Are any of you old enough to have lived through the 90s? I know it's "unbelievable" but I sure am & EMF's Schubert Dip was a major part of my high school soundtrack! At the time, it was a road less traveled, near the intersection of indie rock and the rave scene. The lure of the fusion, riding on the influence of post punk electronica was enough to heighten my inquisitiveness.

"EMF are an English alternative rock band from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, who came to prominence at the beginning of the 1990s. During their initial eight-year run, from 1989 to 1997, the band released three studio albums before a hiatus. 

Genre: Alternative/Indie"

- read more here

I'm still curious about the actual origin of the band's name. A few proposed theories have been discussed. Does the acronym stand for "ecstasy mother f*ckers"? Or is it "Epsom Mad Funkers" (a name taken from a fan club of the band New Order)? Does it just depend on who's asking? Or does it even matter?

"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose  by any other name would smell as sweet."

- Romeo & Juliet  (Act II Scene ii) 

What really counts is that these party people re-united and revived at part of themselves (and their fans) that could have otherwise been a mere part of music history. Upon press release, announcing they were set to tour and trek all the way to L.A., our staff began making arrangements to cover the event at the historic Regent Theatre (a vintage 1914 cinema recreated as an indie concert hall & performance space with a bar & pizzeria). 

While we awaited the show, we learned ...

"In March, Cinderford Town Council unveiled a blue plaque on the side of Cinderford Clock Tower in honour of the band."

- source

Sincere congrats to them re: this honor!

Learn more about the UK's blue plaques here and/or view ceremony here.

Technically EMF was opening for Spacehog, but I know a hand full of really cool heads who went specifically for Mr. James Atkin (who was wearing a shirt that said "Sensible Raver") & mates. These weren't just any randoms, I'm talking folks who love really truly great music and are in fantastic bands of their own. 

We arrived early enough, so I made my way to 2nd row, by Ian Dench. I felt so at home, surrounded by other EMF fans. We danced, got sweaty (or maybe that was just me), and sang along thru the entire show. I put in my claim on a set list early on & almost didn't get it, but a generous soul made it happen. 

A real highlight of the performance was an unexpected medley. Thank goodness my friend has a photogenic memory, as he recalls ...

"It started with EMF's own Reach for the lasers, and then it went ...

• C+C Music Factory 'Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),' 
• Technotronic 'Pump Up The Jam,' 
• The Prodigy 'Breathe,' 
• and New Order 'Blue Monday.'"

So there you go, some classic songs (ranging from the late 80s thru late 90s) to add to your dance party playlists.

Another standout portion of the concert was the sharing of 2 new songs, both based on current U.S. events. One was entitled “Hands in the Air” where James got most of us to actually lift our arms in solidarity. He also gave us permission to borrow a common British saying regarding protest of the king. The next was called "LGBTQ+ (Love?)" taking a supportive stand for the named community. It felt extremely personal to James & Ian who both gave moving introductions. They also invited members of New York art-punk entertainers Ecce Shnak to join them on stage (they had initiated the nights' festivities). That was a special treat and look forward to more new music in the near future!

Thank you so much for remembering L.A.!!! We adore you, EMF!!!