Tucked away in the corner of a North London shopping centre Feeling Gloomy duo Len and Carl are warming up the crowd for a night of melancholic misery. But it's not all teary-eyed pop that is on the track-list for tonight.
Sad, but wonderful gloomy melodies are what these nights are about says co-founder Carl Hill: “We don’t want people to be sad. We want people to let their hair down and release their gloom. We do this through playing gloomy danceable songs, it’s not all ballad types it’s a mixture, he said.
Sometimes the best songs are the saddest, take Dolly Parton’s Jolene, the lyrics are tragic, yet it is a danceable song", he said. Anyone can turn up with their own gloomy music, and given the five-hour set, you are guaranteed it will get a spin.
Half way through their act, Carl scrambles on stage and yelps in a pubescent boy tone: “Hello feeling gloomy, any birthdays in here tonight? Let’s sing the un-happy birthday song.” Feeling Gloomy is the brainchild of Carl Hill and Mike Toller who showcase their alter-egos Len and Cliff on Feeling Gloomy nights.
Gloom aid
Jennifer Allen from Milton Keynes told Offbeat what she likes about Feeling Gloomy nights: “ They are gloomy songs, but you can still dance to them. In fact, I heard a gloomy Nirvana song last month and came back to see if they would play it again, but, I'm not a bore, she giggles.
The group have also covered gloom aid” a night used to raise awareness for depression alliance, brightening up the gloomiest day of the year on January last.
“A lot of people get annoyed and leave but look at the lyrics of a song, and sometimes, despite having an up-tempo beat, they are actually quite dark.”
This duo, have mastered an alternative take on battling the 'gloom', it's shared, through the appreciation of a good beat. Forget about the lyrics. Drink, dance, and maybe shed a few tears of elation as you no longer are riddled with gloomy despair.
As the night winds down Carl trots over to the table and whispers: “They're a bit short staffed here tonight so I am handing out flyers, that’s a bit gloomy isn’t it.” Walking away, he smiles: “But you’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got, eh?”
Nearest tube: Angel Underground
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Are you a certified misery guts who bawls at the mere sound of a Simon and Garfunkel track? If so, then welcome to Feeling Gloomy, the UK’s first nightclub that plays only sad songs.
by Claire Noble
published on: 20 March, 2010
Feeling Gloomy
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