Doors were supposed to be open at 8 pm but the old temple of the night remained close until 9 o'clock, our beloved stars making themselves even more desirable by begining the gig only at 10. Excitation reached crazy levels during a miserable house mix and then they were, right on the stage. Barney and Johnny Marr, a keyboardist, a guitarist and two electronic drumkits which one was served by one of 808 STATE's djs, Darren Partington. The crowds went barmy, people shouting, jumping, we were even moved by waves of people in front of the stage, some were even stage diving! Barney's dancing a bit was followed by more yelling 'you're so sexy!'. It's true, it was truely emotional seeing them together, even if Johnny's guitar playing was lost in the synthetic sounds. Hit singles 'gettin away' and 'get the message' were quite moving even if rest of the songs were less outstanding. The callbacks won't change anything and the crowd seemed to get enough of it in the end.
This left us with the party that should be animated by the spinmaster, 808 STATE's second dj Andrew Barker. He got on the wheels but after 10 minutes he was replaced by a fat guy playing fat music! This time I headed to the annexe of the 14th arrondissement council house were a rave gathering about 1000 people held place. Great techno mixes by Lex, the Shamen dj, and some other from Spain and right in front of the stage were the Mancunian following of the band with who but Barney dancing among them totally ... well you know ... E's coming and going. I managed to join the team as beer seemed to be free for them and after a few ones, one of the guy called Barney and you know what he hugs and kissed me! The feeling was very good even if the room were evacuated on two occasions after some people dropped lachrymal gaz. Everyone rushed out except Barney, the mancs and me, still dancing, eyes all watering and all. The rave started all over again after both evacuations and finally ended at 6 am with the bar getting dry. Then we were headed to the boat 'Peniche Rubis' on the Seine river near the Tolbiac bridge were the after took place. A hundred people were present including Graham Massey and Barney who never stop dancing on 808 STATE's mixing from 'we call it techno' to Messiah's hardcore anthem or Meat beat manifesto's 'Babylon burning'. At 9am Barney and his friends left, so I.
Le billet indiquait 8h00 mais les portes de l’ex temple de la nuit n’ouvrirent qu’à 9h00 et nos stars se sont faites désirées le concert ne débutant qu’à 10h00. Alors que l’excitation grimpait rapidement à la faveur d’un mix house cheap et douteux ils apparurent. Barney en petit anorak à capuche et Johnny Marr en jogging. Avec eux, un clavier, un guitariste et deux batteries électroniques dont l'’une servie par Darren Partington l’un des djs d’808 state. La réaction du public est hystérique, cris hurlements, sauts, vagues, bousculade, stage diving, oui ! Sur scène Barney esquisse quelques déhanchements qui soulèvent des cris « you’re so sexy ! ». C’est vrai que ça fait quelque chose de les voir là, même si Marr est réduit à la portion congrue, égrénant quelques notes perdues dans les nappes de synthé. Les hits « gettin away » et « get the message sont bien envoyés mais le reste est sans surprise, aseptisé, clean. Les rappels n’y changeront rien malgré une orientation plus house, le public semble se lasser.
Electronic décevant restait la soirée au palce qui devait être animée par Andrew Barker aka the spinmaster deuxième dj d’808 state. Celui ci passa effectivement aux platines mais s’éclipsa au bout de 10 minutes devant le dj gorille résident gras du bide envahissant du palace. Direction donc la mairie du 14e pour une rave qui rassemblait environ 1000 personnes. Mix techno splendides, au pied des platines le gang mancunien d’une quinzaine de personnes dont Barney au milieu de la foule complètement défoncé. Bierre gratis à flot, je me suis fait une mission de taper l’incruste chez les mancs et l’un d’eux m’a présenté à Barney vraisemblablement sous E qui m’a pris dans ses bras et m’a embrassé ! L’ambience était vraiment bonne, deux évacuations de la salle pour cause de lacrymos sauf les mancs n’ayant aucun effet sur la fête repartie illico. Le bar asséché la rave s’achevait à 6h00 du mat. Départ pour la péniche rubis au pont de Tolbiac pour l’after. Une petite centaine de personnes avec encore 808 state en dj. Barney est toujours là et ne s’est jamais arrêté de danser de «we call it techno » à messiah en passant par meat beat manifesto. Vers 9h00 Barney et ses potes partirent et moi aussi.
