Posts Tagged ‘Onyx’
May 7, 2012 | 
Author With a firm farewell to an awful April, Disco Matt looks back on a month that, true to his rollercoaster ride of an existence, had some huge highs & some lousy lows, but scoring a line through it all, looks into his disco morrorball of expectations for the month of May that will mark a new era in DM expeditions & enthusiasm.
To say that April has been a challenging month is a little bit of an understatement, as we have struggled to get even our core activity back on track, while also attempting to expand our offer & cover more events both during the week as well as at the weekend. And when we look back across the last month, it would be fair to say that there have been some winners as well as losers in our activity, but what this reflection has already done, is concentrate our minds on what is most important to us & where May will be taking us. So, in true “Monthly Message” tradition & looking into our mirrorball of reflection & then expectation, we run down on April’s activity & May’s missions in what we have already labelled as a new era in our expeditions & enthusiasm.
REVIEWS
Given that April included Easter, one of the busiest weekend’s of the year, that on top of a handful of other expeditions, to find that there has been not one single review penned for the month is a shocking wakeup call in what is, without question, our core activity and one that simply has to get back to track. So with the most colossal review catch-up on the cards that will include Beyond at Fire, Playtime at Profile & Matinee for March, as well as reviews of Onyx & Beyond back at Area in April, we will draw a line under this lacklustre of lamenting, while we take you back to our one of our last published reviews as our post pick & for a flavour of what is to come
PREVIEWS
We started April with ample anticipation of our first preview of the year, new club venue Covert the subject matter. Although with the month closing on entirely the wrong foot & this full on feature shelved, we will be devoting our attention to other subject matters in May while the differences between Covert’s upper tier management & ourselves are sorted out. So, with an expeditionary look out East, we will be sinking our preview teeth into Summer Rites, while we will also be previewing the month of May for Room Service, The Shadow Lounge & Profile/Lo-Profile, that on top of looking at life for Salvation after losing its shining light, Steve Elliot, in his untimely passing.
RECOMMENDS
With both our Weekend newsletters & focuses having spluttered along during April, we recognise that, like our reviews, this needs much more attention in May. However, we did cover a multitude of events & happenings in the month just gone, including a two recommends features on the Orange Nation offer & as well as alternative antics, while our new Picks section (more on that in a mo) saw us combine a handful of recommendations in, not least CasaLatina’s “Love Banana”. But it is that Easter activity that we look back to for our post pick, before looking forward to a May commitment that will include those weekly newsletters, & focuses that have been awkwardly absent.
REPORTS
April saw us attempt that much prized re-focus that was required, laying out both our music & our monthly plans in two reports, although with none coming to the fruition that we would have liked, our reporting activity ended up being confined to just one on Beyond, although one that was combined with our “Picks” post of the same day. However, with it falling under the attention radar, we have chosen it as our post pick here, while May should see a return (if but a little abridged) or our “That Was The Week That Was” report, along with other features covering the topics of the time.
MUSIC/D.J.’S
With no newsletters & only a handful of focuses, the real passion in our life & activity took a bit of a bruising again in April, our enthusiasm dented by issues of the day that saw Saturday’s & Sunday’s squandered when we normally have devoted this time to delivering delightful doses on D.J.’s & their productions. However, our new(ish) “Podcast Of The Week” pickings did allow us to look at Zach Burns, Eduardo De La Torre, & Adam Turner, the latter our post pick here, while the last few days of April saw us combine music with picks, which will be a continuing feature in May, that along with our determination to re-start those much missed music newsletters, special features & D.J. focuses.
PICKS
Born out of an inspired inkling of an idea while on the dancefloor, this latest addition to our website of sections has quickly gown to becoming the dominant deliverer of our daily devotions, we having amassed no less than 25 in April, since starting them on the 5th, making one for each subsequent day of the month. And combining our picks postings with recommendations, reports & music, it has allowed us to maintain activity amidst the tough times we have had in juggling other issues affecting our enthusiasm. So, with a temporary stall in May already over, these daily picks will continue unabated, specific days devoted to specific picks, while we will also be spreading the scene love, both here in the capital & across the international waters, while our post pick here goes tot WE Madrid’s “Fast Food” event & a feature focus on its star turn resident D.J.’s
COMING UP
With the need to restore the core activity that started it all, our reviews, as we have already mentioned, a colossal catch-up is planned, picking on reflections from both March & April, while the high bar we set for the month just gone will be lowered a little. Over & above that, we have hinted towards restorations of our recommends & reports postings, along with music newsletters & features that should allow us to get back on our feet, while those now prized “Picks” postings will maintain our commitment to at least one publication a day. In addition, having added a video plug-in to our website admin tools, we will be sharing much more YouTube & other video links which will provide added dimension to our devotions.
KEEP UP
There are a number of ways to keep track of our activity across the scene, social networking site Facebook the best way, both via our group at http://facebook.com/groups/discomatt/, or on our page at http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746, while additional references on our profile at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon are worth watching. Then we have our Tumblr page at http://discomatt.tumblr.com/, which includes our “Pick of the Day” posts, while Twitter takes up the stain of our ever popular live “Nibble Size Review Tweets”, which you can follow by going to http://twitter.com/discomatt. Plus, for you iPhone folks out there, remember that our website in app style friendly, a simple bookmark save of http://discomatt.com/web popping up our predesigned icon & allowing easy tracking/viewing.
CONTACT US
It couldn’t be simpler really as there are a number of channels to get in touch, sending an e-mail to matt@discomatt.com one, while a message to our Facebook profile or page two others, even a wall plastering on our group getting our attention, even a tweet, direct or otherwise, pricking up our ears.
SUPPORTING THE SCENE
We have always been really passionate about supporting all sections of the scene, much of which we historically did via our various reports & features. However, the addition of a designated “Supporting” section of promotional banners as an integral part of our website, that along with a nip & tuck re-design to increase imagery content, has allowed the image visuals to do much of the talking, we propelling clubs, events, businesses & music producers, their own websites, ticket, event & podcast pages. In addition, with an interactive “Best Bite Choices” section, along with “Pick Of The Day” & “Podcast of The Week” slots, we continue to consider these promotional banners as our gratuitous way of supporting a scene that has supported us. So, if you are a club promoter or event organiser & fancy having your club or event promoted, then just drop us a line at matt@discomatt.com, attaching the relevant artwork, and we will do our best to include you.
DISCO DIARY DATES
With the issues marking our awful end to April still unresolved, in terms of reviews, we are not looking much further than our nose, although have already committed to “Playtime” at Lo-Profile & “Dish” at East Bloc this weekend, while Gigolo & Room Service will also be benefitting from reflections during May. Plus, with the month’s major weekend coming towards the end, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee & then Whitsun weekend hailing a number of exceptional events, we will be going scene sporting crazy, while club event “War” will also be reaped with our review reflection.
So, with the scene showers of April now behind us and with that new era in our expeditions & enthusiasm ahead of us, a sturdy schedule of daily & weekly website posting requirements will see much of our May goals being achieved and that all important core & extra circular activity restored to us former resplendence. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | 
Tags: Beyond, Casalatina, Covert, Dish, East Bloc, Gigolo, Lo-Profile, Onyx, Playtime, Room Service, Salvation, The Shadow Lounge | 
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As the scene shakes off the hangover resulting from the biggest weekend of the year so far, some sporting the spoils of success, others simply reflecting on what could have been, time rests for no man, victorious or defeated, so the scene steps forward into April, Disco Matt picking out his top of the tree three places to be stepping out on the scene in Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch.
What an Easter weekend that was, a whole host of parties & events recording terrific turnouts, some very much against the form book, while others that had promised so much, failed to deliver, our own weekend reflecting that situation a thrilling Thursday followed by a phenomenal Friday, led a superb Saturday night come Sunday morning , then turned into a soggy rest of a Sunday & a manically depressive Monday (and we aren’t talking weather here folks), Room Service, Society, Play>time, A:M & Beyond our real winners, while WE “Fluro” & As One ended up condemning what could have been a brilliant “big” weekend to our own review rubbish heap. But with the winners still to reap our reflections, it’s our coming weekend recommendations that get our immediate attention, our top of tree three places to be seen on the scene this weekend, our brief look at a trio of best bites across Soho Vauxhall & Shoreditch.
So, let’s get to it and to Soho first, it coming as little or no surprise to you regular readers of our recommendations, that it is Profile & Lo-Profile that gets our Best Bite pick here, having served us superbly well not just last weekend, but for much of March (well the whole year so far to be honest), the captivating combination of bar above & club below, very hard to beat, especially as both venues continue to draw in some of the scene top D.J. names, along with fresh new talent to tantalise & tickle your musical taste buds, while with now firmly established brands that include “Society”, “Play>Time”, “ClubNation” & “Beartrap”, that along with the might of Gaydar behind them, this delightful duo look set to, once again, prove to be the places to be & be seen on the Soho scene this weekend. So, with D.J. regulars Rob Sykes tonight (Fri 13th) and Jamie Head tomorrow (Sat 14th) upstairs in Profile, both kicking off the music from 8.30 p.m. through till the 11.30 p.m. finish, it is downstairs that gets our full if but briefer best bite attention, the award winning “Play>Time” up first, prolific promoter Jay Roberts back after (it has to be said0 probably THE best event in the brands history so far, but will be pulling out all the stops to top last week, not least that he welcomes fellow award winning D.J/producer & all round good egg Steve Pitron to the decks, along with cheeky chappy & a damn fine D.J. in his own right, Steven Artis. Add to that an ashes style porn star shoot out, as Brit boy Marco Sessions squares up to Aussie hunk Tate Ryder in a go-go dance off & back room play off, Jay your referee & you ((if you’re the luck one) caught in this sexy & seductive man hunk of a scrum, further details up in our “Pick Of The Day” post at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=5087. Then, tomorrow (Sat 14th) sees the return of “ClubNation” & also the return of Lee Harris, who will be performing a specially extended five hour set very much in the vein of his similarly named House Nation podcasts, which means you can expect plenty of uplifting, chunky & euphoric house hits, Lo-Profile swinging open its doors on both nights at 10.30 p.m. & running through until 4 a.m., entry & other details available by going to http://loprofile.com.
Onto Vauxhall now and there is lots going in within The Orange Group (or is that Orange Nation?!?) who grab our Best Bites slot this weekend, not least the breaking news that Onyx has been put out to grass for a while, so leaving a pretty vacant gap in the usually hectic schedule, although very much paving the way for A;M to possibly extend its opening hours, although more news on that to follow. However, one club that is definitely extending its hours this weekend & then henceforth, is Beyond, the new starting time of 3 a.m. every week looking like a pretty popular move, although only time will tell how successful a move this will actually be, our hope however, is that it consigns the all too often “Midnight” format to just the occasional & special scheduling. Add to the a mini shake up within the team of resident D.J.’s and as of going to press, we are not sure who will be playing come this Sunday morning (15th Apr), but reckon The Sharp Boys, Alan K, Fat Tony, The Oli & Paul Christian will surely be in situ, while Steve Pitron is taking a rest this weekend after his colossal classics set last, which pretty much stole the “XLsior” show. However, one party that we can be confident about when picking the D.J. & other line up, is the “Easter Thank-You” party at Fire tomorrow night (Sat 14th), as it’s all about award winners, D.J.’s The Sharp Boys, Junior Moura & (naturally) Steve Pitron, stepping into the spotlight, while there will be plenty of other guests, including D’Johnny & Paulo Moreno, to fill out the two rooms of fun, similarly award winning hosts Chrissy Darling & Elektra Paris sharing the duty plaudits, further details on this event out at http://facebook.com/events/356254587759955/, including opening times, door prices & guest list opportunities. But with Later & Orange completing the partying picture, it is another hectic weekend of activity in both Fire & Area, whiles the new jewel in the Orange Nation crown, Covert, prepares for its launch party in three weeks, more on that coming up in a special feature.
So to the third in our trio of top of the tree choices, this time seeing us head across to Shoreditch & to East Bloc, the hip & happening hangout on City Road, masterminded by the one & only Wayne Shires, he, the venue & all the brands its sports very much flying the alternative clubbing scene flag, a stable of showings including Gutterslut, SOS, The Men Who Fell 2 Earth, Paradise 45 & Dish, while regular Friday nighter, Super Electro Party Machine, which once again opens its doors tonight (Fri 13th Apr) from 10 p.m., is a great way to get your weekend going. However, our main focus of attention goes to Saturday night (14th Apr), when our very own Shoreditch son, Kris Di Angelis, rolls out a further instalment in the already soaring success story that is his new venture, “War”, a club that has pretty much be born out of the sad passing of “Meat”, the former club collaboration between Kris & Tom Stephan. And while Tom’s new prolific project, “Dish”, was in the Shoreditch spotlight last weekend, it’s the turn of “War “ this, Kris being joined in the “Warzone” main room by Severino & Joshyouare, while over in the “Battlefield” second space, its Jodie Harsh, Munroe Bergdorf & Kingsley shooting off the sounds. Plus with hosts JJ Clark, Jonathan Beastley, Ben Kaye & Alex Palemo, not only doesn’t it have a pseudo Room Service feel about it, be you can bet your bottom dollar that of cream of the east end girl to west end boy scene set will be out to wage wonderful clubbing & socialising war tomorrow night, doors at East Bloc (217 City Rd, nearest tube Old St.) opening at 10.30 p.m. & the club running through to a planned 6 a.m. finish, entry £8 before midnight & then £12 thereafter (so get there early folks), while free entry passes will be up for grabs at the “War” pre-party at Circa in Soho tonight (Fri 13th), more details on that coming up in our Short Shouts, while further info on “war” itself can be found by going to http://facebook.com/events/404481699576795/.
Now just before we go we thought, having not yet fully paid our respects to the sad loss to the scene of the gentle giant of the club promotions game, Steve Elliot, we would mention our upcoming tribute, “Salvation Star Much Missed”, to the man behind the international success of this brilliant brand in recent years, we looking back on his clubbing career & including fellow friend’s own tributes to this untimely & premature passing. Plus, with news this week that iconic drag queen Adrella has also been taken from us, our thoughts are very much with the families of both of these much treasured & already much missed pillars of the scene and we send our sincere wishes during what can only be the most difficult time for those that were close & dear to both Steve & Peter.
Right, that’s just about it for this Best Bites newsletter, but watch out for our Short Shouts part, “Shimmering Scene Seven”, while if you happen to lay your hat on one of our three here, then it is likely you may catch us too, “Play>Time” definitely on our schedule, while we are currently clearing the decks for either Fire or “War”, so keep your eyes peeled at http://twitter.com/discomatt for the live action as it happens & as we Go There! Be There!. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Area, Beyond, Chrissy Darling, ClubNation, D'Johnny, East Bloc, Elektra Paris, Fat Tony, Fire, Jamie Head, Jay Roberts, Jodie Harsh, Junior Moura, Kris Di Angelis, Later, Lee Harris, Lo-Profile, Nathan 6, Onyx, Orange, Orange Nation, Paul Christian, Playtime, Severino, Steve Pitron, Steven Artis, The Sharp Boys, Wayne Shires | No Comments »
While the emphasis on “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket” having propelled it’s trio of treats to the fore, there is little doubt that The Orange Group have plenty more on offer, a collective of clubs that carries you from Thursday to Monday, Disco Matt biting into the seven other Orange Nation Easter events that make this the biggest gay weekend this year yet.
Having shouted from the rooftops about “The Big Easter Weekend Ticket”, an outstanding Orange Group offer that encompasses three of its biggest brands, Beyond, WE & As One, one could be forgiven that Easter is all about this towering three course clubbing collective, although with a brand broom cupboard that is literally bursting at the seams, there is, in fact, plenty more on offer from the capitals most comprehensive clubbing corporations. So with The Orange Group very much holding sway from Thursday through Monday with no less than ten gay events & parties, we couldn’t simply point our recommendations posting in the direction of “The Big Ticket” package, as there is much more on offer down Vauxhall way this weekend.
So getting straight to it, this coming big weekend looks ever bigger than at first meets the eye as tonight (Thursday 5th April) marks the beginning of a five day clubbing marathon as Gravity kicks off this Easter weekend its “Bad Thursday” event, a cute play on words by the promotions team as the vent actually stretches deep into Good Friday, stretching also a byword of this bash, as Gravity will be stretching its offer from one to two rooms, indeed switching in a Easter extension from Fire to the hi-tec Lightbox & plush Protocol club spaces, the team pleased as punch to be upgrading Gravity for this one off “Bad Thursday” foray. And with two distinct arenas of sound, they are pushing the boat further out, drawing in a truck load of terrific D.J. talent, the Protocol room going deep & sexy tech house in the hands of Guy Williams, Ariel & verity Mayes, while the more uplifting atmosphere of The Lightbox will be matched by the music, courtesy of Severino Fat Tony & Jonny M. But the promotions team will also be marking Easter with their “…Great Gravity Easter Egg Hunt…” encouraging you to forage for & find an egg to win free tickets for Beyond “Midnight”, that promotions team including new boy Danny Boyce who will be ability assisted by Elektra Paris & JJ Clark, while we are promised successive super sexy gogo shows throughout the night (or is that morning. With doors opening earlier than usual at midnight tonight (Thurs 5th) and the club running through to a planned 10 a.m. finish, admission is just £8 in advance at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/05/gravity-presents-bad-thursday, while discounted £5 flyer entry is up for grabs for the first hour, while entry will be available on the door, but expect to pay more.
Onto Friday and Onyx, still riding high following its resplendent return to its home turf Area last week, sets its own brilliant benchmark even higher this (Fri 6th April), especially given the reputation of parties in the previous two Easter’s gone by, when the themes of “Resurrection” & “Crucified”, promoter Verity Mayes in record for saying that “…This year we take things up another level, showcasing the ‘Holy Trinity’ of Areas trio of rooms…” “Holy Trinity” the theme of this 2012 chapter in Onyx’s Easter extravaganza’s and that benchmark being met head on with headlining D.J. duo The Hoxton Whores, who will be taking hold of Area’s main room, no doubt playing out a host of their hits which include the mighty “Fusion”, as well as the equally appealing “Devil Toy”, while it is their latest club smash, a remix of “Right Before My Eyes” that will be getting an exclusive airing for the first time at a gay event (check out their podcast pressed exclusive for Orange Nation at http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/2012-04-04T06_27_24-07_00, while new Onyx main room resident Terry Bryan will be ably supporting & slotting in & around The Hoxton Whores extended 4 hour set. But with the other two rooms proving just as popular in their own right, the chapel space very much about uplifting commercial pop & house in the hands of Lady Lloyd & James St James, the new style pop up club nature of the terrace space is spearheaded by Kartel Brown, alongside the likes of Maximus Crown & NiYi, all very much evoking the club kid style that Onyx seems to be leaning towards. But with Sandro providing much of the main room eye candy along with his gorge gogo’s the new lighting installations that are giving Onyx its own unique feel, are boosted by the dream team of hosts headed up by the larger than life Chrissy Darling & her bevy of boys that include Mark-Ashley Dupe, Dalton, Jake Cook and Martin Rab, this is one Good Friday frolic you won’t want to miss, doors opening at 11 p.m. and the club running through to a planned 5 a.m. finish, entry for “The Big Ticket” holders free before 12.30 a.m., while for others, general admission is £8 (£6 with flyer/ad), while advance tickets online is a good option as you can grab an Onyx/A:M combo for just £12 at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/06/onyx-extreme, while it’s also worth paying a visit to http://gayguestlists.com/onyx for discounted entry.
And with that mention of A:M, it neatly moves us onto the clubs “Easter Headliners” event which storms your Saturday morning in a massive way, not least that promoter Steven Sharp has pulled in a real heavy weight to match the magnitude of this Easter weekend meet, Paul Harris heading a thrilling line up that also includes Fat Tony, Jamie Head & David Jimenez in the main room, while Paulo Moreno is the man to master A;M’s lounge this week. As for the event’s headliner Paul Harris, well Steven is best placed to push his talents when he tells us, “…he has been making music & Dj’ing for nearly 15 years. As one third of the group Dirty Vegas; he enjoyed huge success in the USA following the use of the band’s single “Days Go By” in a Mitsobishi Eclipse stateside TV ad campaign which catapulted the band to the top of the US Dance Chart, national top 10 and boosted the tracks profile so much that it won the coveted Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Dance Recording! All this exciting news raised Paul’s Dj profile which soared as he toured the World and continued to produce music and remix tracks under his own name & as Dirty Vegas. International artists including Calvin Harris, Dizzee Rascal Justin Timberlake and Madonna all received the remix treatment!…” we not needing to add much more, apart from DON’T MISS HIS SET!!!., as we certainly won’t, having already booked our place at this prolific party. Mind you, with Jamie Head on absolute fire at the moment, we cannot wait for his set either, while Paulo Moreno having freed himself from the shackles of playing partner Alan K, should prove an interesting lounge listen in. As for the vent itself, well it’s an afterhours party, meaning doors open in the early morning hours, this weekend at 3 a.m. and running through to a Saturday morning normality breaking 11 a.m., entry available on the door, ably controlled by Hrh Minty, at a standard £12 (£8 with flyer/ad), while, once again, “The Big Ticket” holders can take advantage of free entry up to 5 a.m., Onyx goers advised to look out for the special discount stamp, more info should you need it, out at http://facebook.com/AMafterhours, while with heavenly host Danny Boyce looking after your every whim & whisper, the last word on this event goes to Steven who say’s, “…it’s set to be an Easter weekend to remember, so join me and the team for the essential Saturday Morning meet, sending peace, daffodils and chocolate bunnies to you all…” we love it!!
So where are we up to?, oh yes, Later, which in true bank holiday style has not one, but two bites of the Easter chocolate bunny (sorry Steven, had to use it) clubbing cherry, the main event taking place on Easter Sunday (8th April) & billed as the “WE Warm Up”, this daytime disco nestling like a proud mother hen, between Beyond & WE “Fluro”. However, the team do acknowledge the fact that some of you may want to take a breather between these two mighty meets, so there are no big plans to extend the usual Later offer, the Mirrorarch room at Fire the dance arena, while the infamous Later garden is the chill out space, having been spruced up for Spring with new furniture, the b.b.q. sure to be on full blast. But the big blasts will be coming courtesy of the delights of D.J.’s that include The Oli, Jamie Head, Per Q.X. & Femi B, while CO2 cannon blasts will play their part in proceedings, the amazing atmosphere enhanced by new Later visuals, decor, production & projections making this one of the most talked about weekly meets on the clubbing calendar, so should prove a popular place this coming Sunday. So, with doors opening at 11.30 a.m. at Fire and the club running through to a planned 7 a.m. finish, why not (like us) just keep the party going from Beyond to WE in the hands of Later & a Jamie Head set we have been promised will be a corker, entry priced at a mere £10, either on the door or in advance by going online to http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/later-bank-holiday-special, while its just £8 before 1 p.m. with an ad or flyer, discount stamps available at Beyond beforehand. And come Monday afternoon (9th April), the team will be daytime disco doing it all again, the same times, the same place and (we think) the same superb sounds, all at the same price too, in the words of the promotions team regarding this Later “Extra” event, “…well aren’t you lucky, a double helping of Later goodness this Easter Bank Holiday…” more details on both available at http://facebook.com/LATER.INFO.
So to the final piece in the prolific package & clubbing jigsaw Orange group style and it could only go to Beyond which is sure to at least match or even beat the rest of the offer of two exceptional events this weekend, as while Beyond “Midnight” is the biggie, the other piece of bread in the Beyond sandwich is “Recharged”, the second Easter coming of our most favourite & awesome afterhours, Area on Monday morning (9th April) from 6 a.m. being the time & the place, although given previous parties, we reckon this may be a slightly more sedate affair than the main “Midnight” event of the weekend (that massive meat filling in the Beyond Easter sandwich), we suspect the main room & the chapel space open, although having spoken with promoter Steven Sharp just this morning, he has confirmed that it is planned as a three room party, the the teams expectations being that As One party goers sinmply won’t want to stop & with beyond at their disposal, will take full advantage of bank holiday Monday morning. Plus we have received confirmation that The Oli & Guy Williams will be heading up the “Recharged” main room, while over in the Beyond RAW room, it’s Hifi Sean & David Jimenez, with , George Sharp & Jamie Head flying the Da Disco (that’s terrace room) flag However, with further news due & Beyond “Recharged” already looking like our Monday pick of the day, our new & latest website section “Picks” will be the place to go during the course of the weekend, as we post final details of this “Recharged” Beyond bash which plans to run until midday, advance standard £10 tickets applying, which you can purchase online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/09/beyond-recharged or at the usual Soho outlets, while entry on the door will be available although priced at £15.
So that’s the full Orange Easter Others picture complete and what a prolific picture it is, a full on five day frolic encompassing no less than nine parties, from Gravity to Later & the likes of Onyx, A:M, Beyond WE & As One, so not just the “Big Easter Weekend” but the biggest in our books. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Beyond, Chrissy Darling, Danny Boyce, Fat Tony, Femi B, Gravity, Guy Williams, Hifi Sean, Jamie Head, Jonny M, Kartel Brown, Laldy Lloyd, Later, Onyx, Paul Harris, Paulo Moreno, Per Q.X., Severino, Steven Sharp, Terry Bryan, The Hoxton Whores, The Oli, The Sharp Boys | No Comments »
For scrumptious starters there is an ample appetiser of awesome afterhours autonomy, followed by a majestic mains mountain of scintillating Spanish supremacy, this three course clubbing colossus picture completed by a dream of a dessert, cream of the crop filled captivating clubbing collaboration. Yes, it’s Easter, which can only mean one thing “The Big Ticket” is back, Disco Matt delving into the detail of this most prolific & popular of packages.
There are a small handful of dates in our disco dance diary across any given year that are just that, a given certainty that we will be stepping significantly out onto the capitals clubbing circuit, Christmas & then New Year naturally close to the top of the tree, while the trio of bank holiday weekends, the two in May & the one in August, generally tugging hard on our house music & scene strutting strings. Then of course, there is Pride weekend, and while it does not boast an extra day off work, we tend to throw ourselves into a packed weekend of parties regardless, while as we cast our eyes into 2012, we see a brace of other examples where stepping out on the scene will be a given, The Queen’s Jubilee one, and, The Olympics another, both sure to prove hedonistic highlights for many, or at least a great excuse to capture a collection of clubs. But when it comes to those special stepping out onto the scene weekends, Easter is difficult to beat & better, not least that the weekend here genuinely starts on a Thursday night and, if you are so inclined, it can carry you through to the flowing Tuesday without your feet touching the homeward bound ground.
So yes, Easter is right up there with the best weekends of the year, probably topping our tree of choices, but with so much going on and four, sometimes five days to soak up the splendours of the scene often means a substantial & sometimes severe hole can be burnt in the pocket, after all its not just the drinks that cause a dent in your dollar, but racking up six, seven or even eight clubs can be a very expensive experience indeed. However, we are pleased to say that one section of the clubbing community has recognised that fact, a corporation that pretty much holds sway on the capitals circuit this Easter, with no less than eight events stretching from Thursday to Tuesday, although acknowledge that Sunday & Monday are the precious prizes in the clubbing calendar on this holy weekend of the year. So, having launched their hugely successful “Big Ticket” package back in 2010, have brought it back with a bang for this coming weekend, combining a trio of clubbing treats into just one entry pass, a ticket that gains you access to three of the biggest bashes in London, not only offering a delightful discount, but negating the need to carry a collection of tickets in your pocket, your purse or your wallet.
Now that’s the concept, but what the “The Big Ticket” offer you this Easter? Well, when we make mere mention of Beyond, WE & As One, you will probably recognise these as the premier picks in any weekend, let alone Easter, ach one having proved, time after time, roadblock events and very much THE places to be & be seen stepping out on the scene. So, with just one ticket, this towering three course clubbing collective is right at your fingertips and all for the singular price of just £40, yes pretty much the deal of the century when you consider just how colossal these clubs brands are, WE riding a worldwide wave crest that has left the likes of its Spanish compatriots SuperMartXe & Matinee very much in the shade, while what we have said about Beyond in the past still holds true, this breathtakingly brilliant brand having ridden its own wave crest for as long as we can remember, proving that, even on regular weeks, all roads lead to its doors. But then we turn to As One, a concept born a little over two years ago, but stormed the scene from the outsight, the bringing together of clubbing minds, spirits & souls the epicentre of its success and, having forged a new path this NYD, sees some of the biggest names in capital clubbing come together in a capitavting combination that, just like this Easter weekend, is hard to beat or better. So with the sales pitch definitely driven home, we know you know that “The Big Easter Ticket” option makes complete sense, meaning its just now a case of clicking on this online link and securing your pass to this towering trio of treats, http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/07/the-big-ticket-easter-weekend the place to go and for just £40, it is really a bargain you cannot beat, but this unbeatable bargain it doesn’t stop there, as “The Big Ticket” gets you free entry to both Onyx & A:M (more on that in a mo), meaning that, in reality, it’s a quintet rather than a trio of treats. However, if you prefer to grab one in person, fear not, as the same £40 package is available at Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50.
Now that’s “The Big Ticket” itself, what about the trio of treats? Well, in the tradition of a fabulous three course meal, let’s kick off with the starters first, but this is no small portion, rather a most ample appetiser, as Beyond is the brand to kick start this towering three course clubbing collective, the team not only pleased as punch that the brands backyard is back in business, Area already benefitting from some nip & tuck changes, but will be extending the clubs offer this Sunday to their now famed “Midnight” format, that means our (yours too we are sure) favourite & most awesome of afterhours gets going this Saturday (7th April) or as we prefer to call it, zero o’clock on Sunday (8th April), running a full twelve hours till midday on Sunday, showcasing the best that the brand has to offer in is terrific team of London D.J. residents, promoter Steven Sharp having confirmed the line-up exclusively to us, which includes Hafiz Sean & Paul Christian in the “Beyond RAW” room (formerly the Chapel space) with the welcome return of our Seville showstopper, Gonzalo Rivas, But it goes one, as in the “Beyond Da Disco” room (formerly the terrace), we cannot contain our excitement, as Jamie Head makes a welcome return (please not at the same time as Steve Pitron), while The Oli & Fat Tony will rock the space to its foundations, oh and Jonny M will be there too. All that said, the main room will be the main attraction and you better get there early, well before 5 a.m. at least as Steve Pitron makes a resplendent return after a break of over a month with a special classics set to mark his award winning “Ultimate DJ” status and has already warned us to expect complete emotional destruction (you know how it goes…tears, floods & tweets). Then, sandwiching special guest D.J.GSP, who will be flying the XLsior flag with a bunch of euro style & uplifting tunes (check out his podcast at http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/2012-03-26T13_16_13-07_00), will be two dynamic duo’s, The Sharp Boys & then Alan K & Paulo Moreno going b2b, this starter segment looking simply spectacular, those without “The Big Ticket” able to grab singular entry either in advance online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/beyond-midnight-easter-saturday-xlsior-pre-party or via Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone & 50, more details a click away at http://facebook.com/beyondclub.
To the second instalment or should we call it the magnificent mains meal of this trio of treats and it is the magnificent & massive WE party that takes centre stage with a t-dance style turnout that proved ever so popular on New Year’s Day, hence the team repeating the winning formula that is sure to prove just as popular as last time. And with a D.J. line up that includes the might of Gonzalo Rivas, Jamie Head & Steve Pitron, it should fulfil all expectations, not least that London is once again showcasing the newest concept in the WE Party pack, “Fluro” the theme & one for the senses, as we have been told to expect the best in visuals, effects & lasers that host venue The Coronet has ever seen, this being no mean feat as previous parties “Pharaoh”, Safari” & “Disco” were prolific enough, while “Candy” still remains a high benchmark that keeps both the Spanish & London promotions teams on their toes. And talking of that London tea, with the likes of Tom Fuller, JJ Clark & Ben Kaye on hand, it is strong enough, although with Aaron Elder having very much grasped the nettle in recent events, WE London under his steership is going from strength to strength, the inclusion of Room Service in the prolific package adding to the appeal. But WE Madrid still have their say, promoter Victor Pallas employing his newest resident D.J. Raul Ortiz, a pretty much unknown talent but one that is sure to sparkle under the spotlight. Add to the music magnificence, we have been told to expect “…incredible visuals and stage production, mind blowing special effects, and more gogos and dancers on stage than ever before…” and given just how amazed we were with “Safari” on NY, as well as the fabulous feedback we received about “Pharoah” we can believe it. But it doesn’t stop there as room two is all about Room Service, yes Jodie Harsh & her terrific team are back, the dynamic duo that is Kris Di Angelis & Fat Tony on the decks and Jodie even spinning a few sounds herself, while Johanna will be hosting as only she knows best, leaving the main “Fluro” arena in the very capable hands of Ben Kaye & JJ Clark, these two gems also seeing you guestlist lot in as smoothly as possible on the door. And talking of doors, WE “Fluro’s” open at that t-dance time of 6 p.m. this Sunday (8th April), running through till 2 a.m., single ticket entry available of course, priced at £18 both online at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/we-party-london-easter-t-dance & at the usual Soho outlets, Prowler, Clone Zone & 50, as well as Ku Bar (Lisle & Frith St), while entry will be available on the door, naturally magnificently managed by Tom Fuller, but expect to pay more. And don’t forget that every great WE party has a pre-party and its Room Service this Thursday (5th April) that plays host, more info on this out at http://facebook.com/events/305906092809366/, while for further details on “Fluro” itself, go direct to http://wepartylondon.com/.
So to dessert, but what a plump pudding it is although while we may be billing it as the dessert in this three course clubbing collective, it actually has all the credentials for a massive mains meal of majesty, as the captivating collaboration that is As one, pulls together a band of brilliant brands that includes, Orange, Trade, Casalatina, Megawoof, Onyx, & TheMenWhoFellToEarth, all across the expanse is the duo of club spaces that now form the massive complex on South Lambeth Road that many call Fire, but actually includes the separate club Protocol, this new(ish) addition to the Orange Nation empire proving really popular with our straight cousins, not least that the swanky separate bar space & bespoke services fit the bill perfectly. So with The MenToFellTo Earth boys taking up Protocol’s intimate second space, Megawoof will be doing their best to steal the show in the Lightbox with Daz Saud & special guest Max Sanna, who played brilliantly b2b with studio recording partner Steve Pitron last weekend, so is very much in the groove and while Protocol is considered separate to Fire, it will be very much part of the action come Monday morning. But naturally it will be the three rooms of Fire that will be the main attractions, not least that the might of Trade, Orange Onyx & Casa Latina will be playing their part in this colossal collaboration and when you consider that the D.J. talent extends to the likes of Nick Tckerniak, Guy Williams, & Rosco flying the Trade flag, while rising star of the scene Junior Moura will head up the Casa team, supported by Doug Silva, Orange being represented by Fat Tony The Sharp Boys & Gonzalo Rivas and Onyx has gender bender’s Tasty Tim & Lady Lloyd on the decks. Plus, promoter Steve Sharp keen to point out that across this six room splendour (that includes the Protocol VIP space!) we can expect “…music ranges from pumping house, to deep and techy, commercial anthems, and so much more, with gogos, live performances, fire shows and special As One production…” and given what a simply superb job he did with the last party, giving the As One brand a fresh new feel with these added big & alternative brands, we are very much looking forward to this colossal collaboration to round off our Easter weekend in scintillating style. So, with hosts Chrissy Darling, Elektra Paris, Danny Boyce & Mauricio Ortiz looking after your every whim from doors opening to closing, these timings being from 11 p.m. through till 7 a.m., as with the other two in this trio of “The Big Ticket” treats, singular entry to As One is available, tickets priced at £18 on sale both online via http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-04/08/as-one-easter-sunday or in person by popping into Prowler, Clone, 50 & both Ku-Bar’s and while there will be tickets available on the door, due to the popularity of this event, expect to pay much more. However, we have spotted that online early birds for As One are still available, so get in quick & you can grab one for just £15, more info (should you need it available at http://facebook.com/events/323974380990951/.
So, that’s “The Big Ticket” offer and with brands Beyond, WE & As One in the package for just £40, you know it makes sense, especially when you consider that with free entry to Onyx “Holy Trinity” & A:M “Headliners” too, it’s definitely best to go BIG this Easter, our post “The Pricing Picture” coming up, re-enforcing this truly outstanding Orange Group offer. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Aaron Elder, Alan K, As One, Casalatina, Chrissy Darling, Doug Silva, Fat Tony, GSP, Guy Williams, Hifi Sean, Jamie Head, Jodie Harsh, Junior Moura, Kris Di Angelis, Megawoof, Nick Tcherniak, Onyx, Orange, Paulo Moreno, Raul Ortiz, Room Service, Steve Pitron, Steven Sharp, The Big Ticket, The Oli, The Sharp Boys, TheMenWhoFellToEarth, Tom Fuller, Trade, WE "Fluro", WE Party, WE Party London | No Comments »
Schools are out, Easter looms, a new era dawns and spring is definitely in the air in Disco Matt land as he draws a line under the stormy seas that marred his stepping out on the scene during January, February & March, taking a brief look back but a more significant stare forward of what’s to come for an April awash with activity.
If we had thought that 2011 was a rocky road & rollercoaster ride of a year, while 2012 got off to the best possible start we could have imagined, the year soon went seriously downhill, paling the previous year’s down’s in comparison, a whole host of superb soiree’s, prolific parties & magnificent meets passing us by while we continued to come to terms with intense personal & family issues affecting our enthusiasm & ability to step out significantly on the scene. But with a steadfast step in our stride along our determination to draw a line under the last three months, what better way to start than to highlight & then put to bed our relative anonymity in January, February & March and then look forward to an April awash with activity, so, not so much a monthly message, more a quarterly catch-up, a midterm report if you like, driving home the “Must Try Harder” theme.
REVIEWS – Given that this is an acclimation of our activity, it has come as quite a shock that, as we look back over what had always been our core writing & publications, our reviews, we can only muster a total of five in the last three months, perhaps Beyond & WE from NYD being two highlights, although it is the former’s February foray that we lay our highlight hat on here, this exceptional event without doubt the most emotionally enthralling yet. But with no less than six reviews in the catch-up tank, while we may have missed out on the likes of Matinee “The Return”, we were there for the follow up, added to which we have reflections on Beyond at Fire, & a bunch of Profile & Lo-Profile outings to accentuate, that on top of seeing our beloved Area re-open just two days ago for Onyx “The New Era”, not to mention seven sorties over Easter that should see our review count quadruple just two weeks into April.
PREVIEWS – With absolutely diddly squat to look back on, it’s best we simply look forward, the first feature planned is a preview look at new club “Covert” which is just weeks away from making a significant splash on the scene. Over & above that, we will be casting our forward thinking minds towards the return of Delooded, as well as a special preview look at international festival Delice Dream.
RECOMMENDS – While we made every effort to get our weekly newsletters back on stream, the plan to split our “Best Bites” & “Short Shouts” bearing a little fruit, the result was an all too erratic service which we intend to put right from April onwards, while our Weekend Focus features fared a little better, coverage extending to Matinee, Beyond, Trade, Casa Latina, WE Party, Room Service & Gigolo, perhaps our highlight pick being the feature we commissioned on “The Masked Ball”, although this one of many events we recommended but failed to review. So, having taken over in the quantity stakes as our most extensive activity area, it seems this part of our publications can only go from strength to strength in April, starting with a flood of Best & Extra Bites, Focuses & Short Shouts for Easter alone, while we are committed to those weekly newsletters in their split format.
REPORTS – Like the majority of our activity, our reporting suffered a significant slide during January, February & March, although we did manage to ruffle a few scene promoter & club feathers when we looked at the suspension of “SuperSocial”, as well as what we saw as the uncomfortable bedfellow bringing together of Trade & Beyond for Ultimate, although we headed for calmer & less controversial waters when we looked at Room Service & the Boyz Awards. However, it is that “SuperSocial” post that is our highlight pick here, while as April opens out, we already have two special reports planned, the first, “I Would Like To Thank” looking at those Boyz awards results, along with analysing other scene awards such as Attitude & SeenQueen and giving our take on the winners & the losers in it all, while with the sad & shocking news of the untimely & premature passing away of the true gentle giant of the club promoting scene, we will be paying special tribute to the late great Steve Elliot.
MUSIC – Much of our, it has to be said, limited activity was concentrated early on to looking back into 2011, as we picked out our top tracks, podcasts & sets in our most comprehensive Y.E. music review to date, a three part epic entitled “The Best Year Yet”, while there is no doubt that our new year has very much been dominated by one particular D.J./Producer, we devoting a special feature to the release of Steve Pitron’s prolific podcast “Jan 2012 Session”, this feature being our highlight pick here. However, with steadfast plans to get our music newsletters back on track stumbling a little, we can only boast one in the period, although our “Premier & Protégé Player Productions” first volume has paved the way for a series that will continue for the rest of 2012, side by side with our other series “Allsorts In the Mix”, the first of which will be out this week.
D.J.’s – Falling woefully short of expectations here, the “Must Try Harder” theme of this message rings ever so true for our D.J. devotions and so we aim to put the metal to the peddle in a big way during April with the return of our weekly focuses, planned inclusions being Guy Scheiman, Zach Burns, Elof De Neve & Paulo Moreno, while special features on Javier Medina, Brent Nicholls, The Oli & Gonzalo Rivas are also chalked for April. However, one chap that did get our focussed attention was Marco Gee & it is his that is our highlight pick here.
DOES… & DISCO MATTERS – Two other sections of our website, like Previews, that saw no activity during the first three months, although we will be starting our spring season as we mean to go on, planning one “Does…” & one “Disco Matters” feature a month, the former likely to be on Paris, as we are right now planning a weekend trip for the end of April so will be digging into our archives to post our feature from last February, while with the launch of new club Covert, just weeks away, we will be commissioning a special feature on this new & smart addition to the scene, which will include an exclusive interview with the clubs manager, Tom Fuller.
COMING UP – Naturally we have set the benchmark quite high for April, but with that spring back in our step, plus with plans to devote a whole day a month on top of our weekend work to our writing, we are determined to keep track of our timetable. And with the focus now clearly on the upcoming Easter weekend, watch this space for our special feature on “The Big Easter Ticket Trio”, as well as Extra Bites Special combining alternative antics Discotec, Fiction & Dish, that on top of the return of our two part recommends newsletter, “Best Bites” & “Short Shouts”. Plus with a weekend full of activity, there will be reviews a-plenty, with much of that music activity we promised, slotting in as well.
KEEP UP – One part of our activity that has literally soared both in substance & popularity are our infamous “Nibble Size Tweets” which now not only just extend to those events we are reviewing, but to ALL our steps out on the scene. And with our following gaining momentum with every turning week, our tweets are one of the best ways to keep up with our activity, which you can follow at http://twitter.com/discomatt. Twitter aside, we continue to use Facebook as a major broadcast medium, the changes to FB causing a few hiccups during February & March, although with timeline now bedded in on both our profile & our page, plus Disco Matt’s group restored, there are three additional gateways to keep up with our activity, so please check out our group at http://facebook.com/groups/discomatt/, press the “like” button at http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746, or simply follow our profile at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon, while please feel free to post/plaster our walls with your podcast links, event details or even comments on our tweets, reviews, reports & recommendations. Plus, don’t forget that you can keep track of us via your smartphone, by simply bookmarking http://discomatt.com & benefit from both an iPhone & android friendly layout.
CONTACT US – Very simply, just drop us an e-mail at matt@discomatt.com , or fill in a contact form which you can find at the bottom of our website, a hint of which can be found in the main body of our website. That aside, you can send us a message via Facebook, or even more simply, just plaster our walls or send us a tweet.
SUPPORTING THE SCENE – Having established the “Supporting” section as an integral part of our website last summer, we have slowly increased capacity to include well over twenty promotional banners covering clubs, events, businesses & music producers in London & internationally. In addition we recently introduced a “Best Bite Choices” interactive section, along with “Pick Of The Day” & “Podcast of The Week” banner sections, these also being promoted via our Facebook Page & our Tumblr site (http://tumblr.com/blog/discomatt), this part of our activity having proven most effective in keeping you updated with the best places to be & be seen on the scene, links to websites, event & ticket pages complimenting the visual images. And with these continuing to be updated daily with broadcasts going up on Facebook once or twice a week, we now consider these promotional banners as a cornerstone of our activity and are grateful to support a wide range of clubs, events & businesses, so if you are a club promoter or event organiser & fancy having your club or event promoted, then just drop us a line at matt@discomatt.com including the relevant artwork and we will do our best to include you.
DISCO DIARY DATES – With Easter very much dominating our immediate diary, we have already committed to a number of events this coming weekend, including “High Society” on Thurs (5th Apr), A:M “Easter Headliners” on Saturday morning (7th Apr), and then a fifteen hour marathon on Sunday/Monday, which begins with Beyond and then encompasses Later, WE “Fluro”, Dish, As One & Orange, while we will be making every effort to pop into Discotec & Fiction too, so it certainly looks like we will be spreading ourselves pretty thin which will no doubt produce a plethora of “Bite Size” rather than “Full Size” reviews. As for the rest of April, well we will be making successive trips to Gigolo & Room Service, as well as aiming to fit in a visit to East Bloc so as to fly the Shoreditch scene flag as well as the Soho & Vauxhall ones.
Well that’s about it for this midterm report and with the line now very much firmly drawn under the first three months of 2012, we can look forward to the new era in Disco Matt land awash with activity throughout April, meaning spring has definitely sprung in our world, even if there is snow on the way for the UK. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | Tags: A:M, As One, Beyond, Casa Latina, Covert, Discotec, Dish, East Bloc, Gigolo, Gonzalo Rivas, Guy Scheiman, Javier Medina, Later, Marco Gee, Matinee, Onyx, Orange, Room Service, Steve Elliot, Steve Pitron, The Oli, Tom Fuller, Trade, Ultimate | No Comments »
We finished the last year on our recommends newsletter right foot, so had to start the New Year on it too, looking at our best choices for where to be & be seen on the scene across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch. But who, what & where top our tree in this part one? Well there’s only one way to find out….
Having savoured the best start to a New Year ever, our NY weekend starting with profile on the Friday & also including Beyond, WE “Safari” & As One on NYD, we are most definitely in recovery mode this coming weekend, not least as we catch up on reviews of all four events, along with our 2011 music & club special posts. However, while we may be dipping out of the scene, there is plenty on offer to tempt you out, picking out our top choices across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch with all the detail you need to know along with those all important website links.
Dynamic Duo
So, with both “recovery” & “resolution” being the bywords of this weekend, we head to Soho first with our top of the tree choice going to Profile & Lo-Profile, both venues very much recovering from a hectic NY weekend, yet having stated as the mean to go on in 2012, have a sparkling line-up of D.J.’s both old & new and experienced & fresh faced, although what they all have in common is descending devotion to their art. And Profile leads the way in both venues three day weekend which starts tonight (Thurs 5th Jan), scene stalwart & swinger Brent Nicholls spinning most likely a blend of beats that includes his trademark nu-funk & disco, while on Friday its new boy to Profile Andy Mac’s turn to trip the tune fantastic, this relative unknown quantity out to prove his Profile worth. However, it is Saturday (7th Jan) that gets our biggest thumbs up as our very own protégé player, Junior (Celso) Moura takes to the decks, this following a superb showing last Friday, he hitting our magnificent mark with a majestic mound of music that packed out Profile from the 8 p.m. spinning start to the extended 11.30 finish, so is sure to do the same this weekend, bringing with him his Brazilian “biiiiicha!” bunch who make any party a carnival, not least the handsome Mhardenn Teixeira who will be celebrating his birthday (we will be there for that alone). Then you add in the drop dead gorgeous bar team, along with some of the best food the scene can offer, not to mention a drinks & cocktails list that is hard to beat and Profile is a brilliant way to both start & finish your weekend in style & sophistication, not forgetting their fab Sunday lunch, served each week from 1 p.m., further details of all these & other yummy pickings available by hitting their website link http://profilesoho.com.
Playful Porn
Then we turn to bigger sister Lo-Profile which really came into its own last year, not least helped by superb social soiree Gigolo. Yet while The Hart’s may have moved on, the legacy they have left behind means that Thursday’s in the form of home grown brand “Society” are fitting nicely into this now very popular starting night to the weekend, tonight seeing the delightful Doug Silva joins fellow Brazilian Ale Amaral on the decks, both sure to mix up plenty of Brazilian come euro-style beats with more uplifting house hits. But naturally, the weekend proper begins tomorrow night (Fri 6th Jan) with “Playtime” the saucy, sexy & steamy night hosted by the handsome & hunky Jay Roberts, a night which stepped into “Society’s” shoes just a handful of months ago, but has really transformed Friday’s, record numbers of party people making “Playtime” their preferred choice. And by starting 2012 as they mean to go on, in choosing the cute yet very capable Zach Burns as their anchor D.J., a towering talent that seems to play to enthralling excess in this exceptional event, with our Italian Bello Alessandro Londra kicking off proceedings from 10 p.m., while the eye candy by two porn stars, our own Ben Brown joined by US hunk Race Cooper, both sure to be flaunting their wares both on the podiums & in Jay’s backroom boudoir which, if you play your cards right, can be your special bonus to the bravado. Then on Saturday (7th Jan), we find international playboy D.J. Paul Heron very much in birthday mood, although earning a crust spinning some sounds along with playing & close pal Nick Evans, the two working off each other like an absolute dream, so this is one Saturday session you won’t want to miss. Now, with each night’s doors opening at 10 p.m. & running through to 4 a.m. (3 on Thur’s), entry just £5 before midnight each night & guest list options available, for more details on these nights & other happenings, go to http://loprofile.com.
Area Antics
Right to Vauxhall now and our top tree choice simply had to go to The Orange Group, although wading through the choices of parties in the rick pickings that make up their weekend schedule was pretty tricky, should it be Friday foray Onyx, the refreshed & revitalised A:M, the breathtakingly brilliant Beyond, the afternoon audacity that is Later or the club that started it all, Orange?. Well, while we could have picked on all of them, we just don’t have the room so with both “Recovery” & “Resolution” part & parcel of our post, the choice became quickly clear, Onyx getting first bite at the cherry tomorrow night (Fri 6th Jan) with their, yes you guessed it, “Resolution” party, the team certainly resolute to make 2012 a play & party hard year, starting 2012 as they mean to go on by re-introducing the very popular £1 shots as one of many glorious gambits to get you in that party mood too. And those gambits certainly extend to the music, as the team have had a little shake-up for 2012, welcoming two towering talents in the form of Hifi Sean & The Oli, both sure to pull a crowd as well as you onto the dancefloor with their brilliant beats, both being Beyond boys too which is a good enough excuse in our books. Joining them in the main room is regular Lee Harris, the pint sized powerhouse that has turbocharged tunes to match his mates, room two is all about pop with Lady Lloyd & James St James, while girl power players Lisa German & Verity Mayes steal the show in the terrace space their harder house & tougher tech tones always going down a treat. Add to & the best managed door entry in the land, masterminded by the terrific Tom Fuller, along with larger than life hostess Chrissy Darling, who will be handing out free Smirnoff Vanilla shots to the first 200 customers through those doors, that along with £2.50 drinks offers and you have plenty of excuses to make Onyx one of your first clubbing resolutions of 2012, “Resolution” kick-starting your weekend from 10 p.m., the club running through until 5 a.m., with entry free before 11.30 p.m. with flyer, ad or guest list entry (details at http://gayguestlists.com/onyx), while advance £5 tickets are available at http://orangenation.co.uk.
Recovered & Ready
So with “Resolution” covered, it’s time for “recovery” to take its turn and in Fire on Saturday (7th Jan) we have just that, as not only can we celebrate this iconic venue being well & truly back among us, we can do as they are doing when they say, “…at Fire we don’t have the January blues, rather it’s all about the good times…” the still surely smarting from those so called “good times” following the truly amazing As One, which was the busiest one yet, promoter Steven Sharp pitching the party perfectly, not least pitting Orange against Trade which ended up a marriage of minds that worked like a dream and for the second time in a week at that. So, in what has been become a post bank holiday weekend tradition, Fire will be swinging open its doors for another “Recovery” party, asking you to launch yourselves into 2012 as you mean to go on, D.J.’s The Sharp Boys, D’Johnny, & Jamie Head sure to do just that, while a yet undisclosed guest line-up will add to the superb set of sounds that will surely make this a party to pull in the punters, the lighting, the pyro’s and those sparkling stage shows courtesy of Elektra Paris & Shaun Capewell along with their drove of delectable dancers making their captivating contribution. Plus, in the spirit of caring & sharing in what is always a tight first monetary month of the year, Fire is extending their free guest list offer that usually accompanies their “Recovery” events, a simple click onto http://tinyurl.com/2012recovery sure to secure your entry although you will need to get in fast as they have, naturally, limited the free passes. Mind you, if you weren’t around at any of the NY parties & grabbed a ticket, then watch out for the boys in & around Soho this tomorrow night & Saturday, while you can always just grab a £10 ticket online or at the usual Soho outlets, the online link being http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2012-01/07/fire-new-year-recovery-party (wow what a big one!), doors opening at 11 p.m., with the event running through till 7 a.m. and don’t forget that a £10 ticket purchase will get you into Beyond for free, yippee!!!
Shoreditch Son Show
So to Shoreditch and a switch from City Road to Kingsland High Street, at it is The Dalston Superstore (DSS) that gets our Best Bite choice this weekend, and for good reason as our very own Shoreditch son, Kris Di Angelis, is treading the DSS boards on Saturday, while a firm Friday favourite also returns for another madcap meet tomorrow night (Fri 6th Jan), while no Sunday would ever be the same without a trip to “Tutti Frutti” with D.J. Squeaky & friends. But it is the other two that get our focus and Friday first as “Blondie” returns for its inaugural outing of 2012, Liz Bisoux heading up a team of Hi-NRG, electronic & disco D.J.’s downstairs, they also throwing in a bit of garage house music for good measure, while upstairs in the hands of Grizzle, its pop classics all the way, that along with the infamous “Blondie Bar Top Cabaret”, not to be missed, plus, with it being free entry all night, that’s from 9 pm. till 3 a.m., this is no bank breaker by any means. Then on Saturday Kris Di Angelis brings back the debaucherous “Delirium” to the DSS, with, as our angelic (not) Kris saying “…what better place to break your New Year’s resolutions than everyone’s favourite disco honeypot, The Dalston Superstore….” he adding of Delirium itself “…is back with quite frankly a banger of a line up…”, Kris being joined by fellow resident Jaime Ritchie, while guest jock for this outing is Ashley Beedle, all three spinning electro disco come tech. But, as with all DSS parties (well most) this is a two floor affair, upstairs being in the hands of Tony Dunne & Cathal, with special guest Ross Allen. With proceedings kicking off at 9 p.m. Kris adds, “…it’s free before 11pm (£5 after) so even if you’ve blown your load over Christmas and New Year you can still come and join the fun…” and we couldn’t have said it better ourselves, while these events aside, don’t forget that The DSS makes for a great food fuel stop off during the day too, all information on offers, menu’s & other happenings available by going to http://thedalstonsuperstore.com or by watching the boys tweets at http://twitter.com/dsuperstore.
Right, that’s it for our Best Bites on this first full weekend of 2012, but watch out for part two of our newsletter coming up next, when we Short Shout for a dozen or so delights, giving you plenty of other choices of where to lay your partying hat this weekend, whether it be in Soho, Vauxhall or Shoreditch, thereby making sure you “Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT).
Posted in Recommends | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Area, Blondie, Brent Nicholls, Celso Moura, Chrissy Darling, D'Johnny, Delirium, Fire, Hifi Sean, Jamie Head, Kris Di Angelis, Lee Harris, Lisa German, Lo-Profile, Nick Evans, Onyx, Paul Heron, Profile, The Dalston Superstore, The Oli, The Sharp Boys, Tom Fuller, Verity Mayes | No Comments »
All Change Please
Well, the news of the temporary closure of one of the capital’s premier & most popular gay venues is now very much broadcast news, the weekly gay magazines having reported on it, London’s clubbing bible website SeenQueen having posted on it and even we having gone into great detail over it, our special report “In The Line Of ….” attempting to quash the rumours & hearsay but to serve up a balanced view of the situation facing Fire in Vauxhall. And while we have to once again stress that the closure is a temporary one, the issues surrounding it covered in our last report at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/11/reports-in-the-line-of-fire-the-closure-the-issues-wednesday-2nd-november/, given the fact that the venue will be out of commission until 15th December, we felt it only appropriate to serve both regular Fire customers & you, our reading public, with news on plans while the venue is closed.
Area Greets Gravity
Therefore, with Fire closing from Monday 31st October to Thursday 15th December, very much affecting weekly Orange Group brand regulars Gravity, A:M, Later & Orange, along with a host of Saturday night parties, as well as new club kid on the block Le-Boy at Protocol, the new swish venue within a venue, it was clear the team had to act quickly, not least to maintain the weekly presence of their regulars above, but also to accommodate promoter Patrick Lilley’s Wednesday weekly club, Work. So, within days of the temporary closure being announced exclusively to gay rag Q.X., we became aware of a plan to switch these clubs to a temporary home, while sister venue to Fire, Area, would also play its part in keeping up The Orange Groups prolific profile on the capitals clubbing calendar. And the team didn’t have to look far for their venue knight in shining armour, as it was Factory that came to the rescue of the Fire closure plight, the fit, while a temporary one, looking like a pretty good solution to a prickly problem, one that will get its first test tomorrow afternoon (Sunday 6th Nov).
Factoring In Later
So, what have The Orange Group brokered in this temporary move?, and what will the revised weekly listing/schedule of parties look like? Well, in terms of Factory, while we haven’t been privy to the detailed negotiations & discussions, it is probable that the Orange Group will look like taking a stake in the venue, not least as a fall-back on some other underlying issues with Fire which keep getting kicked into the long grass, although may be likely to come back & bite the team in the proverbial arse. Therefore, it seems logical, with Area’s position at present relatively secure, that moving in on Factory will give The Orange Group the anchor come bolt hole they need, while the win win situation clearly extends to Factory’s owners & management, who will more than likely see a tenfold increase in footfall through the venue’s doors, as well as increasing its own profile on the clubbing scene landscape. However, with monthly meets like Hard On! , among other commitments Factory need to honour, it looks like being a busy old time on Goding Street over the next few weeks.
Citric Switch
Right, so what does the revised weekly schedule look like?, Well, as we have said, Area will be taking up a fair amount of the slack left behind by Fire’s doors being shut, both Patirck Lilley’s “Work” & The Orange Group’s “Gravity” moving there and assuming their regular slots or Wednesday’s & Thursday’s respectively. A:M is the next brand that shouts “All Change Please”, as it fits into the Onyx fold at Area for the next two weeks, just last night having doubled up with its Friday clubbing compatriot to make a massive twelve hour happening & will follow this with another Onyx vs. A:M event next weekend. Then it moves to Factory for the remainder of its situ away from its original home, the Goding St hangout also accommodating Sunday saunter Later from this weekend, so tomorrow (sun 6th Nov) onwards, while Orange is also on the move to Factory & will showcase its first shindig there from 11 p.m. tomorrow night. As for Le-Boy & planned Saturday parties, these have been shelved for now, the likelihood that Beyond will extend its hours in either “Midnight” or “Belief” format, this week’s “Guy Fawkes Special” neatly followed next weekend with this awesome afterhours marking the beginning of their winter season with the return of their “Ice” themed party that was such a great hit last year. In terms of other events on The Orange Group calendar while Fire is closed, well we cannot forget the massive WE “Disco” event on Sat 3rd Dec, marking the 1st Anniversary of this Spanish superclub landing in London, while we cannot overlook Sunday evening bash Booster, which maintains its slot at Area, sandwiching neatly between Later & Orange.
So, with plans very much in place to keep the parties pumping, this should allow the necessary steps to be put in place to ensure a sparkling re-opening of Fire on Friday 16th December, news on that weekend coming your way right here as soon as the details hit our desks, while in the meantime, you can keep abreast of all the developments by going to http://freclub.co.uk/news, any major news sure to come your way as so as we know it. In the meantime, while it is very much “All Change Please”, keep the fire burning bright by checking out the switch to Factory as we are sure to before very long. (DISCO MATT)
You have all heard of the phrase, “when it rains, it pours” and the same could be said for our lives at the moment, as having waved goodbye to October, which was probably our worst month of the year so far, this first week in November is looking no better from a personal point of view. Then we look to the scene & it seems that a certain clubbing group find themselves in a similar situation, although like we are trying to do, they are accentuating the positive and putting in plans to turn a bad situation good. So with that thought very much in our minds, we have dusted ourselves off, picked ourselves up and popped our recommends hat on to take a whistle-stop look through our choices of where to be & be seen on the scene across Soho, Vauxhall & Shoreditch, the three recognised hotspots of activity, although Southwark also gets a look in too.
Prolific Profile
So, with time against us, let’s press on and head to Soho first where we find Profile & Lo-Profile topping our tree once more, this brilliant combo of a bar & club complex on Wardour Street really going from strength to strength at the moment, the Lo-Profile having stretched its appeal across all three days (& beyond) while Profile continues to prove a wonderful & welcoming warm-up for the action below. So, what does this weekend old in store?, well upstairs its tonight (Fri 4th) and tomorrow (Sat 5th) that gets our immediate attention, D.J.’s on deck duty being resident regulars & favourites Zach Burns & Jamie Head respectively, both sure to get you in the mood for more partying downstairs, all this while you take advantage of Profile fabulous food & thirst quenching drinks, their happy hour worthy of a mention, which runs daily from 4 till 7 p.m. & includes cocktail pitchers at just £15. Lunchtimes are great too, a Saturday refuel serving up two meals for just £10, while it’s always worth starting your Sunday with a traditional roast before heading downstairs for “Secret Sunday’s (more on that in a mo). But while this may be a “weekend” newsletter, Profile also serve up plenty of temptations during the week too, info on all of this available at http://profilesoho.com.
The Secret's Out
Moving downstairs to Lo-Profile and their weekend already started last night with a busier than usual reported “Society”, the social soiree splendour that has moved from Friday’s to fill the gap left by Gigolo. However, its tonight (Fri 4th) when things really hot up as promoter & host extraordinaire, Jay Roberts, brings you another “Play Time” party, this week drawing on the talents of the D.J. duo of Paul Heron & Nick Evans, who just happen to be best pals too, Nick taking up the first slot & Paul carrying you through till 4 a.m., all this magnificent music back dropping the drop dead gorgeous & sexy studs Gabriel Cross & Gio Cruz, Jay added his own twist to this porn-tastic experience by tempting you into the “Play Time” bedroom where you get the chance to play with all three of these handsome hunks. Now Friday partying certainly doesn’t get better than this & would it not be for our commitments down Vauxhall way, we would be there with knobs on. But the weekend doesn’t stop there as the filling in the three day Lo-Profile sandwich is Saturday, with scene stalwarts Brent Nicholls & Rob Sykes very much doing the filling, in their case of your boots with beats, while it’s Sunday that is becoming a real humdinger of a day for the club, “Secret Sunday’s” very much drawing in a crowd. And with platinum selling & Brit award winning singer Nerina Pallot performing, while resident D.J. & Gaydar Radio presenter Phil Marriott sorts the sounds, we cannot think of a better way to finish a wonderful weekend, details of all of this out at http://loprofile.com.
So those are our Best Bites, what about some Short Shouts?, well Rupert Street (RS) gets first mini bite at the cherry, their weekend full of D.J.’ing action to match the masses that always pack out the place, tonight (Fri 4th) seeing our foxy female D.J. Minx take to the decks, while the dynamic D’Johnny sorts the sounds on Saturday, resident star turn Alessandro serenading your Sunday, more details on all the happenings down RS way available by hitting their web page at http://rupertstreet.com.
Inferno Ignites
Next up is Ku-Bar, or should we say bars, as both the Lisle & Frith St operations are worth a peek or three, the former’s highlights being “O Zone” tonight (Fri 4th) with Dusty O in charge of the pop parade of tunes, while transgender talent Lady Lloyd rolls out another “Hit Factory” session on Sunday, Firth St offering D.J.’s in their dinky downstairs place across all three days, while attraction plenty of boy candy to tempt you in, more details on all happenings Ku style out at http://ku-bar.co.uk.
Our final Short Shout goes to the Shadow Lounge, which, after the success of new night “XXtra”, which held their “Shutdown” event last night, the Shadow team are back in business tonight with another “Therapy” session, resident D.J. Sonathque spinning the sounds, while tomorrow night (Sat 5th) it a bonfire bash “Inferno” style, Andrew Elmore putting the bang into the beats, which, given the forecast wet weather, should be the place to be. Plus, not forgetting their cabaret & karaoke Sunday soiree “Confessions”, for more info, go check out http://theshadowlounge.co.uk.
Right to Vauxhall and my has it been in the news & spotlight this week, predominantly due to the temporary closure of Fire, the club which boasts regular weekly outings Gravity, A:M, Later & Orange, but often serve up much more. Now, there has been a heck of a lot of rumours & hearsay flying around regarding both this closure & the on-going survival of Fire, something we wanted to put completely straight by issuing a special report “In the Line Of …”, which is well worth at read at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/11/reports-in-the-line-of-fire-the-closure-the-issues-wednesday-2nd-november/. However, it will come as no surprise that, while Fire is closed, this six week closure running
Brilliant Beyond
to Friday 15th December, the team have acted quickly, finding a new temporary home for all four clubs at Factory on Goding St, so just a hop, skip & jump away, we bringing you full details of the switch in another report, “All Change Please”, due out a little later today. In the meantime, it is all steam ahead at Area, The Orange Group’s two biggest & best brands (in our view at least), Onyx & Beyond, serve up twelve hour spectacular’s each, Onyx welcoming A:M into the fold for this weekend, but also boasting international D.J. superstar Wayne G to the decks, this truly un-missable event & all its details covered in our Focus post “Globetrotting G Lands In London” at http://discomatt.com/web/2011/11/recommends-globetrotting-g-lands-in-london-onyx-vs-am-friday-4th-november-weekend-focus/. As for Beyond, well it’s another “Midnight” party this Saturday (5th Nov) with a Guy Fawkes theme, promoter Mauricio Ortiz & his terrific team pulling out all the stops to, in their own words, “…celebrate fireworks night with a pyro-tastic, super-sized production party at London’s biggest & best afterhours…” they adding “…expect massive bangs galore, with rockets, confetti bursts, sparks and more, plus incredible laser shows, CO2 and stunning dance shows from Elektra Paris & Shaun Capewell..” while the D.J.’s on duty will include Alan K, Mikey D, Jamie Hammond, Jamie Head, D’Johnny, Jonny M, Hifi Sean, Paul Christian, Fat Tony & The Oli., entry a mere £10 in advance which you can grab at http://orangenation.clubtickets.com/gb/2011-11/06/beyond-afterhours, as well as the usual Soho outlets and one definitely worth a full-on visit, this Area combo of Onyx, A:M, & Beyond very much our Vauxhall Best Bite choice of this weekend.
So to some Short Shouts and Bear Necessity is back this Saturday (5th Nov), although at a new home, we giving it some Extra Bites attention in our post “Out Of Hiding In Hidden”, which is coming right up, while the bear action also extends to Friday’s, courtesy of Toner at the Eagle, who have a special “Big Bonfire Bash”, promoter & D.J. Tim Jones, welcoming special guest, the legendary Alan X to the decks, his set a sure-fire winner, while what could be better for the Tonker bears than a midnight pizza buffet, straight after a fireworks display in the Eagle garden at 11.30 (please stay dry!), more info on Tonker’s goings on available at http://tonker.co.uk.
Bonfire Birthday Burn
To The Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) now and they have another fun filled weekend packed with goodies, “Rooster” kicking off this venerable institutions three days tonight (Fri 5th) with the likes of Timberlina, Jonjo providing the entertainment while D.J’s Come&Turn spin the sounds, the two weekend regulars of “Duckie” on Saturday & “S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out” on Sunday pulling in the punters and making sure it’s another weekend to remember on Kennington Lane (grassy knoll of not), more info out at http://thervt.org.uk.
For our final Vauxhall Short Shout, we wiz back to The Eagle, as Saturday is a special night, monthly outing “Carpet Burn” celebrating its 3rd birthday with a euphoric event, Jakie Graham taking centre stage, this superb singer sure to steal the show, although D.J.’s Dave Kendrick & Martin Fitzgerald will be doing their best to keep up with stacks of sparkling sounds, while free shots should seal the deal on this glorious gathering, more info on this & Sunday night regular “Horse Meat Disco” a click away at http://eaglelondon.com.
Delirium
We are on the home stretch now and heading to Shoreditch for our final Best Bite of the weekend, which this time round goes to The Dalston Superstore (DSS) who have two absolute corkers to tempt you away from the west end, tonight (Fri 4th Nov) seeing promoter Rex The Dog bring back “Breed” for its third DSS outing, he telling us that “…we are bringing back the laser powered beats & baselines to DSS’s basement…” regular D.J.’s Rufus&Bambi, Pleasure Cruiser &, naturally, Rex The Dog himself, making sure the promise is delivered, while upstairs gender bender boys (or is that girls?) John Sizzle & A Man To Pet host the upstairs place. Plus with no less than 50 “Breed” t-shits to give away & a Robo Rex model on offer too, heading to http://twitter.com/Rexthedog1980 could secure a prize, also remembering to get to the DSS early, as with entry free, it should fill to capacity quickly. Moving onto Saturday (5th Nov) and Shoreditch son Kris Di Angelis pulls another party out of the bag (where will this man’s ingenuity end), Kris also getting in on the act by telling “Delirium is an uncontrollable state of happiness, deep energising and filled with beautiful house music that will have you wearing the kind of smile that no-one can fake…”, so definitely sold on us and should be you too, especially when you consider that Kris is joined on the decks by South African joy, James Pople, along with James Ritchie, Cathy & Tony Dunne, among them boasting appearances for “Circus”, “Meat”, “Room Service” & “Disco Discharge” to name just a few. So, with that delightful draw, you can expect this to be a roadblock event, entry free before 11 p.m. or £5 thereafter (you know what to do), “Delrium” running through till 3 a.m., while another “Tutti Fruitti” with Squeaky & guests rounds off the DSS weekend on Sunday, more info on the whole lot available by tracking the boys tweets at http://twitter.com/dsuperstore.
East Bloc Excelence
To just one Short Shout (although one sized up) to round off our looks at where to be & be seen on the scene this weekend and we head down the road to East Bloc who play host to the wired but wonderful “The Men Who Fell 2 Earth” this Saturday (5th Nov), the team welcoming special guest Mark Moore (of S-Express fame) to the decks in the main space, while room two sports, Another Night, the concoction of punk funk & dirty disco sure to please the punters, especially as the team are celebrating their first full year pushing the eats boundaries at East Bloc. However, the venue’s top cheese Wayne Shires helps to start you weekend off in style as he welcomes back the Super Techno Party Machine team, who will be holding their “New Stars Of London” party tonight (Fri 5th), who tell us, “…it’s time to get YO look ON…”, and for good reason as Brazilian photographer Eric Phillips will be pointing his lens at the contenders he rates for an inclusion in Carnage Magazine’s feature “New Star Of London”, while a free bar from 11p.m. till midnight plus terrific D.J. talent to carry you through till the 5 a.m. finish mean East Bloc should be on your calendar cards, more details on this & all happenings down City Rd way available at http://eastbloc.co.uk.
Solar Powered Sun
Now, just before we go, two quick mention’s the first for tip top clubbing website SeenQueen, who like us, have focussed on the happenings in Vauxhall, their own take on Fire’s closure along with an interesting poll point worth a glance, while the site is packed with plenty of other features, video clips, music links & photo galleries of the London scene, all a click away at http://seenqueen.com. Then, while last weekend marked the official end to the British summertime, it shouldn’t mean the tan you worked so hard for is left to fade, a trip down to Solarstation on Archer St in Soho providing the remedy you are looking for. Having increased their capacity & installed fresh tanning tubes, it’s definitely worth grabbing a piece of feel good factor, slapping on the factor, more details out at http://solarstation.co.uk.
Right, that’s it for another weekend and one that should be full of banging beats in true Guy Fawkes night style, especially if you find yourselves at one of our Best Bite or Short Shout choices. As for our weekend?, well it looks like Onyx vs. A:M is our singular dancefloor devotion, so if you see us out come say hi, while if not you can follow the live nibble size review tweeting action at http://twitter.com/discomatt, although wherever this bonfire weekend takes you, have a tremendous time, of course making sure you “Go There! Be There!” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Beyond, Carpet Burn, East Bloc, Ku Bar, Later, Lo-Profile, Onyx, Orange, Profile, Rupert St, S.L.A.G.S./Chill-out, The Dalston Superstore, The Eagle, The RVT, The Shadow Lounge, Tonker | No Comments »
Globetrotting G Land In London
In times of old, Friday night clubbing was always seen as the poor cousin to Saturdays & Sundays, the lion’s share of the bigger brands on the capitals circuit choosing the latter two as their preferred options when pitching their parties, Friday very much being viewed more as the end to the working week rather than the beginning of the weekend. And whilst there were a smattering of clubs that served the scene, one side of the scale being “Camp Attack” while the other was the iconic “Fiction”, Saturday always proved a much punchier player in the partying picture, a typical week sporting heavyweights such as Action, Crash & Heaven, more latterly also including the likes of Juicy, Matinee & SuperMartXe. However, Friday’s were to take a terrific turn just over two years ago when the then promoter of this new clubbing kid on the block, Steven Geller, created a brand that pretty much took the scene by storm and with the brilliant backing of The Orange Group, coerced & then captivated an audience of admirers at host venue Area in Vauxhall.
Outstanding Onyx
Without doubt Onyx has transformed Friday night clubbing beyond recognition compared to what was on offer before it arrived on the scene, not just cementing its position as the most popular outing of any, but also welcoming a host of tip top D.J.’s as both residents & guests, the likes of Boy George, Pagano & Fat Tony having shone in the Onyx spotlight, while the club can boast a residency team that currently includes D.J. icons Tasty Tim, Lisa German & Ariel. But more than that, what Onyx offers in terms of three distinct arenas of sound, as well as one of the most mixed & up for it crowds anywhere, this rapturous recipe is certainly a winning formula and his seen this brilliant brand scoop a number of awards in its short two year history, confirming it as a popular pick among the capitals clubbing crowd, the brand even travelling up as far as Manchester & down to Brighton, spreading its wonderful word outside of London. Plus, with intrinsic inclusions in some of the biggest weekends on the clubbing circuit, as a brand, Onyx has firmly established itself of one of the best around, current promoter, Verity Mayes, continuing to build on the solid foundations cemented by her two predecessors, not least welcoming an international D.J.’ing superstar to the fold, who takes up residency tomorrow night (Friday 4th Nov).
We Do Know Who You Are
Wayne G has most certainly attained that superstar status across the globe in recent years, his career behind the decks started back in 1996 right here in London, playing to an audience of over 4000 at the infamous “Red Heart” party, although it was his residency at the then top of the pile Heaven club that made him a household name both in the capital & throughout the world, at the time this mecca of clubbing constantly in the spotlight. However, even bigger & better things were to come for Wayne, as tours across all five continents & appearances for some of the biggest festivals on the global calendar have helped secure his position as a true international star, Sydney’s Mardi Gras, San Franscico’s Folsom, Berlin’s Love Parade & The White party circuit of parties across the USA are just four among a long list of achievements, while his residency of Atlantis cruises keeps him stateside for a far proportion of the year. But Wayne’s production & re-mixing skills are also part of his prolific package, accreditations on his work reading like a who’s who of the pop world, Cher, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, Christina Aquilera & Kelis, just a handful among a long list of others. Plus with his productions seeing releases on labels such as Hed Kandi, Tommy Boy & Almighty records, there is no doubting this man’s credentials & standing within the industry, while D.J.’ing at The Grammy’s this year ranks as a huge highlight in his quite illustrious career behind the decks.
Prolific Podcast
So, given all of that, it comes as no surprise that Verity Mayes is thrilled to welcome Wayne into the Onyx fold, although this is not the first time the globetrotting Mr G has found himself in front of the clubs cavorters, his last visit to the capital seeing a spectacular showing alongside partner & music maker Stewart Who, while Wayne has been quoted as saying of his return, “…I have loved the club from the first time I played there earlier this year. This will be a great platform for me to bring my new studio sounds directly to the London dancefloor, can’t wait to rock the club again…”. And given his reputation for injecting energetic & vocally infused house music into his performances, mixing in his own productions with current floor fillers & chart topping hits, we are already anticipating a magical musical journey on Onyx’s main room floor tomorrow night, while we hope to hear some of the terrific tunes that Wayne is currently digging out of his vast vaults, as he prepares for the launch of his new digital label. However, for the uninitiated to the Wayne G style of sound, picking out his podcast page at http://wayneg.podomatic.com/ should more than adequately acquaint you in advance of his appearance at Area, the choice extending to over 10 compilations, although his “White Party Springs” mix is probably as close as you will get to a live set of his.
Colossal Combo
Now, while Wayne is clearly a fabulous feature of Onyx tomorrow night, there is much more on offer, not least as with the temporary closure of Fire, afterhours club A:M joins forces with its Friday night compatriot, making this a combination of clubs that stretches for a full twelve hours, the Onyx flag being held high by residents Lee Harris, Lady Lloyd, Lisa German, Ariel & James St James, while the A:M influence will come from D’Johnny, Fat Tony & David Jimenez, the music spread across Area’s three rooms and, in true Onyx style, serving up that distinctly different & diverse dance music, that ranges from upfront in the main room, to commercial anthems in the chapel space, through to tech grooves in the terrace. Plus with hostess Chrissy Darling doing the rounds in the club, while Tom Fuller looks after Onyx entrants & then hands over to Hrh Minty to manage the A:M adorers, this whole package is definitely one not to be missed. As for the detail, Area’s doors open tomorrow night (Fri 4th Nov) at 10 p.m., free entry available before 11.30 p.m. by going to http://gayguestlists.com/onyx, while standard £8 advance tickets for the whole event are available at http://clubtickets.com as well as at all the usual Soho outlets.
So, as we make our own return to the capitals clubbing circuit, we will be landing on this Onyx vs. A:M, event to report on it all, no doubt nibble size review tweeting through Wayne’s set, our live action from the party available by following us at http://twitter.com/discomatt, although we hope to see you on the dancefloor, meaning that if you do, come say hi, clearly making sure that you “Go There! Be There!” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Recommends | Tags: A:M, Area, Ariel, Chrissy Darling, D'Johnny, David Jimenez, Fat Tony, Hrh Minty, James St James, Lady Lloyd, Lee Harris, Lisa German, Onyx, Tom Fuller, Verity Mayes, Wayne G | No Comments »
In the Line Of ....
We have said it so many times, but six months on the London clubbing scene is an absolute eternity, even six weeks a long time given the huge amount of activity across hotspots like Soho, Shoreditch & Vauxhall and it seems that while we have been missing in action, all sorts of happenings, developments & newsworthy stories have been presenting themselves. But while we may have missed out on events like Lovechild’s re-emergence on the capitals clubbing circuit, Trade’s 21st birthday, Room Service’s 1st & WE Party’s latest outing, we haven’t been able to escape the rumours circulating that two of the scene’s most prominent venues have are in the firing line (no pun intended) from the police & so the local council. So, amidst reports of mismanagement, illicit drug use and increased criminality both in & around the venues in question plus with the latest news of their fate splashed across the gay press & clubbing websites, we thought it only right to delve deeper into what has definitely become the talk of the town, cutting through the rumours & the hearsay to bring you the facts, as well as then giving our opinion on the issues as they stand.
Vivacious Venue
So who are we talking about? Well Fire & Area of course, two venues that are run & managed by London’s premier gay clubbing organisation, The Orange Group, a business that boasts some of the biggest & best brands on the circuit, Beyond, Later & Onyx three in a stable of clubs that extends deep into double figures. And while it is clear that the dynamism & diversity of the scene here in the capital extends far further than the group, the brands & these two venues, no-one can deny, whether fans or not, that Both Fire & Area together with the clubs that they run week in week out, are intrinsic to the gay clubbing scene in London and so any suggestion or thought that their future would be in doubt is big news indeed. However, before we look at the news, it is also worth mentioning that since the emergence of Vauxhall as a clubbing mecca in the late nineties, Fire and more latterly Area, have been instrumental in the draw & subsequent success of this south of the river suburb, although with other venues including Colosseum, Hidden, Renaissance Rooms & Union, gay watering holes Barcode, The RVT & The Eagle, plus Chariots sauna & The Hoist fetish club, the draw of Vauxhall for the gay community and so the implied accusations of illicit drug use and increased criminality cannot be laid solely at the doors of The Orange Group.
All Change
With that prologue pitched & positioned, what is the situation with Fire & Area as we go to press on the subject?, What picture has been painted by certain elements of the press regarding issues of licences, closures & criminality? And what are the facts facing Fire in particular? Well, first & foremost, from what you may have read in the press, on clubbing websites or by visiting Lambeth council’s own site, it is true & yes we can confirm that Fire is closing, or should we say closed, but this closure which came into effect on Monday (31st Oct) is a temporary one & part of the conditions of Fire’s premises licence renewal grant, the councils ruling “…to suspend the premises licence for a period of 6 weeks, in order to deter and prevent crime…” one of a list of conditions it has applied to the new premises licence, this an important point to stress to those doubters that feel (or fear) that Fire’s on-going operation is under serious threat of complete cessation. So, making the situation crystal clear, as part of its licence renewal, Fire will be closed until Thursday 15th December and in doing so, meeting this important & intrinsic condition of the licence. It is also worth noting a particular point within the council’s decision document (one which you can read in detail at http://lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2387) when they state that “…The LSC gave serious consideration to this revocation of the premises licence, but concluded that this option was unnecessary and disproportionate in all of the circumstances..”, this confirming beyond reasonable doubt that Fire have their licence renewed and so very much laying to waste any rumours to the contrary.
Gravity Of The Situation
But before we tackle what this temporary closure of Fire will mean to you as clubbers & the plans The Orange Group have made to circumvent the impact of this closure, we want to spend a moment to look at why & how the venue managed to find itself in the position it is, plus to give a considered approach to the view of the various camps, whether they be the police, the clubbers or, more importantly, the community in & around Vauxhall. Having immersed ourselves into that council decision document, it is clear that Fire, its management & the whole operation, top to toe, has been under sustained scrutiny from the police for a considerable length of time, although having digested many of the claims, findings & statements made, there seems to be an underlying current of disfavour towards Fire as a business & as part of the community it finds itself in. There is no doubt that the issue of so called “…illicit drug taking…” and consequential “…systematic failiure by the management…” is a serious one and it is also clear that, as a result of the police’s covert operations within the venue, that a huge weight of evidence was brought to bear, leaving The Orange Group management an equaly serious case to answer, although seemingly one that they managed to achieve during a hearing that lasted close on nine hours, such was the complexity of what would, in normal circumstances, be a straight forward licence renewal process.
Onyx & A:M Unite
So, taking an arm’s length look at our own claim of disfavour towards Fire as a venue within the community, while we have to acknowledge that the sustained scrutiny by the regulatory authorities has highlighted grave misgivings & shortcomings extending to claims of outright criminality within the venue, the rumour machine that has pointed the finger of blame in Fire’s direction for general criminality across Vauxhall, not least waged by local residents, seems a little unfair, especially given that so many other gay businesses draw crowds into the area. Therefore, suggestions that the closure of Fire would completely address these issues across Vauxhall seems entirely irrational and maybe the real issue is that a proportionate amount of the local community are simply tired of seeing scantily clad clubbers pouring out onto the streets, or occupying the parks & green spaces following clubbing events and that, because of this activity, Fire is been singled out as the main protagonist. As a developed suburb of the capital, the fabric of Vauxhall has changed considerably in recent years, smart apartments, cafe’s & bars have sprouted up alongside established ones , although no-one can deny the LGBT credentials of the area and, as such, the issues that this can bring to bear.
Moving Monday Mornings
That said, as a responsible venue and as responsible management, Fire & its whole team have a binding commitment to uphold the law, whether it be in terms of licensing or otherwise, so have a duty to the authorities & to the wider community to ensure that it does just that, measures adopted both within its walls & beyond its boundaries to suitably demonstrate commitment & compliance. And whilst some (us included) may think that Fire has been unfairly singled out, the raw facts of the matter are that the authorities have a duty to ensure that clubs within the community they operate, do so within the law and it was deemed that, from a licensing law perspective, Fire was breeching that commitment, so, as a consequence, the club, its employees, it’s clubbers & the wider clubbing community, were in grave danger of losing their livelihood & mere existence, as without the necessary licence to trade, one which the police were looking to permanently revoke, in essence, Fire would be no more. But, thankfully it is more; the licence has been renewed, although with a hefty amount of conditions within the venue’s “licence operating schedule”, all means that the club is not out of the woods yet and, while having been given the time to do so, not least with this temporary closure, the management team will need to prove that they have addressed those issues of illicit drug use by implementing the series of measures within their revised operating schedule, many of which will hopefully become visibly apparent for regulars attending Fire when it re-opens.
Factoring In Later
So those are the issues, but what about this six week closure & what impact will it have? Well, clearly in the eyes of both the police & the council, it is Fire rather than the wider Vauxhall community that was the focus of attention, the mere closure probably intending to temporarily reduce the level of club events taking place, although the wording used within the council’s decision document is clear when it stated their aim was “…to deter & prevent crime…”. However, it seems the stance taken by The Orange Group has been to merely switch their branded club nights to other venues in Vauxhall, Area soaking some, while just today, a formal announcement that Factory will be accommodating some of the clubs during this closure period was made. So it seems that rather than reducing levels of activity in Vauxhall, as seems to be the implied intent, Fire’s temporary closure will merely see club nights operating out of different venues, so leaving a serious question mark over whether the police will deem this as sufficient evidence that suitable steps are being made by The Orange Group.
Dynamic Events Director
As for Fire during this period of closure, the team will be using the time not just to roll out & prepare the changes requested in their operating schedule but will be using the opportunity to, in the words of The Orange Group’s director of promotions, Jonny Marsh, “…complete refurbishment works, install new production & lighting rigs and review processes in place to cater for the expanding business…”. And having recently undertaken a facelift of Fire’s main room, we expect that the finishing touches to this space will be applied, while we are sure further attention to the new phase in the venues development, Protocol, will also take place. Plus, in an exclusive interview with QX magazine, Jonny gave an indication of what to expect when Fire re-opens by saying “…it may be a while off, but we are already planning some very special parties for that weekend…”, although clearly they will need to, especially given the Logan Presents Anniversary event which already looks like being a sell-out, George Michael’s appearance the irresistible draw, but as Jonny also said of the six week closure, “…London’s gay community is going to miss Fire and we will miss them too…” but has hinted that we can keep abreast of plans for the venue in the coming weeks by going to http://fireclub.co.uk/news.
In conclusion, it is clear that The Orange Group have been under considerable scrutiny and as a result lessons will have to be learnt and, we hope, a stronger sense of humility with respect to its position in the clubbing community. However, the overriding fact of the matter remains that, as a venue, it now has its licence renewed and so will continue to play a pivotal part within the dynamically diverse & rich clubbing scene we are so fortunate to have here in the capital. So here’s to the future of Fire and one that we continue to support both through this short period of closure & then re-adjustment, in the knowledge that bigger & better things are to come for this vivacious venue. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | Tags: A:M, Area, Beyond, Fire, Gravity, Jonny Marsh, Later, Onyx, Orange, The Orange Group | 2 Comments »
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