
The place is clearly trying to recapture the mythic ’80s NYC club-scene vibe. Will it succeed? Maybe last night it came as close as it ever will, thanks to the diversity of the crowd. It was about 40% Chelsea boys, 15% bridge-and-tunnel folk (those who got past the inspection outside – some didn’t, and made quite a ruckus about it), 15% studiously scruffy Williamsburg types, and 10% goths and punks, with the balance a mix of stylish, multiethnic, generic Manhattan Nightlife People. The mix never quite gelled, but maybe that’s the point. (ElectroCLASH, right? Oops, I said the E-word)….
So was the Outsider Fest a success? Not every act was worth writing home about. But even a devoted New York scenester would have a hard time taking in such a wild variety of sounds and performances over an entire year of clubhopping. Larry Tee deserves credit for dishing out another flavorful smorgasbord of live, and lively, electronica.