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DIY Live: Ones To Watch 2012 - How Was It For You?

It's with hungover heads and happy hearts we can report back that last night was an absolute smasher for all concerned.

Posted 7th January 2012, 7:37pm in Blogs by Simone Scott Warren
DIY Live

DIY Live

DIY's live events & gigs.

DIY Live: Ones To Watch 2012 - How Was It For You? One of the biggest lies ever told was nothing to do with whether anyone inhaled, or did not have sexual relations with that woman, but was in fact uttered during the inarguably seminal film (cough), Wayne's World 2; “If you book them, they will come.” Anyone who has ever promoted a gig will testify that it often doesn't matter how mind-blowingly brilliant the band they've chosen to flush their money down the toilet on might be, there's nothing more heartbreaking than watching said band play to four bored punters fiddling with their phones.

And let's not beat around the bush, history is full of amazing bands playing to no one much at all, and whilst some of those gigs have ended up as musical folklore (obvious reference time: Sex Pistols, Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall), most of them are better best forgotten, a mere blip on the bank account of a forgotten promoter, who wishes that he'd never listened to Wayne bloody Campbell because he was clearly a moron.

Now, when DIY decided that our inaugural gig would be four relatively unknown bands (for now, anyway), the weekend after New Year, we knew we weren't exactly erring on the side of caution. Even factoring out the normal backstage horror stories (musician sobs on stage, band rips up dressing room, forgotten equipment, blind drunk drummers, the usual chaos), our biggest fear was that everyone would be so busy detoxing that they decide against leaving the warmth of their homes on a windy Friday night.

It's with hungover heads and happy hearts we can report back that, for those of you who didn't attempt to cram (and we do mean cram) into the upstairs of the Old Blue Last on the first weekend of 2012, despite all the odds, last night was an absolute smasher for all concerned. There were four fantastic bands blasting the stage, each setting out their stall as to why they're our ones to watch in 2012 with glorious aplomb. There were DJs. There was dancing. There was a genuine indie pop star in the audience. There was wine. There was another wine. And that's where it all goes a bit hazy.

So, once we've finished the heady task of spending the door takings on a hot tub for DIY Towers, (hang on, what do you mean, it was free?), we thought we should take a moment to thank all the brilliant bands who played, Her Parents, Delta/Alaska, Fear of Men and Fanzine, and a special heartfelt thanks to you, for showing up, and being the bestest audience we could've hoped for. Clearly, we can't leave it there, so keep your eyes peeled for our next outing – we're not giving away any clues, but it's going to be a little bit special.
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