Organizer: M
Venue: Warehous
DJs: Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez & Little Louie Vega - Masters at Work (M.A.W.)
Decor: Practically none except the usual smart drink booths
Crowd:
Kids - but very polite
One group of kids sat right in the middle of the dance floor with a candle lit in the middle. One Asian boy with blonde hair did this stretching exercise with the girls i.e. they stood back to back , both people locked in the arms, the boy bent down so that the girl lied on his back and was "stretched" in the upper torso. This whole thing was done IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DANCE FLOOR surrounded by the "voyeurs" at the front rows and the dancing crowd left, right and centre. Then the antic was followed by them sitting in a circle in the same spot chatting. Some of their friends lit up some rolled-up joint that smelled like burnt shit. They were very polite & friendly but I was furious when the music started to sound pretty good. The blond girl smiled at me and fingered me to sit down with them. I looked back and smiled and the Oriental girl/ boy also did the same and I bent down to realize that they wanted me to sit with them. I couldn't help but told them that they shouldn't sit there. Then feeling that I was a bit blunt, I added that the music was too good and that they shouldn't waste it. One of the older boys got up and left them soon but the other two remained seated there. I was surprised to find that P. also supported my view . Even though I could have been more diplomatic, they deserved a lesson.
Music:
They started with an unending sequence of treated/softened dance drum beats/ base mixed with continuous rather trancy soul singing gradually turning to stronger, wider, more open dance beat sound mixed with more popular tunes such as Move your body (only the keyboard part) and some sounds from Bucketheads, then to their Nu Yorican Soul - a mix of salsa, Ibiza, Pet Shop Boys and tribal drum beat. By that time we decided to leave (5:45a.m.).
Disappointment:
The schedule indicated M.A.W. to play in Arena 2 at 3:00 but no one seemed to know where Arena 2 was. Finally a security guard told us it was going to be at the Guv side at 4:00. Luckily P. went to the other room to check and found them playing there. Bad organizing. Plus the crowd was not mixed enough. First two rows at the front of the stage were surrounded by DJ worshipers. They only stare and did not dance. Then the people behind them weren't too enthusiastic either. If they had spun at a real warehouse it would have been sublime.
Showing posts with label 1997. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1997. Show all posts
1997 May 13
DJs: The Chemical Brothers, Supporting - Orb
Venue: Warehouse
Visual:
Best ever seen (both groups) - movement very much in tune with the music - typical of British pop culture. Simple patterns yet very well designed.
Sound:
Very powerful . At one point it felt like there was something hovering above your head. The music whirled while the drums & bass sounded like explosions.
Lighting:
From basic to exciting though not as fancy as the 808 concert
Crowd:
Glad to see older women dressed street/ rave. People seemed taller than those in raves. I saw a few bespectacled cyber-hippy types and long-hair U-grads. Most people swayed along to the music. P. said the new generation of concert-goers moved more and chatted less than those of the Eighties.
The crowd did not respond too well at the end. There was a time when the brothers played a taped conversation going, " Music, response, music, response..." But nobody responded much. They left shortly after that. They played from around mid-night to three. We took the next day off.
Venue: Warehouse
Visual:
Best ever seen (both groups) - movement very much in tune with the music - typical of British pop culture. Simple patterns yet very well designed.
Sound:
Very powerful . At one point it felt like there was something hovering above your head. The music whirled while the drums & bass sounded like explosions.
Lighting:
From basic to exciting though not as fancy as the 808 concert
Crowd:
Glad to see older women dressed street/ rave. People seemed taller than those in raves. I saw a few bespectacled cyber-hippy types and long-hair U-grads. Most people swayed along to the music. P. said the new generation of concert-goers moved more and chatted less than those of the Eighties.
The crowd did not respond too well at the end. There was a time when the brothers played a taped conversation going, " Music, response, music, response..." But nobody responded much. They left shortly after that. They played from around mid-night to three. We took the next day off.
1997 May 18
DJs: Armand Van Helden, Erick "More" Morillo, DJ Sneak, Junior Sanchez - all from N.Y.C.
Venue: Industry
Decor: the Usual
Crowd:
Wide Mix with a group of unusually high profile beefcakes on the dance floor. Some pumped-up dancers on stage in bra-tops, a group of what P. called "girls from Rimini" in their colorfully coordinated clubwear, hair piled high, S&M gays, Seventies-influenced polyester top, Primal Scream hairdo, flare-trousered guy, ravers, plumb young girls, the coat-checker from Guvernment who's forever dancing stylishly, hedonistically and drugged-out like, some obnoxious Asian guys, some suburban Brits.
The Asian barmaid is forever so friendly and smart. She will handsign you to find out what you want before she comes over.
Industry is the only place where you'll see people dancing even when they are queuing for their coats at the coat-check regardless of whether they've just arrived or are leaving.
Courteous securities.
Music:
Erick Morillo span mostly N.Y. deep house with soul vocal. He paused too often to search for that atmospheric build-up. But the last song was rather memorable --- deep but with a bright jungle base mixed in. The first time I hear something so deep, so fast in such a danceable song.
Amand Van Heldon was god. He started with Blondie's icy, dreamy voice mixed with a hip hop beat, then gradually built from hip hop to dance/ house, from progressive to deep but keeping the hip hop tempo,( kinda relaxed) interspersed and not too packed. He always mixes classic house such as Move your Body with other basslines or drum beat, then gradually moving to deeper, more soulful N.Y. house with vocals adding siren or other sounds. At one point he used an apocalyptic, wailing, electronic, string sound as the intro, then sneaked in a dance beat but rhythmically halting to a kinetic silence that drove the crowd completely wild. They chanted the rhythm and the power was unlike anything I've ever experienced. Maybe it had to do with the location I was at at the time. I was standing by the end counter of the bar with an almost panoramic view of the dance-floor. What I heard was no casual chanting. It was an out-right begging-for-more. It was at this moment that Armand brought in the bass drum while the light flashed like lightning and the crowd brought to a climax. It was a celebration of life, hedonism at its highest, pagan ritual rapturing in full form.
P. likes to describe that kind of soulful voice, "punishing". It definitely has to do with suffering transcended. I was melted and almost on my knees. Industry has never looked so good. He then played a few more songs with a jaded, husky, Euro-female voice overlaying the dance beat. Very classy indeed.
Venue: Industry
Decor: the Usual
Crowd:
Wide Mix with a group of unusually high profile beefcakes on the dance floor. Some pumped-up dancers on stage in bra-tops, a group of what P. called "girls from Rimini" in their colorfully coordinated clubwear, hair piled high, S&M gays, Seventies-influenced polyester top, Primal Scream hairdo, flare-trousered guy, ravers, plumb young girls, the coat-checker from Guvernment who's forever dancing stylishly, hedonistically and drugged-out like, some obnoxious Asian guys, some suburban Brits.
The Asian barmaid is forever so friendly and smart. She will handsign you to find out what you want before she comes over.
Industry is the only place where you'll see people dancing even when they are queuing for their coats at the coat-check regardless of whether they've just arrived or are leaving.
Courteous securities.
Music:
Erick Morillo span mostly N.Y. deep house with soul vocal. He paused too often to search for that atmospheric build-up. But the last song was rather memorable --- deep but with a bright jungle base mixed in. The first time I hear something so deep, so fast in such a danceable song.
Amand Van Heldon was god. He started with Blondie's icy, dreamy voice mixed with a hip hop beat, then gradually built from hip hop to dance/ house, from progressive to deep but keeping the hip hop tempo,( kinda relaxed) interspersed and not too packed. He always mixes classic house such as Move your Body with other basslines or drum beat, then gradually moving to deeper, more soulful N.Y. house with vocals adding siren or other sounds. At one point he used an apocalyptic, wailing, electronic, string sound as the intro, then sneaked in a dance beat but rhythmically halting to a kinetic silence that drove the crowd completely wild. They chanted the rhythm and the power was unlike anything I've ever experienced. Maybe it had to do with the location I was at at the time. I was standing by the end counter of the bar with an almost panoramic view of the dance-floor. What I heard was no casual chanting. It was an out-right begging-for-more. It was at this moment that Armand brought in the bass drum while the light flashed like lightning and the crowd brought to a climax. It was a celebration of life, hedonism at its highest, pagan ritual rapturing in full form.
P. likes to describe that kind of soulful voice, "punishing". It definitely has to do with suffering transcended. I was melted and almost on my knees. Industry has never looked so good. He then played a few more songs with a jaded, husky, Euro-female voice overlaying the dance beat. Very classy indeed.
1997 August 9
Organizer: Better Days
Theme: One
DJs:
Jeremy Healey - Partner of John Galliano, he does all his fashion show music and after-hour parties. Todd Terry's Canadian Debut
Venue:
Long stuffy warehouse at Caledonia, North of Lawrence.
3000 People but still spacious, well organized with playstations and beautiful classic laser lights and a few blinding flashes.
Music:
J.H. brings back that good 'ol days feeling, his mix is typical British, steady, almost "marching" base drum beat with handbag voices. But he works very hard, jumping up & down and changes the beat very often. It gets tiring after a while. Todd Terry plays all the recent house hits mixed with very often distinct dance beat constantly adding sporadic soulful voices in the background. Not a particularly danceable DJ. Certainly less enjoyable and less remarkable than Eric Morillo or Armand Van Heldon.
Memorable Moments:
Chrs & Jne came and chatted. Jne's lost a lot of weight while Chrs seemed to have gained some.
I did my Afro but due to the humidity, it was all flat by the time the second DJ came on stage. I looked flustered and tired.
Woke up in the morning feeling a little sad about the scene. How even Chrs & Jne seemed so sober and bored that night, how the DJs didn't quite deliver and how the kids seemed so clueless as to what good music was. They were all there for the sake of going. The music didn't move them much. Unlike the Industry crowd.
The coolest and most beautiful in the warehouse that night were two girls in black. One was very leggy and in hot pants while the other one was in asymmetric top and mini skirt. And they danced like they were hooked and drugged. Amazing pair.
Theme: One
DJs:
Jeremy Healey - Partner of John Galliano, he does all his fashion show music and after-hour parties. Todd Terry's Canadian Debut
Venue:
Long stuffy warehouse at Caledonia, North of Lawrence.
3000 People but still spacious, well organized with playstations and beautiful classic laser lights and a few blinding flashes.
Music:
J.H. brings back that good 'ol days feeling, his mix is typical British, steady, almost "marching" base drum beat with handbag voices. But he works very hard, jumping up & down and changes the beat very often. It gets tiring after a while. Todd Terry plays all the recent house hits mixed with very often distinct dance beat constantly adding sporadic soulful voices in the background. Not a particularly danceable DJ. Certainly less enjoyable and less remarkable than Eric Morillo or Armand Van Heldon.
Memorable Moments:
Chrs & Jne came and chatted. Jne's lost a lot of weight while Chrs seemed to have gained some.
I did my Afro but due to the humidity, it was all flat by the time the second DJ came on stage. I looked flustered and tired.
Woke up in the morning feeling a little sad about the scene. How even Chrs & Jne seemed so sober and bored that night, how the DJs didn't quite deliver and how the kids seemed so clueless as to what good music was. They were all there for the sake of going. The music didn't move them much. Unlike the Industry crowd.
The coolest and most beautiful in the warehouse that night were two girls in black. One was very leggy and in hot pants while the other one was in asymmetric top and mini skirt. And they danced like they were hooked and drugged. Amazing pair.
1997 August 30
Event: Tony Humphrey / DJ Magazine Party
DJs: Dino & Terry to start and then Tony Humphrey at around 2:00a.m.
Venue: Industry
Theme: DJ Magazine Party
Crowd:
Better than the usual Industry crowd full of beefcakes and bimbettes. A good mix of people: ravers, semi-naked gays, soul brothers, sophisticated ladies, Indies, Anglos, Italians, go-go dancers/ strippers, Asians are all proportionally smaller in number rendering the place more spaceous and less elbowing problem.
Sound:
As good as usual. Very live saxophone and drum sounds. Very standout but not put-offish bass sound. The best among clubs as per P.
Atmosphere:
Due to the suitably smaller crowd and well-mix of people, it was very enjoyable. Everyone was, as always at Industry, as into the music as you could expect in Toronto clubs. Everyone had a good attitude and very polite. Unlike some days when it could be too raunchy or tacky (the way they act or dress).
Memorability:
One guy in black plastic glasses, red Adidas track suit, danced like the Beastie Boys was always beside us. There was also one of those well-groomed black couples who danced well (as most of them do) and who genuinely enjoyed the music. The only thing less than perfect was the smaller no. of women compared to men. P. & I danced till we were tired and sat down for a drink and chatted for a while and found that sometimes the music continued to be good but when you are too tired to appreciate it on the dance-floor, it might be better to sit down and you could hear more of the greatness of the mix.
Tony Humphrey's mix was disco, N.Y. house mostly, with some Chicago house occasionally. He played house hits or anthems with a twist i.e. mixed with other killer basslines or dance beats. Lots of vocals but because he changed often with perfect timing, one did not find it "handbag" but very encouraging. Whether it was deliberate or coincidental I did not know but all the soulful vocals he picked were about freedom (e.g. Free by Ultra Nate), " you're free; free to do what you want to do...." or don't give up. Only one song is about "give it to me". He seemed to have avoided that overly meaty "I need your love" kind of songs. He also created a unique mix of jazz, saxophone sound and the quintessential disco keyboard riff. P. said earlier before we decided to go that maybe T.H. is too old school and he may not be that great. Although we agreed that the records he span might not be the latest but his suspicion was proven wrong. It was divine. Both P. & I had some "Moments" on the dance floor. This had been long overdue and much lacked this summer, just when we both needed it most it finally arrived. (I had a whole month of emotional and work-related turmoil) The only minor flaw was his tempo being a bit too slow. He liked to keep that relaxed kind of beat all the way through without being monotonous like some DJs tend to be. Compared with Danny Tenaglia who span last week, D.& T.layed a lot of slow, suffering, soulful gospel-like vocals and remained sparse and slow all through. It was very releasing at first but it got too predictable towards the middle of the set. Compared with Carl Cox (those British ones) T.H. is much more soulful and relax. A nice way to end the summer.
DJs: Dino & Terry to start and then Tony Humphrey at around 2:00a.m.
Venue: Industry
Theme: DJ Magazine Party
Crowd:
Better than the usual Industry crowd full of beefcakes and bimbettes. A good mix of people: ravers, semi-naked gays, soul brothers, sophisticated ladies, Indies, Anglos, Italians, go-go dancers/ strippers, Asians are all proportionally smaller in number rendering the place more spaceous and less elbowing problem.
Sound:
As good as usual. Very live saxophone and drum sounds. Very standout but not put-offish bass sound. The best among clubs as per P.
Atmosphere:
Due to the suitably smaller crowd and well-mix of people, it was very enjoyable. Everyone was, as always at Industry, as into the music as you could expect in Toronto clubs. Everyone had a good attitude and very polite. Unlike some days when it could be too raunchy or tacky (the way they act or dress).
Memorability:
One guy in black plastic glasses, red Adidas track suit, danced like the Beastie Boys was always beside us. There was also one of those well-groomed black couples who danced well (as most of them do) and who genuinely enjoyed the music. The only thing less than perfect was the smaller no. of women compared to men. P. & I danced till we were tired and sat down for a drink and chatted for a while and found that sometimes the music continued to be good but when you are too tired to appreciate it on the dance-floor, it might be better to sit down and you could hear more of the greatness of the mix.
Tony Humphrey's mix was disco, N.Y. house mostly, with some Chicago house occasionally. He played house hits or anthems with a twist i.e. mixed with other killer basslines or dance beats. Lots of vocals but because he changed often with perfect timing, one did not find it "handbag" but very encouraging. Whether it was deliberate or coincidental I did not know but all the soulful vocals he picked were about freedom (e.g. Free by Ultra Nate), " you're free; free to do what you want to do...." or don't give up. Only one song is about "give it to me". He seemed to have avoided that overly meaty "I need your love" kind of songs. He also created a unique mix of jazz, saxophone sound and the quintessential disco keyboard riff. P. said earlier before we decided to go that maybe T.H. is too old school and he may not be that great. Although we agreed that the records he span might not be the latest but his suspicion was proven wrong. It was divine. Both P. & I had some "Moments" on the dance floor. This had been long overdue and much lacked this summer, just when we both needed it most it finally arrived. (I had a whole month of emotional and work-related turmoil) The only minor flaw was his tempo being a bit too slow. He liked to keep that relaxed kind of beat all the way through without being monotonous like some DJs tend to be. Compared with Danny Tenaglia who span last week, D.& T.layed a lot of slow, suffering, soulful gospel-like vocals and remained sparse and slow all through. It was very releasing at first but it got too predictable towards the middle of the set. Compared with Carl Cox (those British ones) T.H. is much more soulful and relax. A nice way to end the summer.
1997 November 17
Full moon, 0 degrees, no wind.
The roads were piled up with snow at the sides but the pedestrian side-walks were carpeted with a white film. The whole day I'd been feeling rather energetic while P. was in a humorous mood, possibly because his demo was almost finished.
By the time we went out, I was very sleepy and planned to stay only for a short while expecting little pleasure. But I was wrong.
The line-up at the entrance of Industry was surprisingly short and there was not that many people inside, which was good enough for me. Dimitri of Amsterdam wasn't too impressive at first - some progressive house with a touch of vocal house here or there, but later on, it got better. He was quite experimental, using more rhythm than base and he avoided some mixing or deejaying cliches which sometimes made dancing a bit difficult. At one point I felt like he refused to bring us to the climax and just let the build-up drop.
Ien, who we hadn't seen for a long time tapped on my shoulder. We hugged and he told me he had a wonderful party last Sat. Real glad to see someone so excited by anything of the like. Alx, in a smart suit and well-combed hair, with his beautiful African-Canadian partner, looked at me and smiled. I didn't recognize him at first.
Among the crowd was a Sikh Indian wearing a turban dancing away. A John Lennon look-a-like and some old ravers. What really moved me was a guy in a wheel-chair dancing by maneuvering his wheelchair. This is the way things should be in clubs. At around five, when I could no longer manage to dance, I sat at the back of the dance floor looking towards the stage. Dimitri played some deep drums which brought to my mind this image of ten thousand tribal drummers in the African desert strumming and stomping while the people on the dance floor became voodooed. One hip-hop girl break-danced like she was wired and charged. The word "underworld" immediately came to my mind. The bass drum was so deep that it seemed like the whole population there that night was one big family in the Underworld. The silhouettes of people were like that of a Chinese traditional watercolour picture where the mountains closest were darkest in colour with the next layer of mountains in between while the lightest layer were the furthest in the background. I also thought of the paper-cut scene in Martin Scorcese's Vampire when the movie related the history of the Turkish Empire while Count Dracula of Transylvannia was the King killing the enemies and piercing the corpses in spears stuck up from the ground.
It was a very powerful sight . It completely swept me off my feet and blew my mind. It was extremely amazing that all these people could be so united or connected by some sounds, some rhythm. The scene made me instantly positive about the future of humanity, the fact that there was, in existence, a common language or feeling that could link so many people (albeit only those in the club that night) was an exhilarating thought.
While P. & I were resting/ standing by the tables near the bar, some people around us who were standing around chatting were suddenly "charged" by the rhythm or the beat and all of us moved. Nights like these heighten your senses. The next day, both P. & I are especially sensitive to soft music. Beth Orton's voice made me cry.
The roads were piled up with snow at the sides but the pedestrian side-walks were carpeted with a white film. The whole day I'd been feeling rather energetic while P. was in a humorous mood, possibly because his demo was almost finished.
By the time we went out, I was very sleepy and planned to stay only for a short while expecting little pleasure. But I was wrong.
The line-up at the entrance of Industry was surprisingly short and there was not that many people inside, which was good enough for me. Dimitri of Amsterdam wasn't too impressive at first - some progressive house with a touch of vocal house here or there, but later on, it got better. He was quite experimental, using more rhythm than base and he avoided some mixing or deejaying cliches which sometimes made dancing a bit difficult. At one point I felt like he refused to bring us to the climax and just let the build-up drop.
Ien, who we hadn't seen for a long time tapped on my shoulder. We hugged and he told me he had a wonderful party last Sat. Real glad to see someone so excited by anything of the like. Alx, in a smart suit and well-combed hair, with his beautiful African-Canadian partner, looked at me and smiled. I didn't recognize him at first.
Among the crowd was a Sikh Indian wearing a turban dancing away. A John Lennon look-a-like and some old ravers. What really moved me was a guy in a wheel-chair dancing by maneuvering his wheelchair. This is the way things should be in clubs. At around five, when I could no longer manage to dance, I sat at the back of the dance floor looking towards the stage. Dimitri played some deep drums which brought to my mind this image of ten thousand tribal drummers in the African desert strumming and stomping while the people on the dance floor became voodooed. One hip-hop girl break-danced like she was wired and charged. The word "underworld" immediately came to my mind. The bass drum was so deep that it seemed like the whole population there that night was one big family in the Underworld. The silhouettes of people were like that of a Chinese traditional watercolour picture where the mountains closest were darkest in colour with the next layer of mountains in between while the lightest layer were the furthest in the background. I also thought of the paper-cut scene in Martin Scorcese's Vampire when the movie related the history of the Turkish Empire while Count Dracula of Transylvannia was the King killing the enemies and piercing the corpses in spears stuck up from the ground.
It was a very powerful sight . It completely swept me off my feet and blew my mind. It was extremely amazing that all these people could be so united or connected by some sounds, some rhythm. The scene made me instantly positive about the future of humanity, the fact that there was, in existence, a common language or feeling that could link so many people (albeit only those in the club that night) was an exhilarating thought.
While P. & I were resting/ standing by the tables near the bar, some people around us who were standing around chatting were suddenly "charged" by the rhythm or the beat and all of us moved. Nights like these heighten your senses. The next day, both P. & I are especially sensitive to soft music. Beth Orton's voice made me cry.
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