I had a fun night, nice to be out with friends. It’s been a long time since the whole ‘gang’ has been out together. Tom Clark was good, but I felt much more musically inspired last time he played Mad Racket a couple of years ago. I hardly knew anything Tom Clark played this time. Not much train-spotting to report, I’m pretty sure I heard these…
Martin Buttrich – Well Done
Martin Landsky – Let Me Dance (Sebo K Remix)
Matthias Tanzmann – Procon
Grindvik – Surface
Paul Ritch – Winter Ceremony
Gaiser – Bukl
Samuel L. Session (Feat. Paris The Black Fu) – Can You Relate?
Future Beat Alliance – Remember
Audion – I Gave You Away
The last few there may have been played by Jimmi James who stepped up and mixed a few back-to-back towards the end of Tom’s set.
I think there may have been a couple of Phage & Daniel Dreier tracks, and another Gasier track played during Tom’s set as well, can’t remember the exact titles at the moment. I’m sure a lot of what he played was probably new/forthcoming releases, possibly some from his Highgrade label, he was using mp3s via a Serato Scratch or Final Scratch setup with an Apple notebook.
I personally felt much of what Tom Clark played wasn’t that memorable, not many tracks with hooks. There were only a couple of those ‘wow, what’s this track?’ moments. Not enough melodic elements for me, but it was good dance-floor minimal tech-house/deep-house grooves. I would have liked some tougher intensity, a splash of techno, a little variety, it was all pretty deep, nothing too challenging. To be bluntly honest I felt a little bored. I probably would have liked DJ T. @ Kink musically better, but was turned off by the venue.
Sydney’s Stick Figures who played live prior were great! They have some great minimal/tech tracks/sounds now, and have mostly moved on from all the electro-house/clash sounds they had last time I saw them, years ago at the Spanish Club.
Jimmi James was the only Mad Racket DJ I got to hear for 10-15 minutes before Stick Figures started up, I liked the tracks he played, nice to hear some more tech/techno sounds, he loves that Heartthrob – ‘Golum’ track, as do I.
Attendance wise, there were probably half as many people as were at the previous Mad Racket with Claude VonStroke, which made it more comfortable and less hot this time, but I felt a bit of a vibe/energy lacking from the crowd, a lot of people sitting, and the crowd thinned rapidly after 3am.
For those who missed Tom Clark If you’re up for it, you can catch him again in Sydney this Friday 13th at Bread & Butter @ Ladylux.
http://www.madracket.com.au
http://www.highgrade-records.de
http://www.myspace.com/tomclarkhighgrade