DanceMuse.net

Well good to be back again and posting after a long time off!

Was down at Ministry of Sound last night to see Erick Morillo – coinciding with his new mix compilation ‘Strictly Erick Morillo’ (I recommend you pick up a copy of it – I have been playing in the background here for the past few weeks). 

I have to say when Erick is on form he is truly amazing and he was just that last night and absolutely smashed it! Mixing loads of old house tracks from Strictly label and others definitely got the room going. Moreso than other nights in the past he really worked the accapella side dropping the likes of ‘Missing’ by Everything But The Girl, Red Carpet’s ‘Alright’ to name but a few over underlying beat tracks.

The CDJs (Pioneer CDJ 1000’s) and the EFX (audio effects) units have taken the art of Djing to another level and Erick is at the top of it – live remixing of tracks using loops and effects to tease out highs and build breakdowns and his signature use of EQs to cut the track right out and then slowly bring it or something new back in is truly something that has to be seen and heard to be believed.

If you are into your DJing or even if you are the least bit curious to how it’s all done and ever get the chance and the venue gives you a decent point to see it watch what he is doing behind the decks. Pacha in Ibiza is great for this as there is a walkway above the DJ booth that you can look down on and watch it unfold. Watch the loops, the use of EFX and how he works the CDJs – amazing!

Tags: Gig, Muse, Music by Nick
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Been a while since I last posted – since that time I made it out to Ibiza for the annual trip. I must say that despite the new club opening hour restrictions – ie no after hours/day parties b/w 6am and 4.30pm – the island seemed to be pumping. Am normally out there early on in the season and it was good to see things looking busy.

I made it to Eden for Pete Tong’s Wonderland with Groove Armada and Smoking Jo in the back room, Defmix @ Pacha for David Morales and Hector Romero & Hed Kandi @ El Divino, We Love for the must do Space on Sunday, The Shapeshifters at Defected @ Pacha and MN2S at El Divino again for Kaskade, Armada @ Amnesia for Armin Van Buuren’s big trance night and that was it – gutted i couldn’t make David Guetta’s Fuck Me I’m Famous and Erick Morillo’s Subliminal nights but a short trip – still a busy 5 nights broken up with the odd sunset and good beachside meal.  

Of Special note Bora Bora seems like it is returning to form after last year’s closures – the beach and area outside the bar seemed busier than ever and as has been tradition in previous seasons the music volume and tempo cranked up a few notches mid afternoon and the open air dancing commenced beneath the compulsory overhead air traffic of new arrivals to the island.

Hopefully get back there again later in the season…

Tags: Gig, Muse, News by Nick
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Easter weekend saw the close of another of London’s clubbing institutions: Turnmills. I remember first going there religiously for The Gallery most Fridays back in ‘96 when i was first in London – hard to believe that was 12 years ago and even harder to believe they are closing after so many good nights!

The weeks leading up to and the final Easter weekend sported lineups to die for with acts spanning the last 20 years of clubbing. Mates went down to Saturday night with The Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim – the former playing an amazing set as did resident Anil Chawla with a classic underground set that went down well with the emotional punters. I made it down for the Sunday Last Dance catching CJ Mackintosh’s set (first time I had heard that wicked Dimitri from Paris remix of “Music Sounds Better With You” – nice have to track that one down!), who was followed by Frankie Knuckles in his usual good form – dropping his trademark classics like his new rework of the “Whistle Song”, “Your Love” and more. Frankie played from 2am to 5am with Danny Rampling taking the reigns energetically from then till close – I hear that Danny carried on until 4pm – (un)fortunately my legs ran outta steam just after 8am and I left a still up for it crowd having it on the main dance floor amidst slideshows of Gurnmills signs, DJ faces from the past and of course the club’s trademark lighting and lasers. I walked out into the frosty morning glare one last time smiling at all the good times I’d had there over the past 12 years… 

To all the Turnmills crew – Danny, Stix, Tom on the door and all the others that made it such an experience thank you!

ps It’s not all doom and gloom as the nights will relocate to other locations around London – The Gallery Turnmills Friday night of trance and progressive house will be relocating to Ministry and Together and other nights will be moving to The Scala at Kings Cross… watch this space for more updates in the coming weeks..

Tags: Gig, Muse by Nick
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Turnmills have today just announced the lineup for their final weekend – March 21, 22, 23. Stating that they wanted to go out on a high point with the last weekend being a celebration of the past 23 years of the club the stella 3 night lineup looks just that….

The Friday night has the last ever Gallery with the likes of Judge Jules, Tall Paul, Seb Fontaine, Sister Bliss, Brandon Block, Alex P, Daniele Davoli, Lisa Loud and more. The Saturday sees the last Together with The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Justin Robertson, Anil Chawla, John Kennedy, and Turnmill’s very own PR man behind the decks Paul Stix! The Sunday night is billed as the Last Dance House Special with a house lineup to die for: Frankie Knuckles, Danny Rampling, CJ Mackintosh, Ashley Beadle, Lottie, Terry Farley, Pete Heller and Turnmills manager Danny Newman.

For full lineup details of the final weekend check the following websites:
www.thegallery-club.co.uk and www.together-club.co.uk and www.turnmills.co.uk.  

With the recent NYE closure of 3 other London clubbing institutions (namely venues The Key, The Cross and Canvas) and the March closure of Turnmills London clubbers will be left with yet another option less and all eagerly awaiting the rumoured new venues to be opening later this year…

Tags: Gig, News by Nick
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Just spotted a bit of news that Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim has just been given the go ahead for his fourth Big Beach Boutique party down at Brighton later this year. 2 nights in September with a 22,000 capacity each night – first tix released to locals. Given an estimated 250,000 punters turned up for the first event in 2002 a capacity of 22,000 may be a bit optimistic on the local authorities part don’t we think? My prediction is every man and his dog will head down to totally roadblock the beach and most of Brighton as before.

Incidentally I am still not bitter at missing the 2002 event thanks to being rained in and stuck in a plane on a tarmac in Majorca, Spain after my first trip to Ibiza. Yes the one with the yacht incident – I take “wrecked in Ibiza” to another level but that’s a story for another day. At least all my mates who made it down there can and do still rub it in to this day, and I can always see it on DVD. No not bitter at all.

Tags: Gig, News by Nick
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