Beats Magazine - Wednesday June 5

wednesday june 5 inside:

anthony pappa

coming soon!!!

tensnake ake phil k jamie 3:26 luke bowditch + more

wednesday june 5 inside:

anthony pappa

coming soon!!!

tensnake ake phil k jamie 3:26 luke bowditch + more

UPCOMING

J U LY

JUNE

on tour COSMIN TRG [ROM] Friday June 7, New Guernica DOP [FRA] Friday June 7, The Liberty Social HNQO [BRA] Friday June 7, Brown Alley JAMIE 3:26 [USA] Friday June 7, Mercat Basement TYLER, THE CREATOR [USA], EARL SWEATSHIRT [USA] Friday June 7, Palace Theatre THE REVENGE [SCO] Saturday June 8, The Liberty Social BREACH [UK], ROUTE 94 [UK] Saturday June 8, RMH The Venue GREGOR SALTO [NED] Saturday June 8, Alumbra DASH BERLIN [NED] Saturday June 8, Shed 14 TENSNAKE [GER] Saturday June 8, The Bottom End ROBERT BABICZ [GER], CHRIS LIEBING [GER], JIMMY EDGAR [USA] Sunday June 9, Brown Alley EARTHCORE LAUNCH PARTY: COMING SOON!!! [ISR] + MORE Sunday June 9, La Di Da JOHN DIGWEED [UK] Sunday June 9, Prince Bandroom JEFF MILLS [USA] Sunday June 9, The Bottom End COMING SOON!!! [ISR] Sunday June 9, La Di Da SEPALCURE [USA], DJ RASHAD [USA] + MORE Sunday June 9, TBA ATA [GER] Friday June 21, Mercat Basement MAXMILLION DUNBAR [USA] Saturday June 22, Mercat Basement COOLIO [USA] Thursday June 27, Red Bennies OBIE TRICE [USA] Friday June 28, Trak Lounge WINTER BEATS SOUNDSYSTEM: SKAZI [ISR], BEHIND BLUE EYES [DEN] Friday June 28, RMH The Venue BRISK [UK] Friday June 28, Charlton’s Nightclub DEORRO [USA] Friday July 5, Billboard SIMON PATTERSON [UK] Friday July 5, Chasers Nightclub A$AP ROCKY [USA] Saturday June 29, Festival Hall TOKIMONSTA [USA] Saturday July 6, The Hi-Fi JUAN ATKINS [USA], FUNK D’VOID [UK] Friday July 12, Brown Alley ALEX KIDD [UK] Friday July 12, Billboard ONRA [FRA] Thursday July 18, Howler FRANK OCEAN [USA] Friday July 26, Festival Hall RICK WILHITE [USA] Saturday July 27, New Guernica JAMES BLAKE [UK] Wednesday July 31, Palais Theatre CHVRCHES [UK] Monday August 5, Corner Hotel D-BLOCK & S-TE-FAN [NED] Friday August 16, Chaser’s Nightclub GHOSTPOET [UK] Saturday September 14, Corner Hotel RUDIMENTAL [UK] Saturday September 21, Festival Hall PORTER ROBINSON [USA] Sunday October 20, Billboard EARTHCORE: ANGY KORE [ITA], PERFECT STRANGER [ISR] + MORE Friday November 29 - Sunday December 2, TBA BRUNO MARS [USA], MIGUEL [USA] Tuesday March 4 & Wednesday March 5, Rod Laver Arena

tour rumours

robert delong word s / a la s d a i r d u n c a n

The past year has seen a meteoric rise for Robert Delong. The young Los Angeles-based producer had a hit with his manic, percussion-heavy track Global Concepts, and followed it up with an acclaimed debut album, Just Movement. The album takes in an array of styles, sounds and textures, from house to moombahton, all of them held together by Delong’s signature raggedy vocals.

Delong is in great demand right now, traveling the world with his high-energy live show, in which he pounds the drums while manipulating his vast collection of gear. We caught him in a rare moment of quiet, on a trip to a bowling alley with friends.

Los Angeles itself is building a reputation as a centre for dance and electronic music. The laid-back atmosphere and the ready availability of cheap warehouse rehearsal spaces make the city an enticing prospect for young musicians – Delong himself relocated there soon after high school. “Everybody comes through here, so there are always a lot of shows,” he says of the city. “A lot of new DJs come out of here. There’s music of every different genre. I’m not really super involved in the scene, but there’s a lot of cool stuff under the surface here, a lot of stuff that you wouldn’t necessarily expect out of Los Angeles.”

Delong grew up playing the drums, and even studied them in college for a while, before making the switch to electronic music.

Rhythm is central to his music, but these days, he has a vast collection of gear, that includes a variety of gadgets and gizmos that he has transformed into MIDI interfaces. His bag of tricks includes hacked gamepads and joysticks and even a Wii controller, manipulated so that they make music when he mashes the buttons.

“I started messing around with that stuff a while back,” he says.

“This was well before I started making music or thinking about an album. I just did it for fun.”

The young Delong found out how to hack gear on the internet, and initially saw it as a challenge. “I just played with it, and over time, I started doing a bit of performing here and there, and the music grew into what it is,” he says. While he wasn’t a huge gaming nerd growing up – a little Tony Hawk was the most that he got into – he had enough gear lying around that an obsession was born.

“I started with an old gamepad of mine,” he says, “and I ordered a USB joystick from online, and then that was pretty much it. I started messing around with a few different types of software to convert it to MIDI before finally finding one that I liked.”

news

onra

t yson

w ray

Does anyone know where you can get regular Mountain Dew in Melbourne anymore? This energised shit I see everywhere is killing me.

Mark E, Roman Flügel, Maurice Fulton, Jam City, Andrew Weatherall, Silicone Soul

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“I counted six airports in six days last week,” he says. “It’s good though, it’s a lot of fun.”

Delong comes from an indie rock background – he played in an indie rock band called The Denouement while in college – and while he inhabits the world of electronic music these days, he continues to put songwriting first.

“I think more often than not, my songs will start with a chord progression or a sound or a beat,” he says. “I’ll make a beat on the

computer and then work around that. There are quite a few songs on the album, like Few Years Make that start on guitar or piano, but I always bring them back to the electronic thing. I spend a lot of time working that way,” he continues. “I look at it as training. It really is totally random – you never know why one thing works or why it doesn’t.”

In the past, Delong has cited bands like Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service among his biggest influences, and it’s easy to hear the echoes of both in his music. I ask who else inspires him, from a songwriting perspective, and he pauses for a minute.

“I listen to a lot of Paul Simon and Talking Heads and David Bowie,” he says. “I really love their music, and I’d say there are a lot of ways that it influences me.” He also goes clubbing a lot for inspiration. “I always try to go out if I’m in a city and something cool is happening,” he says, “although by the look of me, it’s funny to imagine me doing it.”

Delong will soon be in Australia to play at Splendour In The Grass, and I ask what we can expect from those shows. “Well, I have a drum set, a bunch of MIDI gear and gamepads,” he says. “It’s kind of an exciting electro dance party – it’s very high energy. The show is very physically demanding for me – it’s a really good workout. I can’t even describe the adrenaline I get from doing it, though. I just hope people have as much fun as I do.”

Robert Delong plays at Ding Dong Lounge on Tuesday July 23. He’ll also play at the sold out Splendour In The Grass, which takes place Friday July 26 – Sunday July 28 at North Byron Parklands, Byron Bay. soundcloud.com/robertdelong facebook.com/delongmusic

- head to beat.com.au for more

off the record w it h

Electronic gear can be pretty fragile – old video game equipment especially so. Delong is well aware of this, and with all the travelling he’s been doing in recent times, he needs to take good care of his collection. “We travel with backups for almost everything that I use,” he says. “The only thing that is the scariest is the computers.

I travel with my laptop clutched really close to my chest all the time, just in case! We have backups for almost everything. It’s terrifying flying, and watching the airport people tossing the bags around.”

Just how many times has this happened recently? A lot, Delong says.

Onra aka Arnaud Bernard returns to Australia with a range of hardware, gear and special surprises, eschewing the trend of heads-down and very much performance-less laptops, making him very unique on the scene as well as a favourite of more traditional or purist hip hop heads. Most recently, Onra teamed up with frequent collaborator Boddhi Satva for the Yatha Bhuta Jazz Combo project: not meant for the club, but purely for the open minds and ears of listeners familiar with the spiritual Jazz of Alice Coltrane or Sun Ra. Don’t miss Onra playing at Howler on Thursday July 18.

contact

deorro Deorro (formally known as Ton!c) is a Los Angeles native

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who grew up in West Covina and is making his way onto becoming one of the biggest top young and upcoming producer/DJs. Beginning his ascent into music at the age of 14, it was only a matter of time Deorro became a household name. Having already sold out shows in Australia under his pseudonym Ton!c, Deorro is returning this time with the added support from renowned producers like Laidback Luke, Tiesto, Kaskade, Porter Robinson, Bingo Players, Knife Party, Afrojack and more. He comes armed with his own unique style of fusing progressive and electro Dutch music together and of course his own inimitable DJ style. Grab those tickets before they sell out as it’s all going down at Billboard The Venue on Friday July 5.

frank ocean

One of the biggest drawcards on the 2013 Splendour bill has finally announced a Melbourne sideshow. Ocean made waves (geddit?) in 2012 with the release of his critically acclaimed debut album Channel ORANGE, of which our reviewer stated “grappling masculinity, alienation, privilege and sensuality, Ocean has crafted a record which belies his youth.” Ocean’s 2013 tour will also be his debut in Australia, after he pulled out of last year’s Future Music Festival. Frank Ocean will perform at Festival Hall on Friday July 26.

le1f, brooke candy, house of ladosha The House of Mince and Grouse Party have teamed up to bring down Le1f to Melbourne along with special guests Brooke Candy and House of Ladosha. Le1f has one foot in rap, which he came to age on and one foot in the downtown electronic scene where he developed as an artist and Le1f’s muscular, hyper-articulate flow handily disposes of any misconceptions that he’s anything less than a legitimate rapper. Brooke Candy, an internet sensation and a rapper in her own right joins them with House of Ladosha, the New York-based, gender bending glamazons, an artistic collective that makes everything from t-shirts to club bangers to their own fierce vernacular. Head down to The Hi-Fi on Thursday June 6.

shapeshifter In celebration of the release of their highly anticipated new album, Delta, New Zealand’s drum and bass legends Shapeshifter have announced an Australian tour this August. Across their career they have made genre-defining appearances at Glastonbury, The Big Chill, Big Day Out including sold out performances across Europe. Their new album stirs up much excitement in fans especially considering it has been crafted in Berlin, Woodhill and Wellington, incorporating elements of the ‘heavy soul’ tempered with drum and bass, jazz and funk that fans have become enamoured with. Shapeshifter hits Melbourne on Friday August 16 at Billboard The Venue.

jordan suckley, eddie bitar & james dymond

Prepare for a night of underground 140BPM trance at its best with TEAM 140; Jordan Suckley, Eddie Bitar and James Dymond. Within EDM only a handful of artistes can be named as DJs, producers and technical magicians and Jordan Suckley is a member of that elite selection. 2013 saw Jordan collaborate with Simon Patterson to present their creation Vanilla, released on Spinnin’s Reset Records it has amassed support from all of the industry’s leaders. Music written with emotionally charged uplifting melodies that fills the biggest of dance floors, huge orchestral breakdowns that instantly lifts moods and driving percussion that raises pulses; James Dymond has crafted some of the most unique sounds in the trance scene today. He will be joined by Eddie Bitar who’s ability to create fresh high quality music has set him apart making his music recognised by fans all over the globe. Live life at 140BPM on Saturday July 20 at the Glenferrie Social.

electronic - urban - club life

electronic - urban - club life

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news

- head to beat.com.au for more

simon patterson

snaps in tribute: ajax lucky coq

Simon Patterson is returning to Australia with a debut tour of his new concept Open Up. Famed for 11 consecutive #1s on Beatport as well as all other reputable stores with tracks like Northern Lights, Here and Now, Latika, Thump and more, Simon Patterson’s production back catalogue is an astonishing list of hit after hit record. Open Up is set to be a fusion of technology, art, sound, film and fashion. Known for his cutting edge audio production, fans should expect that same boundary pushing mind set to a project which manifests itself in the form of a live show, album series, TV series, clothing brand and weekly radio show. It’s all happening at Chasers Nightclub on Friday July 5.

party profile:

kazbar

sound empire

party profile:

ghostpoet

goth save the queen

dizzy wright

by caberet nocturne

the love boat party Who’s playing?

Sean Candy, Heath Myers, MadAngel, Zap Daddy, Mardi Mars, Siddhartha and Sex on Mars.

What sort of shit will they be playing?

Tech, deep, electro, sexyhouse, exciting driving techno, funky minimal, progressive.

What’s the crowd going to be like?

Super happy, and all dressed up nautical!.

What will we remember in the AM? Just how amazing the night was, all the gorgeous people and connections, and how (inexplicably) awesome you still feel.

What’s the wallet damage?

20 Where can we get tickets from? trybooking.com When is it?

Sunday June 9.

Where is it?

La Di Da. Give us one final reason why this will be the ultimate party of the Queen’s Birthday Weekend?

Love-Can-Not-Be-Invaded! is putting this night on!

Who’s playing?

Everyone! Big Fucking Robots, Sirus, Brother Pearce, Kittenfresh, DJ Dot Com, Josh McVomit, Stardust, Silhouette D’Amour, Dolly Pop, Tommy Rotten, Batprince, Ayngel, Metavirus, Miss Aeryn, Aiman, Severina and Zydrate. All of the superstar DJs over three zones.

What sort of shit will they be playing?

Everything from old-school gothic rock, post punk, new wave and synth pop through to the filthiest bass heavy electro, industrial and grimy dub-step.

What’s the crowd going to be like?

Really, really, ridiculously good looking. goths, street urchins, punks, waifs and strays all dancing to the beat of their own drum.

What will we remember in the AM? If you can remember it, you weren’t there man! With the help of hypnosis however, you may recall winning first prize for your pole dancing debut on stage in front of 500 new fans.

What’s the wallet damage? $20 or $15 list/pass.

Where can we get tickets from?

Our semi-tame door bitch!

When is it?

Sunday June 9.

Where is it?

Platform One. Give us one final reason why this will be the ultimate party of the Queen’s Birthday Weekend?

Elizabeth II herself RSVPed on Facebook and says she’ll bring Charlie along too.

Returning to Australia after selling outs shows in 2011, the UK’s Ghostpoet is back to exhibit his innovative wordplay and electrifying live show. Ghostpoet’s career all stared with Gilles Peterson taking a chance on him and within a year, that risk paid off. Ghostpoet’s debut album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam marked him as one of the most distinct, uncategorisable voices to emerge in the British music scene and it was rewarded with a surprise Mercury Prize nomination in 2011. Joining Ghostpoet will be Oscar Key Sung, who besides being a complete heartthrob is a refreshingly spacious producer delivering buoyant performances and a sumptuous voice that harkens back to a classic lineage of heart-on-sleeve R&B front men. It’s all happening at The Corner on Saturday July 14.

One of the hottest independent rappers of 2013, Dizzy Wright along with his Funk Volume label mates Jarren Benton and DJ Hoppa are heading off on their Funk Volume Australian Tour.

Funk Volume is an independent powerhouse in the hip hop industry, giving rappers a home to freely express themselves without the control of a major label. Dizzy Wright has been steadily building a buzz for the last few years. The Las Vegas native is one of the standout new MCs, ushering in an era of lyrical excellence, grabbing the spotlight and carrying it across the globe. Jarren Benton has been honing his craft for over 10 years and is the latest signing to Funk Volume.

With hilarious punch lines and often deranged versus, his last album Freebasing With Kevin Bacon lived up to its name.

DJ Hoppa has produced eight full-length albums and various digi-singles, a slew of mix tapes, mashups and remixes, with no signs of slowing down. He has shared the stage with acts ranging from Ghostface Killah and Immortal Technique, through to Kid Sister and Crystal Method and has been the touring DJ for too many artists to begin to mention. Head down to the Prince Bandroom on Saturday July 27.

behind the decks:

luke bowditch What was the weirdest thing you believed as a child?

That you could avoid being poisoned by toadstools by eating them.

The most awkward moment you’ve had as a DJ? Probably the whole first year.

What’s the most played record in your bag? Of all time, probably Bottom Heavy by Danny Tenaglia. Right now, Hot Since 82’s Don’t Be Afraid.

What question would you like to ask an omniscient, allknowing being before you die? Where’s the remote?

If you hadn’t made it as a DJ, what job would you choose to work in instead? Something musicy and geeky.

When and where is your next gig? Dream Sessions Fridays at Kazbar and Tramp Saturdays.

party profile:

earthcore launch party

Who’s playing?

Coming Soon!!! MoGo, RickySixx, PakMan, Twisted Molecule, Left of Centre, Neshi, Blaumann, Killa and Azrin.

What sort of shit will they be playing?

Banging trance and techno.

What’s the crowd going to be like?

Cool kids.

What will we remember in the AM? Absolutely nothing.

What’s the wallet damage? $25, more on the door.

Where can we get tickets from? earthcore.com.au When is it?

Sunday June 9 Where is it?

La Di Da, 577 Little Bourke St. Give us one final reason why this will be the ultimate party of the Queen’s Birthday Weekend?

Earthcore!

4

electronic - urban - club life

snaps bimbos

tensnake wo rd s / a la s dair duncan

first floor

You may not know the name Tensnake, but you almost definitely know the sound of his signature hit. With its steel drums and irresistibly catchy hook, this disco-house hybrid named Coma Cat put him in high demand. Since then, the Hamburg native – real name Marco Niemerski – has toured the world and crafted more remixes than you can count. When his long-awaited debut album arrives later this year, it will surely push him even further towards the mainstream.

“It took me a long time to finish it, almost two years,” Niemerski says of the record. “I started over again because I wasn’t happy with what was coming out, and I literally just finished it last week. It has just been mastered, and I’m hoping it will be out by late September.”

If that’s not enough to get you excited, the list of collaborators certainly will. “I worked with quite a few different musicians and singers on it,” Niemerski says, “and I guess now I can say their names. I worked with Nile Rodgers on two songs, which was very exciting for me. I worked with Stuart Price, also known as Jacques Lu Cont, on one track. Jamie Lidell is singing on one track. There’s also a singer from Australia, known as Fiora. She has lived in Berlin for about four years, and when we became friends, we planned to do a song together, but we ended up doing six or seven, and she is a huge part of the album now. I worked with some really incredible people, that’s for sure.”

The legendary Nile Rodgers, who also appears on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, is quite a catch, and I ask how the collaboration came about. “I sent him a Facebook message last year,” Niemerski says, “and I didn’t expect there to be any reply, but he told me he was interested in hearing my demos. I started to worry, because I didn’t hear back for a while, but then out of the blue, I had a message saying that he was going to be playing in Hamburg and asking if I wanted to collaborate on something.” Rodgers ended up playing guitar on two tracks. “He told me stories about old times, how they recorded stuff,” Niemerski says. “He’s a very humble, down-toEarth kind of guy.”

Many have said that Tensnake tracks draw on the sounds of ‘90s house music, although Niemerski doesn’t like to limit himself to any one set of references. “I approach it differently each time,” he says.

“Sometimes I start with a beat and wrap everything around it, but most of the time, it’s a certain mood I want to express. I never sit down and say, ‘Okay, I want to make a ‘90s-sounding house track,” he laughs. “My approach is that I listen to songs or sounds that I’ve recorded and try to imagine what I can change or make better.

Inspiration comes from everywhere these days – I travel a lot, and I get to meet a lot of people and hear a lot of tracks. It can strike at any time.”

coming soon!!! word s / d e nve r m a xx

workshop

level 2

Israeli DJ/production duo Coming Soon!!! are the future of psytrance, and it won’t be long until Melburnians will get to see Coming Soon!!! live as this Queen’s Birthday Weekend they are trancing the hell out of La Di Da as part of the Earthcore 20th Anniversary launch party.

Coming Soon!!! is Dui Biton and Irad Brant, 30 and 27-yearsold respectively. As solo artists they produced and DJed what Brant describes as ‘full on psytrance’ but by teaming up as duo and embracing the Coming Soon!!! moniker Biton and Brant got enough distance from their former identities to do something new.

“We have been friends for years so we decided to team up and make one project big,” Brant explains. The friendly auburn haired Israelite pauses before adding the real kicker of becoming Coming Soon!!! “What we did individually you could call ‘full on psytrance’ while Coming Soon!!! is deep prog-trance. I think Coming Soon!!! is the product of us growing up!”

The deep prog-trance influence manifests strongly in Coming Soon!!!’s sound, one particularly good example of this melding of the traditionally frenetic psytrance and deep prog is the act’s

particularly funky 30K Live. Brant talks about one of the remixes that features in this mix and why he likes it.

“The remix from CLASS A to Make It Work has a deep clean sound that just makes people dance, is very groovy and easy to understand.”

It is a fair a question to ask oneself: what inspired the duo to push the psytrance genre further when they had already established themselves in it? Brant is not afraid to tackle this question and pay tribute to a German label that, like Coming Soon!!!, is pushing psytrance into to new realms.

“Actually we like all the Spintwist crew, they are like our family and they make amazing music, and like us, outside this genre we have a lot of influences from techno and prog house,” explains Brant.

On the topic of releases and Spintwist, Brant explains that Coming Soon!!! have an EP coming out on the German label.

“We have called the EP Action In E Minor that is kinda selfexplanatory. This EP is the product of a long time in the studio.

We have put lots of time to make it very interesting and diverse

anthony pappa word s / mg

The world of house music today is full of show ponies and hyped-up one-hit-wonders. But for every one of these short-lived superstars, there’s a hardworking veteran who keeps it true to the scene and true to his roots. Anthony Pappa is one of these DJs. As an expat living in England, Pappa is back in Australia later this month for Darkbeat’s tenth anniversary. Part of the occasion is also the launch of a three-CD anniversary mix package. “Basically, it’s the tenth anniversary [of Darkbeat],” says Pappa, “and [owner] Dan [Banko] wanted to release a CD. He asked myself and Phil K to get involved — we’re both DJs who’ve have been working with him for a long time and we’re also all close friends. Dan came up with the idea of doing a triple cd, one disc for himself, one for me and one for Phil and that’s basically the idea behind the CD. We just went ahead and did what we do.”

Pappa took this opportunity to showcase tunes of a slower BPM than he might normally play headlining a club night. “The music that I’m more into is the groovier, slower kinda stuff,” he explains.

“Even though when I play out, people have me playing main sets time and I have to play a lot harder than that, but personally, that’s

what I like. When you do a good mix CD, it’s something for a home listening experience, rather than going out for a clubbing set kinda thing. You listen to the sound differently to how you would at a club.

Besides, I knew the second disc with Dan would take it up a notch and I knew Phil K was doing a more alternative disc. I think with the overall effect of the three discs together, you get the full spectrum of a start, middle and end.”

Despite being a long-time resident of the UK, Pappa has finally had enough with the crappy weather and has decided to move back to our sunny shores. “I’ve been in the UK since ‘95,” he reveals, “so 18 years. Basically I’m getting married in November, to an Australian girl who’s been living with me over here, and we’re both going to come back. I’ve lived here long enough. Everywhere I go to DJ involves me getting on an aeroplane and I can do that from Australia. It’s time to come back. Time to come back and be with friends and family and move onto some other things as well as DJing, you know?”

While the UK is a fertile ground indeed for innovation in electronic music, Pappa says the proliferation of music over the internet

electronic - urban - club life

If there’s one thing that unites Tensnake’s tracks, it’s a sense of uplift and euphoria – even the moodier ones, like the beautiful and spooky Congolal, can bring on a great rush of endorphins. “That’s definitely not conscious,” he tells me. “I would say those happier elements are just in my nature a little bit! I think I just prefer happy melodies and a certain vibe.”

He ponders the track Congolala for a second. “For me, it’s not necessarily happy,” he says. “It’s bordering happiness, but if you’re sad, it could be a sad song. It is for me, maybe not for other people.

If I had to choose, I would always choose happy music. It’s easy to play a couple of sad chords and to create a sad song than it is to create a happy song that doesn’t sound cheesy.”

It’s often the case that the best club tracks, while not necessarily ‘happy’ in their overall sound or style, can transport you somewhere different, and take you away from the realities of whatever you’re feeling in that particular moment. Niemerski agrees that this is the essence of a really great electronic track, and that if he strives for anything in his music, it’s for a sense of escape.

“That’s always what I try to reach when I’m producing,” he says.

“I want the songs to have the potential to take me out of the room – I mean, my studio is a windowless room with no sun and lots of electronic gear sitting around, and if the song can take me away somewhere different, then I think it’s good and it works.”

Niemerski will be bringing Tensnake to Australia soon, for a series of shows that bring together elements of DJ sets and live performance.

“My production skills have always been my main focus,” he says.

“When I started getting bookings, I would play live sets with just my own songs, but I found that I didn’t have enough new material, so I started doing edits of other people’s music and putting that in there.”

Over time, the set became a hybrid of the two. “I’m not at the point where I have huge production or anything,” he continues, “so the show is laptop-based, but I’m bringing Fiora with me to sing. I’m going to present material from my new album for the very first time – I’m probably most excited about that.”

Tensnake plays at The Bottom End on Saturday June 8. facebook.com/tensnake soundcloud.com/tensnake

some tracks are deep and some are very groovy – you can check some demos on our Soundcloud!”

However, if you can’t wait for the EP then Coming Soon!!! have a mixtape coming out also on Spintwist that features remixes of all their tracks including: Become One (Interactive noise Remix), I Only Smoke (Devinci Code Remix) and Psychedelic (Royal Flush Remix).

While still being educated about what Brant knows that we don’t, he tells Melbourne trance fans ‘who’ are some other exciting DJs/producers from Tel Aviv that we should know about. “There is such a strong trance scene in Tel Aviv it is difficult to pick only one! I would have to say though that Royal Flash/Da Vinci Code are very promising new acts.”

This year for the 20th year of Earthcore, Coming Soon!!! have scored the double whammy in headlining the launch party as well as well as getting to play the event itself that is being held from November 29 to December 1 along with Sesto Sento and Perfect Stranger. However, if you are planning on seeing them this weekend Brant establishes that it will be nothing like what you will see at their Earthcore Festival set.

“Festival sets are different from club set as the festival sets tend to break less and there is kick and bass and rhythm most of the time, while the club sets break and change rhythms a lot,” he explains.

Finally, to say that Coming Soon!!! are excited about playing Melbourne this Sunday is an understatement with Brant asserting, “We have been getting a lot of love from Australia so now it’s time to give back some love! Get ready for some new music! Thank you and I hope to see you at the party.”

Coming Soon!!! play the Earthcore 20th Anniversary Launch Party at La Di Da this Sunday June 9. facebook.com/comingsoonmusic soundcloud.com/comingsoon12

means that the localised aspects of a music scene are less of a factor today. “It was more inspiring for me to live there at first,” admits Pappa, “when I moved over in the mid ‘90s. At that time, the UK was dominating the scene for the sort of music I was into, so that’s why I chose to move here in the first place. But now the scene is such a global thing that it comes from all directions. The way things are with the internet, how new music moves and the way things are spread out and distributed, it’s a such a global market. You can be anywhere, as long as you can get online.

Music comes from all over the place.”

Although he still prefers to work with CDJs, Pappa also has a lot to say on the subject of technology available to DJs today.

“There’s good and bad points about it. It’s amazing what’s available on the market in terms of people performing and the different options available. Years ago, it was all records and turntables and there was only one way to do it. Now you’ve got laptops, CD players, record players and everything else — there’s so many different ways of performing.

“The problem I see with the younger generation is that they’re so into the technology they’re using. That’s cool, that’s where they’re at, but sometimes they forget the art and the skill of DJing: actually being in the room. It’s important to know how to work a dance floor and program the music to make the night work. Sometimes they’ve got their heads so far into what they’re doing they don’t seem to look up and look at the floor and play to the room.”

Darkbeat’s 10th Anniversary 3CD Collection mixed

by Anthony Pappa, Phil K and Rollin Connection is out now on Darkbeat Recordings, distributed through Xelon. Anthony Pappa plays Darkbeat’s 10th Birthday alongside John Digweed at the Prince Bandroom on Sunday June 9. facebook.com/ anthonypappaofficial soundcloud.com/anthonypappa

5

club guide wednesday june 5

COQ ROQ - FEAT: AGENT 86 + DJS LADY NOIR + JOYBOT + KITI + MR THOM Lucky Coq, Windsor. 7:00pm.

COSMIC PIZZA - FEAT: NHJ BIMBO DELUXE, FITZROY. 8:00PM. DUBSTEP GRIME DRUM & BASS - FEAT: DJ BADDUMS + DJ CARMEX Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

HOODRAPZ Workshop, Melbourne. 7:00pm.

NEW GUERNICA WEDNESDAYS New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

THE DINNER SET - FEAT: BOOSHANK Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00Pm. NEW GUERNICA WEDNESDAYS New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

SOUL ARMY Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

THE DINNER SET Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm.

thursday june 6

3181 THURSDAYS - FEAT: HANS DC + JAKE JUDD + NIKKI SARAFIAN + HEY SAM + JESSE YOUNG + JOHN DOE + SEAN RAULT Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 5:00pm.

ASIAN ENVY + MANIC CITY + SAMMY PAUL Gh Hotel, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $15.

BANG N MASH Word Events Warehouse & Lounge, Melbourne. 8:00pm.

BILLBOARD THURSDAYS - FEAT: MATT DEAN + MATTY GRANT + PHIL ROSS Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm. $10.

CHI BEATS Chi Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

CQ SESSIONS Cq, Melbourne. 8:00pm.

DO DROP IN - FEAT: DJ KITI + DJ LADY NOIR The Carlton Hotel, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

FREE RANGE FUNK - FEAT: AGENT 86 + LEWIS CANCUT + WHO Lucky Coq, Windsor. 6:00pm.

GOOD EVENING - FEAT: DJ PEOPLE Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

GRAD PARTY THURSDAYS - FEAT: DJ ROWIE European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 5:00pm.

LE DISCO TECH PRETTY PLEASE, ST KILDA. 8:00PM. LOVE STORY Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:30pm.

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - FEAT: DJS PREQUEL & EDD FISHER Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

MOOD - FEAT: NUBODY Loop, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

RADIONICA Workshop, Melbourne. 3:04pm.

THE AUSTRALIAN BURLESQUE FESTIVAL - FEAT: BABY BOMBSHELLS Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 7:00pm.

THE RITZ THURSDAYS - FEAT: CAUC-ASIAN DJ’S + JOSHUA GILILAND + KEN WALKER + LUCILLE CROFT + CARRICK DALTON & SAM COHEN + ED WILKS + MAX KRUSE + TIM LIGHT + ZACK ROSE Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. $20.

TIGER FUNK LIVE - FEAT: DJ MOONSHINE Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

TROCADERO - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Match Bar & Grill, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

VARSITY

Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

friday june 7

BADABOOM FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJ ROWIE European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm.

CANT SAY Platform One, Melbourne Cbd. 7:30pm. $10.

CHI FRIDAYS Chi Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00Pm. CLOSET PARTY First Floor, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

CQ FRIDAYS Cq, Melbourne. 8:00pm.

DISCOTHEQUE - FEAT: ELANA MUSTO + GREG SARA + SCOTT T Match Bar & Grill, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

FUSION FRIDAY Fusion, Southbank. 10:00pm.

I LOVE OLD SCHOOL - FEAT: SHAGGZ & PUPPET + DJ TEY + MERV MAC Red Bennies, South Yarra. 10:00pm. $10.

JUICY - FEAT: CHAIRMAIN MEOW + COBURG MARKET + MR. FOX + TIGERFUNK + WHO Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:30pm.

LA DANSE MACABRE - FEAT: DJ MACHETTE BROTHERS Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

MAZE FRIDAY The Motel, South Melbourne. 8:00pm.

MEET YOUR MATES FRIDAYS Libation, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

P-MONEY + DAVID DALLAS + DYLAN JOEL + MANCHILD Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm.

PANORAMA - FEAT: DJS MATT RAD + MR GEORGE + PHATO A MANO Lucky Coq, Windsor. 8:00pm.

POPROCKS - FEAT: DR PHIL SMITH Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

REVOLVER FRIDAYS - FEAT: DJ LEWIE DAY + DJ MIKE CALLANDER + DJ ALEX THOMAS + DJ KATIE DROVER + DJ WHO Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm.

SATURDAY MORNING - FEAT: DJ SUNSHINE + DJ BUTTERS + DJ HEY SAM Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00am.

SHUFFLE FRIDAY NIGHTS Bridie O’reilly’s Brunswick, Brunswick. 10:00pm.

THE DELTA BEATZ BLOCK PARTY - FEAT: DJ MERV MAC + DJ MR JAYSON + DJ RAMPAGE + DJ BOBBY LOVE + DJ DIR-X + DJ PUPPET + DJ SEF + DJ SHAGGZ Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm.

THE FIX - FEAT: SEAN DEANS Workshop, Melbourne. 8:00pm.

THE FOX FRIDAYS Fox Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm.

WEEKENDER! Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

UPTOWN GROOVE Order Of Melbourne, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

saturday june 8

DASH BERLIN + MARLO Shed 14, Melbourne, Vic 3008. 7:00pm.

BANDS AS DJS Gertrudes Brown Couch, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

BASS CARTEL - FEAT: C:1 + EXCELLE + FA Workshop, Melbourne. 8:30pm.

BILLBOARD SATURDAYS - FEAT: FRAZER ADNAM SCOTT MCMAHON + JAMIE VLAHOS + MR MAGOO + ZIGGY Billboard, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm. $15.

6

DARKBEAT 10TH BIRTHDAY - FEAT: DJ ANTHONY PAPPA + DJ JOHN DIGWEED Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 5:00pm. $40.

GOO GOO MUCK Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

LATIN QUARTER Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm.

MASHTAG Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:30pm.

MASTA ACE - FEAT: MARCO POLO & STRICKLIN’ + DJ SLAP618 + DR FLEA + KNOWN ASSOCIATES + ONE SIXTH Espy, St Kilda. 8:00pm. $25.

MOTEL SATURDAYS The Motel, South Melbourne. 8:00pm.

NEW DUB CITY + CULTURE CONNECT + MYCOLOGY + SK SIMEON Bar Open, Fitzroy. 10:00pm.

REVOLVER SUNDAYS - FEAT: DJ BOOGS + DJ SPACEY SPACE + DJ RADIATOR + DJ SILVERSIX + DJ T-REK Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:30pm.

SOUTH SIDE HUSTLE Lucky Coq, Windsor. 8:30pm.

SUNDAE SHAKE - FEAT: AGENT 86 + PHATO-A-MANO + TIGERFUNK Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 4:00pm.

SURRENDER - FEAT: DJ SERGEANT SLICK + DJ ADAM TRACE + DJ ADRIAN CHESSARI + DJ CHRIS OSTROM + DJ SEF Fusion, Southbank. 8:00pm.

THE SUNDAY SET - FEAT: DJS ANDYBLACK + HAGGIS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 4:00pm.

WE BE QUEENS - FEAT: DJ AYNA + DJ LOTUS + MZ RIZK Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

monday june 10

IBIMBO - FEAT: LADY NOIR & KITI Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 6:00pm.

KOOL AID - FEAT: DJ MU-GEN \Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

STIFF DRINK - FEAT: DJ MICHAEL KUCYK + DJ MICHAEL OZONE + DJ ROMAN WAFERS Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

TWERKERS CLUB - FEAT: DJ FLETCH Workers Club, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

tuesday june 11

COSMIC PIZZA Lucky Coq, Windsor. 8:00pm.

CURIOUS TALES Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

DJ JAGUAR E55, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

NEVER CHEER BEFORE YOU KNOW WHO’S WINNING - FEAT: REPETER FONDA Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 7:00pm.

wo rd s / k ri s s i we i s s

words / kis h lal

has kept many broke.” But right now Jamie sees everything scaling back. “Going back to the roots, the true roots beginning in Chicago! There’s a revival and an influence on many from the roots of house music…and that’s Chicago, all day baby!”

Music has been deeply entrenched in his origins from the beginning, as Jamie smirks, “I preferred records over toys.” The first record he ever purchased with his own money from working a paper route was Jesse Saunders’ Real Love. “I would save up lunch money, to go buy records…like many cats I know, I just bought and still buy shit I like or want.”

Making the first record Pete Hardy released by anyone other than Ron Hardy was no easy feat and Jamie doesn’t forget this, holding it close to his heart and more so retaining an incredible amount of respect for the Hardy’s.

“The brother really moved me! I learned crowd control and timing from him. This cat was a musical voodoo priest. He could have the hardest thug, who would rob yo ass in a dark alley crying on the dance floorThat’s fuckin’ power!” In saying this, Jamie points out that many have tarnished the memory of the legend, putting “his name on some shit he didn’t even do…and it sells.”

Always touring, he finally makes his way to Australia this week only for the second time. His nostalgia in overdrive, Jamie exclaims, “It was an amazing experience…and the things I saw, oh my god!” Feeding koalas and petting kangaroos topped his list as he goes on to say that “the parties were insane and everyone was so damn cool and chill…I can’t wait to come back.” And neither can we. Jamie 3:26 is in a league of his own and his humility, honesty and unwavering passion is clearly why he’s remained a legend to tastemakers and lovers of house music for decades.

Jamie 3:26 plays at the Mercat Basement on Friday June 7. soundcloud.com/jamie3too6

sunday june 9

phil k

jamie 3:26 Jamie 3:26 is an underground hero of Chicago. Spinning records since he was in high school, he has built a strong following of fans and supporters, including Theo Parrish, a passionate purveyor of his sound. Jamie has always remained underground and although many artists attempt to break into the mainstream market, he likes where he is right now just fine.

“Underground and business sense doesn’t seem to work together well…but I believe the two can work together, if handled properly.” And he’s done just that. His warm personality and enthusiasm are contagious as he humbly exclaims, “success is measured on a personal level” – a mantra that isn’t adopted enough.

He was Jamie Lust before he was Jamie 3:26, as part of the crew Lust Corp. “I cut my deep house and disco teeth with this crew, starting in high school in…1987. We had a style of dress and music that set us apart plus we could all dance and mix our asses off!” Running overage events when they were underage was “serious shit” and the guys even got as far as booking Ron Hardy to play at a party for them in 1990 at AKA’s.

While his playful nature and lightheartedness don’t immediately insist upon his hard work and unfaltering ethic, it is clear Jamie has done the rounds. “It must have been around 1987 that I first made a few bucks DJing. I used to prefer to dance and DJing was more of a hobby. I actually got stage fright when I DJed then.” It’s hard to imagine such a veteran getting stage fright but it’s a feat he has overcome.

Touring constantly ever since his first international booking in 2002 in Brussels, nowhere quite compares to home. “Chicago will always be my home and one of my favourite places to play.

There’s just an energy and vibe that can’t be found anywhere else…especially if it’s a raw underground event”. His love for Chicago is something he tries to bring to the rest of the world when he plays, avoiding falling into the trap of playing “the same tired songs” and never compromising his own personal style “so I do the same shit abroad that I do at home”.

As an underground artist, his opinion on EDM and electronic music’s ascent (or descent) into mainstream is just as you would expect. “Hey, I am not gonna knock those guys who are doin’ it and making major loot. I never trip on success. Keepin’ it real

CHI SATURDAYS Chi Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

CLUB FICTION - FEAT: KITTY ROCK & THE BAD LADIES Red Bennies, South Yarra. 10:00pm.

FIRST FLOOR SATURDAYS - FEAT: BILLY HOYLE + DJS DUCHESZ + MZRIZK + WASABI First Floor, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

HOT STEP Bimbo Deluxe, Fitzroy. 7:00pm.

LAB 22 Palace Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

MIXED DRINKS SATURDAYS Libation, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

MUSICISLIFE AFTER PARTY Palace Theatre, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

NEO SACRILEGE - FEAT: DJ NERO Abode, St Kilda. 8:00pm.

NEW GUERNICA SATURDAYS New Guernica, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

POISON APPLE - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Prince Bandroom, St Kilda. 7:00pm.

SATURDAYS - FEAT: ACTION SAM + DJ ROWIE European Bier Cafe, Melbourne Cbd. 7:00pm.

SATURDAYS AT ONE TWENTY BAR One Twenty Bar, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

SIMPLY BURLESQUE Sandbelt Club Hotel, Moorabbin. 8:00pm. $10.

SOUND EMPIRE - FEAT: DJ TATE STRAUSS + DJ JOE SOFO + DJ MATTY + DJ MISS SARAH + DJ PHIL ROSS Fusion, Southbank. 9:30pm. $25.

SOUTH SIDE SHOW - FEAT: EDD FISHER + KNAVE KNIXX Red Bennies, South Yarra. 8:00pm. $15.

STAR SATURDAYS - FEAT: VARIOUS DJS Star Bar, South Melbourne. 8:00pm.

STRUT SATURDAYS - FEAT: COLLECTIVE + ANDREAS + DANNY MERX + HENRIQUE + JASON SERINI + MARK PELLEGRINI + MC JUNIOR + NICK VAN WILDER Trak Lounge Bar, Toorak. 8:00pm. $22.

SUNDAY NIGHTS - FEAT: DJ DAMION DE SILVA + DJ JAY J + DJ KEN WALKER + DJ LIGHTING Co., Southbank. 8:30pm.

SUPER GRANDE Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

TEMPERANCE SATURDAYS - FEAT: DJ MARCUS KNIGHT + DJ XANDER JAMES Temperance Hotel, South Yarra. 8:00pm.

TEXTILE Lucky Coq, Windsor. 6:00pm.

THE FOX SATURDAYS Fox Hotel, Collingwood. 7:00pm.

THE HOUSE DEFROST - FEAT: DJ ANDEE FROST Toff In Town, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

THE LATE SHOW - FEAT: MAT CANT + RANSOM + TOO MUCH + BOOGS + CONGO TARDIS #1 + DANIELSAN + MR MOONSHINE Revolver Upstairs, Prahran. 6:00pm.

THE TONGUE - FEAT: DJ SKOOB + DJ MOONSHINE + PHIL PARA + REMI + SWOOPING DUCK Espy, St Kilda. 9:00pm.

WHY NOT? Pretty Please, St Kilda. 8:00pm.

WILDSTYLEZ (LIGHTS OUT TOUR) + ALPHA² + BANGERZ & MASHERZ + CHRIS DYNASTY + CHRIS X DEEJAY + CONSTRUCTION + DJ EM + DJ PRACTICE + GATTY + JLS + JOHHNY L DEEJAY + KARPE-DM + KEMICAL KONJESTION + MC VILLAIN + SOUL-T + VAZARD The Hi-fi, Melbourne. 9:00pm.

Darkbeat, seminal tastemakers and promoters within the underground dance scene, have somehow made it to ten years of doing what they do best. It’s a tough gig but with Daniel Banko (Rollin Connection) steering the party boat with skill, Darkbeat have made a mark that will stay indelibly stained on the shoulders of dance party folklore. To celebrate, Banko, Anthony Pappa and Phil K have collaborated on a three CD anniversary release. Phil K (Phillip Krokidis), beginning life at school discos as a young kid, has seen the face of DJing and dance music fiercely evolve over his time on the decks. He has been a pioneer (pun entirely intended) within both music and the technology that DJs use, working with Pioneer to develop the prototype for the first visual and audio mixer DVJ-X1.

These days Krokidis splits his time between work and study (IT security), but DJing and producing will forever be a part of his world.

“I have been at it for a very long time, in fact that long that I can’t even imagine what it would be like not to play music for people,” he says when asked whether he still loves his craft as much as the early days. “I guess when it’s a passion, then it’s not work, it’s simply a passion and you love it. I love it! So until somebody in authority comes and tells me that I can’t entertain people any longer I think I will be trying to DJ.” Because of his love of DJing, Krokidis is not backwards in coming forward about the pros and cons of technological developments within DJ hardware. “In most cases, technology has allowed anyone with a computer to be a DJ and producer overnight,” he says. “This has flooded the market with garbage music, and shit DJs regurgitating the garbage they heard the last shit tastemaker DJ or radio station play. I know this sounds like something a jaded old fart would say but the thing is, this is how it’s always been, there’s just more of it now because it’s all the more accessible and infinitely ‘cooler’ than back in the day. On the positive side, technology has also given an opportunity to creative and talented individuals to create what they hear in their head, which even 15 years ago, would have taken them wads of cash to realise their visions. These are the kind of people that keep me inspired and looking for new music.”

While there was a small meeting between the trio when planning

electronic - urban - club life

for this CD, each went about creating their mix in their own unique way. “Personally, my approach with mix CDs is to try and put something together that will both be listenable and come across well in your car or your home and try to pick music that I believe can stand the test of time,” he says.

Any anniversary creates a scenario whereby people begin to look back and assess their past journey. Ten years for Darkbeat is no different and Krokidis’ answer as to why Darkbeat has done so well is simple. “Dan works really hard and long hours and he puts his balls on the line and has, every time he has a party,” he says. “Also, he books a wide variety of acts which appeal to different audiences.”

It’s even harder to avoid nostalgia and greater cultural observations when someone has been involved in a scene for so long and it would be remiss to not ask Krokidis about the changes he has witnessed on the dance music scene since the days of early ‘80s discos and ‘90s clunky synths.

“The instruments have changed, tastes in fashion and sound certainly have, and people’s choice of poisons have changed, but the aim of the game remains the same – people just want to go out on the weekend to dance and have a good time with their friends to forget about whatever they need to forget about,” he says. “This will never change and I feel honoured that so many people have allowed me to entertain them with music that I have been passionate about at any given time over the last couple of decades.”

Darkbeat’s 10th Anniversary 3CD Collection mixed

by Anthony Pappa, Phil K and Rollin Connection is released this Friday May 17 on Darkbeat Recordings, distributed through Xelon. Phil K plays Darkbeat’s 10th Birthday alongside John Digweed at the Prince Bandroom on Sunday June 9. facebook.com/djphilk

urban club guide snaps be. at co.

wednesday june5 Compression Session - Feat: Cassawarrior + Dd + Ricka E55, Melbourne Cbd. 9:00pm.

Soul Ensemble Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

thursday june 6 Pennies Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:30pm. $6.

Shaggz + Shaun D La Di Da, Melbourne. 8:00pm.

Rnb Superclub - Feat: Young Men Society Rnb Superclub, Southbank. 8:00pm.

Studio Chasers, South Yarra. 8:00pm. $20.

Sweet Nothing Fridays - Feat: DJ Marcus Knight + DJ Xander James Temperance Hotel, South Yarra. 9:00pm.

saturday june 8

friday june 7 Chaise Fridays - Feat: Soulclap + DJ Claz + DJ Dirx + DJ Peril + DJ Sef Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 4:30pm.

Crew Love - Feat: DJ Tony Sunshine Sub Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm. $15.

DJ Thaddeus Doe The B.east, Brunswick East. 9:00pm.

Faktory Khokolat Bar, Melbourne. 2:55pm.

Faktory - Feat: DJ Damion De Silva + DJ Durmy + DJ K Dee + DJ Yaths Khokolat Bar, Melbourne. 9:30pm.

Get Lit Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

Like Fridays - Feat: Broz + Dir-X + DJs Dinesh + Nyd + Sef +

Freedom Pass - Feat: Phil Ross + B-Boogie + Chris Mac + Dozza Co., Southbank. 10:30pm.

Hip Hop Open Mic First Floor, Fitzroy. 8:00pm.

tuesday june 11 Can I Kick It? Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 10:00pm.

Chaise Lounge Saturdays - Feat: DJ Andy Pala + DJ Kah Lua Chaise Lounge, Melbourne Cbd. 8:00pm.

Cheap Sober + Maggot Mouf & Gutz + Pete Mc + Planz The Hi-fi, Melbourne. 8:00pm. $26.

Laundry Saturdays Laundry Bar, Fitzroy. 9:30pm.

Saturday Nights - Feat: DJ Damion De Silva + Dj Jay Sin + DJ K Dee Khokolat Bar, Melbourne. 9:30pm.

The Dojo Order Of Melbourne, Melbourne Cbd. 11:00pm.

The High Society Rainbow Hotel, Fitzroy. 9:00pm.

rhythm-al-ism at eden

What about the strangest?

I have to look to different styles to a breakdance battle I organised years ago at Federation Square where I had a crew of three enter who thought they’d battle their opposing crew using a giant Sudoku puzzle and a Rubiks cube. It was extremely bizarre, until I saw that very same crew featured in the comedy festival and then I put two and two together.

t a l k ing

i dancehall with catherine pwiti

faktory at khokolat bar

monday june 10

How long have you been involved in I <3 Dancehall?

Right from the beginning. I remember one of the original promoters approaching me at another reggae/dancehall party prior to the first I <3 Dancehall night back in 2008 and asked me if I would dance at her upcoming event. Back then I was just starting out in my dancing career and was super excited to be asked to perform, and consequently formed my dance crew Burncity Queenz. So you can pretty much say Burncity Queenz and I <3 Dancehall debuted on the same night, and my dance crew has been a household feature of the I <3 Dancehall brand ever since.

How has I <3 Dancehall evolved over the past four years?

I wouldn’t necessarily say it has ‘evolved’, as the pure, raw, authentic dancehall vibe that the night was founded on, is still very much the essence of what you feel at an I <3 Dancehall party, whether it’s your first experience of Dancehall, or if you’ve been there since day one. I would say, though, that it has adapted more than anything.

What’s planned for the fourth birthday party?

The fourth birthday I dare to say is going to be the biggest I <3 Dancehall event to date. The event will host the second I <3

Dancehall dance battle with 1 on 1 male and female categories to find Melbourne’s official Dancehall King and Queen for 2013.

If you have never experienced the dance style of dancehall then expect to be jaw smacked and light-headed after the experience because it’s pretty out there to say the least. You will be amazed at what the rear end can do! Apart from the battle the night is jam packed with a huge lineup of local dance acts including my crew Burncity Queenz, Bam Bam Assasins, SO Fine, and Twerkshop, MC’s Apprentice, Dark S.Paid, SK Simeon and Akimera, and DJs So Fire, Troublemekka, Kanso aka Mat Cant, Zare Demus, and Ezu, plus our special guest Mikey Glamour from Sydney who will be on the judging panel for the battles.

What is the best dance crew you’ve ever seen?

That is a hard question, seeing how much amazing talent there is out there and how many styles of dance there are, which captivates me for different reasons, so since we are on the topic of dancehall I guess I’ll narrow it down to that genre only. I would have to say I’m a big fan of Saea Banyana who are an Afro-dancehall crew from Sydney. These girls I have to say are some of the best performers I’ve ever seen, and have a great ability to captivate an audience not only with tight choreography, but with such a beautiful and powerful presence.

Give us a bit of a run down on the different dance crews performing at the fourth birthday.

Dancehall is still very small in Melbourne so there are not many crews that specialise, so we’ve selected a lineup of crews that use dancehall as an influence or have a style with roots in dancehall – all unique and fierce in what they do and guaranteed to blow you away on the night including: my crew Burncity Queenz, which is Melbourne first official dancehall dance crew who will be showcasing new members Rohani, Jess, and Mz Lora alongside Enchante and myself Killa Catl; Bam Bam Assassins led by Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore – a sassy afro dancehall fusion crew with attitude; Jungle City – which is my latest dance project featuring an all-female ensemble of 12 sassy ladies from diverse backgrounds representing pure dancehall; So Fine crew – a fierce and sexy dance crew who mix their love of dancehall and reggaeton under the direction of MINX; and Twerkshop ‘the booty destroyers’, also from the popular club night Hip Hop Hotties. We will also have some special guest solo dancers including Wubshet and if there are any fellas out there who want to come and bust their style on the night you are more than welcome.

When is it and what’s the wallet damage?

I <3 Dancehall’s 4th birthday dance battle is taking place on Friday June 14 at Brown Alley. Doors open at 10pm till late.

Entry is $7 before 11pm and $15 after.

khokolat koated at khokolat bar

electronic - urban - club life

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