Nibble Sized Review Tweets
Welcome to yet another “Preview The Review” (PTR) report, a series that is proving increasingly popular due not just to their bite sized nature, but that they hit our pages & the wider world before any other reviews in magazines & on-line. And continuing that tradition is our latest fresh felt reflection, but a very special one, as it captures not one, two, but three captivating club nights, moreover three that we find in the gay mecca of a village that is Soho, each one pitched on a different night, but each that have come to form such a special place on our cavorting calendar. Plus, given just how emotionally attached we have become to each of the clubs & the people involved, we thought we would combine them in a special review entitled “Soho Society Social Soiree Showdown”, this being our prologue PTR to that full review. In addition, having launched our live review commentary via Twitter last Sunday at Beyond vs La Demence, it has gained considerable following already and naturally, we were tweeting at all three of these Soho soiree’s, so if you have been following our tweets (now called our “live nibble sized review tweets”) then see how the feature in both this PTR & the full review, while you can check our tweets at http://twitter.com/discomatt. But, enough of all that, let’s get on with the task in hand and check out our first foray.
Disco Matt In The Industri League
Having moved up from Vauxhall to Soho as well as from a Thursday to a Wednesday, it would be fair to say that it took us a fair while to get used to the change, the fabulous feel of this social soiree splendour not quite the same north of the river as it was south, although like most things in life, getting used to the new style was worth the wait as Industri seems to have found it feet again. Yet while the faithful visits to this terrific turn are fewer and further between, even our visits plummeting since the switch, the last few weeks has seen us grace its doors more often again, even making it straight from our Barcelona trip, travel bags & all, perhaps in the knowledge that Industri’s life could be coming to an end, due mainly to the fact that its Soho spot will shortly be changing hands, putting into question its continuance. So, with the feeling that we needed to make the most of our favourite (or was) week night foray, despite weary bones from a hectic double Bank Holiday weekend, we put best foot forward & headed to Archer Street for what would prove another outstanding outing in the hands of hostess with the mostest Minty and beat master Brent, although arriving at just turned 9.30, it was clear it was going to be a slow start, although we cared not a jot at it gave us a chance to catch up with the duo ahead of any expected rush. And with the Candyman having delivered, the new sweet options going down a storm, we soon sank into this splendour, a whole host of colossal classic house hits served up by Mr Nicholls, memories of Crash & other clubs coming rushing back, when first cougar clubber pal Stephen arrived, dressed to dare but looking more like the latest Soho pimp, then the final jigsaw in the Industri original team, Paul Heron, graced the party with his presence. So, we knew we would be in for a rip roaring time, we suddenly feeling out emotional rollercoaster accelerating as “Here” Comes The Rain” got airplay, although closing our eyes transported us to Beyond & the magical musical hands of the maestro mixer, yet with all this captivating company & music to match, we found it easy to declare our delight on this latest Industri outing.
The Week Night Place To Be
With our next stop in this special “Soho Society Social Soiree Showdown” being Room Service the following evening, we could already feel ourselves heading into yet another emotional rollercoaster ride, not least as the man in charge of the music, for the first half at least, was Steve Pitron, was already well into the swing of what would prove to be a sparkling set. Arriving at the early (ish) time 0f 10.30 (ish) we were feeling a bit ish!, especially given the gravity of some upsetting sequence of events just hours before, so seeing Steve in his Room Service slot, sent our emotions racing immediately and we had to find solace in a quiet corner to bring them back into check. But that we did, weaving back through the already considerable crowd, the turnout quite considerable already, not least given the after effects of two in a row Bank Holiday weekends and with Mr Pitron beckoning us to come close, we found a neat little spot just shy of the D.J. booth to delight in his dance devotions. So, with some special songs spilling out from his set, “Offshore”, “Bitch Lady”, & “Catch You” hitting the mark, we felt right at home & content with our lot, but then feeling especially touched when he dug out a Howard Jones classic that had been inspired from a earlier tune into what has become the favourite radio station, Absolute 80’s, for both Steve & us. With Diu now quite packed by not overtly so, Steve stint was coming to an end, Kris Di Angelis taking over & laying down some serious, as we call them, Shoreditch styled sounds, we took a few moments to catch up with Steve and the posse around, including Naomi Ruiz & Suzana Quentin, before eventually hanging up our boots at just shy of 3 a.m., Room Service yet again proving just how popular it is & that it remains THE week night place to be seen on the scene, hats off to Jodie Harsh & her team, not least the charming & obliging Jack on the door.
Society Steve
So to our third Soho soiree in as many days, this time the night aptly called “Society”, as arriving at host venue Lo-Profile after a longer than expected disco nap, the Soho society set were shinning, a considerable queue already having formed at the door, but our graceful entrance aided by our lovely lady door hostess, who waved us through with an endearing smile. And not three steps into “Society” and who did we see but the music mixing maestro Steve Pitron, just like the previous night in full swing with a colossal collection of scintillating sounds, our arrival invoking the new calling card shout, “MAAAAATTT!!” from the man behind the decks, the also expected flood of emotions & that rollercoaster ride that we now find ourselves on in his hands every time, without fail, about to start. However, before all that were all sorts of liaison’s with that Soho society set, including fierce partner Lexi & pals, the marvellous Minty, international playboy D.J. Paul Heron, Steve significant other, our Brazilian beaut Celso Moura and the jewel in our jiving crown, Andrea Drudikova with (no surprise) a gorge looking man in tow. With all these fabulous friends around us, sinking into the spills & thrills of “Society” came with consummate ease, not least from the magnificent music in the making, “Offshore” heading a whole load of terrific tunes that had us spinning on our spot by the D.J. booth, the constant calls from the main man, along with continual invocations of tearful reactions setting off our water works through absolute joy & pleasure. And it terms of pleasure, of the eye candy sort, the two go-go boys were attracting plenty of attention, one leaving us totally drooling with his drop dead gorgeous looks, our camera clicking into ogling overdrive, while, back in our spot, Miss Andrea was proving every bit as entertaining with her extrovert antics, Steve’s superb sounds leaving us in no doubt that “Society” was THE place to be, we being in Pitron performance pleasure, especially when he pulled out “Here Comes The Rain” from all his other resplendent raptures, the truly tremendous reaction it got forcing us to step outside for a moment as it had become “Here Come The Tears” again.
Superb Soho Shindig
With Steve’s set done, it was just a few moments with us outside that then saw him & Celso melt into the night, while Andrea was not letting up on her outrageous antics, first labelling in as “blue trash” that had us in fits of laughter, then, while our back was turned, had “Society” in shock as she snogged Paul Heron, meaning it was all happening here, even a gyrating guy “Doing The Disco Matt” with us. And this was no surprise as Tony English was now in charge of the tunes, delivering one of the best sets we had heard him play anywhere, pitching his performance perfectly to match the surroundings & the style of “Society”, that sexy go-go dancer back on is podium to please, we felt our night going into hyperdrive, especially when Tony treated us to a second showing of one of our most favourite tunes of now “Offshore”, he being the man responsible for bringing it to our attention, yet Steve taking up the mantle with the remixed version that had hit our heart strings so heavenly at Beyond just weeks before, Mr English now also choosing this updated edition to enthral us once again. So, with the energy oozing out of “Society”, especially with the Tony tunes erupting the dancefloor in ecstasy, our energy was pretty much spent, we being able to leave Lo-Profile in the knowledge that we had definitely savoured another superb stint in our “Soho Society Social Soiree Showdown” short series, leaving us with just one decision to make, who made it to the top slot of this terrific trio of triumphs, the result of which will soon become clear as it’s now “…ready, steady, go for the review…”. (DISCO MATT)
Postscript
Given the gravity of the effect of these three superb Soho soiree’s on us, combined with the huge amount of emotions we have endured, not least over the last few weeks, but moreover in the last few days, we issued the following note on Facebook, entitled “Three Days Of Exceptional Emotions”, which we felt appropriate to share with you right here….
…. Having spent the last few weeks consumed with exceptional emotions, from our trips to Paris, Brussels & Antwerp, then those unforgettable weeks in South Africa, to Delice Dream in Barcelona and then the magic clubbing we have consumed back in London, those last few weeks have seen some amazing highs, some terrific lows, some great news, some very bad & sad news, meaning we have been on the most exceptional emotional rollercoaster ride of our life. Yet, the last three days have seen our biggest emotions EVER!, from a truly terrific time with someone who we considered as a great friend, then onto Room Service on Thursday when another true & genuine friend treated us tremendously with both his support & his sounds. And completing the trio days was “Society” at Lo-Profile last night, when the man who did it for us at Room Service, did it again in bucket loads, not just playing tunes that drew on our emotional heart strings, in a brilliant way, but was “right there waiting” for us when we needed it the most. Plus, with so many other wonderful friends in attendance, last night was just the tonic we needed to lift our sagged spirits & restore our crushed confidence. But through it all, our thoughts still remain with two important links in our life that are miles away, and one who, despite the trauma, may remain the important link he has been for so long, so this post goes to those three as much as all the rest. Yes, we have spilled plenty of tears over the last three days, some in absolute joy (not least at Room Service & Society) but more away from the clubs for not such joyful reasons & responses, but we wouldn’t be what we are today without our exceptional emotions along with a real passion for what we do. So, with the spring back in our step, we will be forging forward with all our reviews, previews, recommends, reports, music, & other writing, first stop being our Preview The Review of those three days, which we have called our “Soho Society Social Soiree Showdown” (SSSSS). But before all that, huge thanks have to go to the following people, in no particular order, but all who made our SSSSS so special, on Wednesday, Minty, Brent Nicholls, Paul Heron, Stephen Davies, The Polish Boys, Dutch, and Jeremy Precelton & The BCS team, on Thursday Steve Pitron & his girls, Naomi Ruiz, Suzana Quentin, Kris Di Angelis and the fabulous Jack & the Room Service team, then on Friday, Steve Pitron again (MAAAAATT!!), Celso Moura, Andrea Drudikova & her boys, Paul Heron, Minty, Lexi, Tony English & his posse and Paul Beardshaw & the Lo-Profile team, plus everyone else that came & said hi.