Whoa! We’re almost half way through the year already, that’s crazy. I hope everyone is well, and all is going well.
So, time to dust off the drafts on here, and in my mind, and post up some thoughts and comments about all the techno, minimal, tech-house, DJ, club, party, music things I’ve been getting out to so far this year, let’s head back to January…
January 2010… (Part.1)
01.01.10 : Ripperton, Matthias Meyer @ Reckless Republic – A Higher State NYE – Sydney Tower (Centre Point) 360 Bar/Restaurant
So being at the top of Sydney Tower in the swanky, revolving, 360 bar/restaurant on NYE was a unique way to start off the year. I guess you could say it’s err… the highest I’ve ever been on NYE… hehe.
Tickets were expensive, but I felt like I got value for money, with the unique NYE venue, fantastic 360° views, the exclusive vibe (it’s all about the vibe… man), lots of excellent finger food, and free vodka drinks for 2 hours (drunk!). Plus non stop house/tech-house music, a couple of international DJ/producers, all shared with a group of close friends.
A bit of push and shove to see the 9pm and midnight fireworks as they stopped the venue revolving. Seeing and not hearing fireworks is a strange experience though. It’s a pity the MLC Centre tower building blocks the views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from up there.
The sound and lighting production brought in was pretty basic, but did the job. I knew this was going to be a NYE with a lot less focus on music and dancing.
I really enjoyed the sounds local DJ Linda Merethe Jenssen played early in the night, tech-house, on the techno/minimal tip. I was disappointed with what Swiss international DJ/producer Ripperton played, his set was a bit all over the place, lots of (dare I say cheesy) house and disco. I was hoping for some deeper, darker minimal goodness like he produces, and played last time I saw him. I guess being NYE more up/happy party music was the right thing for the time, fair enough. I’m not sure if German international DJ/producer Matthias Meyer played earlier as I didn’t hear many of his own productions, although to be honest was not paying close attention to the music for a lot of the night, and sat away from the little dance-floor and DJ area.
The space got really uncomfortably hot and stuffy leading up to 2am, making everyone leave, it emptied out quickly. I’m guessing the air-conditioning was shut off to force the end of the party, down and out we went too, to join the (drunken) masses wandering the blocked off to traffic CBD streets on NYE.
Joanne and I tried to get into Home nightclub down at Cockle Bay Wharf afterwards to see Chicago techno/acid legend Josh Wink at the ‘Summanights NYE 2010’ party. But, police had stopped anyone and everyone entering the venue, overcrowding issues apparently, even ticket holders and performing DJs were turned away while we watched and waited. We didn’t have tickets, were hoping to pay on the door. Friends inside told us via SMS, it was emptying out rapidly, and there was loads of space, but with no chance of getting in, we gave up, went home, our NYE celebrations were all over by 4am, an early one for us!
We later heard Josh Wink played to about 30 people, shame.
Leading up to NYE, it was rumoured he was possibly going to be secretly playing at the ‘Higher State’ party at Sydney Tower, ‘Higher State Of Consciousness’ being one of his most well known tracks, but unfortunately it didn’t come together.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
01.01.10 : Tiefschwarz (Ali Schwarz) @ Musik Matters NYD – Favela
Not getting my ‘dance on’ on NYE, I decided to head out again on new years day night, by myself, to see German techno, tech-house, minimal DJ/producer Ali (Alexander) Schwarz mix it up. His brother Basti Schwarz, the other half of the DJ and production duo Tiefschwarz wasn’t on this tour.
This was my first time at night club Favela in Kings Cross. I liked the venue, good size, modern without being swanky, decent sound, friendly staff. Fearing it was going to be busy early, with this night being the after-party to the Space NYD event at the Entertainment Quarter, I got there not long after it opened for the night, but then had the entire venue to myself for almost 2 hours, fail.
The top level room where I spent my night, eventually filled up with lots of party people. They have a matrix of light globes on the ceiling in that room, it’s like a dodgy brothers version of what Watergate in Berlin has.
Local DJ/promoter Ben Morris played some great, deep, tech-house, minimal music during the warm up. I enjoyed his set. He’s a nice guy, came over introduced himself, let me know Ali was running late, gave me some drink cards, now that’s a good promoter.
So more than an hour and half after scheduled start time, Ali Schwarz eventually took to the decks. His advertised 4 hour set wasn’t going to happen now, not that anyone seemed to notice/care. I’m not sure if long extended sets are really his thing anyway, as in my opinion he burnt through all his best tracks in the first hour, some great tech-house, minimal, techno tracks, with lots of rolling drums, tribal flavours and memorable melodic elements. I had a fun boogie. I’ve seen the brothers DJ as Tiefschwarz a few times now, always enjoyable. However, as Ali played on, I became less and less interested in the sounds he was mixing up, it all got a bit too ‘generic tech-house’ for me, hehe, people hate that description.
A few tracks with tribal flavours I remember hearing him play in the first hour.
Roger Gerressen – Hajastan
D Dub – Bomoh
Sebbo – Elephanze Ce Danze
Radio Slave – Orchestrating Manoeuvres In The Dark (M.in & Patrick Lindsey Remix)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
07.01.10 : Danny Tenaglia @ One Night Only – Nevermind
New York DJ, producer, re-mixer, dance music legend Danny Tenaglia playing a special 6 hour, intimate club gig, on a Thursday night, announced at the last minute. How could I miss this? A chance to see another one of those old-school legends of electronic dance-music.
The last time he played Australia was sometime in the early 1990’s I believe. Not a fan of long haul flights, however he was out here in Australia to play the Fuzzy – Shore Thing NYE party on Bondi Beach and a few other gigs around Australia.
I’m really glad I went along to this. Lots of excellent music, great crowd, fantastic vibe, lots of music passionate punters and local DJs in attendance, showing much vocal appreciation. It sold out in advance, Nevermind was packed, with a long line of people left outside on the night.
With work the next day, sadly we spent this one on the couches, chilling out and just enjoying the sounds/vibe. I think we lasted about 4+1/2 hours of his 6 hour set. The dance-floor was super busy all night, I couldn’t find the energy to attack it.
I love the way these old-school DJs like Francois K, Derrick May, and Danny Tenaglia play their music, and perform to a crowd. Creating excitement, drama, and tension, taking risks in the mix, teasing music in, layering vocals, always keeping it interesting, switching moods, with a journey through lots of excellent, memorable music, new and old, mixing up genres as they go, house, tech-house, tribal, progressive, disco, techno, minimal and more, rocking a dance-floor. It’s exactly what’s missing from so many other DJ sets I hear out. Too many DJs these days just play safe, smoothly blending a set of all too similar music.
My mate Tad puts it into better words here, taken from the massive ITM thread, leading up to and following the night, watch out for all the thread derailments, read at your own risk.
Danny grabbed the mic a few times during his set too (as he’s known to do), telling us things like…
“It’s not about you, its not about me, its about US!”
“OK, I think everyone is in now. We got a party going on in here. CLOSE THE DOORS, DON’T LET ANYONE ELSE IN!”
“Fuck Ibiza I’m coming to Sydney!”
A great review of the night by e_j_montano here on ITM.
Here’s a whole heap of track IDs from the night, thanks to various ITM forum posters.
Note: Some of these tracks were just teased into the mix for seconds, some were vocal acapellas layered over other tracks. Probably quite a few re-edits and remixes only D.T has. Certainly a nice range of music here…
Perc – Submit
Ben Klock (Feat. Elif Bicer) – Goodly Sin (Robert Hood Remix)
ATFC Pres. Onephatdeeva – In and Out Of My Life
Guy Gerber – Stoppage Time (Danny Tenaglia Edit)
Butch – Disco Shhh
Quentin Harris – Haunted
Dubtribe Sound System – Do It Now
Lustral – Everytime (Nalin & Kane Remix)
Kings Of Tomorrow – Changes/Finally
Crystal Waters – 100% Pure Love
Narcotic Thrust – Safe From Harm
Dan March – Sand Dune
Jeff Mills – Present Age
Robert Hood – School
Mark Broom – People (Nick Curly Remix)
Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.
Afefe Iku – Mirror Dance
Stimming & H.O.S.H. – Radar
Madonna – Papa Don’t Preach (Strings Intro)
Danny Tenaglia (Feat. Celeda) – Music Is The Answer
Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal
Alan Fitzpatrick – Trendy Wendy
I:Cube – Oblivion
Angie Stone – I Wish I Didn’t Miss You Anymore
Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People (Remix ?)
Nalin & Kane – Beachball
Todd Terry – The Preacher
Chris Korda – Save The Planet, Kill Yourself
Santos – La Pineta
Videos of the night here…
http://www.youtube.com/user/donkeydrop
I think Danny enjoyed himself too, from his facebook page the next day…
“Wow! Wow! & Wow! >> Sydney was the Answer << !! I shall never forget this evening for as long as I shall live! Thank you Scott, Brettt, James & everyone that attended @ NEVERMIND! >> xox :-)”