Posts Tagged ‘WE’
January 11, 2013 | 
Author With a surging sense of enthusiasm for 2013 in what we have called our year of positivity, we set out our plans in the first of a returning “Monthly Message”, sharing recent reviews, reports, recommends & music features, while looking forward to other reporting & reviewing returnees as well as some dates for your disco diary.
There is no shadow of a doubt that 2012 proved a rollercoaster of a ride for our reviewing, reporting & recommending, a fall in features compared to the previous year symptomatic of the challenges we faced and the distractions they caused and while there were plenty of highlights, our activity wasn’t one of them. So, with a determination to restore the status quo to where it was in 2011 and with this year very much one of “positivity”, plus with a real sense of resurgence in our fortunes, we are keen to bring back some reviews & reports that were noticeably absent in 2012, this our monthly message one, while there are others which we will be covering below. But true to our monthly message form, we will run through the sections on our website, picking up on activity for the last month, in this case December and then hinting as to what to expect from the coming month.
REVIEWS
December saw a continued return to reviews, WE’s “Formula 2” anniversary event along with two Beyond reflections posted, while towards the end of the month, we reviewed the year in general with our Annual Address, rounding off 2012 with our Clubs review, January starting virtually as we finished, with Beyond NYD getting the super sized review treatment, while our 2012 music reviews, three of them dominated the first week, our trip to Scream just over seven days ago on the cusp of completion while tomorrow’s DISH will be the next in a once a week review delivery, our highlight review from December that final Beyond fling of 2012.
RECOMMENDS/PICKS
During December we combined our Picks choices with our Extra Bites focuses, Orange’s “Christmas Day”, A:M’s “Boxing Day” Beyond “Midnight” & Splash Roma four, while pure Picks went to Room Service, PLAY>TIME, Muccassassina & ClubNation, while we posted just two Weekend Focus features, one on Beyond & the other on Orange Nation’s festive offerings. As for our newsletters, just one went public, the weekend before Christmas getting our Short Shots attention. As for January, well we have short shouted already, extra bited on WE’s “Vogue” party and focussed on both Scream & DISH, a special focus up on Orange Nations “Free January Clubbing” while our picks choices still get published via Facebook & will be up on our website from next week too, while our highlight recommends/picks post goes to Beyond from 22nd December.
MUSIC/D.J.’S
While we had plenty of plans to make our music newsletters weekly, it didn’t happen, although we started publishing our “Track of The Week” choices via Facebook, while a special music feature went up on WE “Formula 2”, we also focussing on D.J.’s Jamie Head & Mikey D. As for January, well it started with our four music reviews of 2012, covering our top 40 track chart, producers, podcasts & sets, while we plan from next weekend to bring back those D.J. focuses, the newsletters, plus our podcast & track of the week postings via our website as well as on Facebook. As for our December highlight, well it could only be that WE special feature.
REPORTS
With no postings to speak of in December, this is one area that we really want to re-propel during January, the returning “That Was The Week That Was” report come review re-commencing from next Friday, while we have already posted three reports this month already, two on Gaydar Radio & the other on Profile/Lo-Profile. But we also want to launch our “Seventh Day Sermon”, while as scene news hits, we aim to report it as we always used to, that first Gaydar report our highlight, even if it was a January rather than December publication.
PREVIEWS/DISCO MATTERS
With nothing to show for in December, we certainly want to get our previews back on stream, the first on Puscha & Matinee Pervert due up in the next week, while Deelooded’s move out east will also get our advance focus. Plus, with a Seamus Hajji interview looking like it could come our way, Disco Matters should be back too.
NIBBLE SIZE TWEETS
A really popular feature of ours which, partly due to technical difficulties, all but halted towards the end of 2012, although following a number of requests to see them back, we will be re-launching these live from the dancefloor transmissions from the beginning of February, beaming our clubbing cavorting all the way from Antwerp, direct to http://twitter.com/discomatt.
COMING UP
With January already having seen us trip across the channel to Paris, while closer to our London home, East Bloc drew us in for DISH, the next couple of weekends will see us forging ahead with our “activity acceleration” plans, before a further trip onto the continent the first weekend of February, Antwerp, Red & Blue & Propaganda calling, while South Africa comes in March & then back to Paris for Easter & Matinee “La-Leche”. But with plenty of parties in-between, we will be attempting some mid-week as well as weekend dancing dervishes, Popcorn, Gigolo, Room Service & new club Swallow on our disco diary radar
KEEP UP
Naturally you can tune into all our activity right here, while for posts like our “Pick Of The Day”, Podcast & Track Of The Week” and our “Does…” photo albums, then our Facebook page at http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746 is the place to go, while our group at http://facebook.com/groups/discomatt/ & our personal profile at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon are worth keeping tabs on, while in “Picks” terms, why not check out & follow our Tumblr page at http://discomatt.tumblr.com.
So, with much to do and a stringent schedule set, it’s all steam ahead in 2013 with our “activity acceleration” programme to put us back where we belong, as London’s original party boy independent journalist who’s reviews, reports, recommends & music posts position us as a prominent source of scene clubs, events, music, D.J.’s, news, interviews and much much more. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports, Reviews | 
Tags: A:M, Beyond, ClubNation, Dish, Gaydar Radio, Jamie Head, Mikey D, Muccassassina, Orange, Playtime, Room Service, Scream, WE | 
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In a year that has seen a pitiful amount of review publications, we attempt to end 2012 on a high, looking back at the capital’s circuit clubs & clubbing events that made a big impression not just on us, but packs of party people who pushed aside austerity in favour of fun, while we also chronicle the changes that have swept the scene, this the second in our special “What A Year” review series.
In a year of huge highs & horrendous, mainly health lows, 2012 saw a significant shift in both our personal & vocational lives, the personal part already covered in our first annual address review, while we also touched on some of the clubbing highs that made it an unforgettable year. Yet, the cornerstone and the one constant in our activity over the last few years, our reviews, not only dipped in 2012, but suffered a veritable nose dive, plummeting out of the scene sky & spotlight like a stone, just nineteen completed & published, clearly equating to less than two a month, this far from a truthful reflective record of the events we attended throughout the year. However, with more than a handful started but not finished, along with a plethora of picks posts published, will we attempt to patch together a picturing of the parties that made it big in 2012, like our annual address, splitting the seasons into four separate paragraphs, while eventually selecting our star sets from a select list of scene spinners, also landing on our top five club events of the year from a seasonal section rating, a chart that required alteration as late in the day as yesterday. So, sit back and hold on tight as we speed you through our January to December jamboree of jaunts, hot footing it through a veritable feast of frolics while sifting some select slices from those rare reviews of ours, finishing off with a mention for a myriad of movers, shakers, winners, losers, lost & found in a year that saw a catalogue of changes to the capitals clubbing circuit.
To our first season and to the first day of the year, one which served up a trio of treats the now traditional NYD Beyond taking centre stage, although waiting in the wonderful wings was WE “Safari” which not only surprised but stunned us with the best spectacle this Madrid made meet had showed off in London yet, edging out the former foray in terms of enthralling excellence, the third in the trio a packed out party that inevitably, in comparison with the other two, was always going to have a mountain to climb to reach their divine dizzy heights. So with a start like that, you would have thought we were armed with a spring in our winter step, but it would be February before we put our review boots on, a Saturday/Sunday session of CasaLatina’s “A Space Odyssey” event followed by a Beyond which we labelled as a “Shell Shocking Steve Stunner”, Mr Pitron playing his socks off to a packed out place, all three rooms full, this no special event but had all the tremendous trappings of the terrific “Tokyo” & the exceptional “Erotica” , so was a serious contender for our club event of the year, while it has piped WE to seasonal top spot, Beyond’s NYD event a close behind third. In terms of big come headline hitting happenings, Trade came out to play for Valentine’s on 11th February, while Later was in 9th birthday mode in March, those with a penchant for wig wearing had the “Masked Ball” to parade through, also in March, while Shoreditch splendour East Bloc continued on its rise & rise, although the magnificent MEAT found itself on the chopping block, effectively cut into two, Tom Stephan heading one way with DISH, while previous promotions partner, Kris Di Angelis, headed in another, waging WAR that was to prove a huge 2012 hit.
So, with Beyond’s February foray taking seasonal top spot, here is a conclusive slice from our review that shows you just why. “…Having played witness to some truly brilliant & breathtaking Beyond’s in our time, “Tokyo” &” Erotica” two standouts among a seas of scintillating others, what we experienced this morning was a shell shocking & stunning something else, Steve Pitron exceeding our expectations even more than we could have imagined or hoped for. And having completely absorbed ourselves in the rapturous rollercoaster ride we found ourselves on, those emotional eruptions bigger than ever before, it will be a morning that will remain in our memories for a long time to come…” we adding that “…while in the very capable promotional hands of Steven Sharp, there is no doubt that Beyond continues to ride that wave crest it has found itself on for so long. Plus, while it may have only reached a lowly fifth in a certain scene website’s annual club poll, in the hands of its all-star resident D.J.’s & other invincible ingredients, this brilliant brand showed us why is remains the best club in town, one deserved of a top slot in ANY scene award ceremony and certainly one that gets our vote every single time…” it clearly having risen to the top of our January to March tree the rest of the review at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=4403 showing you why..
To our next seasonal sector now and one that sported clubbing celebration with a real royal connection, this period encompassing the pomp & circumstance around the marriage of Will & Kate, as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. But all that was to come, as it was Easter that stood in the season spotlight first, Beyond going into “XLsior” mode, while London sported another WE party premiere, this time “Fluro” colourfully captivating the capital. Then, just like the colossal combo that it was, As One saw of clubbing & clubbers convergence that was nothing short of a roadblock, although it was to prove the last popular party for this once brilliant brand blend, while another Easter bunny bash that emerged and then disappeared was Discotec. So, while this second biggest weekend of the year lacked a little lustre, there was much anticipation for a diamond jubilee one full of dancing delights, the dynamic developer of the year, Deelooded, grabbing plenty of its own headlines, while we completely sat out the weekend due to ill health. But there was one place that we weren’t going to sit out, the pulsating PLAY>TIME party a prominent part of our prancing in this period, the magnificent meet on 11th May seeing our premier player & our premier protégé player sort the sounds, Steve’s stellar set for once, eclipsed by a Zach Burns performance that has seen him storm into our Y.E. top 5, this Friday frolic also making it to top spot this season, even if it was devoid of an real competition, save for Beyond, which tuned the seasonal tables on WE, beating the June “Fast Food” foray into third, hanging our second place hat this awesome afterhours achiever’s 13th May party, a fabulous frenzy that, purely from a fun-filled perspective, had to be right up there.
The real shocker of this 2012 reflection is that we recorded not one review between March & May, a period that was, without doubt, our toughest, so we thought we would step back to New Year’s Day and share a small slice from our super sized study of “Safari” our summary saying “…So, it pretty much goes without saying that we were immensely impressed with this latest WE event, “Safari” exceeding our expectations by a country mile, the visuals some of the best we have seen anytime & anywhere, while the stage dancers , effects & lighting added to the awesome atmosphere that was evident from start to finish…” along with “…what made it truly spectacular was being on that select stage spot, a privileged position where we could savour every single second of a simply scintillating Steve Pitron set & performance, our prolific pal playing to the extent of our emotions so effectively that we were continually left breathless in admiration…”, we concluding that “…“Safari” in our estimation shot higher into the sky than the largest African Savannah plain tree branches that soar above the reach of the tallest of giraffe’s, a prolific & pulsating party that has set the standard for future WE’s to come, raising the bar brilliantly…” the whole review a worthy read by going to http://discomatt.com/web/?p=4708/
Onwards to the summer season and one that started with our scene sabbatical announcement, although it would be relatively short lived given the immensity of incarnations that were to play their part in this period and drag us, sometimes kicking & screaming, to successive soiree’s in a purple patch August three weeks. However, that was after the Olympics in July, along with what ended up a debacle of a London Pride celebration, clubbing corporation, Orange Nation, rescuing what was an utterly unacceptable maze of mismanagement by the committee responsible for, not just the capital’s celebration, but of the whole “World Pride” proceedings that delivered nothing, rather leaving us and many more disgusted & disappointed. But out of the ashes of a piss poor Pride came another brilliant Beyond on that weekend Sunday and our first review in three months, creating a catalyst for more to follow, that purple patch August period scooping all three seasonal spots in our club event chart, Beyond on 12th sandwiched by two Lo-Profile parties, ClubNation sporting a six hour back-to-back set from Steve Pitron & Max Sanna on 19th, while it was PLAY>TIME that would savour the spoils of seasonal victory, this marvellous meet that fell on first Friday of the month, delivering another Y.E. set chart entrant, this time from Nathan Six who added, in phenomenal fashion, to an already pulsating Pitron performance. This terrific trio apart, there was much more to melt into, boutique clubbing brands WAR, Gigolo, Room Service & new turn Tramp, showing the bigger boys a clean pair of heels, while Lovebox was an a huge highlight for us, there inevitably being low points for some, SuperMartXe’s “Olympiade” event failing to sufficiently ignite its own torch, while former Friday leader of the party pack, Onyx, found itself on the ropes after a battered bruising at the hands of its Soho rival, something it would never recover from. But perhaps the most saddening slump was that of Salvation, its prolific promoter Steve Elliot having suddenly passed away in March, leaving a void that not even his best friend & fellow promoter, Oliver Mohns, could fill, the promise of renewed London fortunes for what had become an global giant in the hands of Mr Elliot, falling at the first hurdle.
To our seasonal select and a piece from our PLAY>TIME review “Pitron & Six Pack A Punch”, our concluding comments leaving us in no doubt that our decision was the right one, the compelling evidence as follows “...In PLAY>TIME the team behind Lo-Profile have certainly found a winner on a number of fronts, it having established itself as a Friday night market leader, even knocking the might of Onyx off its pedestal, promoter Jay Roberts having developed a brand that neatly balances socialising, dancing, music & men in the most marvellous way and like lots of long running clubs on the capitals circuit, it seems this magnificent weekly meet has lengthy legs in it for sure…” our case continuing “…such has been the success of PLAY>TIME here in London, that the club has extended its welcoming arms across Europe, Paris’s Spyce having entertained Jay & his team on a couple of occasions this year already, while with the might of worldwide organisation Gaydar behind it, a little birdie tells us that there are bigger & better plans ahead to achieve the clubs aspirations abroad…”, we couldn’t conclude with championing Steve Pitron & Nathan Six, both propelling us into “…musical seventh heaven, Mr Pitron’s picks particularly pulsating & mesmerising although, to be fair to Nathan, despite having a hard act to follow, more than held his own, in fact, served up a simply spectacular set to savour & show his senior…” the full review out at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=5758.
To the final four months of the year now, we having squeezed September into this 2012 swansong season, a period that from a personal point of view proved to be packed with phenomenal positives, as our annual address illustrates, while a whole host of enthralling events have fallen outside the remit of this review, Brighton Pride, Steve’s 40th birthday party & two colossal concerts, Florence & The Machine & Robbie Williams, four exceptional examples. Yet, from a capital circuit point of view, there was as much to celebrate, a brace of birthday’s in September, one for Onyx which turned three on the 14th, while scene starlet Munroe Bergdorf was just a tad older at Room Service the previous night, November seeing another birthday, this time for Orange who marked their fourteenth on 11th, we unashamedly making mention of ours on 20th December (not a club event but it had to be done). Birthday’s aside, it was all change in November, as Later headed in a “Nu Direction” prolific promoter Steven Sharp now in charge, while A:M went all “Ultra” on us, shifting from a Saturday to a Friday start & gobbling up the already ill fated Onyx. Beyond has its fair share of change during the season too, a new promoter in the form of Ben Kaye shaking up the residency team of D.J.’s, ruffling some feathers along the way, while early October was a patch we would rather forget, WE “Bitches On The Beach” our worst experience ever, although it was to be brilliantly counter-balanced by WE’s own birthday bash, “Formula 2”, which was nothing short of phenomenal, leaving us in no doubt that it rightfully deserves our season top spot, although a decision we did deliberate upon, given in enormity of two breathtaking Beyond events in December, the 9th & the 30th (that’s yesterday!) to be exact. So, you can see what’s coming, these two towering turns taking second & third slots, pushing a captivating ClubNation from 24th November out into the chart cold, while Steve Pitron’s clean sweep of sets was inevitable, although has left us with a delicate dilemma to deal with.
So, before we hit on the movers & shakers, winners & losers of the year, here select slices from the final two paragraphs from our WE “Formula 2” review, starting with “… having experienced virtually every single outing here in London since the launch back in 2010, we can say with confident qualification that this best by a long shot…” then “…we acknowledge that “Formula 2” had some way to go to top “Safari” as our favourite & most fabulous WE party in London, it did in leaps & bounds and in virtually every department…” followed with “…it is the D.J.’s who get the lion’s share of our plaudits, some sets we missed, while others we savoured…” adding “…a superb set from Carlos Gallardo, in any other company would have made it to that premier podium position, he once again proving to us why we hold him in such high regard compared to his Spanish compatriots…” eventually concluding that “…it was Steve Pitron who crossed the chequered flag first, a simply stunning set that left us emotionally enthralled throughout, his choice picks hitting every heavenly house music mark we could mention, highlight ones without doubt “Not Alone” & Beautiful Lie”, while we would go as far to say that, just like this wonderful latest WE event & like his specially devoted podcast, this was the most phenomenal Pitron performance we have witnessed, no more to say…” our super sized showcase a click away at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=6178.
Well that covers of four seasoned 2012 scene step outs & highlight happenings, but what of the ones we may have missed and what of the movers, the shakers, the winners, the losers, the lost & the found? Well, Matinee made a magnificent return with a plethora of parties, a couple of twelve hours spectacles & a Beyond combo that found it return to its first London home, Area, while the scene’s Spanish superstar was undoubtedly WE, both “Pharoah” & “Hi Japan” overlooked above, yet in combination with the rest of their party pack, made it one of the most prominent performers. We briefly mentioned Deeleoded, which was another season on season scene success and sure to be a Y.E. award winner, while As One joined the ranks of losers that included Toybox, Shine, Bearzone, SuperMartXe, Discotec, Detox, Onyx & Circus, the latter sliding off the clubbing calendar quite surprisingly, while many of the others also fall into the lost & found categories, outdoor eventing a real loser in 2012, Pride already covered but a sad Summer Rites not. However on the bright side, there was always Beyond, this awesome afterhours continuing to ride a 2012 wave crest as tall as the previous four seasons, although it did have its fair share of challenges to cope with, a temporary shift to Fire in March one dark patch in a twelve month period that has surely secured another set of awards & accolades. That said, the big winners were the boutique clubbing brands, Room Service, Gigolo, WAR, Gutterslut, Carpet Burn & SOS heading up a long list of others, as like the austerity measures committed by the collation, the capitals clubbing circuit clubbing numbers did see a decline in 2012, paving the way for these more compact & bijou bashes to boost. Yet when we look at our own clubbing chart toppers, it is the big come bigger guns that have dominated the year, while in set terms, the delicate dilemma we faced was answered with an simple & straight forward epiphany, let our heart rule over our head and go with our gut, our podium position places, clubbing wise seeing Beyond secure both third & second spots with WE “Formula 2” standing top tall, while in terms of sets, it’s a podium packed out by Steve Pitron, a better way to finish this second 2012 review we couldn’t think of, as it is this incredible individual that has influenced our clubbing cavorting more than any other. (DISCO MATT)
Postscript
It was pretty tight with a variety of others to choose from, but here are the final five in both the club event & set chart categories
Club Events Chart Top 5
- WE “Formula 2” – 1st December
- Beyond “Music Is All You Need” – 30th December
- Beyond “Early Disco Doors” – 19th February
- WE “Safari” – 1st January
- PLAY>TIME – 3rd August
Club Sets Chart Top 5
- Steve Pitron – Beyond “Music Is All You Need” – 30th December
- Steve Pitron – Beyond “Early Disco Doors” – 19th February
- Steve Pitron – WE “Formula 2” – 1st December
- Nathan Six – PLAY>TIME – 3rd August
- Zach Burns – PLAY>TIME – 11th May
Posted in Reviews | Tags: A:M, Beyond, Carpet Burn, Dish, Gutterslut, Lo-Profile, Max Sanna, Nathan Six, Onyx, Playtime, Room Service, SOS, Steve Pitron, Tramp, War, WE | 1 Comment »
Having missed reporting on the scene & so with the August bank holiday on our doorstep, we thought it was high time to wave a fond farewell to our summer sabbatical & rev up the resumption of our services, reviews, recommends & reports all back, while our music seventh gear gets selected along with our picks & previews, all the planned scene & other coverage set out below
Well what a summer it has been here in the capital, the weather speaking volumes for the rest of it, our planned full-on sabbatical battered by heavy winds literally a week in, stepping out on the scene over gay pride weekend nevertheless reasonably limited and only a smattering of showings since, predominantly at Play>Time & Beyond. So, there has been much we have missed, WE, Matinee, Salvation & SuperMartXe, the biggies while the launch of Toybox, the continuing success story of WAR, and not one but two Deelooded parties all passing us by. But with plenty more parties we could have made, Gigolo, Room Service, Hustlers, Stripper, all in Soho, along with Shoreditch shindigs, Gutterslut, The Men Who Fell To Earth, SOS & Dish, we have very much been out of the clubbing circuit circulation, this on top of the first few months of 2012 when we were ravaged by personal problems & setbacks. All this means that there is much catching up to do, not just in restoring our website & reporting services, but putting ourselves out & about, in front of club promoters, owners & you, the clubbing crowd, thus showing you that we are back in & meaning business.
So what does all this mean? Well, having taken the necessary break to ponder our position, we have very much missed reviewing, reporting & recommending the scene, yes we have been continuing our support through the promotional banners on our site and, yes, we have also been sharing our “Pick Of The Day” choices through Facebook, Tumblr & right here, although, with the exception of the odd music focus & one (yes just one) review, that is been about it. Therefore, we have set ourselves a stringent target to not only produce at least one post per day, but to devote days of the week to certain reporting duties, the setting of these stringent timescales, timetables & goals hopefully producing the kind of prolific productivity that we used to enjoy this time two years ago. Indeed, as part of the re-expansion plans, some of our much missed reports/posts will be back, for instance our weekly recommendations newsletters “Best Bites” & “Short Shouts”, the first two rolled out for this August bank holiday, while we have a trio of Weekend Focus features too, Toybox, WE & As One all in the recommends spotlight, while from the beginning of September our slightly shortened weekly round-up report, now called “That Was The Weekend That Was” will be back as well.
But it is our core activity that we will be pushing to the fore, our music newsletters also becoming a weekly feature, covering the podcasts & tracks that have either just been released or are floating our boat as well as making big on the dancefloors of the capital. However, it is our reviews that are paramount in our productivity plans, these being what Disco Matt is most famed for and have been in existence from the very start. Yet, 2012 has seen a lack lustre amount of reflections; we determined to put this straight from now on, at least one review a week to come, while for the August bank holiday, it looks like at least three will be on their way, definitely WE Japan & As One, while if all goes to plan, we will be reviewing Toybox too & incorporating our first reflection on new(ish) club venue Covert. And to show that we mean business, August being hailed as our review comeback month, not one or two, but three reviews are due out today & tomorrow, following visits to Play>Time on Friday 3rd, to Beyond on Sunday 12th & to ClubNation just this last Saturday (18th), while we also have planned a short series of reviews entitled “The 2012 Story So Far”, covering brands WE, Matinee, Beyond & Play>Time, also mopping up on our other steps out on the scene from January through July, the plan also to include the likes Lovebox, CasaLatina & more in an “Others” review round-up. As for activity into September, well, watch this space for our “Monthly Message”, while we have already committed to Brighton Pride & to Summer Rites on 1st & 2nd Sept respectively.
So, with our summer sabbatical now behind us and we ready & raring to go, we hope that you have missed us as much as we have missed you but look forward to being back in the scene review, recommends & reports driving seat. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reports | Tags: As One, Beyond, Deelooded, Dish, Gigolo, Matinee, Playtime, Room Service, Salvation, SuperMartXe, Toybox, War, WE | No Comments »
We waited, waited & waited, but the wait was well worth it as the much awaited new Steve Pitron podcast production has simply blown us away, so much so that his “Summer 2012 Part 1” mix simply had to make it to DM’s prestigious Podcast Of The Week position, download/stream options an image click below, while we delve into those delicate drops of destruction delivered by this captivating composition & its creator, beneath.
For the many years that we have been cavorting around clubland, we have been very fortunate to not only bump into but be-friend a whole host of D.J.’s both here in London & across the globe, the music that they play & produce undoubtedly our single most passion of any in our world, while amidst the scores of names we could roll-call, there is one that for all of that time, but particularly in the last small handful of years, has tipped our scales perhaps more than any other. Indeed in the tough months of 2012 so far, it has been this individual that has drawn us out onto the scene where others have failed, his music the magnet that also drives the energy & enthusiasm we have for stepping out on the scene, not to mention powering our pedals during our daytime working week. And focussing just on 2012 but looking back to the first month of the year, it was his podcast release that not only captured the imagination of 10’s of thousands of ardent fans, but has pretty much ruled that pedal pushing periods of our working week ever since, a twenty four track triumph that we have not yet (and probably never will) tire of, while previous podcasts of his rule populate our playlists like no other music producer we know.
We are, of course, talking about Steve Pitron, a D.J. & producer of music that has been at the top of his & the capital’s clubbing circuit game for more years than we wish to mention, such has been the lasting appeal of his sound & style. Indeed while others of his generation have very much fell by the wayside, Mr Pitron continues to plough a prolific path, often headlining some of the biggest brands & parties on the scene, Beyond, Matinee, WE, SuperMartXe, & Orange just some. But it doesn’t stop there, as while his music productions with studio partner Max Sanna (of which there are many) often get overlooked by the casual clubber, their provenance are such that they regularly receive airplay from a host of national & international radio stations, as well as reaching out to revellers on dancefloors across the world. However, while there is no substitute for savouring a live Steve Pitron performance, his podcasts do carry considerable clout among the clubbing community, as well as dance music discerners, which means that when a new recording is released, it is big news indeed, even if he has been keeping us waiting for longer than we would have liked, perhaps a Pitron ploy that in the case of “Summer 2012” has worked like a dream.
So it’s here, that much awaited new Pitron podcast, or should we say “podcasts” as Steve has decided to treat us (like he did last year) to two compilations under the “Summer” title, although unlike the two 2011 releases, part’s 1 & 2 this year are likely to be much more closely tied together in both style & substance, as well as being much closer to the feel of a live Pitron performance. But while we wait for the second instalment with immense interest, Steve has already stolen his own previous podcast show with Vol. 1, very much taking us on a jovial journey through a spectrum of Steve style of sounds that make this first part stand-out from the first of his 2012 productions, kicking off with the familiar vocal track “Such A Good Feeling” which is given a funky twist & update by Crazibiza, remix artists that feature in many of Mr Pitron’s podcasts, the next two tracks straying from traditional territory that, on first listen, had us scratching our heads a little, but as we reach the fifteenth play, fit the journey pattern like a glove. But in the spectacular “Heat Of The Night” which bowled us over when we heard it first at Beyond, Steve certainly drops the first delicate dose of destruction, this already having become one of those coveted Pitron/DM anthems that always gets our trademark tearful emotional eruptions of euphoria when we hear it. So, having firmly planted the heavenly house music hook into us, Steve quickly reels us in like a trapped fish on a line with first Flaxen Beats & then Avicii, although we try to wriggle out of his grasp with another duo of uncharacteristic Steve selections, these nevertheless confirming that he is cleverly steering us on that genre journey that has become amazingly addictive.
As this creative compilation hits the half way mark with the superb “Sky”, erupting our emotions in the same way that “Take Me Higher” did/does on his Jan 2012 release, Steve has certainly selected seventh sound gear, entering the realms of his live performances with precise pronunciation, another classic re-work choice, this time “That Feeling” leading us willingly into more dollops of destruction as the truly towering “Somebody I Used To Know” hits us broadside with its brilliant beats, the destructive door slammed shut with no escape. And like we often get pinned on our spot at Beyond by plumes of Pitron perfection, the 2012 version of “Sundays At Heaven” confirms that any form of resistance is futile, we willingly sinking into successive scintillating selections that include tracks from two of our favourite artists of now, Nadi Ali & Etienne Osborne, both before we are completely consumed, head in hands at this house music heaven when Steve hits us with “Pump Up the Jam” into “My World”, his masterful mixing come blending, which is pitch perfect all the way through, spine chillingly good at this point. But “Summer 2012 Part 1” is not yet over, oh no, as those emotions erupt once more with the Velardi & Vitti re-work of The Lighthouse Family’s “Be Happy”, before Mr Pitron sends us packing with a fantastic finale in the form of Prok & Fitch’s stunning “Symphony” which delivers yet more delicate drops of destruction that leave us clammering for more.
So, it goes without saying that this Steve Pitron summer smash of a podcast should (if it hasn’t already) make it into your collection and one you can download by going to direct link http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com/entry/2012-07-14T08_25_40-07_00 where details on the full track listing is available & where we would encourage you to post your own comment of approval for what is most definitely one of Steve’s finest podcast productions ever, thus setting the benchmark extremely high for part 2 to at least match or even better, which in the hands of the masterful Mr Pitron, has every chance of doing so. (DISCO MATT)
Having heard the preview, seen the track listing & viewed the artwork, Disco Matt, through the excitement, the emotion, & the euphoria of its release, reviews the most anticipated podcast production since the summer of 2011, as Steve Pitron’s “Jan 2012 Session” goes live to an adoring audience.
Prolific Podcast Production
When it comes to the passions in our lives, we have to list clubbing & cycling pretty much at the top of our list of loves, the common denominator tying the two together being music, no club event or cycle journey complete without a superb set of sounds to accompany them. And having not long completed the podcast part of our music review of 2011, it was evident that one individual dominated our year more than any other, a terrific talent that in that last year, more than the fourteen before it we have known him, played an intrinsically important part in both those loves in our lives. Clubbing wise, from his brilliance at Beyond to his resplendence at Room Service and from his wonderment at WE to his prominence at Lo-Profile, Steve Pitron delivered delightfully & dynamically in making, musically at least, 2011 our best year yet. Then we look at our other large love and not one cycle day in our long & sometimes lousy year on London’s roads has been without a podcast of his playing in our ears & enriching our experiences, whether it be “Afterhours” amazing us or both “Summer’s” scintillating us. Indeed, Steve’s superb sounds have played a prolific part in our playlist’s more than any other, very much reflecting why they made positions one, two & three in our podcast chart of the year, that and the fact that they are, without doubt, a trio of the most accomplished compilations we came across in 2011.
WE Love Steve!
But while we ended the year yearning for a fourth Pitron production to float our musical boat, as we dived into 2012 with both feet, succumbing to more of those simply stunning sets of his at Beyond & WE “Safari”, the year has suddenly gotten even better than we could have wished for with that much anticipated podcast release, one that looks set to further liven up our musical lives & enrich those experiences, whether spinning around the roads, zooming down the shopping aisles or cantering off to the clubs. And while Steve’s “Jan 2012 Session” compilation has been a handful of months in the making, the wait has been well worth it, as from the minute we received that privileged preview, we realised that our prayers for more of that phenomenal podcast production had been answered, but not only that, he emphatically answering the question that this new compilation was always going to beg, could “Summer Vol. 2” be bettered?, that answer a resounding yes, yes, & yes. So given the magnitude of this latest release’s magnificence, we couldn’t let the moment pass without giving you our own insight into what makes this podcast so phenomenal, why it has bettered the one before, and, having been given exclusive access to the man himself, share Steve’s thoughts on what he set out to achieve with this awesome accomplishment. And, naturally, this special devotion would not be complete with the all important link to the podcast itself, along with our commentary of his track choices that dovetail delightfully, making for what we believe is his best podcast production ever.
Pitch & Precision Pitron
With the backdrop to this phenomenal podcast production painted, what better way to kick start this insight into Steve’s stunning selection of sounds than by giving you a flavour of what he set out to achieve with this podcast, his initial objective not to give the compilation a particular identity like his 2011 productions, so it wasn’t necessarily going to be about Beyond, or about WE, rather a collection of tunes that, yes he had played at both, but didn’t specifically relate to them. He wanted to reflect, as he aptly put it, “…simplicity & back to basics Pitron…” but what has become clear following completion of the compilation, is that the end result is actually as pretty close to what you can expect from a Steve set at either club, Mr Pitron having played on recent showings at Beyond & WE to construct this colossal composition, drawing on the influences from both, picking on highlights from his sets at these happenings to create something that, near as damn it, matches his live performances. And, for us, he has achieved it brilliantly, not only cleverly choosing tracks that have been major features of his recent sets, but moulding & mixing them in such a way that emulates our enthralling experiences in his hands at both clubs, this latest production including pretty much something for everyone & every taste, whether it be funky, progressive, tech, trance, dance or uplifting house, oh and yes, a superb smattering of classic Pitron-eque anthems remixed, all that had us ecstatically entrapped in its excellence from the first brilliant beat till the last.
Irresistible Inclusion
So what about the tracks Steve has chosen? Well, he has enlisted a couple of the usual suspects from previous productions, Crazibiza are there and Erick Morillo also features, while a veritable feast of accomplished industry renowned remix artists are included, Taito Tikaro, Avicii, G Martinez & Xavi all playing their part, while familiar names such as Robin S, Nadi Ali, Freemasons, Hoxton Whores, & Bassmokeys add considerable credentials to this colossal celebration of some of the best in the house music business, all making for a pretty unbeatable & irresistible combination of collectives. And in choosing the artists & tracks that he has, Steve say’s “…there were some strong tracks around towards the end of last year that didn’t make it onto a podcast of mine…”, he adding “…so I decided to combine the best of these with some new ones for 2012…” concluding “…I hope you like the end result…”, that end result being better than we could have wished for in our wildest dreams. With the brilliant “You Better” kicking off the podcast as it means to go on, the tempo increases further with “Lady Luck”, which then leads neatly into Copyright’s uplifting “Story Of My Life” before our breath is taken away with Avicii’s brilliant interpretation of the classic, “Rain Down Love” . But there is no resting, as the jubilant journey then tugs hard on our emotional strings with “Shake It” & then “Let You Go” both having invoked those trademark tears that have become so much a part of a Pitron performance for us, while Crazibiza’s “Sunshine Day” sends us soaring & smiling into the euphoric “Gravy” & the prolific “Pressure”, the mesmeric mixing between the two sending sensational shivers up our spines.
Remix Rhapsody
But the enthralling experience continues unabated, Kevin Sanderson’s “Beat Me Back” having progressive come tribal intentions while the vocals of the next, Bassmonkey’s “Don’t You Throw It Away” somehow reminds us of Madonna, this leading to a track that we have fallen madly & deeply in love with, the truly trance-tastic “Take Me Higher”, a composition that from the second we heard it, took us right back to our Crash club days, also in the hands of Mr Pitron. With the top gear Steve found from the start showing no signs of slipping, the next track, “Rolling In The Deep” gives way to a mix into & out of the wonderfully funky “World” that is tremendously & tingly towering, especially the blend into dancefloor dream, Avicii’s “Levels”, that followed by a pulsating Plastic Funk remix in the form of W’s “Work” (one of those Pitron-eque anthem’s). Then, as if all that wasn’t enough to erupt all our emotions, Steve hits us with “Track 3”, yes the one we have been mentioning in all our recent reviews but is actually called “I Really Want To Say” (it will forever be “Track 3” for us), we in tears from its 1st second start to its 290th fabulous finish, while next up is a rejoicement of a re-work of Pink Fluid’s “So Much Love”, the original of which topped our track chart of 2011, while “Fusion 2012” adds more of that classic’s remixed feel to this phenomenal Pitron podcast, before “Where Are You Now” combines, tech, tribal, progressive & uplifting in one. Then we arrive at the final scintillating Steve serving, which sneaks up on our emotions effortlessly, David Guetta’s “Titanium” a gushing giant of a compulsive conclusion to this colossal compilation that, a whole thirty three listens in, just gets better and better, we finding no fault with any of the tracks, rather with every replay finding further favour with one different dance dream of a delivery after the next that makes up this stunning “Jan 2012 Session”.
Pitron Perfection Personified
So the end result is a twenty one track triumph that sends us stratospheric on a rollercoaster ride bigger than Alton Towers and one that emulates all those exceptional experiences spinning on our spot at Beyond WE & elsewhere in his heavenly hands, we going as far to say that Steve has captured the brilliance of his set showings with pitch perfect precision. Now if all that wasn’t enough to convince you just how epic this podcast is, then you are just going to have to decide for yourselves by doing one of the following, either hitting the download button at http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com, subscribing to his podcasts via iTunes (the direct link to this mix being http://itnes.apple.om/gb/podcast/steve-pitron-house-sessions) or searching out his Soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/stevepitron, where you can also keep up to date with his studio productions with recording partner Max Sanna. Plus, remember that, as Steve quite rightly say’s, “Jan 2012 Session” (along with all his others) is one of the few most downloaded podcasts to still be 100% free, Mr Pitron putting it out for you having purchased ALL the music legitimately through sites such as Beatport & Juno, meaning we urge you to show your support for his generosity by subscribing to, downloading & leaving comments to his sessions on either or all of the above sites, that & making sure you like his music page on Facebook (link http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Pitron-DJMusic-page/138025579592838) where you will find the full track listing for this “Jan 2012 Session” compilation that, as we hinted to before, has a style of sound to suit each & every taste.
Well, that’s just about it for our special feature on this phenomenal podcast production, save for posing one final question, can the perfection that this simply stunning Steve session be improved upon? Well the plain & simple answer to that is, in the hands of Mr Pitron, probably yes, so here’s to the next rapturous release, but not before we have racked up at least another thirty three listens of this one. (DISCO MATT)
Revolution Renegade
If we had a pound for every club launch we have seen come & go over the years we have been circulating the scene, we would be pretty rich by now, while the same could be said for the plethora of promoters that have tried & failed to make the mark. So much so, when news first hit our desks of yet another new brand concept braving the tough cookie that is the capitals clubbing circuit, we were somewhat sceptical not just of its credentials but of its chance to cut a sufficiently significant & successful stride. That said, when the Fire fanfares shouted statements that included phrases “…the club launch of 2011…”, along with “…a new era of London clubbing…” as well as “…it will need to be seen to be believed…”, there was no wonder that our ears pricked up and our expectations grew, Brava the new brand, an international clubbing collaboration the concept and the word revolution the strap line running through the veins & arteries of this latest byword for clubbing.
However, the mightiest statement of intent among a field of others was still to come, the team behind Brava staking the claim that it would“… push the boundaries of technology and club culture further than ever seen before to create something truly spectacular, bringing together incredible new technology with an iconic image and cutting edge dance music…” a brave & bold statement indeed and when combined with the others, immediately placed Brava on the highest of pedestals in peoples estimations. But more than that, shouting from the rooftops that this was a “…spectacular international clubbing collaboration…”, when you consider that the two club brand names behind this new concept were (are) the Spanish superclub & global success story that is WE Party, along with the most awesome afterhours & brilliant brand Beyond, in this marriage of minds aimed at creating a combination of the two, it certainly seemed that in Brava had all the correct credentials to back up their colossal claims. So why the full-on fanfares?, and did Brava live up to these elevated expectations?
Revolution, What Revolution?!
With this prolific picture painted, it came as no surprise that Brava, right from the outset of its announcement, was creating quite a stir within the clubbing scene, not just here in London, but across Europe, a whole host of D.J.’s & scene faces getting in touch with us to find out just what this revolution in clubbing was all about. And quite rightly so, as a glance at the new brands video viral at http://youtube.com/watch?v=dKpzWpzfkgM, along with the clubs bespoke website at http://bravalondon.com were enough to get those tongues wagging and the inquisitive minds ticking, yet whilst we were by now very much sold into the idea that Brava was expected to be quite spectacular, we were struggling to pinpoint exactly what was going to be so revolutionary about this club launch of 2011. That said, in host venue The Electric (formerly The Fridge) expectations were also very high, a comprehensive refurbishment planned & expected, encapsulating the best in technology with stylish & sumptuous surroundings, leaving us with two further simple questions, would the brand & the venue deliver to expectations?, and would we walk away from the launch delighted or disappointed?
Well, with the scene set and the day arrived, it was time to find out, our planned early arrival for the VIP reception shelved due in part to an over extended disco nap, but with our technology charged, our revolutionary style t-shirt pressed & our review hat ready, we were set for the hop skip & jump down to Brixton and to nibble size tweet our way through this expected club launch of the year. And, arriving at our destination it was looking promising, well from the very healthy queue at least, which was stretching away from the venues entrance down Brixton towards the town hall, it obvious that many had chosen Brava as the place to be & be seen on the scene this bank holiday Sunday night, our expectations of a prolific party ahead improved further by the warming welcome from door hosts Minty & Naomi Ruiz, the familiar face of Tom Fuller orchestrating the lengthy queue as only he knows best. But as Naomi guided us into the entrance, we couldn’t help noticing all the chipboard covering the doorway & framing the box office, Electric seemingly having been ravaged by the recent rioting and covered up to conceal the damage. But while the entrance formalities were smooth as silk, as we ascended the stairs to the coatcheck, it was clear this part of our experience would be anything but, a queue as colossal as this Brava creation extending right along the upper tier balcony of the venue as well as right down the stairwell.
White Elephant
After a slightly shorter than expected wait, 20 or so minutes later we found ourselves released to go investigate the club, but having already had a bird’s eye view of the main auditorium below, dominated by a plain white scaffolding monolith engulfing the stage, we were already asking ourselves questions about what exactly was shouting clubbing revolution here. Plus, with a slice cut in the corner of this uninspiring monstrosity revealing the D.J. booth, opening disc spinner Luiggi & his equipment the barefaced focal point for everyone’s attention, you would have thought he would have put on some sort of show, yet the man showed no signs of response to the developing crowd below, rather looking quite miserable with his lot. But that was the least of our woes, as we were struggling to find an alternative exit from the upper tier of the venue, the usual second staircase blocked off as part of the continuing refurbishment of Brixton Electric. So, we descended the only way down, a sign on the wall asking us to “…please bear with us while we continue our upgrade…”, the smell of paint and the collection of cement dust, two obvious giveaways, as was the exposed ceiling which was far from finished, rather paint peeling & plasterwork exposed.
So, with our heads scratching as to exactly what this so called revolution in clubbing was going to further throw at us, we went in search of the dancefloor, the place packing out with party people before our very eyes, clearly everyone expecting great things from this Brava brilliance. Yet as we bumped into familiar faces, one after the next, the constant calls that said “…Disco Matt what do you think of this?…” were met with consternation, as the more we saw, the more we were in shock that, in effect, we were standing within a construction site of a venue, we quite literally stumbling on more & more evidence of unfinished works, exposed steel beams and near dangerous brick/cement work. And amongst all this, the white monstrosity on the stage was showing little or no life, apart from Luiggi, who had seemingly awoken from his reactionary slumber and was now waving his arms in response to the rousing rhythms that made up his very competent yet far from futuristic sound, who did they word it, oh yes, cutting edge music, we don’t think so.
Please Bear With Us
With the auditorium packing out even further, liaisons with Andrea, Rob, Sophie and a score of scene faces already under our belt, the urge to first relieve ourselves and then seek refreshments was our next task, but what a task it turned out to be, as the queues for the only two available toilets were already extensive, the main bar also well over five deep, leaving us with the only option to tie a knot in our privates & seek refreshments from the first floor. But this proved fruitless, the venue clearly not prepared to for volumes of people braving Brava, no soft drinks, not even bottled water available and so, when we were resigned to joining in the main bar mania, we had the choice (or not) of just blackcurrant lucozade to quench our thirst, the fridges behind completely empty and even gaps where equipment should have been evident for all to see.
However, like so many people that we continued to meet, we made the most of what Brava had to offer, although it has to be said, for the first four hours, it wasn’t much, save for the captivating company we were holding, the likes of Clington Forbes, Fabio Tavares & our very own foxy lady MisWhite keeping us from taking an early Brava bath. But, while further glances towards the stage & the white cube showed no sign of life, we did dive back onto our spot on the dancefloor, although being close to the stage, we were wondering just where the dancers or any sort of showings would fit, cement dust caking the performing area, while pyrotechnic & other equipment was exposed given rise to , in our humble opinion, serious health & safety issues. That said, the dancefloor was now rammed with revellers, many lapping up Luiggi’s music, his set even impressing friend Ariel Mayer along with hoards of others showing their hands in the air appreciation, although amongst all this enjoyment, we were continuing to question just what was so revolutionary about Brava.
Alight At Last
Still posting our controversial nibble size review tweets with breakneck speed and with no sign of the headlining D.J. act Peter Rauhofer, who by our clock was now well over ¾ of an hour late, this was close to being the final straw. But just as we were about to call it a day, the whole stage came alight with action, the white monolith that had looked pretty unimaginative, suddenly springing into action, the visual imagery actually superbly stunning when viewed from a distance, while the lighting, which had been conspicuous by its absence, fired up fervently, spots & lasers swinging and the cube as bright now as it had been dull before. With a rolling repetition of impressive images & a sea of lasers attempting to ramp up this revolution in clubbing, along with a message coming our way that our cougar loving clubbing pal had arrived, made us stall plans to exit the event, rather sinking back down onto the dancefloor to view the imagery close up, as well as from a standpoint at the bar, liaisons with Paul Heron & Minty perking us up further.
With its star turn on show and the stage alight with action, it now seemed that there were lengthy legs to Brava, although, visual imagery apart, we certainly weren’t witnessing anything we hadn’t seen anywhere else, not least as the dancers were a carbon copy of those we had spotted at WE just twenty four hours before, while Peter Rauhofer’s performance, for us, wasn’t that much to write home about. However, with the captivating company we were holding, pal Stephen in his Fidel Castro outfit and much hilarity on an Ibiza incident dominating the remainder of our stay, we actually ended up having quite a good time, the company rather than the club more likely responsible for our rapture. But our night wasn’t quite complete, as we managed to grab an audience with the venue’s owner before our leave, he going into great detail about the unearthing of issues with the building’s roof structure, wiring & the like, all that had protracted the renovation. However, even his reassuring words were not enough to keep us from our homeward retreat, leaving this clubbing revolution behind us and what seemed the one highlight of the night, a brilliant set from Paul Heron, eclipsing his two predecessors by a long shot.
Up Close & Personal
So, where do we start in concluding on what was billed as “…the clubbing launch of 2011…” yet for us an many around proved anything but, the overriding reaction being that the venue simply wasn’t in any sort of fit state to accommodate such a claim, let alone provide a decent platform for the Brava brand to perform effectively enough. From the minute we arrived, the evidence of Electric’s unfinished state was plain so see and this was not helped by the white elephant of an eyeful that was the stage, like the D.J. sporting it, left pretty much lifeless for the first few hours. And with coatcheck issues, ill equipped toilet facilities & ill prepared bar staff & stock, queuing was the name of the game, these shortcomings being fuelled by the hoards of bank holiday clubbers that braved what was the only major event on the Sunday night clubbing circuit. Then we turn to the claims that Brava would be a clubbing revolution, the only revolutionary part of the concept as far as we could see, being the visual projections which, when viewed from a distance were quite spectacular, but from the dancefloor had little or no impact, coupled with the fact that by the time they actually swung into action, it was too little too late.
Performance wise, it was clear from the white monolith that the D.J.’s were the main focus, yet both Luiggi & Peter Rauhofer showed little signs of performing to the crowd, rather burying their heads into the decks. And as for the dancers, well given the shortage of space to perform, they failed to make an impressive enough impact, while using the same set to those at WE just a day before was just a little bit too predictable, especially given this was one half of the brand collaboration that made up Brava. Mind you if scene weekly rag Boyz magazine were to be believed, the party “…blew the crowd away…”, they going further by adding that “…following the promise of an uber cool dance show, Brava did not disappoint…” the magazine’s review crowning glory being that “…international superstar Pagano hit the decks…”. But with no sign of Pagano & no sign of an uber cool dance show, it begs the question, did Boyz have a review representative there at all?, as if they did & given what they have said, he/she was most definitely at a different party to us. But we suspect the magazine is simply pandering to their advertising commitments & regurgitating the press release rather than reporting the truth, something which we feel you deserve.
Boyx Brava Bow
Therefore, given all of this, many questions about Brava remain unanswered, namely, what was so revolutionary about the party?, what made it the club launch of 2011?, and did they really reflect the future of clubbing as all the pre-party hype made it out to be? Plus, what did brands Beyond & WE think about the result?, we having spotted the latter’s promoter Victor Pallas present, although failed to find any of the Orange Group top brass there, the director & assistant director of events away in Manchester and the groups owner, having invested a huge amount of time & money into the project, also missing. Their absence begs yet another question, if this was the club launch of the year, why were they not present? as surely if Brava was such a momentous occasion in clubbing, you would think they would want to show a united front rather than leaving it to the likes of Aaron Elder, Victor Pallas, Mauricio Ortiz & other Brava team members to pick up the pieces, thoughts of infallible to failure, overinflated ego’s & too cock sure to commit, springing to mind. Now we know that our findings are controversial & our choice of words will court contention, but if we are honest, we felt extremely let down by the whole Brava experience and are sure that others feel the same, many surely justified in demanding a refund, leaving us to believe the promoters & the venue have a case to answer on all the claims they made about this so called clubbing revolution turned renegade. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Aaron Elder, Beyond, Brava, Hrh Minty, Luiggi, Mauricio Ortiz, Minty, Naomi Ruiz, Paul Heron, Peter Rauhofer, The Brixton Electric, Tom Fuller, Victor Pallas, WE | 1 Comment »
Captivating Carlos Confinement
When we look back across the last few years in clubland London, hardly a bank holiday weekend goes by without a slice of Spanish splendour exerting its influence, Matinee being the main protagonist, although in more recent times, competitor brand SuperMartXe claiming its stake in this prized possession of a party placing. However, with the former having faded into the background and its natural rival also slinking into the sidelines, the coast was clear for a third protagonist to take hold, WE party having already made a massive mark on the capitals clubbing circuit, exceptional events “Candy” & “Heroes” cementing its position as the leading international import clubbing brand in London and thus making it a hot ticket for the final bank holiday of the year. That said, with a hectic schedule of parties, WE was assuming what has been acknowledged as the weaker night of the long weekend, Saturday proving a sticky wicket for many, including the might of Matinee & the splendour of SuperMartXe, leaving us to question, would the wonder of WE succeed where others have failed?
For their latest billboard bash, the combined forces of WE’s Madrid men & London lot had decided on the title “Prison of Love”, the theme that had received critical acclaim at the Spanish capital’s pride event back in July, The Coronet in Elephant & Castle being the next stop for this next chapter in the increasingly impressive & seemingly invincible march of this magnificent meet. Plus, while the expansion of WE across Europe & indeed the world had now captured destinations including New York, Paris, Rome, Mykonos & Ibiza, London was seen as the closest replication of the might of Madrid, the huge scale of La Riviera being emulated by The Coronet, allowing promoter Victor Pallas & his Spanish team to easily fit the concept together here in the capital. So, the scene was set for another prolific party and possibly a repeat of the roadblock reaction to both “Candy” & “Heroes”, well on paper at least, so how did this latest Orange Group orated outing actually turn out?, did that Saturday wicket stick come into play?, and were we locked in love with WE or crying out for an early release?
WE Wording
Having missed out on the last event in London, which, interestingly had taken place on the same night that “Prison of Love” had done in Madrid, we were determined to make this latest WE Party wonder, although coming out of a two week clubbing curfew, heading out on a Saturday night at just before midnight was feeling faintly foreign to us. However, arriving at the doors of The Coronet to the familiar faces of Tom Fuller, Ben Kaye & Minty, as well as the typical trait of a considerable queue, the popularity of this event quite evident to our eyes, we suddenly felt right back at home and ready for our lock in with love. So, with greeting & entrance formalites over, even what was looking like a longer wait for the coatcheck was over in a trice, a fabulous feat considering just how busy this WE party was already, this becoming even more evident when we stepped into the main room, the dancefloor absolutely packed with party people and virtually every other space crammed with cavorters lapping up this London marriage of minds with Madrid.
With our wrist wrapped with a VIP pass, we made the most of this special & much welcome treatment, by heading onto the bespoke balcony, arming ourselves with refreshments for the antics ahead, the view of the stage from where we were standing the best we would get all night, while our surveyance of the territory spotted D’Johnny in charge of the D.J. decks, treating a capacity Coronet to a storming set of tech fuelled yet uplifting beats that was befitting of the occasion & matching the Madrid music montage magnificently. But with the stage still blacked out in anticipation of the expected exceptional LED led stage show ahead, we decided to venture down onto the dancefloor, our arrival greeted by Ross Peterson & his posse, all fresh from their Circuit Festival foray yet still savouring more Spanish splendour, they not alone as the whole venue was alive with action, the atmosphere a brilliant buzz and this “Prison Of Love” event already laying the spooks of that Saturday sticky wicket to rest, the E&C enclave every bit as busy as the two bashes before, WE London certainly riding on a high wave crest of crowd captivation.
Dynamic Displays
However there was much more to come, not least the arrival of Spanish superstar & WE resident D.J. Carlos Gallardo, a brief respite trip of ours missing the fanfare of the stage spectacle unveiling, but our return reaped with rapture as the music magician was waving his wand of wonderment over us, a simply stunning set that was engrossing our ears & massaging our minds with spectacular selections. And matching his energetic & eruptive emissions were the explosions of pyrotechnics & ticker tape showers, matched equally by the larger than life LED displays, immense images engulfing this event with their enthralling excess, even the drop dead gorgeous muscle bound male dancers pailing in significance to their superior size. So, soon finding ourselves taking in the enormity of this “Prison Of Love” party from a vantage point behind the dancefloor, it was clear that WE had made significant strides since our last full-on bonding with this brand, the winning formula of this prolific party playing out perfectly.
So we had now been well & truly locked in love with this prison party, even pushing our departure key out of reach for a while, rather continuing our cavorting around the cavernous club, bumping into familiar faces, one after the next, Mark Forns, Sophie Pearson, Pablo Teixeira, Altina Ha, JJ Clark & Chris Ho all huge highlights, although it was another Chris of the Jepson variety that caught us off guard yet again, accosting us close to the dancefloor, in a nice way of course, we fortunately finding ourselves simply saying hi rather than licking his boot (don’t ask). But with a rather strange female fizzing our hair, coupled with more than one or two bum pinches, we retired to comfortable distance as a slight slowing of the music signalled the rather long overdue PA performance, although one we probably could have done without, Tara Macdonald not quite hitting our sweet spot along with a score on notes in the recording renditions she was attempting to emulate, a so so showing nowhere near the perfection of Peyton who will forever be the wonderful WE performer on our pronounced pedestal.
Superb Spectacle
With scintillating Carlos service resumed, the man absolutely nailing yet another superb, possibly the best we had witnessed yet, we were content to see out the rest of our stay at this WE winner on the VIP balcony, only encounters with first fat Tony then Mikey D making us feel a tad Beyond-ish, our minds beginning to focus on their bank holiday big top bash. But Mr Gallardo was going to have none of it, a successive string of sounds striking rapturous resonance and sending us into a spin on our spot, a fleeting glance & then chat with Tom Fuller the only intervention on our indulgence in Carlos’s ingenious music making. Then, just as we were about dig deep for the key to our release from this “Prison Of Love” party, a stunning set of visuals held us back, WE shouting a spectacular statement its international credentials with flags & associated wording that spoke volumes about this brilliant brand, we spotting Victor Pallas passing by us suitably pleased with his lot and for good reason, as this had turned out to be yet another exceptional event, leaving us to head home and reflect on just how good it had been, also deciphering the huge amount of highlights that made this a memory making marvel.
Since its launch in London back in December last year, WE has ascended close to the top of the tree in the capitals clubbing calendar, the combination of more accessible music compared with compatriots Matinee & SuperMartXe, along with the simply stunning stage shows and uniquely dynamic LED displays, have made this brilliant brand become a firm favourite with the clubbing fraternity. And with this “Prison of Love” event, it is clear to us that WE has cemented its security in the ever changing scene that we find ourselves within, it seemingly now able to attract even the diehard supporters of its competitors to the fray, a capacity crowd laying to rest the misconception that bank holiday big brand bashes on a Saturday simply don’t work as well. In terms of our highlights, while we cannot escape the obvious, the charming company we held and the exceptional effects we experienced, the pole position to chequered flag fabulousness of Carlos Gallardo tipped our scales the most, very much getting our vote of confidence as the best Spanish D.J. export to London we know, he more than anyone else ensuring we were locked in love rather than raring for release from this prison inspired party. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Reviews | Tags: Carlos Galardo, Chris Jepson, D'Johnny, Tara Macdonald, Victor Pallas, WE, WE London, WE Party | 1 Comment »
Roll On The Revolution
During our time both clubbing and reporting on clubbing we have seen a whole host of new concepts, launches & events that have tried to make an impression on the scene, some more successful than others, some standing the test of time, while others have fallen at the first hurdle, some even hardly getting out of their wrapping before being shelved as simply pie in the sky ideas. Yet, there always seems to be a penchant for a party and for something new, especially in recent times when the capitals clubbing circuit seems to be missing that sense of excitement & variety which we all seem to crave, big brands such as Lovechild, Matinee & SuperMartXe having seemingly dissolved before our eyes, while the trend for more boutique style soirees seems to be finding favour, think Room Service, Gigolo, & Meat, the private party theme also gathering steam, leaving us to wonder exactly where our beloved scene is heading and what has happened to the larger scale spectacles that always used to dominant the clubbing calendar.
So, when news hit our desks that the creators behind the two most successful brands on the current clubbing circuit in the capital, WE & Beyond, were launching a new concept, a new brand & a new way of clubbing, we were very excited about the prospect, not least given the colossal credential behind this so called “…international collaboration…”, Indeed, with WE Party having extended its audacious arms right across Europe with a successive series of sensational & prolific parties, while the brilliant brand that is Beyond has expanded its empire to include events in Australia, Brazil, France & Greece, the marriage of these minds to produce something fresh & exciting looks, at this concept stage at least, to have the seeds of success that should see it not only survive but thrive, just like its two clubbing mentors. But what is this new clubbing concept about?, why the collaboration?, where will it be played out?, & who will be commanding your clubbing attention?
Striking Statement
Well let’s set out to answer those questions and first look at this new brand, one that has been hailed as a clubbing revolution and quoted as combining “…some of the greatest minds in gay clubbing… “ the creators are certainly shouting statements about this new venture, such as “…daring to push the boundaries of technology and club culture further than ever seen before, to create something truly spectacular..”, along with “…bringing together incredible new technology with an iconic image and cutting edge dance music…”, as well as “…altering reality before your very eyes and blurring the line between imagination and what you can perceive…”, bold & brave opinions indeed, meaning the name for this new club couldn’t be better expressed, as Brava fits its creators aspirations like a glove. And the branding very much shouts the revolutionary ideology of the club, while further claims that it “…heralds the start of a new era of London clubbing…” and will be “…the club launch of 2011…” indicate that the forces behind this new venture are determined to see it succeed.
Towering Technology
So let’s drill down on more of the Brava detail, first & foremost covering off the host venue now called Electric, but better known to many as The Fridge in Brixton. Having graced its doors over the years for parties like Love Muscle, Revolver & Matinee, there was no question that the ravages of times had taken their toll on this south London institution, which was very much in need of a revamp. But just like Beyond did back in 2008, rising like a phoenix out of the ashes of its previous incarnation, Electric is doing the same and having recently received coverage in “Music Week”, who reported back in June that this “…new live music venue is set to offer promoters an affordable 1,500-plus capacity room when it opens its doors in September…” adding that “…having been closed since March when the premises were sold to investment group Omni Assets, with London crying out for a replacement for the now demolished Astoria, Omni has ploughed more than £1 million to refurbish the club…”. And having tracked down a promotional video viral which seems to speak volumes for the new look, we cannot wait to see the transformation for ourselves, while this short clip out at http://youtube.com/watch?v=9rL3xdN2hUU gives you a good flavour of what to expect, certain sources quoting that “…it will be a Koko-esque club with royal blue & gold decorations, a large dancefloor, a stage, plus a mezzanine level running all around the venue…”, while having spoken to Brava’s creators, we are aware a considerable amount of investment has also been ploughed into the venues sound & lighting, as well as ancillary faculties such as toilets & cloakrooms, all meaning that the transformation from Fridge to Electric will surely impress even the most sceptical of surveyors.
With the venue deal sealed, what about Brava itself? Well, as the claims seem to stake, this new club night sets to combine many of the elements that have made both Beyond & WE the successes they are, not least with the implementation of the most dazzling array of lighting, effects & equipment ever seen in a club. So we are definitely thinking the might of WE’s stage & visual displays at the Coronet, combined with the awesome Beyond at Area lighting & pyrotechnics, to produce sights spectacular, eye catching entertainment & mind blowing music. Saying that, the organisers are keeping much of the detail close to their chests, not least the announcement of a surprise P.A., (we are hoping Peyton), although the D.J. cats are very much out of the bag, as the line-up looks simply superb, international playboy Paul Heron, & Italian Stallion Pagano joined by special guest Peter Rauhofer, while this world class line-up is completed by Spanish superstar Lugi.
Headlining Hit
So let’s press the preview the pause button and concentrate on these music maestro’s for a moment, first focussing on Peter Rauhofer whose reputation precedes him, having played out to amazing accolade right across the globe, this Grammy award winning D.J./producer is probably most famous for his remixes of a number of Madonna‘s songs including “Nothing Really Matters“, “American Life“, “Impressive Instant, and “4 Minutes“, as well as Madge’s collaboration with Britney Spears, “Me Against The Music“. On top of that, he has also provided remixes Britney, along with Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Yoko Ono, Pink and Mariah Carey, while he also behind the tribal house record label Star 69, its roots like Peter, firmly rooted in the tribal house genre. However, he was recently responsible for remixing the Tears For Fears pop classic “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” which stormed dancefloors across the world, while remixes of other pop tracks belie his tribal intentions. While of Austrian decent, Peter bases himself in The States, in New York predominantly but is a genuine globetrotter, having played out at virtually every gay circuit party including Sydney’s Mardi Gras, Barcelona’s Circuit & Mimi’s White Party, but headlining Brava will mark his first ever appearance in London, so his set should be something special.
Italian Stallion
Turning to Pagano and it goes without saying that 2011 has been one hell of a year for him already, having held down an exhaustive schedule of gigs that has taken him to all corners of the globe, not least The States where he has gone down a storm and was featured in a full-on article in the country’s top rag for circuit parties & clubs, Noise Magazine, who titled their piece on Pags, “An Italian In London Conquers America”, enough said. But with a score of top notch tracks & remixes under his belt, this prolific producer is in the studio right now, pressing the second volume of his already renowned “Digital Generation” compilation, which we are reliably informed includes a remix of The Freemasons “Watchin”, his rework of “Big Time Sensuality” as well as an INXS sample to name just three, while you can grab your own copy of volume one at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/kult-records-presents-digital/id412457425. And, his set at Brava is sure to appeal not only to Pagano purists, but to what will surely be a capacity clubbing crowd that crave progressive & pumping performances for which Francesco has become famous.
Beyond & Brava Boy
But we can’t forget Paul Heron who is on fantastic form himself at the moment, having just landed back in London from a spectacular showing for Beyond in Ibiza, while recent excursions for La Demence’s cruise along with trips to Paris, & Sao Paulo for the brand, have cemented his position as an all-star Beyond resident and one he has held on & off since the halcyon days at Colosseum. So, Paul’s inclusion in the Brava launch, given Beyond’s influence, very much fits and he has marked his involvement with a special podcast which hints towards the kind of music to expect at this revolution of a clubbing concept, a 70 minute mix you can grab now at http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/index/2011-08-11T08_52_50-07_00.
So, have we answered all the questions posed?, well nearly, just leaving us to wonder, why the collaboration between WE & Beyond. Well why not, as there can be no doubt that WE’s last couple of showings have proven its popular position within the capitals clubbing circuit, indeed with the next instalment, “Prison of Love” playing out this coming weekend, it should be grabbing some of the bank Holiday headlines. Then there is Beyond, this amazing afterhours having become so much more, it’s themed nights such as “Belief” & “Midnight” expanding the offer and making it an all encompassing club that sits as comfortably by itself as with the joint ventures it has carved out, links with brands like La Demence, The Week, XLsoir, Cafe Ole & Scream, great examples of Beyond has grown and continues to grow its stature. So, two better bedfellows in creating Brava we couldn’t wish for and so look forward to the launch, which takes place this Sunday (28th Aug), with excited expectation of something truly exceptional, so roll on the revolution!. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Previews | Tags: Beyond, Brava, Brixton Electric, Pagano, Paul Heron, Peter Rauhofer, WE | 1 Comment »
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11 Jan 2013 | 0 Comments
Reviews/Reports – “Activity Acceleration” – D.M.’s Monthly Message – Friday 11th January
With a surging sense of enthusiasm for 2013 in what we have called our year of positivity, we set out our plans in the first of a returning “Monthly Message”, sharing recent reviews, reports, recommends & music features, while looking forward to other reporting & reviewing returnees as well as ...
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31 Dec 2012 | 1 Comment
Reviews – “What A Year ~ Of Rare Reflections” – D.M.’s 2012 Clubs & Clubbing Round-up” – Monday 31st December – Special Review
In a year that has seen a pitiful amount of review publications, we attempt to end 2012 on a high, looking back at the capital’s circuit clubs & clubbing events that made a big impression not just on us, but packs of party people who pushed aside austerity in favour ...
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21 Aug 2012 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Ready, Steady, Go” – Summer Sabbatical “Services Resumption” – Tuesday 21st August
Having missed reporting on the scene & so with the August bank holiday on our doorstep, we thought it was high time to wave a fond farewell to our summer sabbatical & rev up the resumption of our services, reviews, recommends & reports all back, while our music seventh gear ...
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20 Jul 2012 | 0 Comments
Picks/Music – “Delicate Drops Of Destruction” – Steve Pitron “Summer 2012 Part 1″ Podcast – Friday 20th July – Podcast Of The Week/Special Focus (Part One)
We waited, waited & waited, but the wait was well worth it as the much awaited new Steve Pitron podcast production has simply blown us away, so much so that his “Summer 2012 Part 1” mix simply had to make it to DM’s prestigious Podcast Of The Week position, download/stream ...
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19 Jan 2012 | 2 Comments
Music – “Phenomenal Podcast Production” – Steve Pitron “Jan 2012 Session” – Wednesday 18th January – Music Is The Answer Special Feature
Having heard the preview, seen the track listing & viewed the artwork, Disco Matt, through the excitement, the emotion, & the euphoria of its release, reviews the most anticipated podcast production since the summer of 2011, as Steve Pitron’s “Jan 2012 Session” goes live to an adoring audience. When ...
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4 Sep 2011 | 1 Comment
Reviews – “Revolution Renegade” – Brava “The Launch” – Sunday 28th August – Super Size Review
If we had a pound for every club launch we have seen come & go over the years we have been circulating the scene, we would be pretty rich by now, while the same could be said for the plethora of promoters that have tried & failed to make the ...
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29 Aug 2011 | 1 Comment
Reviews – “Captivating Carlos Confinement” – WE “Prison Of Love” – Saturday 27th August – Full Size Review
When we look back across the last few years in clubland London, hardly a bank holiday weekend goes by without a slice of Spanish splendour exerting its influence, Matinee being the main protagonist, although in more recent times, competitor brand SuperMartXe claiming its stake in this prized possession of a ...
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24 Aug 2011 | 1 Comment
Previews – “Roll On The Revolution” – Brava “The Launch” – Sunday 28th August
During our time both clubbing and reporting on clubbing we have seen a whole host of new concepts, launches & events that have tried to make an impression on the scene, some more successful than others, some standing the test of time, while others have fallen at the first hurdle, ...
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