Logan Back In The Limelight

The last few months have certainly been everything of the rollercoaster ride we have been painting of our circulations around the clubbing scene, the emotional, mental & physical pressures having taken their toll and whilst there have been a huge amount of up’s, there have also been downs. Mind you, our downs pail somewhat into insignificance when compared to the misfortunes besieging the London branch of Spanish clubbing brand SuperMartXe, who, along with its promoter here, one Logan Schmitz, have really gone through the mill recently. For those of you that have been watching developments closely, we don’t have to tell you that both the brand & its promoter have come in for a pretty rough ride, primarily caused by competitor brand WE muscling in on the action, Logan having lost SuperMartXe’s natural home, The Coronet, in effect to the highest bidder, then suffering badly from substantial shortcomings at Debut. However, in its latest home, Pulse, the brand seems to be settling in, although the three parties it has held thus far have been met with mixed responses, the last event losing out to WE London’s strong arm tactics.

So, as we wave farewell to a rocky road of a summer and re-emerge as our former self, so SuperMartXe & Logan reappear after a rest from the scene and a welcome return it is too, as while we saw a new big brand attempt to emerge just a week ago, the revolution that was Brava promising much but delivering little, the clubbing circuit seems to have been starved of the variety that it always used to boost. Recent times seem to have pointed only to all things Orange & not much else, well apart from the alternatives & boutique clubs which continue to forge their fortunes in the niche markets they find themselves in, so yes, Logan’s re-emergence has to be seen as good news by many, this coming Saturday (10^th September) seeing SuperMartXe’s “Blackout” take place and an event that we are hope will mark a tide change in fortunes, not just for SuperMartXe & Logan, but for the wider scene too, which, given the lack lustre launches of late is definitely in need of a boost.

Blackout Brilliance

So that’s the backdrop to SuperMartXe’s return, so what about the “Blackout” event itself? Well probably the best way to introduce you to what you can expect from the event is by sharing parts of the official press release, the team unsurprisingly wanting to wipe the recent slate clean & start afresh, especially when they say “…forget everything you know…” they adding that “we invite you to experience SuperMartXé on a whole new level…”. And we can well believe what they say, particularly when it comes to host venue Pulse, a substantial amalgam of arches in Southwark that have now settled into their new life as a nightclub, further plans afoot to develop the massive auditoriums, as well as the club having signed deals with new & existing club ventures over the summer period making it the latest clubbing hotspot in town. As for the “Blackout” theme, it appears Logan is daring to try something different with “…a lights out experience promised to captivate your mind and seduce your darkest senses…”, suggesting that dancing in the dark may be a possibility, although more likely Logan has plenty of surprises up his sleeves in terms of the production, reveals, performances & effects, especially when he says that “…we dare to show you the difference between reality and a dream…” and adds “…we guarantee a party to get London talking…”.

SuperMartXe Salva Style

Now whilst Logan & his schmitzels (we have missed our affectionate term to his team) may be keeping much of their cards close to their chests, what we do know is who will be delivering the dynamic dance music, Logan drawing on some of SuperMartXe London’s big guns to serve up the sounds. And in both Tony English & Nick Tcherniak, they have two front runners in this respect, but more on those two in a mo, as it is SuperMartXe Spain resident Salva Di Nobles that gets our immediate attention, “Blackout” marking his first representation for the brand here in the capital, although the man has been treading the SuperMartXe boards for well over two years, especially from his base in Ibiza. However, like many of his compatriots, he hails from Barcelona, the melting pot that seems to produce one D.J. after the next, Salva braving the competitive circles he found himself within pretty well, seeing opportunities to spread his wings quite early in his career, guest appearances right across Spain & into Europe littering his schedule, while trips to Brazil belie his Latin routes. But it was two major breaks in 2008 that saw him become a force to be reckoned with in Ibiza, as he landed both a residency with SuperMartXe and a slot on the islands “Global” radio channel, since when Salva has played for the brand right across the world. In terms of music, whilst his style is very much eurobeat, tech infused as well as progressive in its making, there is not too much evidence of compilations to point your way, although the September Logan Presents podcast, out at http://loganpresents.podomatic.com, has Mr Di Nobles featuring large and is a serious hint towards what to expect from him this Saturday.

Terrific Tcherniak Turn

But while Salvo will be “Blackout’s” headline D.J., as we mentioned, two of SuperMartXe’s stellar London residents will be making their musical mark too, Tony English taking up the final set reigns on Saturday and is the man behind Logan’s monthly podcasts. That said, he has his own productions too, all giving you a great flavour of his style of sound, worth more than a look at http://djtonyenglish.com. So we are sure to expect powerful & pumping performance that has seen him feature large for brands such as Lovechild & As One, while his regular slots for Gaydar Radio has kept him pretty busy of late, that on top of a regular residency at east end hip hop happening, The Hoxton Pony, meaning he has been out of our earshot for a bit, but in nevertheless a worthy inclusion in the Saturday line up. Then, completing the musical picture is Nick Tcherniak, another terrific talent that has dipped below our radar in recent times, although just like Logan, SuperMartXe & Tony English, makes a welcome return to the limelight on Saturday, scooping up the opening set at “Blackout” with what will surely be a tech house triumph Tcherniak style, intermixed with plenty of uplifting grooves to get the party pumping right from the 10.30 p.m. start. And with a club repertoire that includes greats Trade, DTPM, Heaven, Orange, Matinee & MOS (to name just a handful), there is no wonder Logan rates Nick as one of his strongest residents, his prolific productions with studio partner Steve Thomas adding to his appeal, the latest release “Day & Night” the same title as his podcast which is a must grab at http://nicktcherniak.podomatic.com.

Pop Princess

Now naturally, no SuperMartXe smash would be complete without the stage shows & performances and while, again, we are not sure quite what to expect on Saturday, we are pretty sure it will be to the usual heavenly high standards that the brand have become famous for, prolific pyrotechnics, stunning stage shows, drop dead gorgeous dancers, exceptional effects & masterful music. But we cannot overlook the pumping performance that is sure to come your way, as one element we can guarantee is the inclusion of Swedish superstar vocalist Therese, she another welcome return to the SuperMartXe fold and will no doubt, just like her performance for the brand a year ago, take the capital by storm, once again showing why she remains as dynamic a draw as she is a powerhouse of vocal vitality. And, for the Therese uninitiated, just take a peek at this short sequence of video’s which should acquaint you well enough, point towards what to expect on Saturday & give you a pretty good idea of why Logan calls her “…our very own pop princess..”, http://youtube.com/watch?v=E7ReFdDDtWM, http://youtube.com/watch?v=gQA-rC3zCZU, & http://youtube.com/watch?v=H7aDpK-9_20.

So with no more reasons required to book your place for this “Blackout” bash, let’s quickly run down some of that detail, as advance £16  tickets are on sale both online at http://clubtickets.com and at Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50, as well as at Profile Bar, Q & Solarstation, although tickets (subject to availability) will be on sale on the doors which open at 10.30 p.m., the event running through to that planned 6.30 a.m. finish. As for the venue, Pulse is an easy reach from nearest tube Southwark Station (a minute or two away) & just a hop, skip & jump over Blackfriars Bridge, the full address being 1 Invicta Plaza, SE1 9UF (just pop it in your smart phone), while more info on the event is available at http://loganpresents.com. Plus, not party would be a party without a pre-party, Room Service playing host to Logan & his schmitzels this coming Thursday (8th) Sept, more details on this & other Room Service happenings available at http://clubroomservice.com. 

So, the final word goes to Logan who quite rightly say’s “…no one can be told what SuperMartXe is, you have to see it for yourself…”, while the S in this Saturday & indeed Sunday looks like standing for SuperMartXe, meaning we will definitely be there to see it for ourselves, reporting on the whole event, marking our own welcome return to the SMX fold and reckon you should also “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)

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