‘The term thick descriptions was first used by Ryle (1949) and later by Geertz (1973) who applied it in ethnography. Thick description refers to the detailed account of field experiences in which the researcher makes explicit the patterns of cultural and social relationships and puts them in context.’
In a shabby dim-lit basement room, underneath an Italian Restaurant in Dalston, somewhere around 50 sweaty people huddle around a low rise stage, occupied by various machines adorned with wires wrapping around one another like vines. Blueish purple hues of light intermittently scatter over their heads as a silhouette emerges onto the stage. As the overhead light reveals the figure in a flurry of deep red, wolf whistles and applaud fill the room, drowning out the remains of quiet chatter. Seemingly transfixed on the hardware in front of him, he proceeds to engage with its knobs and buttons. Before anyone has a chance to prepare, a cascade of notes dance into everyone’s ears, shortly followed by a wall of soothing bass tones. The crowd sways in response, moving as one, to the rich chordal harmonies emanating from a sound-system hidden behind a sea of people. As if in some form of premeditated choreography. As the music comes to an end the clink of glasses and the shuffle of footsteps slowly become audible again. A second figure steps onto the stage, warmly welcomed by cheers and whistles. After briefly addressing the crowd he makes a hand gesture to the first figure and the sound of a drum loop cuts through the room. Dusty in texture and solid in pocket, all members of the crowd succumb to its groove, invited to move their bodies in unison with it. Flesh rubs on flesh as people compete for space to express themselves through movement. The heat contained within this relatively small room starts to become more and more noticeable. Beads of sweat glimmer in the hazy lighting as the crowd, one by one, start stripping off their outer layers. The second figure starts to rap into a mic, decorating the drum loop with poetic efficiency. The heat, whilst borderline unbearable, is forgotten about for a brief moment as the crowd find themselves hypnotised by the performance. United in a common appreciation for this particular vibe, the crowd is comforted in the unspoken camaraderie that a shared music taste can bring.