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The 1 in 12 Club
Infest
 
1. THE BASICS
  
In which we try to provide a very quick overview of our entire existence.

1.1 What?

A broad-based goth-industrial club night in Bradford. Our basic objective is to create the conditions for goths and like-minded folk to party.

1.2 Where?

Originally on the gig floor of the 1 in 12 Club, then in the cellars of the New Beehive Inn on a regular basis, and finally back at the 1 in 12 for the wake. You can find out more about the 1 in 12 Club here.

1.3 When?

Pretty much monthly, once upon a time. Now, let's just say July 5th.

1.4 Why?

Intially, because nobody else did and we wanted somewhere to go. Actually, that's still true now.

1.5 Who?

Team Carpe is a nebulous beast. Nominally "organised" by Carpe promoter and co-founder Mr Howard G Vodka, the full team currently seems to consist of Sue, John, Viv, Lottie, and former co-promoters Dave, Steph and Jon. Any or all of whom may be present on any particular night. We might just all make it along for the wake, subject to a following wind.

2. THE MUSIC
  
In which we attempt to translate the aural experience into text.

2.1 What's the music policy?

"Music that you like and want to dance to." However, that looks a bit crap on a flyer (and you never know who might pick it up and get the wrong idea), so we adapted it to "[in a large font] goth - industrial - ebm [line feed, carriage return, switch to slightly smaller font] alternative - eighties - punk", often with "dancefloor friendly", "request friendly", and that sort of thing thrown in for good measure.

Oh, just go look at the set lists - but bear in mind the balance changes from night to night depending on the crowd.

2.2 Do you play requests?

A qualified "yes"; if we have it, it fits the music policy, and we have time to fit it in - we tend to get a huge slew of requests in the last hour and there's no way we can play them all. Requests for Jimi Hendrix, Bon Jovi, ELO, Bob Dylan and Bob Marley have all been met with a firm "no", although with varying degrees of sarcasm, sympathy and patience.

2.3 Why do you play/not play x?

It kinda depends what "x" is. In terms of not playing it (assuming it fits the music policy), it's probably either ignorance or oversight. Ask the DJ to find out which. In terms of playing - oh, I dunno, "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails - it's inevitably because people keep asking for it.

2.4 Who DJs there?

DJ gothVodka has been resident DJ since the beginning. He also plays at Transmission, over in Leeds, and far too many other places. We've also hosted a sizable number of guest DJs of varying degrees of stardom, obscurity and suitability.

2.5 Can I DJ there?

I think you've left it a bit late.

2.6 Do you have live bands?

Sometimes we did, sometimes (specifically at the Beehive), we didn't. For the wake, we will.

2.7 What bands have played Carpe Noctum?

616 Abortions, Action Directe, Adfinem, Beer Beast, Cauda Pavonis, Deadfilmstar, Deviant UK, Illumina, Inkubus Sukkubus, Katscan, Killing Miranda, Libitina, Mechanical Cabaret, Pro-Jekt, Psychophile, The Hugh Reed Explosion, Saints of Eden, Sanctuary, Scary Bitches, The Screaming Banshee Aircrew, Shallow White, The Sisters of Murphy, Squid, Zeitgeist Zero and Zombina and the Skeletones. You'll soon be able to add Rhombus and MNourning for Autumn to that list.

3. CHINESE WHISPERS AND THE MURKY PAST
  
In which we attempt to lay some rumours to rest.

3.1 What's this I hear about the 1 in 12 Club? Why did you move?

Carpe Noctum ran more-or-less monthly at the 1 in 12 Club from 1999 through to 2005, before taking a gap year and relaunching at the New Beehive in 2006. We moved because we felt, at the time, that we'd taken the monthly night as far as we could with the venue; although we've continued to use it as an occasional venue since, and certain of us continue to be active members of the club itself.

Contrary to misinformed gossip you may have seen peddled elsewhere on the web, at no time were "the 1 in 12 people not very happy with the guys running it now" - the 1 in 12 people, the guys running it now, and the guys that used to run it being, of course, the same people. Sigh.

3.2 What's this I hear about the New Beehive? Why did you leave?

Despite our best efforts, it became clear that there was no longer a sufficient goth scene in the city to justify running a monthly night. Our apologies to those that are left clubless. There are some good nights over in Leeds.

3.3 What's this I hear about Infest? Why did you stop?

We were involved in running an impromptu and very unofficial aftershow in 2000 (which we believed was somewhat more official than it actually was), From 2001 to 2004 we ran an official aftershow in co-operation with the Infest promoters, until licensing conditions got in the way. You can still find us in the bar area every August. People still talk to us.

3.4 What's this I hear about The Exchange/Carpe Diem? What happened to that?

At some point there'll be a page documenting the drunken adventures of Carpe Diem. In the meantime, suffice to say it was a monthly afternoon social event at The Exchange, run by Carpe Noctum mainstays Jon (Nonemoreblack) and Howard (gothVodka). It was fun, whilst it lasted. When it stopped being fun, we stopped doing it. Simple as. We still pop in for a pint once in a while.

3.5 Didn't you guys used to have a record label?

This also merits its own page at some point. Carpe Noctum Recordings was a not-for-profit label that released two CD-R compilations - New Blood Volume One, which retailed for two quid with a maximum run of 500 numbered copies, and Aftershox 2004 which we did 100 free copies of for that year's Infest aftershow. We're not currently active, but still have a large stash of New Blood inlays and a pile of CD-Rs that we should really do something with to recoup a bit more of our expenses.

3.6 Are you connected with...?

No. Any other Carpe Noctums, Carpe Noctems, Carpe Nocturnes, Carpe Diems, Carpe Jugulums or whatever that are scattered through the real and virtual world are not our fault.

3.7 What happened to x? Didn't you all fall out?

As previously mentioned, Team Carpe has always been a bit fluid in its membership. This has largely been due to us having Real Lives away from the club. I think there are only two people who were involved once and aren't at all involved any more - one was never a goth, and the other split up with one of the promoters and left the county. Real Life, you see.

3.8 Aren't you all glammies/trad goths/cybers/gumbies/old/commies/anarchists/nazis/punks/drunk/obnoxious?

Only two of us/occasionally/sometimes/that's a vicious slur, and anyway there's nothing wrong with Judas Priest/getting there/no/just three of us/no no no/a bit perhaps/quite often/quite possibly. I hope I've got that in the right order.

4. ESOTERICA
  
Into which we shovel the trivia that doesn't fit elsewhere.

4.1 What does Carpe Noctum mean? Do you know you've spelt it wrong?

Well, the idea was that it was a pun on "carpe diem", Latin (apparently) for "seize the day" - ever seen Dead Poet's Society? Change "Diem" to "Noctum" and - hey! - "seize the night". We thought it was quite imaginative until we got on the interweb.

As for the spelling, we did get an informative e-mail explaining that nox, noctis (the night), being a group three noun, becomes "Noctem" in the accusative - not "Noctum" as a group one noun would have done. Silly us. We quite rightly responded that "Carpe Noctum" must be right, as it's spelt that way on the flyers.

It's goth up North