COLLEGE LIVE + DRIVE SCREENING

Gorilla, Manchester | November 15th

Set beneath the rumbling trainlines of central Manchester is Gorilla; a new venue which tonight plays host to a screening of Nicolas Winding Refn’s modern cult classic Drive. The screening is accompanied by the neon grooves of David Grellier, better known under his alias of College, whose track A Real Hero is a highlight from the film’s exceptional soundtrack.

It’s a sound well tailored for scenes of endless neon highways, fast cars and smoky basements. But while this metropolitan vibe is incredibly fashionable, to see Grellier modernising the sound with pulsing electronic waves is captivating to watch. And when that song erupts out of the speakers, surges of people – some even wearing the silver scorpion driving jacket – jump up from their seats and dance in the aisles.

After a brief intermisson and a steady surge for the hotdog stand, the screening of Drive begins. For those still in the dark, the plot involves a mysterious mechanic/ moonlight getaway driver, played by Ryan Gosling, who gets caught up in a complex feud while trying to protect Irene (played by Carey Mulligan) and her son from gangsters threatening their lives. The characteristics of film noir, teamed with doses of extreme violence and a soundtrack that oozes ‘cool’ from every pore, sets up Drive perfectly for its well deserved cult status. However, tonight Crack saw just how well each component works on its own merits, with Grellier showing how the soundtrack punches just as much weight in a club as the visual does on the big screen.

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Words: Alex Hall