SETH TROXLER FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH
at four seasons resort dubai | jumeirah beach road 055 211 8222 / 04 343 8411 | reservations@provocateurdubai.com www.provocateurdubai.com
TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH at four seasons resort dubai | jumeirah beach road 055 211 8222 / 04 343 8411 | reservations@provocateurdubai.com www.provocateurdubai.com
the chemical brothers, skrillex, duran duran, die antwoord, asap rocky, fka twigs, flying lotus, róisín murphy, hot chip, jamie xx, arca & jesse kanda, squarepusher, seth troxler, siriusmodeselektor, autechre, owen pallett, kindness, laurent garnier, dubfire:live hybrid, tiga live, jamie jones, maya jane coles, skepta & jme, rl grime, adam beyer, totally enormous extinct dinosaurs, pxxr gvng, evian christ, annie mac, cashmere cat, erol alkan, floating points, ktl, daniel avery, ten walls, rone, scuba, arthur baker, sophie, henrik schwarz, the 2 bears, roman flügel, black coffee, special request, francesco tristano, dj tennis, pional, dj fresh, lcc, holly herndon, the bug, gramatik, ralph lawson, j.e.t.s. (jimmy edgar & machinedrum), dorian concept, kiasmos, kate tempest, paranoid london, just blaze, vessel, double vision: atom tm + robin fox, bomba estéreo, kasper bjørke, xosar & torn hawk, badbadnotgood, tourist, an initiative of
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zebra katz, salva, russell haswell, felix dickinson, meneo, redinho, mumdance & novelist feat. the square, desert djs, cabosanroque, koreless + emmanuel biard: the well, mika vainio, lee gamble, helena hauff, angel molina, nyloïd, voices from the lake, nazoranai, viktor flores, niño, randomer, powell, lorenzo senni, nick hook, dj sliink, ¥€$Ø, swindle, jimi tenor & jori hulkkonen play nuntius, southern hospitality, dj raff, fernando lagreca, evol, klara lewis, blastto, jupiter lion, joanie lemercier & james ginzburg: blueprint, courtesy, sta, headbirds, dj detweiler, palms trax, bosaina, olde gods, nv, ossie, larry gus, torus, brigitte laverne, mans o, lost twin, el niño de elche vs los voluble, baldo, exotèric continent, la mverte, psychic mirrors, teengirl fantasy, alejandro paz, valesuchi, lao, noir noir, will blake, adda kaleh, cascales, innercut, render b2b veski, skygaze, colectivo +0, wife and many more. get your tickets here: www.sonartickets.com associated media
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A Note From The Editor
Publisher: Talal Budebs Managing Partner: Charl Chaka, charlchaka@infusion.ae Editor: Andy Buchan andy@infusion.ae Sales Director: Vip Patel, Vip@infusion.ae 050 169 8712 Online Guru: Chris Rayner chris@infusion.ae Contributors: Stephen Day, Sam Moult, Matt Zaharias, Chris Rayner, Dale Chandler Design: Gustavo Cordeiro
So, here we are at the end of another party season, maybe the most vibrant and diverse the city has ever seen. We have more beach clubs than ever before, more stunning bars than ever before and more underground nights clamouring for our attention than we ever imagined – that there are too many good nights to choose from is one of those good problems in life, unless you happen to be a promoter in this increasingly hectic city. We’re back on July 19, but until then Ramadan Kareem from the Infusion team and rave safe this summer.
Infusion is published by Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098 Never miss an issue, get Infusion delivered to your door for just Dhs100 a year. Email info@infusion.ae now!
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Plus Minus
Long running house-techno night Plus Minus gets the allembracing Infusion editorial hug this issue...
Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Henrik Schwarz, Ryan Crosson, Âme, James Zabiela, Karmon, Paco Osuna, Ben Klock, Anja Scheider, Benoit & Sergio and Chris Liebing. House and techno fans have never had it so good recently, and that roll call is purely down to the Plus Minus team. They might have hit a rich vein of bookings recently, but Plus Minus have been rocking for nearly a decade – a few readers might remember some of their first parties at Submarine in the armpit of Bur Dubai, a sweaty underground bunker where a prebeard Raxon made his first moves as a DJ and producer. While the house and techno market has become super-saturated in recent times, Plus Minus have kept their cool and kept their forward thinking booking policy. And as one of the first adopters of Level 41, they’ve created a loyal legion of dancefloor warriors who cheer and clap every booming bassline. No posing, no preening, just good music and good, good people. Plus Minus feat. Mathew Johnson, Friday June 5, Level 41, advance tickets from Platinumlist.net
LOOKING
BACK Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.
• What We Did • Photo Gallery
Looking Back
What we did NIPPON BOTTLE COMPANY We’d been hearing whispers about a new speakeasy in town and after threatening our sources with the Angry Monkey, they told us about the Nippon Bottle Company so we snuck in to see what the fuss was all about. It was worth the trouble - the bar holds an incredible selection of Japanese whiskey, and the bartenders were serving up the best cocktails we’ve had in years. There’s a variety of Sake on offer too, as well as Japanese beer and the usual spirits for the less adventurous, and the old martial arts movies playing on the wall completed the feeling of being in a Tokyo izakaya. Upon leaving we were sworn to secrecy about the location, but we can give you one hintstart your search at the Dusit Thani Hotel...
Matt Zaharias
Looking Back DRUM AND BASS DUBAI FEAT. NICKY BLACKMARKET @ THE BASEMENT
Those in the know about drum’n’bass were treated to an old school extravaganza at Basement when they hosted Nicky Blackmarket, and legendary MCs, Shabba D and Skibadee. Reminiscent of the early 2000s, Nicky Blackmarket consistently rolled out classics of the glory days of jungle and DnB; however, the night was all about the MCs, and the SAS were relentless in laying down tight, energy filled vocals. Still able to give lyrics in double time and flow together seamlessly, Shabba and Skiba showed us what true DnB MCing is all about, an element that has been missing from most modern DnB parties (at least in Dubai). Support from Woodle’s 3 hour set filled with classics also complimented the night well, ensuring a joyous evening for all the ravers. Dale Chandler
Looking Back
MARKUS SCHULZ @ ZERO GRAVITY
We’re into the sweaty end of the season but that didn’t stop a huge crowd from filling up the outdoor area of Zero Gravity on Friday night to see trance legend Markus Schulz play solo for the first time in Dubai in five years. We’ve complained before about the slow speed of the bar queues here but on this night it was truly abysmal with your parched correspondents waiting around for 20 minutes whilst trying to order an iced tea. Thankfully we were noticed before we tried the “don’t you know who I am” play, which usually doesn’t work because no, no one knows or cares. Happily, everything production-wise at the venue was on-point, with a much louder sound system than we remember and lighting that definitely added to the experience. With the masses raring to go despite the heat, Markus delivered a solid two hour set that didn’t stray too far into the commercial sphere, playing his newer work and tracks from his label Coldharbour Recordings, as well as some fresh remixes of old classics like ‘The New World’ and Tiesto’s ‘Traffic’. With big smiles on the faces of the crowd and the mobbing received after the lights went down, the Unicorn Slayer proved to be a huge hit and we’d love to see him back in Dubai soon. Matt Zaharias
Looking Back
GLOBALFUNK 12TH BIRTHDAY FEAT. ULTERIOR MOTIVE @ CASA LATINA Globalfunk celebrated 12 years of bringing Dubai the finest in drum’n’bass at Casa Latina this past weekend. The past few months have seen various promoters bring old school legends to Dubai. However, Globalfunk opted for a fresher taste this week in the guise of Ulterior Motive and SPMC to join them in their celebrations. Noted for their impressive debut album, The Fourth Wall on Metalheadz, they delivered a heavy dose of bass on the night to leave the ears ringing and feet sore, busting out modern classics, such as their own ‘Tape Pack’, to the delight of the ravers assembled. SPMC also did his usual fine job of keeping everyone on their toes and the night in full flow. Dale Chandler
Looking Back DEEP CRATES @ ALKERSAL AVENUE
The venue calls the day of the gig to say permissions aren’t in, and the show can’t go on… disaster right? Three international acts ready to go on and nowhere to play. Luckily, the Deep Crates Cartel are a resourceful bunch and turned a catastrophe into one of the most unique and enjoyable nights Dubai has seen. In a stroke of luck/genius/whatever, a venue was found in the form of the cARTel warehouse in Al Quoz and Prince Fatty, Horseman, and Tippa Irie played an astonishing set to eager reggae fans. The venue provided as close to a dancehall vibe as it’s possible to get; gone were the queues, bouncers, hotel lobbies, expensive drinks, and posers, and what was left was a crowd skanking away to the classic and modern reggae and dub vibes of some of the greatest in the industry. If this is the result of nights going wrong, more of the same please. Dale Chandler
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Deep Crates feat. Prince Fatty @ AlSerkal Avenue
Drum and Bass Dubai feat. Nicky Blackmarket @ The Basement
Globalfunk feat. Ulterior Motive @ Casa Latina
Groove on the Grass feat. Tale Of Us @ Emirates Golf Course
GunsnRoses Experience @ Abu Dhabi City Golf Club
My Nu Leng @ XL
Plus Minus feat. Chris Liebing @ Level 41
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LOOKING FORWARD
Where we filter out the best things that are coming your way...
• Local News • Cover Story • Money Survey • And All That Jazz • Jack of All Trades • The Infusion Guide
Looking Forward
Local News DON’T PANIC, IT’S DANNIC
White Dubai are signing off another big season by bringing over Dutch EDM prodigy Dannic for a show on Friday June 5. Best known for his collaborations with Dyro and Hardwell, he’s released a lot of dancefloor ammunition through his Revealed Recordings label, including his 2015 release with Hardwell, ‘Survivors.’
HIP TO BE SQUARE
Dubai’s newest club is now up and running, with Square in the JW Marriott Marquise open every Tuesday and Thursday. And they’ve got a stonking mid-week line up to close out the season, with Warriors hosting much loved nu-disco outfit Disco Mutants on June 2, Matthias Meyer on June 9 and Dutch bouncy house star Eelke Kleijn (pictured) as their closing party on June 16.
INSANE IN THE BRAIN(FEEDER)
Alternative electronic night Lo Fi District sign off their Casa Latina parties before the summer break with their biggest booking yet as Brainfeeder’s Daedelus heads over from LA on Thursday June 11. The Brainfeeder front man and Ninja Tune star is as eclectic as he is talented, releasing a series of records that touch on the electronic, jazz and hip hop worlds. He’s supported by Bedouin Records founder Salem Rashid, Tunisian born DJ Aeli and Lo Fi residents Muhaisnah Four and Mo City. Early bird tickets are Dhs55 from Platinumlist.net.
JESSE ROSE & TENAGLIA PLAY PROVOCATEUR It’s been a big 6 months of big nights out for Provocateur and they have an impressive roster of big name bookings as they head into the summer. Visionquest co-founder and house/techno champion Seth Troxler takes over on Friday June 5, deep, jackin’ house DJ Jesse Rose the following week and New York legend Danny Tenaglia (pictured) playing a very special set on Tuesday June 16 to close the club for the season.
KISSTORY DUBAI
We have a pair of tickets to give away, head to infusion.ae
Leading London radio station Kiss FM takes over Level 41 on Friday June 12 with an old skool anthems night spanning house, garage and RnB. Nightcrawlers, the team behind the house classic ‘Push The Feeling On’ headline, with support from garage stars Artful Dodger (pictured) and DJ Luck and MC Neat, while the station’s Shortee Blitz brings the hip hop and RnB. Tickets are Dhs120 and available from our Tickets section on infusion.ae.
LAUGHTER FACTORY
Consistently one of the best nights out in the city, the Laughter Factory have 4 shows this June with 3 tried and tested comics charged with making you laugh. Catch Jamali Maddax, Rob Deering (pictured) and Jack Dathel on stage at Movenpick JBR (June 4 and 5), McGettigans JLT (June 10) and the Grand Millenium Hotel in Tecom on June 11.
Looking Forward SECRET NIGHT VIBES
Night Vibes, the new incarnation of Electric Days have two more biggies before the summer break with Friday June 5 featuring Bob Moses and Clarian alongside a whopping 6 local DJs while Friday June 12 is their closing party and features Pillow Talk (pictured), Tanner Ross and J Phlip. They’re keeping the venue details under wraps for the moment, so head to facebook.com/ vibesseries to get the latest.
ALSARAH & THE NUBATONES
If you’re after some mid-week live music action (and who isn’t), then The Music Room has you covered on Monday June 15 as Brooklyn NYC 4 piece Sudanese band Alsarah & The Nubatones are in town doing their eclectic mix of north and east African tunes with Arabic influence. Support comes from DJ duo Acid Arab, MC Toofless, DUST and the Bad House Party DJs.
Looking Forward RUMOURS • Tiesto is penciled in to play in the UAE in October. • Hardwell has been confirmed to return to Dubai for a gig this coming November. • Barasti have added a huge dome over their 2nd level from the start of June until September.
Big ups to the De Ja Vu crew (behind the John Digweed booking), who halted their promotion effort to head to Nepal and help with the much-need earthquake relief effort.
Facebook moaners. Go on, try and be a bit more positive please, and if not, leave the moaning to our Angry Monkey, he’s just better at it.
We’re pumped to be forced indoors for the summer clubbing season - sweaty, dark rave caves here we come!
How many ‘underground’ nights does it take for them to become overground and mainstream? We’re pretty certain Dubai has reached peak underground already...
Canada, Brazil, Scotland, Sonar and Ibiza, just a few of the countries and party spots we’ll be hitting this summer. Bon voyage!
FIFA finally look to be getting investigated properly, let’s hope the beautiful game can be beautiful once more!
The Etisalat Challenge turned out to be the gift that keeps on giving, so many howlers and PR blunders in such a short space of time. More please!
The last dance It’s been a big 6 months for Pacha Ibiza Dubai since launching. They’ve not only won awards for their stunning rooftop, but have brought over a wide range of electronic stars to their main room including Prince, Paul Van Dyk, Derrick Carter, Bob Sinclar and many, many others. And that’s not to forget their homegrown heroes like Rico, Stu Laurie and Ejaz who have set the tone at the sprawling three room club week in, week out. They’re closing out the season with a bang as they have hot EDM property R3hab playing on Thursday June 11, while French house master Martin Solveig does the honours on Friday June 12. Ahead of their massive closing weekend, we caught up with their Entertainment Director Pierre Ravan to find out what’s in store for the closing weekend and what’s coming up after Ramadan…
R3hab
Congratulations on your first season - what have been the highs and lows? The highs have been successfully launching a project that’s never been attempted in Dubai before and establishing ourselves as a 360 entertainment destination. The lows have been trying to stay focused on only 4 hours of sleep! And has running Pacha been easier or harder than you expected? We always knew it was going to be a massive project from the start. What will be the key theme to your post Ramadan programming? Focus on raising the profile of local DJs and artists and continue promoting the venue as a 360 degree world class dining and entertainment destination rather than just another club. And what, if anything, will you be changing after the summer, how will Pacha Dubai evolve? The show will always evolve and change - we will continue to explore ways in which to engage our audiences further. Martin Solveig
You've got R3hab and Martin Solveig playing the closing parties – what made you opt for them, what will they bring to the club? Martin has had a long history with Pacha in Ibiza and currently has a residency there so it felt like a natural fit to have him close our season and open it in Ibiza! With R3hab, there is a large community of EDM fans in Dubai and we wanted to cater to them as well. How involved have the Pacha Ibiza team been in this season, and will you be spending time there this summer taking notes? Pacha Ibiza have always kept a close eye and been involved in the programming and evolution of Pacha Dubai seeing as it is the "poster child" of the future of the brand. Most of our resident DJs will be jetting off there over Ramadan to get inspired. The rest of the team will be in Dubai working hard on making sure we have the best new season and come back with a bang! Who's been the best guest DJ this season? It would definitely have to be Bob Sinclar... the energy, crowd and atmosphere were all on point. And who's on the hit list for next season? We have a huge artist already signed to play in December. Unfortunately we cannot say who‌ R3hab, Thursday June 11 Martin Solveig, Friday June 12 10pm-3am, Dhs150
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INFUSION’S DANCE MUSIC
MONEY SURVEY
DJing is big, big business. International DJs can now take home more than $50million a year, while every Tom, Dick and Paris Hilton have turned their hand to DJing, charging ever more exorbitant fees as clubs and dance music get bigger and bigger. But where does the UAE come into this, how much do we respect and pay our local DJs, do we overpay for international talent and would you really want to be an event promoter when you can make or lose AED300,000 in one night?
The first of its kind in the region, we asked the region’s DJs and promoters to answer our Money survey, bringing some financial transparency to the business, and giving clubbers and music fans an insight into how the business works. With more than 250 responses, our anonymous internet survey pulled up some fascinating results which we’ve pulled out and highlighted over the next 10 pages.
WHAT IS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU’VE BEEN PAID FOR A GIG?
As you might expect, the answers veer towards the lower end, with a third of DJs playing for less than AED500. There are a significant number of DJs who have never played for less than AED1,500. 0-AED 499
31%
AED 500 - 999
34%
AED 1000 - 1499
19%
AED 1500 - 4999
11%
AED + 5000
4%
WHAT IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU’VE BEEN PAID FOR A GIG IN THE UAE?
Overwhelmingly, local DJs have had some good pay days, with over three quarters getting paid more than AED2,000 for their work at any one time. Bearing in mind that most DJs sets are 2 hours, that’s a very good per/hour rate. Equally, one in ten have never been paid more than AED1,000 for their DJ services. 0-AED 499
6%
AED 500 - 999
3%
AED 1000 - 1499
11%
AED 1500 - 4999
30%
AED + 5000
46%
PROMOTER ANSWERS WHAT IS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE PAID A DJ FOR A GIG IN THE U.A.E?
By contrast to the DJ answers, the scales are tipped towards the bottom end - paying less helps balance the books, and ups your profit, so it’s perhaps no surprise to see promoters looking to cut their costs. That said, a third of promoters have never paid less than AED1,000 for a DJ. 0-AED 499 AED 499 - 999
17%
46%
AED 1000 - 1999
25%
4% 8
AED 2000 - 4999 AED + 5000
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE HAVE DJ FEES IN THE U.A.E GONE UP OR DOWN IN PRICE? There was a real spread of answers, but the general consensus was that DJ fees have gone down.
‘Down. The club average used to be about AED1500 for a 3 hour set, the average now seems to be AED1000. Corporate events not so sure as I have been avoiding them for the last couple of years.’
‘Down, but fairly as promoters are getting squeezed harder by venues. And without promoters you have no scene, so you help where you can and take the odd reduced fee.’
‘It is hugely under paid as of today. If you compare the revenue a club makes a night/month vs the daily wage that is given to the local resident/freelance DJ considering the critical role he plays in functioning of the club, a club might offer its customers the top notch facilities. However if the music played is below standard then it directly affects the footfall of customers and eventually affects revenue. Historically DJs have always been mostly under paid in different parts of the world, this is due to nature of the industry when majority of the work done is not bound by any legal contract to safeguard the interests of the DJ’s work.’
‘They fluctuate, and not in a good way. Promoters have $10,000 to dish out on an international but don’t have AED2,000 for a hardworking local DJ with solid releases, decent labels, decent residencies, good international roster etc. Not a local who bought a controller and a Juno account 3 days ago (with friends in the right places). Most promoters’ excuse is always “can you pack the venue up/bring more people in for this amount of money?” ... These guys are the ones holding back the scene and they’re missing the point completely. They ignore warmup/mainslot matches and it shows. Most of these parties have random warmups that have nothing all to do with a set up or build up for the main act. Almost an anti-climax and quite frustrating for the main act. It’s quite sad considering the amount of money and hype being dished out. Some people do it for the wrong reasons. On the flip side though. There are a few that truly respect the art form and purpose.’
‘Down - only the established few can command a decent wedge....and there are only a few.’
HOW MUCH WOULD YOU CHARGE FOR A FULL TIME U.A.E. DJ RESIDENCY? (5 OR MORE NIGHTS A WEEK)
A real spread of answers, indicating that a full time DJ values consistency, with many content to play for AED750 a night (which equates to a monthly salary of AED15,000 for 20 nights a month). Equally, promoters and DJs seem to be on the same page with regards fees, with AED750 and AED1000 getting over half the vote.
DJ ANSWERS 0-AED 749
9%
AED 750 A NIGHT
22%
AED 1000 A NIGHT
28%
AED + 1500 A NIGHT
32%
PROMOTER ANSWERS 0-AED 250
8%
AED 500 A NIGHT
25%
AED 750 A NIGHT
25%
AED 1000 A NIGHT
25%
AED + 1500 A NIGHT
17%
WOULD YOU COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PROMOTERS TO HELP KEEP THE COSTS DOWN AND HELP THE SCENE? Despite being aware that the city is overpaying for international DJs, there’s a mixed response….
‘Yes definitely! It’s something we do, but it is hard to trust other promoters or even DJs when they try to take over venues, trash talk behind your back.’
‘Yes, have done so before and will do so again in the future. Especially for smaller ‘DIY’ promoters I think this makes a lot of sense.
‘Tried and lost money. Less money to be made, dilutes the crowd and this can lead to a difference of opinion on how to run promotions, dis, vision, concept etc... However it could work for one off projects.’
‘Tried. Failed. Big time.’
‘If the Drum and Bass scene wasn’t so full of petty immature people, it would happen.’
‘Yes, but most other promoters are tw*ts.’
DO PROMOTERS IN THE UAE OVERPAY FOR INTERNATIONAL TALENT, IS THERE A BIDDING WAR FOR DJS YOU’RE INTERESTED IN? Almost universally, the answer was yes – it seems we as an industry overpay for international DJ talent.
‘Yes, a lot of promoters over pay. Best idea is to try not to book anyone already played here for a ‘big’ promoter as the DJ will no doubt have unreasonable expectations. I have ended up paying more.’
‘I think so, you hear about people in Dubai outbidding other venues and promoters just so that other promoter is priced out. Fees are high for artists, and their riders can sometimes be another 25% on top.’
‘Yes and the blame is on these so called promoters that have no clue and spend their Daddy's money to outbid other promoters.’
‘We are forced to over pay because crowds only turn up to ‘big names.
‘Yes definitely, plus agents & DJs in a lot of cases take advantage as soon as they hear Dubai or UAE and their fees suddenly go up.’
‘A lot more... Too many nights, not enough punters.’
e
.’
‘The scene has definitely become more competitive on all levels. With new promoters popping up all over the place, some DJs undercutting other DJs to get playtime at certain venues, the same genre of music being played in multiple clubs on the same days and venues taking things in-house it has made the industry change. There used to be an unspoken rule where promoters respected other promoters but new cats in town are changing the game...’
‘The majority do, but if you have the right contacts you don’t have to pay over the odds. If anything the opposite can be true as people want to visit Dubai. There have been a couple of hidden ballot bidding wars that I know of.’
PROMOTER ANSWERS WHAT IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE PAID FOR A DJ?
Including both local and international DJs, this gives you an idea of how much promoters shell out on talent to fill their dancefloors. 64% of respondents have paid over AED5,000 for DJs, which is a lot of tickets to sell, especially when you consider flights, hotel fees and F&B costs. 0-AED 999 AED 1000 - 1499
12%
AED 1500 - 1999
40% 4% 12%
24%
AED 2000 - 4999 AED 5000 - 9999
8
AED + 10K
DO HOTELS PLACE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS ON PROMOTERS WITH REGARDS TO DOOR/BAR SPLIT AND REVENUE? ‘I think hotels do expect a huge amount from promoters. Of course venues expect you to be smashing it from night 1, but sometimes when you are trying to build something sustainable it can take weeks / months before the formula clicks. The key is to find a good FB Director that can help support your ideas and plans for a venue. The contact at the hotel is more important than the hotel. if you have the support of a good manager then it makes everything 100% easier.’ ‘Basically most hotels expect promoters/agents to move mountains and part the Red Sea and think we are all doing this for the goodness of our health and everything should be done with little or no profit on our side. It’s very hard to make hotels understand that good talent costs money!’ ‘Yes and no. Most are OK with promoter taking 100% of tickets sales (before DTCM etc) but due to some promoters being focussed on selling tables (and therefore doing big numbers on the bar - even for a night with not many people dancing) bar splits are usually unreasonable. Then some venues don’t want you to charge anything on the door, but still want you to book internationals.’ ‘Everyone wants to make money but hotels and venues are getting greedy and I feel that most do not offer internal support. Most venues have really bad management also and run venues like FnB outlets rather than stand alone clubbing and entertainment venues which also hinders progression. We take 100% at the door where ticketing is feasible as it’s the only place you can really make any money as bar targets are not how they used to be.’ ‘Not always. It Can be very cutthroat, but sometimes this helps keep inexperienced and commercial wannabes away.’
DO YOU EXPECT ANY PERKS WITH YOUR GIGS? IF SO WHAT? A bottle, food and drink coupons, a bar tab, transport and guestlist were the major requests, as well as hotel rooms for out of town gigs. Some were still focussed on money, with ‘AED1500,’ ‘AED2500’ and ‘tips’ amongst the answers.
WHAT IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF PROFIT YOU HAVE MADE FROM AN EVENT? Everyone from small promoters to big time charlies have answered, giving a huge span of figures. The lowest was AED3000, with lots of answers between AED20,000 and AED60,000. There were 4 answers of over AED100,000, with AED400,000 the most made from one single event.
WHAT IS THE MOST AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE LOST FROM AN EVENT?
Some have been very lucky, with a few that have ‘broken even’ at worst, or ‘never lost.’ Most promoters have had some serious losses though… The lowest was AED8,000 The highest was AED320,000
SENSATION.COM
WHAT’S NEW? Doors open at 6pm Gate B “General aDmission” entrance Gate c “General aDmission & Deluxe” entrance Gate D “Vip taBles & skyBox” DeDicateD entrance neW Deluxe area on leVel 2 With priVate open Bar & priVate Balcony token Booths at the entrance, Ga area, anD FooDcourts 30 FooD kiosks With F&B serVice in the FooDcourt F&B VillaGe With seatinG area anD a 100 meter Bar aDDitional restroom Facilities shuttle Busses Will Be aVailaBle aFter the eVent
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TOKENS
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VIP TABLES + SKYBOX
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DELUXE
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GENERAL ADMISSION
MAIN STAGE
TOILETS
25M BAR
100M BAR
F&B VILLAGE SEATING AREA
30 food kiosks with F&B service
TOKENS
And all that jazz
Live electronic maestro – and Cobblestone Jazz mainstay – Mathew Johnson is playing a much anticipated live set for Plus Minus on June 5. Stu Todd caught up with him to find out what’s in store… How has 2015 been for you so far? It's been a bit of a rollercoaster to be honest. From some vacation time in February to some really heavy touring, I can tell this year is going to test me in many ways. Luckily, I have friends that are good at taking care of me.
I am very excited about the recent Cobblestone Jazz material. Can you tell us more about the record? I'm really excited about it too. It has been sometime since our last release. We made both tracks over a day session in my old studio. It was actually the last day before closing so it feels like it was a great way to go out. ‘Northern Lights‘ is my favourite of the two. It was made playing the Rhodes and CS-60 live through the modular synthesizer‘s gates. It took about an hour to set up the patch that created the rhythm of the parts. As myself and Daniel were playing at the same time - him on the piano and myself on the synth - we were able to find a nice flow that naturally evolves. The result was something that sounded quite percussive but actually we were holding sustained chords and letting the modular do a lot of the work. Festival season is under way again, what shows do you have coming up that you are most excited about? I'm really looking forward to Rainbow Disco Club outside of Tokyo this weekend. The Modern Deep Left Quartet are playing one of our rare shows. It's also an improvised show. We have been doing it since the 90s from time to time so we all know each other's capabilities quite well.
Playing in Japan is always something special for us. It doesn't really get much better than traveling with your close friends to foreign places and experiencing things together. It can be a lonely road out there playing solo. You bring your live set up with you to Dubai in June, what kit will you be bringing with you? Any new additions? Same as always. Tr-8, Machinedrum, SH-101 a mixer, some controllers and effects. Do you ever wish you could just rock up with a couple of USB’s and headphones? I've only tried it once at my friend’s wedding years ago. It was fun and really easy to find the music you want to play. If I ever decide to start DJing again it would be a good way to go. Not the most sexy format to play music but the time it takes to look for your music with the new CD players is unparalleled. If you stick to WAV or aiff files the sound is great so that's what's important. Lugging my gear around is not easy but the live result is what counts. soundcloud.com/mathewjonson Plus Minus feat. Mathew Johnson, Friday June 5, Level 41, Media One We have a Hotel, 9pmpair of tickets 3am, Dhs80/100 to give away, advance, head to infusion.ae Platinumlist.net
JACK OF ALL TRADES
One of the most highly regarded of the new wave of British DJs, the versatile Jackmaster returns to Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE for their closing party on June 12 alongside Noir. We caught up with the Scottish DJ to ask about diva behaviour, horse drawn carriage and how to not be an idiot‌
You've had a busy few years as a DJ – what have been the biggest DJ lessons you've learnt playing across the world? I know it's kind of cheesy but the top lesson has to be just be yourself. Don't try to be cool, don't try to tick boxes and don't let anyone make you feel guilty for playing whatever you want. I think I am still learning this a little. It's not always easy to stick to your guns and it's always easy to look at other people you admire and hope to imitate them. Do not. Just be you. The other one is just to make as many friends in the scene as possible. And be nice to your fans. Basically don't be an idiot. And what about the superstar DJ lifestyle, have you been able to embrace it or at least survive it? Yeah I'm hanging in there! A couple of weeks ago I burnt out after a run of really hectic scheduling. My ears packed up and I just felt shitty all over, but today I feel great. When it gets too much I just take a couple of days and hibernate for like 24 hours at a time. Don't answer any calls, texts or emails. You're known for your wide-ranging style – ever dropped something you'd thought would be an inspired choice and it's flopped? Loads of times. But you just have to learn from those moments and not let them phase you. You have to take risks, always. The UAE in June must feel like a long way away from when you first started your career, ever have to pinch yourself? Yeah for sure. Sometimes this job can get on top of you. You find yourself moaning to yourself about the smallest, most menial and diva-ish facets of the job. The promoter didn't get you extra leg room on your flight or the right drink on your rider. That’s just stupid. Those are the times you have to check yourself and remember you have the best job in the world. You won the DJ Mag Best of British award, how did you celebrate after – and what do awards like this do for your career? I took a few of my best mates to the awards ceremony at Fabric in a horse drawn carriage! It was the most diva thing I've ever done - but anyone who knows me, knows it was just for fun. I had a rough idea that I had won the award in advance so on my way to the show I thought go on and I googled "horse drawn carriage in London". The first company I spoke to was like "yeah, we can do it for you tonight for £600" and then they offered me this pimped out golden carriage that Lady Gaga had used the week before. I was all over it. It was so worth it. Afterwards we just got blind drunk at my hotel. I'm not sure it's done that much for my career but it looks cool when girls come up to my house! Jackmaster & Noir, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, Friday June 12
Doha
The Infusion Guide Ahead of our return to Doha for House of Afrika on June 4, we take a closer look at the growing city that’s hosted big names like Paul Van Dyk and Mark Ronson recently to find out how the nightlife scene is building. And who better to guide us than Carl Roberts, a long-standing party provider in the city
Best bars:
Wahm, The Lounge, Glo.
Best clubs:
Ultra, Strata, St Tropez, Rooftop.
Best parties and DJs this year:
Parties: Sundowner Sessions, House of Afrika, Global DJs. DJs: Alexa, Ste Roberts, Black Coffee.
Best hotel to stay: Four Seasons
Best local DJs:
Kinky D, Jared McCullogh, Sasha.
What time do clubs open and close? Is there an after party scene at all?
Venues are open from 9pm until 2am. The scene is new but definitely coming alive, with lots of new promoters getting in on the act.
We've heard you have to give your passport in at some hotels when you go out, is that true? Either that or your local ID card, it’s like that in all of the clubs.
Historically, how has Doha's party scene grown over the last decade?
I can only speak for the past 5 years. But it has grown hugely. When I first arrived at the beginning of 2010 the only clubs (3 to be exact) played very commercial music and there was no alternative house/tech scene at all. Now there are venues springing up almost monthly.
Is there an underground or commercial culture there, a balance of music and scenes?
There is actually something for everyone at the moment. Right across the spectrum from funk to hard tech to deep house to drum and bass. It’s a great place to be!
House of Afrika Doha
If you’re after some deep, afro, tech house, then House of Afrika, now on its third monthly party, it the one for you. House of Afrika Doha feat. Just Lance, Charl Chaka and Kinky D, Thursday June 4, Strata, 55th Floor, Intercontinental. 9pm, QR100 including 1 free drink.
Crystal Clear
The sister venue to Dubai’s Crystal, Doha Crystal hosts a variety of house and hip hop events every week. Hed Kandi’s Lucy Stone plays on Thursday June 11, while Dubai’s 411 nights host the Friday night session, with DJ Bliss flying over to supply the hip hop and urban beats. 411 Nights feat. DJ Bliss, Crystal, Friday June 12, 10pm, W Hotel. crystaldoha.com
Global DJs
Maybe the biggest force in the scene, the Global DJs team have been behind some of the biggest and best events in the city’s history. Set up in 2006, they’ve brought down big names like deadmau5, Tiesto, David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Above & Beyond, Calvin Harris, and Nicky Romero. More recently, they’ve brought over Example, Mark Ronson and Paul Van Dyk. facebook.com/ GlobalDJsOnline
IN CINEMAS JUNE 4
ON THE THE RADAR ON RADAR
SEPTEMBER 25
JULY 30 SUPERHEROES FEAT. LOW STEPPA Level 41
30 Seconds To Mars, World Trade Centre
AUGUST 27 Superheroes feat. Jack Beats, Level 41
David August, Level 41
OCTOBER 2
AUGUST 28 Hopfest, Irish Village
OCTOBER 8 Dave Matthews Band, Yas Island
SEPTEMBER 17 Spandau Ballet, Trade Centre
OCTOBER 30 Sensation Meydan
We’ve re-worked our listings – one-off events will appear in the magazine, for everything else please check infusion.ae for our day-to-day listings. For inclusion, email andy@infusion.ae Pick up a copy from our Infusion Magazine stands at these locations and more across the city Every A+E outlet, Every MMI outlet, Double Decker, Media One, Zero Gravity, 360 club, Casa Latina, Barasti, Pure Sky Lounge, Beatz and Cuts, McGettigans JLT/DWC, Music Room, China White, Nasimi, Story Rooftop, El Fuego, The Basement, Bliss Lounge, Zinc, Pulse, Cinnamon - Raddison, La Terrasse, Fashion Lounge, OcactI, Serafina, Soul Al Bahar, The Scene
MONDAY 1 Hip Hop Mondays feat. Kiff, Cirque Le Soir
Innovative French DJ Kiff is joined in this hip hop and RnB night by local star Shef Codes. 10pm-late.
Brockmann and Ronin & Salah on deck duty dropping house and tech house. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.
Laughter Factory, Movenpick JBR
TUESDAY 2
Rob Deering, Jack Dathel and Jamali Maddix are this month’s funny men. 9pm, Dhs140.
Censored Tuesdays, Cirque Le Soir
Massive Fridays feat. Krept & Konan, Sensation
THURSDAY 4
One Love Thursday, Sublime Lounge
Nick Tohme is joined by Scottie B for a night of inflatable toys, fireworks and champagne. 10pm-late.
Half Baked Dubai, Level 41, Media One Hotel
The vinyl only brand makes its Dubai debut, with Yakine, Greg
The Play Dirty duo drop hip hop, pop and house, with support from Scottie B and Sadcat. 10pm-3am.
Reggae Beach Fest move indoors, with a reggae, dancehall, soca throwdown. 9pm-3am.
Nick Warren, 02 Club
Veteran UK spinner Nick Warren returns to the city for a set of progressive house grooves. 10pm-3am.
INFUSION PICK! Seth Troxler, Provocateur A big booking, with US house and techno DJ and Visionquest co-founder headlining. 10pm-3am.
Laughter Factory, Movenpick JBR
Rob Deering, Jack Dathel and Jamali Maddix are this month’s funny men. 9pm, Dhs140.
Lee Foss & Matthias Tanzmann, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
Euphoric deep house from yet another big double header, with Lee Foss of Hot Creations fame joined by Tanzmann. 1pm-late.
FRIDAY 5 Cause We Love Music feat. J Paul Getto, Bliss Lounge The JBR bar closes for the season with disco/house DJ J Paul Getto, with Somalie, Robert Walker, Mary G and more on support. 8pm-late, free.
Dannic, White Dubai
EDM and high energy house music from Hardwell’s fellow Dutch DJ prodigy. 10pm-late.
House of Afrika, Dek on 8
The residents take over, dropping deep/Afro/soul house jams all night long. 6pm-3am.
INFUSION PICK! Plus Minus feat. Mathew Johnson, Level 41 It’s the last Plus Minus of the season, and they’re going out with a live bang thanks to Cobblestone Jazz’s Mathew Jonson for a set of house and tech house. 9pm, Dhs100 advance.
TUESDAY 9 Night Warriors feat. Matthias Meyer, Square
A big mid-week booking, as German house DJ and producer headlines at the brand new club at the JW Marriott Marquise. 10pm-3am.
WEDNESDAY 10 Laughter Factory, McGettigans JLT
Rob Deering, Jack Dathel and Jamali Maddix are this month’s funny men. 9pm, Dhs140.
THURSDAY 11
SATURDAY 6
INFUSION PICK! Coma feat. Yousef, GQ Bar New house and techhouse night Coma features Liverpudlian house hero Yousef, the man behind the long-running Circus night. 10pm.
INFUSION PICK! Lo Fi District feat. Daedelus, Casa Latina The alternative electronic night returns with LA based musician and DJ Daedelus of Brainfeeder and Ninja Tune fame. 9pm-3am, Dhs55 advance.
Deep Like, Level 41, Media One Hotel
The popular Thursday night party moves to Level 41 for their season closing party, with Nicone & Sascha Braemer headlining. 9-3am, Dhs100.
Laughter Factory, Grand Millenium Tecom
Rob Deering, Jack Dathel and Jamali Maddix are this month’s funny men. 9pm, Dhs140.
Glitch feat. Skober, The Basement
The Tecom club close for the season with techno/minimal night Glitch bringing over Drumcode signing Skober. 10pm-3am, ladies free, Dhs100. INFUSION PICK! R3hab, Pacha Ibiza Dubai EDM from highly rated Dutch DJ Fadil El Ghoul, better known by his stage name R3hab. 11pm-late, Dhs150.
FRIDAY 12 Happy Ending, Societe Dubai
The venue is getting transformed into a ball pit for the night, with complimentary massages and 80s/90s/00s hits on the speakers. 9pm-late.
House of Afrika, Dek on 8
The residents take over, dropping deep/Afro/soul house jams all night long. 6pm-3am. INFUSION PICK Jesse Rose, Provocateur Bouncy house and techhouse from the cult producer
and DJ known for his Made to Play residency and his Kiss FM radio show. 10pm-3am.
Live The Story Together, Pure Sky Lounge
Alliance Française host this night of lounge and electro music, with French DJ Marion on deck duty. 7.30pm-late. INFUSION PICK! Kisstory, Level 41 A garage/house/RnB mashup with the Nightcrawlers supported by Artful Dodger, DJ Luck & MC Neat and Shortee Blitz. 9pm-3am, Dhs100 advance. INFUSION PICK! Martin Solveig, Pacha Ibiza Dubai French house DJ behind huge hits like ‘C’est Le Vie’ and ‘Rocking Music’ brings his 10pm-3am.
Michael McIntyre, World Trade Centre
UK comic McIntyre brings his Happy & Glorious show to the UAE for a two night run of shows. 6pm. INFUSION PICK! Night Vibes Pillow Talk, Tanner Ross and J Phlip close out the house
party for the season, with the location kept secret – check out fb.com/vibesseries for updates. 6pm-3am, Dhs120 advance. INFUSION PICK! Noir & Jackmaster, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Blue Marlin sign off their season with another big double header, with deep house grooves from Noir complemented by Jackmaster’s eclectic house mix. 1pm-late.
SATURDAY 13 Michael McIntyre, World Trade Centre
UK comic McIntyre brings his Happy & Glorious show to the UAE for a two night run of shows. 6pm.
MONDAY 15 INFUSION PICK! Alsarah & The Nubatones, Music Room The Brooklyn/Sudanese 4 piece play their African/ Middle East music live, with support from Acid Arab, Toofless and more. 8pm-late. Dhs100, ladies free before 9pm.
TUESDAY 16 INFUSION PICK! Night Warriors feat. Eelke Kleijn, Square Square round off their month of bookings since opening with their closing party featuring rising Dutch house DJ Kleijn. 10pm-3am. INFUSION PICK! Danny Tenaglia, Provocateur Another huge booking for the mid-sized venue at the Four Seasons, with American house hero Tenaglia dropping one of his trademark extended sets. 10pm-3am.
LOOK AND
LISTEN Music be the food of love, so read on...
• Music News • Album reviews • Tech Talk • Soundstage • Dj Booth • Music That Matters
Look and Listen
Music News...
ATTENTION ALL BANDS AND PRODUCERS
Axe’s new campaign, Bring The Quiet, could be your ticket to fame and fortune – or at least make you smell a bit better. They’re looking for 10 winners (bands and producers) for their Bring The Quiet Album which will be released on vinyl later this year and also win an exclusive three-day workshop with renowned producer Youth. Head to bringthequiet.com for entry details and to submit your tracks.
SOMETHING BIG BACK AT OUTLOOK
DXB Drum and Bass night outfit Something Big are once again among the boat party action at Outlook this year, as they host Icicle, Sceptical, ANT TC1, MC Fokuz, and local resident PLO for their Friday September 4 party. There are over 40 Outlook boat parties this year, with Goldie, dBridge, Newham Generals, Zed Bias, Kode 9 and more setting sail in Croatia. Outlookfestival.com
HEE-HEE!
One Michael Jackson superfan, with faaaaaar too much time on his hands has compiled every random noise, screech and high pitched yelps into one 4 minute long clip on Youtube. It’s very, very amusing, and also not safe for work – some parts sound like a badly shot X-rated flick… Search for Every Michael Jackson Grunt on Youtube.
both, u could be o y e c n e c li quor W ithout a li E THE RISK! K DON’T TA
The process couldn’t be simpler, just follow these 3 easy steps.
STEP 1 Complete the Application Form and get it stamped by your employer.
STEP 2 Attach copies of the required documents.
STEP 3 Visit any MMI shop to submit your Application Form and documents.
For more information please contact our Liquor Licence team on 04 304 0331/0332 or e-mail lipsadmin@mmi.ae mmidubai.com
/mmidubai
@mmi_dubai
MMIDubai
Look and Listen
Album Reviews... MARKY – HEROES
Drum and Bass // soundcloud.com/dj-marky
DJ MARKY ROSE TO DRUM & BASS FAME IN THE LATE 90S, securing UK chart success with the now classic single ‘LK’ in 2002. Despite releasing numerous singles and EPs, ‘My Heroes’ is Marky’s debut album… and it’s stunning. Drum & Bass production, like much of the electronic dance music around it, has become increasingly formulaic in recent years. This LP is a refreshing break from the norm. Marky’s musical influences span the entire spectrum, even reworking vocals and samples as obscure as a 60s Beatles cover band. Technically there isn’t a title track, but ‘Silly’ sums up Marky’s vibe to a tee – singalong vocals, fresh synths, and a sub bass that brings the familiar DnB samba vibe into 2015. ‘Medusa’ is the stand out dancefloor track, the rawest on the album and packs a brutal punch. The vocal hooks on ‘Be With You’ and ‘Getaway’ are also sizeable, with Marky stripping the latter back to an amen heavy, fat squelchy roller. The album covers a multitude of Drum & Bass sub-genres, but also dips its toe into house music waters with suitable style. With collaborations from A Sides, Singing Fats and Makoto amongst others this album is sure to soundtrack many a Junglist’s summer. Perfect for long sunny drives and weekend trips. That said, out here in the desert, best to wind up the windows, stereo and AC to the max. Tim ‘Woodle’ Woodstock
METAMORPHIQ – HERE WE ARE Soul/Jazz // metamorphiqmusic.com
DUBAI MIGHT NOT BE THE MELTING POT IT QUITE CLAIMS to be but there’s no doubt it throws together some very interesting combinations. And in Metamorphiq, a collaboration between Bulgarian producer Stoyan Stoyanov AKA Storn and English Filipino singer/songwriter Melisa Le Rue, the city has helped pair two musical talents bonded by a shared love of jazz and electronica. Storn claims Hans Zimmer and Herbie Hancock as influences, while Le Rue takes inspiration from Jobim and Jazzanova. And it’s the freeform German group that loom largest on this 14 track album, as Melisa and Storn play off each other, with acid jazz riffs firing into tinkling keys and spoken word snippets. ‘In Love With You’ and ‘Here We Are’ leap off the album, all samba rhythms and skittish drums, propelled onwards by Melisa’s timeless vocals. ‘Medicine’ and ‘Plastic People’ are equally up-tempo, but with a far more modern finish – ‘Medicine’ in particular, with its Gameboy glitches and over-saturated bass is just calling out for a dancefloor re-work. Elsewhere, there are lilting pop songs (‘Unlucky One’), sunshine funk (‘Different Kind of Day’) and ultra jazzy album closer ‘Watching The Waves’ on this excellent album from two homegrown stars.
TECH TALK Chris Rayner put the new modular headphones from cult Danish headphone maker, AIAIAI (pronounced eye eye eye) to the test.
AIAIAI like to do things differently. From the name, the packaging and all the way to the product, their headphones stand out and have an impressive reputation amongst DJs for their sound quality and clarity, especially at higher volumes. Following on from the TMA-1, the second installment gives you endless configurations based on what you want from the headphones. You can choose from 4 presets (Young Guru, DJ, All Round, Studio) or you even have the option to build your headphones from scratch, which is a very useful twist. I went for the DJ Preset which has been configured with the titanium-coated S02 speaker unit that delivers a punchy and intense sound. The combination of the durable H02 nylon headband and the E02 on-ear PU leather earpads, which provide high isolation, results in a powerful and sturdy headphone which works great when in a live DJing environment. They’re very comfy, very light, and durable – plus if one section breaks, you can easily order a replacement part. Having been using the headphones now for a few weeks I can safely say they are some of the best I’ve ever used. With big names on board like Bonobo, Lone, Ed Banger Gregor Tresher and more you know they are doing something right!
From $145 - aiaiai.dk
Soundstage
ARCADE 82
Live electronic duo Arcade 82 take up residence this issue, with producer Mark Pickup and vocalist Shyam answersing our questions… My first musical influence was… (Shyam) UK house and garage music when we were growing up. Me and my mates used to DJ and MC at all the local house parties and used throw our own nights. That’s where it all really began and that’s when I started to go out raving and partying. I used to listen to records and think… “I want to get in the studio and make music like this.”
The last pop star I liked was… (Shyam) There are a few but the one that really sticks out for me in current times is John Legend… great writer, performer and comes across as a very humble guy. You only have to watch his acceptance speech at the Oscars to understand what I mean. Our sound is best described as… We play live deep downtempo electronic music. Best piece of advice you’ve received? (Shyam) Life is too short. Do the things you love doing, with the people you love doing them with. What’s your musical guilty pleasure? (Mark) I love a bit of New Order and anything electronic from the 80s with big synths and electric drums. The best band in Dubai is…(Mark) The Boxtones are smashing it right now also check out ‘Lee Roz’ on the electronic side. Lamest claim to fame? (Mark) I was an extra in the new Star Wars 7 movie when it was filmed in Abu Dhabi last year. When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is… (Shyam) A private jet, fully equipped with a state of the art music studio inside and an onboard chef. Our musical motto is… We only release music that we would buy ourselves! Best gig you’ve played? (Mark) Probably Creamfields Abu Dhabi last December when we warmed up for Marco Carola and Adam Beyer. And the worst? (Mark) We haven’t really got a worst gig, I believe all gigs are a learning curve and the stranger the environment or situation you find yourself in only makes you stronger and adds to your character and professional experience. Best lyrics of all time? (Mark) “Daft Punk” Voyager (WannaBe Re-Edit) - starts off: “I wanna be the good in your good morning, I wanna be the sun in your Sunday afternoon, by your side when you fall asleep at night.” This track was mine and my wife’s first dance track when we got married in 2007 and the lyrics make up part of the tattoo on my arm. soundcloud.com/arcade-82
DJ Booth: Holic
This issue, we catch up with Szilรกrd Prech AKA DJ Holic, the nu-disco resident DJ at Tomo Lounge, Raffles Hotel
One thing you might not know about me is... That I’m a pretty good football juggler. My worst ever job was… Luckily for me I have enjoyed all the jobs I’ve had in my life. My favorite ever record is... There are way too many! I would like to be asked: “My favourite record at the moment is...” Tuxedo by Tuxedo. DJing is much like... Mind reading. To create the perfect atmosphere from carefully gauging the smallest reactions. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Definitely growing! I’m really proud of... Making one of my biggest dreams come true, making a living out of what I love, playing music. What track could you drop in every set? ‘Fresh’ by Kool & The Gang, such a cool classic! I can’t live without... My number one music source, SoundCloud. My biggest DJ achievement to date is... Playing an epic New Year’s Eve beach party in Brazil. What is your guiltiest pleasure? I’m loving the sound of Italodisco! If you could DJ in any decade which would it be… The end of the 70s, the golden era of Studio 54. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... For me personally, it wouldn’t be my favourite way to play. I’m not a politician but… I’m pretty sure that music can change the world! soundcloud.com/officialholic
Look and Listen
MUSIC THAT MATTERS Send tracks/edits/remixes to andy@infusion.ae
Fuente – Grit The regular Superheroes guest DJ drops an atmospheric, tech-laced bass-friendly track as his entry for the Axe Bring The Quiet competition. soundcloud.com/fuentebeats/ grit-axe-bring-the-quiet Motella Cast – Mo City Mo City, the driving force behind The Lemon Jam, has begun a new series of podcasts, the latest featuring a cracking blend of Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus, Common and Chet Faker. motellacast.com/ We Sell Boxes – Owed 50 Downtempo electronica with a real Boards of Canada vibe and shuffling trip hop beats from the Dubai producer. soundcloud.com/wesellboxes/ we-sell-boxes-owed50 Deigo Galvis – Eye of the Tiger One for the commercial heads out there, as Galvis re-works ‘that’ riff into a fast’n’furious house track with a trance feel. soundcloud.com/diego-galvis/ survivor-eye-of-the-tiger-diegogalvis-dubai-beach-remix
Opolopo – Live from Mercury Lounge Beautiful hour long from the disco/funk champion, with choice cuts from Mr Scruff, Atjazz and Tommy Largo. soundcloud.com/opolopo/ opolopo-live-mix-at-themercury-lounge-april-16 DJ Venus – A Venusian Wednesday Disco Funk Mix Barasti’s excellent funk/soul/ disco resident drops a near two hour mix of sunshine grooves. soundcloud.com/venus902/avenusian-wednesday-discofunk-mix Moe Turk – Together (Anton Ishutin remix) Another classic slice of deep house from Abu Dhabi producer Moe Turk, out on Beirut’s VL Records. https://soundcloud.com/ antonishutin/moe-turk-togetheranton-ishutin-remix Chris Rayner – The One That Wasn’t Techy, emotionally charged house music mix from the Pure Sky Lounge resident DJ. mixcloud.com/djchrisrayner/ dj-chris-rayner-the-one-thatwasnt/
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LOOKING
CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...
• Weird News •The Spin • Cool Test • Shady Business • Just For Kicks • Movies • Angry Monkey
Looking Closer
Weird News... A TURTLE DISASTER
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is a man not to be challenged. But his latest burst of anger was directed at the country’s terrapin farmers. Apparently, he doled out ‘expert’ advice and ‘field guidance’ during his trip, and strongly criticized the shortcomings, incompetence and irresponsible work style. Of terrapin farming. He took particular umbrage at the fact the failings were at a farm set up by his late father Kim Jong-Il to “provide the people with tasty and nutritious terrapin widely known as a precious tonic from olden times”. Glad to see he didn’t retreat into his shell over the matter...
BREAST FOOT FORWARD
We’ve heard of some weird and wonderful survival techniques in the past, but one New Zealander took matters into her own hands – quite literally – when she started drinking her own breast milk when she became lost on a cross country race. She took the wrong turn half way round, and became disorientated, eventually spending the night in the wild, covering herself in dirt to keep warm.
The 29-year-old said she thought she was going to die during a night of heavy rain and high winds, and was found by a helicopter using heat seeking equipment. “One thing that helped me, I’m breastfeeding my baby, so I had a bit of my milk because I thought that would help me keep going for energy. I’m not a very good orienteering woman,” she told reporters. “I definitely thought I was going to die.” So that’s one technique that Bear Grylls will struggle to replicate…
e
THE SPIN JUNE 2015
PAGE 200
ISSUE 21
Facebook to ban the words ‘underground,’ ‘vibes’ and ‘Berlin style party’ from their event pages
In a move that will send shockwaves around Dubai’s underground dance music culture, Facebook have banned the use of several key words as they were ‘hideously over used and not applicable.’ Any event pages from Dubai bearing the words ‘underground’ will now be banned, a blow for the dozens of nights which now claim to be playing underground music in the city, while any posts with the word ‘vibes’ in it will be removed using their integrity protection software. Sonia R. Aver said that the move was designed to protect FB users from a deluge of bad promotion. ‘There just aren’t that many underground nights in the city – you can’t all be underground, surely, so we’ve just blanket banned the phrase. As for vibes, well – that speaks for itself. And anyone comparing a Dubai party to Berlin needs shooting, but we don’t have an app for that. Yet.’
Workers relieved after officials reveal Dubai temperature won’t officially exceed 40 degrees this summer. *These stories are not true, this is not a real newspaper. This is a parody/fiction/satire/joke. The Spin is not intended, in any way whatsoever, to be taken as factual.
COOL
Carl, from Carl and the Reda Mafia and John B from Anuryzm go head to head in this issue, ahead of their video date when they have to create a song together in just one day for the Inspired video series. But who’s the Lennon to their McCartney and who’s simply McBusted?
CARL & THE REDA MAFIA
ANURYZM
Who’s the coolest person in your phone book? KFC hotline, for sure! They know my order even before they pick up.
My sister.
What’s the longest you’ve gone without sleep? About 2 whole days I think when I did a marathon of Breaking Bad.
Sleep? What’s that?
Describe your best bass face… Tongue out with the occasional look around to see if anyone noticed when I screw up.
I don’t have one. I play guitar and I have many faces doing that.
Coolest word in the world? Armadillo (I don’t know why but I like saying it a lot).
Cool.
Coolest band in the world? Bruno Mars and The Smeezingtons
The one with the members that have the least ego.
Coolest track ever made? Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough.
Anything by Steven Wilson.
CARL & THE REDA MAFIA
VS
ANURYZM
Your best dance move is…
The “ Cautious walk in jungle” - you’ll have to see it to believe it.
Standing still.
What’s your best claim to fame? I look like Bruno Mars sometimes, like when you stand far and squint.
Guitar playing, coaster flipping, ping pong... probably.
It’s not big and clever but… An Armadillo deserves a superhero character named Dillo-Man or something.
Carl will have to do. Haha just teasing bro.
What’s your answer to everything? “Because Elvis said so.”
That depends on the question. Not everything has an answer.
What’s the best insult you could give each other? You could go as Will Ferrel for Halloween.
You’re another me.
The verdict: Carl – or Dillo-man as he shall be known henceforth - takes the plaudits this issue. Check out the Inspired video series via facebook.com/ WhiteCubeUAE
Shady business DJs wearing sunglasses in nightclubs – eternal douchebags (yeah, we saw you Robin Schulz at Nasimi wearing sunglasses at night while DJing, don’t think we didn’t). Grammy award winning DJ collaborating on a range of sunglasses. OK, now we’re listening... G-Star RAW have hooked up with EDM DJ and producer Afrojack for a very limited edition of sunglasses. The aviator-inspired fames come with a straight-cut lens, with a gun-metal top bar, giving them a classic retro twist. There are only 300 in the world, and each one comes with its own unit number engraved on the side.
www.g-star.com $250
JUST FOR
VOLCOM THIRDS SHOE
Summer is here, meaning mids and high tops are out the window until your summer holiday comes a-calling. Equally, this means slip ons are the way forward, notably these Thirds from Volcom. Featuring recycled textile uppers, and a canvas lining, they breathe easily in the summer heat and humidity, and look the part with their Bunch O’Stoned patterned rubber outsole. And at just Dhs285, it means you’ll have plenty of money left over to buy other summer essentials, like a plane ticket outta the heat.
Dhs285, available at Rage, The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Al Ghurair Centre and Al Wahda Mall (Abu Dhabi).
SETH TROXLER FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH
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MOVIE JURASSIC WORLD Twenty-two years after the events of the original, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction backfires horribly. Classification: PG 13 Director: Colin Trevorrow Starring: Chris Pratt, Judy Greer, and Ty Simpkins
SPY Bridesmaids director Feig takes control of this spy comedy as a desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster. Classification: 15 Director: Paul Feig Starring: Rose Byrne, Jason Statham and Jude Law
PREVIEWS SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD The cult UK TV show receives a big screen debut, with Game of Thrones star Kit Harrington starring. When a terrorist escapes custody, Will Holloway must team with MI5 Intelligence Chief Harry Pearce to track him down before an imminent terrorist attack on London. Classification: 15 Director: Bharat Nalluri Starring: Kit Harington, Tuppence Middleton and Jennifer Ehle
POLTERGEIST
Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi reimagines and contemporizes the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits and come together when the apparitions take the youngest daughter. Classification: PG 13 Director: Gil Kenan Starring: Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt
DISCLAIMER: Film release schedules are subject to change, please check reelcinemas.ae, novocinemas.com and voxcinemas.com for full schedules.
Give and let give This issue, with Ramadan coming up, I thought I’d have a go at shaming a large section of the partying population – yeah, I know that’s my job normally, but this time there’s an actual purpose. Tables, for where you pay for the privilege of SITTING DOWN IN A CLUB DESIGNED FOR DANCING, are hideously, hideously expensive. Like I literally cry Crystal tears at the thought of you spaffing Dhs50k on a table just so you can sit down with your cronies and by-the-hour women and look like a playboy for 2 hours. So instead, here are some suggestions on what you can do with that money instead of looking like a cigar chomping tw@t Donate it to charity Donate it to charity Or, you could, you know DONATE IT TO CHARITY YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A HUMANOID.
Monkey Out...
The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.
away Run with the circus For reservations, Please contact +971 50 9955400 reservations@cirquelesoirdubai.com Doors open at 10:30pm, Door policy applies. www.cirquelesoirdubai.com OPEN MON TUE THU FRI