SUNDAY: One of the best nights in London ever!! Sunday Night! Who'd have thought?

So one of my classmates, Seriol from Wales, had his birthday last night and for his birthday we went to a Club called, Notting Hill Arts Club (very formal name for a bohemian arts and music live venue). Here is the description of the evening from their website: http://www.nottinghillartsclub.com/.

"London’s only Balkan/ Russian/ Baltic/ Gypsy/ Klez/ Mash/ Thrash/ Trash/ KULTURKlash!!! is back. Radio Gagarin's bi-monthly Experiments in Sunday Socialism sessions fill Notting Hill Arts Club to overflowing with a tundra melting mix of live music, digital DJ prowess, performance art, east European cinema, poetry, puppetry, poverty, latkes, blinis and vodka."

Emunah, the first band of the evening, was a Jewish Klezmer Hip hop band. There was an amazing violin player that mixed in with a male rapper, a female singer/rapper, a bassist, a guitarist and a guy who alternated between rapping and spinning. They were a great warm up for the rest of the evening. After Emunah, the group of us went to the dance floor where there was a big Man puppet head/mask, a big dog head mask, a bear (woman in costume), and a beard that was passed around. The wearer would either dance with said mask or begin a dance battle with the other mask wearers. It was perposterously fun and absurdly ridiculous. (I'm utilizing my adjectives today.)

The best band of the evening was a huge band called The Destroyers. Horns, Accordion, Dueling Violins, Flute, Guitar....it was hight energy and just plain awe-inspiring fun. Here's their description....

"The Destroyers are a 15 piece group based in Birmingham UK. Brought together by band leader and former starving student Louis Robinson (violin), the band are mix of recovering escapees from Birmingham's Conservatoire and musical firebrands from the Balkans recently arrived in the environs of the hallowed Bullring. Fired by the energy of Eastern European music, the Destroyers diversify and build upon traditional arrangements, whilst remaing true to the roots of their influences, which is to say they take no prisoners, make no apologies and go straight for the juggler on the Gagarin Dancefloor….. a musical force to be worshipped, adored and exalted with one's whole body starting with the feet."

The best part is that I got video of it all and I'm going to be posting it as soon as I have anytime.