Posts Tagged ‘Casalatina’
July 10, 2012 | 
Author Departing a little from his usual monthly mixes, Zach Burns’ residency at Popcorn’s Departure Lounge being this inspiration of this latest compilation in his “House Sessions” series, our premier protégé player proves his position with his most prolific production yet, DM delivering a dinky devotion on the dance-tastic delight that has made his “Podcast Of The Week” choice.
It is no secret that, despite showing our support for scores of D.J.’s & music producers, both here in London & across the globe, there are, nevertheless, a handful that get extra attention, Zach Burns being one such individual, and having closely followed & supported his progression behind the decks for over 12 months now, we have seen this talented young man’s D.J.’ing career grow in both strength & stature, very much manifested in the roll-call of residencies he has buckled under his belt. And with that list extending to brands such as CasaLatina, Gigolo & Matinee (the later a lifelong dream already achieved), 2012 has proven a yardstick year for Zach already, with international appearances in both Berlin & Paris to add to his rising repertoire, while bread & butter gigs for Profile, Lo-Profile & The Edge back here in London have cemented his standing on the scene as a new force to be reckoned with, Zach standing tall amongst the other poppy players that scatter the scene.
So, supporting Mr Burns comes quite easily to us and with his equally prolific podcast production matching his activity out on the scene, not a month has gone by this year without one compilation or another of his making it into our collection, whether it be the specialist mixes from residencies or guest slots, such as Scream, GMF or that momentous Matinee meet, or from his now considerable “House Sessions” series. Yet while his productions certainly hit the heavenly mark, certain track selections fervently floating our boat, it has been rare for any one mix to make it into our daily playlist, one which fills our ears while exercising our other occupation, zooming around London’s roads, an elite selection only extending to the likes of Brent Nicholls, The Oli & Jamie Head, while the domination of a Steve Pitron podcast pretty much speaks for itself, the peddle power his productions produce in us, unrivalled by any other, not least his “Jan 2012 Session”.
However, in Zach’s latest, Vol. 24 in his monthly “House Sessions” series, we have one such podcast that not only pitches perfectly against Mr Pitron’s, but did, for a couple of days, topple that superb Steve set of sounds, hence why it has made it to our “Podcast of The Week” choice. But the reasons extend further than that, as in this latest Burns beats bonanza, we have a collection of tunes that both inspire & energise us, his decision to depart from the norm this month & devote this delightful dance-tastic delectation to his weekly residency within Popcorn’s Departure Lounge, bearing brilliant fruit with lashings of vocals intermixed with his trademark funky beats, while within this magnificent 75 minute mix, we have crowned both our new Burns/DM anthem of the year in Upjeet’s remix of Etienne Ozborne’s “Been A Long Time” but have also found the new 2012 replacement for the truly towering Rony Seilkaly track “Take Me Higher” in the emotionally enthralling “Another Day” from the captivating composition camp that is James Talk & Ridney.
But with Zach having chosen plenty more vocal crowd pleasures within this production, familiar names that he continues to bank on including our Italian stallion Pagano, the resplendence of Ralphi Rosario & the superb Stefano Noferini, as well as notable names & artists such as Ian Carey, Lisa Millett, Abigail Bailey & David Penn, this composition is crammed with pedigree from spectacular start to fabulous finish. Indeed, we have found it immensely difficult to dislike any track on what is undoubtedly Zach most outstandingly brilliant & best to date, pretty much sealing the deal on our recommendation that it is an essential must to your collection, downloading mere minutes away at direct link http://djburns.podomatic.com/entry/2012-07-04T11_32_41-07_00, while Mr Burns has shared a selection of the total tack listing via his Beatport chart at http://www.beatport.com/chart/house-sessions-24-july-2012/92806, where, should you so wish, you can grab the track that floats your own boat & at the same time support the artists & music producers that have helped propel this podcast into our number two slot of 2012.
So, with the awesome accomplishment, not only has Zach provided further proof that his a every measure for the material that is our premier protégé player position, but he proves that, through the captivating compilation creation, music most definitely is the answer. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | 
Tags: Casalatina, Gigolo, Lo-Profile, Matinee, Popcorn, Profile, The Edge, Zach Burns | 
No Comments »
With our reviews in arrears, our previews hardly present, our music devotions derelict and our recommendations rusty, we have decided it is time to take time off, take time to re-charge, take time to re-focus & take time to re-energise, the announcement of our “Scene Summer Sabbatical & Service Scale Down”, deluding to the details of our decision, along with our desires & intentions for a full service resumption/return.
With 2012 already proving to be our own “annus horribilus” on a number of fronts, there can be little or no doubt that the activity that was always the core part of our existence, our reviews, has taken a direct hit, how did we out it?, “…woefully in arrears…”, while it is also true that the year so far has seen a distinct lack of the previews, both in full form & in focus/feature style, along with an absence of our much loved much now maligned recommendations newsletters, ones we used to, devotingly so, issue each |& every week, although this first half of 2012 has seen just half a dozen devotions, hardly the devoting our admiring audiences deserve or indeed expect. But the sorrowful story continues, as one of a major life loves, our music, has also been badly hit, planned special features, D.J. focuses &, yes, our music newsletters, all having pretty much ground to a halt, while there has been a ray of light in the form our newly launched “Picks” section which (well up until the middle of this month that is) has dominated our activity and has proved to be the one inspiration in a year that has been devoid of almost every intrinsic ingredient. So, whether it be recommends, focuses, features or reports, all that have formed part of our success recipe, our package, they have been alarmingly absent, while it is the one element that started it all that remains THE most alarming absentee, that element being our reviews.
So what’s been happening?, Well to put not too fine a point on it, the “Matt” in Disco Matt has been the cause, a whole host of issues that has afflicted Matt, having a knock on effect on Disco Matt (yes we are one & the same), close family illness issues back home in South Africa dominating both January & February, while it is now Matt’s health that is consuming our lives, to the extent that we, all too often, find ourselves so fatigued that there remains little or no energy or dive to pursue our postings with anywhere near the vigour & va va voom of previous times. Then, to compound the problems besieging us, a series of computer failures have influenced our interest & intent to deliver our devotions, we having lurched from one device to the next with little or no resolve or resolution and, in reality, without this essential element/tool, we have been akin to carrying a war wound, a lost limb, or a corroded cog in our writing wheel, a wheel that had become square rather than round and, as the saying goes, has fallen off!! So, those have been the causes and the effects have been plain to see, the figures speaking volumes, a lacklustre six reviews reaped when there should have been four times that, while with just two music newsletters, a handful of recommendations & no previews whatsoever, it certainly is a sad state of affairs we have found ourselves in, while on the positive, our scene step outs have been captured not just in pictures & video’s posted onto social networking sites, but our now infamous “nibble size tweets” have amassed an ever increasing following.
However, the fact remains that, with much of our core activity at a complete standstill and with the heavy weight of expectation of output laying heavily on our, what were, broad shoulders, we have had to look inwardly at the issues that are causing this collapse in our once wondrous writing and in so doing decide to relieve some of that pressure by sending ourselves on a scene summer sabbatical and also scale down our services, the summer sabbatical part of the equation allowing us to “re-charge”, the scaling down of services allowing us to “re-focus” and the two combined allowing us to re-energise & then “re-engage”, hence the title of our report. So what form will all of this take?, Well, as we have hinted, we will be stepping out of the scene spotlight for a few weeks, curtailing our commitments to expectant engagements while possibly continuing to make the odd cameo appearance here & there, these visits seeing a scaling down of our nibble size tweets, which for this summer sabbatical period, will however continue while we re-charge. And the scaling down of services will also impact (it has already) on our website which will hopefully see itself going through some re-charging, with further nip & tuck tweaks and improvements both to the layout & the look, meaning it is possible that the site may go down for this maintenance while we scale down our activity, shifting the focus in the direction of our social networking sites, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook.
With the re-charging process in place, we will be then re-focussing, predominantly on those core aspects of our activity, so our reviews, our music posts & our regular recommendations, we having already decided to draw a line under the first six months of this “annus horribilus” part of our year and look forward to a remaining six months when we will be re-energised & re-engaged with our writing. So, with the sabbatical period relieving the pressure, the aim will be to roll all these posts back into prominent position, while not forgetting the elements of our activity that have proven quite fruitful in 2012, so our Picks posts & the D.J. focuses & podcast propulsions that have borne fruit through our Pick of The Day” & “Podcast of The Week” choices. But, as the next six months dawn arrives (its 1st July tomorrow) we are determined to re-start all the supporting structure we have been so fervently following in the year so far, so while our website goes through its changes, we will be continuing to update all the banners in our various “Supports” sections, so clubs & events, businesses, publications & music producers, the specialist “Orange Nation” “WE Party” devotions continuing. Moreover, we have set ourselves a weekly schedule which will kick in following the end of our sabbatical which will mark the start of our re-energising & re-engagement period, elements of this beginning to bed in from as early as tomorrow, while we remain determined to under promise on our postings and so over deliver as a result.
So the question remains, when will this summer sabbatical & service scale down end?, Well, as we go to press on our decision, its remains pretty open ended, although we expect to be fully back on stream by the beginning of September, so a sabbatical period of eight or so weeks, we taking this opportunity to apologise to those clubs & club promoters for our absence from a elongated list of events, clubs included (some benefitting from a smattering of showings) being A:M, Beyond, CasaLatina, Dish, Gigolo, Hard On!, Later, Matinee, Orange, PlayTime, Room Service, Salvation, Trade & War, while to club promoters, particularly Craig Elder, Jonny Marsh, Jodie Harsh, Suzi Kruegar, David & L.a. Hart, Tom Stephan and Kris Di Angelis, we will be back supporting but more importantly, reviewing your events as it is our reviews that is the real core of our activity and what we have become famed for & are all about. In addition, to the venues, such as The Shadow Lounge, Profile & East Bloc, we will be continuing (and in places) ramping up our support & our showings from September, while some will benefit from short steps into the scene spotlight during our summer sabbatical, Beyond one such benefactor as soon as tomorrow, while we are sure others will follow.
Well, that’s where we are, while what we have also done, not least following the inspiration drawn from a recent cinema trip, is to mastermind a Disco Matt maxim, one which will underpin the re-charging, re-focusing, re-energising & re-engagement period we now find ourselves in, it seemingly appropriate to end our report by sharing it with you, it chronicling, where we have been, where we are, and where we want to be, and it goes like this
“…The person, who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, but nothing happens unless we first dream. So we came, we dreamed & we tried in our different ways, but now tired, we simply get up in the morning & we try, as nothing else matters. Can we be blamed for feeling too tired to change, too scared of failure to start it all again? Well the only real failure is the failure to try and the measure of our success is how we cope with our failings, as we always must. All we know about the future is that it will be different, but perhaps what we fear is that it will be the same. So we must celebrate the changes, because everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, then trust us, it’s not yet the end…”
So here’s to our summer sabbatical serenading a new & renewed enthusiasm for what we do & how we do it, here’s to the decided mobilisation of our music devotions, the resumption of our recommendations and, most importantly, the return of our reviews. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | Tags: A:M, Beyond, Casalatina, Craig Elder, David Hart, Dish, East Bloc, Gigolo, Hard On!, Jodie Harsh, Jonny Marsh, Kris Di Angelis, La. Hart, Matinee, Orange, Playtime, Profile, Room Service, Salvation, Steven Sharp, Suzie Krueger, The Shadow Lounge, Trade, War, Wayne Shires | No Comments »
With a firm farewell to an awful April, Disco Matt looks back on a month that, true to his rollercoaster ride of an existence, had some huge highs & some lousy lows, but scoring a line through it all, looks into his disco morrorball of expectations for the month of May that will mark a new era in DM expeditions & enthusiasm.
To say that April has been a challenging month is a little bit of an understatement, as we have struggled to get even our core activity back on track, while also attempting to expand our offer & cover more events both during the week as well as at the weekend. And when we look back across the last month, it would be fair to say that there have been some winners as well as losers in our activity, but what this reflection has already done, is concentrate our minds on what is most important to us & where May will be taking us. So, in true “Monthly Message” tradition & looking into our mirrorball of reflection & then expectation, we run down on April’s activity & May’s missions in what we have already labelled as a new era in our expeditions & enthusiasm.
REVIEWS
Given that April included Easter, one of the busiest weekend’s of the year, that on top of a handful of other expeditions, to find that there has been not one single review penned for the month is a shocking wakeup call in what is, without question, our core activity and one that simply has to get back to track. So with the most colossal review catch-up on the cards that will include Beyond at Fire, Playtime at Profile & Matinee for March, as well as reviews of Onyx & Beyond back at Area in April, we will draw a line under this lacklustre of lamenting, while we take you back to our one of our last published reviews as our post pick & for a flavour of what is to come
PREVIEWS
We started April with ample anticipation of our first preview of the year, new club venue Covert the subject matter. Although with the month closing on entirely the wrong foot & this full on feature shelved, we will be devoting our attention to other subject matters in May while the differences between Covert’s upper tier management & ourselves are sorted out. So, with an expeditionary look out East, we will be sinking our preview teeth into Summer Rites, while we will also be previewing the month of May for Room Service, The Shadow Lounge & Profile/Lo-Profile, that on top of looking at life for Salvation after losing its shining light, Steve Elliot, in his untimely passing.
RECOMMENDS
With both our Weekend newsletters & focuses having spluttered along during April, we recognise that, like our reviews, this needs much more attention in May. However, we did cover a multitude of events & happenings in the month just gone, including a two recommends features on the Orange Nation offer & as well as alternative antics, while our new Picks section (more on that in a mo) saw us combine a handful of recommendations in, not least CasaLatina’s “Love Banana”. But it is that Easter activity that we look back to for our post pick, before looking forward to a May commitment that will include those weekly newsletters, & focuses that have been awkwardly absent.
REPORTS
April saw us attempt that much prized re-focus that was required, laying out both our music & our monthly plans in two reports, although with none coming to the fruition that we would have liked, our reporting activity ended up being confined to just one on Beyond, although one that was combined with our “Picks” post of the same day. However, with it falling under the attention radar, we have chosen it as our post pick here, while May should see a return (if but a little abridged) or our “That Was The Week That Was” report, along with other features covering the topics of the time.
MUSIC/D.J.’S
With no newsletters & only a handful of focuses, the real passion in our life & activity took a bit of a bruising again in April, our enthusiasm dented by issues of the day that saw Saturday’s & Sunday’s squandered when we normally have devoted this time to delivering delightful doses on D.J.’s & their productions. However, our new(ish) “Podcast Of The Week” pickings did allow us to look at Zach Burns, Eduardo De La Torre, & Adam Turner, the latter our post pick here, while the last few days of April saw us combine music with picks, which will be a continuing feature in May, that along with our determination to re-start those much missed music newsletters, special features & D.J. focuses.
PICKS
Born out of an inspired inkling of an idea while on the dancefloor, this latest addition to our website of sections has quickly gown to becoming the dominant deliverer of our daily devotions, we having amassed no less than 25 in April, since starting them on the 5th, making one for each subsequent day of the month. And combining our picks postings with recommendations, reports & music, it has allowed us to maintain activity amidst the tough times we have had in juggling other issues affecting our enthusiasm. So, with a temporary stall in May already over, these daily picks will continue unabated, specific days devoted to specific picks, while we will also be spreading the scene love, both here in the capital & across the international waters, while our post pick here goes tot WE Madrid’s “Fast Food” event & a feature focus on its star turn resident D.J.’s
COMING UP
With the need to restore the core activity that started it all, our reviews, as we have already mentioned, a colossal catch-up is planned, picking on reflections from both March & April, while the high bar we set for the month just gone will be lowered a little. Over & above that, we have hinted towards restorations of our recommends & reports postings, along with music newsletters & features that should allow us to get back on our feet, while those now prized “Picks” postings will maintain our commitment to at least one publication a day. In addition, having added a video plug-in to our website admin tools, we will be sharing much more YouTube & other video links which will provide added dimension to our devotions.
KEEP UP
There are a number of ways to keep track of our activity across the scene, social networking site Facebook the best way, both via our group at http://facebook.com/groups/discomatt/, or on our page at http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746, while additional references on our profile at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon are worth watching. Then we have our Tumblr page at http://discomatt.tumblr.com/, which includes our “Pick of the Day” posts, while Twitter takes up the stain of our ever popular live “Nibble Size Review Tweets”, which you can follow by going to http://twitter.com/discomatt. Plus, for you iPhone folks out there, remember that our website in app style friendly, a simple bookmark save of http://discomatt.com/web popping up our predesigned icon & allowing easy tracking/viewing.
CONTACT US
It couldn’t be simpler really as there are a number of channels to get in touch, sending an e-mail to matt@discomatt.com one, while a message to our Facebook profile or page two others, even a wall plastering on our group getting our attention, even a tweet, direct or otherwise, pricking up our ears.
SUPPORTING THE SCENE
We have always been really passionate about supporting all sections of the scene, much of which we historically did via our various reports & features. However, the addition of a designated “Supporting” section of promotional banners as an integral part of our website, that along with a nip & tuck re-design to increase imagery content, has allowed the image visuals to do much of the talking, we propelling clubs, events, businesses & music producers, their own websites, ticket, event & podcast pages. In addition, with an interactive “Best Bite Choices” section, along with “Pick Of The Day” & “Podcast of The Week” slots, we continue to consider these promotional banners as our gratuitous way of supporting a scene that has supported us. So, if you are a club promoter or event organiser & fancy having your club or event promoted, then just drop us a line at matt@discomatt.com, attaching the relevant artwork, and we will do our best to include you.
DISCO DIARY DATES
With the issues marking our awful end to April still unresolved, in terms of reviews, we are not looking much further than our nose, although have already committed to “Playtime” at Lo-Profile & “Dish” at East Bloc this weekend, while Gigolo & Room Service will also be benefitting from reflections during May. Plus, with the month’s major weekend coming towards the end, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee & then Whitsun weekend hailing a number of exceptional events, we will be going scene sporting crazy, while club event “War” will also be reaped with our review reflection.
So, with the scene showers of April now behind us and with that new era in our expeditions & enthusiasm ahead of us, a sturdy schedule of daily & weekly website posting requirements will see much of our May goals being achieved and that all important core & extra circular activity restored to us former resplendence. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | Tags: Beyond, Casalatina, Covert, Dish, East Bloc, Gigolo, Lo-Profile, Onyx, Playtime, Room Service, Salvation, The Shadow Lounge | No Comments »
For scrumptious starters there is an ample appetiser of awesome afterhours autonomy, followed by a majestic mains mountain of scintillating Spanish supremacy, this three course clubbing colossus picture completed by a dream of a dessert, cream of the crop filled captivating clubbing collaboration. Yes, it’s Easter, which can only mean one thing “The Big Ticket” is back, Disco Matt delving into the detail of this most prolific & popular of packages.
There are a small handful of dates in our disco dance diary across any given year that are just that, a given certainty that we will be stepping significantly out onto the capitals clubbing circuit, Christmas & then New Year naturally close to the top of the tree, while the trio of bank holiday weekends, the two in May & the one in August, generally tugging hard on our house music & scene strutting strings. Then of course, there is Pride weekend, and while it does not boast an extra day off work, we tend to throw ourselves into a packed weekend of parties regardless, while as we cast our eyes into 2012, we see a brace of other examples where stepping out on the scene will be a given, The Queen’s Jubilee one, and, The Olympics another, both sure to prove hedonistic highlights for many, or at least a great excuse to capture a collection of clubs. But when it comes to those special stepping out onto the scene weekends, Easter is difficult to beat & better, not least that the weekend here genuinely starts on a Thursday night and, if you are so inclined, it can carry you through to the flowing Tuesday without your feet touching the homeward bound ground.
So yes, Easter is right up there with the best weekends of the year, probably topping our tree of choices, but with so much going on and four, sometimes five days to soak up the splendours of the scene often means a substantial & sometimes severe hole can be burnt in the pocket, after all its not just the drinks that cause a dent in your dollar, but racking up six, seven or even eight clubs can be a very expensive experience indeed. However, we are pleased to say that one section of the clubbing community has recognised that fact, a corporation that pretty much holds sway on the capitals circuit this Easter, with no less than eight events stretching from Thursday to Tuesday, although acknowledge that Sunday & Monday are the precious prizes in the clubbing calendar on this holy weekend of the year. So, having launched their hugely successful “Big Ticket” package back in 2010, have brought it back with a bang for this coming weekend, combining a trio of clubbing treats into just one entry pass, a ticket that gains you access to three of the biggest bashes in London, not only offering a delightful discount, but negating the need to carry a collection of tickets in your pocket, your purse or your wallet.
Now that’s the concept, but what the “The Big Ticket” offer you this Easter? Well, when we make mere mention of Beyond, WE & As One, you will probably recognise these as the premier picks in any weekend, let alone Easter, ach one having proved, time after time, roadblock events and very much THE places to be & be seen stepping out on the scene. So, with just one ticket, this towering three course clubbing collective is right at your fingertips and all for the singular price of just £40, yes pretty much the deal of the century when you consider just how colossal these clubs brands are, WE riding a worldwide wave crest that has left the likes of its Spanish compatriots SuperMartXe & Matinee very much in the shade, while what we have said about Beyond in the past still holds true, this breathtakingly brilliant brand having ridden its own wave crest for as long as we can remember, proving that, even on regular weeks, all roads lead to its doors. But then we turn to As One, a concept born a little over two years ago, but stormed the scene from the outsight, the bringing together of clubbing minds, spirits & souls the epicentre of its success and, having forged a new path this NYD, sees some of the biggest names in capital clubbing come together in a capitavting combination that, just like this Easter weekend, is hard to beat or better. So with the sales pitch definitely driven home, we know you know that “The Big Easter Ticket” option makes complete sense, meaning its just now a case of clicking on this online link and securing your pass to this towering trio of treats, http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/07/the-big-ticket-easter-weekend the place to go and for just £40, it is really a bargain you cannot beat, but this unbeatable bargain it doesn’t stop there, as “The Big Ticket” gets you free entry to both Onyx & A:M (more on that in a mo), meaning that, in reality, it’s a quintet rather than a trio of treats. However, if you prefer to grab one in person, fear not, as the same £40 package is available at Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50.
Now that’s “The Big Ticket” itself, what about the trio of treats? Well, in the tradition of a fabulous three course meal, let’s kick off with the starters first, but this is no small portion, rather a most ample appetiser, as Beyond is the brand to kick start this towering three course clubbing collective, the team not only pleased as punch that the brands backyard is back in business, Area already benefitting from some nip & tuck changes, but will be extending the clubs offer this Sunday to their now famed “Midnight” format, that means our (yours too we are sure) favourite & most awesome of afterhours gets going this Saturday (7th April) or as we prefer to call it, zero o’clock on Sunday (8th April), running a full twelve hours till midday on Sunday, showcasing the best that the brand has to offer in is terrific team of London D.J. residents, promoter Steven Sharp having confirmed the line-up exclusively to us, which includes Hafiz Sean & Paul Christian in the “Beyond RAW” room (formerly the Chapel space) with the welcome return of our Seville showstopper, Gonzalo Rivas, But it goes one, as in the “Beyond Da Disco” room (formerly the terrace), we cannot contain our excitement, as Jamie Head makes a welcome return (please not at the same time as Steve Pitron), while The Oli & Fat Tony will rock the space to its foundations, oh and Jonny M will be there too. All that said, the main room will be the main attraction and you better get there early, well before 5 a.m. at least as Steve Pitron makes a resplendent return after a break of over a month with a special classics set to mark his award winning “Ultimate DJ” status and has already warned us to expect complete emotional destruction (you know how it goes…tears, floods & tweets). Then, sandwiching special guest D.J.GSP, who will be flying the XLsior flag with a bunch of euro style & uplifting tunes (check out his podcast at http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/2012-03-26T13_16_13-07_00), will be two dynamic duo’s, The Sharp Boys & then Alan K & Paulo Moreno going b2b, this starter segment looking simply spectacular, those without “The Big Ticket” able to grab singular entry either in advance online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/beyond-midnight-easter-saturday-xlsior-pre-party or via Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50, more details a click away at http://facebook.com/beyondclub.
To the second instalment or should we call it the magnificent mains meal of this trio of treats and it is the magnificent & massive WE party that takes centre stage with a t-dance style turnout that proved ever so popular on New Year’s Day, hence the team repeating the winning formula that is sure to prove just as popular as last time. And with a D.J. line up that includes the might of Gonzalo Rivas, Jamie Head & Steve Pitron, it should fulfil all expectations, not least that London is once again showcasing the newest concept in the WE Party pack, “Fluro” the theme & one for the senses, as we have been told to expect the best in visuals, effects & lasers that host venue The Coronet has ever seen, this being no mean feat as previous parties “Pharaoh”, Safari” & “Disco” were prolific enough, while “Candy” still remains a high benchmark that keeps both the Spanish & London promotions teams on their toes. And talking of that London tea, with the likes of Tom Fuller, JJ Clark & Ben Kaye on hand, it is strong enough, although with Aaron Elder having very much grasped the nettle in recent events, WE London under his steership is going from strength to strength, the inclusion of Room Service in the prolific package adding to the appeal. But WE Madrid still have their say, promoter Victor Pallas employing his newest resident D.J. Raul Ortiz, a pretty much unknown talent but one that is sure to sparkle under the spotlight. Add to the music magnificence, we have been told to expect “…incredible visuals and stage production, mind blowing special effects, and more gogos and dancers on stage than ever before…” and given just how amazed we were with “Safari” on NY, as well as the fabulous feedback we received about “Pharoah” we can believe it. But it doesn’t stop there as room two is all about Room Service, yes Jodie Harsh & her terrific team are back, the dynamic duo that is Kris Di Angelis & Fat Tony on the decks and Jodie even spinning a few sounds herself, while Johanna will be hosting as only she knows best, leaving the main “Fluro” arena in the very capable hands of Ben Kaye & JJ Clark, these two gems also seeing you guestlist lot in as smoothly as possible on the door. And talking of doors, WE “Fluro’s” open at that t-dance time of 6 p.m. this Sunday (8th April), running through till 2 a.m., single ticket entry available of course, priced at £18 both online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/we-party-london-easter-t-dance & at the usual Soho outlets, Prowler, Clone Zone & 50, as well as Ku Bar (Lisle & Frith St), while entry will be available on the door, naturally magnificently managed by Tom Fuller, but expect to pay more. And don’t forget that every great WE party has a pre-party and its Room Service this Thursday (5th April) that plays host, more info on this out at http://facebook.com/events/305906092809366/, while for further details on “Fluro” itself, go direct to http://wepartylondon.com/.
So to dessert, but what a plump pudding it is although while we may be billing it as the dessert in this three course clubbing collective, it actually has all the credentials for a massive mains meal of majesty, as the captivating collaboration that is As one, pulls together a band of brilliant brands that includes, Orange, Trade, Casalatina, Megawoof, Onyx, & TheMenWhoFellToEarth, all across the expanse is the duo of club spaces that now form the massive complex on South Lambeth Road that many call Fire, but actually includes the separate club Protocol, this new(ish) addition to the Orange Nation empire proving really popular with our straight cousins, not least that the swanky separate bar space & bespoke services fit the bill perfectly. So with The MenToFellTo Earth boys taking up Protocol’s intimate second space, Megawoof will be doing their best to steal the show in the Lightbox with Daz Saud & special guest Max Sanna, who played brilliantly b2b with studio recording partner Steve Pitron last weekend, so is very much in the groove and while Protocol is considered separate to Fire, it will be very much part of the action come Monday morning. But naturally it will be the three rooms of Fire that will be the main attractions, not least that the might of Trade, Orange Onyx & Casa Latina will be playing their part in this colossal collaboration and when you consider that the D.J. talent extends to the likes of Nick Tckerniak, Guy Williams, & Rosco flying the Trade flag, while rising star of the scene Junior Moura will head up the Casa team, supported by Doug Silva, Orange being represented by Fat Tony The Sharp Boys & Gonzalo Rivas and Onyx has gender bender’s Tasty Tim & Lady Lloyd on the decks. Plus, promoter Steve Sharp keen to point out that across this six room splendour (that includes the Protocol VIP space!) we can expect “…music ranges from pumping house, to deep and techy, commercial anthems, and so much more, with gogos, live performances, fire shows and special As One production…” and given what a simply superb job he did with the last party, giving the As One brand a fresh new feel with these added big & alternative brands, we are very much looking forward to this colossal collaboration to round off our Easter weekend in scintillating style. So, with hosts Chrissy Darling, Elektra Paris, Danny Boyce & Mauricio Ortiz looking after your every whim from doors opening to closing, these timings being from 11 p.m. through till 7 a.m., as with the other two in this trio of “The Big Ticket” treats, singular entry to As One is available, tickets priced at £18 on sale both online via http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/as-one-easter-sunday or in person by popping into Prowler, Clone, 50 & both Ku-Bar’s and while there will be tickets available on the door, due to the popularity of this event, expect to pay much more. However, we have spotted that online early birds for As One are still available, so get in quick & you can grab one for just £15, more info (should you need it available at http://facebook.com/events/323974380990951/.
So, that’s “The Big Ticket” offer and with brands Beyond, WE & As One in the package for just £40, you know it makes sense, especially when you consider that with free entry to Onyx “Holy Trinity” & A:M “Headliners” too, it’s definitely best to go BIG this Easter, our post “The Pricing Picture” coming up, re-enforcing this truly outstanding Orange Group offer. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Aaron Elder, Alan K, As One, Casalatina, Chrissy Darling, Doug Silva, Fat Tony, GSP, Guy Williams, Hifi Sean, Jamie Head, Jodie Harsh, Junior Moura, Kris Di Angelis, Megawoof, Nick Tcherniak, Onyx, Orange, Paulo Moreno, Raul Ortiz, Room Service, Steve Pitron, Steven Sharp, The Big Ticket, The Oli, The Sharp Boys, TheMenWhoFellToEarth, Tom Fuller, Trade, WE "Fluro", WE Party, WE Party London | 1 Comment »
While carnival season was well under way back home, it seemed that Brazilian brand Casalatina, which was born in London, decided an inter galactic theme was better suited to celebrating their fourth showing on the scene. But did this “A Space Odyssey” spectacle sparkle like a shooting star or sink scorching into the stratosphere?
Brazilian Beats Bender
There is absolutely no doubt that the international influences that have swept the capitals clubbing circuit in recent times have made for a much more colourful playing field here in London, the green, green grass of home getting a massive splash of red & yellow in the form of the inbound so called Spanish armada back in the noughties (gosh makes us sound old!!!). And while the proverbial torch has been passed from brand to brand to hold high & burn bright, Space, Matinee & SuperMartXe all part of the rapturous relay, run, the current leg in the hands of the wonderful WE, the Spaniards haven’t had it all their own way in our captivating clubbing backyard, as the red in that colour splashed playing field has got a grain of green running right through it, as The Brazilians have definitely landed on London & in a big way. So, with The Week very much the pioneer of the South American dream, a succession of parties both at Fire & at the Coronet in part fulfilling its readymade following, although right on the tail of The Week’s second showing, a new London born brand was to show its Brazilian credentials & cards, very much taking the initiative away from its Sao Paulo prominent player.
Latin Lovable
Casalatina was the inspiration & idea of dancer come choreographer turned promoter Thiago Drewry who considered that a there was room on the capitals clubbing circuit for a brave new Brazilian brand & being native of this South American country himself, was well positioned to propose the venture to the Orange Group powers that be. And while The Week had established a foothold in the capital, it would be Casa (we often drop the “Latina” bit, oops) that would take up the set the 2011 season alight with its home grown Brazilian charm, the second instalment “Super Carwash” propelling the party into the eyes of the clubbing elite, the involvement of fellow Brazilian Mauricio Ortiz, he of SuperMartXe fame, giving the brand the boost it needed and setting it on course for a season of spectacles that have confirmed it as one of the capitals more prolific parties. With “Sugar Daddy” reaffirming a fervent following, even in the difficult times both the clubbing world & Vauxhall in particular were going through, it was just a question of when as opposed to if that Casa would storm the scene again, the latest & fourth instalments, “A Space Odyssey” flying in the face of calls for the theme to reflect & celebrate the carnival season sweeping across Brazil, meaning we were more than keen to see how it would fair & compare to the “Super Carwash” benchmark.
Odyssey Outing
With initial plans to arrive literally as the doors opened at 11 p.m. somewhat scuppered by an over indulgent disco nap, we were in playful mood before we even left the house, our liason with our near & dear D.J. pal forced into feigned false starts a few times, we probably pushing our luck a little too far when we tried the same on opening Casa spinner Junior Mora, our arrival at not long turned 11.30 p.m., met with a distained look from our Brazilian protégé player. However, all that was after the warm welcome at the entrance by the larger than life Chrissy Darling, looking just the galactic part in her colourful & star spangled costume, while the charming JJ Clark made the smoothest of starts even better than we could have wished for and with the coatcheck staff recognising us in an instant we already knew this evening was going to be one to savour, host venue Fire certainly ticking all of our expectant boxes from the off. But it was an expectant Steve Pitron that was to grab our attention as we sped towards the main room D.J. booth, the space only scantily scattered with selection of scenesters, although our eyes were diverted onto the stage production which was striking to say the least, a phallic like rocket on one side & a full size astronaut moon walking man (not a real man you understand) on the other, a whole stream of stars framing the whole affair and certainly living up to the Casa style of staging. Mind you Mr Marsh was a little if but amusingly disparaging of the efforts, he remarking as he spotted us, “…it’s amazing what a few stars & stage props can do…”, although it was first Mr Pitron and then our protégé player that received our discerning devotions, Junior warming up this “A Space Odyssey” event wonderfully with a captivating collection of chunky upfront house hits, all blended in brilliantly with bits of Brazilian beats to befit the occasion, while Steve was determined to divert Disco Matt from the task in hand, darts in & out of the lounge space interrupting our devotions to Junior’s superb set and a rapidly filling out main room.
Rocket Fuel Rapture
So, with earlier doubts that this “A Space Odyssey” take-off would nose dive like an exploding Space Shuttle in the stratosphere, Casa was having none of it, the afterburners on its towering trip into wonderful weightlessness propelling this party proudly, a whole host of familiar faces having flocked to Fire to succumb to their own spot of space dusting & dancing, the list pretty endless, although notable inclusions being Suzana Quentin looking gorgeous as ever, the adorable Andrea, full of beans, our premier protégé player Zach Burns, ready for duty, as was Brazilian beatmaster Doug Silva, accompanied by partner Weverton De Castro, while we managed a brief audience with Jodie Harsh as she swing by, the lovable Lunarde Martins lauding more of his attention on us as we refreshed ourselves with Steve in the lounge, Steven Galo also in the thick of the action, as was Chrissy & Aaaron Elder, while the marvellous Mhardenn Teixeira was very much in playful mood, chasing us round the club although pushed from a few Pitron prompts. But all eyes were on the stage, as the first of a few showings would dazzle the audience, the “A Space Odyssey” theme a little absent from their costumes it has to be said, but their performances & stage presence as sparkling as the sun, pyrotechnic ticker tape explosions & our much loved roof rockets illuminating Fire like never before.
Latina Lunar Landing
With Junior’s jamboree of a spectacular “A Space Odyssey” set over, for us all too soon, it was time for Doug Silva to assume the decks, an immediate brace of Brazilian beats belting out to a audience that were seemingly lapping up every tiny morsel of his music and while the tribal tones were not particularly doing it for us, Mr Silva was mixing up the music marvellously, a whole host of uplifting house hits making their mark. But when he selected the towering tune “Gravy”, we felt a little more Beyond than Brazilian, a further successive string of sounds affirming our feelings, although we were far from complaining, spinning on our select spot with the marvellous Mhardenn not far away and Junior (oh we can call him Celso now) right by our side, Steve having retired to rest before what would turn out to be a breathtakingly brilliant Beyond to beat all others. But saving that for another review, it was Casa we were concentrating on, not least as the arrival of a camera & microphone, Chrissy Darling the interviewer & we the interviewee, caught us a little off guard & tongue tied, a short series of quizzical questions leaving us a tad tongue tied, yet eloquent enough to pour praise all over this prolific party, while her final on the spot shocker left us hoping that the “husband” humdinger wouldn’t make it further than the film editing & cutting room floor.
Explosive Effects
With this Odyssey outing going from strength to strength, our premier protégé player Zach Burns mixing up the magnificent music in the second space, that along with the arrival & deck assumption in the Casa main room of Alan K, we were very much spoilt for choice as to where to lay our final music hat of moments. Would it be Mr Burns & his barnstorming beats or Mr K & his euphoric & energetic house heaven?, we deciding to share our dancing devotions between the two although doing so with alarming speed, perhaps due to over indulgence in energy boosting refreshments akin to rocket fuel that kept us firing on all cylinders, while the cavorting crowd were also showing no signs of slowing down, the main room podiums packed, even the stage appearances continuing unabated, from trio’s of females to males, all impressing immensely, making our decision to curtain call this Casa carnival decidedly difficult. However, with Beyond now on the brain & an expectant Pitron performance in mind, it was time to wave a fond farewell to Fire, the need to recharge our own batteries as well as those of our nibble size tweeting toys also paramount in our plans, we gracing our exit after goodbye wishes to our flock of fabulous friends & familiar faces that were seeing this glorious galactic gathering right through till the end, wending our way home to reflect on another Casa club night that made a magnificent mark.
Superb Space Spectacle
So, in concluding our refection of this brilliant Brazilian brand’s latest impressive instalment, we can say with conviction and answering our original question, that “A Space Odyssey” certainly did sparkle like a shooting star and, once the party got going, showed no signs of sinking into the sub space stratosphere, the music, the effects, the lighting & the production all living up to the high bar benchmark of “Super Car Wash” wonderfully. If we had to pick on one part that fell a little short of expectations, then it would be the dancers costumes, which as we said lacked the space themed spice we would have thought should have been their centre-piece. However, in truth we are nit picking a little, as Casa Latina is much more about the spectacle, the music & the staging, Thiago, Mauricio & Lunarde masterminding all these ingredients impressively to produce a party to be proud of, that music doing much of the talking for us, not least performances from outstanding opener Junior Moura and the blending of beats from Doug Silva two heavenly highlights. But like so many of our meets of late, it was also the people that made this memorable, a big thanks going to each & everyone that came to say hi, along with all those mentioned by name, you made this a space adventure to savour and we cannot wait to walk on the Casalatina wild side again soon. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Aaron Elder, Alan K, Casalatina, Chrissy Darling, Doug Silva, Jodie Harsh, Jonny Marsh, Junior Moura, Mauricio Ortiz, Steve Pitron, Thiago Drewry, Zach Burns | 1 Comment »
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10 Jul 2012 | 0 Comments
Music/Picks – “Burns Beats Best” – Zach Burns’ “House Sessions Vol. 24″ – Tuesday 10th July – Podcast Of The Week
Departing a little from his usual monthly mixes, Zach Burns’ residency at Popcorn’s Departure Lounge being this inspiration of this latest compilation in his “House Sessions” series, our premier protégé player proves his position with his most prolific production yet, DM delivering a dinky devotion on the dance-tastic delight that ...
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30 Jun 2012 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Re-Charge, Re-Focus, Re-Energise, Re-Engage” – Summer Sabbatical Service Scale Down – Saturday 30th June
With our reviews in arrears, our previews hardly present, our music devotions derelict and our recommendations rusty, we have decided it is time to take time off, take time to re-charge, take time to re-focus & take time to re-energise, the announcement of our “Scene Summer Sabbatical & Service Scale ...
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7 May 2012 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Picking Through The Pieces” – DM’s Monthly Message – April – Monday 7th May
With a firm farewell to an awful April, Disco Matt looks back on a month that, true to his rollercoaster ride of an existence, had some huge highs & some lousy lows, but scoring a line through it all, looks into his disco morrorball of expectations for the month of ...
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2 Apr 2012 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “Towering Three Course Clubbing Collective” – The Big Easter Weekend Ticket – Beyond, WE “Fluro” & As One – Saturday, Sunday & Monday 7th, 8th & 9th April – Weekend Focus Special
For scrumptious starters there is an ample appetiser of awesome afterhours autonomy, followed by a majestic mains mountain of scintillating Spanish supremacy, this three course clubbing colossus picture completed by a dream of a dessert, cream of the crop filled captivating clubbing collaboration. Yes, it’s Easter, which can only mean ...
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25 Feb 2012 | 1 Comment
Reviews – “Brazilian Beats Bender” – Casalatina “A Space Odyssey” – Saturday 18th February – Full Size Review
While carnival season was well under way back home, it seemed that Brazilian brand Casalatina, which was born in London, decided an inter galactic theme was better suited to celebrating their fourth showing on the scene. But did this “A Space Odyssey” spectacle sparkle like a shooting star or sink ...
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