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Writer's pictureCanis Lewis

Live review: Mums Against Donk - Corsica Studios London 19/8/23


A fresh and successful new event in London - Mums Against Donk is a satirical idea of a protest against 'disgusting music' and with that fun satire the posters for the event are intentionally done badly. The between set visuals, as well as the leaflets all keep to this theme of Karen's tying stop something fun for misunderstood reasons.

Why Mums you ask?

(See: Interview link at the end of the review)

The mastermind of this great new event - some of you know very well by name but for privacy purposes, lets call them by her stage name 'Alterum' the queen mummy of the scene.

I attended Mums Against Donk for only it's third ever time. This was a sold out event with people still clamouring for tickets - the entire day of the event, to Alterum. Donk is a Queer event open to all with some heavy happy hardcore and 'Donk'. Donk primarily being a happy hardcore a mix of all genres, meme culture, silly samples, Gabba, manic noise, supremely fast and heavy beats, mash ups, covers, and most important of all - FUN.

 

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Review


Firstly I need to say just how wonderful the organiser is, Alterum is a well known member of the Goth and Queer community and set out with an idea of how nights out should be, having witnessed the mistakes and disgruntlements happening with other venues and events.

Creating a safe space for the queer community is always something to be welcomed and having a sold out venue on the third event is incredibly impressive.

My friends and I started the evening early, and in only twenty minutes of the event being open, that was already at least 30 people there, which for a London event is rare! The open decks music was fantastic and already had me sold straight away with high BPM remixes of nostalgic rock. One particular track being a remix of Sum 41 (Who I really don't like) but remixed incredibly well with Vivaldi.. It made for a fun surprise that I loved, followed swiftly by donk mixes of My Chemical Romance, and other nostalgic tracks.

The first artist on was the debut of the duo Moth and Onyx of Metamorphine, who started playing to an already quite packed out venue, I remember thinking that it was damn busy for an opening act.

..How unprepared I was, as for the rest of the event people kept pouring in to lose their dancing minds to the Donk.

Their set was exceptional and had flooded my mind with serotonin. Metamorphine is one to watch!

Pissxie was also fantastic in a much similar fashion to the previous performance and was followed by Alterum themselves. Although I had a break between performers, much of the music melded in to one for me but I do know this went through my mind after watching Alterum:


I'm used to dancing to Industrial, and Dark Techno, but as someone with ADHD, Donk turned out to be the best music I've ever heard in a nightclub. One second I'm listening to a remix of coronation street, then getting bass slammed in to a classic club banger, made to laugh with a meme sample, and then thrown in to nostalgia land with more rock remixes; it doesn't stop there as the music throws BPM and classic song structures in the fire and throws your brain through hundreds of loops, not allowing for even one moment of boredom. Goosebumps and endorphins took hostage of my body, and just as I thought I'd got the current song figured out and thinking the bass is gonna drop as I expected.. I was suddenly thrown a curveball with Abba (But Gabba) and then a fun as hell donk spin on the Horrible Histories tv theme song. This music is insanely good!

This was also the most packed out I have ever seen a dancefloor, EVERYONE flooded in for Alterum's set and it was such a struggle to get anywhere or even move an inch. Somehow, one of my partners battled to near the front and came back looking like they had just taken a shower, the sweat pouring off their hair.

It was hot, it was packed, and it was glorious! There was so much love in the atmosphere for the performers.

With the heat, I spent a lot of time in the smoking area which was a wonderfully big size with lots of area to stand and sit. Which was such a relief, it was also wonderful to catch up with so many familiar faces there from the Goth and Queer community.

Something of wonderful note is that this event had a chillout sensory room. This was a quiet room with the Minecraft theme track playing low as people sat on bean bags, colouring tables, and played with a large array of sensory toys laid out on a table for people to use. They even provided plenty of ear plugs. This room allowed for people to decompress, unmask, reset themselves in their own and unique ways, and feel refreshed, ready to once again face the chaos and cacophony of Donk. A beautiful addition to a night club and I wish every event out there had one!


Spyro is a well know happy hardcore performer and one that the wonderful Karkasaurus have played with multiple times (They would be ideal at this event - just saying!)

He played some insanely heavy and filthy tracks that presented a supreme gauntlet for the dance floor to battle through.

It was at this point that I had to spend the remainder of the evening in the smoking area with friends, I had danced to much, and satisfied exhaustion took it's toll.

The next event is in October with be 'Mums Against Goth' apparently, and I for one can't wait!!! This event is brilliant. I'm not sure what else I can say, you'll just have to find out for yourself!


https://www.instagram.com/mumsagainstdonk/


Here is an interview with Alterum that was done after the first M.A.D: https://518magazine.com/blog/put-a-donk-on-it

 

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