DoodleFest

Not last Friday, but the Friday before,
TestSpace went out in the afternoon, we had heard about something happening at the club- Subculture. Known as a goth club we did not know what to expect, still with open hearts and hope we walked round the side of the Merrion Centre, and through those dark doors.
So it was with great surprise and glee that we walked down stairs into the venue and saw an eclectic bunch of people taking part in an all day art event- Doodlefest. Most had black markers in hand, creating drawings of figures, mindscapes, blobs, curvy ladies, monsters, machines and other strange, beautiful, ugly and funny images onto the freshly painted, white walls. Handing over a small entrance fee walked in and listened to noise of the illustrators and their friends talking to each other, laughing and drinks been bought. We did the only thing we could, we sat down with a beer each and spoke about what we were seeing.
Along side the work, there were a number of small stalls in the middle of the room, cup cakes, trinkets, postcards and other small items were on sale. It was a light, festive feel, people working enjoying their time there.
We managed to collar the manager and she told us of her hopes for this event. She wanted to take a new look at the club, for people to do the same, offer something else and create a new feel to place. This was a great way to start. The Test Space team walked round the room and spoke to some of the people taking part, many had being there since the morning and would not be leaving until the early hours, others had just got there and were digging right in. The workers got a large canvas to work from, the audience got to enjoy others work. Its never a problem to watch others work. It was not a small task, just about every wall had to be covered, so the event was definitely going to last for a good while.
Then came the band.
We were happily chatting to some illustrators when Bunty, an organiser of Doodlefest, was ushering the band on and kindly removing us from being in their way. We walked back to the bar, another few beers and the started to music play. It felt like a jam, rough and unrehearsed, cool, friends playing for friends. I believe it was a least some of Mojo 57, I could be mistaken, either way it lifted the workers, and felt a lot like an evening session.
By this time we had been there for over three hours, I had to leave. Life pulled me away, the other half of Test Space stayed, beer, live music and people making work, what more could he as for.
Later.
We have have seen the manager since, she told us of the tiredness at the end, the bodies lying fatigued, the party much more a sleep over, it was worth it. The place looks good, they have earned a long rest.
Check out the new look, watch out for new nights, remember Subculture.