Apart from being a headline too precious to pass up, the crowds at this year's Loeries are divided as to whether the great rig on the beach here, that glows blue at night, could possibly be a portal for alien beings and clones. In support of this theory, it is doubtful that either the barmen or the four girls in gold spray painted monokinis at yesterday's Velocity get-together, with their golden tequila-dispensing machine guns, were remotely of this world.
The town itself is a bit surreal too, it's hard to put one's finger on, but the atmosphere is sort of part B-grade motel movie and part time warp. It is possible, for example, that Corné and Twakkie, the presenters of the first round of the awards ceremonies last night (Saturday, 15 October), could be Margate locals.
There's something suspiciously extra-terrestrial about this year's eyewear trends too, alien style wraparounds abound and with enough bling to beam down a small craft.
Unceremoniously dashed from Reg Lascaris' cocktails yesterday, to catch a good viewing berth on the flight deck of the Cock & Tail, from which to catch a bite of sushi and survey the much vaunted Parade... Mayor Shusha in her bling and entourage were also there. The Margate Drum majorette troupe are so cute you could eat them one by one, like emerald green candy floss and in this are everything the Margate Angels and Hot Rodders are not. So many bikers in the Parade it was like Mother Mile's funeral. Anyway we eventually got to the Big Top awards venue in one piece via an assortment of vehicles, at which sporting something inflatable was de rigueur.
Host John Vlismas was perfect, Corné-hulle, well what can I say, the whole shebang - a collaboration between Director Josh Lindbergh, unsung and Unplugged producers Lydia Mason and Rick Melville and Format Digital Production with graphics by Elmir Arnautovic and Drew Eltze from The Project, should've taken the design Grand Prix. Spirits were high as a trapeze and funfilled, I think, the objective of funky Loerie Chairman, Qingqile (Wingwing) Mdlulwa to imbue the Loeries with a renewed sense of excellence. And don't think it wasn't appreciated that all concerned were charming, brief and funny - not that anyone, to my knowledge, dared complain, but orange plastic circus seating does not rock.
Fireworks in a South Easterly squall after, drew more oohs and ahs than most of the creative work and in less than three hours we were all back in Margate proper to sample the clubs, pubs and dives that made up the after parties.
Saw the sun rise this morning and will no doubt do the same again tomorrow after today's trek to uncover this year's crop of industry supernovas.
