Anthropology Space Project

Research results

Having discussed the methods employed to collect our data it is necessary to describe the actual experience of doing so. The first concert i actively witnessed from the viewpoint of an anthropologist conducting fieldwork was Busta Rhymes. I arranged to meet Scottish rapper Artistiks outside the venue as he was the support act appendix 7 and 8 reflect the building from outside. Unfortunately i had to rely on pictures from the website that don't depict the venue at the time of my research, the main difference to the outside walls is the addition of Graffiti.It was Graffiti in it's crudest form simple name tags etc, i was slightly disappointed in this fact as elaborate graffiti alongside break-dancing formed the original essence of 1970's-early 80's Hip Hop. Artistiks was flagged by his two support dancers who i also got the chance to interview(appendix 4) The outside grandeur of the art deco period is reflected in the original entrance design, i remember thinking that the design features and the world of Hip Hop have little in common, with Hip Hop being urban and edgy and described as coming from the streets, which is in stark contrast to the exuberance and opulence of the art deco period.. The entrance hall depicted in Appendix 9 acts as a bridge from the old to the new, with modern carpeting and modern glass door paneling. At this point i was issued with a VIP pass which helped me appreciate the power relations within the complex. For instance their is a VIP only bar which is situated within the upper tier of the complex and is only accessible by pass holders. I let Artistiks prepare for the show with the promise of securing an interview after he had performed. This was an important time to conduct the interview as he could provide me with first hand experience of the venue form a performers viewpoint. I was hopeful that he would be elaborate on crowd-performer relations within the musical genre of hip hop, and who each of these roles differ. Unfortunately due to space restraints within this assignment it is not possible to describe or reflect in detail on each subsequent visit to the complex.

I was in the privileged position to explore the space prior to the audience being admitted, this allowed me an access level not normally attributed to general members of the public. During this free time i reflected on the original features of the old cinema complex such as ceiling features, balcony and boxes, and the proscenium arch around the stage. The colours of pastel shades creams and browns have a calming charm to them and for a moment i truly

found it hard to believe this was a music venue given the opulence of my surroundings. As time progressed and the crowd where given entry to the venue i quickly realised my initial impressions that the youthfull audience members tend to descend to the front of the audience, there also appeared to be a disproportionate level of females concentrated near the stage as opposed to other areas of the venue. Another striking fact i noticed was the age range of the audience tended to increase as the distance from the stage increased. Laura also noticed in her research that those who chose to position themselves at the bottom bar around 50 metres from the stage where in the 25-35 age demographic and almost exclusively male. In discussions with my friend Chris who's interview features in appendix 5, he remarked that he would not come to a hip hop gig when he's past 30, i asked if he would still retain an interest in the music genre to which he replied "Hip Hop will never leave me. Therefore i believe the distance from the stage has significance in that it could signify your removal from the the live music scene and your ability to enjoy or feel comfortable in these surroundings is dependent upon age and do a lesser extent your sex.

However the main focus of my studies was not centered upon the layout, positioning, or features within the space instead Laura and i agreed the space is a fluid space that is shaped by the people who use it. Through careful analysis of our research the main difference we found across musical genres relates to the issue of violence. My interview with Artistiks after his performance revealed he was of the opinion that the Hip Hop genre in Scotland has issues of negativity

"75% of the gigs I've been to-here have been fights or violence" (appendix 2) This viewpoint is further reinforced by Willies admission that security at hip hop gigs is tightened to deal with potential threats of violence. The management also introduced a novel plan to counter these affects

"At Hip Hop Gigs we have introduced break dancers amongst the crowd, they appear to be normal audience members but are paid by ourselves.It gives a positive focus and we have found seems to promote a good atmosphere"

My interview with Chris(appendix 5) reflects on this initiative-"it's an unexpected bonus i guess, with the crowd and the performer on the same level you feel closer to the action"

By removing the barriers between the break-dancing performers and the crowd the element of communitas could be said to be experienced where there is no distinct separation of performer/audience a feeling of connectivity or unity is experienced.

The feeling or state of positivity is also prevalent within my research my research with Elaine and Kareena(artistiks backing dancers) in appendix 5 revealed their experiences as both audience members and fans. Through my discussions with Elaine she revealed she has visited the space as an audience member at rock gigs, although she chooses to express herself through the medium of dance at Hip Hop events. This allows her to cross the invisible barrier between the two genres as through my experience of interviewing people, the majority categorise themselves as fans of one or the other.

" I'm a big rock fan although my dance style is hip hop.....There is a similar level of passion in both genres they truly

are all

about the music, however for me there is a greater positivity