Posts Tagged ‘Lovechild’
October 12, 2011 | 
Author 
Finding A Pulse
Over the years we have grown particularly fond of certain brands that have braved the capitals clubbing scene, the reasons for our attractions as varied as the clubs themselves, although certain common denominators kind of tie them together, the music & the music makers two perfect examples, although with certain clubs, it can also be said that the promoters are just as important. Indeed, looking at those brands that have achieved a special place in our hearts and those individuals at the helm, the prolific part that promoters play pretty much go without saying, Crash & Wayne Shires, FIST & Suzie Krueger, Trade & Laurence Malice, they all go hand in hand. And whist these three examples made have faded from the scene, they still fill us with misty eyed memories and ones that we miss dearly. And there is another brand that we have missed dearly, one that, like our three other examples, has gained a special place in our hearts, a club that has sported magnificent music players & music of the highest quality, its promoter synonymous with its existence, so seeing it disappear off our radar, having played such an important part in our lives, was a bitter pill to swallow.
We Love Lovechild
Lovechild has, without doubt, been a brand we have followed right from day one, when it launched itself as a Sunday t-dance style soiree, something in the order of Salvation, this being no real surprise as the promoter who had always been the big driving force behind this mega club brand, Alex Erfan, was keen to offer fervent followers of all things Salvation, something similar but different. However, it was clear from the first set of Sunday parties at Pacha, that the bottom had fallen out of t-dance style clubbing, on a Sunday at least, a short break seeing Lovechild reappear as a Saturday offering and at new home Fire, a venue which proved a worthy home for Alex & the club for close on 18 months. Plus, the switch from Sunday’s to Saturday’s allowed the Lovechild team to expand & experiment with the brand, a whole succession of successful parties, including alliances with other clubs such as Delice & Wild Fruit, cemented it as one of the capitals clubbing scene’s big hitters. Notable parties included “Wet”, “Makin Hay” & “Tropicana” (among many more), Alex also drawing on international D.J. talent to boost the appeal, while the creation of the infamous “Contact Room”, the introduction of saucy shows & the distinctly different arena’s of music, all added to the clubs appeal.
Turning Up The Pulse
However, times they do change and it was becoming all the more clearer that the onetime harmonious working relationship between Lovechild & Fire, Alex Erfan & the Orange group, was beginning to sour, the “1st Anniversary” back in November last year being the first catalyst, Lovechild pretty much shunted into the sidelines while Fire’s main room was given away to a breeder bash. And, from then, it was pretty much a slippery slope for our loveable brand, the final full-on Fire fling being when Lovechild joined forces with Israeli splendour FFF in May, relationships between The Orange Group top brass & Alex straining to breaking point, all meaning something had to give and the withdraw of Lovechild from the Saturday clubbing schedule was the saddening consequence. But, as the saying goes, “you can’t keep a good dog down” and, after a summer break which has seen the brand pick itself up & dust itself off, Lovechild is now ready to start all over again, a new venue, a new look & a new direction the inspiration for its return.
Beefy Blake In Blue
So, what’s the big change?, and what can we expect from the new look Lovechild? Well, first & foremost Alex has forged a new association with Pulse, the state of the art venue that plays host to SuperMartXe, the break away from Vauxhall definitely a new & daring direction which, we hope, will pay dividends, the flexibility with Pulse’s space allowing Alex to manage & manipulate his events to match the crowd & the entertainment. And there is definitely lots of promise for this first event “The Big Blue”, Alex kicking off by saying that “…This incredibly exciting space will allow Lovechild to grow and present the biggest shows and parties to date. New features are being added to the Pulse in the run-up to the party and Lovechild will by then feature the biggest dance floor on the London scene as well as some of the most ‘state of the art’ lights and lasers going in especially for the night…”, while the joining of forces with porn star legend Blue Blake is the inspiration behind the title of the event, the accent very much sex & seduction, a whole host of stars beefing up this branded bash, Alex going on to explain that , “…Lovechild goes blue this Saturday when it celebrates the launch of porn legend Blue Blake?s filthy new film “A Policeman Fucked My Son” andhis new website blueblake.com. There?s not just 1 or 2 super hot pornstars (as seems to be the norm these days) but a veritable “pornucopia” of sensational Blue Blake stars from past and present. Leading the pack is the UK?s most popular porn star Paddy O?Brian, along with French superstar Issac Jones, British internationals Ben Brown, Bruno Knight and Jake Reed. There?s also some American beef jetting in from the USA, the buff and beautiful Cody Miller. And that?s not all, Pulse will be packed with porn stars and purveyors of filth. So the hot studs dancing next to you could be the guys you?d been watching fuck the night before…”
International Israeli
Well, that certainly sets the scene for this “Big Blue” event, the porn element plain for all to see, but what about the music?, Well, with a pretty impressive list of resident D.J.’s both from here in the capital & internationally, Alex has a lot to choose from, Tony English the first major inclusion in an all London line-up, this main man having been with Lovechild from its beginnings and very much the lynch pin in Alex’s armoury, having toured with the brand internationally to destinations that have included Amsterdam, Antwerp, Istanbul & Israel, while he was with Lovechild for their two excursions to Edinburgh over the summer. Moreover , he is the man behind the “Lovechild” single, which gets full release early next year, although Tony has posted the radio edit to his Soundcloud page, check it out at http://soundcloud.com/djtonyenglish/tony-english-feat-kaysee-1, the vivacious vocals of Kaysee looking like this should be a 2012 smash and will no doubt be within Tony’s set on Saturday. Then, there is Alessandro Londra, another dynamic D.J. that has been flying the flag for Lovechild both here in London & across Europe, he never failing to ignite the dancefloor with his full blown tech & progressive house, our Italian bello having laid down a podcast to mark Lovechild’s first party at Pulse, a 62 minute marvel which is as good an indication of what to expect from him on Saturday as anything and a compilation well worth adding to your collection by going to http://soundcloud.com/djalessandrolondra/lovechild-pulse-club-london. But Alessandro is not the only one to mark this “Big Blue” event with a podcast release, impressive Israeli Guy Scheiman (one of Alex’s international residents) also jumping on the compilation bandwagon with his own devotion, perhaps off all the mixes, our favourite & one which you can grab at http://djguyscheiman.podomatic.com/entry/2011-10-05T15_47_54-07_00 although unlike the text on his podcast page, sadly we won’t be seeing Guy at Pulse this time round, although we know Alex has him lined up for a gig real soon. Then London based Aussie Brent Nicholls has also released a compilation dedicated to the party and we can confirm he will be there, although scheduled to play a late set, although surely worth hanging around for, especially given the quality of this podcast, which is worthy of at least a listen by going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/09/21/podcast-lovepulse/.
Get It On Mr Gee
But all that is only part of the music picture, as Alex will also be drawing on the talents of two more Italian’s, Tony Bruno & Gabriele Cutrano, while a second Aussie in the form of Terry Vietheer will also feature, as will both Mattias & Phil Hewson, an impressive notch up of eight stars who will all get a bite at the “Big Blue” main room cherry, while Marco Gee is the final entrant onto the list of prolific players, Marco the latest addition to the residency team, having hugely impressed us at Lovechild’s “Muscle” event back in March and is very much a staple part of this latest outing. Why?, well Marco is responsible for the production of what looks like being a char topping smash, the truly tremendous “Get It On” by Shockalady, a brilliant re-take of the rock classic by T-Rex, this new version very much more disco than rock, camp than vamp, this promotional video giving you a good idea of exactly what we mean, http://youtube.com/watch?v=4VJFzzIMH6M. And, the hot off the press news is that Shockalady will be performing the track live on Saturday, this shaping up to be one of the most entertaining shows we have seen at Lovechild yet and one you definitely won’t want to miss. Plus, with Marco taking charge of the opening set, you can certainly expect a rousing start to this “Big Blue” event, a taste of whats to come available from Mr Gee’s latest podcast, which was lifted direct from another opening set, this time for Lovechild’s “Superlovers”, an gathering held for Soho’s Pink Sunday, Marco playing out to a considerable audience at Lo-Profile, so one worth catching at http://marcogee.podomatic.com/.
Blue Is The Word
So to the all important detail and this Lovechild “The Big Blue” spectacular takes place this coming Saturday (15th October) at Pulse (full address, 1 Invicta Plaza, Off Southwark St, Blackfriars, London, SE1) from 11 p.m. and running through until an advertised 6 a.m. finish, although a little birdie tells us that, subject to numbers, it could run a fair bit later (whoopee!!). Advance tickets have been on sale for a while, the £10 early bird ones having been gobbled up quite quickly, while standard £15 tickets are still available by going online to http://clubtickets.com/gb/2011-10/15/lovechild-pulse, while a drop into Prowler, Clone Zone &/or 50 is also an option, tickets also available on the door at the same price. With sponsorship support from Gaydar and live video recor4dings coming from Mirrorballs.tv, the launch of Blueblake.com will also be a feature, more information on the event out at http://alexerfan.com, while new website http://blueblake.com is also worth a sneak preview.
Now, despite a run of SuperMartXe’s at Pulse, due a a range of circumstances, we have yet to see the new venue, so we are just crossing fingers that come Saturday nothing will be in our way, meaning we hope to be there to report on it all, so if you see us, please come say hi, but make sure you don’t miss out on this Lovechild return by ensuring you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | 
Tags: Alessandro Londra, Alex Erfan, Blue Blake, Brent Nicholls, Gabriele Cutrano, Guy Scheiman, Lovechild, Marco Gee, Mattias, Phil Hewson, Pulse, Shockalady, Tony Bruno, Tony English | 
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A Purple Shade Of Pink
We look back to the days of Soho Pride with incredible fondness, the concept which started back in the mid noughties as a result of the de-scaling of London’s main pride event and quickly established itself as the capitals premier gay festival, outstripping the former in terms of both numbers & appeal, although quickly switching from a Saturday to a Sunday which seemed to fit better with all parties concerned. However, with a change in the city’s mayor, came a change in heart & funding, in effect cutting Soho pride off in its prime and leaving the capital without its own fabulous street festival as well as a gaping hole in its outdoor event schedule. However, out of the ashes of Soho Pride came Soho Pink Sunday, a reasonable sedate affair compared to its inspiration and at a glance looking more like a money spinning project for the bars involved rather than an all out celebration of community, charity, music, song & dance, although it certainly pulled out the punters, the streets & the bars packed all afternoon & evening.
So, Soho Pink Sunday is back and whilst plans hitting our desks have been quite sketchy, we expect most of the bars to be involved and the day to look much more like a Soho Pride affair, albeit that the stages will be confined to the Compton St end of this gregarious gay village. However, what we do know is that there is on hell of a party happening at Profile & Lo-Profile, as the might of Gaydar are calling on the services of Lovechild & Logan Presents to bring you a Soho Pink Sunday special entitled “Superlovers”, a party spread across both Profile & Lo-Profile in what looks like a truly fitting end to a dynamic day. And the combination of these big brand players along with a heavenly headline act looks like a sure-fire winner, the terrific team of D.J.’s including an amorous Aussie, flying in from Sydney to star alongside some of Lovechild’s favourite residents, while there will be no shortage of drop dead gorgeous go-go’s across the two floors, many pulled from the awesome armoury that exists within the Logan presents camp.
Amazing Aussie
Well that’s the bones of this exceptional event, so what about the meat?, Well, apart from those delicious dancers courtesy of Logan & his schmitzels (more on that in a mo), there will be plenty of muscle-bound meat to feast yours eyes on in the form of the Lovechild D.J.’s, not least special guest Johan Khoury who makes a more than welcome return to the capital, marking his third outing for promoter Alex Erfan’s loveable brand, Johan having made a considerable impact on the capital’s clubbers on both previous occasions. Hailing from Sydney, he is very much active on the city’s scene, having played out at all the big events including Mardi Gras & The Harbour Party, while he is inextricably linked to the brand Day Wash, as well as the down under version of Love Muscle along with a handful of others residencies under his belt. That said, Johan has also made an impression abroad, having played out in parties across The America’s & Europe, stop off’s including Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Ibiza, San Francisco, Paris & Rome, while he rates his appearances in London high amongst his list of landings, his uplifting, energetic & euphoric house music style of sound making him a popular pull. And if you haven’t managed to catch him in action behind the decks as yet, then you can always grab a slice of this handsome down under dudes dance music mastery by checking out his podcast page at http://djjohankhoury.podomatic.com/, “Pandemia” a brilliant intro to an atypical Johan set, while “Dreaming” is full of that energetic house we were talking about and what he will surely be selecting come Sunday.
Brilliant Brent
But Mr Khoury won’t be the only Aussie influence at “Superlovers” as Alex draws on the talents of one of his longest serving residents, Brent Nicholls having played out at the very first Lovechild in London and has been a feature at virtually every party since. And it is fair to say that this attractive Aussie continues to attract an audience wherever he plays, Mr Nicholls being no stranger to both Profile & Lo-Profile, having played out for the brands regularly, he being the inspiration behind the launch of Friday night sensation “Society”, a compilation dedicated to the club at http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/04/14/minipodcast-society/, a good hint towards his nu-funk & disco groove style that will be likely to feature at “Superlovers”, while he remains as popular a pick for Mr Erfan now as he did back in the days of Salvation & PSP. Add to Brent, the musical magnificence of two of Lovechild’s mainstay residents, Tony English & Alessandro Londra, both who have represented the brand across Europe as well as here in London, while recent recruit Marco Gee will no doubt add even more dimension to this already dynamic D.J. team.
Luscious Lizzie
So that’s the music, what about the entertainment?, Well in true Lovechild & Logan Presents fashion, it will be right up there with any club offering around, not least that the services of two prolific P.A.’s have been called on for this “Superlovers” event, Lizzie France the first and a foxy female that has a voice to match her substantial stature together with a list of vocal hits that includes recent smash “The Answer”, while we are sure that at least one of her new track releases, produced in collaboration with Nick Tcherniak & Tom Marchant will get an airing on Sunday. But Alex & Logan have also managed to secure the one & only Alexis Houston and, yes, she is the sister of her more famous sister Whitney and looking at Alexis you can see the resemblance too, we being told her voice is every bit as good, while having been delighting audiences from an the tender age of six, she has been both performing and producing music, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Justin Timberlake & Christina Aquilera, while her phenomenal voice embodies the soul of Aretha Franklin, so is sure to go down a treat at “Superlovers” and will no doubt be a heavenly highlight of the happening.
Add to that the injection of those drop dead gorgeous dancers we deluded to and in the very capable hands of Logan Schmitz, you can pretty much guarantee the crème de la crème, not least as the man’s own dance pedigree & resultant contacts within the field pretty much speaks for itself. Having spent a fair amount of the summer travelling, Ibiza & mainland Spain featuring in his tours, Logan has touted some really gorgeous muscle hunks to add to his already considerable stable of London based boys & girls and if you happened to be at SuperMartXe’s “Blackout” event last Saturday (shame on you if you weren’t) then you would have seen some of them in audacious action. So, come Sunday, you can expect only the best in terms of beauty & brawn, the dancers topping the Lo-Profile podiums from the off and surely mingling with the masses upstairs in Profile too. Plus a quick mention has to go to Gaydar, who are throwing their sponsorship weight behind Logan & his terrific team, we are told supplying plenty of giveaways for the night, so best you get up close & personal with one of Mr Schmitz’s schmitzels to score your surprise.
Superlovers Sunday
Now to the detail and “Superlovers” takes place this coming Sunday (18th Sept) at both Profile & Lo-Profile, kicking off from 10 p.m. with tickets available on the door at a price of £10, while if you grab a flyer then it’s just £5. However, if you are around Soho for the Pink Sunday festival, then keep your eyes peeled for the “Superlovers” hunks who will be handing out discount wristbands all day, while we are told advance tickets will be available from behind the bar at Profile too, while more info on this exceptional event can be found by going to either, http://alexerfan.com or http://loganpresents.com.
Sadly however, it seems that an individual from a certain organisation (we won’t mention names) has been seeking to derail this “Superlovers” event with a surreptitious message he is spreading in which he has said “…Be careful about buying any tickets for any party’s run by Alex Erfan from Love Child as he is going bust and may keep the money and not do the party. Tell anyone who might buy one…”, one that is founded on nothing else but pure fiction & malicious intention. Having spoken with Alex personally on the issue and also speaking out in his behalf, we cannot condemn this message enough and with the whole of the “Superlovers” team also doing the same, not least major sponsors & supporters, Gaydar, we want to assure you that ANY tickets bought for this or ANY event run by Alex are sold with the upmost of integrity & honesty and that the ONY care you need to take, is not to get sucked in by this despicable message & its intentions.
So, let’s end on a high by wishing you a very happy & safe Soho Pink Sunday and cannot think of a better way of rounding off your partying by joining Alex Erfan, Logan Schmitz, Gaydar and the whole of the Profile & Lo-Profile team for “Superlovers”. We will be there to live nibble size review tweet & report on it all, so if you see us come say hi, but make sure you “Go There! Be There!” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Alex Erfan, Alexis Houston, Brent Nicholls, Gaydar, Johan Khoury, Lizzie France, Lo-Profile, Logan Presents, Logan Schmitz, Lovechild, Marco Gee, Profile, Superlovers, Tony English | No Comments »
With a hectic London Gay Pride weekend now behind it, the capitals clubbing scene looked like it was taking a bit of a breather, in some ways paving the way for one event to dominate proceedings, all eyes on Sunday & Shoreditch Park for Summer Rites “Remixed” boutique clubbing festival, eyes also on the weather in the hope that the famed British summer would not rear its ugly head. But with many of the usual suspects out to play and with London seemingly never sleeping, there was plenty of action to pick on, leaving us with much to reflect on in another that was the week that was report.
Thursday Thrill
Thursdays have really taken off recently and with two superb social soiree’s hitting the high notes it comes as no surprise, Gigolo very much setting the cat amongst the scene pigeons as far as its competitors are concerned, yet very much boosting turnout in Soho at least. And we had planned to pop down to their “Get It On” party, although with a hectic weekend ahead & not feeling too clever, we sent in our secret squirrel undercover reviewer to report on it al instead, his comments well worth checking out at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-soho-social-splendour-times-two-gigolo-society-at-lo-profile-thurs-fri-7th-8th-july-bite-size-review/, the night not their busiest, but the champagne flowing at least and promoters David & L.a. Hart very happy with their lot. This coming Thursday (21st July), they are being “Bad Boys” (aren’t they always? we know we are!), welcoming Nick Tcherniak to the D.J. residency fold for the first time, Terry Vietheer following up, so one to definitely pop into.
Go Go's Gyrate
Across Soho and Room Service was rocking, or should that be popping!?, not least that they had been graced with the presence of a pop legend, George Michael no less, host for the evening, Logan Schmitz (of SuperMartXe fame) having pulled on strings we were a tad surprised he had, Jodie Harsh’s hip & happening weekly social soiree becoming renowned for attracting the celebrities over & above the scene glitterati. Plus, with Room Service Ibiza also making a marked impression on the White Isle, it seems there is no stopping this brilliant brand in its tracks to become the best in its niche business, with a Casa pre-party another in a long run of branded bashes that has placed this Thursday nighther at the forefront of the scene. And this week is no different, as Jodie & her team throw their clout behind new magazine Ciotrous, a publication sitting firmly in the fashion industry, so sitting well with Room Service’s style, further details of this & all Room Service events available at http://clubroomservice.com.
Onto Friday and the call of “Society” once again saw us head into Soho for this clubbing come social splendour, Steve Pitron starting off without another stormer of a set that had us in a “Doing The Disco matt” frenzy within minutes, choices of classics intermixed with latest dancefloor fillers very much hitting the mark, while the cute yet capable Zach Burns carried the Society faithful through till the 4 a.m. finish with a pulsating performance that has seen him become one of the clubs favourite fella’s. We gave Society the review treatment which you can check out at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-soho-social-splendour-times-two-gigolo-society-at-lo-profile-thurs-fri-7th-8th-july-bite-size-review/, while more information on Lo-Profile in general, including party bookings, events & offers can be found at http://loprofile.com, not forgetting new Monday night club “Bear Trap”, promoted by Cafe Ole man Manu Cartengo.
Superlovers Splash
Onto Saturday and Lovechild very much stole our limelight, a trip down to Fire starting off as a bit of a slow burner but gaining glorious momentum towards the end, our Full Size review reflection out at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-lay-all-your-love-on-me-lovechild-superlovers-saturday-8th-july-full-size-review/. Lovechild aside, it seemed that Lo-Profile attracted a healthy crowd with scene stalwart Rob Sykes & then Italian bello Alessandro Londra wowed this Wardour St wonder till dawn. But the night also saw the return of an iconic clubbing event, as Wig Out stormed the scene at new venue Ghetto Factory of Aldwych, the larger than life Peter Burns packing out the place & treating Wig’ers to a full four track filled performance that went down a treat, the feel of the venue not quite the same as the old Ghetto days, but with the following should prove a weekly winner, with a Madonna tribute night lined up and plenty more to come from this indie pop sensation. And it seemed that alternative was hip, as both East Bloc in Shoreditch & The Dalston Superstore reported pulsating parties, the former sporting another “Meat” event that set attendance records & was the best atmosphere yet, both Kris D Angelis & Tom Stephan telling us just how good it was, while The DSS had their say with the prolific “Paris Acid Ball” that seems to go from strength to strength, two venues well worth a visit if you haven’t, details out at http://eastbloc.co.uk & http://thedalstonsuperstore.com.
Riteous Romp
Now to Sunday, which was all about Summer Rites, although not before we headed to Beyond which was very much “off plan”, but having spilled out of Lovechild, the temptation was too much. And with first The Oli playing a spectacular set in the Terrace, following which Gonzalo kept us an hour after we should have left, Mikey D’s arrival & insistence that we stay meant that resisting his raptures was futile, so despite needing to be fresh for the festival afterwards, it was well gone 11 a.m. until we dragged our carcass out of Area. So, Summer Rites was a struggle, although with the aid of a free ride from Vauxhall in the company of Patrick Lilley & Alex Erfan, we made it to Shoreditch Park just as the clouds cleared & the early evening sunshine began to show its helpful hand , a host of brilliant brands including Salvation, Popstarz, XXL, Meat, Gutterslut & Bootylicious, adding to all the usual park party attractions like bumper cars, candy floss & beer, well not beer per say, more cider which seems to be the vogue drink at the mo. However, the upshot was that Summer Rites worked like a dream for us, indeed having given it the full review treatment at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-park-partying-pitched-perfectly-summer-rites-remixed-sunday-10th-july-full-size-review/ we concluded that it was a park party pitched perfectly.
Poptastic Partying
Onto the final three days of the week that was and Popcorn yet again pulled in the student punters across four rooms of fun, while up in Soho, Lo-Profile played host to new night, “Bear Trap” with Phil Marriott & Ben Jamin on the decks, promoter Manuel Garcia of Ursus & Cafe Ole fame pleased to be back in the west end & with a manly Monday nighter which will surely find its feet pretty soon. However with little else to report upon, it seems that the mid week world had fallen a little flat, Shadow Lounge currently closed for refurbishments, the smattering of regular nights like “Citric” at Ku-Bar/Club on Monday’s, Ashley Ryder’s Amateur Strip Show at The Eagle on Tuesday’s & “Shinky Shonky” again at Ku-Bar/Club but on Wednesday’s remain the best of the bunch, not forgetting Patrick Lilley’s “Work”, which is fitting in well at Fire, having moved from the Lightbox to the Mirrorarch space which works (excuse the pun) much better for them. More details of all these happenings can be found at http://popcorn-heaven.com, http://ku-bar.co.uk, http://eaglelondon.com, & http://patricklilley.com.
Now to some news and first to a new club launch coming your way next Friday, as Fire in Vauxhall open up the offer, fitting in a weekly men only club to their packed schedule, “Le Boy” a departure from the sex fuelled parties of before, more a club with great music in mind and serving as a more up market alternative to Onyx over at Area. Now, we will be bringing you a full preview this weekend, giving details of the launch which will take place on Friday 29th July, so watch this space for that, while for all events on the full Fire schedule can be found by going to http://fireclub.co.uk/gayparties.
Up in Soho and two hip & happening hangouts celebrate milestone anniversary’s, Rupert Street the first, this weekend actually (Fri 22nd to Sun 24th July), when it marks 15 years in operation, so excepting Village & Comptons, is now the longest running bar venue in this premier gay village. And to mark the occasion, the team will be throwing a special party on the Saturday night, when all things beach will be the theme, palm trees, sand, tight shorts of course & plenty more the name of the game, while international playboy D.J. Paul Heron will be sorting the sounds. Plus, with that nasty scaffolding down & the outside having been given a neat lick of paint, it’s all systems go for their special weekend, more info in the bar available at http://rupertstreet.com.
New Era
As for the other?, well its Shadow Lounge which we mentioned was closed for refurbishments, this in preparation for its 10th anniversary and by the looks of the photos taken of the place in its current raw state, the changes look like being pretty extensive, so well worth the look when it re-opens with a massive “New Era” party on Thursday 28th July. Now given this momentous occasion, we will be looking back across Shadow Lounge’s 10 years in business & then looking forward to this new era in their splendid life pushing the oho social soiree scene envelope, interviewing the new manager of the venue, reporting all via a special Disco Matters feature, while you can always keep an eye on their website at http://theshadowlounge.co.uk, which is also getting a re-look & revamp.
Right, before we wrap another seven day look at the scene, time to pick our moment, our track & our tweet of the week, the moment going to Mikey D at beyond, his insistence that we stay on our spot for the duration of his set, very much setting the pattern for a superb Sunday and a spectacular set of his, the best we have heard in a long time, our tweet of the week also coming from this unplanned yet enthralling expedition, and aimed at the man himself when we remarked to Mikey, “…my iron ling needs a breather from this breathtaking set of yours at beyond. We shouldn’t even be here, “So Glad We Came” though!…”, not forgetting that you can follow our Nibble Size review tweets & other mentions at http://twitter.com/discomatt.
As for the track, well the re-emergence of a favourite from earlier in the year really did it for us, plus coming from artists that are likely to scoop top prize in our year end round up for this department. Pink Fluid, the duo from, responsible for recent tracks like “So Much Love” (the lyrics “So Glad We Came” coming from that very track) & Noise In Da House”, first found favour with us back in March when “Bitch Lady” was rocking the dancefloors everywhere, yet it has seemed to endure, moreover reappearing on many an occasion across the week. Having also revised our “Summer Scorchers” list, giving it a late inclusion, we simply had to give it our vote here, the Craziba remix our favourite and in full length glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=ISsU2cGAbVQ.
Right that’s it for our slightly overdue round up of the week with just time to remind you that if you want us to shout out for your favourite bar, club or event that rocked & rolled in the coming week, then link into us via our main Facebook page at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon and plaster our wall with your details or then drop us a line now at matt@discomatt.com. As for the coming weekend, well we have our work cut out with writing catch up’s aplenty, the next “That Was The Week That Was” report out on Saturday, along with our Full Size review on Casa Latina, Bite Size reflections on Barcode’s 5th Birthday & Lovebox, while a full & fast speed music newsletter will be out too. On the scene front, it’s Onyx’s 2nd birthday bash & Beyond vs Deviate for us, so if you see us out, come say hi, but remember it’s good to “Go There! Be There!” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports, Reviews | Tags: Bear Trap, Beyond, Casa Latina, Citric, Gigolo, Ku Bar, Le Boy, Lo-Profile, Lovechild, Onyx, Popcorn, Room Service, Rupert Street, Shinky Shonky, Society, Summer Rites, The Shadow Lounge, Wig Out | No Comments »
Lay All Your Love On Me
In the many years that we have been clubbing on a Saturday (and there have been a lot of them!) we have seen so many brands come & go, some last a little longer than others, some make a huge splash then fade without trace. However, at its height, the Saturday clubbing scene sported some of the best clubs around, think Heaven, Love Muscle, Crash, Action, Juicy, Saturdays were certainly something to behold, But when the Spanish armada in the form of Matinee & then SuperMartXe arrived, it seemed clubbing was being taken to a new level both brands pretty much transforming the capitals clubbing landscape, the flamboyance of their parties leaving many slower burners floundering in their wake, the only one to emerge & take their place being WE Party which is very much the darling of the scene at the moment. That said, there is still very much a need for variety, clubbers all too often craving for something a little different
Lovechild is one such club, a brand that started out as a Sunday evening soiree to emulate those halcyon days when the likes of Salvation & DTPM ruled the waves & very much sent Saturday’s into the shade. However, as we have so often seen, times change like the wind & clubbers attitudes also change and v very soon into its existence, it was clear to promoter Alex Erfan, that Saturday’s was the way to go, the switch seeing a whole succession of prolific parties at host venue Fire, establish Lovechild as one of the leading Saturday brands. However, as good as the monthly events had become, the tide of economic misfortune hitting the world last year has had a knock on effect on the capitals clubbing circuit in 2011, many carefully picking & choosing when to be out on the scene, Lovechild’s timing of the second Saturday of the month not really fitting well with that trend choice, the brand inevitably struggling to match the numbers it had enjoyed during a resplendent run the previous twelve months. So, with our loveable brand disappearing from our radar, the last love-in we let loose being back in March, it was high time another event erupted our euphoria, “Superlovers” on such shindig that was sure to sparkle, the question however being, did it blow in winds into our out of our sails last Saturday?
Illuminating Image
Arriving at Fire just after midnight, we were expecting to meet up with inbound Spanish D.J. guest Javier Medina, although being greeted first by Tom Fuller who had been called up for an unscheduled management shift, much of the rest of the team up in Leeds letting their hair down, Mr Fuller nevertheless in fine fettle & eager to catch up on the last few days doings, comings & goings, although it was promoter Alex Erfan who was catching our eyes & ears as he had news on Javier who had decided on a hotel rest before his set a little later. So, safe in the knowledge that we were free to go & investigate, we headed into Fire in an instant, although with no queue at the coatcheck or indeed at the bar, it was clear this was going to be a slow burner of a Superlovers start, the main room dancefloor barely bearing a soul, indulgent Italiano Micky Galliano behind the D.J. decks, serving up stacks of supercharged sounds that were very much in the Lovechild style, but clearly not suiting the disco bunnies boys & girls that had headed into love lounge next door. So, having said our hello’s to Micky & paused for a monetary boogie, it was into the lounge we headed too, the space pretty packed in the hands of DJ Savin, this terrific talent more used to opening the main room, but still loving his Lovechild inclusion, playing a perfectly pitched set to a pack of party people that were definitely craving is uplifting, vocally infused dance delectations.
Moving back into the main room and bumping into more & more familiar faces as Fire slowly began to fill, Marco Gee & boyfriend Tim the first two, followed in quick succession by the delectable Dorin, the Polish boys, Mariusz & Norbert, a beaming & boisterous Alessandro Londra, arriving for his D.J.’ing duties much earlier than expected, soon followed by a Barca beatmaster Javier, who had decided against laying in at his hotel, rather choosing some pre-set clubbing & socialising which very much found with our favour. So, with a party posse around us and Micky having handed over the deck duty reigns to headlining international D.J. guest Saeed Ali, who had flown in from Moscow especially for this “Superlovers” party, this bearded beaut more used to SuperMartXe, having played for the brand across Europe as well as in his home city. And, within an instant, we could see why he carries so much clout with his countrymen, a set of superb uplifting & vocal infused beats, lifting the rather lacklustre Lovechild atmosphere a few notches, the crowded love lounge thinning somewhat as the echoes of his superb sounds reverberated through the tight corridor between the two spaces, seemingly sucking the “Superlovers” supporters into the main arena. Then when the delectable dancers trouped out onto the scant stage & the more proportional podiums, the place was suddenly set alight, the lighting illuminating the saucy & seductive shows superbly, even the LED displays behind the D.J. booth going into Lovechild overdrive.
Strike A Pose
With the earlier flat as a pancake feel of this latest Lovechild event now firmly behind us, Javier taking position behind the main room D.J. booth to start his set, we ventured back into the lounge where Brent Nicholls was now in charge of the tunes, choosing one terrific track after the next that soon had us in a spin on what is without doubt our favourite Fire spot, just left of the dinky D.J. booth. And it was a rapturous remix of the Abba classic tune “Lay All Your Love On Me” that proved one of many appropriate picks of his, the towering track & one of our favourites of now “You’ve Got The Love” really hitting its mark, invoking a “Doing The Disco matt” stint that lasted deep into his three hour set. However, with a decision to leave the contact room space closed and its D.J.’s Marco Gee & Alessandro Londra out of commission, an inspired three way set soon transpired, Brent bowing out first to Alessandro & Marco, who mixed in their own take on this purple patch part of proceedings, giving us a chance for a Brent boogie that kept us from the main room for much of the remainder of this now enjoyable event.
That said, we did our best to dive into the main room for small slices of Javier’s set, he having not only held but swelled the crowd with a captivating collection of tougher edged tech & tribal sounds, more akin to those that go down a storm across Europe & elsewhere, the London crowd usual difficult to please with these genre choices, actually lapping up his superb sounds with gusto. And it was clear Javier was enjoying the main room action, picking on a brilliant blend of beats that was to see the main room magnificence continue unabated right through till the 6 a.m. finish, the atmosphere now electric & the party people in majestic mood. Even the love lounge was having its say, Marco having played his part and now Brent & Alessandro going back-to-back with every record, this partnership whist impromptu in its invocation, actually looking as natural as it has been perfectly planned, we continuing to lap up Brent’s beats with exuberant energy which invoked a couple of tricky moments with our iron lung, Mr Nicholls diving for the oxygen but realising it was CO2 (oops!), while when he played the latest remix version of the Pitron/DM anthem “Stronger”, which had got an original mix airing by Micky earlier, we had to once again check our erupting emotions, only the curtain call closure stopping us in our tearful tracks.
Hanging In the Balance
So, what was our verdict on this Lovechild “Superlovers” event? And were our sail winds blowing in the breeze or collapsed in the calm? Well, there was little doubt that the numbers through the door were lack-lustre in comparison to previous parties and the slow burning effect seemed to last a lot longer than expected. However, that said, Saeed Ali’s performance was particularly stand-out and it seemed he did his bit to change the fortunes of this faltering foray, although the major hats have to go off to Savin for a scorching start, then Javier Medina who very much proved to us & many that his time with Matinee has grown both his stature & his music, his performance here very much chalk & cheese when compared with his last London outing, the Spanish clubbing brand having fallen on their feet picking him as their main resident man, Mr Medina having made plenty more friends & fans with his superb “Superlovers” set. However, the star/stars of the show for us were Brent & Ali, their inspired & impromptu stint stealing much of the spotlight and sending us satisfyingly skyward with each sound selection, leaving our sails definitely inflated rather than deflated.
Yet as good as it ended up, there remain some serious question marks over Lovechild’s standing in the Saturday market, not least that having marketed the event as a post pride party & offering reduced priced entry not reflecting in the response by the revellers. Plus, looking at the crowd, it was certainly missing many of the usual Lovechild lot, perhaps many having partied hard the previous weekend, whether in London, Cologne or Madrid, deciding to sit out this, but with no contact room, the stage shows a shadow of their former self and the whole feel of this latest Lovechild much flatter than former forays, hinting towards the need for a change, a re-vamp a new direction or a new offering. It is true to say that the Saturday circuit is not what it used to be and maybe clubbers have got tired of what’s on offer, rather choosing special events to devote their dancing to, yet if Lovechild is to set its stool in this style, it has some way to go to match the might of WE party. But like its alter ego, maybe less often will mean more and with the next Lovechild event not planned until September at the earliest, Alex concentrating on his European exploits, only time while tell whether it has the legs to last in London. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Alex Erfan, Brent Nicholls, DJ Savin, Javier Medina, Lovechild, Marco Gee, Micky Galliano, Saeed Ali, Tom Fuller | 1 Comment »
July Jigs
As we find ourselves pulling out of the second weekend in July, it seems the month is flying by already, although having been laid low for much of June, we have been making up for it since, with no less than nine bar, club & event visits under our belt since returning to the scene, but with plenty still ahead as much to reflect on from the last three/four days, we thought we would share our whole schedule from the end of June , right through to the beginning of August, so you can keep track of the reviews just gone, those due & the ones to come.
So, let’s look at the happenings already under our belt first and point you in the direction of the reviews.
Wed 29th June – Industri at Barcode Soho
Thurs 30th June – WE “Heroes” Pre-Party at Room Service
Fri 1st July – Profile Bar in Soho
Sat 2nd July – The Fire Dance Stage at London Gay Pride 2011
Sat 2nd July – Barcode in Vauxhall
Sun 3rd July – Beyond “Super Pride”
Highlight Hard To Hit
Reviews of all the above events, in either Bite Size or Full Size format, have been posted to our site already, the direct links being as follows :-
Profile & Barcode Vauxhall – http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-i-want-my-porridge-junior-moura-plays-profile-barcode-friday-1st-saturday-2nd-july-bite-size-review/
Fire Dance Stage – http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-exciting-the-iron-lung-london-gay-pride-2011-the-fire-dance-stage-saturday-2nd-july-full-size-review/
Beyond “Super Pride” – http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reviews-rapturous-return-erupts-emotions-beyond-super-pride-sunday-3rd-july-full-size-review/
As for the rest of July and into August, these are the bars, clubs & events we have just attended & those we have already committed to our review schedule.
Thurs 7th July – Gigolo “Fever” at Lo-Profile
Fri 8th July – Society at Lo-Profile
Sat 9th July – Lovechild “Super Lovers” at Fire
Sun 10th July – Summer Rites “Remixed” Festival
Sat 16th July – Barcode Vauxhall “5th Anniversary”
Sat 16th July – Casa Latina “Super Car Wash” at Fire
Sun 17th July – Lovebox Festival
Sat 23rd July – Hard On! at Factory
Sun 24th July – S.L.A.G.S. 12th Birthday at The RVT, Vauxhall
Fri 29th July – New Night at Fire (details T.B.A.)
Sun 31st July – Salvation “Deluxe” at Cafe De Paris
Mon 1st August – Orange at Fire
Follow Our Activity
Naturally there may be other events that we may make it to, for instance, if our weary bones will allow, we might swing by the new night “Beat Trap” tonight (Mon 11th), while Club I is definitely on our radar, as is Tonker, Onyx, Brixton Clubhouse & Shadow Lounge, the latter celebrating 10 years in business this month, so keep your eyes peeled via our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/discomattlondon, for last minute news. Plus, don’t forget that we continue to report on the action, live, with our “Nibble Size” review tweets, which you can tune into or follow by going to http://twitter.com/discomatt.
So, that’s our “Dance Diary” for July and with five reviews already done & dusted, but with at least 10 more it come, its busy, busy, busy, so plenty of opportunities for us to be & be seen on the scene across the remaining three weeks of the month, leaving us to say is, if you see us out come say hi, but as always, make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Out & About A Lot
Posted in Reports | Tags: Barcode Vauxhall, Beyond, Casa Latina, Fire, Gigolo, Hard On!, Lo-Profile, Lovecbox, Lovechild, Orange, Profile, Room Service, Salvation, Society, Summer Rites | No Comments »
Lovechild Is Back
Having been out of action ourselves for a few weeks, it seems the scene has also been missing one of its favourite brands & promoters, both Lovechild & Alex Erfan having very much dipped under the radar. In fact, searching through our archives it was back in May that this lovable brand showed its hand at Fire on a Saturday, yet despite it also having shown its hand at As One at the last bank Holiday, it has now been well over a month since the scene has savoured this colourful club in the capital. However, while London may have been missing out, Alex & his team have been bevering away across in the continent, parties in Antwerp & Lyon, added to a host of others that have combined record it’s most successful year yet. Then, when we thought all things Alex had gone quiet on the western front, not only will this coming Saturday (9th July) see one of our favourite clubbing brands consume the capital, but the following weekend it heads north of the border to Edinburgh to help celebrate the start of the cities fringe festival.
Super Lovers & Super Heroes
So, let’s take a look at London first and to the “Super Lovers” event that should surely see Lovechild reclaim its stake on the Saturday scene, its promoter very much playing on the brands strength, the word “Love” no less, he explaining to us that, “…, Lovechild has always been, first and foremost, about the love, love of life, love of self, love of the music, love of mankind…” , quite a substantive claim, but if you have been to any Lovechild event, you will know exactly what Alex means, as no club can claim to have a more friendly crowd, while the club itself gives gives & gives, love oozing out of its pours. Indeed, looking back across the score of events across the last twelve months, the Lovechild team have always pushed the envelope, entertaining us with some of the most prolific P.A.’s, an incredible list of international D.J. guests and a resident list that puts virtually every club in the capital to shame. But come this Saturday, whilst much of the fabulous formula remains the same, Lovechild is certainly taking the club to a higher level, Mr Erfan adding that “…Lovechild returns to Fire, with an incredible international line-up of DJs and performers in celebration of those who take love to the next level, so called the SUPERLOVERS…”
And he isn’t wrong as not one, not two, but three international D.J. stars will be centre staging this “Supper Lovers” come super heroes event as we have been reliably informed that new Lovechild dance director Nik Ripley has drawn on his previous experience working closely with Matinee in London to gather together some of the best looking go-go’s in town, while Alex’s right hand man Nhamo has drawn on the services of Invincible Rubber to create a whole host of super hero costumes that look like putting those sported by Spanish counterpart WE Party this last weekend, very much into the shade. And whilst you may think that this is a case of copy cat (possibly Cat Woman!), Alex informs us that this super heroes theme to his “Super Lovers” party has been in the making for quite a while, probably accounting for Lovechild’s absence from the capitals scene. But, while Nik has some gorgeous go-go’s to pop out our eyes, Mr Erfan will be pulling his drag queen contact strings, a very special star flying in from Tel Aviv that will simply take your breath away, especially when she does her Wonder Woman twirl.
Main Man Medina
So, with the eye candy entertainment deal sealed, what can we expect from the music? Well, as we hinted, three international D.J.’s for a start, Matinee’s newest resident & a feature among our short(ish) list of firm favourites (are we allowed?…yes), Javier medina making a welcome return to London, having featured both for Lovechild & As One last year, but having really grown into his international status following that matinee appointment in December. Having made a name for himself stateside, with gigs in Miami, New York, Javier’s year has slowly been accelerating, especially in recent weeks as the build up to Barcelona’s Circuit Festival takes him right across Europe & even as far as Canada & South America. And naturally he will feature large in the twelve day festival in his home city in August, so landing him in London in the middle of his heavy schedule is a coup for the Lovechild team & one we cannot wait for. Plus, his current style of deep tech & tribal house will definitely be taking Lovechild to a new level, we reckoning you will dig his superb sounds which we suspect will be very much akin to those of his “Happy Tech House” mix which is well worth a listen at http://soundcloud.com/javier-medina/happytechhouse2011.
Masterful Mikey
As for the other two stars?, well one is really well known to us, having looked after us amazingly during our recent visit to Muccassassina in Rome, Micky Galliano being a resident of the truly awesome club, while his D.J.’ing C.V. reads impeccably, clubs he has played including Ministry Of Sound, Vertigo and Azuli, not to mention Gay Village & SuperMartXe, while bulky brand Bear Necessity is part of his repertoire as it club & record label Deviate, along with London’s Barcode, Queer Nation, Tonker & now Lovechild. And whilst we were hoping he would lay down a compilation marking his inclusion in this “Super Lovers” event, it was Bear Necessity’s Pride event last weekend that benefitted from a Micky mix, one like Javier’s, giving you a good idea of what to expect from Mr Galliano come Saturday, so a listen must by going to http://soundcloud.com/micky-galliano/bear-necessity-london-pride. As for the other international star, what we can tell you is that he comes from Russia, Moscow in fact, although has played as far afield as Greece, Holland & Spain, although it is his home city where he has made his mark, having been at the top of the scene game there since 2006. Representing SuperMartXe in the Russian capital, he has also played for SMX in Amsterdam, while he has recently also swapped ship to play for WE Party internationally. And his name? Well it’s Saeed Ali, not quite the Russian influence you would expect, he having a distinct Mediterranean come Middle Eastern look & charm, his latest claim to fame being the driving force behind new club brand “Alimania”, he having dedicated two compilations to the club, both which are out at http://soundcloud.com/dj-saeed-ali.
With the international trio taking up the main room mantle, Lovechild “Super Lovers” will be extending across two other rooms, Fire’s mirrorarch space, known in Lovechild terms at The Contact Room, will sport resident original Alessandro Londra, with recent entrant Marco Gee, while in the Love Lounge, its Brent Nicholls following on from D.J. Savin, while in terms of the all important detail, this Lovechild “Supper Lovers” party takes place this coming Saturday (9th July) at Fire in Vauxhall, Mr Erfan mentioning that, “…After all the Pride Parties, we know you need to give your wallet a little rest so we are giving you the opportunity to enjoy this incredible party for as little as £5. Yes, you read that right – just £5!…”, the team having released 250 £5 tickets online at http://alexerfan.com as a thank you to faithful Lovechild supporters and fans, meaning its online you go to grab this special offer, tickets also available on the door, which opens at 11 p.m., the club running through until 6 a.m., while free wrist band entries to beyond will be up for grabs for the first 100 through Lovechild’s doors.
From Fire To Fever
Fast forwarding a week & Lovechild makes that move north, teaming up with Edinburgh’s finest Fever at The Liquid Rooms in the Scottish capital, the marriage of minds looking like one made in heaven, plus promising to form an on-going partnership that should spurn regular residencies for Alex & his team over the border (or is that Hadrian’s wall?!). And for this first foray next Saturday (16th July), Mr Efra will be taking the cream of his team with him, Lovechild resident D.J Tony English travelling north, as will by superb P.A. & vocalist Lizzie France, not to mention nee Lovechild dance director Nick Ripley & his troupe of go-go’s. They will be joined by Fever D.J. residents Brian Fisher & Mark Price, across Liquid Rooms hi-tech main space, that sports the latest sound equipment, lighting & visual effects that will dazzle & delight, while there will be a distinct festival feel with lots of magic & miracles from a host of entertainers to top off the dancing & music. With further details available at http://alexerfan.com, advance tickets priced at just £10 are already on sale online at http://clubtickets.com/gb/2011-07/16/fever-meets-lovechild-edinburgh-liquid-room.
Liquid Lovechild
Now here’s a bit of details on Fever’s past to give you a feel of just how much of an iconic club it has become in Edinburgh. Fever was launched at Club Ego in March 2004, the night having been created by the people behind the legendary Sunday night clubbing institution, Taste, which ran in Edinburgh for just over 16 years. Fever was very much developed to satisfy the demands of Taste members who could no longer make it to their former favourite on Sunday nighter, this new monthly Saturday night club quickly becoming an immediate success and from day one filling to capacity. The Fever philosophy of open minded and attitude free clubbing coupled with a very tight door policy ensured that only the best of Edinburgh’s party people would be allowed to enter the event which made for one of the friendliest atmospheres of any club in the city .Fever’s D.J. resident team know how to keep their crowd happy and the clubs success was undoubtedly due terrific talents & Edinburgh favourites Brian Fisher & Mark Prince, both famed for playing uplifting & accessible house in the main arena, while Jon Pleased Wimmin and Kaupuss sported an anything goes music policy in the basement. Fever remained an integral part of the Edinburgh club scene until January 2010 when host club Ego was forced to close its doors due to severe fire damage, although such has been the demand for its return, Fever was, in the nature of its name, feverishly organising a return, The Liquid Rooms refurbishment the opening it need & now the joining of forces with Lovechild, the icing on the club nights cake. More info on The Liquid Rooms can be found at http://liquidroom.com.
So, two Lovechild love in’s “From Fire To Fever” to fulfil your clubbing desires and whilst we won’t be heading north, as commitments here in the capital will stop us travelling with the Lovechild team, we will be down at Fire this Saturday, so if you see us out, come say hi, but regardless, make Lovechild “Super Lovers” a date & ensure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Alex Erfan, Brent Nicholls, DJ Savin, Fever, Fire, Javier Medina, Lizzie France, Lovechild, Marco Gee, Micky Galliano, Nik Ripley, Saeed Ali, The Liquid Rooms, Tony English | 1 Comment »
Captivating Clubbing In Calella
Now we do like a good party and when the opportunity to sink into a full on festival presents itself, we tend to take to it with gusto, although here in the capital, full length festivals, (i.e. days long) are few & far between, especially those aimed at the gay market, although we did have fun at the London Global Dance Festival last year, albeit that it was quite on the scale of massive events like Circuit in Barcelona, LGDF concentrating more on the clubbing rather than all the extracurricular activity that Circuit offers. However, with our wings well and truly spread into Europe and beyond, when we heard of plans for a spring festival organised by Delice, in Barcelona no less, we kind of jumped at the opportunity, our arm being further twisted by Delice head poncho Anthony Areal & the drop dead gorgeous Mourad, when they visited London for the love-in with Alex Erfan’s Lovechild, literally days before we headed off to South Africa.
So, with our homage home over with, yet with the tug of travel still running through our veins, it didn’t take long for us to affirm our associations with this Delice Dream of a draw, the enticement of meeting up with a whole host of friends & familiar faces from across Europe pretty much sealing the deal on this exceptional expedition. Indeed, having landed in Barcelona literally four hours before the start of this full-on festival, an expedition it turned out to be, the realisation that the host hotel & resort in Barcelona’s Callela, was in fact a jaunt of a journey, the hour or so train journey made much more palatable with the presence of La Demence’s resident pintsized player, Andrei Stan, who, like us, was staying for a sizable chunk of this five day anglo-French foray. So, with our travelling companion linking up with us in central Barcelona, we made our unsure & unsteady way to Callela, eventually arriving at our temporary home with only a few minutes to spare before the first event at host club Zillion, just a hop skip & jump away from our hotel home for this fantabulous frolic with all things Delice.
Dream Of An Opener
With the festival theme “No Time To Sleep” very much our feeling too, having been on the go for well over 14 hours already, it was nevertheless all steam ahead for the opulent opener “1001 Nights”, so having slipped into smoothing more appropriate for this first of many parties, we arrived at the club’s doors not long before 1 a.m., being greeted by the ever smiling Delice head honcho Anthony Aureal, who greeted us at the club like a long lost friend, the substantive stresses & strains of masterminding this huge festival undertaking hardly showing on his face, this warming welcome setting us on our way into the sumptuous venue feeling considerably content with our lot. And as we descended into this Calella club, we were very much impressed by the look & feel of the place, the opulent feel reminding us a little of Cafe De Paris back in London, although without the huge sweeping staircase & the bright chandelier lighting. However, with regal seating around, balcony’s encasing the dancefloor below & a stage area at one end, the multi levelled spaces all accessible to the eye, whilst offering select spots from which to soak up the splendour of this delightful Delice Dream opener and the venue was very much shaping up to be the perfect place to hold this first of five main parties.
So it was down onto the dancefloor we went, the space already heaving with handsome hunks, some dressed down to their torso’s, others already aloft of the two podiums gyrating to the brilliant beats, Enrico Arghentini kicking off the musical proceedings with pumping euphoric & vocal house hits that had Zillion alight with audacious action. But the first curtain raiser in a series of stage showings by the drop dead gorgeous Delice Boys, not least the majestic Mourad, all dressed in Arabian costumes & exuding masses of middle eastern mystique & magic, as they flexed their taught muscles & moved to the music magnificently, we were soon completely immersed into the delight of this “1001 nights” naughtiness. And with our camera clicking both pictures & videos, while our supposed relative anonymity having been broken by a handful of familiar faces, a couple from London, one based in Barcelona, by Belgian boy Andrei Stan, but also from a very forward & obliging Diego Lombardi of Muccassassina, our night definitely ended up being a Delice Dream of a four hour frolic, second D.J. Luiggi performing a spectacular set, a good 1001 times better than the last showing we had seen at Red & Blue in Antwerp.
So, with the first event now under our belt, we arose relatively early to take in what daytime delights this Delice Dream festival had to offer, the hotel a little basic for our liking, although taking the whole package into consideration, good value was certainly to be enjoyed if you immersed into all the activities & hospitalities. And that’s what we did, savouring the second of the, as we called them, “before parties” come Sunday evening, we were to pole position to lap up the loveliness of La Demence resident Andrei Stan, who’s set well & truly shone, getting the gorgeous & not so gorgeous looking Delice Dream lot in the mood for more. With rousing renditions that left us & others spinning on our spots, but with disappointment that the planned AussieBum fashion show was postponed for the following afternoon, it was down to a drag queen duo & other WE party enthusiasts to provide the additional entertainment on Andrei’s, this cavorting collective warming us up for the incumbent “Attacks” event which followed in the club.
The Carlos & Peyton Show
So, with us well into our Delice Dream “No Time To Sleep” stride, the next instalment in the five strong main party procession beckoned, Spanish smash WE Party taking its turn in the limelight and one we were very much looking forward to, not least as this brand that had pretty much stolen the SuperMartXe show, capturing the imagination right across it’s homeland & beyond, the recent tour of their sequence of parties “Attacks” having hit the shores of London, Paris, Rome, & Miami to mention just a few. And now it was Delice Dream’s turn to feel the WE wonderment in warp speed, the brilliant billing including Madrid based Carlos Gallardo, whose course was set for Calella along with prolific PA Peyton, French fancy D.J. Mister Mola and, naturally, those drop dead gorgeous Delice dancers, although with expectations high, there was much to live up to. That said, with a slow start and the feeling that more than a few festivalers were feeling a tad jaded just two days in (surely not?!), it was a good two hours into this WE inspired second main party leg that we found ourselves still awaiting the much anticipated action on the stage to spellbind host venue Zillion, Mola’s music good but not great, the party lacking the oomph that it so desperately needed.
But all that was set to change when a selection of Delice boys along with WE party dancers hit the stage and the expected octane fuelled audacity commenced, the crowd also suddenly coming to life, getting into the “Attacks” mood, as were we, alongside Antwerp’s Red & Blue finest, D.J. Elof De Neve & close companion J.d. Cerronez adding that all important ingredient of fun & frivolity that very much set our experience alight. And to then add to this now audacious action, incumbent D.J. Carlos Gallardo began to steal the Delice Dream show, taking the initiative, along with prolific P.A. Peyton, who focussed the cavorting crowds attention away from the stage & towards the side of the lofty D.J. booth, from where he performed two tracks, including the tremendous “Trapped” that evoked memories of his magnificent & most magical mastery at the London event on NYD. With the atmosphere now amazing, in the hands of Carlos, the party hit top gear terrifically, track after track wowing the captivating clubbers & seeing us go into “Doing The Disco Matt” overdrive, even the drop dead gorgeous Delice cover boy Mourad dancing in very close quarters, sending our senses skyward, while the night was Mr Gallardo’s who gave the performance of the festival so far, the whole WE party under his steership attacking the minds bodies & souls from start to finish of his simply scintillating set.
So, that night was going to be a task & a half to top, especially given the captivating company we had kept with both Elof & J.d., both in pumping party mode, their energy (especially J.d’s) making the whole experience magnificently memorable. And this same vein would carry through to the Monday evening, when it was Elof’s turn to play at “the before party”, he proving just what a tremendous talent he is, packing in piles of pumping & heavenly house hits that wowed the warm up wonderfully, he probably more deserving of a slot in one of the main parties, but content enough with his lot, partner to crime J.d. entertaining enormously with his audacious antics. But the night was still young and despite feeling a tad jaded, there was definitely no time to sleep as we made a date with Alex Erfan’s loveable London based brand, Lovechild, taking centre stage at host venue Zillion with their “White” themed party, the place decked out to delight with branded banners & balloons, all in white of course, the considerate crowd also entering into the spirit of the theme fantastically.
Praying To Pagano
Arriving with irresistible Israeli D.J. Guy Scheiman in tow, having met him earlier in central Barcelona, then negotiating that long haul of a train journey back to Calella, meant we were definitely back in partying mood, especially with other partners in partying crime, Elof & J.d. in close quarters. And this Lovechild leg of the five day Delice Dream festival wasn’t going to disappoint, although having joined forces with Berlin based club GMF, their resident jock Chris Becker kicked off proceedings, his set very much in the style of that club, a tough tech fuelled set that sat well with some, not with others, we at pains to remind a few that Chris was playing to the GMF music policy, rather than to the style or taste of the Delice Dream crowd, his set finding favour with plenty party heads who filled out Zillion’s dancefloor. However, with our sagging energy levels requiring a more inspired boost, we were to find it in our own Italian Stallion Pagano, who made is prolific presence felt, belting out bag loads of classics including “Loca”, “Digital Generation” & “Back To The Future” mixed in with this Sicilian star’s new style of sounds, techno treats blended with progressive pumps fitting the feel of this third frolic fabulously. Indeed such was his prolific performance, he had the core crowd in awe of his aaamazing set, they eventually swamping the stage & even bowing at his feet as he departed following more than one encore. Added into the mix were the muscular Delice men, mighty in their magnificence, proving the extra lift the party needed, dishing up dollops of drama & drooling on the dancefloor, in delightful decadence.
So, Tuesday dawned with us very much looking forward to another Italian’s arrival, this time Milano man Danny Verde, who we caught briefly as he arrived and we headed into our final “before” bash in advance of returning to London. And we were very much in the mood to let our hair down with our posse of pals, J.d. particularly providing enough satisfying fun & distraction from D.J. Amine’s dour dance deliveries which proved pretty disastrous. while much of the focus was on the Delice boys, who had gathered out in the foyer for a photo shoot, our man Mourad lapping up much of the limelight. But with the hotel party coming to a rather abrupt end, it was now all about Muccassassina, as we headed down to Zillion for the last time, the expectation of Diego’s dream of a team topping off our week in a wonderful way. And we were not be to disappointed in any respect, the right royal send off we had been hoping for very much delivered from the off, resident D.J. back in Rome, Danny Verde, kicking off the night at Zillion in scintillating style, gloriously gathering an ever increasing crowd with a solid string of superb sounds, some Verde classics, others new tough tech & progressive beats that won him even more fans than he already had.
Mourad The Magnificent
But then enter from stage left the Mucca dancers, dressed provocatively in erotic black tight pants, g-strings & the like, immediately pushing the mercury off the scale with the best stage show of the week, Danny’s musical mastery matching the men’s movements magnificently. With the atmosphere elevated beyond expectation, Mr Verde’s performance, like Mucca’s show, proved to be the set of the festival, very much like they stole the show at The London Global Dance Festival some ten months previously, Diego waving his choreographic wand, casting his spell of style on the whole occasion and Mr Verde’s soundtrack simply spectacular. But, with Mucca gracing their exit & Danny’s superb showing over, the party was far from it, as Mister Mola, representing Paris club Panic Room, took up the mantle majestically, keeping the party pumping well past the 5 a.m. finish, cries & clamours for more from a packed out stage & dancefloor the ultimate crescendo on a truly captivating clubbing night. Having thought Mr Lombardi would pull of something quite special, we were right on the money with our estimation of this euphoric event, the company of Guy Scheiman, Elof De Neve, J.d. Cerronez & co a delight, while the drop dead gorgeous Mourad was at his breathtaking & brilliant best, making our ecstatic evening complete.
With the morning after the night before signalling our final day in the hands of Delice, with a London early evening flight precluding us from soaking up the splendour of the final event down at Zillion, all that was left to do now was to pack up our belongings and head back into central Barcelona for a lunch liaison with our good friend & D.J./producer Javier Medina, making that final lengthy train journey from Calella in the charismatic company of three people that, like so many others, had made this Delice Dream festival an absolute delight, Guy, Elof & especially J.d. making all the difference and leaving us with memories that will last forever. But apart from these fabulous three, we cannot finish this special look at Delice Dream without role calling mentions for all the following, that made us welcome & made us feel special, first to Delice’s head honcho Anthony Aureal, then to promoters Alex Erfan, Diego Longobardi for pulling out perfection personified,, to La Demence’s Thierry for his unforgettable antics, to the D.J.’s Carlos Gallardo, Pagano, & Danny Verde who really tipped our scales, to all the gorge Delice dancers, especially Mourad whom we will never forget, and to everyone else that made this week wonderful, who came & said hi & partied with us with no time to sleep,
Festival Fantastique
In summing up this Delice Dream festival, we can say that, given the magnitude of the organising & the marriage of minds, we walked away really impressed with the whole affair. Yes Calella ended up being a little divorced from Barcelona itself & a tad short of gay life, the hotel accommodation & facilities also a little basic, but when you consider the package value, we had no complaints at all. Bringing together so many people, such a pool of talent & a clubs from across France, Germany, Belgium, Spain & England, Delice Dream offered pretty much everything we could have expected. Naturally some made the comparison with Barcelona’s own circuit festival, but in reality this was something very different, a clubbing vacation rather than a clubbing cacophony, it may have lacked some of the outright flair of its rival, but this Dream festival ticked as many boxes as it could, achieving what it set out to do, capturing over 25 performers, 16 D.J.’s and over 70 hours of clubbing & cavorting in scintillating style, meaning you can’t say fairer than that. So major up & thanks to Anthony & his merry men for this magnificence and here’s to next year, we are told probably in southern Spain, yippee!! (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Alex Erfan, Andrei Stan, Anthony Aureal, Carlos Gallardo, Chris Bekker, Danny Verde, Delice, Delice Dream, Diego Longobardi, Elof De Neve, Enrico Arghentini, GMF, La Demence, Lovechild, Mister Mola, Mourad Back, Muccassassina, Pagano, Panic Room, Peyton, Victor Pallas, WE Party | No Comments »
Collaborative Colossus
In a clubbing capital that sometimes seems to be ravaged by competition & politics, it is so refreshing to see club, club promoters & scene faces come together for the healthy cause of creating a collaborative event designed for the clubbing public to enjoy and that is exactly what the branded brilliance that is As One has always set out to do. Yet with just such politics looking to consign our latest foray to this latest combo colossus at Fire to our clubbing rubbish heap, some furied eleventh hour negotiations saw a sudden switch in fortunes marking our arrival at this spring bank holiday gathering at just turned 1 a.m. on Monday morning, not long after the doors had swung open on As One for the sixth time on its spectacular if relatively short history. And it was evident that a colossal chunk of clubbers in the capital has decided on this creative collaboration as their choice, the massive queue conclusive evidence, although being picked out by stand-in promoter Steven Sharp who was doing a sterling job as always, saw us into Fire within minutes of arriving, a good job as our presence was being pursued by Mr Pitron, who was keen that we join him on this both our final legs of this Spring Bank Holiday weekend.
So, despite the absence of As One head poncho Alex Erfan, we quickly found our stride with our Pitron posse which included the natty Naomi & the adorable Andrea, refreshments in the Lovechild room where D’Johnny was pumping the place with some terrific tech infused tunes, soon followed by the main room machinations masterminded by myriads of magical musical moments as Steve served up yet another scorcher of a set. Representing Orange for this opener two hours, Mr Pitron’s pitch perfect performance had us dancing deliriously, even though we were finding it difficult to settle in a spot, occasionally stepping up onto the podium with Andrea & co, but more often settling by the small stage just out of Steve’s sight, but very much in his mind’s eye as he delivered drenches of dance delectations that saw those now characterful emotions engulf us. Mind you with our cougar loving clubbing companion in call & Steve sounds hitting our sweets spots, this was turning out to be one very special As One, especially when, having misplaced Andrea, her trademark call affirmed her close vicinity, as “f…k off!!” rang in ours & many others ears, much to everyone’s hilarity, the night getting even better when a mini Beyond re-union seemed to be unfolding in this Orange inspired main space, first lighting queen Smalls arriving and then Alan K making his prolific presence felt.
With Steve’s set over & the Cafe Ole boys taking charge, we were off to investigate the rest of this As One offering, the lounge space pretty undefined in signage or sounds, while it was definitely Lovechild in the Mirrorarch, Megawoof in the Lightbox & Orange RAW in the red room, a varied choice but one a little lacking in the usual As One pazaz. So, we eventually settled on our favoured Fire spot, just by the Mirrorarch D.J. booth, where Gonzalo was proving his worthy weight in gold with one of his trademark tech fuelled triumphs, the room in rapturous response to every track choice me made, the Lovechild dancers adding the extra spice & eye candy that had been missing elsewhere. Then, when Paul Heron followed on in superb style with a scintillating set, it was us, rather than Carlos Gallardo, that was this time bowing at his feet from the sheer brilliance of his barnstorming beats, pals Andrea & Miss Cougar lapping up every tasty musical morsel too, all this leaving us with much more to say about the banking branded brilliance that was As One, meaning its “…ready steady, go for the review…” (DISCO MATT).
Posted in Previews, Reports, Reviews | Tags: Alex Erfan, As One, Cafe Ole, D'Johnny, Gonzalo Rivas, Lovechild, Megawoof, Naomi Ruiz, Orange, Orange RAW, Steve Pitron, Steven Sharp | No Comments »
Hot As His House Music
Of the scores of D.J.’s that we have come to know through our writing, we can count so many as friends, plenty of those as good friends, but just a handful that are close friends, individuals that we have strong associations with and whom we have spent some special moments with, both in & out of clubs, Leomeo Carandang being one of those few and a guy that we feel honoured to know. However, that said, the bond we have developed (and it’s a strong one) has not clouded our judgment on Leomeo as a D.J., nor has his handsomely good looks, as there is far more to this prolific Parisian player than meets the eye, six delightful days recently in both London & Paris allowing us to learn much more about the man & his music than we had ever known before.
But, having caught our eye a good three years ago, while having been treading the D.J. & clubbing boards for so much longer than that, Leomeo, is probably the one talent to whom we have devoted the most biographical style focuses, music posts, reviews & reports, the total running deep into double figures, some more detailed than others, yet all with the same result, showcasing the merits of this magnificent man & his music. So, deciding to devote a special post, the second in out series, came as easily as the first, and will take a similar form to that, as we look back through our archives, pick out highlight of posts & reports and bring you brilliantly into the life, times & works of our Parisian based Philippine born pal.
So, let’s kick off where it all stated for us, the biog/focus we devoted to him, one of which we have already published on our D.J. page, which you can check out via direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/d-j-s-leomeo-carandang-focusbiog-issued-saturday-14th-may-2011/, competed in ahead of his appearance at The London Global Dance Festival (more on his showing later), although this first devotion goes back further.
Extract from our Music is The Answer post, “French Fancy’s” issued 4th November 2009
Our second choice this time round goes to French fancy & worldwide globetrotter Leomeo, probably one of the sexiest D.J’s we have seen in a long time (what is it with these French boys!?!), who spreads his musical words wherevever he goes, whether it be Montreal, New York, Barcelona, Berlin, Rome, or Sydney, definitely earning him a reputation across the planet. But it doesn’t stop there, as his wings have spread across Asia, with major gigs in Kuala Lumpa, Shanghai & Manila, but also Singapore where he was resident for a while. Then there are places like Tel Aviv & Prague as well as the clubbing hotspot, Ibiza & you will realise that there are precious few places this man’s steps have not trodden. Of course his native Paris his major stomping ground, but London has not escaped his attention, with gigs at Discotec & more latterly Lovechild, where we witnessed his superb set. When he is not running around the world, Leomeo has a resident slot on the very popular “Radio FG” French online music channel & whilst his musical roots have a tribal, electro & progressive tendency, his energetic style goes more vocal too, his work dipping in & out to great effect. So, we definitely recommend a visit to http://leomeo.com where you can get your complete fill of over 8 mixes plus a whole load of visuals and more.
So, with that look at Leomeo setting our stall and the LGDF post following, we continued our focuses of this French fancy, our biography style posts culminating in this composition for his new website, we feeling particularly honoured that he both approached us & tendered us for this written piece.
Final Draft issued to Leomeo & applied to his new website http://leomeo.com, Febraury 2011
Iconic Headphones
If ever there was an internationally renowned D.J. with a prolific pedigree it is Leomeo, a well established talent who, from his base in Paris, has touched virtually every continent the world, destinations including Montreal, New York, Sydney, Shanghai, Istanbul, Rome, London & many in between. With roots firmly in Asia, but with Europe being his first real playground, making Paris his home saw his early steps in D.J.’ing inspired & encouraged by his then mentor ,Claude Challe of Buddha Bar fame, a young Leomeo evolving quickly from lounge & chill-out to more mainstream house, with residencies across Paris and guest appearances across the globe quickly following. Leomeo’s influences have a true tribal feel, yet with tech tones, vocal injections & progressive beats, means he has an amazing ability to adapt to a wide range of clubbing brands & concepts, as well as keeping his audiences entertained throughout his live performances. This makes Leomeo one of the busiest D.J.’s on the worldwide clubbing circuit & scene to this day.
And it doesn’t stop there, as Leomeo has chalked up an impressive collection of studio works and remains continually active & creative with projects involving both recording partners & other leading producers. With a dynamic discography including solo tracks and remix works, he has amassed a comprehensive collection of compilations, now close on treble figures and with equally impressive download statistics. Ranging from tribal tunes to dance devotions and back again, Leomeo’s recording’s are as prolific as his live performances, recent solo releases “The Sound Of C” & “Give Me Love” snapped up by a handful of artists for remix productions. Plus with new projects a-plenty including working with a new vocal artist on a number of tracks, this stand-out studio activity combined with in demand live performances means that the big club brands & record labels along with scores of bars, clubs & events all want a slice of Leomeo & his music.
From all of these devotions, you have probably now got a good feel for the man and is history, but what about his music? Well, trawling back through our archives, there are plenty of pieces we have written on his compilations especially, a selection of three from a score shared as follows.
Extract from DM Does The Music News Newsletter “Energetic Euro’s”, issued 18th October 2010
Right to France and to Parisian Leomeo Carandang whom we sadly missed when we made it across in September, although will be diarising another visit very soon. Currently, this enchanting Frenchman is on a semi worldwide tour, having taken in New York for just under two weeks & is now in Montreal, this being followed by a return trip to his beloved Thailand, where he spent a few years much earlier in his career & life. But it is fair to say, there is hardly anywhere in the world where Leo has not laid his musical hat, we always being thrilled when he makes it to London, recent visits including for Alex Erfan’s massive LGDF gathering & then Lovechild’s “Hot Tropicana”. But trips to Italy, Germany & Spain litter his exhausting schedule, although we can’t wait to see him back in the capital in December for another pre Christmas meet at Lovechild.
So, with all this touring on his plate, we would forgive him for not getting into the recording studio that often, but nothing of it, as his list of compilations & track releases is nearly as frenzied as his globetrotting, his appearance at Cafe Ole in Spain creating a magnificent mix which is out at direct link http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/cafe-ole-space-ibiza-by-dj-leomeo while a subsequent track of his called “Give me Love”, featuring vocals from Diva Avari has been given the remix treatment by artists including Javier Medina, Pagano & Aurel Devil, although the original is our favourite, which has Leomeo’s style written all over it which you can check out at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/leomeo-feat-diva-avari-give-me-love-original-mix. Then there is his own remixing talents displayed with a remix of DJ Rony’s record “Colour Of Love”, not to mention a full on compilation very much hot off the press & compiled in reflection of Leo’s time in New York, which, along with over four pages of stunning sounds, you can add to your collection via http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo
Extract from DM Does The Music News Newsletter “Big Guns & Baby Boomers”, issued 6th December 2010
Flexing His Musical Muscles
As for Leomeo, well, we simply can’t keep up with our favourite Frenchman (sorry had to be said), tours of The US, Canada & Asia taking him away from his beloved Paris for most of the last six months, as have trips closer to home, including Spain, Germany & Belgium as well as his home country France, Lyon often calling on his superb services. Mind you, as busy as he is, it doesn’t stop Leo from dipping into the recording studio to lay down the odd compilation or two, many marking either his trips around the globe or the gigs he has played, three brilliant examples being “Sunday IN NYC”, “Shanghai Halloween” & “Matinee Paris – 1st Anniversary”, all available at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo. But we get extremely excited when he hits the track recording path, his own “The Sound Of C” earlier this year getting our vote, as does his latest remix work of Shazz’s “Wherever You Are”, which he cutely entitles his “Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi” mix and is another example of Leomeo at his banging beat best.
Extract from DM Does The Music News Newsletter “March Winds Of Wonderful Music”, issued 20th March 2011
Onward and to our next big star, our Parisian pal no less, whom we spent three fabulous days with in the French capital in February, we walking away having secured the place & our pal a special slot in our heart. But, whilst we didn’t indulge in some of his music while in Paris, our Leo Leo proved the perfect guide to the gastronomic delights & the scenic sights of this awe inspiring city, leaving an indelible impression on our minds & souls for which we remain eternally grateful for. And who was better to show us Paris in such a superb way but resident of the French capital, Leomeo Carandang, our three day frolic allowing us the time to get to know each other even better than we did before, so thus cementing an already burgeoning bond of friendship between us. But that’s not what we are here to talk about, rather that music that this magnificent maker creates and by golly does he do so at a rate of knots, on average one a month, very much matching his exhaustive gig schedule that takes this amiable & adventurous man right across the globe.
So, what’s this latest Leomeo mix then? Well, “Me Gusta” has all the elements that tend to make up this man’s music compilation, banging beats, the odd drench of vocals to keep you focussed & staying on track (check the lyrics of one of the tunes), although with a minimal amount of tribal influence which is usual for Leo, this 60 minute marvel is much more in the house music vein, a selection of sounds that would easily fit a Lovechild main room, a Beyond second space or even a SuperMartXe showing. So, with this latest production of his, our Mr Carandang displays his diversity & ability to hit the mark within a wide range of house genres and “Me Gusta” had our feet tapping & hips swaying from the off, so should you too by going to http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/me-gusta-mix-by-dj-leomeo. Plus, if you are into your skiing and have made the European Gay Ski Week a date, then you will catch him playing similar sounds to supplement all that snow, the man fresh from a trip on the sunnyside of the world, Miami no less, while watch this space for news on a re-work of his track “The Sound Of C”, which has just been given a 2011 make-over by a big production star.
Touring Paris With Our Leo Leo
And this third music selection in this special devotion to Leomeo neatly moves on to out first cultural review posted, the inspiration coming from out trip to Paris when Mr Carandang showed us around the city in splendid style. But rather than pulling out extracts of this comprehensive article, why not simply take a look by going to direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/03/does-culture-parisian-pursuit-perfected-disco-matt-on-paris-sept-2010-to-feb-2011/ and see how well our Parisian pal looked after us.
Having visited Paris during the week, we were sadly unable to see Leomeo in action behind the decks, we missing two spectacular showings by him that weekend, as we headed off to Brussels & Antwerp. Plus with Mr Carandang jetting off to all corners of the globe in an international D.J.’ing career that just goes from strength to strength, it is rare that he lands on London, but when he does, we always make sure we are there to savour his sets. Indeed, here are some examples of Leomeo in action, lifted straight from our reviews, very much reflecting what a terrific talent he is.
Extract from Review “Mains Meal Of Magnificent Music” on The London Global Dance Festival – Sunday 30th May 2010
“…..moving into the Mirrorarch room, which had been set aside predominantly for Italy’s finest gay party club Muccassassina, but with a little bit of French influence to kick off proceedings, the dishy Leomeo behind the decks representing Paris’s clubbing hotspot Pleasure X and laying down some serious sounds that saw the room numbers swell before our eyes (check out his special compilation lifted from his live set performance, available at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo). With Brent & Fabio still by our side, we bounded up to the D.J. booth to grab this French fancy’s attention and weren’t to be disappointed as Leomeo recognised us in an instant, lining up a track and then coming out to give us a warm hug & kiss (yum yum), he dressed resplendently in a fetching union jack vest & looking every bit as scrumptious in real life as in his photo’s. Retreating back into the crowd we lapped up a healthy portion of Leomeo’s stunning opener of a set…..”
Extracts from Review “Leomeo Lovechild Love-In” on Lovechild “Hot Tropicana – Saturday 31st July 2010
“…..Returning to the main room was now a simple choice, especially as the lovely Leomeo was about to hit the decks and were we in for a treat or what, as this terrifically talented individual set about stoking up the already impressive atmosphere with a mesmeric mix of uplifting and funky vocal infused house, slowly sliding into more tribal and progressive beats, that took us on a journey of magical musical exploration. With every new track Leomeo selected, we became more engrossed with his delightful delivering, dancing deliriously to recognition of his rip roaring raptures and it was clear he was enjoying his lot too, bopping up & down behind the decks, occasional hands in the air invoking similar reactions from the packed out dancefloor. Such was the strength of his set, that the numbers next door in the Mirrorarch soon drained into the main room to soak up Leomeo’s scintillating sounds……”
“…..But in reality this was no surprise, as the Leomeo show certainly packed a punch, his brilliant blend of funky, chunky tunes sliding into tribal tracks, had us hooked from start to finish and yes we were pleased to change our plans in order to make this “Hot Tropicana” happening, as his set was our outstanding highlight & well worth the visit…..”
Extracts from Review “Funky French Fireballs” on Lovechild “Mirrorballs” – Saturday 11th December 2010
“…..standing right next to our French fancy, Leomeo having arrived to take up his duties behind the decks, the amazing act of Miss O Love a tough one to follow, although if there was anyone to take the music on a tribal, tech & funky filled jubilant journey, it was our man Mr Carandang, his string of selections hitting immediate approval with us and the main room revellers that were lapping up every tasty morsel of Leomeo’s magnificent music…..”
“…..matching this muscular man fest, was Leomeo with his music, working the crowd like the pure professional he is, mixing in plenty of dance anthems with his trademark tribal & tech beats that had the room pumping to his precision perfect performance. And such was the enthralling extent of this fantastic Frenchman’s magnificent music, that, despite feeling very much under the weather with crippling stomach cramps, we still managed to dance in our usual dervishness for the remainder of his scintillating set, banishing all thoughts of our tumble dry like tummy, rather spinning on our spot in recognition of his brilliant beats…..”
“…..But as is usual for us, the music shone the most and Leomeo’s performance did particularly, he crafting his choices to cater for the crowd and hitting our sweet spot with his selections from start to finish…..”
“…..If you happened to miss out on this latest Lovechild with Leomeo, fear not as our Parisian pal has laid down a special compilation to mark his guest slot set, which is a collection crammed full of tech, tribal & funky inspired dance tunes that had us hooked from the off & will you too we are sure. So to grab your copy of this magnificent mix which includes tracks from Danny Tenaglia, David Penn, Shazz & much more, go to http://soundclound.com/djleomeo…..”
Wonderfully White
So, in rounding up our review segments on Leomeo with a link to his music page, it also now neatly leads into the final part of this special music feature, as we look to some of his latest compilations works, all worthy additions to your collection. Indeed, with Leo jetting around the globe again & well as playing in Paris, there are three additions to his collection out since our last music newsletter in April, the first inspired by his trip to Miami for the recent world music festival, where he cut a stride with some of music industry’s biggest names, this neatly followed by his “La Leche” mix, which marked his Matinee Paris representation for what is the Spanish giant’s most famous party. And just this last weekend, he played in Moscow at “Alimania” and laid down a compilation in celebration. We will touch on these in a little more detail in an upcoming newsletter, but all three are typical of Leo’s current uplifting & pumping house but still with tribal influences that have run through his music for as long as we can remember. So, go grab all three at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo and see which tips your scales the most, we know which one does it for us!
To the future and as they say, it’s looking extremely bright for this terrific talent, as yet more global journey’s are about to commence, Australia & Asia on the horizon, as is a new opening in Mexico which has sprung out of his Montreal connections. Then there is the brilliant news that his track “The Sound Of C” gets full release on Kult records, Leo’s creation inspired by the genre of music from Belgium called “New Beats”, with remix versions laid down by the likes of Tom Stefan aka Superchumbo & Matinee Group’s Javier Medina since its initial release in January last year, a rhythmic & upbeat triumph that has made dancefloors & D.J.’s playlists across the globe already, so with Kult’s weight behind it, should do even better. Catch both the “Superchumbo” & the “Original” mixes at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo, along with other productions works including the brilliant “Nirvana Dream”. Plus, do take a look at his sparkling new website, which gives you pretty much everything, not least some incredible videos he has uploaded, all at http://leomeo.com.
Right, that’s it, our special devotion to Leomeo Carandang, an excellent D.J./Producer who we count ourselves so fortunate to be able to call him a true friend. So, here’s to our Leo Leo and may his wonderful world of magnificent music grow & grow. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | Tags: Discotec, La Leche, Le Parking, Leomeo, LGDF, Lovechild, Matinee, Radio FG, The Sound Of C | No Comments »
From Israel With Love
As can often be the case with club events, some last minute editions & or changes tend to miss our radar or get included in our focus & recommends posts, Lovechild Meets FFF being no exception to that rule. So, with some fresh information to hand, we thought we would share it with you in a special postscript, also re-confirming some of the all important detail with you.
So what are these last minute changes you need to keep your eyes peeled for? Well, first & foremost, we are excited t announce the inclusion of a special P.A. performance for this Tel Aviv meets London triumph, the FFF group welcoming songstress Bella, who is sure to impress & excite with her vivacious voice & scintillating stage presence. Plus, with a C.V. that sparkles, Bella having worked with some of music industry’s biggest including David Guetta & Freddie le Grand, as well as for huge dance group Hed Kandi, her distinctive short blonde hair certainly shouting a statement as will her show.
But in addition this luscious Lovechild meet will also benefit from the influence of drag performer K-Long, arguably the most well known drag performer in Israel. Her unique look, her statuesque height of and her avant-garde shows, mean she will certainly be wowing the audience come tonight (Sat 14th May) and having performed in several major cities across the Europe, including Paris, Rome, & Amsterdam, so will be lapping up London for sure. Being an integral part of The FFF Group World Tour and responsible for costume design, she will be bringing a real sense of heightened (no pun intended) couture to this exceptional event.
Marco Mix Masterpiece
On the music front, we are also pleased to report on the inclusion of Marco Gee, a D.J. who has been cutting a considerable stride on London’s gay clubbing circuit of late. Having been treated to a truly superb set at Lovechild “Muscle” back in March, Marco has also being playing regularly for Barcode Vauxhall, has been rubbing D.J. deck shoulders with the likes of MisWhite & Paul Heron and featured large in the Bel Ami sexfest “Lookbetternaked” just last Saturday (7th May). Yet, away from the dancefloor D.J. decks, Marco remains pretty busy in the recording studio too, sampling plenty of tracks and including some on his regular podcasts, his latest offering, simply entitled “Volume 7”, having been released just yesterday onto iTunes, which you can subscribe to at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/in-my-house-mixed-by-marco-gee/, while we are sure he will also load it onto his podomatic page, where you can still grab his “Deep House” mix from April & that live recording from Lovechild “Muscle” in March at http://marcogee.podomatic.com/. So, Marco’s addition to this latest Lovechild party is much welcomed & he will be playing alongside Tony Bruno in the “love” lounge, so make sure you pop in, as we are sure you will be in for a treat of you do.
Now, as a quick reminder to our full Weekend Focus post (direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/recommends-double-dose-of-pride-lovechild-meets-fff-saturday-14th-may-weekend-focus/, make sure you grab your advance tickets while you can by ether going online to http://clubtickets.com/gb/2011-05/14/lovechild-presents-fff-group and/or via http://alexerfan.com, these still priced at just £10, as are those on sale across Soho’s outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50. Doors for this Lovechild Meets FFF event open at 11 p.m., the club running through until 6 a.m., entry on the door available but slightly pricier than the advance tickets, so you know what to do! Plus, for you party people that don’t want to stop, there is Beyond at Area straight after, discount tickets available throughout the duration of Lovechild.
So, it’s definitely party time for Lovechild with an incredible Israeli twist, the FFF crew having landed and preparing for tonight’s spectacular showing. Sadly, we will not be at Fire (nor at Area) but we highly recommend you are, so make sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)
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12 Oct 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Finding A Pulse” – Lovechild “The Big Blue” – Saturday 15th October – Weekend Focus Special
Over the years we have grown particularly fond of certain brands that have braved the capitals clubbing scene, the reasons for our attractions as varied as the clubs themselves, although certain common denominators kind of tie them together, the music & the music makers two perfect examples, although with certain ...
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15 Sep 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “A Purple Shade Of Pink” – Lovechild, Logan Presents & Lo-Profile/Profile’s “Superlovers” – A Soho Pink Sunday Special – Sunday 18th September – Weekend Focus Special
We look back to the days of Soho Pride with incredible fondness, the concept which started back in the mid noughties as a result of the de-scaling of London’s main pride event and quickly established itself as the capitals premier gay festival, outstripping the former in terms of both numbers ...
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21 Jul 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews & Reports – “Riteous Romp” – That Was The Week That Was – Thursday 7th to Wednesday 13th July
With a hectic London Gay Pride weekend now behind it, the capitals clubbing scene looked like it was taking a bit of a breather, in some ways paving the way for one event to dominate proceedings, all eyes on Sunday & Shoreditch Park for Summer Rites “Remixed” boutique clubbing festival, ...
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16 Jul 2011 | 1 Comment
Reviews – “Lay All Your Love On Me” – Lovechild “Superlovers” – Saturday 8th July – Full Size Review
In the many years that we have been clubbing on a Saturday (and there have been a lot of them!) we have seen so many brands come & go, some last a little longer than others, some make a huge splash then fade without trace. However, at its height, the ...
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11 Jul 2011 | 0 Comments
Reports – “July Jigs” – Disco Matt “Dance Diary” – Monday 11th July
As we find ourselves pulling out of the second weekend in July, it seems the month is flying by already, although having been laid low for much of June, we have been making up for it since, with no less than nine bar, club & event visits under our belt ...
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6 Jul 2011 | 1 Comment
Recommends – “From Fire To Fever” – Lovechild “Super Heroes” & “Meets Fever” – Saturday(s) 9th & 16th July – Weekend Focus Special
Having been out of action ourselves for a few weeks, it seems the scene has also been missing one of its favourite brands & promoters, both Lovechild & Alex Erfan having very much dipped under the radar. In fact, searching through our archives it was back in May that this ...
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9 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Reviews – “Captivating Clubbing In Calella” – Delice Dream Festival “No Time To Sleep” – Sat 16th to Wed 21st April – International Club Review Special
Now we do like a good party and when the opportunity to sink into a full on festival presents itself, we tend to take to it with gusto, although here in the capital, full length festivals, (i.e. days long) are few & far between, especially those aimed at the gay ...
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1 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Banking Branded Brilliance” – As One – Monday 30th May – Preview The Review
In a clubbing capital that sometimes seems to be ravaged by competition & politics, it is so refreshing to see club, club promoters & scene faces come together for the healthy cause of creating a collaborative event designed for the clubbing public to enjoy and that is exactly what the ...
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18 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Music – “Prolific Parisian Player” – Leomeo Carandang – Music Is The Answer Focus Special – Tuesday 17th May
Of the scores of D.J.’s that we have come to know through our writing, we can count so many as friends, plenty of those as good friends, but just a handful that are close friends, individuals that we have strong associations with and whom we have spent some special moments ...
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14 May 2011 | 0 Comments
Recommends – “Three More In The Mix” – Lovechild Meets FFF – Saturday 14th May – Weekend Focus Extra Bite
As can often be the case with club events, some last minute editions & or changes tend to miss our radar or get included in our focus & recommends posts, Lovechild Meets FFF being no exception to that rule. So, with some fresh information to hand, we thought we would ...
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