Stoke Newington is not very convienient to reach from West London, and if the gig goes on late it's an awfully long way home on night buses. Going on the car and not having a drink is quite sensible anyway after several convivial nights. Eugene machine are convivial company and it's great to see them again.
In so far as there is a common thread that runs through the bands that I follow, Eugene Machine may not seem to be a band I should like. They are quite electronic and rather funky, and there are quite a lot of them. Their live act is compelling, culminating in a song where everyone seems to be hitting something. And they move a lot which produces manic photos. On top of this they are all friendly and pleasant to chat to before and after the show.
The Pangea project is probably an old shop and whilst not a top venue is quite pleasant with an attempt at lights and reasonably priced Guiness.
After 6 months Eugene Machine seem better than I remember them; I'm not sure whether that's just my memory or whether the new drummer has brought new life to the band (maybe a bit of both).