Posts Tagged ‘Later’
April 13, 2012 | 
Author As the scene shakes off the hangover resulting from the biggest weekend of the year so far, some sporting the spoils of success, others simply reflecting on what could have been, time rests for no man, victorious or defeated, so the scene steps forward into April, Disco Matt picking out his top of the tree three places to be stepping out on the scene in Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch.
What an Easter weekend that was, a whole host of parties & events recording terrific turnouts, some very much against the form book, while others that had promised so much, failed to deliver, our own weekend reflecting that situation a thrilling Thursday followed by a phenomenal Friday, led a superb Saturday night come Sunday morning , then turned into a soggy rest of a Sunday & a manically depressive Monday (and we aren’t talking weather here folks), Room Service, Society, Play>time, A:M & Beyond our real winners, while WE “Fluro” & As One ended up condemning what could have been a brilliant “big” weekend to our own review rubbish heap. But with the winners still to reap our reflections, it’s our coming weekend recommendations that get our immediate attention, our top of tree three places to be seen on the scene this weekend, our brief look at a trio of best bites across Soho Vauxhall & Shoreditch.
So, let’s get to it and to Soho first, it coming as little or no surprise to you regular readers of our recommendations, that it is Profile & Lo-Profile that gets our Best Bite pick here, having served us superbly well not just last weekend, but for much of March (well the whole year so far to be honest), the captivating combination of bar above & club below, very hard to beat, especially as both venues continue to draw in some of the scene top D.J. names, along with fresh new talent to tantalise & tickle your musical taste buds, while with now firmly established brands that include “Society”, “Play>Time”, “ClubNation” & “Beartrap”, that along with the might of Gaydar behind them, this delightful duo look set to, once again, prove to be the places to be & be seen on the Soho scene this weekend. So, with D.J. regulars Rob Sykes tonight (Fri 13th) and Jamie Head tomorrow (Sat 14th) upstairs in Profile, both kicking off the music from 8.30 p.m. through till the 11.30 p.m. finish, it is downstairs that gets our full if but briefer best bite attention, the award winning “Play>Time” up first, prolific promoter Jay Roberts back after (it has to be said0 probably THE best event in the brands history so far, but will be pulling out all the stops to top last week, not least that he welcomes fellow award winning D.J/producer & all round good egg Steve Pitron to the decks, along with cheeky chappy & a damn fine D.J. in his own right, Steven Artis. Add to that an ashes style porn star shoot out, as Brit boy Marco Sessions squares up to Aussie hunk Tate Ryder in a go-go dance off & back room play off, Jay your referee & you ((if you’re the luck one) caught in this sexy & seductive man hunk of a scrum, further details up in our “Pick Of The Day” post at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=5087. Then, tomorrow (Sat 14th) sees the return of “ClubNation” & also the return of Lee Harris, who will be performing a specially extended five hour set very much in the vein of his similarly named House Nation podcasts, which means you can expect plenty of uplifting, chunky & euphoric house hits, Lo-Profile swinging open its doors on both nights at 10.30 p.m. & running through until 4 a.m., entry & other details available by going to http://loprofile.com.
Onto Vauxhall now and there is lots going in within The Orange Group (or is that Orange Nation?!?) who grab our Best Bites slot this weekend, not least the breaking news that Onyx has been put out to grass for a while, so leaving a pretty vacant gap in the usually hectic schedule, although very much paving the way for A;M to possibly extend its opening hours, although more news on that to follow. However, one club that is definitely extending its hours this weekend & then henceforth, is Beyond, the new starting time of 3 a.m. every week looking like a pretty popular move, although only time will tell how successful a move this will actually be, our hope however, is that it consigns the all too often “Midnight” format to just the occasional & special scheduling. Add to the a mini shake up within the team of resident D.J.’s and as of going to press, we are not sure who will be playing come this Sunday morning (15th Apr), but reckon The Sharp Boys, Alan K, Fat Tony, The Oli & Paul Christian will surely be in situ, while Steve Pitron is taking a rest this weekend after his colossal classics set last, which pretty much stole the “XLsior” show. However, one party that we can be confident about when picking the D.J. & other line up, is the “Easter Thank-You” party at Fire tomorrow night (Sat 14th), as it’s all about award winners, D.J.’s The Sharp Boys, Junior Moura & (naturally) Steve Pitron, stepping into the spotlight, while there will be plenty of other guests, including D’Johnny & Paulo Moreno, to fill out the two rooms of fun, similarly award winning hosts Chrissy Darling & Elektra Paris sharing the duty plaudits, further details on this event out at http://facebook.com/events/356254587759955/, including opening times, door prices & guest list opportunities. But with Later & Orange completing the partying picture, it is another hectic weekend of activity in both Fire & Area, whiles the new jewel in the Orange Nation crown, Covert, prepares for its launch party in three weeks, more on that coming up in a special feature.
So to the third in our trio of top of the tree choices, this time seeing us head across to Shoreditch & to East Bloc, the hip & happening hangout on City Road, masterminded by the one & only Wayne Shires, he, the venue & all the brands its sports very much flying the alternative clubbing scene flag, a stable of showings including Gutterslut, SOS, The Men Who Fell 2 Earth, Paradise 45 & Dish, while regular Friday nighter, Super Electro Party Machine, which once again opens its doors tonight (Fri 13th Apr) from 10 p.m., is a great way to get your weekend going. However, our main focus of attention goes to Saturday night (14th Apr), when our very own Shoreditch son, Kris Di Angelis, rolls out a further instalment in the already soaring success story that is his new venture, “War”, a club that has pretty much be born out of the sad passing of “Meat”, the former club collaboration between Kris & Tom Stephan. And while Tom’s new prolific project, “Dish”, was in the Shoreditch spotlight last weekend, it’s the turn of “War “ this, Kris being joined in the “Warzone” main room by Severino & Joshyouare, while over in the “Battlefield” second space, its Jodie Harsh, Munroe Bergdorf & Kingsley shooting off the sounds. Plus with hosts JJ Clark, Jonathan Beastley, Ben Kaye & Alex Palemo, not only doesn’t it have a pseudo Room Service feel about it, be you can bet your bottom dollar that of cream of the east end girl to west end boy scene set will be out to wage wonderful clubbing & socialising war tomorrow night, doors at East Bloc (217 City Rd, nearest tube Old St.) opening at 10.30 p.m. & the club running through to a planned 6 a.m. finish, entry £8 before midnight & then £12 thereafter (so get there early folks), while free entry passes will be up for grabs at the “War” pre-party at Circa in Soho tonight (Fri 13th), more details on that coming up in our Short Shouts, while further info on “war” itself can be found by going to http://facebook.com/events/404481699576795/.
Now just before we go we thought, having not yet fully paid our respects to the sad loss to the scene of the gentle giant of the club promotions game, Steve Elliot, we would mention our upcoming tribute, “Salvation Star Much Missed”, to the man behind the international success of this brilliant brand in recent years, we looking back on his clubbing career & including fellow friend’s own tributes to this untimely & premature passing. Plus, with news this week that iconic drag queen Adrella has also been taken from us, our thoughts are very much with the families of both of these much treasured & already much missed pillars of the scene and we send our sincere wishes during what can only be the most difficult time for those that were close & dear to both Steve & Peter.
Right, that’s just about it for this Best Bites newsletter, but watch out for our Short Shouts part, “Shimmering Scene Seven”, while if you happen to lay your hat on one of our three here, then it is likely you may catch us too, “Play>Time” definitely on our schedule, while we are currently clearing the decks for either Fire or “War”, so keep your eyes peeled at http://twitter.com/discomatt for the live action as it happens & as we Go There! Be There!. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | 
Tags: Area, Beyond, Chrissy Darling, ClubNation, D'Johnny, East Bloc, Elektra Paris, Fat Tony, Fire, Jamie Head, Jay Roberts, Jodie Harsh, Junior Moura, Kris Di Angelis, Later, Lee Harris, Lo-Profile, Nathan 6, Onyx, Orange, Orange Nation, Paul Christian, Playtime, Severino, Steve Pitron, Steven Artis, The Sharp Boys, Wayne Shires | 
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While the emphasis on “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket” having propelled it’s trio of treats to the fore, there is little doubt that The Orange Group have plenty more on offer, a collective of clubs that carries you from Thursday to Monday, Disco Matt biting into the seven other Orange Nation Easter events that make this the biggest gay weekend this year yet.
Having shouted from the rooftops about “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket”, an outstanding Orange Group offer that encompasses three of its biggest brands, Beyond, WE & As One, one could be forgiven that Easter is all about this towering three course clubbing collective, although with a brand broom cupboard that is literally bursting at the seams, there is, in fact, plenty more on offer from the capitals most comprehensive clubbing corporations. So with The Orange Group very much holding sway from Thursday through Monday with no less than ten gay events & parties, we couldn’t simply point our recommendations posting in the direction of “The Big Ticket” package, as there is much more on offer down Vauxhall way this weekend.
So getting straight to it, this coming big weekend looks ever bigger than at first meets the eye as tonight (Thursday 5th April) marks the beginning of a five day clubbing marathon as Gravity kicks off this Easter weekend its “Bad Thursday” event, a cute play on words by the promotions team as the vent actually stretches deep into Good Friday, stretching also a byword of this bash, as Gravity will be stretching its offer from one to two rooms, indeed switching in a Easter extension from Fire to the hi-tec Lightbox & plush Protocol club spaces, the team pleased as punch to be upgrading Gravity for this one off “Bad Thursday” foray. And with two distinct arenas of sound, they are pushing the boat further out, drawing in a truck load of terrific D.J. talent, the Protocol room going deep & sexy tech house in the hands of Guy Williams, Ariel & verity Mayes, while the more uplifting atmosphere of The Lightbox will be matched by the music, courtesy of Severino Fat Tony & Jonny M. But the promotions team will also be marking Easter with their “…Great Gravity Easter Egg Hunt…” encouraging you to forage for & find an egg to win free tickets for Beyond “Midnight”, that promotions team including new boy Danny Boyce who will be ability assisted by Elektra Paris & JJ Clark, while we are promised successive super sexy gogo shows throughout the night (or is that morning. With doors opening earlier than usual at midnight tonight (Thurs 5th) and the club running through to a planned 10 a.m. finish, admission is just £8 in advance at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/05/gravity-presents-bad-thursday, while discounted £5 flyer entry is up for grabs for the first hour, while entry will be available on the door, but expect to pay more.
Onto Friday and Onyx, still riding high following its resplendent return to its home turf Area last week, sets its own brilliant benchmark even higher this (Fri 6th April), especially given the reputation of parties in the previous two Easter’s gone by, when the themes of “Resurrection” & “Crucified”, promoter Verity Mayes in record for saying that “…This year we take things up another level, showcasing the ‘Holy Trinity’ of Areas trio of rooms…” “Holy Trinity” the theme of this 2012 chapter in Onyx’s Easter extravaganza’s and that benchmark being met head on with headlining D.J. duo The Hoxton Whores, who will be taking hold of Area’s main room, no doubt playing out a host of their hits which include the mighty “Fusion”, as well as the equally appealing “Devil Toy”, while it is their latest club smash, a remix of “Right Before My Eyes” that will be getting an exclusive airing for the first time at a gay event (check out their podcast pressed exclusive for Orange Nation at http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/2012-04-04T06_27_24-07_00, while new Onyx main room resident Terry Bryan will be ably supporting & slotting in & around The Hoxton Whores extended 4 hour set. But with the other two rooms proving just as popular in their own right, the chapel space very much about uplifting commercial pop & house in the hands of Lady Lloyd & James St James, the new style pop up club nature of the terrace space is spearheaded by Kartel Brown, alongside the likes of Maximus Crown & NiYi, all very much evoking the club kid style that Onyx seems to be leaning towards. But with Sandro providing much of the main room eye candy along with his gorge gogo’s the new lighting installations that are giving Onyx its own unique feel, are boosted by the dream team of hosts headed up by the larger than life Chrissy Darling & her bevy of boys that include Mark-Ashley Dupe, Dalton, Jake Cook and Martin Rab, this is one Good Friday frolic you won’t want to miss, doors opening at 11 p.m. and the club running through to a planned 5 a.m. finish, entry for “The Big Ticket” holders free before 12.30 a.m., while for others, general admission is £8 (£6 with flyer/ad), while advance tickets online is a good option as you can grab an Onyx/A:M combo for just £12 at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/06/onyx-extreme, while it’s also worth paying a visit to http://gayguestlists.com/onyx for discounted entry.
And with that mention of A:M, it neatly moves us onto the clubs “Easter Headliners” event which storms your Saturday morning in a massive way, not least that promoter Steven Sharp has pulled in a real heavy weight to match the magnitude of this Easter weekend meet, Paul Harris heading a thrilling line up that also includes Fat Tony, Jamie Head & David Jimenez in the main room, while Paulo Moreno is the man to master A;M’s lounge this week. As for the event’s headliner Paul Harris, well Steven is best placed to push his talents when he tells us, “…he has been making music & Dj’ing for nearly 15 years. As one third of the group Dirty Vegas; he enjoyed huge success in the USA following the use of the band’s single “Days Go By” in a Mitsobishi Eclipse stateside TV ad campaign which catapulted the band to the top of the US Dance Chart, national top 10 and boosted the tracks profile so much that it won the coveted Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Dance Recording! All this exciting news raised Paul’s Dj profile which soared as he toured the World and continued to produce music and remix tracks under his own name & as Dirty Vegas. International artists including Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal Justin Timberlake and Madonna all received the remix treatment!…” we not needing to add much more, apart from DON’T MISS HIS SET!!!., as we certainly won’t, having already booked our place at this prolific party. Mind you, with Jamie Head on absolute fire at the moment, we cannot wait for his set either, while Paulo Moreno having freed himself from the shackles of playing partner Alan K, should prove an interesting lounge listen in. As for the vent itself, well it’s an afterhours party, meaning doors open in the early morning hours, this weekend at 3 a.m. and running through to a Saturday morning normality breaking 11 a.m., entry available on the door, ably controlled by Hrh Minty, at a standard £12 (£8 with flyer/ad), while, once again, “The Big Ticket” holders can take advantage of free entry up to 5 a.m., Onyx goers advised to look out for the special discount stamp, more info should you need it, out at http://facebook.com/AMafterhours, while with heavenly host Danny Boyce looking after your every whim & whisper, the last word on this event goes to Steven who say’s, “…it’s set to be an Easter weekend to remember, so join me and the team for the essential Saturday Morning meet, sending peace, daffodils and chocolate bunnies to you all…” we love it!!
So where are we up to?, oh yes, Later, which in true bank holiday style has not one, but two bites of the Easter chocolate bunny (sorry Steven, had to use it) clubbing cherry, the main event taking place on Easter Sunday (8th April) & billed as the “WE Warm Up”, this daytime disco nestling like a proud mother hen, between Beyond & WE “Fluro”. However, the team do acknowledge the fact that some of you may want to take a breather between these two mighty meets, so there are no big plans to extend the usual Later offer, the Mirrorarch room at Fire the dance arena, while the infamous Later garden is the chill out space, having been spruced up for Spring with new furniture, the b.b.q. sure to be on full blast. But the big blasts will be coming courtesy of the delights of D.J.’s that include The Oli, Jamie Head, Per Q.X. & Femi B, while CO2 cannon blasts will play their part in proceedings, the amazing atmosphere enhanced by new Later visuals, decor, production & projections making this one of the most talked about weekly meets on the clubbing calendar, so should prove a popular place this coming Sunday. So, with doors opening at 11.30 a.m. at Fire and the club running through to a planned 7 a.m. finish, why not (like us) just keep the party going from Beyond to WE in the hands of Later & a Jamie Head set we have been promised will be a corker, entry priced at a mere £10, either on the door or in advance by going online to http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/later-bank-holiday-special, while its just £8 before 1 p.m. with an ad or flyer, discount stamps available at Beyond beforehand. And come Monday afternoon (9th April), the team will be daytime disco doing it all again, the same times, the same place and (we think) the same superb sounds, all at the same price too, in the words of the promotions team regarding this Later “Extra” event, “…well aren’t you lucky, a double helping of Later goodness this Easter Bank Holiday…” more details on both available at http://facebook.com/LATER.INFO.
So to the final piece in the prolific package & clubbing jigsaw Orange group style and it could only go to Beyond which is sure to at least match or even beat the rest of the offer of two exceptional events this weekend, as while Beyond “Midnight” is the biggie, the other piece of bread in the Beyond sandwich is “Recharged”, the second Easter coming of our most favourite & awesome afterhours, Area on Monday morning (9th April) from 6 a.m. being the time & the place, although given previous parties, we reckon this may be a slightly more sedate affair than the main “Midnight” event of the weekend (that massive meat filling in the Beyond Easter sandwich), we suspect the main room & the chapel space open, although having spoken with promoter Steven Sharp just this morning, he has confirmed that it is planned as a three room party, the the teams expectations being that As One party goers sinmply won’t want to stop & with beyond at their disposal, will take full advantage of bank holiday Monday morning. Plus we have received confirmation that The Oli & Guy Williams will be heading up the “Recharged” main room, while over in the Beyond RAW room, it’s Hifi Sean & David Jimenez, with , George Sharp & Jamie Head flying the Da Disco (that’s terrace room) flag However, with further news due & Beyond “Recharged” already looking like our Monday pick of the day, our new & latest website section “Picks” will be the place to go during the course of the weekend, as we post final details of this “Recharged” Beyond bash which plans to run until midday, advance standard £10 tickets applying, which you can purchase online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/09/beyond-recharged or at the usual Soho outlets, while entry on the door will be available although priced at £15.
So that’s the full Orange Easter Others picture complete and what a prolific picture it is, a full on five day frolic encompassing no less than nine parties, from Gravity to Later & the likes of Onyx, A:M, Beyond WE & As One, so not just the “Big Easter Weekend” but the biggest in our books. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Beyond, Chrissy Darling, Danny Boyce, Fat Tony, Femi B, Gravity, Guy Williams, Hifi Sean, Jamie Head, Jonny M, Kartel Brown, Laldy Lloyd, Later, Onyx, Paul Harris, Paulo Moreno, Per Q.X., Severino, Steven Sharp, Terry Bryan, The Hoxton Whores, The Oli, The Sharp Boys | No Comments »
Schools are out, Easter looms, a new era dawns and spring is definitely in the air in Disco Matt land as he draws a line under the stormy seas that marred his stepping out on the scene during January, February & March, taking a brief look back but a more significant stare forward of what’s to come for an April awash with activity.
If we had thought that 2011 was a rocky road & rollercoaster ride of a year, while 2012 got off to the best possible start we could have imagined, the year soon went seriously downhill, paling the previous year’s down’s in comparison, a whole host of superb soiree’s, prolific parties & magnificent meets passing us by while we continued to come to terms with intense personal & family issues affecting our enthusiasm & ability to step out significantly on the scene. But with a steadfast step in our stride along our determination to draw a line under the last three months, what better way to start than to highlight & then put to bed our relative anonymity in January, February & March and then look forward to an April awash with activity, so, not so much a monthly message, more a quarterly catch-up, a midterm report if you like, driving home the “Must Try Harder” theme.
REVIEWS – Given that this is an acclimation of our activity, it has come as quite a shock that, as we look back over what had always been our core writing & publications, our reviews, we can only muster a total of five in the last three months, perhaps Beyond & WE from NYD being two highlights, although it is the former’s February foray that we lay our highlight hat on here, this exceptional event without doubt the most emotionally enthralling yet. But with no less than six reviews in the catch-up tank, while we may have missed out on the likes of Matinee “The Return”, we were there for the follow up, added to which we have reflections on Beyond at Fire, & a bunch of Profile & Lo-Profile outings to accentuate, that on top of seeing our beloved Area re-open just two days ago for Onyx “The New Era”, not to mention seven sorties over Easter that should see our review count quadruple just two weeks into April.
PREVIEWS – With absolutely diddly squat to look back on, it’s best we simply look forward, the first feature planned is a preview look at new club “Covert” which is just weeks away from making a significant splash on the scene. Over & above that, we will be casting our forward thinking minds towards the return of Delooded, as well as a special preview look at international festival Delice Dream.
RECOMMENDS – While we made every effort to get our weekly newsletters back on stream, the plan to split our “Best Bites” & “Short Shouts” bearing a little fruit, the result was an all too erratic service which we intend to put right from April onwards, while our Weekend Focus features fared a little better, coverage extending to Matinee, Beyond, Trade, Casa Latina, WE Party, Room Service & Gigolo, perhaps our highlight pick being the feature we commissioned on “The Masked Ball”, although this one of many events we recommended but failed to review. So, having taken over in the quantity stakes as our most extensive activity area, it seems this part of our publications can only go from strength to strength in April, starting with a flood of Best & Extra Bites, Focuses & Short Shouts for Easter alone, while we are committed to those weekly newsletters in their split format.
REPORTS – Like the majority of our activity, our reporting suffered a significant slide during January, February & March, although we did manage to ruffle a few scene promoter & club feathers when we looked at the suspension of “SuperSocial”, as well as what we saw as the uncomfortable bedfellow bringing together of Trade & Beyond for Ultimate, although we headed for calmer & less controversial waters when we looked at Room Service & the Boyz Awards. However, it is that “SuperSocial” post that is our highlight pick here, while as April opens out, we already have two special reports planned, the first, “I Would Like To Thank” looking at those Boyz awards results, along with analysing other scene awards such as Attitude & SeenQueen and giving our take on the winners & the losers in it all, while with the sad & shocking news of the untimely & premature passing away of the true gentle giant of the club promoting scene, we will be paying special tribute to the late great Steve Elliot.
MUSIC – Much of our, it has to be said, limited activity was concentrated early on to looking back into 2011, as we picked out our top tracks, podcasts & sets in our most comprehensive Y.E. music review to date, a three part epic entitled “The Best Year Yet”, while there is no doubt that our new year has very much been dominated by one particular D.J./Producer, we devoting a special feature to the release of Steve Pitron’s prolific podcast “Jan 2012 Session”, this feature being our highlight pick here. However, with steadfast plans to get our music newsletters back on track stumbling a little, we can only boast one in the period, although our “Premier & Protégé Player Productions” first volume has paved the way for a series that will continue for the rest of 2012, side by side with our other series “Allsorts In the Mix”, the first of which will be out this week.
D.J.’s – Falling woefully short of expectations here, the “Must Try Harder” theme of this message rings ever so true for our D.J. devotions and so we aim to put the metal to the peddle in a big way during April with the return of our weekly focuses, planned inclusions being Guy Scheiman, Zach Burns, Elof De Neve & Paulo Moreno, while special features on Javier Medina, Brent Nicholls, The Oli & Gonzalo Rivas are also chalked for April. However, one chap that did get our focussed attention was Marco Gee & it is his that is our highlight pick here.
DOES… & DISCO MATTERS – Two other sections of our website, like Previews, that saw no activity during the first three months, although we will be starting our spring season as we mean to go on, planning one “Does…” & one “Disco Matters” feature a month, the former likely to be on Paris, as we are right now planning a weekend trip for the end of April so will be digging into our archives to post our feature from last February, while with the launch of new club Covert, just weeks away, we will be commissioning a special feature on this new & smart addition to the scene, which will include an exclusive interview with the clubs manager, Tom Fuller.
COMING UP – Naturally we have set the benchmark quite high for April, but with that spring back in our step, plus with plans to devote a whole day a month on top of our weekend work to our writing, we are determined to keep track of our timetable. And with the focus now clearly on the upcoming Easter weekend, watch this space for our special feature on “The Big Easter Ticket Trio”, as well as Extra Bites Special combining alternative antics Discotec, Fiction & Dish, that on top of the return of our two part recommends newsletter, “Best Bites” & “Short Shouts”. Plus with a weekend full of activity, there will be reviews a-plenty, with much of that music activity we promised, slotting in as well.
KEEP UP – One part of our activity that has literally soared both in substance & popularity are our infamous “Nibble Size Tweets” which now not only just extend to those events we are reviewing, but to ALL our steps out on the scene. And with our following gaining momentum with every turning week, our tweets are one of the best ways to keep up with our activity, which you can follow at http://twitter.com/discomatt. Twitter aside, we continue to use Facebook as a major broadcast medium, the changes to FB causing a few hiccups during February & March, although with timeline now bedded in on both our profile & our page, plus Disco Matt’s group restored, there are three additional gateways to keep up with our activity, so please check out our group at http://facebook.com/groups/discomatt/, press the “like” button at http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746, or simply follow our profile at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon, while please feel free to post/plaster our walls with your podcast links, event details or even comments on our tweets, reviews, reports & recommendations. Plus, don’t forget that you can keep track of us via your smartphone, by simply bookmarking http://discomatt.com & benefit from both an iPhone & android friendly layout.
CONTACT US – Very simply, just drop us an e-mail at matt@discomatt.com , or fill in a contact form which you can find at the bottom of our website, a hint of which can be found in the main body of our website. That aside, you can send us a message via Facebook, or even more simply, just plaster our walls or send us a tweet.
SUPPORTING THE SCENE – Having established the “Supporting” section as an integral part of our website last summer, we have slowly increased capacity to include well over twenty promotional banners covering clubs, events, businesses & music producers in London & internationally. In addition we recently introduced a “Best Bite Choices” interactive section, along with “Pick Of The Day” & “Podcast of The Week” banner sections, these also being promoted via our Facebook Page & our Tumblr site (http://tumblr.com/blog/discomatt), this part of our activity having proven most effective in keeping you updated with the best places to be & be seen on the scene, links to websites, event & ticket pages complimenting the visual images. And with these continuing to be updated daily with broadcasts going up on Facebook once or twice a week, we now consider these promotional banners as a cornerstone of our activity and are grateful to support a wide range of clubs, events & businesses, 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 including the relevant artwork and we will do our best to include you.
DISCO DIARY DATES – With Easter very much dominating our immediate diary, we have already committed to a number of events this coming weekend, including “High Society” on Thurs (5th Apr), A:M “Easter Headliners” on Saturday morning (7th Apr), and then a fifteen hour marathon on Sunday/Monday, which begins with Beyond and then encompasses Later, WE “Fluro”, Dish, As One & Orange, while we will be making every effort to pop into Discotec & Fiction too, so it certainly looks like we will be spreading ourselves pretty thin which will no doubt produce a plethora of “Bite Size” rather than “Full Size” reviews. As for the rest of April, well we will be making successive trips to Gigolo & Room Service, as well as aiming to fit in a visit to East Bloc so as to fly the Shoreditch scene flag as well as the Soho & Vauxhall ones.
Well that’s about it for this midterm report and with the line now very much firmly drawn under the first three months of 2012, we can look forward to the new era in Disco Matt land awash with activity throughout April, meaning spring has definitely sprung in our world, even if there is snow on the way for the UK. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | Tags: A:M, As One, Beyond, Casa Latina, Covert, Discotec, Dish, East Bloc, Gigolo, Gonzalo Rivas, Guy Scheiman, Javier Medina, Later, Marco Gee, Matinee, Onyx, Orange, Room Service, Steve Elliot, Steve Pitron, The Oli, Tom Fuller, Trade, Ultimate | No Comments »
Who would have thought that an afterthought for an afterhours would become the amazing afterparty that it has, Later not only extending clubbing into the delights of daytime, but has become part & parcel of a scene that sees its celebrate nine years cutting a significant stride this Sunday, DM dipping his toe into this terrific treat of a turn & hitting on some heavenly Later highlights in the process.
Daytime Disco Delight
Casting our minds back nine years, the capitals clubbing circuit looked pretty different to what faces us today, Vauxhall for instance was still on the ascendency, clubs like Crash & Action forging a significant path in putting what was then a lowly & pretty rundown part of town on the map. But there were others helping to make Vauxhall what it has become today, pioneering club Orange having moved from across town & finding its full-on feet in the venue that is now so well known as Fire, while the undisputed crown of the Vauxhall scene (& now the whole of London) is Beyond, pretty much re-writing the Sunday morning clubbing rules that Trade had re-written back in the nineties. And while there are plenty of other brands that, along the way, have helped Vauxhall become the premier point for gay clubbing in the capital, A:M, Horizon, Juicy, Matinee, Megawoof, the list goes on, there is one brand & weekly outing that has cemented itself into the schedule & significantly so. But moreover, this is a club that has, like Beyond & Trade, pretty much re-written what were basically un-written rules about daytime clubbing, a Sunday trend that was emerging in the 90’s with clubs like DTPM & Sherbert, but was a mantle taken up by what is now considered the afterhours’ afterparty institution that is now well known as Later.
Superb Sunday Session
Having been around for the very first party nine years ago, the Later we see today is very different to the one that took its first unsteady steps onto the scene, the idea for a daytime afterparty born out of the success of Beyond, the team behind this awesome afterhours soon recognising a captive clubbing audience that simply didn’t want their partying to end at midday on Sunday. And with Sherbert having fallen off the radar & DTPM shifting to a Sunday evening slot, Later was perfectly placed to scoop up that audience, not least being located on Beyond’s doorstep in Vauxhall. However for the first few parties, Later found itself in pretty auspicious surroundings, the very first event in a darkened underground space on Kennington Lane, while the next few gatherings were literally under Beyond in the extension to Colosseum. But, with Fire coming to Later’s rescue pretty early on, it very much found its feet, attracting capacity crowds that would fill out both the main room & the mirrorarch , week in week out. Indeed we can recall countless superb Sunday afternoon’s in its heavenly hands, a brace of New Year’s Day parties the pinnacles of the clubs memory making moments, unforgettable performances from Per QX & D’Johnny as vivid in our minds as they were back in those early & informative Later days.
Indelible Imgredients
Since those early days, Later has continued to form an indelible part of the weekly partying picture, specialist events on bank holidays highlights of its own cavorting calendar, while the brand has even hit the high seas (well the Thames to be exact), an integral ingredient in the winning formula is that “outside” element that neatly mixes in with the music, making Later as much a social gathering as a full-on clubbing experience. Indeed, as its host venue Fire has developed over the years, the now infamous Later garden is very much part of the package, a host of pool parties, & funfair themes playing out to significant success in recent times. That said, like many clubs we can mention, Later has had its fair share of lean times, the need to graduate from the main room to just the mirrorarch & a smaller chill-out area a development that finds the club in its current format, while the outside space, especially in the summer months, continues to be as popular as before. However, later is as much about the music as the socialising, a whole host of D.J.’s having graced its decks, the likes of The Oli, Paul Martin, Jamie Head, D’Johnny, Gonzalo Rivas, The Sharp Boys, Paul Martin, Terry Bryan, Paul Heron, Mikey D, Per Q.X. (of course) and even Jonny M, we could go on, the music policy always erring towards the tough tech, while that element of daytime disco dance devotions also features from time to time, moreover to lighten the mood.
Head In the House
So, there is no doubt that Later has found a healthy place in party people’s hearts and will surely attract an ample audience of adorers as it celebrates nine years of cutting that significant stride on the scene, the promotions team labelling the club as “…the only day disco that matters…” while the reality is that, in terms of a Sunday, it is the only day disco, so for that reason & that reason alone, it definitely does matter, especially to those that love partying right through Sunday (and there are a lot!!). But what exactly is this 9th birthday celebration all about? Well, from what we can gather, pretty much same old same old, business as usual really (oh apart from the Peter Lichtenstein themed artwork & visuals), the PR we have been passed not giving us any sort of indication as to extra razzmatazz by way of production, effects, stage shows or the like, although with the indelible ingredient of magnificent music at the core of Later’s whole fabric, in choosing The Oli & Jamie Head to fly the birthday beats flag, promoter Jay Sharp couldn’t have picked two better exponents of the Later art, both seasoned spinners from the clubs history, Oli in fact right there from the start. However, it doesn’t stop there, as international playboy D.J. Paul heron is back in town & on a marathon weekend, appearances at A:M, WE & Beyond preceding this 9th birthday bash, so will surely be on a resplendent roll.
Los Angeles Leonardo To London
Now talking international, on top of those three brilliant beatmasters, Later welcomes Leonardo Glovibes Abbate to the birthday decks too, this impressionable Italian when we last blinked, being based in London & playing for brands that included Barcode & Megawoof, although we now see he is based in L.A. (where have we been?!?!), so is supposedly jetting in especially for this special Later celebration, although we suspect he may have some other gigs &/or plans lined up too. As for his D.J.’ing credentials, weeding through his extensive biography, we have picked out a few poignant parts so as to give you a flavour of what to expect musically wise, notably “…his sound is forward moving and progressive with a vintage feel…” while Leonardo’s sound style switches between “…old soulful house, Nu- disco, deep and tech house…” perhaps hinting that we can expect a mixed bag of beats come Sunday, while “…this amalgamation of sounds can be attributed to Leonardo’s deep understanding of both vintage and modern tools used in his production as well as from a hybrid of influences…”as well as the fact that “…many of his releases (he is an accomplished producer as well as a D.J.) can be found in the charts and record bags of some of the world’s top DJs…”. So, we are expecting a lot from this L.A. based lad and selecting his soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/leonardoglovibes should give you a more than a clue of what to expect too.
Lichtenstein Later
So, what about the detail?, Well, there’s not much more to tell to be honest, apart from the fact that this Later 9th Birthday bash takes place this Sunday (4th March) at Fire in Vauxhall, doors opening at midday. & the club running through to a planned 8 p.m. finish. Advance tickets are on sale online at http://clubtickets.com/gb/2012-03/04/later-the-birthday priced at £8, although you may as well pay on the door, as it’s also £8, while for those with a flyer, an ad or a stamp from Beyond will pay just £6 (bargain!). And with Fire keeping their bars prices reasonable, Later will certainly not burn a hole in your pocket rather allowing you to dampen your dancing feet with drinks, we crossing fingers that the forecast wet weather won’t dampen spirits for this special shindig, one which we are planning to be at & nibble size review tweet our way through. So, if you see us in our favoured spot (yes just left of the D.J. booth) then come say hi, we leaving the last word to Jay when he says, “Sunday will see us continue into the spring season of 2012, bigger, bolder & brighter, so come join in the day disco delights we have to offer…” we adding that you simply have to “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Postscript
In our haste to share the detail & our insight into this nine years of Later celebration, we omitted to include the specially devoted podcast to the event from its special guest Leonardo Glovibes, and what an oversight it was, as you will discover right from the off that he has pitched this podcast to perfection. Drawing us in from minute one with a hypnotic blend of trance & deep house sounds, it continues to trip us fantastically through a whole genre of styles including tech & tribal, dips into vocal keeping us hooked right until minute ninety three. So, to get a sample of what to expect from Leonardo’s set, go directly to http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/index/2012-03-01T11_36_56-08_00 & hit the download or play button to benefit from this brilliant beats bonanza.
Pumping Podcasts
The other omission (totally inexcusable!) is the delightful devotion from one of the clubs original residents who is still cutting a significant stride nine years down the line and producing podcasts that float our boat time after time, so much so that he is one of only a handful of D.J.’s/Producers that is an indelible inclusion in our premier players list. And with this devotion to Later, not only has Oli once again floated our musical boat, but he has proved exactly why his is on that list, as this a colossal musical celebration to one of his favourite clubs, reflected through string a of superb selections that very much mirror the kind of set he plays when he picks up the final slot in the schedule, which he will be doing this Sunday. Kicking off with tech to electro beats, Oli then sinks into more vocal house even sliding into pure disco before polishing off this prolific podcast with slices of sexy & funky nu-disco style house that make for an irresistible combination, also meaning that, even if you don’t make his set at Later, later on this Sunday, then you can still enter the magical musical world of The Oli’s by hitting the play & then the download button at direct link http://theoli.podomatic.com/entry/2012-03-02T15_47_05-08_00.
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Fire, Jamie Head, Jay Sharp, Later, Leonardo Glovibes, Paul Heron, The Oli | No Comments »
While it may be cold outside, the heat is certainly being turned up across the Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch scene this weekend, some new entrants along with old favourites filling Friday through Sunday and so having bitten into the best, it’s time to shout for the rest, Disco Matt picking out an exciting eleven of places to be & be seen on the scene.
Well, having promised to shout from the rooftops throughout January, like a few personal issues in our lives right now, the wheels came off somewhat, or as a friend aptly put it, the rollercoaster ride that we usually find ourselves on has crashed off the rails. However, like the de-railed train in Bletchley, we now find ourselves back on track and ready to run through our exciting eleven across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch, a substantial sprinkling of old favourites mixed in with a couple of brave new brands that are not only contending with the weather but an armoury of outstanding others for your weekend attention. But with a nod to some week night events too, as well as a mention for the Boyz annual scene awards, along with a handful of dance diary dates, we have a lot to get through
Therapeutic Inferno
So let’s get right to it and to Soho, The Shadow Lounge getting our first shout, their very popular duo of delights in the form of “Therapy” tonight (Fri 3rd) with D.J. Sonathaq and then “Inferno” tomorrow night with Andrew Elmore are both sure to pack their usual punch. Add to these, Tuesday’s “OMFG” & Thursday’s “XXTra” and there is much going on, while Wednesday’s now means only one thing on Brewer St and that is “Gigolo”, The Hart’s back with a bang & really shaking up your midweek. So with much going on, check http://theshadowlounge.co.uk for the clubs own events, while a visit to http://gigolodisco.com or http://twitter.com/gigolodisco will keep you bang up to date with what the boys are up to.
Onward and to Rupert St who, despite the dark, cold & somewhat sparse nights of January, are looking to February with gusto and have a weekend of D.J. delights to draw you in, award winning spinner Oliver M on the decks tonight, while tomorrow (Sat 4th) its regular resident Alessandro sorting the sounds. But with our Italian bello having taken up a roving Sunday residence across at The Joiners Arms in Shoreditch, iconic D.J. Rich B assumes control each week, serving up a delightful mixture of classic, uplifting & funky house to end your weekend in the best possible way. Plus with a fab food offer to chew over and some tasty new bar boys to ogle over, there is much on offer at this hip & happening hangout, more details out at http://rupertstreet.com.
K(ute) Bar Boy
Next up is Ku Bar, or should we say bars, as both Lisle St & its little sister on Frith St have plenty to pull in the punters, many of the young & cute variety at that, the former rolling out a trio of treats with “Ozone tonight, The Very Miss Dusty O on the decks, while its a “Fabulous “ Saturday tomorrow night with DJ P, Sunday set aside for “Karaoke Cabaret” with the venerable Vicki Vivacious, while little Ku is not so little, this two floored tardis entertaining with D.J.’s on Friday & Saturday, so well worth a drop in, if only to check out the cute bar boys, more info on both Ku’s out at http://ku-bar.co.uk.
Moving up to Soho square finds The Edge which is a gem of a venue often overlooked, although with no less than five floors offering up different atmospheres in each, there is much on offer whether it’s a quit chat & drink, some soothing piano music or full on house hits you are after. And it is these house hits where we find our Friday in the hands of “Addiction” & resident jock Alabastor, while sinking into Saturday’s could be better than this, as our premier protégé player Zach Burns takes you on a “Revelation” of a journey with upfront & uplifting house, both nights clambering for your cavorting, while with so much more on offer too, a trip to http://edgesoho.co.uk.
Then, just a hop & skip across the square and we come to Circa, the compact & bijou bar perhaps one of our favourites after Profile as it’s a little gem of an oasis of calm from the hullabaloo of Compton St, yet has plenty to shout about, not least the superbly decadent “Discipline” tonight (Fri 3rd) with the marvellous Munroe Bergdorf very much laying down the hostessing & musical law, while on Saturday, the handsome Adam Turner tickles your musical taste-buds with tons of tunes as Circa has a rare 3 a.m. licence, on top of which entry is free, giving you just two reasons why we like it so much, that & the sumptuous surrounds that make this a must visit, their website at http://circasoho.com revealing more.
Time To get Blitzed
So those were the old favourites, what about the new breed? Well first up is Blitz Bar, the real mover & shaker on the Soho scene, even if it finds itself down by Charing Cross Station at the old Kudos site on Adelaide St. And with antipodean D.J. & scene stalwart Brent Nicholls involved, along with the likes of Paul Heron Doug Silva, Hrh Minty, Sylvia Rebel, Brad Frederick, Tom Spindler (to mention a few) and nights “Peepshow” & “Global Blitz” serving up early evening Friday & Saturday sessions from 8 p.m. till midnight, this is a stylish new spot you should definitely keep your eyes on as well as pay it a visit. And with the launch happening tonight, you can get the full low down by clicking on our own post direct link at http://discomatt.com/web/2012/02/recommends-brave-new-brand-on-the-block-blitz-bar-london-launch-friday-3rd-february-extra-bites-special/, while a visit to http://blitzbar.co.uk will cover off any of the rest.
To our last Soho short shout, although one that is by no means the least, as Sunday (5th) sees the launch of new night “Lush Moi” with the superb Johnny Sparkle turning his hosting hand to the club promotions game, drawing on his considerable contacts to bring the likes of Sharon O Love, Jc Christopher, & LaGosse to the decks, the night having an anglo French feel to it as well. And choosing venue The Green Carnation on Greek St to play host, gives Johnny & his team a readymade audience already, not to mention surely attracting plenty of his old Booster buddies along too, while this Soho newcomer aims itself towards a more stylish & sophisticated segment of the scene, the 7 p.m. till 1 a.m. timing sure to suit and given its appeal, we will be devoting a special Extra Bites post to the launch, due out shortly, while for more info on the venue, go to http://greencarnationsoho.co.uk.
Moreno Midnight
Right let’s head over the water and to Vauxhall, this south of the river spot having plenty on offer, although just three get our Short Shout attention, the first so close to being a Best Bite (it would normally be) had it not been for A:M. But, with the team rolling out another “Midnight” 12 hour happening, all eyes will be on Beyond this Saturday/Sunday, not least as they welcome a new member to their all-star cast of resident D.J.’s., one Paulo Moreno from Portugal, who has a striking resemblance to Alan K & Jamie Hammond, his music style not too dissimilar either. But with news looming of some refurbishment plans for host venue Area, Beyond looking to up sticks for a few weeks, our third Extra Bites report of the week will be devoted to this our favourite club & this “Midnight” with Moreno affair, details on Beyond generally available at http://jonnym.co.uk/beyond, while for details on other Orange Group events this weekend, check out http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
So to our two other Vauxhall Short Shouts, the first being The Royal Vauxhall Tavern who keep things on the straight & narrow with a trio of regular treats, kicking off their weekend with the rachous “Rooster” tonight (Fri 3rd), D.J. ComeAndTurn’s barnstorming beats sure to raise a cock-a-doodle-doo or two, way-out & whacky hosts (esses) Timberlina & JonJo adding to the audacious action, while the relative calm in comparison (well not actually) “Duckie” returns for another Saturday session, the adorable Amy Lame’s antics accompanied by a musical mash-up from Readers Wifes. Then, as we have said so many times, Sunday would not be a Sunday without a “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” shindig, the packed out place week in week out testament to its continued popularity, The Dame Edna Experience now a legend in our lifetimes, while she is actually taking a break this Sunday, the hilarious Kandi Kane filling her spot. But with plenty more on offer right across the week, a wee visit to http://thervt.org.uk will give you all the info you need.
Chunky Chunes
And it is The Eagle that gets out other Vauxhall Short Shout, like its nemesis just up Kennington Lane, turns out a trio of old favourite treats this weekend, Tim Jones & his merry “Tonker” men beefing up your Friday night with chunky tunes a-plenty, not least as superstar spinner Alan X takes up the guest slot and will have plenty of towering tunes as well as a terrific tan to show off following his exploits in our home city of Johannesburg, while on Saturday “Carpet Burn” goes all bad on us, although of the Michael Jackson tribute variety, Carpet’s resident D.J. Johnny Kalifornia spinning everything from “Billie Jean” to “Thriller” while the aptly named P.A. Stacey Jackson will be burning up the Carpet dancefloor with her new disco drenched devotion. And with the madcap meet that is “Horse Meat Disco” serenading your Sunday’s, The Eagle has something for pretty much everyone, further details up at http://theeaglelondon.com.
Rounding off our Short Shouts run-around the scene is Shoreditch (well Dalston actually) and The Dalston Superstore (DSS) who have plenty in store this weekend, tonight seeing “Breed” take centre stage, promoter & D.J. Rex the Dog extenuating the electronic in the basement for an extended rave, while gender bender’s John Sizzle & A Man To Pet sort the 80’s & 90’s beats & bops upstairs. Then on Saturday (4th) DSS points towards Berlin with its “B(e)ast” event, welcoming both Snax & Kevinfunct to the decks downstairs, while the brilliant Borja Pena sorts the NYC style sounds on the ground floor, leaving D.J. Squeaky & guests to wrap up the weekend with their “Tutti Frutti” cocktail of cavorting that includes slices of soul & hunks of house, more info on all happenings down DSS way available just a click away at http://dalstonsuperstore.com.
Tainted Tech
Right we promised a pert pack of dates for your dance diaries, next Saturday (11th Feb) seeing Trade return for another one-off frolic, this time going large at Brixton Electric for their “A Tainted Love Affair” event, while that neatly moves onto “Ultimate” which, after the huge success on Trade’s birthday weekend in October, returns to Fire in Vauxhall next Sunday (12th Feb) both Beyond & Trade joining forces for a pulsating party not to be missed. And staying with Fire for a moment, the following Saturday (18th Feb) sees latin love-in Casa Latina return with its “Space Odyssey” affair and one sure to emulate the parties before it. But casting our net over Soho & Shoreditch, we find ourselves spoilt for choice next Saturday (11th Feb) as both serve up two new happenings, Lo-Profile hailing the launch of “ClubNation” with special guest Wayne G, while our own Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis wages “War” at East Bloc with his new venture of the same name, with Severino & James Pople & Munroe Bergdorf among the list of residents, more details on all these events coming up over the next few days right here at http://discomatt.com.
Scene Acceptance Speeches
Now, just before we go, we thought we would squeeze in a mention for Boyz magazine and their annual scene awards, now in its 20th year and a poll that never fails to attract a huge amount of attention. With voting having opened just 48 hours ago, you can pick from a whole host of categories that reach well over double figures, while, as a 20th anniversary treat, there are special categories as well as the chance of winning a cruise (of the Med kind). So, a visit to http://boyz.co.uk will take you to the online version, while you can always pick up a copy at your favourite bar, or retailer. Plus, for a quick short cut, just move across to our banners section right here, find the gold coloured “Boyz Awards” one, click, and you will be right where you need to be, making a difference to your bar, club, event, D.J. & promoter of choice scooping this much coveted of acknowledgements.
Right that’s it for this first weekend in February and one that finds us laying a little low having caught a nasty cold, cough & sore throat, meaning that with the possible exception of a cameo appearance at “Lush Moi” on Sunday, it will be next weekend before you can come up & say hi. However, it goes without saying that we wish you a wonderful weekend wherever it takes & finds you and, with “A Lottie Going On” along with some “Brave New Brands Beckoning”, our two part newsletter has hopefully given you plenty of picks to “Go There! Be There!. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Beyond, Blitz Bar, Boyz Magazine, Circa, CubNation, Ku Bar, Later, Rupert Street, The Dalston Superstore, The Edge, The Esagle, The Orange Group, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, Trade, Ultimate, War | No Comments »
With Siberian winds & the threat of snow gripping the streets of London this weekend, the thermostat has been turned up to the max across the capitals clubbing circuit, Disco Matt checking out the hottest action across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch with his Best Bites choices of where to be & be seen on the scene.
While we may be coughing & spluttering our way through this current working week, confining ourselves to the keyboard & away from the peddles has meant we are back in the driving seat with our weekend recommendations. So, while the last one was busy enough what with the return of Matinee, the superb Sharp Tidy event, a breathtaking Beyond and that special back-to-back set from Jamie Head & Mikey D at Later (and that was just Vauxhall), this weekend looks like measuring up to be just as good, some new starts & some old favourites vying for our attention. And having given away a special bite to Blitz, here we pick out our choice three, one each from Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch, we also peeping through the looking glass to some upcoming events that have made the DM dance diary.
In Love With Profile
So to Soho first and we were initially pointing in the direction of Charing Cross, but with so much going on across at Wardour St, it had to be Profile & Lo-Profile that got our Best Bite pick again this weekend, not least that our own temperatures (and something else) were risen on Tuesday over a sociable drink, one of the gorge new(ish) barmen very much tickling our fancy. So naturally, Profile gets our full-on attention first, not just because of the delicious treats behind the bar, but plenty in front of them, not least in the D.J. talent that will be taking to the Profile decks this weekend, tonight (Thurs 2nd) seeing the pint sized powerhouse that is Renato Porto sorting the pre Society sounds, while tomorrow (Fri 3rd) sees favourite & our premier protégé player, Zach Burns, turn out the tunes & turn up the heat, very much getting you in playful mood for the saucy going’s on downstairs. But with your Saturday being superbly steered by none other than Jamie Head, we can’t think of a better place to be in Soho between 8 & 11.30 p.m. when the boys bang out the beats. However, with a heavenly happy hour that includes cocktail pitchers at just £15 & 2 4 1 double spirits that along with a food offer that makes us lick our lips with hungry joy, the comprehensive bistro menu extending to lunch specials with two main courses for just £12, the now famous Tuesday steak night, & 2 4 1 burgers on Wednesdays, while watch this space for news on a new “Masala Monday” offer & for Profile’s special “Valentines Day” feel the love meal for two offer and there’s definitely a lot going on at our Best Bar 2011 winner, more info on all these offers & happenings available at http://profilesoho.com.
Spyce Up Your Playtime Life
To Lo-Profile now and like it’s little sister upstairs, there’s a lot going on here too, home-grown brands “Society” and “Playtime” both doing extremely well, the former welcoming Tony English & Fabio Luiggi to the decks tonight (Thurs 2nd Feb) while the real focus lands on “Playtime” at its host Jay Roberts, this Friday night foray currently one of the (in our view “THE”) best in town, attracting capacity crowds week-in week out, the playful element extended beyond the dancefloor & the podiums into Jay’s backroom boudoir, tomorrow night (Fri 3rd Feb) sure to be no different, Nick Evans & Alessandro on deck duty from 10 till 4 a.m., while Mr Roberts welcomes playful boys Martin Kandra & Florent Leturmy to spice up proceedings and in Jay’s are boys “…who are gonna show you what real men like…” (boudoir here we come!). But the “Playtime” playing field has just got a huge extra pitch in the form of Europe no less, Jay & his porn-tastic team of Gabriel Cross & Danny King, along with D.J. & cheeky boy Steven Artis kicking off their tour of the continent with a trip to gay Paris tomorrow night (Sat 4th Feb) when Playtime takes over Spyce Bar in the French capital’s Le Marais quarter, while the favour is returned on 25th Feb when Spyce land in on London at the new Lo-Profile “ClubNation” Saturday (more of that coming up). Indeed talking of Saturday, in advance of “ClubNation’s” launch next week, when they welcome international megastar D.J. Wayne G to the decks, this sees “Global Blitz” boy’s Brent Nicholls & Paul Heron play for the opposition, Paul hotfooting it from Charing Cross in time for his 1 a.m. deck date, while the first half is down to Mr Nicholls and with Lo-Profile’s doors opening at 10 p.m. on each of the three nights & running to 3 a.m., 4 a.m. & 5 a.m. respectively, door entry varying from anything between £3 & £8, check out http://loprofile.com for more details.
The Legend That Is Lottie
So onward to Vauxhall and while a certain weekly rag may be avoiding them, we certainly are not as The Orange Group top our pile of premier picks once again this weekend, although with so much going on, it was a difficult choice to decide which of the six club events to focus on here. Would it be Onyx, Beyond Midnight, Later or Orange?, each worthy of our attention, and while we will be devoting a special post to beyond, when it came down to the final choice, A:M squeezed out the others, not least as this weekend (well the whole of February actually) looks like being a corker for promoter (ours of 2011 in fact) Steven Sharp & the A:M team, as they welcome iconic D.J. Lottie to the decks, very much headlining what has come a weekly “Headliners” happening down at Fire now that Mr Sharp is in charge, his extensive contacts within the scene & D.J. circuit, bringing some exciting names to the fore. As for Lottie, well having played with some of the finest and indeed mightiest names in the business, Steven rates her as “…a headliner who we are just so excited to be welcoming to our gracious “A:M Headliner” decks…”. And for good reason, as she has played alongside the likes of Daft Punk, Felix Da’ Housecat & Josh Wink, as well as Layo & Bushwacka, all recognised as masters in the art of tech & electro house music. But more than that, Lottie has appeared on the covers of magazines (how does the song go???) including Time Out & I D.J., while the London clubbing scene will know her as the co-founder of the fantastic Friday nighter Gallery, that on top of filling the shoes of Radio 1’s Pete Tong for his Friday night slot, an accolade indeed meaning, as Steven rightly say’s “…we have the red carpet out…”. But with an all-star cast of A:M residents that include D’Johnny, Guy Williams, Jamie Head, Fat Tony & David Jimenez, plus with door hostess Hrh Minty & club host Danny Boyce, this is one A:M, you won’t want to miss, doors opening at Fire from 3 a.m. this Saturday (4th Feb), the club running through until a monumental & mad 11 a.m. finish, entry a mere £8 before 5 a.m. (make sure you grab a Boyz ad or an A:M flyer) or £12 for others, we reckon it’s a small price to pay for a headliner like Lottie, more info out at http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties while pencil the 18th & 25th Feb in your dance diaries as Steve Thomas & Pagano respectively fill the A:M Headliner boots.
Earthlings Excitement
So across we go to Shoreditch and reigning supreme in our choice picks is the City Rd splendour East Bloc which has a lot going on this weekend, Sunday seeing it open its doors on a regular basis for the first time, while two giants of the venue’s weekly come monthly schedule return to serve up plenty of alternative action. So, like the best of award ceremonies, let’s talk about the happenings in reverse order, although there is method in our madness as this means we focus on Sunday (5th Feb) first, this the new entrant to the East Bloc clubbing calendar, as the new “Bloc Party” launches on a weekly basis following the highly successful pre New Year event in December, although this first outing will see Joelle Hyland & BOY London take over with models a-plenty sporting their wares & and loads of limited editions items on sale. But the music will also be doing the talking & walking (well dancing actually, as with the best in RnB, Hip Hop Basement & funky house from the likes of Kartel Brown, Jeffrey Hinton & Miguel Dare, this is alternative with a capital A, hosts Mark-Ashley Dupé, Richard Logins , Jake Cook & Kwame Suaavve taking care to make sure to have a brilliant time, East Bloc opening its doors from 10 p.m. till 4.30 a.m., entry free until 12.30 a.m., & £5 thereafter, more info up at http://facebook.com/events/320359361335631/. So we come to Saturday (4th Feb) and the truly terrific “TheMenWhoFell2Earth” which returns for its monthly meet, the team exclaiming “…Right then, are you all done with the de-toxing? Good. Well here’s a night out for those of you who think it’s about time you had one and those of you who never stopped anyway…”, which sums up this alternative antic better than we could in as many words. And as the TheMenWhoFell2Earth beam back from outer space on another earth bound party mission, they bring with them favourite fella Erol Sabadosh, with internationalist Francine Bacon from Berlin, both who will fill your musical boots with barnstorming beats of the punk funk, dirty disco & remixed rock N roll in room one, while over in the second space it’s all about “Sink The Pink” who describe their “Boy Box” band in the form of Hot Fuss & James Phillips as a duo that will “…whip you into a musical melting pot, pulling out the trashiest, dirtiest, most shameless music ever made in one dark, sweaty room full of fun..”. Well, enough said really and if you haven’t got the idea by now, go check out http://themenwhofell2earth.co.uk for more info while East Bloc welcomes this outer space outrageousness from 10.30 p.m. till 6 a.m., entry a mere £8 on the door. So that leaves Friday and another weekly session of Larry Tee’s madcap meet, “Super Electro Party Machine”, electro music the backdrop and played out by Larry & guests who this week include Tania & Calum’s for the debutant party (don’t ask!) in room one, while Nan Atichatpong & friends sort the sounds in the second space, this another 10 p.m. till 4 a.m. event, all for just a fiver and with plenty of drinks offers to boot, further detail on this “…coolest of East End weekly…” out at http//facebook.com/groups/233646343355718/.
Well, that’s it for our Best Bites choices for another weekend, but with part two of our weekend newsletter coming up, namely our “Short Shouts”, fear not if you haven’t yet had your fancy tickled, as we have plenty more offerings up our scene sleeve. However we reckon that there is definitely a “Lottie” going on right here and with our premier picks including “Playtime”, “A:M” & “The MenWhoFell2Earth” you have at least three exceptional excuses to be seen on the scene, naturally making sure that you “Go There! Be There!”. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Alessandro Londra, Beyond, D'Johnny, David Jimenez, East Bloc, Fat Tony, Guy Williams, Hrh Minty, Jamie Head, Jeffrey Hinton, Larry Tee, Later, Lo-Profile, Nick Evans, Orange, Paul Heron Brent Nicholls, Profile, Renato Porto, Steve Sharp, Super Electro Party Machine, The Orange Group, TheMenWhoFell2Earth, Tony English, Zach Burns | No Comments »
Disco Matt, having procrastinated, cogitated & deliberated, while fending off floods of requests since the year end, cannot hold back anymore, as he delivers the results of who & what made it into his fabulous forty and which towering tune made it to number one in his track chart of 2011.
Fabulous Forty
Well, what a year of magnificent music it has been and one filled by fabulous tracks, whether delighting us on the dancefloor or playing out on podcasts, not a single day from January one to December thirty passing without us adding to a list that stretches well past a 100. And while we are no experts in naming a tune, we like to think we have a good ear for a great track and one that would make for a worthy contender in our now traditional top forty chart of the year. So, having collected a long list, November saw us begin to collate that list into what became our top forty tracks of 2011, the 21st day of that month marking the beginning of what was a daily track posting on Facebook that ran right to 30th December, that’s forty days incidentally. Yet this was this was merely an indication of what tracks made it into our chart, rather than a forty to one rundown, we holding back on the final decision until now, fending off the floods of requests for us to reveal our number one.
Commemorative Compilation
However, the procrastination, the cogitation & the deliberation is done, the decisions have been made and the wait is over, meaning it’s time for that forty to one rundown and a chart that has proven one of the closest in the three years we have been compiling these music reviews, not least as, with virtually no exception, each track has played an important part in some stage of our year, some intrinsically so. Therefore, deciding which would go where, particularly in the upper half of the chart, was very tricky, as it is the top twenty that could easily represent the content of a “Dance-tastic” podcast of 2011, repeating the production last year in what, at the time, was a collaborative partnership that seemed to have legs. But all that is for our “podcast” review, while here we concentrate on the tracks, giving you YouTube, Soundcloud &/or other play/download links to compliment our commentary of why each track made it into our chart, we acknowledging that our chart includes a handful of entrants from before 2011, but ones that nevertheless played an important part in our year, hence the reason their inclusion.
Stronger Shawnie
So let’s not keep you in suspense any longer as we take a look at positions forty to thirty five, first up & in at 40 is Erick Morillo & Eddie Thoenick’s “Stronger”, featuring the vocals of Shawnie Taylor & a track that was, at the time of its release in June, hailed as the new Pitron/DM anthem, but fell into relative obscurity as the world & his wife included in their play/favourites list. However, given the poignancy of the title to our troubles at the time, it is included and worth checking out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=C5mfaSeZAcU, while in at 39 is Michael Gray’s “A Piece Of You” the first of a handful of tracks that was destined to be included on our ill fated “Winter Warmers” podcast series, the track link at http://youtube.com/watch?v=njoi_y8Ff1Y hinting towards why we picked it as one of our favourite video’s of the year, while Mr Gray’s collaboration with Danism, who feature on track 38 in our chart, “Rise” with Yasmeen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ouKpb6EEQlY, ranks considerably higher in our final chart. Then we have Beyonce’s “Run The World” in at 37, the superchumbo (aka Tom Stephan) remix pricking up our ears when we heard it at Room Service in the presence of its creator, so a worthy inclusion & worth checking out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ouKpb6EEQlY, while position 36 goes to Ultra Nate’s “Turn It Up”, the Ruff Loaders vs. Scott Giles Mix featuring large on our top podcast of the year, its uplifting nature helping spin around London’s roads too, so definitely worth a listen at http://facebook.com/video/video.php?v=168557863197400, leaving us with the of four Whelan & Di Scala chart entrants, Alisa’s “Sine” in at 35, getting the duo’s dynamic remix treatment and another that was due to be included on our “Winter Warmers” podcast, a listen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=H17Dg8Xv2pA revealing why.
Captivating Concert
Moving straight on, we head to 34 and a track choice that signifies one of the most amazing evenings spent in the company of Tom Fuller & Paul Vlad, when we pitched up at The O2 Arena for the captivating Roger Waters concert, “The Wall”, meaning the Pink Floyd classic “Another Brick In the Wall” had to make it in, the Eric Prydz “Proper Education” remix at http://youtube.com/watch?v=h9gNo-wtjkc our representative choice. Then sitting nicely in at 33 is Antoine Clamaran, an artist that played a big part of the year, his remix of house hit “A Deeper Love” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZgil1GDTrg, the first of three entries from this fabulous Frenchman, while at 32 another artist that ends up ranking very highly in our chart, gave us a terrific track in the form of “The Future”, Mark Knight the man & the track at http://youtube.com/watch?v=mWbwQL61d-c proving nearly as powerful as his other chart inclusion. With position 31 taken by an equally powerful track, Neils Van Goch’s mix of Three N One’s “Reflect” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=JMWszKpzzzg representing a period in our year when we were pausing for our own reflection on a close friendship on the ropes, while conversely with Guy Scheiman’s remix of David Jonson’s “Get Down Tonight” at http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/get-down-feat-david-jonson-guy, celebrated on new friendship formed on the first day of 2011 that has since grown into a brilliant bond that shows no signs of breaking.
Fuck The Disco
We now point towards our top twenty as we reach 29, Housequake’s “People Are People”, remixed by Nicky Romero at http://youtube.com/watch?v=j8WdbOxdDOQ and was one of a handful of re-works of pop/house hit classics that made our chart, this originally released by Depeche Mode, while in at 28 is another representation of an original remixed, Freddie Le Grand giving the Everything But The Girl hit “Missing” (check it out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=QiOzI3uFlws) a terrific twist and one that has deep meaning & touched our world in a big way in April, Delice Dream & a certain Belgian boy, so had to be included. Then, with Delice & Joeri in mind, we thought it only appropriate to chart the Jan Solo & Taito Tikaro smash “I Surrender” just above at 27, another track with incredible links & meaning, as well as emotions, this also proving to be one of a few that, each time we listen to it, reduces us to tearful (joyful of course) floods, the link to the essence extended mix http://youtube.com/watch?v=oCakKGQGCfg a version which appears on one of our high charting podcasts of 2011. But so does the next track in at 26, “Cross The Line” produced by Chris Lake & Mark Lys also making it to our “Spring Bloomers” compilation, a reflection of how much we liked the track in the early part of the year (and still do), thus sharing the link at http://youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=ygFu4cizgzI a joy in itself, our joy extending to entrant 25 in our chart, Bob Sinclair’s “Fuck The Disco” only escaping a top twenty position as a result of the strong competition ahead, a track a version at http://youtube.com/watch?v=iXysR2GcuKQ that was podcast inclusion plentiful during the year, but rarely made it to the dancefloor.
Ga Ga For Verde
So to 24 in our top forty and a track that grabs the prize as our favourite post clubbing play of 2011, Whelan & Di Scala’s “Teardrops” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=3kr-BKmwwyE, its chill-out qualities, along with that title, finding resonance with our after afterhours (Beyond of course) Sunday afternoons & the magical memories they hold and sure to be a continuing feature in 2012, while in at 23 is a track that will forever be about Beyond, about a certain D.J. & our Brazilian Bel, Kosheen’s “Catch” which was given the 2011 remix treatment by Enry the only one here missing its own link, although can be found on an “Afterhours” compilation that features in our “Podcast” review. Then we come to 22 and to a music maker that played a big part in our year, while having a huge year himself, his remix of Lady Gaga’s “You & I” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=0cancobs6ak making it massive for Danny Verde, although it would be another of his productions that would chart much higher here, a similar story relating to Whelan & Di Scala’s third of four chart entries, “Sunset To Sunrise” (link http://youtube.com/watch?v=e1D1ShteWzM) played out a few times in Beyond in recent weeks, very much vying for a replacement for the tear jerking “Offshore”, so neatly charting just below our top twenty at 21.
Lightning Levels
Well, we have made it to that top twenty, “No Words” being able to describe how tight a twenty it is, the track of the same name at http://youtube.com/watch?v=jLDWgfOASUs by Ferren Benavent & remixed by Chris Soler & J Louis, making it to 20 & being another example of a track that was not so much of a dancefloor smash, but perhaps should have been, the same being said for the euphoric “Diamonds In The Sky”, a TV Rocks production that was fabulously remixed by fave (well fourth to be exact) Frenchman Antoine Clamaran at http://youtube.com/watch?v=25N2jv21zPg finding its way into our hearts at a similar time to “Stronger” yet charts a full twenty places higher at 19. Then, in at 18 is a Guy Scheiman find from the summer that was included on our collaborative compilation with our impressive Israeli, Geoff M’s “You Better” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=wRPk__KizOg having since found its way to a host of London based D.J.’s playlists and in so doing making it big on dancefloors across the capital, as has our next choice, Avicii’s “Levels”,which was played out plenty of times with exceptional effect, the video a must view at http://youtube.com/watch?v=_ovdm2yX4MA proving our favourite of 2011, while the track in full glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=gNYL7-Tu6fQ is set to be a continuing feature deep into 2012, its relatively lowly position at 17 in our chart a reflection of the towering tunes to come. And David Tort’s “One Look”, in at 16, marks the beginning of that tremendous tower, Norman Doray giving the track added dimension at http://youtube.com/watch?v=V4UwxisI2qM, yet is another we prayed to be played at our favourite afterhours but only made it to our ears through a daily played podcast.
Music Is In Our Souls
Leaving “one look” behind, we reach 15 and a track that nearly consigned our “Summer Scorchers” podcast to the rubbish heap, but signalled a step change in a close friendship, although in fairness, the Felix Wenzel dub at http://youtube.com/watch?v=oObmxsLJxEM was a little wide of the mark compared to the version that features large on our top podcast of 2011 and one you would need to search hard to find, while the same could not be said for track 14 in our chart, Whelan & Di Scala’s “Nimbus”, remixed by Manuel De La Mare, the track a simple Soundcloud search as well as a brief Beatport blink away, the former link at http://soundcloud.com/manueldelamare/whelan-di-scala-nimbus-manuel, revealing this terrific track in all its glory. But wrestling position 13 from “Nimbus” is a track that never failed to tip us into tears on the Beyond dancefloor, Antoine Clamaran hitting his highest note in our chart with “Live Your Dreams” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=0bhrLc87b8c proving to us at least that the Junior Caldera & M.O.D.A. remix floated our emotional boat more than any other track in 2011, well with the exception of one. However, it wasn’t choice 12 that was that track, Paul Gardiner’s “Music In My Soul” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=hmUX38dlaCc invoking an opposite reaction that saw us spin on our Beyond spot (and many another club too) virtually right through the year, remaining as fresh at the end of 2011 as it was when it appeared at the beginning, the same being said for the Strobe Club mix of Sebastian Kreig’s “Twist In My Sobriety” at http://youtube.com/watch?v=TIuS-9jrWkI, which squeezes in at number 11 and floats our boat now as it did back in March when it first came to our attention.
Hidden Meaning
So, we reach our top ten and what a ten it is, the Mark Knight 2011 remix of Florence & The Machine’s “You’ve Got The Love”, at http://youtube.com/watch?v=QY3rrKnZ58k looking like it could have been number 1 for a chunk of the year, but due to the tough competition in this tightest of ten, has made it only to number 10, the “Pressure” coming to bear from Starkillers, Alex Kenji & Nadi Ali, whose original version of the track of the same name at http://youtube.com/watch?v=NKfcg85fhTU has seen it make 9 in our chart. But if there was ever a rack that carried the most meaning of our year, it is the prolific Pink Fluid’s “Bitch Lady”, one which charts at number 8 although could have been much higher had it not been for the ones ahead of it, the hidden meaning (only known to a close friend) looking set to remain hidden, while the Craziba remix does no hiding at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ISsU2cGAbVQ. And hiding was certainly not what King Richard & Danny Torrence’s “Stupiddisco 2011” did in this year, another track that was riding high for quite a while, not least due to its Beyond-esque whooshes but lands in at number 7, the original mix at http://youtube.com/watch?v=xkSvhX4TFW0 nevertheless a major tune of DM’s year of “Doing The Disco Matt” on a whole host of dancefloors, while squeezing in at 6 is an equally major mover in our music year, Roy Davis Jnr’s “Enjoy The Ride” in James Talk & Ridney Remix make-up was so close to a top five place, we could hardly split hairs between it and the one just above it in our chart, memories from Later, & Orange pointing to the rides we enjoyed courtesy of this amazing 2011 anthem which you can catch at http://youtube.com/watch?v=xY1CrZw-NPI.
Starry Eyed For Danny
Well that covers thirty five tracks from our top forty chart, so what are our final five? Well, given the magnitude of each, we feel they deserve some extra special attention to the others, Danny Verde’s remix of Ellie Goulding’s “Starry Eyed” the first to get a fuller focus, as it makes it in at number 5, justifiably so, not least that it, for us, it represents our Milano man at his brilliant production best. And while many may claim that “You & I” is a better example of the master at work, “Starry Eyed” seems to have more lengthy appeal legs on it, having featured large in a score of stunning sets at Beyond earlier in the year, was played out by the man himself when we visited Muccasssassina in May and sits proudly on a podcast that has attained second spot in that 2011 chart of ours. But moreover, like all the tracks above it here, “Starry Eyed” holds many magical memories, emotional eruptions centre to those memories, the realisation that it was a Danny Verde production, just as tear flooding as the times we had heard it beforehand. So, we salute “Starry Eyed” for reaching number 5 in our chart and point you in the direction of Danny’s Soundcloud page and the track’s direct link where you can catch it in full 8 minute glory at http://soundcloud.com/holabstudio/ellie-goulding-starry-eyed-1.
If You Need Me Just Call Me
To number 4 now and while “Bitch Lady” may have held a hidden meaning, The Shapeshifters & Shermanology track “Waiting For You” could have been further poles apart in that department, a tune that shouted Steve Pitron from the rooftops, the dancefloors & everywhere else we heard it during 2011. Plus, like “Starry Eyed”, this tremendous track often ravaged us with emotions, good ones you understand, the lyrics having incredible meaning to a friendship that grew closer & closer as the year moved on and one that we now treasure more than any other. And while we probably need to be forgiven for displaying our emotions on our sleeves so boldly, it is those lyrics which start the track off, “…if you need me, just call me, I’ll be right here waiting for you, we’ve been through hell & back again, but I was right here waiting for you…” that are as big a reflection of the tough times the year we suffered in 2011, although safe in the knowledge that the close friend in question was indeed, right there virtually every step of our rocky way, not least when we found ourselves landed in hospital back in June. So, with so much prominence, we ranking it as probably the most emotionally evocative & meaningful tunes of the year when we shared the link, http://youtube.com/watch?v=nnB3t51qRBM, back on 30th November, we cannot fail to be moved by its magnificence, that along with the fabulous friendship it represents.
Joyful Tears Of The Year
Now talking of emotions, this next track was, without question, responsible for more of those joyful tears than any other during 2011, one that originally was brought to our attention by Tony English, but by March had become its most emotionally evocative when played out by Mr Pitron, whether it be at Beyond, at Room Service or at Lo-Profile, our reaction would be the same, those now characteristic emotional floods of tears that were very much a part of our dervishes on the dancefloors. And in the hands of vocalist Rebeka Brown, who performed the track live at The Logan Presents 3rd Anniversary, “Offshore” (A Little Love) proved yet again to be that tear jerking track that nevertheless also proved a brilliant tune to “Do The Disco Matt” to, as we did so often during 2011. So, given the magnitude of its importance to our year, it is no surprise that it charted in at number 3, the Andre Vicenzzo & Co Silco remix version of Magic Solution’s masterpiece our version choice and one you can check it in all its glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mv4I1Qv3SVw, the track delivering not just “A Little Love” but love in abounds in our books.
We Will Always Remember
So to number 2 and a track that totally captivated us from the moment we heard it and another example of a fantastic find in the hands of Steve Pitron who remarked of the track when he first played it to us at Room Service earlier this year, that “…it had a bit of a Crash feel to it…”. And Michael Gray’s “You Will Remember”, featuring Danism & Rae, does remind us a little of those halcyon days at the underground club that started the whole Vauxhall clubbing movement, but moreover is a tune that appeals to our ears as much if not more than it did when we first heard it, no mean feat when you consider it has made it to our daily playlist since its release. Plus, finding itself in position two pretty much mirror’s the achievement of the prolific podcast that it features on, while it was a foregone conclusion that it would be part of our own “Summer Scorchers” podcast too, the only question remaining just how high would it chart and the answer s right here, “You Will Remember” marking a purple patch in our music year, a click onto http://youtube.com/watch?v=5CzWUwyJWn0 giving you plenty of hints why.
Top Tune
Well, we have made it, thirty nine tracks down and now just one left, one being the single most appropriate word and it is this final track in our top forty that has made it to number 1, a towering tune that tops our chart and, to be honest, always looked like doing so, virtually from that magical moment when an excited Steve Pitron revealed it to us. So, having given us “Bitch Lady” which charted highly, it was Pink Fluid’s fabulously funky & disco drenched dream of a dance delectation that won our hearts over, “So Much Love” every inch a winner in our books, although one that rarely made the dancefloor, rather played out on our number one podcast of the year each & every day since its release. And in it’s creators, Pink Fluid, we have our favourite artists of the year, edging out Whelan & Di Scala, as they also gave us the terrific track “Noise In Da House” although with “So Much Love”, like “Bitch Lady”, getting the Crazibiza mix treatment at http://youtube.com/watch?v=hlwfEtdj8MA we have the undisputed champion of our chart and one that has answered our question “…will it make it to the top?…” with a resounding yes.
So that’s it, our track chart rundown of the year, a tumultuous yet tremendous “Best Year Yet” music wise and while we still have our “Podcasts” & “Sets” posts to come, in this first of three rapturous 2011 music reflections on the movers & shakers in our world, we can once again exclaim that through all the highs, the lows, the emotions & the tears, music has once again proved to be the answer. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music, Reviews | Tags: Beyond, Danny Verde, Delice Dream, Guy Scheiman, Later, Lo-Profile, Logan Presents, Orange, Rebeka Brown, Room Service, Steve Pitron, Tom Fuller, Tom Stephan | No Comments »
With the New Year weekend on our doorsteps, Disco Matt gets his Recommends act together and after revealing his plans to split his weekly newsletter into two parts, covers his “Best Bites” choices of where to be & be seen on the scene in this, part one.
Looking back over the last few weeks, nay months, if there has been one part of our writing that we have yearned for the most, it is our weekly recommends newsletter, one which has come & gone more often than a London bus, the sheer size & scale of the post meaning we have to set aside a sizeable chunk of our time, which, simply hasn’t been there of late. Yet, as we begin to draw the curtains on 2011 & welcome in 2012, we are determined to bring this much maligned newsletter back, although for sake of speed & regularity, will be splitting it into two each week, focussing on our “Best Bites” in part one (here) and our “Short Shouts” in part two., while our Weekend Focuses & Extra Bites will continue as before. So, with that revision to our newsletter made public, let’s crack on with this part, looking at our Best Bites for the New Year Weekend across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch.
Pitch Of Prolific Parties
So to Soho first and we are thrilled to welcome back & be recommending Profile & Lo-Profile the creative combo on Wardour St that has really been motoring while we have been away, not least Lo-Profile, as their home-gown brand “Society” has successfully switched from Friday’s to Thursday’s, while its replacement, “Playtime”, has made hay while the sun shines on them rather than their Friday competition. And while “Society” now falls a little outside the remit of this newsletter, we still had to give tonight’s (Thurs 29th) party a mention as it features two of our favourite talents, Jamie Head & Terry Bryan , although the main focus clearly falls first on “Playtime” tomorrow night (Fri 30th), when Lovechild resident jocks Tony English & Alessandro London head up a Friday frolic that will surely include plenty of that handsome & hunky eye-candy which the club has become notorious for, this week, porn stars Kriss Aston & Will Helm flaunting their wares. Plus with host Jay Roberts also tempting the lucky ones into his backroom boudoir for some extracurricular attention, “Playtime” is very much the place to be & be seen this Friday, doors swinging open at 10 p.m. & the club running to a planned 4 a.m. finish, entry just £5 before midnight or £8 thereafter, while upstairs in Profile, our very own protégé player, Junior Moura, gets you in playful mood from 8 .30 till 11.30 p.m. more info on Lo-Profile up at http://loprofile.com.
2012 Here We Come
However, it is New Years Eve that looks like being the big one for Profile & Lo-Profile, not least that the two will be combining to make one huge venue for the night, free flowing between to two, while entry will be monitored & masterminded via the Lo-Profile door. So what can you expect from this NYE combo? Well, first & foremost, we are reliably informed that the numbers to this event will be strictly limited so as to avoid those dreadful crushes that all so often besiege these sorts of bashes, this also allowing the gorgeous hunks of bar boys (and the beautiful bar girls too) to serve you with relative speed and we have to say that, following our Christmas drinks do with The Pitron posse there last Friday, we are really digging some of the Profile new recruits, yum yum!! But we digress, so back to the party and the music, which looks like being absolutely top draw, not least that newcomer to the Profile/Lo-Profile resident team, the cheeky Steven Artis will be sorting the superb sounds along with Nathan 6, a terrific talent who impresses us on all levels (if you know what we mean!), while Nick Evans is sure to add that uplifting/upfront house feel that any New Year’s party should have, these music makers on top of the team turning out the best of their gorgeous go-go dancers to woo & wow you on the podiums downstairs, while they will be doing plenty of circulating upstairs too, just to make sure you are all entering into the spirit. Add to that special offers on bottles of bubbly to see in 2012 in style and there is no surprise why this is one prolific NYE package, doors opening at 10 p.m. and the party running through to an extended 6 a.m. finish, entry available on the door for just £10, while if you have joined or quickly join the clubs mailing list, then you may be one of the lucky ones who gets free entry, more info on this available at http://loprofile.com, while details of drinks offers & those champagne prices/listings are out at http://profilesoho.com.
Recharged & Ready
Onward to Vauxhall now and while there are quite a few contenders to our Best Bites NYE/NYD weekend crown, it has to be The Orange Group that gets knighted here, as they do have the lions share of shindigs on offer, three which have already been given extensive coverage. So, as Beyond NYD, As One & WE (not Vauxhall of course) have benefitted from their own devotions in our “Gigantic Gilded Gambit” post, we (pardon the pun) won’t go over old ground, rather focus on Later & two other Beyond offerings, the first a little known quantity as not much has been said about it in the wider press, meaning you read it here first. And it relates to Beyond, as the club & team actually ring in 2012 with the NYD event’s pre-party at Factory, bringing with it splashes of Beyond itself in the form of a handful of residents from the superstar team, while the pyro’s & effects should come close to matching the fireworks just up the river outside, added to which there will also be a special countdown to midnight to make sure you don’t miss out. Advance £10 (only) tickets are on sale online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2011-12/31/nye-pre-beyond-party-factory while entry will be available on the door, Factory (entrance on Goding St) opening at 10 p.m. & the club running through till a staggering 7 a.m., free entry all night offered to “Golden Ticket” holders. Then while NYD Beyond takes over, we fast forward another 24 hours as this awesome afterhours does it all again, Beyond “Recharged” kicking in as As One empties out, Area’s door opening at 7 a.m., Monday 2nd Jan and the club running through till a 2 p.m. finish. Now while the D.J. line-up remains unconfirmed as yet, names in the frame include Alan K, Jamie Hammond, The Oli, Fat Tony, Hifi Sean, Paul Christian & The Sharp Boys (well boy actually & probably George), while what we do know this that this will be a carry-on to carry on to, advance tickets at £12 available online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-01/02/beyond-recharged-the-second-comin (the early bird £10 ones are sold out), while entry will be available on the door, but expect to pay more.
Its Never To Late For Later
So that’s Beyond, now what about Later? Well, to be honest, we often overlook Later in our Weekend round-ups & focuses so we thought it high time to give it an extra special mention, not least that, having rubbed shoulders with one of its resident D.J.’s at our Christmas drinks do last week, Jamie Head reminded us of just how amazing a purple patch the club is finding itself in at the moment. And with Later on NYD having formed such an important part of our own clubbing heritage, it will come as no surprise that promoter Jay Sharp Vokins is looking to re-emulate those halcyon days (no doubt drawing us in this coming Sunday), as he draws on the towering talents of one-time regular resident Per Q.X. to headline the club’s NYD party, another D.J. icon of the clubbing scene, Guy Williams, joining him on the decks. Now, while we know Jamie will be away partying hard at Berghain in Berlin & D’Johnny cutting a WE stride in Madrid, we can guarantee that Jay will have other residents on hand, including The Oli, advance tickets (recommended) available for just £8 at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-01/01/later-nyd-2012. Then, if you have the energy & stamina, like Beyond, Later has a second coming the following afternoon (Mon 2nd Jan), when the team will be doing it all again and with a strap line that shouts “We Can Do It”, Jay is certainly willing us on to do just that, especially as he welcomes special guest Jc Christopher & Leonardo Glovibes to the decks, joining an ever present Oli along with others for sure, doors opening at 1 p.m. and the event running “superlate”, while on NYD, Later’s opening times are midday till 8 p.m., further info available at http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
It's Gonna Be Craaaaazy!!
So to our Shoreditch NY weekend Best Bite and it has to be Gutterslut, which holds sway on New Years Eve at its hip & happening home, East Bloc on City Rd. Now, with NYE being a Saturday, Gutterslut-ers will feel pretty much at home with their clubbing clock, while they will still have fond memories of the recent Gutterball at Rhythmn Factory in their minds & souls, so will sure want to “ave it” on Saturday night (31st Dec). And the Gutterslut crew will be giving it to them, not least as Per & Nic welcome two special guest D.J.’s who will be playing out in the “Rave” room, relative new name to the world of dance music, Birdee, the first, this emerging talent explaining of his sound “…a blend of housey beats, obscure 70s samples and wobbly b-lines…” while his latest release “Shake It” has been aired by a no less than BBC Radio 1, along with the likes of Boris Dlugosch & Tom Staar. Then, Per is thrilled to welcome feloow Swede Peo de Pitte (can’t be his real name?!) who hails from Stockholm, although (like Mr Q.X.) relocated to London a while ago, his trademark combination of big room beats and cutting edge synth’s sure to go down a storm with Gutterslut-ers, especially in the knowledge that his production work has won support from a long list of music tall poppy’s including Afrojack, Groove Armada & Roger Sanchez (wow!). With our super Swede, Per Q.X., along with Nic Fischer completing the “Rave” room line-up, over in the “Discoslut” space, it’s down to resident Ralf to keep DJ disco dudes Miltos & The Golden Fleece and Shay Malt in check, our Gutterslut man having his hands full, especially when we look at their resume’s which include the words, frenzied, hotrod, hijack & sexbag, surely meaning its going to be an absolute riot in there. Plus, with Miss MC Crystal doing her outrageous thing, with visuals supplied by both PrickImage & the Dalston Gay Mafia, need we say anymore apart from, if its alternative & outrageous antics you are after, look no further than right here, making sure you grab one of the remaining advance tickets at http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=482048, while you may (and we say may) get entry on the door, but we highly suspect it will be one in-one out within minutes of opening at 11 p.m., the club running to a wayout & whacky 9 a.m., meaning that, in the inimitable words of Mr Fischer, “…its gonna be craaaazy!!!…” and we LOVE IT!!.
So that’s our Best Bites for this N.Y. weekend done & dusted, but hold tight for a delightful dozen of “Short Shouts” coming up, while we take the first of many opportunities to wish you a very happy New Year, our plans on hold due to the dreaded flu, although, fingers crossed, we will be better & seeing it in with some close & dear friends before the NYD onslaught. But whatever you are up to & wherever it may find you ringing in 2012, have a terrific time, naturally making sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Beyond, Gutterslut, Guy Williams, Jay Sharp Vokins, Jc Christopher, Junior Moura, Later, Leonardo Glovibes, Lo-Porfile, Nathan 6, Nic Fischer, Nick Evans, Per Q.X., Profile, Steven Artis, The Oli, Tony English | No Comments »
All Change Please
Well, the news of the temporary closure of one of the capital’s premier & most popular gay venues is now very much broadcast news, the weekly gay magazines having reported on it, London’s clubbing bible website SeenQueen having posted on it and even we having gone into great detail over it, our special report “In The Line Of ….” attempting to quash the rumours & hearsay but to serve up a balanced view of the situation facing Fire in Vauxhall. And while we have to once again stress that the closure is a temporary one, the issues surrounding it covered in our last report at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/11/reports-in-the-line-of-fire-the-closure-the-issues-wednesday-2nd-november/, given the fact that the venue will be out of commission until 15th December, we felt it only appropriate to serve both regular Fire customers & you, our reading public, with news on plans while the venue is closed.
Area Greets Gravity
Therefore, with Fire closing from Monday 31st October to Thursday 15th December, very much affecting weekly Orange Group brand regulars Gravity, A:M, Later & Orange, along with a host of Saturday night parties, as well as new club kid on the block Le-Boy at Protocol, the new swish venue within a venue, it was clear the team had to act quickly, not least to maintain the weekly presence of their regulars above, but also to accommodate promoter Patrick Lilley’s Wednesday weekly club, Work. So, within days of the temporary closure being announced exclusively to gay rag Q.X., we became aware of a plan to switch these clubs to a temporary home, while sister venue to Fire, Area, would also play its part in keeping up The Orange Groups prolific profile on the capitals clubbing calendar. And the team didn’t have to look far for their venue knight in shining armour, as it was Factory that came to the rescue of the Fire closure plight, the fit, while a temporary one, looking like a pretty good solution to a prickly problem, one that will get its first test tomorrow afternoon (Sunday 6th Nov).
Factoring In Later
So, what have The Orange Group brokered in this temporary move?, and what will the revised weekly listing/schedule of parties look like? Well, in terms of Factory, while we haven’t been privy to the detailed negotiations & discussions, it is probable that the Orange Group will look like taking a stake in the venue, not least as a fall-back on some other underlying issues with Fire which keep getting kicked into the long grass, although may be likely to come back & bite the team in the proverbial arse. Therefore, it seems logical, with Area’s position at present relatively secure, that moving in on Factory will give The Orange Group the anchor come bolt hole they need, while the win win situation clearly extends to Factory’s owners & management, who will more than likely see a tenfold increase in footfall through the venue’s doors, as well as increasing its own profile on the clubbing scene landscape. However, with monthly meets like Hard On! , among other commitments Factory need to honour, it looks like being a busy old time on Goding Street over the next few weeks.
Citric Switch
Right, so what does the revised weekly schedule look like?, Well, as we have said, Area will be taking up a fair amount of the slack left behind by Fire’s doors being shut, both Patirck Lilley’s “Work” & The Orange Group’s “Gravity” moving there and assuming their regular slots or Wednesday’s & Thursday’s respectively. A:M is the next brand that shouts “All Change Please”, as it fits into the Onyx fold at Area for the next two weeks, just last night having doubled up with its Friday clubbing compatriot to make a massive twelve hour happening & will follow this with another Onyx vs. A:M event next weekend. Then it moves to Factory for the remainder of its situ away from its original home, the Goding St hangout also accommodating Sunday saunter Later from this weekend, so tomorrow (sun 6th Nov) onwards, while Orange is also on the move to Factory & will showcase its first shindig there from 11 p.m. tomorrow night. As for Le-Boy & planned Saturday parties, these have been shelved for now, the likelihood that Beyond will extend its hours in either “Midnight” or “Belief” format, this week’s “Guy Fawkes Special” neatly followed next weekend with this awesome afterhours marking the beginning of their winter season with the return of their “Ice” themed party that was such a great hit last year. In terms of other events on The Orange Group calendar while Fire is closed, well we cannot forget the massive WE “Disco” event on Sat 3rd Dec, marking the 1st Anniversary of this Spanish superclub landing in London, while we cannot overlook Sunday evening bash Booster, which maintains its slot at Area, sandwiching neatly between Later & Orange.
So, with plans very much in place to keep the parties pumping, this should allow the necessary steps to be put in place to ensure a sparkling re-opening of Fire on Friday 16th December, news on that weekend coming your way right here as soon as the details hit our desks, while in the meantime, you can keep abreast of all the developments by going to http://freclub.co.uk/news, any major news sure to come your way as so as we know it. In the meantime, while it is very much “All Change Please”, keep the fire burning bright by checking out the switch to Factory as we are sure to before very long. (DISCO MATT)
You have all heard of the phrase, “when it rains, it pours” and the same could be said for our lives at the moment, as having waved goodbye to October, which was probably our worst month of the year so far, this first week in November is looking no better from a personal point of view. Then we look to the scene & it seems that a certain clubbing group find themselves in a similar situation, although like we are trying to do, they are accentuating the positive and putting in plans to turn a bad situation good. So with that thought very much in our minds, we have dusted ourselves off, picked ourselves up and popped our recommends hat on to take a whistle-stop look through our choices of where to be & be seen on the scene across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch, the three recognised hotspots of activity, although Southwark also gets a look in too.
Prolific Profile
So, with time against us, let’s press on and head to Soho first where we find Profile & Lo-Profile topping our tree once more, this brilliant combo of a bar & club complex on Wardour Street really going from strength to strength at the moment, the Lo-Profile having stretched its appeal across all three days (& beyond) while Profile continues to prove a wonderful & welcoming warm-up for the action below. So, what does this weekend old in store?, well upstairs its tonight (Fri 4th) and tomorrow (Sat 5th) that gets our immediate attention, D.J.’s on deck duty being resident regulars & favourites Zach Burns & Jamie Head respectively, both sure to get you in the mood for more partying downstairs, all this while you take advantage of Profile fabulous food & thirst quenching drinks, their happy hour worthy of a mention, which runs daily from 4 till 7 p.m. & includes cocktail pitchers at just £15. Lunchtimes are great too, a Saturday refuel serving up two meals for just £10, while it’s always worth starting your Sunday with a traditional roast before heading downstairs for “Secret Sunday’s (more on that in a mo). But while this may be a “weekend” newsletter, Profile also serve up plenty of temptations during the week too, info on all of this available at http://profilesoho.com.
The Secret's Out
Moving downstairs to Lo-Profile and their weekend already started last night with a busier than usual reported “Society”, the social soiree splendour that has moved from Friday’s to fill the gap left by Gigolo. However, its tonight (Fri 4th) when things really hot up as promoter & host extraordinaire, Jay Roberts, brings you another “Play Time” party, this week drawing on the talents of the D.J. duo of Paul Heron & Nick Evans, who just happen to be best pals too, Nick taking up the first slot & Paul carrying you through till 4 a.m., all this magnificent music back dropping the drop dead gorgeous & sexy studs Gabriel Cross & Gio Cruz, Jay added his own twist to this porn-tastic experience by tempting you into the “Play Time” bedroom where you get the chance to play with all three of these handsome hunks. Now Friday partying certainly doesn’t get better than this & would it not be for our commitments down Vauxhall way, we would be there with knobs on. But the weekend doesn’t stop there as the filling in the three day Lo-Profile sandwich is Saturday, with scene stalwarts Brent Nicholls & Rob Sykes very much doing the filling, in their case of your boots with beats, while it’s Sunday that is becoming a real humdinger of a day for the club, “Secret Sunday’s” very much drawing in a crowd. And with platinum selling & Brit award winning singer Nerina Pallot performing, while resident D.J. & Gaydar Radio presenter Phil Marriott sorts the sounds, we cannot think of a better way to finish a wonderful weekend, details of all of this out at http://loprofile.com.
So those are our Best Bites, what about some Short Shouts?, well Rupert Street (RS) gets first mini bite at the cherry, their weekend full of D.J.’ing action to match the masses that always pack out the place, tonight (Fri 4th) seeing our foxy female D.J. Minx take to the decks, while the dynamic D’Johnny sorts the sounds on Saturday, resident star turn Alessandro serenading your Sunday, more details on all the happenings down RS way available by hitting their web page at http://rupertstreet.com.
Inferno Ignites
Next up is Ku-Bar, or should we say bars, as both the Lisle & Frith St operations are worth a peek or three, the former’s highlights being “O Zone” tonight (Fri 4th) with Dusty O in charge of the pop parade of tunes, while transgender talent Lady Lloyd rolls out another “Hit Factory” session on Sunday, Firth St offering D.J.’s in their dinky downstairs place across all three days, while attraction plenty of boy candy to tempt you in, more details on all happenings Ku style out at http://ku-bar.co.uk.
Our final Short Shout goes to the Shadow Lounge, which, after the success of new night “XXtra”, which held their “Shutdown” event last night, the Shadow team are back in business tonight with another “Therapy” session, resident D.J. Sonathque spinning the sounds, while tomorrow night (Sat 5th) it a bonfire bash “Inferno” style, Andrew Elmore putting the bang into the beats, which, given the forecast wet weather, should be the place to be. Plus, not forgetting their cabaret & karaoke Sunday soiree “Confessions”, for more info, go check out http://theshadowlounge.co.uk.
Right to Vauxhall and my has it been in the news & spotlight this week, predominantly due to the temporary closure of Fire, the club which boasts regular weekly outings Gravity, A:M, Later & Orange, but often serve up much more. Now, there has been a heck of a lot of rumours & hearsay flying around regarding both this closure & the on-going survival of Fire, something we wanted to put completely straight by issuing a special report “In the Line Of …”, which is well worth at read at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/11/reports-in-the-line-of-fire-the-closure-the-issues-wednesday-2nd-november/. However, it will come as no surprise that, while Fire is closed, this six week closure running
Brilliant Beyond
to Friday 15th December, the team have acted quickly, finding a new temporary home for all four clubs at Factory on Goding St, so just a hop, skip & jump away, we bringing you full details of the switch in another report, “All Change Please”, due out a little later today. In the meantime, it is all steam ahead at Area, The Orange Group’s two biggest & best brands (in our view at least), Onyx & Beyond, serve up twelve hour spectacular’s each, Onyx welcoming A:M into the fold for this weekend, but also boasting international D.J. superstar Wayne G to the decks, this truly un-missable event & all its details covered in our Focus post “Globetrotting G Lands In London” at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/11/recommends-globetrotting-g-lands-in-london-onyx-vs-am-friday-4th-november-weekend-focus/. As for Beyond, well it’s another “Midnight” party this Saturday (5th Nov) with a Guy Fawkes theme, promoter Mauricio Ortiz & his terrific team pulling out all the stops to, in their own words, “…celebrate fireworks night with a pyro-tastic, super-sized production party at London’s biggest & best afterhours…” they adding “…expect massive bangs galore, with rockets, confetti bursts, sparks and more, plus incredible laser shows, CO2 and stunning dance shows from Elektra Paris & Shaun Capewell..” while the D.J.’s on duty will include Alan K, Mikey D, Jamie Hammond, Jamie Head, D’Johnny, Jonny M, Hifi Sean, Paul Christian, Fat Tony & The Oli., entry a mere £10 in advance which you can grab at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2011-11/06/beyond-afterhours, as well as the usual Soho outlets and one definitely worth a full-on visit, this Area combo of Onyx, A:M, & Beyond very much our Vauxhall Best Bite choice of this weekend.
So to some Short Shouts and Bear Necessity is back this Saturday (5th Nov), although at a new home, we giving it some Extra Bites attention in our post “Out Of Hiding In Hidden”, which is coming right up, while the bear action also extends to Friday’s, courtesy of Toner at the Eagle, who have a special “Big Bonfire Bash”, promoter & D.J. Tim Jones, welcoming special guest, the legendary Alan X to the decks, his set a sure-fire winner, while what could be better for the Tonker bears than a midnight pizza buffet, straight after a fireworks display in the Eagle garden at 11.30 (please stay dry!), more info on Tonker’s goings on available at http://tonker.co.uk.
Bonfire Birthday Burn
To The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) now and they have another fun filled weekend packed with goodies, “Rooster” kicking off this venerable institutions three days tonight (Fri 5th) with the likes of Timberlina, Jonjo providing the entertainment while D.J’s Come&Turn spin the sounds, the two weekend regulars of “Duckie” on Saturday & “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” on Sunday pulling in the punters and making sure it’s another weekend to remember on Kennington Lane (grassy knoll of not), more info out at http://thervt.org.uk.
For our final Vauxhall Short Shout, we wiz back to The Eagle, as Saturday is a special night, monthly outing “Carpet Burn” celebrating its 3rd birthday with a euphoric event, Jakie Graham taking centre stage, this superb singer sure to steal the show, although D.J.’s Dave Kendrick & Martin Fitzgerald will be doing their best to keep up with stacks of sparkling sounds, while free shots should seal the deal on this glorious gathering, more info on this & Sunday night regular “Horse Meat Disco” a click away at http://eaglelondon.com.
Delirium
We are on the home stretch now and heading to Shoreditch for our final Best Bite of the weekend, which this time round goes to The Dalston Superstore (DSS) who have two absolute corkers to tempt you away from the west end, tonight (Fri 4th Nov) seeing promoter Rex The Dog bring back “Breed” for its third DSS outing, he telling us that “…we are bringing back the laser powered beats & baselines to DSS’s basement…” regular D.J.’s Rufus&Bambi, Pleasure Cruiser &, naturally, Rex The Dog himself, making sure the promise is delivered, while upstairs gender bender boys (or is that girls?) John Sizzle & A Man To Pet host the upstairs place. Plus with no less than 50 “Breed” t-shits to give away & a Robo Rex model on offer too, heading to http://twitter.com/Rexthedog1980 could secure a prize, also remembering to get to the DSS early, as with entry free, it should fill to capacity quickly. Moving onto Saturday (5th Nov) and Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis pulls another party out of the bag (where will this man’s ingenuity end), Kris also getting in on the act by telling “Delirium is an uncontrollable state of happiness, deep energising and filled with beautiful house music that will have you wearing the kind of smile that no-one can fake…”, so definitely sold on us and should be you too, especially when you consider that Kris is joined on the decks by South African joy, James Pople, along with James Ritchie, Cathy & Tony Dunne, among them boasting appearances for “Circus”, “Meat”, “Room Service” & “Disco Discharge” to name just a few. So, with that delightful draw, you can expect this to be a roadblock event, entry free before 11 p.m. or £5 thereafter (you know what to do), “Delrium” running through till 3 a.m., while another “Tutti Fruitti” with Squeaky & guests rounds off the DSS weekend on Sunday, more info on the whole lot available by tracking the boys tweets at http://twitter.com/dsuperstore.
East Bloc Excelence
To just one Short Shout (although one sized up) to round off our looks at where to be & be seen on the scene this weekend and we head down the road to East Bloc who play host to the wired but wonderful “The Men Who Fell 2 Earth” this Saturday (5th Nov), the team welcoming special guest Mark Moore (of S-Express fame) to the decks in the main space, while room two sports, Another Night, the concoction of punk funk & dirty disco sure to please the punters, especially as the team are celebrating their first full year pushing the eats boundaries at East Bloc. However, the venue’s top cheese Wayne Shires helps to start you weekend off in style as he welcomes back the Super Techno Party Machine team, who will be holding their “New Stars Of London” party tonight (Fri 5th), who tell us, “…it’s time to get YO look ON…”, and for good reason as Brazilian photographer Eric Phillips will be pointing his lens at the contenders he rates for an inclusion in Carnage Magazine’s feature “New Star Of London”, while a free bar from 11p.m. till midnight plus terrific D.J. talent to carry you through till the 5 a.m. finish mean East Bloc should be on your calendar cards, more details on this & all happenings down City Rd way available at http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Solar Powered Sun
Now, just before we go, two quick mention’s the first for tip top clubbing website SeenQueen, who like us, have focussed on the happenings in Vauxhall, their own take on Fire’s closure along with an interesting poll point worth a glance, while the site is packed with plenty of other features, video clips, music links & photo galleries of the London scene, all a click away at http://seenqueen.com. Then, while last weekend marked the official end to the British summertime, it shouldn’t mean the tan you worked so hard for is left to fade, a trip down to Solarstation on Archer St in Soho providing the remedy you are looking for. Having increased their capacity & installed fresh tanning tubes, it’s definitely worth grabbing a piece of feel good factor, slapping on the factor, more details out at http://solarstation.co.uk.
Right, that’s it for another weekend and one that should be full of banging beats in true Guy Fawkes night style, especially if you find yourselves at one of our Best Bite or Short Shout choices. As for our weekend?, well it looks like Onyx vs. A:M is our singular dancefloor devotion, so if you see us out come say hi, while if not you can follow the live nibble size review tweeting action at http://twitter.com/discomatt, although wherever this bonfire weekend takes you, have a tremendous time, of course making sure you “Go There! Be There!” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Beyond, Carpet Burn, East Bloc, Ku Bar, Later, Lo-Profile, Onyx, Orange, Profile, Rupert St, S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, Tonker | No Comments »
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13 Apr 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “After Easter Affections” – Weekend Best Bites – Fri 13th to Sun 15th April – Newsletter (Part One)
As the scene shakes off the hangover resulting from the biggest weekend of the year so far, some sporting the spoils of success, others simply reflecting on what could have been, time rests for no man, victorious or defeated, so the scene steps forward into April, Disco Matt picking out ...
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4 Apr 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Orange Easter Others” – Gravity “Bad Thursday”, Onyx “Holy Trinity”, A:M “Easter Headliners”, Later “WE Warm Up” & “Extra”, Beyond “Recharged” – Thurs 5th to Mon 9th April – Easter Extra Bites Special
While the emphasis on “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket” having propelled it’s trio of treats to the fore, there is little doubt that The Orange Group have plenty more on offer, a collective of clubs that carries you from Thursday to Monday, Disco Matt biting into the seven other Orange ...
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1 Apr 2012 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Must Try Harder” – Matt’s Monthly Message – Sunday 1st April
Schools are out, Easter looms, a new era dawns and spring is definitely in the air in Disco Matt land as he draws a line under the stormy seas that marred his stepping out on the scene during January, February & March, taking a brief look back but a more ...
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1 Mar 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Daytime Disco Delight” – Later “9th Birthday” – Sunday 4th March – Weekend Focus Extra
Who would have thought that an afterthought for an afterhours would become the amazing afterparty that it has, Later not only extending clubbing into the delights of daytime, but has become part & parcel of a scene that sees its celebrate nine years cutting a significant stride this Sunday, DM ...
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3 Feb 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Brave New Brands Beckoning” – Weekend Short Shouts – Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th February – Newsletter (Part Two)
While it may be cold outside, the heat is certainly being turned up across the Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch scene this weekend, some new entrants along with old favourites filling Friday through Sunday and so having bitten into the best, it’s time to shout for the rest, Disco Matt picking ...
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2 Feb 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “There’s a Lottie Going On” – Weekend Best Bites – Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th February – Newsletter (Part One)
With Siberian winds & the threat of snow gripping the streets of London this weekend, the thermostat has been turned up to the max across the capitals clubbing circuit, Disco Matt checking out the hottest action across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch with his Best Bites choices of where to be ...
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9 Jan 2012 | 0 Comments
Music – “Best Year Yet” – 2011 Music Review – The Tracks – Sunday 8th January – Music Is The Answer Special Part One
Disco Matt, having procrastinated, cogitated & deliberated, while fending off floods of requests since the year end, cannot hold back anymore, as he delivers the results of who & what made it into his fabulous forty and which towering tune made it to number one in his track chart of ...
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29 Dec 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Happy New Year Highlights” – N.Y. Weekend Best Bites – Fri 30th Dec to Mon 2nd Jan – Newsletter Part One
With the New Year weekend on our doorsteps, Disco Matt gets his Recommends act together and after revealing his plans to split his weekly newsletter into two parts, covers his “Best Bites” choices of where to be & be seen on the scene in this, part one. Looking back over ...
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5 Nov 2011 | 0 Comments
Reports – “All Change Please” – Fire “The Closure & The Plans” – Saturday 5th November
Well, the news of the temporary closure of one of the capital’s premier & most popular gay venues is now very much broadcast news, the weekly gay magazines having reported on it, London’s clubbing bible website SeenQueen having posted on it and even we having gone into great detail over ...
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4 Nov 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Plenty of Smoke Without Fire” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts Newsletter – Friday 4th to Sunday 6th November
You have all heard of the phrase, “when it rains, it pours” and the same could be said for our lives at the moment, as having waved goodbye to October, which was probably our worst month of the year so far, this first week in November is looking no better ...
Event Review – “Bare Ches…: It would be fair to say that, over the years, we have s... posted on December 22, 2010 
Recommends – “The Bel Ami…:
It hardly seems twelve months since we went str... posted on May 5, 2011 
Reviews: Here you will find regular reviews of all the hottest &... posted on October 6, 2010 - D.J.’s: Here you will find specific focuses & biography's for D... posted on November 24, 2010
- Previews: Here we preview rather than review events, which either... posted on October 6, 2010
- Music: Here we focus on, review and recommend the latest music... posted on October 6, 2010
- Recommends: Here you will find recommendations for events during th... posted on November 24, 2010
Reviews – “Eye-Opener Of …: Generally unplanned & unscheduled events in our clubbin... posted on March 2, 2011 
Recommends – “Gay Boys In…: When the seeds were first sown on a specialist evening ... posted on April 11, 2011 
Recommends – “Shoreditch …:
Having given East Bloc plenty of coverage in our We... posted on May 14, 2011
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