Posts Tagged ‘Laurent Chaumet’
January 9, 2013 | 
Author First there was MEAT and then came DISH, both the brainchild of Superchumbo, better known in London as Tom Stephan, the D.J./Producer who has successfully turned his hand to club promoting too. And as DISH turns one this Saturday (12th Jan), we thought it just & proper to parcel up our own birthday present in the form of a focus fanfare, looking at the club, some of its key players & what main’s sides & dessert to expect on Saturday.
When we look back across our times clubbing here in the capital, there are a few familiar faces that were around when we first made it big, we are talking the nineties darling, a period when Trade reigned supreme on a Sunday, Love Muscle still scored highly on a Saturday & Soho was a hot bed of activity, Substation one of THE places to be & be seen (or sometimes not depending on where in the club you were) on the scene. But the big clubbing news back then was the launch of the now legendary club Crash which was, justifiably so, the forefather of the scene that we see today down in Vauxhall, this brilliant brand’s promoter, Wayne Shires, bringing many notable names to the eyes & ears of clubbers, Steve Pitron, Jamie Head, Tasty Tim, Brent Nicholls & many more emerging stars of that time, while from day one, this underground giant sported the towering talents of one Tom Stephan, the two forming a friendship which has remained as strong some fifteen years down the line as it was around the time of Crash’s opening. And while our beloved club is no more, much other water having flown under the proverbial bridge that saw Wayne & Tom up Vauxhall sticks & head east, what they have managed to retain from those halcyon Crash days, is the sense of clubbing intrigue, excitement & anticipation, along with a cutting edge style that was the prolific package we called “Underground” back then.
So while Vauxhall under the auspices of Orange Nation has taken clubbing to a different level, heading out east to the Old Street area of Shoreditch and what you will find is a slice of south of the river nostalgia, not quite the Crash that we knew then and still look back on with fabulous fondness now, but a set up pretty similar, nowhere near the size or scale of its predecessor, but with all the enthralling elements that made Crash loved & adored by so many. And this slice of nostalgia?, Well its East Bloc of course, the compact, bijou & uber trendy underground venue on City Road which, from the outside looks pretty unassuming, yet, once down the stairs, opens out into a labyrinth of rooms & passageways that transport you from the stark city life outside, into a seductive set of spaces that intrigue & excite, the off the wall decor speaking its own statement and echoing those memories of Crash old but now very much East Bloc new. And with a family of club brands having made the place their home, despite its small size, Wayne Shires has created a club venue that had made a big impact, one very much at the core of the Shoreditch movement which gathered steams a couple of years ago and now pulls in crowds not too far removed from Room Service, Circus, & Lo-Profile (as was), while even elements of the Vauxhall crowd now make it across, the likes of Gutterslut, SOS, Songs Of Praise, & Super Electro Party Machine attracting them over.
And within all this has been the endured friendship & working relationship between Wayne & Tom Stephan, the first real step in a clubbing brand concept being Disco Fag Bar, which kind of started the whole East Bloc movement off, although it would be MEAT that would propel Tom in the club promotions spotlight, at the time he running the club alongside former studio partner, a fellow D.J./Producer & club promoter, our Shoreditch son, Kris Di Angelis, the off-shoot special, Downtown, pulling in Jodie Harsh. Yet while MEAT was hugely successful, it barely ran past its first anniversary, Tom & Kris going their separate ways, Mr Stephan sticking with the winning formula that made MEAT so successful, but switching the name to DISH, a club & concept that has been running since January last year and so, naturally, this coming Saturday (11th Jan), celebrates its 1st birthday. Indeed, we know Tom & fellow DISH promoter, Borja Pena, are excitedly expectant of an even hotter looking crowd than usual, the club having gained a ravenous reputation for pulling in stunning looking lads who are up for more than just one course of cavorting, rather taking in DISH’s scrumptious starters, marvellous mains & delicious desserts, aka the three rooms of fun that the club serves in on a prolific party platter each & every month. Plus, with the stylish west end set mixing with the east end trendies, DISH is a magnificent melting pot of a meet that marries men & music in a menu of madcap melays that has much much more, while don’t be put off with our play with words as this is not a men only club, not at all, plenty of gorge girls diving into DISH too.
So that’s DISH in a dinner plate size delectation, but what about this Saturday’s shindig? Well, as we have already hinted, it’s the clubs first birthday, so we highly suspect an extra cake course to add to the other three, the starters very much looked after by Maitre d’s, Laurent & Benoit who will be masterminding your safe & smooth passage through East Bloc’s doors & to your tables of fun, your servers come hosts, La Pequeña, Kane Luke, Melvin & Andrew Moore pandering to your every whim. But DISH’s main course of music is what you will want to tuck into and what a course it is, as the mighty Superchmbo will be serving up an underground house heaven of a set to savour, he joined by Borja Pena’s who’s electro twisted & tech toned house makes for a perfect accompaniment to Tom’s brilliant beats, very much making a delightful DISH of main room music to marvel at. However, no main dish is complete without a couple of portions of sides and so across in East Bloc’s second space the team do just that with Mark-Ashley Dupé & Scott Webster sorting the sounds with two scrumptious sets, while the team tell us to expect a few surprises too, having lamented on DISH, “…we have served you some of the tastiest parties in 2012. One roadblock after another, just stuffing our faces with the hottest boys and the most sweet ass beats London has to offer…” adding that “…on 12th January we celebrate our first birthday and our gift to you is what we’ve all been asking for- MORE!…” in what will surely prove an “…all-you-can-eat feast for your senses!…”. So, with DISH serving from 10.30 p.m. this Saturday (12th Jan) & running till 6 a.m., its just £7 on the door before midnight & then £10 after, while an early arrival is advised to guarantee entry to your table, while wearing a DISH t-shirt will get you in free before 12, further info, should you need it, out on events page http://facebook.com/events/128493743978850/.
Well, we certainly need no further convincing to head across to East Bloc & dive into DISH, meaning this Oliver will be definitely be asking for more, more & more on Saturday, so if you see us, come say hi, of course making sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | 
Tags: Borja Pena, Dish, East Bloc, Laurent Chaumet, Mark Ashley Dupe, Scott Webster, Tom Stephan | 
1 Comment »
Having covered “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket” trio of treats, it’s time to let another appetising trio of treats take to the DM spotlight, three exceptional events that deserve to have their Easter say, as the weekend hails the return of two brilliant brands form our partying past, well as a special Sunday serving Stephan style, Disco Matt biting into the detail on Discotec, Fiction & Dish.
The strength of the capitals clubbing circuit is its diversity, while the same could be said for its familiarity, a whole host of brilliant brands & popular parties continuing to draw considerable crowds, whether they be the weekly happenings, the monthly gatherings or the infrequent, that dynamic diversity playing out right across London although, undeniably, in the rich playgrounds that are Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch. And while we do our best to lay out Best Bites & Short Shouts hat on all three, when it comes to special weekends like this one, it seems only fair to devote some more focussed attention to appetising alternatives that are also pushing the Easter envelope & awaiting your attention. But these are no ordinary events, as each one represents a harping back to the halcyon days of hedonistic clubbing, when underground & alternative were bywords of a scene that still had to remain pretty inconspicuous due to society’s discriminations, a time when blacked out windows, & backyard venues out of the mainstream sights & sounds engendered a surge of scene splendours such as Trade, Crash, Factor 25 & DTPM that very much paved the way for the superb & inclusive scene that we see today.
So to the first of and a Thursday night club of iconic proportions, plus one that was very much at the forefront of that clubbing revolution in the late 90’s nearly noughties, playing out to capacity crowds from its historic home of The den on the edge of Soho, keeping the party & its popularity going for close on fifteen years. But as times on the scene have changed & social patterns have shifted, Thursday’s began to fizzle out and Discotec began to feel the pinch, plans to demolish its home also sealing the clubs fate. But like all the best brands in the business, not least those legendary names we have mentioned above, the desire for Discotec has remained healthy in the hearts of its diehard fans, many of who couldn’t contain their excitement when the news broke of his swansong like reappearance on the scene. However, with The Den no more the clubs original promoter, Laurent Chaumet, quickly looked to his clubbing & promoting pal Wayne Shires & his connections with The Brixton Clubhouse (that is in Brixton before you ask) to secure the venue for this Discotec “Easter Special” event. And Laurent is very excited to be bringing the brand back, telling us “…I am so excited about bringing Discotec back and being at the beginning of the four day break & on a Thursday as well should hopefully prove a recipe for success…” he adding “…the Brixton Clubhouse will add an extra dimension to this dance event, combining inside & out like Dicotec-ers have never seen before…”
With that backdrop and knowing that this Discotec gathering is sure to be something special, let’s dive into the detail this extra special Easter event taking place tomorrow night (Thurs 5th April) at The Brixton Clubhouse (467-469 Brixton Rd), door opening at 10 p.m. with the event running through to a planned 4 a.m., entry available on the door for just £5 before midnight & then £10 thereafter (bargain!!!). And as for those two spaces, well its very much about upfront, funky & nu-disco house as Laurent & his team welcome Discotec regulars Guy Williams & Femi B to the decks, although the really exciting inclusion for us is the faaabulous Fidel, better known in his (or is it her) Discotec demure as Marron Bitch, this terrific talent having laid down a soundtrack especially for the occasion, so one well worth checking out by going to http://soundcloud.com/fidel-77/fidel-3 & sink into Marron’s magnificent music which will be flooding the so called Saint Club room on Thursday. But alfresco dancing will also be the name of the game, as the Discotec second space will be out on the BCH sundecks (well moondecks really!!), with a brace of Discotec boys on the D.J. decks, Slamma & Jeffrey Hinton sorting the sounds, while MC Brandy will be on the mic & Joy on the drums (percussion to the posh!), with Smirnoff flavours the theme of this outside space & bar, while the Manhunt men will be out in force supplying the eye candy & wearing Andre Christian underwear (yum yum), further information up at https://facebook.com/events/269188593158846/.
So to the second of this appetising alternative trio of treats and another brilliant brand that was in the thick of that evolutionary come revolutionary movement in clubbing around the turn of the century, Fiction a formidable Friday force to be reckoned with, holding sway at The Cross, a bit of a backyard venue in the relative dereliction of warehouses that was part of the infamous Bagley’s collection of buildings, yet this raw & ready state of the place was an intrinsic part of its popularity, dancing on the tables, swinging from the chandeliers (well lights then!) & just general decadent dancing delirium was all part of the prolific package. And Fiction’s creator, DTPM’s Lee Freeman, drew a wealth of D.J. talent, some from the huge success that was Trade, both Malcolm Duffy & Fat Tony regular residents of this Friday frolic, while names such as Miguel Pellitero, Cosmo, Harji & Justin Ballard were indelible inclusions, while other names such as Nick Tcheniak & Guy Williams also graced its decks regularly. Spread over three spaces including an outside terrace, Fiction was the first club that boasted alfresco shimmying and with a reputation of being mad, mixed & better for it, Fiction was the forerunner of what is now commonly known as metrosexuality. But, like Discotec, Fiction fell foul both of a change in trends plus the demolition of The Cross, as part of the substantial redevelopment of the whole Kings Cross area and so by 2007 the club was no more, its sister DTPM also facing changing trends & times.
But with Lee Freeman having made a respeldant return to the scene just a couple of years ago, Fiction was always on the cards to come back for a series of pop-up parties, although with Kings Cross now a major construction & re-development site, choosing a venue to re-emulate the Fiction feel was always going to be tricky, the fist reunion two years ago round the corner from The Cross a shadow of its former self, albeit that the event was a sell-out. But with Mr Freeman laying down routes in South London & engrossing himself in his own re-development project, the result being The Kennington Pub & Kitchen, it is this new sparkling scene spot that will be playing host to the second re-coming of Fiction, Lee telling us “…I have been hunting around to find the right place and have to admit that this was not the easiest of tasks. In fact, it was so difficult, that I decided to put together my own place and now it’s finished, it’s time to party…” adding about his venue “…The Kennington is just a stone’s throw from Kennington Park, 2 mins from Oval tube (Northern Line), has a great terrace on the front and has been refurbished to the highest standards. Nothing but the best for you! We have to say it’s a bit smaller than The Cross, so ticket numbers will be limited to advance purchases only! It’s a beautiful venue & all on one level too, so no need for all those stairs this time and the bonus is, that we can all get down to that Fiction vibe together…”
So what of the detail, well Lee has already spilled the beans on the venues location & feel, but with the team welcoming back the terrific trio of D.J. residents from days of old (sorry boys!), you couldn’t ask for a better package, as Guy Williams, Fat Tony & Justin Ballard will be mixing it up from re-union start to finish, the running order very much under wraps but likely to be a mish mash in true Fiction style, Lee stating that “… we couldn’t do this without a few of those DJs who contributed to and made Fridays so much fun for 8 years of Friday night hedonism & they’re digging out some old alongside some new tunes too…”. So with this Fiction re-union kicking off from 10.30 p.m. on Good Friday (6th April), the planned running time taking you through till 4 a.m., but with space relatively limited compared to its historical home, naturally numbers have been limited too and of going to press, it seems that there are only a few advanced tickets left, meaning you should head straight to direct link http://ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=501914&interface to grab your £15 pass, as there is no entry on the door & no guestlist, more information, should you need it, available at http://dtpm.net & http://thekennington.com.
To the third in our trio of alternative treats and we fast forward to Easter Sunday and look towards Shoreditch, the rich playing field of clubs such as Gutterslut, SOS, Trailer Trash & Paradise 45, to mention just a few, while venues such as The Dalston Superstore, The Joiners Arms, The Horse & Groom &, naturally, Shoreditch House, having very much transformed this area into a melting pot of activity. But with the underground splendour that is East Bloc very much heading up this trendsetting east meets west social & clubbing scene, the recent collaborations between Wayne Shires & Tom Stephan (aka Superchumbo) producing one of the true success stories of 2011, “Meat” having very much spearheaded the renaissance of clubbing that harps back to the days of Crash, probably the club that was singularly responsible for totally transforming the clubbing scene segment that we now know as Vauxhall, “Mat” taking the underground excellence of Crash & transporting it into East Bloc with considerable success. However, it didn’t stop there with this brilliant brand, as special parties down in Brixton elevated its appeal, although Tom decided he wanted to brand to grace its exit while at the top of its game, his promoter partner Kris Di Angelis heading off to new projects, leaving our Mr Stephan with the prospect of a re-branding issue, the result being “Dish”.
With two parties already under his belt, the launch in January & another hedonistic happening in March going down a storm, “Dish” in effect a new version of “Meat” but introducing a more dynamic team of D.J.’s, the March affair particularly served up a superb session akin to a three course meal of cavorting, East Bloc proving, once again, a prolific playing ground for this party, meaning that, having re-captured the imagination of east end boys, west end girls & everything in-between, Easter was always going to be the next prize for Tom & his “Dish” team. However, with trends swaying towards Sunday rather than Saturday as being the preferred option, this has also meant that a switch in venue has been required, although in Basing House & having spoken with Tom he tells us that “…Basing House now have an amazing Function One sound system impressive effects & a pretty impressive laser…” and coming from a man that knows the business better than most, this speaks immediate volumes, Tom adding that “…the first two Dish’s have been amazing and this should be even better…”. And to cement that statement with some substance, just take a look at the promo video at http://youtube.com/watch?v=kohSmarNCzI which should pretty much seal the deal on his “Dish” delight or at least whet your appetite for tucking into this sumptuous Sunday soiree.
But what about the Dish detail? Well, as we have said, it switches from Saturday to Sunday, taking place this Easter Sunday (8th April), also switching venues from East Bloc just across Shoreditch to Basing House (25 Kingsland Rd) and kicking off from 10 p.m. & running through till 4 a.m. As for the D.J.’s on duty, naturally Mr Stephan will be in the thick of the action, although he is joined by Room Service’s & east end boy Dimitry Strigun, along with Dish co-promoter Borja Peña in the main’s meal room, while appetiser servings & hosting will also come from La Pequeña, Melvin and Kane Luke, added to which the way out, whacky & totally outrageous go-go’s, Fer & Claudio will be dishing out plenty of saucy treats, those on top of the pop-up art & visuals drawn from the huge collection that Tom has amassed over the years, these very much needing to be seen to be believed. With Laurent (yes he of Discotec fame) & Benoit on the door, entry is a mere £7 before midnight & then £12 thereafter, more info up at http://facebook.com/events/401956656485367/, while to get a taste of the soundtrack to expect, then we definitely checking out Tom Stephan’s latest compilation at http://soundcloud.com/tomstephan/house-music-girlfriend-you, one packed with banging house beats shout the superb Superchumbo style of sound and one definitely for the collection as well as a tantalising temptation to head across to Basing House on Sunday.
So, that’s our appetising alternative trio of treats, all worth more than just a consideration, each one proof in the pudding of the dynamic diversity that the scene serves up, so well worth soaking up in their own right. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Basing House, Borja Pena, Dimitry Strigun, Discotec, Dish, East Bloc, Fat Tony, Femi B, Fidel, Guy Williams, Jeffrey Hinton, Justin Ballard, Laurent Chaumet, Lee Freeman, Marron Bitch, MC Brandy, The Brixton Clubhouse, Tom Stephan | No Comments »
Fabulous Festival Re-Formed
Having just about a week ago lamenting on the wonders of park festivals passed, we find ourselves in the same boat, looking back & then looking forward as one of our favourite festivals from a good ten years makes its welcome return to the summer scene. But pushing back the clock, when Summer Rites was rocking our world, it seemed that park festivals were going from strength to strength, a whole succession of post Pride parties having been held in Brockwell, Victoria, & Finsbury park(s), while Clapham Common had also featured. And it was the Brockwell days that saw Summer Rites rise to ascendency, the first event still living in our memories, not least when we clubbed & cavorted to the Warriors sounds of Wayne G in the Brockwell park lido with close companion of the time, D.J. Chris Reardon., while the likes of Ultra Nate were performing on the main stage, oh the memories!!
Yet, as good as Summer Rites was, a tide change that saw park parties become less & less popular, not least due to a run of years when the famous British summer reared its rainy head, very much dampening festival organisers’ causes, outdoors was swapped for indoors, while Pride itself ditched the park format in favour of the central London square scenario, perhaps on the strength of Soho Pride which had become the darling of the festival scene in the capital. However, with two years of success under its belt, Lovebox has spurned a resurgence in the penchant for a park party and when news hit our desks that Summer Rites was to return, we suddenly looked forward to a season full of alfresco antics, obviously crossing lots of fingers for that famed weather to hold, serving up plenty of sunshine rather than rainy Sunday’s. But whilst we cannot guarantee the weather this coming Sunday (10th July), what we can promise is a party to re-emulate those halcyon Summer Rites days, with a whole host of dance tents, entertainment & everything else that goes with partying in the park.
Resplendant Remix
So, what’s on the Summer Rites “Remixed” table then? Well, for this “…boutique gay clubbing festival…”, quite a lot actually, as the organisers have gathered some of the big name brands to support the host of locally based Shoreditch showstoppers like Gutterslut, Meat, & Pony Step. And there are some pretty big names in the frame too, international mega club Salvation spearheading an impressive line-up of dance & entertainment tents that also includes bear brand XXL, gender bender brilliance “Trannyshack” & the indie trendsetter, Popstarz, not to mention other supporters that include The Royal Vauxhall Tavern, represented by their night “Kimono Krush”, while Shoreditch bar The Joiners Arms, along with gay boozer The George & Dragon lend their support to the refreshment tents & stands, as well as having their own spaces to flaunt their entertainment wares. But the involvement doesn’t stop there as Shoreditch’s finest & most talked about club of the moment, East Bloc, will play an intrinsic part in proceedings, while Century Club’s “Sunday Happy Day” will lend a helping hand, this on top of a special “Bootyliicious” bus that should prove a real draw.
But, before we drill down on some of the detail, here’s a message from our sponsors, or more appropriately the organisers who say about Summer Rites “Remxied”, “…This is a festival orchestrated by the creators of the authentic gay alternative festival, Summer Rites, and the iconic street party, Soho Pride. Both have kept the London gay community grooving & moving for the last two decades & now the gang are digging deeper for a big balsy summer smash…”, the further adding, “…set in Shoreditch between Old Street, Islington & in part of the historic East End of London, where fashion, music & art combine, it will be right at the heart of a place which is recognised as London’s most vibrant district. The festival will feature dance arenas, an open stage, a boogie bus, multiple bars and much more…”, they concluding that “…form the intimacy yet frivolity of Shoreditch park from midday to 10 p.m., the party doesn’t stop as “Encore” the official Summer Rites afterparty will continue from 10 p.m. to late in a nearby warehouse…”.
Steve's Show Set To Soar
Now that gives you a flavour of what to expect, but what about the detail between the lines? Well, first & foremost, Salvation will be hosting that main open stage, the club showing how it’s done with the kind of spectacular production for which they have become famous for. And promoter Steve Elliot together with his terrific team, will be drawing on the dance direction of Raul Gonzalez who will turn out a truck load of performers, artists, acrobats & the like, to compliment the delectable D.J. line up that includes stars covering the clubs 13 year history, Luke Hope, Pier Morrocco, Miswhite & Paul Coals, along with Elliot J Brown & Howard Turner. But it doesn’t stop there as, prolific P.A. (in our view, the best in the business) Peyton will be centre staging the performances, while Andromeda & the Twisted Dreams dance troupe will also feature. However, Trannyshack will also get their main stage say, with the best in worldwide drag artists & off-beat/unusual shows, a D.J. line-up to delight that will include gender benders Tasty Tim, Munroe Bergdorf & Lady Lloyd, along with Trannyshack queen, The very Miss Dusty O, who will be performing a rare live show that simply cannot be missed.
Wayout Whackiness
Main stage aside, the other highlights for us look like being the East Bloc tent, where the wayout & whacky Gutterslut will feature, along with Tom Stephan’s magnificent monthly meet, Meat, which will no doubt be riding on a wave crest after their party just hours before. With D.J. stars including Per Q.X. Nic Fisher & Miss MC Crystal flying the Gutterslut flag, while Meat main man Tom Stephan will play an exclusive set alongside East Bloc residents James Phillips & Borja Penna, while the likes of A Man To Pet, Miss Krystilina, Amber Swallows & Ma Butcher will beef up the bravado, all meaning this should prove a dynamic draw. But the boogie bus, hosted by Bootylicious, just has to be sampled, while XXL will definitely have their bear say, although we hope not to hear the phrase of last weekend in there, “I Want My Porridge!”, although we are sure there will be no shortage of bears looking for their goldilocks. However, with so much else on offer, the variety & choice couldn’t be better and very much reflects just how vibrant the Shoreditch scene has become, Summer Rites “Remixed” celebrating this scene diversity in the best possible way, meaning there is a place to lay your clubbing hat, whatever persuasion or whatever type of clubber or cavorter you are.
Mapping It Out
Right, let’s cover off the detail and remind you that Summer Rites “Remixed” takes place this Sunday (10th July) at Shoreditch Park from midday till 10 p.m. This is a ticketed event, with all the £15 early bird tickets having been sold, so only advance ones priced at £20 now only available online by going to the official website. http://summer-rites.com. However, you can also purchase your entry in advance by popping into Prowler in Soho or across at Expectations on Great Eastern St in Shoreditch, while you can also pay entry on the day, but make sure you have the readies & not the plastic, as they can only accept cash payments. Now, as for directions, visiting the website is your best option, although Shoreditch Park in is the heart of Hoxton, so your nearest tube is Old St, while a whole host of busses can take you close. And if you can’t get online, you can always land on your favourite venue or outlet, who have plentiful stocks of the special Summer Rites programme brochure which, like here, tells you pretty much everything you need to know, including a map of the park & the local vicinity to save you scratching around for an A to Z. And, don’t forget “Encore”, the official afterparty, plus a gathering at East Bloc that will take you deep into Monday morning, all these details also available at http://eastbloc.co.uk.
So, with this brilliant boutique gay clubbing festival looking like THE place to be & be seen on the scene this Sunday, we will be there to report on & review it all, so if you spot us then come say hi, but make sure you don’t miss out on what looks like being the sensation of the summer, making sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Bootylicious, East Bloc, Gutterslut, Kimono Krush, Laurent Chaumet, Luke Hope, Meat, MisWhite, Nic Fisher, Paul Coals, Per Q.X., Pier Morrocco, Pony Step, Salvation, Steve Elliot, Summer Ries, Tom Stephan, Trannyshack, Wayne Shires, XXL | 1 Comment »
Delightful Delectations At Diu
Having ventured forth to this, one of the clubbing scene’s hottest tickets, back in March, we pretty much haven’t looked back, Room Service filling our weekly schedule of showings with increasing regularity and despite competition in the form of Gigolo having sprung up in Soho, it seems that the penchant for Jodie Harsh’s prolific Thursday party has not dampened at all. Indeed, as we arrived at what we thought was a very reasonable & queue avoiding time of 10.30 pm., we were faced with close on a 30 minute wait as more privileged others streamed into the club, plus with no JJ on duty, for good reason as he was celebrating his birthday downstairs, we simply had to sit it out, guestlist guy Jack clearly having his hands full managing the situation. So, it was down to Steve Pitron to rescue this our latest Room Service session, he popping up between tracks to fish us out of the queue, Jack’s surprised look saying it all, but our fortunes quickly switching as we were ushered into Diu’s downstairs in an instant, right behind D.J. legend Tom Stephan & prominent promoter Laurent Chaumet, both here to savour a little French sauciness courtesy of host porn star Francois Sagat.
So, with our trip back on track, we headed straight for the Diu D.J. booth where Mr Pitron was spinning some serious & uplifting sounds, his beaming smile evidence of his pleasure we had joined his & friend Jess’s company, our live nibble sized tweeting already into full swing as we headed to the bar for refreshments, weaving our way through the tightly packed party people already gracing this Room Service romp with their presence. Back by the booth & it was clear Steve was in a playful mood, picking out terrific track after track that were already sending our emotions racing, that now infamous rollercoaster ride playing out in front of Jess & everyone around, first “Waiting For You” striking poignant resonance with our plight a little earlier, then the outstanding “Offshore” adding to our emotions. But with Diu’s dedicated but overzealous security guard standing next to the D.J. booth like a centurion, short of holding Mr Pitron hostage, there was plenty to keep our trademark tears in check, not least the captivating company of Jess, soon joined by the marvellous Minty, fierce partner in crime Lexi and then by Room Service’s scenestress supreme, Jodie Harsh, French fancy Francois Sagat in close call.
Rapture At Room Service
With Steve’s superb set over, his curtain call to our cavorting being the brilliant “You Will Remember”, it was now the turn of Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis to select the sounds and he started superbly, treating us to a tech house twist of the disco dipped “Acapella”, neatly followed by a brilliant Beyonce bootleg, “run the world” a rapturous re-work by the tremendous Tom Stephan who popped up to tell us all as we bopped to the tracks bouncy beats. And it seemed the whole of Room Service, like they had for Steve’s set, were having a terrific time in the hands of Mr Di Angelis, the party alight with action & showing no signs of relenting. Plus having held court with Jodie for a while, along with an intro to the impressive in the flesh Francois, not to mention catching up with birthday boy J.J., our exemplary evening couldn’t have been more complete, the regal treatment by Room Service’s royalty sealing the deal on our delightful delectations at Diu, leaving us to say, “…it’s ready, steady go for the review…” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Previews, Reports, Reviews | Tags: Diu, JJ Clark, Jodie Harsh, Kris Di Angelis, Laurent Chaumet, Room Service, Steve Pitron, Tom Stephan | No Comments »
Meaty Manfest
Having given East Bloc plenty of coverage in our Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts Recommends posts over the last few months, it is surprising to us, as much as the men across in Shoreditch, that we have yet to step foot into this NYC style industrial hip & happening hangout on Old Street, although tonight (Saturday 14th May) will see us make amends as we head out east for one of the venue’s hottest tickets, as “Meat” rolls out its 4th outing and it looks like being a blast.
Titled “Kennedy Carter’s Last Dance”, we’ll come onto to that in a moment, but the best way to kick of this Extra Bite devotion is to introduce you to the faaabulous video the Meat men have put together, giving you more than an inkling of what to expect at East Bloc tonight. With the resounding message being “Dress Down To Dare”, as little as possible basically, we cannot think of a better way of kicking of the “Meat” mood by taking a look at http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ivd41N_tHKQ&feature=youtu.be.
So, what is “Meat” all about? And what’s on offer over at East Bloc tonight? Well, the concept of this predominately male orientated outing was born by the D.J./Producer duo of Kris Di Angelis & Tom Stephan, two terrific talents that have been tipping our scales of musical enjoyment for quite a few years, Tom especially remembering those uber sexy underground days of Crash when clubbing decadence & naughtiness was at its best. So having moved on & out east too, in the process re-connecting with Crash’s promoter Wayne Shires, the idea of offering something sexy & edgy was always a plan and with a real melting pot of forward thinking individuals in & around this latest gay hotspot, plus with a penchant for something excitingly different to the generic grunge of Vauxhall, “Meat” was born, harping a little back to the Crash days, but looking forward with cutting edge sounds & in suitable surroundings, the punch line “…where the drinks are as cheap of the boys are hot – the vibe is electric & the jeans get dropped…”.
With the picture painted, tonight will see two rooms of raunchy action, the music as macho as the men, the first space sport the original D.J. “Meatheads”, James Pople, Tom Stephan & Kris Di Angelis, bashing out the beats for the boys, with some of the hot & hung go-go’ seen this side of Sydney, while in room two, its “Mincemeat” action with Urban White Boy Kingsley and the coolest tranny in town, Munroe Bergdorf, throwing down opulent old-skool R&B, while with the giveaway in the title, it will be the last performance of “Meat’s” resident renegade master, Kennedy Carter’s last performance before he hits the sunshine trail, this one man show stopping sex machine sure to go out in style, with a bang, although the men will make him struggle before he finally flees to “Meat” flock, so expect plenty of ravenous action from start to finish.
So, where & when does all this audacious action take place? Well, by now you should have gathered that the host venue for “Meat” is East Bloc, located at 217 City Road (that’s on the edge of Shoreditch & Hoxton – nearest tube Old St) and kicks off at 10.30 p.m., running through till 6 a.m. with entry a mere £5 before 12 and then £8 afterwards. Now, having spoken with Kris a short while ago, who made a point of saying that its gets busy early, so a hint to get yourselves across town in a trice. Plus, another reason to get there early is so you can grab the much sought after prize of a “Meat” t-shirt and having see Mr Stephan sport one at “Downtown” at The Brixton Clubhouse last Bank Holiday, they are worth every single penny. Add to that a whole load of brand new porn installations which fuse Tom’s passion for men on men loving, a tad full of tranny rape & bambi fetish thrown in and there will be plenty of meaty art to feast your eyes on, apart from the meaty men & meaty music. More details on East Bloc can be found by going to http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Well, enough said really, apart from its time to speed across to Shoreditch for this saucy & sexy shindig and in the process catch us in the thick of the action supping our non alcoholic drinks, but consuming the colossal concoction of “Meat” action on offer, so if you see us, come say hi, leaving us to say, make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Postscript
Surefire Summer Sensation
As a curtain raiser to “Meat” and following their showing at The Brixton Clubhouse (BCH) earlier this month, if you missed out on “Downtown” meaning you didn’t get to see the exciting changes afoot at the formerly known Dex, why not make a move to this latest spot on the scene, Wayne Shires & his team inviting you to come see the changes for yourself. You can take a sneak preview peek at the terraces & savour what a BCH membership will offer, this “Exclusive Membership Weekend” giving you the chance to sign up for free, yes free membership, with a complimentary glass of bubbly thrown in & samples of tasty nibbles to boot. Opening their doors both today (Sat 14th May) & tomorrow from 5 till 11 p.m., make sure you don’t miss out on being a member of what looks like being the hottest hangout this summer and a place that loads of club owners & promoters want to get their hands on!, BCH located in the heart of Brixton (address 467 Brixton Road), the entrance between Barclays & KFC.
Posted in Recommends | Tags: East Bloc, James Pople, Kris Di Angelis, Laurent Chaumet, Meat, Munroe Bergdorf, The Brixton Clubhouse, Tom Stephan, Wayne Shires | No Comments »
Boyz Goes Blue
With the weekend set to be dominated by some song contest over in Germany, oh yes it Eurovision again! And with hopes for a strong showing by the UK this year as pop band “Blue” have reformed to try & lift the contest crown for good old blighty, we will be doing our best to steer you into a Eurovision free zone with our Best Bites & Short Shouts choices this weekend. But before we do, a big up all those bars that will be showing the contest, plus those of you throwing Eurovision parties, as well as the thousands that have made it across to Dusseldorf to cheer our boys along. And my don’t they look just a tad yummy on the cover of Boyz Magazine this week, this incidentally where you can get all the detail on Eurovision & where to be across the capitals extensive gay scene to catch the contest live. Just go to http://boyz.co.uk/onlineViewer/viewer.php & it’s all at your finger tips, well that & loads more.
So, with Eurovision put to bed, lets crack on with our choices this week for Soho Vauxhall & elsewhere, some new, some regular, some switched, others included but a reminder here & now, if you want a mention right here, then get those all important details across to us, press releases, newsletters, you name it, just mail us at matt@discomatt.com, as, if like one organisation, you don’t, then you may miss out.
Bar Brilliance
Right let’s get going by looking at Soho first and our Best Bite this week goes, once again, to Profile & Lo-Profile, the dynamic duo on Wardour Street that never fail to tip our enjoyment scales, this weekend looking no different. So, looking at Profile first, Friday sees a welcome return to the decks by the cute & compact Zach Burns, who takes pole position to pump out those sounds from 8 p.m., while on Saturday (14th May), Profile favourite Nathan Six will definitely ensure your Saturday thoughts do not stray to Eurovision, rather his energetic & euphoric dance delights, both he & Zach warm you up for proceedings below on their respective nights. As for profile itself, don’t forget their latest updated food menu, serving tasty nibbles right to full blown American diner inspired fare, specialist offers including a Sunday roast & a Tuesday Steak night (we like the sound of that). Plus, with a daily happy hour between 4 & 7 p.m., a lunch special between 12 & 4 p.m. Mon to Fri, Profile is the perfect place to hang out, more details available at http://profileshoho.com
Soho Smash Hit
As for Lo-Profile downstairs, well it would be fair to say that we were pretty taken by their new night “Society”, not least the drop dead gorgeous go-go dancers (one in particular actually) so Friday’s on Wardour Street just seem to be getting hotter by the minute. And this week should prove no different with two sparking stars on the scene on duty to dish out dollops of heavenly house hits, Mikey D taking the early slot, while D’Johnny lands from Berlin to rev up your weekend & lead you into Saturday with some superb sounds. A for Saturday, well two favourites of the Lo-Profile crowd return to keep all thoughts of Eurovision at bay, Rob Sykes on first, followed by bello Alessandro Londra, who, having spoken to last night, has a whole raft of new rhythms to rain form his repertoire. That aside, if you are planning a party, want to keep in touch with what’s happening or grab some tasty special offers, then a visit to http://loprofile.com is in order, although a visit in person this weekend gets our hearty recommendation.
Right to some Short Shouts and first to two new kids on the social soiree block, first Glamour & Trash, which launches at Diu this coming Tuesday (17th May), promoter Aubrey, hostess Minty & mix master Brent Nicholls come at ya with their new night, while on Thursday (q9th May) the guys from ShootMeUp join forces with Lo-Profile to bring you their new night Gigolo. So, given these two new nights on the Soho scene, we will be bring you all the lowdown & info in a special Extra Bites post, “Soho’s Social Set Soars” right after this, but two dates definitely to go in the diary (my are we having a busy week already!).
Over at the Shadow Lounge they have made some changes to the guestlist entry, being conscious of those tighter pockets of ours, so now g/list entry from Mon to Thurs is free all night (wow!), while on Friday’s & Saturday’s its free up till 11 p.m. & then just £5 thereafter. So, how do you get on the guestlist, well, just drop the darlings an e-mail at info@theshadowlounge.co.uk or visit their website for more details. Incidentally, Inferno tonight (Fri 13th May) sees Paul Heron on sound spinning duty, while D.J. Sonathaq stands in for Andrew Elmore at Inferno tomorrow night (Sat 14th).
As for our other usual entrants, Rupert St & Ku-Bar, well we can’t guarantee them as Eurovison free zones, so best you take your chances, but with D.J.’s Saki & Alessandro at Rupert Street on Friday & Saturday respectively, then Ku Bar, well see for yourselves in Boyz, the party atmosphere should be amazing.
Now quickly before we move on and the latest news with Barcode is that it is going to be retained as a bar and not turned into a restaurant as we had first thought. The transition will be taking place sometime this month, although as yet we are not sure what it will look like coming out the other side. But with our contact on Archer St in pole position to ply us with news, we do at least know the whole frontage is to be opened out in cafe style, while as for nights like Industri, well they look set to stop. However, when we know, you will know, so watch this space.
Communication Is The Key
Right onto Vauxhall and back to what we mentioned earlier about sending through details, one group in particular having seen fit to remove us from their press release mailings, without any notice or discussion may we add. Now, regardless of the fact that they may dominate the Vauxhall scene, with nights like Gravity, Onyx, A:M, Later, Booster & Orange, oh and not forgetting our favourite club of all time, Beyond, The Orange Group under the steership of its new master Jonny Marsh, have done just that, removed us from their mailing list without warning. In what had always been a very harmonious working relationship with promoters & managers alike, has very much been soured by this individual, who has not only ignored our continual requests to sit down and discuss certain issues, may we add, an offer he made many months ago but failed to follow through, he has now seen fit to adopt child like tactics, perhaps as a result of us going to press on a Beyond report that we had also given him plenty of opportunity to respond on. So, we will be adopting, unlike him, the professional approach and have been in touch with the individual promoters of A:M, Later, Booster & Orange, as well as our contact within Beyond and, from next week will be bringing you in either Best Bite or Short Shout form, postings on these three clubs. As for the rest, especially Onyx & events like WE Party, The Week & As One, until this dispute is resolved, we will be reserving our recommendations to a minimum. Should you wish to find out what’s happening across The Orange Group, then you can sign up for their newsletter or simply go to http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
That said, we have put the full weight of our recommendation force behind Lovechild, which takes place at Fire on Saturday (14th may), our Weekend Focus report out at direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/recommends-double-dose-of-pride-lovechild-meets-fff-saturday-14th-may-weekend-focus/ with all the detail you need to know on what may be the last Lovechild at Fire (ooh er missus!).
Now, let’s get some positive vibes going and give some Short Shouts to a couple of venues who quietly & consistently pull the punters in The R.V.T. has a full programme of events this weekend, Friday (13th May) seeing “Kimono Krush return for their May dance, while its “Duckie” on Saturday and “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” on Sunday. Check out http://thervt.org.co.uk for more details. Then there is The Eagle, which rolls out two favourites, sandwiching their “Eagle Saturdays” as “Tonker” is back tonight (Fri), while on Sunday (15th May), it’s another Horse Meat Disco mash-up. More info can be found by going to http://eaglelondon.com
Final mention in Vauxhall goes to Barcode and we are awaiting details of the D.J. line-ups across both Friday & Saturday, although can definitely guarantee it as a Eurovision free zone, Saturday itself surely to be a packed out affair given what else is on offer. Listings should be back to normal from next week In the meantime, why not check out their website at http://bar-code.co.uk
Prolific Prospect
Okay, so let’s move onto our alternative options and Best Bite this week goes to East Bloc and their Saturday night shindig “Meat”, which is rolling out its fourth party this Saturday (14th May) and looks like a biggie, as having already spoken with Kris De Angelis, who is by the way, D.J.’ing too, he reckons the world & his wife will be getting over to Shoreditch, many wanting to avoid that song contest thingy!! But Kris isn’t the only delectable D.J. on the decks, oh no, as the mighty Tom Stephan (aka Superchumbo) will also being selecting some serious sounds and judging by the tracks coming out of his recording studio at the moment, we are going to be in for a treat, he having also collaborated with Kris on a new tune that is sure to get airplay, Plus with James Pople joining the duo & room two sporting Urban White Boy Kingsley & Munroe Bergdorf, the music is going to be fierce. But the East Bloc weekend isn’t just confined to Saturday, as tonight (Friday 13th) it’s another “Disco Fag Bar”, promoter Wayne Shires in attention and Laurent Chaumet together with guests on the decks, while Club Infidel making a showing in room two with their brand of dirty electro nasty robo techno (whatever that is!) a live PA by Disco Damage & Electro Dreams among others. Plus with all this on, not least the uber sexy “Meat”, the East Bloc men wish to make clear that it is definitely a Eurovision free zone. More info on this hip & happening Industrial come NYC underground hangout can be found by going to http://eastbloc.co.uk, while watch this space for an Extra Bites post on “Meat” as there is just loads going on & this is simply unmissable.
We Are Two
Now, given the shortage of a Best Bite in Vauxhall (there could have been Mr Marsh!!), we have given an extra cherry pick to the East End and to The Dalston Superstore (DSS) who are two this weekend. So, it’s quite a celebratory one for Dan & the boys, the festivities kicking off tonight (Fri 13th May) with a “Back-To-Back” birthday special with residents Not Shy & Kezeokichi, plus an extra special guest D.J. up their sleeves. But tomorrow (Sat 14th May) is the biggie & the boys are laying on a “Tranny Attack” to celebrate their 2nd birthday, polysexuals including Jonny Woo, A Man To Pet & Ma Butcher, while John Sizzle will be in residence together with a guest slot from Jeffrey Hinton, joining Dan Beaumont & The lovely Jonjo. Plus we are reliably informed that there will be plenty of birthday surprises and the celebratory drinks will definitely be flowing & in large supply. As Dan say’s “…it’s gonna be a big one, triple WOOF…” which means you need to get down there early, as it all kicks off from 9 p.m. & runs until 4 a.m. and all for just a fiver! AAAmazing!. Then to cure your hangover’s D.J. Squeaky will be taking it easy on you with Tutti Frutti on Sunday (15th May), more details on DSS available at http://thedalstonsuperstore.com.
We mention Wayne Shires earlier and it seems his pie fingers have stretched back down into South London, to The Brixton Clubhouse (formerly Dex) no less, as well as taking charge of The Prince downstairs. So, whilst we believe it’s an invite only do, we thought we would mention it (have ours!) as there is a Brixton Clubhouse “Exclusive Members Weekend” event tomorrow (Sat 14th May) & Sunday (15th), both starting at 5 p.m. (gorge!), where you can get to view the new terrace spaces plus the further refurbishments which looked great when we saw them at “Downtown”. Plus with the weather looking reasonable (that wind has gone!) it should be a splendid shindig. So, keep your eyes peeled for that Extra Bites post on “Meat” as we will be tagging this on the end (there’s a tie you know!).
Right, just time to squeeze in a mention for tip top clubbing website SeenQueen, who have just this week updated their site to include hot dates into June, while some of their choices for the upcoming Bank Holiday have also been rolled out, so well worth a visit at http://seenqueen.com/web, the home page then guiding you to a veritable feast of content.
Well, that’s just about it for this weekend and it feels good to be back Best Biting & Short Shouting, although our weekend may end up being a bit lame, as a course of antibiotics will prevent us from indulging, so looks like we will be Eurovision free too. However, Mr Di Angelis has our arm right up our back so “Meat” is on the cards and we are sure The Brixton Clubhouse will see us too, although there will be no Beyond or Lovechild (its complicated!) in our schedule, so not just a Eurovision, but a Vauxhall free weekend too. So, whatever you are up to, have a great one and as we always say, make sure you Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Alessandro Londra, Barcode, Beyond, Booster, Boyz Magazine, D'Johnny, Disco Fag Bar, East Bloc, Gravity, Kris Di Angelis, Ku Bar, Later, Laurent Chaumet, Lo-Profile, Lovechild, Meat, Mikey D, Nathan Six, Onyx, Orange, Paul Heron, Profile, Rupert Street, Saki, The Brixton Clubhouse, The Eagle, The Orange Group, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, Tom Stephan, Wayne Shires, Zach Burns | No Comments »
Well, January is speeding along at a right old pace, although having been laid low since day three, we haven’t been indulging quite as much as we should or could have done anyway, although with Wednesday just gone was one of a few outings for us , plus an occurrence standing for B, on this occasion, birthday’s, as we indulged at Industri, joining in a right old knees up & good time for Minty’s, Paul Heron’s & Industri’s birthday(s), plus it seems regular Terry’s & guest D.J. Chris Brogan’s too. But with that enthralling event under our belts, but our ear infection yet to be banished, we once again tackle our Best Bites post at the 11th hour, bringing you our top choices in Soho, Vauxhall & elsewhere, extending our choices a little & equalling out the exposure too.
Starting with Soho, we get straight to the point, Profile & Lo-Profile topping out pile, Friday (21st Jan) seeing an influx of new blood upstairs, as Room Services & up-coming hot shot Zack Black takes to the decks, firing up your Friday in full-on fashion from 7 p.m, while downstairs in Lo-Profile, Nathan Six makes a welcome return, kicking the macho & muscular music, while espaniol lover Tony English sets you steaming into Saturday with a storming selection of sounds. Talking of which, Saturday sees main Profile man Craig Daniels start off the night, then it’s another Beyond pre-party in Lo-Profile, with Nick Evans & D’Johnny trading up the tunes, while fab hostess Chrissy Darling tempts & woos you to Vauxhall with those sort after discount entry vouchers. With fantastic food upstairs & to die for drinks downstairs, Profile & Lo-Profile offer a weekend package that takes a lot of beating, further details available at http://profilesho.com & http://loprofile.com.
Over at the Shadow Lounge, its busy weekend business as usual, the discounted entry for guests on the list still operating, that means if you’re on the list it’s a fiver to get in, but if you’re OFF the list its as much as £10, maybe even more. So, before we tell you what’s on, go join their Facebook group at http://facebook.com/theshadowlounge & message Angel with your details. Now as for tonight (Fri 21st), it’s another “Therapy” sesh, with D.J.’s Minx & Mis-White mixing up classic hits with the latest sounds, while the ever popular “Inferno” takes hold on Saturday, resident D.J. & popular playboy (musically of course) Andrew Elmore selecting the pop-tastic tunes. Plus, having had our ears to the ground, it seems the team at this select spot in Soho have a new night up their sleeves, so with our finger on the pulse, watch this space for more news, although if it’s current Shadow Lounge news you need, then log onto their website, http://theshadowlounge.co.uk for details of these events & much more.
Two other quick mentions go first to Rupert St, who have D.J’s Jc Christopher & Alessandro Londra masterminding the music on Friday & Saturday respectively, while Barcode have another of their hugely successful “The Cave” nights tonight (Fri 21st) downstairs in the club, with Megawoof’s Tim Mcloone on the decks, while upstairs resident new boy Dilmar Brito is joined by the legend that is Jo Publik on the decks, the whole night being free of charge, wow!, as is entry to Rupert St. More details on both bars can be found by going to http://rupertstreet.com & http://bar-code.co.uk
Moving on & down to Vauxhall and its, yet again, another busy weekend for The Orange Group, with theirs already having started with Gravity last night, continues tonight (Fri 21st Jan) at Area with the overhauled Onyx, D.J.’s on duty including Oliver M, Lee Harris, Tasty Tim, & Paul Christian, then switching to Fire for A:M, seeing the return (although as a guest on the main floor), scene favourite D.J. Jamie Head. Saturday & Sunday in the Orange Group world definitely has B as the biggest ingredient, B on Saturday standing for “Birthday”, Queer Nations’ 20th at Fire to be exact, “Bear” as Amsterdam club brand Bear Necessity rolls out at Area, while on Sunday, B stands not just for “Beyond”, but for “Booster” too, Area really taking centre stage for the weekend as both clubs play out there. Now, we have already covered Bear Necessity & Beyond in a special Weekend Focus & our devotion to Queer Nation is coming right up. As for the rest, which also includes Later & Orange, more details are available at, at http://fireclub.co.uk/fire-nightclub-london-gay-parties.php, while guest list inclusions can be sorted by going to http://gayguestlits.com/ & then adding your favoured club after the forward slash, got it?!
Over at The Eagle, it’s a reasonably regular weekend, with Tim Jones & this Tonker tribe are back for more muscular manfest action tonight (Fri 21st), with special guest Alan X turning up the musical volume, while tomorrow (Sat 22nd), the venue takes hold, keeping it simple but saucy, with plenty of men on men marauding but with a fun & friendly feel to it all, music being of the old skool classic variety. Then Sunday sees a right old shindig, as the Horse Meat Disco crew wrap up the weekend with yet more dollops of horsing around action, the dollops not of the manure kind, rather of the mash-up musical sort, with the likes of Jim Stanton, James Hillard & Severino selecting the sounds. Plus, don’t forget that Tim & his Tonker tribe host the second room at Bear Necessity on Saturday, details of Mr Jones’ club available at http://tonker.co.uk while for The Eagle, go to http://eaglelondon.com.
Two other quick Vauxhall mentions go the The RVT for tonight (Fri 21st), when Boogaloo Stu takes over this venerable institution, creating another madcap melay, “Pop Kraft”, as only he knows how, helpers including Sparklemtion & Size Zero Albino (say’s it all), while on Saturday (22nd Jan), Barcode delves into all things “Deviate”, the brand going banana’s on us (literally!), this apparently being their favourite fruit, our Italian stallion, Pagano ruling the musical waves in the main space, while the front bar has Daz Saund along with Bills & Hurr hitting the house heaven. For details on these & other events at the venues, go to http://rvt.org.uk & http://bar-code.co.uk.
Right to our alternatives and first up & back with a bang is The Dalston Superstore (DSS), which hits the ground running tonight (Fri 21st Jan), with the re-launch of “Boy Dem” with D.J’s E-Man, Erol Sabadosh, Oliver Rant & Laurence Matthew, which looks like being a blast, while tomorrow (Sat 21st), Dan, Matt & co have a special night to mark the launch of the SMS (that stands for “Stop Making Sense”) festival in Croatia, which takes place this coming August, the DSS boys starting early (and why not!) with Marcus Wongul, Nadia Ksaiba, Mikki Most & Rokk joining DSS’s Dan Beaumont on the decks, all five a feature of the SMS festival in Petrcane. Then, to polish of the weekend, D.J. Squeaky selects the sounds at the madcap “Tutti Frutti”, on Sunday (23rd Jan) joining the disco dots with a bit of soul & classic house to slide you into next week. Further info on happenings at DSS, can be found by, by following the boys’ tweets at http://twitter.com/dsuperstore, joining their Facebook group, or by dropping them a quick ask at hello@dalstonsuperstore.com.
Back towards Shoreditch, City Road to be exact and it’s the enthralling & entertaining East Bloc that struts its stuff, tonight (Fri 21st) seeing another “Disco Fag Bar” roll into town, the DFB boys very much be ruling the roost as they welcome back both John Sizzle & Luke Howard to the disco decks, the duo being joined by special guest & Gutterslutter, our super Swede Per Q.X., while door hosts Kristoffer Chapman & Diego keep the entrance in order, Wayne Shires & Laurent Chaumet doing the opposite inside (but we like a load of naughtiness Shires style don’t we!?!). Then on Saturday (22nd Jan), it’s monthly night “Dare!”, with resident D.J. guest John Pleased Wimmin & special guest Jon Marsh (he from Beloved) & ASBO’s Alivin C, with a music policy that ensures only “the best new electronic dance sounds alongside those that inspired it”, sounds excitingly electrical in a past, present & future way. With news of a special night next Saturday (29th Jan) which includes the appearance of Shoreditch sons Tom Stephan & Kris De Angelis, both fresh out of the recording studio on a joint production, go check out these & more details about East Bloc at http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Finally, a quick alternative attention goes to The Cambria in Camberwell, a typical traditional pub that has been given the classy as opposed to ghastly “Gastro” treatment and plays host to an afternoon of song & socialising with extra entertainment from hostess, the legendary Mz Kimberley & her special guests. Plus, Sunday wouldn’t be Sunday without a roast, the Cambria team serving carvery style between 3 & 5 p.m., with meze style snacks afterwards, making this “Upstairs” alternate affair a successful certainty, more details on the venue to be found at http://thecambrialondon.com/.
Right, with a little less fuss & a few more best bites, that’s just about it for our weekend round-up, but just time to mention our clubbing website friends SeenQueen, who have a hefty weekend weight on their shoulders, as Sunday sees the release of the “Your Disco Needs You Poll”. Now if you are reading this tonight (Fr 21st Jan), then we urge you to check your junk e-mails in case your vote needs verifying, as with the comp as close as can be, your vote could make all the difference. However, if your conscience is clear & you just want to know what’s hot & where to be seen on the scene, check out their new(ish) look website for their choice picks, by going to http://seenqueen.com.
So, all that’s left to say is, have yourselves a wonderful weekend, wherever you are & whatever you are up to, although if you find yourselves at Bear Necessity & Beyond, come say hi, as we plan to be there (ear plug inserted of course) too and as we always say…..”Go There! Be There!”. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Alan X, Andrew Elmore, Barcode Soho, Barcode Vauxhall, Bear Necessity, Beyond, Booster, Craig Daniels, D'Johnny, Dan Beaumont, East Bloc, Horse Meat Disco, James Hillard, Jim Stanton, Later, Laurent Chaumet, Lee Harris, Lo-Profile, Luke Howard, Mis-White, Mix, Nathan Six, Nick Evans, Oliver M, Onyx, Orange, Paul Christian, Profile, Rupert St, Tasty Tim, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, Tonker, Tony Englisg, Wayne Shires, Zack Black | No Comments »
Well, what a hideous week it has been in Disco Matt land, with the ravages of a heavy flu attack having laid our last weekend to waste but also rearing a hideous & horrible ear infection that has left us writhing in agony & reeling with in-balance & hearing. Mind you, we put best foot forward on Wednesday, blowing out some cobwebs at Industri with the marvellous Minty & a very cheeky Brent Nicholls who raised more than a laugh or two with his tongue in cheek chortles over our disposition. But with the nasty infection showing little signs of abating, our weekend may well be in tatters again, although this shouldn’t stop you all from making the most of January, as there are plenty of happenings to haul you out of home & into the action, so we take a quick rundown of our Best Bites and nothing more.
First to Soho and as much as we would love to pick out somewhere else as our Best Bite, you simply can’t beat the combo of Profile & Lo-Profile in wetting your weekend with wonderment, especially given the big club feel that the sparking roving resident D.J.’s provide through their magnificent music, names like Mikey D, Brent Nicholls, Alessandro Londra & Paul Heron. And this weekend is no exception as the team follow on from where they left off last weekend, with yet another rip roaring rousing two days of tune-tastic treats, tonight (Fri 14th) seeing Steve Pitron make a welcome return to the decks, although not with usual partner in crime Mikey D, but rather another Beyond boy, the terrifically talented D’Johnny, who has made a full recovery from a nasty tooth infection and, in his own words, “…is coming to gettacha…”, his first stop being Lo-Profile. Saturday (15th Jan) sees some Beyond old time favourites (no offence lads) as Hugh Stevenson & Gonzalo Rivas rev up your evening and prepare you for a morning of audaciousness at Area, as it is the “official” Beyond pre-party at Lo-Profile which, is usually a packed out affair, meaning an early arrival is always a good move. Meanwhile Profile upstairs has really found itself and both Friday’s & Saturday’s are gaining popularity by the week, tonight (Fri 14th) seeing resident & Gaydar D.J. Phil Marriot massage the music both for the live audience & that of Gaydar Radio show ClubNation which beams live from Profile between 7 p.m. & 11.30 p.m., while on Saturday Nick Evans will rock the place with a whole host of uplifting and heavenly house that has made him so popular with the punters. Plus with an unrivalled & fabulous food offer, plus a special happy hour on both nights that includes 2 for 1 on house double spirits, at £10 a bottle & pints of Stella at £2.50, there can’t be a better reason to get your weekend party going early and choosing Profile & Lo-Profile as your choice cut in the Soho social scene, further info available at both http://loprofile.com & http://profileshoho.com.
Now to Vauxhall and yet again it’s the Orange Group that edge the competition with a truly spectacular weekend of action, encompassing brands Onyx, A:M, Beyond, Later, Booster &, of course Orange, sitting neatly in the middle being Alex Erfan’s own Lovechild, their “Snowball” event getting our Weekend Focus attention and taking place on Sat (15th), full details out at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/01/weekend-focus-surfing-snowboard-lovechild-snowball-saturday-15th-january/. As for the rest?, well Onyx is getting, what the promoter calls, an “upgrade look”, with the main room D.J. stars slightly re-aligned to include Lee Harris & Jc Christopher along with, yes you guessed it, promoter Jonny M (interesting!), while much of the rest of the line up looks the same, save for Paul Christian who joins Lisa German toughing it out in the Terrace bar. We will bring you full details of the changes in a special post coming up, but suffice to say tonight (Fri 15th) should be a corker as Booster main man , Romain Lopez, is celebrating his birthday, the boy continuing the partying at A:M, who welcome special guest Mikey D to the decks in the main room, while the likes of Fat Tony, Gonzalo Rivas, Alan K, Pier Morrocco & D’Johnny make for a brilliant blend and whilst much water has flown under the Oliver M/Disco matt bridge, we salute him for pulling round the clubs fortunes and making it the talk of the town. Leaping to Sunday and it’s a threesome of Beyond, Later & Booster, the whole weekend being polished off with another citric squeeze splendour, Steven React Sharp’s Orange carrying you deep into Monday morning in usual outrage & ostentationess. Middle of the month & a January month to boot and you may think it will be a bit quiet, but if last year is anything to go by, not at all, plus with such a great choice and the cream of the D.J. crop playing, Area & Fire will be pumping from Friday through Monday. Further details of events across the Orange group calendar can be found at http://fireclub.co.uk/fire-nightclub-london-gay-parties.php and you can also participate in their various guestlist offerings by going to http://gayguestlists/ and adding your preferred club after the slash.
Moving on and over east and with “east” being the optimum word, it is East Bloc on City Roads that pips The Dalston Superstore to our alternatives Best Bite slot, not least as its ever more popular Friday nighter “Disco Fag Bar” (DFB) is right up our street and making waves as big as a Tsunami over in Shoreditch. The brainchild on of Wayne Shires, the man behind underground club phenomenon Crash, has extended his underground roots into DFB in big style, as not only does the club combine that NYC style of basement action, but it has all the industrial feel that made Crash so popular, the main difference being that the crowd is much more mixed, some would say polysexual, we prefer metrosexual & mature in their making. And this Friday (15th Jan) looks like being a blast, as DFB goes up against UturnS , who will introduce what they aptly call as a bit of “…pop porn…” (we like it already!) mashing up electro beats, tech house & synth pop to enthralling effect, D.J.’s Non D’Script & Calemma joining birthday boy Fool V.O. on the decks. Then on Saturday DFB moves over to welcome in “Robot Disco”, the interGAYlactic & supersonic sound filled night that sports future (or Futurama to the gang) disco, and hypnotic house with a dollop of hi-NRG thrown in for good measure, this coming as no surprise when you spot the amazing Lee-Lee in a line up that includes Eat Bloc’s Laurent Chaumet & Macho City’s Dave Kendrick, all joined by special guest Rob Sykes who takes to trip to gay Shoreditch and a slot at East Bloc for the second time. Now, whilst it is not compulsory, be aware that this Shoreditch lot love a bit of dressing up, so if you fancy partaking and looking even the teeniest bit robotic, then the gang will allow you free entry, although if you are down to City Road before midnight, its free also, then a very respectable & reasonable £5, the rates being similar for DFB, more details on these & other events at East Bloc available by going to http://eastbloc.co.uk.
So, what’s happened to our other bites & recommendations?, well due to our ear infection misfortunes, we are a little late in getting the proverbial pen to paper, hence the slimline look this week. However, we have definite plans to roll out our “Rest Bites” posts very soon, so if you want a mention then get your details across to Disco Matt headquarters by e-mail at matt@discomatt.com or by popping your events details into our Facebook inbox, or even plastering them on our wall(s), that way you can guarantee a mention.
Now, that’s kind of it for this week, although no recommendation post of ours would be complete without a big up mention for tip top clubbing website SeenQueen, who have been evolving their own recommendations of late, a whole stream of posts going out in advance of ours, as well as a new listings box on their home page. So, it’s all worth checking out by going to http://seenqueen.com.
So, as we conclude our post watch this space for upcoming Focus reports on Minty’s Birthday bash at Industri, this coming on Wednesday (19th Jan), the return of Bear Necessity next Saturday (22nd Jan) and then The Week at The Coronet on Saturday 29th Jan, plus much more besides, all right here at http://discomatt.com.
All that’s left to say is, whatever you are up to and wherever the weekend will find you, have a fantastic one and whilst ours looks pretty quiet, fingers crossed we will have our ear plug at the ready for a trip to Lovechild’s “Snowball” event, followed by a brief foray to Beyond. So, if we make it and you happen to see us out, come say hi, but as we always say, Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Alan K, Beyond, Booster, D'Johnny, Disco Fag Bar, East Bloc, Gonzalo Rivas, Hugh Stevenson, Jc Christopher, Jonny M, Later, Laurent Chaumet, Lee Harris, Lisa German, Lo-Profile, Lovechild, Mikey D, Nick Evans, Onyx, Orange, Paul Christian, Phil Marriot, Pier Morrocco, Profile Bar, Steve Pitron, Wayne Shires | No Comments »
Well, having gotten well &truly back into gear with our regular reporting, this week has been one very busy one with the launch of our new look website, a one-stop shop for our whole family of posts. So, with our feet very much under the table in that respect, we return to a sense of normality with our look forward to what’s hot & happening this coming weekend, looking here at our best bites & a quick few rest bites, while we develop the latter separate post fully, plus, we are being strict on ourselves & picking just one best bite per area, so as to give a little more room for more mentions.
So, let’s press on and point our focus first at Soho with tip top Wardour street wonders Profile & Lo-Profile tipping our scales once again & getting our best bite, and for good reason as this is very much the hottest place to be & be seen at the moment, the combination of both the bar & the club serving as a delightful destination that is hard to beat. And this weekend looks like being no different as Profile will be setting you off in style with Phil Marriot back to bag the brilliant beats, and given his performance last Friday, it should be wall to wall entertainment, although for heaven’s sake can the bar staff please lock the Jaegermeister & Sambuca away!! But the entertainment doesn’t stop there, as Profile welcome a special party, as “Men At Play” go all porn on us (yummy) as part of their DVD launch, stars of the their fornicatory flick “Gentlemen” on tap, as will be 20 DVD’s up for grabs in a special competition. Mind you these men are no slouches, as it’s an early start, pornographic proceedings kicking off from 6 p.m., although they will be playing downstairs too, talking of which, it’s the dynamic duo of Messrs Dower & Pitron this Friday, filling you with fantastic & fulfilling music, possibly ala beyond style which we love, so beware boys, we may have to assume our spot. Saturday is no slouch either, as upstairs in Profile its Nick Evans, while down below Italy meets Spain with Alessandro Londra trading tunes with Gonzalo Rivas. Plus, don’t forget those gorgeous guys on Wardour St have given profile a bit of a nip & tuck, adding extra standing space & moving the D.J. booth, all to help with the ambiance & ease of movement. So you need more info?, well you can safely search at their two websites, http://profilesoho.com & http://loprofile.com both confirming opening times, and much more.
So, what about the rest? Well Shadow Lounge is right there, continuing their freezing December, freezing the door & drink prices that is, as well as sporting its two most popular, hence regular nights, “Therapy on Fri (10th Dec) with D.J.’s Minx & Mis-White, and “Inferno” on Saturday, with Andrew Elmore, spinning the sounds, plus don’t forget the club on Saturday is open until 5 a.m. Over on Lisle Street, Ku Bar celebrate their 15th birthday and time has literally flown since Gary Henshaw opened his latest emporium, testament to a great business & bar and having moved into their latest destination some 4 years ago, the team haven’t looked back, even opening up a little baby sister on Frith St. So, tomorrow (Fri 10th) will be party time a-plenty with free drinks following, the odd bite or two, plenty of gorge men (& that’s just the bar staff) and lots more, both spots are well worth a visit. Mind you, Rupert St gets our nod as Brent Nicholls entertains on Friday with his fulsome funky house, so looks like we will be in da house for sure.
Right moving on south of the river and Vauxhall once again seems to be in the grip of Orange as opposed to yellow fever, as The Orange Group once again get our best bite slot, with a hectic schedule of parties, although we are amazingly mystified about a certain 10th birthday bash (it should be February boys!), but given all the other humongous happenings, we will forgive them on this count. Sitting squarely in the centre of their weekend proceedings is Alex Erfan’s Lovechild, which got our full focus at http://discomatt.com/web/2010/12/dm-recommends-shiny-disco-balls-lovechild-mirrorballs-saturday-11th-december-weekend-focus/, although this slice on Saturday is only a smidgen of the overall action, as Onyx kick starts everything on Friday, going back to basics as they take a breather before their full-on festive season of parties at Area, but it looking like a madcap night as Jason Prince celebrates his birthday in his inimitable over the top style, so should be a hoot. Then, the same venue also plays host to our favourite afterhours, Beyond, on Sunday morning (12th Dec), when they throw another futuristic party with the likes of Steve Pitron, Mikey D & Alan K in the main room, Hifi Sean & special guest Severino saying your prayers with pumping house in the Chapel, while D’Johnny makes a welcome return, joining Fat Tony in the “Sunrise” terrace room. Later seems to be continuing its crest of a wave ride at the moment and remains the place for nonstop party heads to dance away their Sunday afternoon, Booster filling the gap between that & Steven Sharp’s Orange-tastic Monday morning gathering that is also in its own purple patch at the moment (or is that orange patch). Now those lovely people peeps over at Fire headquarters have given us a link to share with you for info on all their events which is http://fireclub.co.uk/fire-nightclub-london-gay-parties.php (sounds very posh) so need we say more.
Right to the rest & The Eagle are up to their usual tricks with “Tonker” on Friday, while “Carpet Burn” has a special shindig on Saturday, when promoter Martyn celebrates his birthday, the whole night having an 80’s theme to it, with guest PA Rozella (remember “Everybody’s Free”?) and D.J.’s Dave Kendrick & Johnny Kalifronia. Then on Sunday it’s the turn of Horse Meat Disco to paint the Eagle red with their horsing around wonderment, the likes of Jim Stanton, James Hillard & Severino in situ to round of your weekend with a whizz. The RVT have a pretty busy one too, as it’s another cavorting “Kimono Krush” on Friday, with Al dente, The Sugarlow Boys & The Duchess Of Pork (we love those names), while their other highlight has to be the institution that is “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” with the venerable Dame Edna on stage at 5 p.m. (ish). Our other quick shout goes to barcode, who have another “Funkarama” night on Friday (10th Dec) with Daz Saund & Leonardo Glovibes on the decks, so is well worth considering.
Onto our alternatives, and it pretty much a dead heat for us in the Best Bites stakes here, so both get equal attention, first focus going to The Dalston Superstore, who like all our other entrants, seems to have Friday as their busiest & best night of the three, this one looking like a roadblock event, as Guterslut & Trailer Trash hold their chrimbo cracker of a party, “Frosty’s Snow Explosion”, with all your favourites on the decks, including Per Q.X., Nick Fischer & Ralf O flying the Gutterslut flag, while Mikki Most & Ian Robinson do it for Trailer Trash. Now, we have been asked to remind you that it is essential you get there early, as it is likely to be absolutely jam packed, and whilst the party doesn’t get into full swing until about 10 p.m., the early bird, in this case red robin, catches the worm, or probably all the snow spurting out of the super snow machine. Saturday (11th Dec) is slightly more sedate, yet has just as good musical credentials, as Severino returns with his friends, in this case Jim Stanton & James Hillard in a pseudo Horse meat Disco gymkhana out east, this, like the previous night, having a distinctly Christmassy theme. Then on Sunday, the pace eases a little, although the atmosphere remains just as brilliant, when resident D.J. Squeaky holds another Tuitti Frutti night. Further information can be obtained by mailing Matt or Dan at hello@dalstonsuperstore.com or by following them at http://twitter.com/dsuperstore.
Our other & final Best Bite of this weekend post goes to the fabulous East Bloc, a venue out on City Road that has a real NYC underground meets industrial vibe to it and has been going from strength to strength under the direction of one of our favourite promoters of all time, Wayne Shires, along with the fabulous Frenchman, Laurent Chaumet and, whist having missed our radar up till now, will certainly be getting a visit in the early new year once our hectic festive & birthday season schedule has died down. As for their weekend, Friday (10th Dec) has the magnificent & hip hop trendy night, “Disco Fag Bar” centre stages, this night best known for its trendy crowd, dancing the night away to electro disco, synth pop & the odd influx of NYC style house & hi-nrg in glorious homosocialsm, this week calling on special guest Kevin Funkfunkt to spice up the sounds, joining regular D.J.’s Squeaky, Easy & Borja Pena. But, it’s Saturday that looks like setting the East Bloc weekend well & truly alight, as wicked event “The Men Who Fell To Earth” land in Shoreditch to stun, the promotions team welcoming special guest D.J. Vic Voltaire of Popstarz fame, serving up plenty of punk funk, dirty disco & remixed rock-n-roll. With yet another Christmas feel, cosmic by name & stratospheric by nature as these guys really know how to paaarty, as this talk of the town terrific turn runs into the wee hours of Sunday morning. For a hint of the music on offer at this extra special splash, can be found by going to http://soundcloud.com/menwhofell2earth,
while more information on this event & others at East Bloc, is best tracked through their groups on Facebook, while we press the promoters for further contact points.
Now, we want to give friends SeenQueen a well deserved mention, as not only does their superb site offer the most extensive features, articles & information points, but did an absolutely sterling job covering our tracks while we were off air. So, we cannot recommend this site enough for finding out what is hot, hot , hot across the capitals gat clubbing scene, plus having an extensive listing of their favourite hangouts. So see to where to be and been seen, go to SeenQueen at http://seenqueen.com.
Right, that’s about it from us for another week, although watch this space for our Extra Bites shouts for events over the weekend & into next week, not least our focus on Industri, which moves from a Thursday to a Wednesday & from Vauxhall to Soho, kicking off next Wednesday (15th Dec). Plus, we have issued our review commitments for the upcoming festive season now on our doorstep, out at http://discomatt.com/web/2010/12/dm-reports-festive-froliking-disco-matt-reviews-2/ and hot on its heels will be the first of two special previews, running down our top tips for Christmas & the New Year.
So that just leaves us to wish you a wonderful weekend whatever you are up to & wherever you may be, while our weekend starts with a return trip to Rupert St on Friday with Brent Nicholls behind the decks, swinging across to Profile for some “Men At Play” action, then down to Lo-Profile to rub shoulders with Mikey D & Steve Pitron. On Saturday it’s all about our “Shiny Discoballs” as we hit Lovechild’s “Mirrorball” charity event, which will (obviously) be followed by Beyond. So, if you see us out, come say hi and as we always love to say…”Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends, Uncategorized | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Beyond, Booster, Brent Nicholls, Carpet Burn, Dalston Superstore, Disco Fag Bar, East Bloc, Gonzalo Rivas, Gutterslut, Horse Meat Disco, Industri, Ku Bar, Later, Laurent Chaumet, Lo-Profile, Mikey D, Nick Evans, Nick Fischer, Onyx, Orange, Per Q.X., Phil Marriot, Profile, Rupert Street, SeenQueen, Steve Pitron, The Eagle, The RVT, The Shadwo Lounge, Tonker, Tralier Rash, Wayne Shires | No Comments »
When we first landed on London and started our clubbing career in the capital, Sunday’s were very much the day to party hard & decadently, this trend having been forged by the mighty Trade, which when opening its doors back in 1990, quickly caught the imagination & short of transformed Sunday’s into the vogue day of the week, many swapping paper reading for partying, church for cavorting. So, it was natural that, when spilling out of Turnmills (Trade’s home) the energetic throngs of clubbers simply didn’t want the merriment to stop, thus an institution was born that, like its Sunday morning mother, firmly established itself on the capitals clubbing calendar, host venue Villa Stefano’s a must visit for any post Trade baby looking to dance deep into Sunday evening in what become the most decadent tea dance we have ever known.
DTPM is without doubt one of the leading clubbing brands, whose reputation has stretched far & wide, a club that has very much moved with the times, literally, from its original slot of 3 p.m. on a Sunday through to more of a Monday morning club & back ago, its 18 year history littered with amazing parties at a host of venues in the capital, including The End, Fabric & more latterly Paramount, but finding favour for us the most both in that original timing slot & at ancestral home Villa Stefano’s, it also being the natural follower to any Trade event. Indeed, living up to its name, in Latin, “Delirium Tremens Post Meridian”, roughly translated (in Disco Matt talk) as meaning “Delirious Teadance Post Midday”, it always seemed to have more significance on a Sunday afternoon rather than a Monday morning and so, when we heard that it would be making a welcome return to the scene, not only in our favouring timing slot, but following Trade’s 20th birthday event, we simply had to include it in our schedule, not least as promoter Lee Freeman had chosen the superb Cargo as a host venue for this “Eastbenders” titled trounce.
With Trade wearing us out in more ways than one (all for good reasons of course), we felt the need for a respite before landing on Rivington Street in London’s select situ Shoreditch for DTPM’s afternoon event, a short amount of re-fuelling of energy sought at hip hop hangout Rupert Street, before landing on Cargo at just turned 5 p.m. Whilst our arrival was a little later than planned, plus a good 4 hours after the party had kicked off, we were still in time to catch the ever engaging Laurent Chaumet on the door, who greeted us with his familiar French charm & warmth, escorting us through the entrance & past the friendly security staff & into the club proper, taking a moment to catch up in bits & bobs with us, before returning to his met & greet duties. Then it was just a case of finding the coatcheck to deposit our bits & bobs , while acclimatising ourselves to the inside of Cargo, this being our first visit, although the location being familiar to us as our daytime duties often require us to call on the address.
Ready & raring to go, we made our way into the main room space, filled nicely with plenty of partygoers, many whom had made the trip up form Trade, while a select few had very much more fresher legs to carry them through to the planned 10.30 p.m. finish. Moving around the dancefloor towards the bar to grab refreshments, we soon came across familiar faces, including Clington Forbes, who was still looking remarkably fresh following well over 12 hours of clubbing (like us), he having changed out of his Halloween attire that he had graced so fabulously at Vauxhall Chainsaw Massacre the night before, he getting down to the magnificent music at this “Eastbender” event with his usual gusto, invoking a similar reaction from our now refreshed legs, the New York & nu disco house that incumbent D.J. Guy Williams was selecting, very much hitting the mark & easing us into the party perfectly. And, it wasn’t long before we found ourselves at the D.J. booth saying our hello’s to the man behind the decks, Mr Williams still looking full of beans, even after the full-on fourth birthday bash for his own club brand Black Rabbit, as well as succumbing to the pleasures of Trade, which included a set in the lite lounge, the man clearly in party mood & enjoying this DTPM leg in his marathon weekend immensely. Indeed, he was very much in the grove with his music selections, the style much more akin to his performances at paradise 45 (another brand of his), but every bit the part for this cavorting at Cargo.
Feeling the need for a quick break out on the terrace to indulge in our re-emerged vice, we first caught up with Simon Patrick whom we had seen a mere four or so ours ago in a similar spot at Trade, he having taking the sensible decision to pop home & refresh himself for this post midday shindig. With a clutch of other familiar faces also taking a breather from the action inside, including D.J. Mikey D, who bounded up to say hello, soon followed by main man Lee Freeman, sporting his trademark trilby hat, who was just as pleased to see us, diving deep into conversation about all things DTPM, also touching on the change in D.J. line-up, Boy George, who was supposed to be headlining the event, cancelling (we were told for good reason) at the last minute, although such was the strength of the rest of the team, it didn’t make any difference to the party’s outcome.
With the familiar uplifting music sounds piping through onto the terrace, we starting searching for the source, soon finding it in the shape of the intimate second space, which was tucked away at the end of the venue, a neat little room with its own bar & make shift dance area, filled with a select crowd of faithful’s lapping up the superb sounds of the man in the seat, none other than Fat Tony, who had, just hours before, captivated us in Trade’s lite lounge. And with Clington in attendance, we soon get into the swing of this more uplifting & funky offering, spinning on our spot by the D.J. booth, even Lee & Simon joining in for a while, others also spilling in the space and adding to the already audacious atmosphere, all helped along by Tony’s selections which would never be complete without “Release Me” and “Here Comes The Rain”, both erupting the room & everyone in it.
But, as good as this little space was, we were being drawn back into the main room, our arrival timed to perfection as Guy Williams was ready to hand over the reins to the duo of Nick Tcherniak & Steve Thomas, an increasing gathering of party goers having assembled around the D.J. booth & stage, including the naughty but nice Tom Marchant, as well as Mr Patrick’s crew, which included TTD men Billy Richard & Greg Mitchell. And, with Guy in a really mischievous mood, not just playing with the red light behind the booth, but joking u with us & Steve, it wasn’t long before the whole affair descended into one hilarious moment after the next, Mr Williams continually put Mr Thomas off his stroke as soon as he got anywhere near the decks to mix a record, Nick having to assume control, while we were bent over in fits of laughter, Gus face an absolute picture and everyone around entering into the spirit of this jovial encounter extra-ordniarre.
So, with Mr Tckerniak in complete control of the music and his selections finding favour, the music more on the tougher side & much more akin to the DTPM style we had been used to, the stage also erupted into action, two scantily dressed go-go’s ascending each side & displaying their wares in front of the massive screen which was flashing vivacious visuals to enhance the show the twosome were entertaining the crowd with, the whole place pulsating with action and the atmosphere building by the second. Yet, as good as the party was becoming, our energy levels suddenly fagged somewhat, the previous 12 hours plus of hectic dancing beginning to take its toll on our remaining reserves, so we resigned our mind into following what our body was telling us, gracing our exit from this exceptional “Eastbender” event, to saunter back across town, leaving a still buzzing Cargo & DTPM mash up which partied on deep into Sunday night in style.
Having made the effort to make it across to Shoreditch & the brilliant host venue Cargo on Rivington Street, there was no doubt in our minds that this was the best choice place that lee Freeman had made since bringing the brand back to London just about a year ago. Yes, the location was not the most familiar to many, perhaps reflecting in the overall attendance, but the whole feel & vibe of Cargo suited DTPM perfectly for us, that post midday timeslot also finding our favour, added to the fact that the pitch of the music was just right, Guy Williams’ nu-disco blending into Nick’s more tech infused style brilliantly, while the second space in the hands of Fat Tony right up our street. And, while our stay wasn’t as long as we would have liked, the time we had there was full of fun from start to finish, the atmosphere amazing & the company equally so, meaning that our Cavorting At Cargo ended up being a most enjoyable experience, we looking forward to the next DTPM outing with interest, especially if the host venue is this swish spot in Shoreditch. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Billy Richard, Cargo, Clington Forbes, D.T.P.M., Fat Tony, Featured, Greg Mitchell, Guy Williams, Laurent Chaumet, Lee Freeman, Mikey D, Nick Tcherniak, Simon Patrick, Steve Thomas | No Comments »
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9 Jan 2013 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “Tasty Turn Turns One” – DISH “The First Birthday” – Saturday 12th January – Weekend Focus
First there was MEAT and then came DISH, both the brainchild of Superchumbo, better known in London as Tom Stephan, the D.J./Producer who has successfully turned his hand to club promoting too. And as DISH turns one this Saturday (12th Jan), we thought it just & proper to parcel up ...
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5 Apr 2012 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Appetising Alternative Trio Of Treats” – Discotec, Fiction & Dish – Thurs 5th, Fri 6th & Sun 8th April – Easter Extra Bites
Having covered “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket” trio of treats, it’s time to let another appetising trio of treats take to the DM spotlight, three exceptional events that deserve to have their Easter say, as the weekend hails the return of two brilliant brands form our partying past, well as ...
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6 Jul 2011 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “Fantastic Festival Re-Formed” – Summer Rites “Re-Mixed” – Sunday 10th July – Weekend Focus
Having just about a week ago lamenting on the wonders of park festivals passed, we find ourselves in the same boat, looking back & then looking forward as one of our favourite festivals from a good ten years makes its welcome return to the summer scene. But pushing back the ...
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4 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Delightful Delectations At Diu” – Room Service – Thursday 2nd June – Preview The Review
Having ventured forth to this, one of the clubbing scene’s hottest tickets, back in March, we pretty much haven’t looked back, Room Service filling our weekly schedule of showings with increasing regularity and despite competition in the form of Gigolo having sprung up in Soho, it seems that the penchant ...
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14 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Shoreditch Showstopper” – Meat @ East Bloc – Saturday 14th May – Extra Bites
Having given East Bloc plenty of coverage in our Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts Recommends posts over the last few months, it is surprising to us, as much as the men across in Shoreditch, that we have yet to step foot into this NYC style industrial hip & happening ...
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13 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Blue Is The Colour” – Weekend Best Bites & Short Shouts – Friday 13th to Sunday 15th May
With the weekend set to be dominated by some song contest over in Germany, oh yes it Eurovision again! And with hopes for a strong showing by the UK this year as pop band “Blue” have reformed to try & lift the contest crown for good old blighty, we will ...
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21 Jan 2011 | 0 Comments
DM Recommends – “B Stands For?!…” – Weekend Best Bites – Fri 21st to Sun 23rd January
Well, January is speeding along at a right old pace, although having been laid low since day three, we haven’t been indulging quite as much as we should or could have done anyway, although with Wednesday just gone was one of a few outings for us , plus an occurrence ...
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14 Jan 2011 | 0 Comments
DM Recommends – “Ear Plug At The Ready” – Weekend Best Bites – Fri 14th to Sun 16th January
Well, what a hideous week it has been in Disco Matt land, with the ravages of a heavy flu attack having laid our last weekend to waste but also rearing a hideous & horrible ear infection that has left us writhing in agony & reeling with in-balance & hearing. Mind ...
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10 Dec 2010 | 0 Comments
DM Recommends – “Winter Weekend Wonderland” – Weekend Best & Rest Bites – Fri 10th to Sun 12th Dec
Well, having gotten well &truly back into gear with our regular reporting, this week has been one very busy one with the launch of our new look website, a one-stop shop for our whole family of posts. So, with our feet very much under the table in that respect, we ...
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21 Nov 2010 | 0 Comments
Club Review – “Cavorting At Cargo” – D.T.P.M. Eastbender – Sunday 31st October
When we first landed on London and started our clubbing career in the capital, Sunday’s were very much the day to party hard & decadently, this trend having been forged by the mighty Trade, which when opening its doors back in 1990, quickly caught the imagination & short of transformed ...
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 clubs, special ev...posted on October 7, 2010- Previews : Here we preview rather than review clubs & events that ...posted on October 7, 2010
- Music : Here we focus on, review and recommend the latest podca...posted on October 7, 2010
- Recommends : Here you will find recommendations for upcoming events ...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- Reports : Here you will find reports & features on the latest new...posted on November 24, 2010
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