastically fictitious life force of the event. Their imaginary escapades shape the theme of each
night which usually begins creative development six months before the event and does not end
until each scrap of décor and all evidence of the experience has been magically removed from the
scene of the crime.
Each idea is explored, expanded and then actualised with every element tailored and tweaked to
support the theme. From music to production to décor to performance, everything is carefully
crafted, choreographed and co-ordinated and executed for one night only. Crazy, creative and
chaotic the Green Beings behind the scenes are constantly at work plotting new schemes and
scribbling away, adding new twists to the plot of the illumiNaughty epic. Past chapters have in-
cluded “The Summoning” “The Experiment” and “The Inferno” and venues have been packed to
the rafters with wandering wizards, hyper hula-hoopists, grinding gorilla’s, prancing pixies, car-
nivorous plants, jugglers, Capoeira dancers and jungle drummers (and that’s not even mentioning
the crowd!) Cloaked processions, interactive walk-about performers, live sax, drums and guitars,
pyrotechnics and live digital art all add to an interactive and exciting environment where anything
can and will happen. All characters, preferences and persuasions from the weird to the wonderful
are welcomed lovingly into the hallowed haven of an illumiNaughty event where the rules of real-
ity must be dropped at the door. The crowd is a barmy, bouncy and generally up for it cross sec-
tion of people from all ages and walks of life. Few other nights rival the diversity or boast the vol-
ume of illumiNaughty patrons.
After visiting an illumiNaughty, it’s

impossible not to realise just how
much love, effort and preparation
goes into each production and as
their décor company CV’s boasts it
seems other club nights are keen to
get in on the action (Opus, Oh My
God, Mad Ferret all being on the list
of past clientele as well as a UK fes-
tivals Standon Calling, Chichime,
Mad Ferret & Kendal Calling). The
difference that the tailor made décor
has in transforming a venue into an
‘other-world’ is completely awe-
inspiring and that no two events are
ever the same is a source of great
pride for the creative team.
Hosting numerous live album launch

parties and UK debuts, the team en-
deavour to fuse some of the World’s
most reputed psy trance artists with
the latest new talent! They’ve wel-
comed Rinkadink (Alchemy Re-
cords, South Africa), Dino Psaras
(Boa Group, UK), Perplex (Spun
Records, Israel), Bamboo Forest
(Neurobiotic Records, France),
Krome Angels (Boa Group, Ibiza),
DNA (Phonokol Records, Israel),
Dejavoo (Transient Records, Gibral-
tar/Italy), Sabretooth (Sabretooth
Records, UK), Tikal (Planet B.E.N.
Records, France), Talamasca (Mind
Control Records, France), Vibe
Tribe (Com:Pact Records) and
Menog (3D Vision, France) to the
stage, to name but a few!
In addition to high energy performance, there’s also live drumming, circus, cabaret and com-
edy skits, pyrotechnics, walk-about characters, balcony views, stilt walking creatures and
various stalls all providing a unique interactive social space with a full-on festival feel, all
squeezed lovingly into one blinder of a night. A psychedelic circus indulging all ages, tastes
and anyone with an appreciation of the colourful, creative and bizarre, illumiNaughty is a
night that makes feet stamp, spirits surge and imaginations soar!
It’s refreshing to stumble across a club night that has just as much heart as it does hype and
illumiNaughty has an abundance of both. It’s hard core and high energy attitude reverberates
off the walls and embeds itself in attendees with an insanely addictive effect. Their fourth
birthday, scheduled for 23rd April, set in Manchester’s distinctive Ritz Ballroom, will be their
most ambitious yet.
“ReWired” promises a TeleVisual extravaganza with interactive visuals, Guerrilla Goblin News
Station, suspended TV sculptures and cyber-stilt creatures stalking the crowds. Guaranteed to
blow fuses and make senses short-circuit, the crew are adding more interactive elements
than ever before with a digitally driven twist. With return appearance from favourite psy
trance heavyweights Talamasca (Mind Control Records, France) and Rinkadink, (Alchemy
Records, South Africa) alongside some of the UK’s most respected psy trance DJs and in
house residents, this event looks set to be their most impressive.
Providing a colourful haven for musical escapism and an epic fantasy theatre illu-
miNaughty is a space where imagination reigns supreme. Anyone can join in the dream!
http://www.harderfaster.net/?
sid=a33e5d18be654095c9b250307260a3ff&section=features&action=showfeature&featureid=&featureid=12189&for
umid=

Illuminuaghty On

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Illuminuaghty On

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Illuminuaghty On

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Illuminaughty lighting up the clubbing landscape

Reported by Stef Elrick / Submitted 25-01-10 15:14

After visiting an illumiNaughty, it’s

Hosting numerous live album launch

You might also like