Infusion # 226: June 15-29 '14

Page 1

MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

The Brazilliant

World Cup has landed Ramadan Dos + Don'ts, Season Closing Parties, Jason Manford, Sensation, Izel + GQ Bar Reviews, Clean Bandit, La Roux and more!

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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

I remember my first World Cup, Italia 90, like it was yesterday. Toto Schillaci’s mad staring eyes, the start of England’s penalty nightmare and Roger Milla’s flagpole dancing. Sure, the football was terrible, and there were 16 red cards in total, but the magic of the World Cup was alive and kicking. This year’s World Cup, in its spiritual home Brazil, promises to be just as magical, and we’ve got the lowdown on where to watch it, which games to watch out for and how to bluff your way through the tournament. Plus, we have a 4 page feature on what DJs need to know (warning: there’s a lot) and we have all the usual reviews, features, event listings and more in our last issue before the summer shut down. Enjoy the football, and Ramadan kareem from the Infusion crew. Andy

Contributors: Richard Perez, Vip Patel, Monique Belle, Sam Moult, Nada Roberts, Karam Toubba, Stephen Day Design: Allan (Jmaxlolo) Tinsay Grown-up stuff: Infusion is published by Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098

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Looking

BACK Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.

> What We Did > Say What? > Photo Gallery


Looking Back

What we did

Showtek @ Zero Gravity Dutch duo Showtek have long been known for their unique sounds and pumping beats. Despite being one brother down (due to illness), their recent performance at Zero Gravity was a great way to see out the first half of the year, as the beach club was rammed with people looking to get their electro-house and big room fix. And Showtek, who have gone from underground venues to mainstages across the world, and collaborated with Hardwell, Tiesto and David Guetta, didn’t disappoint. Despite the VIP barrier breaking up the crowd, every corner of the dancefloor was bouncing with their hands in the air. Big tunes such as Showtek’s very own ‘Booyah’ went down a treat as the DJ transitioned between classics and new tracks, giving each drop a personal Showtek touch. Even the heat couldn’t disrupt the vibe as the party closed with the same energy that it started with. – Sam Moult



Looking Back House of Afrika feat. Osunlade @ Dek On 8 You know you’ve got a good night on your hands when you turn around and see more than half of Dubai’s music nerds gazing off into a deep Afro house haze and practically salivating over your guest DJ. The Yoruba Records mastermind covered all bases, dropping Erro’s ‘Change For Me,’ some straight up Moodymann goodness and his own modern day classic, ‘Envision.’ Scheduled to play 2 hours, he ended up doing a little over 3 on the night, and sent everyone into a little bit of a frenzy when he dropped a Prince remix. We did ask him if we could take a sneaky recording but he politely declined – for the hundreds that were there on the night though, those 3 hours of musical magic were more than enough.

Black Sabbath @ du Arena

A little bit of background: Black Sabbath, in the heavy metal world, are pioneers of dark and heavy riffing metal. In the Doom Metal community (a sub-genre of Heavy Metal), they are also the pioneers of slow, heavy and dark musical composition, often known as ‘Proto Doom’. Back on Yas Island, the impending darkness signaled the oncoming rock apocalypse. The classic purple Black Sabbath logo appeared and the band began to pound our helpless souls with classic and new music. The opening riffs of ‘War Pigs’ branded memories deep into my damned soul. ‘Into the Void’, ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Paranoid’ hit the thunderstruck thousands with physical force. Surprisingly, with his long history of abuse, Ozzy performed miraculously on stage, defying the heat and his age. This was not a concert. This was not a show. This was something else entirely. – Karam Toubba



Say What? Say What? Say What? Balls

Anyone still convinced that the Qatar World Cup bid did everything above board, in light of the Sunday Times investigation into alleged bribery and corruption, is going to have trouble clinging to that hope now. The law firm that Qatar has instructed to help protect its reputation? The very same law firm that did such solid work for paragons of virtue as Ryan Giggs, John Terry, Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods...

Short and Tweet

@CIA – We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet. Nice to see the CIA has a sense of humour…

Old Jokes Home

I got caught having a wee in the local swimming pool today. The lifeguard shouted at me so loud I nearly fell in.

Did You Know?

In 2017, Ramadan will begin during May, as the timings move forward by 2 weeks every year.

No they didn’t!?

Twitter was abuzz recently when betting giant Paddy Power put this picture up on their feed, having bulldozed some of the Brazilian rain forest for a promotional World Cup message. Several thousand irate messages later, they revealed it was a prank to help raise awareness about the deforestation. Phew.


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Call 800 SUSHI (78744) or visit chezshushi.com Eat or collect at our restaurant. Find us at Shop 18, Wasl Square, (opposite Safa Park) Al Wasl Road, Dubai.


audio tonic Rooftop Closing Party @360


Jamie Jones @ Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE


Kings of Leon

@Atlantis


Ministry of Sound @Boutiq


Reset feat. My Favorite Robot

@Story Rooftop


Plus Minus feat. James Zabiela @Nasimi


Something Big feat. Tunnidge @Catwalk


Viva Fridays @ Chinawhite



Looking FORWARD Where we filter out the best things that are coming your way...

> Local News > Cover Story > World Cup Fever > Board Meeting > Ramadan Dos and Don'ts


Looking Forward

Local News Laughter Factory with Jason Manford

The Laughter Factory are bowing out of their season with a big bang as they’ve invited down UK comedy star Jason Manford for a 2 night spell at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom. Running on Sunday 22nd and Monday 23rd June, tickets start at Dhs300. www.timeouttickets.com

Season closing parties

We’ve laughed, we’ve drunk, we’ve danced and it’s now time to bid the clubs and bars farewell for a month. Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE are winding down their season on Friday June 20 with a tech-house Cadenza Showcase feat. Michel Cleis (pictured) and Gianni Callipari, alongside their trusted residents Jean B, Kay Tek, Jixo and Danz and Frederick Stone. Audio tonic meanwhile have lined up their residents for a house music blow out on the same day, with Megadon Betamax, Rich Showell, Russ Cooper, JC Pinto, Tristan Bain, Rod Lee Winters, Markii, Mr Mr and Raxon on the decks Below from 4pm. And finally, Bliss Lounge close out their summer on June 20th with headliners Sante (Cocoon) and Arado (Desolat) joined by local stars including Marko Smokingroove, JC and Mark Pickup.

Reset with Matt Tolfrey

New Story Rooftop night Reset is back after their My Favorite Robot gig with another dose of tech house goodness courtesy of Leftroom label boss Matt Tolfrey on Friday June 20. Despite being a house music veteran, he’s exploded on the scene in recent years, and is a regular at big clubs like Sankeys, Fabric and New York’s Verboten. Support comes from Somalie and Haidz, with free entry all night.


Rumours

Deep Crates are looking for a new home, and might be putting on a series of one off events. Crystal Fighters and MGMT are two bands who have been mentioned as possibilities by a Dubai promoter. Sandance have confirmed their post-summer dates as October 10 and November 14, get them locked in the diary now!

Ramadan, a time for reflection, a time to prepare for next season and the time when the Infusion crew do their travelling. Woo hoo! We've got new blood in the Infusion team as we welcome Chris Rayner, Online Editor, DJ and all round top dude into the fold. World Cup fever has hit, fingers crossed for a better standard of football (and less Vuvuzelas) than South Africa 2010. Heading to Ibiza for Olly from Hollaphonic's wedding. Supermessyandfuntimesahead. com

Nearly Dhs500 to screen this year’s World Cup to your home? Yeah, no thanks, we’ll hit the pub, ta. Egos. Seriously dude, keep it in check yeah. A new DJ/club streaming service has been started which beams a DJ's set directly into the club, by-passing the actual physical element of them being there. Amazingly, it's gotten $1.8 of funding so far. What's wrong with the world?




Billions watch it around the world, but there’s only one place to watch the monthlong 2014 Brazil World Cup this year. We get to grips with Zero Gravity, and also run through the essential group games, and have a handy bluffers guide for those who think the game is called soccer…

brazill Brazill Already a firm fixture in Dubai’s nightlife thanks to big gigs like Paul Vak Dyk and Showtek, the split level Zero Gravity is the place to watch this year’s football extravaganza. Then again, once you’ve walked into the car park and seen the giant Adidas football boots, that much will have been obvious. They’ve also added a ‘player’s tunnel’ – with rumours that some current stars might be joining – while there’s a dedicated Playstation lounge throughout the competition. Plus, they’ve got their team of resident DJs on hand up to Ramadan to ramp up the mid-match and post match atmosphere.


Need to know

Screens: 15, plus one giant HD screen Food: There’s a themed menu with everything Dhs45, including The Defender (chicken and mushroom or steak and kidney pie) and Golden Foot hot dogs. Drinks: Bucket Budweiser deals and a special footie cocktail list for the fairer sex, including the ‘Offside.’ Although explaining the offside rule after a few could be tricky…

liant!

Bluffer’s guide

Don’t know one end of the soccer ball from your elbow? Then mutter these phrases at random points during the next month and you’ll be fine (or just repeat what the commentator has said, as long as it’s not Alan Shearer)… ‘Colombia would have been a good outside bet, but now that Falco is injured, I’m not so sure… ‘ ‘Italy have the best kit hands down, modern but retro’. ‘Messi’s great, obviously, but he needs to be a World Cup winner before he can be considered one of the best’ ‘Did you know, virtually no country has made money from hosting the World Cup? True. Only Germany have done so in the last few decades’ ‘Even I knew that Qatar was a rubbish choice to hold the World Cup, but I guess $5million might change my mind as well’.


3 essential matches June 17, 11pm Brazil vs mexico The favourites go head to head with one of several dark horses, as Brazil take on Mexico. Can the hosts live up their hype, and can Neymar give them the goals they need? June 19, 11pm Uruguay vs England While England fans are urging their team to play more like Liverpool, Uruguay will be looking to do the same with the mercurial Luis Suarez up front. Make or break for both sides in this crucial match.

June 21, 8pm Argentina vs Iran The Middle East’s sole representant, this is Iran’s 4th World Cup and they’ll be aiming to hit the 2nd round for the first time. The much fancied Argentina team stand in their way (as do Argentina and Bosnsia-Herzegovina and Nigeria), so expect tooting horns and overjoyed fans should Iran do the very unlikely and emerge triumphant.

Zero Gravity will be open for all World Cup games shown from 6pm and 3am. For more information, call +971 4 399 0009 and log on to www.0-gravity.ae


PRESENTS

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There’s a wealth of electronic talent in the city, so fair play to new night The Board for pulling them together for their 9 artist line up at Casa Latina on Thursday June 19. Here’s our pick of who to look for on the line up… Digital Puppy One of the leading dubstep pioneers in the city, and a noted producer to boot, Digital Puppy is also one of the main men behind bass night Something Big who have not only brought out a who’s who of dubstep, but are hosting their own boat party at Outlook festival this year. soundcloud.com/digital-puppy The Board, Thursday June 19, Casa Latina, 9pm-3am, Dhs60 incl. 2 free drinks.


Aaron Kim Cellist Aaron Kim has not only performed with Middle East musical royalty – Gayathri and hip hop don The Narcicyst – but he’s now branched out into electronic music and judging by his Soundcloud set, has a high energy dubstep meets acid house set lined up. soundcloud.com/cellistaaronkim Muhaisnah Four Cromwell Ojeda might just be the musical lynchpin in the city. From putting on punk and rock nights back at Alpha to being a drummer (and general band member) on call for acts as diverse as The Recipe and Juliana Down, he’s been there, done that, and got the band t-shirt. This is his solo electronic show, which sounds like Jamie xx on valium. Also check out Crom as part of his band elphnt who are also playing that night. soundcloud.com/muhaisnahfour Hirabeat One of the city’s best beat boxers, Hirabeat has a nifty live set up that uses looping technology similar to Beardyman, while he’s also started a new live music project under the new banner Mural. soundcloud.com/hirabeat Fidgit Once a dubstep fanatic, Fidgit has changed tack in recent times, and now favours a more organic approach, blending rock dynamics with breakbeats and electronica. We gave his recent EP 4/5, so we’re definitely looking forward to catching him live in action. soundcloud.com/fidgit-offical


Ramadan

Dos and Don’ts

Ramadan is due to start on Sunday June 29th this year, and run until Sunday July 27, keep an eye on the local media as the exact timings depend on the sighting of the moon. During Ramadan, refrain from eating and drinking, smoking and chewing gum during daylight hours in public. Ramadan working hours are generally 7am-3pm, which means rush hour traffic gets earlier as well. Do get involved in the month-long Iftars (breaking of the fast), a great way to enjoy a real taste of the Middle East. Clubs will be closed until the end of July, and there’s no DJing or live music during the month. Events will start again over the Eid weekend. Bars and pubs will be open but will only be serving alcohol from 7pm. Dress conservatively during the holy month, with knees and shoulders covered.



The FIFA World Cup Has Landed Watch All The Action LIVE And In Comfort At Zero Gravity. Support your country or just drop-by and soak up the ‘Brazilliant’ carnival atmosphere. Z E R O G R AV IT Y D U B A I LO C ATE D AT T H E S KY DIVE D U BAI D RO P ZO NE A l S u fo u h Roa d , D u ba i Mari na, P O Box 111919 D u b a i, Un i te d A ra b E m i rate s Fo r Res e r vat i on s C a l l : + 97 1 4 399 0009 O r E mail : i n fo@ 0 - grav i t y.ae Sunday to Thursday 10am until late Friday and Saturday 8am until late

www.0-gravity.ae

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ARTY GUIDE

ONTHE THE RADAR ON RADAR

August 28 Warehouse Dubai feat. Sigma, Hannah Wants, Artful Dodger, Level 41

September 18 Arcadia feat. Patrick Topping, Dek on 8

September 30 Illusionists, World Trade Centre

August 29 Bassworx feat. Mistanoize, Casa Latina October 10 Sandance

September 10 Lady Gaga, Meydan

October 31 Sensation, Meydan


Sunday 15 Magnum Sundays, Boudoir

Hard-hitting urban DJ line up of Brooklyn, Emtee and Shero deliver the hip hop and RnB cuts. 10pm-3am. Weekly.

Sunday Brunch, Cavalli

New Sunday night concept, with unlimited food and alcohol plus Cavalli’s resident DJs. 9pm, Dhs200.

Monday 16 Club Classics, Boudoir

All the classic house and electro cuts courtesy of DJ Destroyer. 10pm-3am.

Fairies, Layali Club

Hip hop Mondays, Cirque Le Soir

Bustling early-week party with hip hop vibes from start to finish courtesy of DJ Bliss. 10.30pm-3am.

Madmen, Z:One

A dedicated men’s night, with 2 free drinks for the dudes and a 60s playlist. 6-9pm.

Mixed Mondays, XL Beach Club

The first 100 ladies and first 75 men get free drinks all night,

Manic Mondays, Zinc

Greg Stainer and Andy Swift play old and new skull anthems, with a 10pmmidnight happy hour. 10pm3am, ladies and couples free. Weekly.

INFUSION PICK! Therapy feat. Jay-R, Boutiq

Deep and tech house at one of the city’s best mid-week parties. 11pm-3am.

The New Orleans Jazz Band, The Fridge Big Easy jazz, off kilter and Dixieland classics from the New Orleans Jazz Band. 8pm, Dhs50.

Toys in the Attic, The Act

A new theatrical themed night, focusing on your childhood toys that are gone, but not forgotten, alongside their excellent Peruvian food. 8.30pm, repeated Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

Tuesday 17 B:Lush, Media One

4 free drinks for ladies, with Da Sendri dropping funk, soul, disco and house. 7-10pm, free.

Barasti

Popular ladies night, with a Dhs50 entrance fee getting you free flowing bubbly all night. 6pm-late, Dhs50.

PARTY GUIDE

Lebanese singer Nadine Chammas performs retro English, French and Spanish hits live, with Micho supplying an Arabic edge. Free drinks for ladies all night. 9pm.

with Dhs50 a drink ladies and Dhs100 beer buckets after that. 7pm-3am.


ARTY GUIDE

Bellissimo Tuesdays, Story Rooftop

Vocal, funky house from Natalie Brogan, with unlimited drinks for guys and girls from 9-12pm. Dhs100.

Champagne and Strawberries night, Horizon Lounge

3 complimentary glasses of Mojitos or Bubbly from 6pm, with a happy hour from 4-8pm.

Day and Night, Cavalli New ladies night from New York natives the Koch Brothers, with DJ Stutter on the turntables. 8pm, 4 free drinks for ladies.

En Vogue, Armani Prive

Darko De Jan takes control of this high class ladies night, with complimentary mojitos until 1am for ladies. 10pm-3am.

Girls Don’t Q, Q43, Media One Hotel

3 free drinks for ladies at the panoramic, gorgeous-looking Media City venue. 6pm-1am.

Hunters Gentlemen’s night, Hunters (Westin)

50% off your steak or red wine at this male-focussed midweeker. 7pm-late.

Pink Ladies Pin Up Night, Mahiki

Complimentary pink Champagne, with plenty of guilty pleasures on the decks in this paradise-themed club. 7pm-late.

Pop Your Cherry, Cirque Le Soir

More mid-week funkiness at the popular circus-themed club. 10.30pm-3am.

The Secret, China White

DJs JSA and Don Corneille are on mid-week party duty with an urban soundtrack. 10pm-3am, ladies free drinks from 11pm-1am.

White Tuesdays, White Dubai

House and melodic tech at this new ladies night. 10pm.

Wednesday 18 90 Degrees North, Story Rooftop

Deep house and tech house from Dubai DJ Matt Charles and friends. 6pm-late. Weekly.

Aces, Boutiq

Party mashups with Shef Codes and Parisian guest DJ Emir. 10pm-3am. Weekly.

Bootik, Vanity (Al Murooj Rotana)

Excellent mid-week house party, with support from resident Fred Stone. 11pm3am. Weekly.

Diamond Wednesdays, XL Beach Club

Shero and Brooklyn drop the urban tunes at this popular weekly night. 9pm-3am. Weekly.


Flashdance, Cavalli

INFUSION PICK!

Horizon Heroes, Horizon Lounge

Resident Rishi is joined by Lee Drinky and Hot Waves headliner Lee Brinx. 9pm, free.

80s classics all night long at the high end club. 8pm-late. Weekly.

A gentleman’s night, with bucket deals and good pub grub. 7pm. Weekly.

Cassland, Story Rooftop

Mahiki Retro Wednesdays

All the classics from the last 4 decades. 7pm-late. Weekly.

Societe School Night

Retro pop hits, classic TV shows (including Biker Grove and Grange Hill) and Dhs30 vodka Red Bulls. 10pm. Weekly.

Thursday 19

Abri and the extremely funky Funk Radius drop funk, soul, hip hop and rock covers and originals at this bustling Thursday night joint. 9pm, weekly.

Aks Events, Spin

Commercial and Bollywood tunes from DJ Aks and friends. 9pm-3am, ladies free, men Dhs100.

INFUSION PICK! The Board, Casa Latina

9 electronic acts from across the city including Fidgit, Hirabeat and more. 9pm-3am, Dhs60 including 2 free drinks.

Conan Manchester, Loca

Foot-tapping funk, soul and rock and roll from Conan at one of our favourite bars in town. Weekly Thursday and Friday.

Jamrock, Ego Lounge Calypso, dub, reggae and urban from Sir Taz and DJ Crown Prince. 10pm-3am, ladies free before midnight, weekly.

Live Thursdays, District Lounge

Layla and the Free Sound Project play a range of covers live in their own style, with support from DJ Rich-E. 8pm-late.

PARTY GUIDE

Abri & The Funk Radius, Pizza Express JLT




ARTY GUIDE

INFUSION PICK! Superheroes, Dek on 8

Big bass and beats from Superheroes residents and guests including Mach 4 and Woodle. 6pm-3am, free.

Bacchanal Fridayz, Sublime

Caribbean and reggae tunes from this brand new night. 9pm-3am, Dhs60, ladies free before 11pm. Weekly.

Cause We Love Music, Bliss Lounge Arado and Sante close out the season at this popular JBR bar. 9pm-3am.

Freaks and Beats, Cirque Le Soir Vintage, Societe Dubai 80s, 90s and 00s at this alternative venue in the Marina, with tables for 4 starting from Dhs1100. 10pm-3am.

White Dubai

Electro, house and EDM at this popular rooftop club. 10pm-3am. Repeated Friday.

Nick Tohme heads up this weekly night, where entertainment is at the fore. 10pm-3am. Weekly.

Izel, Conrad Hotel

Season closing party for the popular Latin lounge. 9pm.

House of Afrika, Dek on 8

The trusted HoA residents drop deep, Afro tech for their penultimate party. 4pm-3am, free.

Friday 20

INFUSION PICK!

Audio tonic Closing Party, 360 The residents drop the beats from 4pm, including Mr Mr, Raxon, Megadon Betamax and more. 4pm-3am, free.

Hush, Vanity

Mo Muscles and Shef Codes drop old school hip hop and R&B tracks. 10pm-3am.


Massive Fridays, Sensation

Urban, hip hop and RnB vibes ever Friday at this Sheikh Zayed Road hangout. 10.30pm.

INFUSION PICK!

Michel Cleis, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE

Season closing party for the Ghantoot venue, with Michel Cleis and the residents taking control. 11am-11pm, reservation@bluemarlinibizauae.com

Tonight I’m A Single Lady, Movida

Free drinks for ladies from 11pm-1am, and resident DJ Mitchell on the decks. 11pm3am. Weekly.

Saturday 21 411, People By Crystal Urban classics new and old from DJ Bliss and friends. 10pm-3am. Weekly.

Homegrown, 360

Charl Chaka and friends drop house tunes to close out the weekend. 5pm-3am, free.

Saturday Brunch, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE

Wind down your weekend with live cooking stations and funky tunes. Weekly. 1pm-5.30pm, Dhs295, reservation@bluemarlinibizauae.com

Music Fridays, GQ Bar

Rishi, Sam Farsio and several other DJs on rotation dropping deep, tech house. 9pm-late.

INFUSION PICK!

Reset feat. Matt Tolfrey, Story Rooftop

Leftroom main man Matt Tolfrey headlines with a deep, tech set. 9pm-3am, free.

Slydigs, Music Room

Up-coming UK indie-rock band Slydigs headline at the Music Room. 9pm, Dhs100.

The UK stand up comic on the first of his two night run at the hotel’s ballroom. 8.30pm, Dhs300. Repeated Monday.

Monday 23 Ahmad Hameed, The Fridge

Iraqi Oud player and composer combines Western and classical elements. 8pm, Dhs50.

PARTY GUIDE

Sunday 22 Laughter Factory feat. Jason Manford, Crowne Plaza


PRESENTS

F R I DAY 20 T H J U N E FREE ENTRY I HAPPY HOUR 5PM-8PM 4PM – 3AM I STRICTLY 21+ I FOR TABLE RESERVATIONS: RSVP@INFUSION.AE

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Look AND

LISTEN Music be the food of love, so read on... > Music News > How to be a DJ > Album Reviews > Meet Your Promoter > DJ Booth > Soundstage > DJ Top 10


Look and Listen

Music News... Happy Metal

Screaming emo, death metal screams and guitars set to 11 – turns out that does make you happy and well adjusted, well at least according to the The Atlantic’s City Lab and the Martin Prosperity Institute. Their experts write that the number of metal bands within an area is associated with: “economic output per capita; level of creativity and entrepreneurship; share of adults that hold college degrees; as well as overall levels of human development, well-being, and satisfaction with life.” So this city was built on rock and roll and not oil money after all…

MUSIC BITES “I’ll hear TV commercials where the music’s ripping off sounds of mine, to the point I think it’s me. Half the time, it’s The Black Keys. The other half, it’s a sound-alike song because they couldn’t license one of mine. ” Don’t worry Jack White, there’s plenty of room for both you and The Black Keys in the world…

EDM TV

TV producers are cashing in on dance music’s buzz and have pulled together Jay Z, Calvin Harris, Will Smith – and promisingly – Irvine Welsh (pictured) to create a new EDM based TV comedy. Welsh, the Trainspotting and Filth author had this to say: ‘The idea’s to make it very character driven – you’ve got [touchstones] like Human Traffic and Project X and that kind of territory, and Entourage is another one too, you know, about the people that are around them. It’s a comedy about the rise of a DJ through the world of electronic dance music, from humble origins to becoming a superstar DJ.’



Everyone is a DJ. Seriously, that dude next to you? A DJ. That girl over there? A DJ. We draw the line at Paris Hilton, however. With that in mind, we’ve come up with these hard and fast rules that all DJs should abide by…

 Practice, practice, practice. What are you doing still reading this? Get off and practice you young scamp, think Guetta got to the top by ghost-writing his own tunes and pressing play on his premixed CD?

 Hit the red line on the mixer and not only will the resident sound engineer be down on you like a pigeon on a chip, but you’ll be making your deep/ tech house track scream like Megadeth. Keep it green, and keep it clean.

 The format doesn’t matter (unless you’re carting around your own DJ console filled with sh*tty Youtube 128kps rips, you can most definitely jog on then sunshine). What does matter is the music – make sure you know it inside out, love it, cherish it, organize it, get it Mixed in Key, playlist the f*** out of it. Play it on CD, vinyl, USB, Serato/Traktor, whatever. Just make it good.

 Be prepared. Bring a CD wallet or a couple of USBs should your laptop die on stage. And a spare t-shirt (and pair of boxers) can do wonders for you after a sweaty gig.

 Are you really a Pacha Ibiza resident? Or did you just play there once, in the middle of the day, to an empty club as you were a glass collector at the time? It’s cool to boast about where you’ve played, but hard to retract if you get found out. Keep it honest.

 Social media is a tool. Don’t make a tool out of yourself by using it badly. Keep spam to a minimum, always have something to say and give away free music/edits/remixes if you can.




 Never undercut another DJ to get a gig. There is a special place as the resident DJ in hell, currently taken by Jimmy Saville, for you. 

Be original. EDM, deep house and urban might be the 3 big club genres at the moment, but put a spin on your set, and if you can, create your own edits and mashups so that people know it’s you, and not some other Tom, Dick or Hawtin.

 By all means, bang out the Beatport Top 10 at 9pm on your warm up. Enjoy it, swing your arms around like you’re better than Guetta. Just don’t expect to be re-booked.  Never play a track from someone else above you on the line up. You might think it’s an homage to their work if you drop one of their tracks in your set, but they’ll think you’re a douchebag.

Zabiela jealous, make sure you know how to use it. Tunes > technical trickery any day of the week.

 Be ready to fail. You’ll mess up a mix, you might even mess up several in the same session. Get over it, and move onto the next one.  Drink and spill and kill the vibe and you’ll never get booked again. Keep your drinks away from the decks.  Learn how to read a crowd. If you’ve been playing peak bangers for an hour, dial it down to let the crowd breathe and relax. Equally, if you’ve been playing at the same tempo for the last session, drop in a curveball or break it up to keep people interested. FYI: staring at the laptop is not the way to do this.

 If you’re re-arranging kit for your Serato/Traktor, then be respectful to the other DJ and their working space in the booth. Don’t elbow them in the gut only to pull out the wrong RCA cable, and don’t lean across the CDJ and hit the pause button.

 Be prepared to suck it up. Don’t expect the big boys to come calling just because you can beat match. Turn up to gigs you like, get to know the promoters, give them your latest mixes, get together a fan base through social media and work your way up the ladder. Love what you do, and you’ll get loved for what you do.

 And if you’re going to be that guy who rocks up with so much kit you’d make James

 Let us know what you think a DJ needs to know via infusion.ae


Look and Listen

Album Reviews... La Roux – Trouble in Paradise Pop

I

www.laroux.co.uk

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It might be a bit controversial, but La Roux is one of the biggest accidental pop stars of recent times. If it hadn’t been for a slew of powerful remixes, led by Skream’s seismic take on ‘In For The Kill,’ her plinky plonky electro pop would have most likely fallen off the radar. As it is, the Skream remix went to Number 1, and Elly Jackson and her sunset red quiff went global. Which was a mistake, as her album was thin. It had arresting vocals, but it was plinky plonky electro pop, nothing more, nothing less. So the ball is firmly in her court for the long awaited follow up, and lead single, ‘Let Me Down Gently’ is a strong start, coming across like a less aggressive counter to the Drive soundtrack. The rest of the album feels more expansive, more textured, more complete than her eponymous debut. There’s the evolving synth shout and response of ‘Silent Partner’, the muted 80s pop of album closer ‘The Feeling’ and the Tropical funk of ‘Cruel Sexuality.’ The plinky plonky electro pop is still present and correct (‘Kiss And Not Tell’ is perky pop personified), but on Trouble In Paradise, it’s grown up, chilled out and come of age.



Look and Listen

Clean Bandit – New Eyes Pop/House I

cleanbandit.co.uk



We were going to review Tiesto’s new album this issue, his first for 5 years. But then we listened to it, and it was so middle of the road EDM, it should have come with its own Mollyaddled roadkill. So we decided to shine a light on Clean Bandit, newcomers to the pop/electro scene instead. A classically trained 4 piece who graduated from Cambridge, they blend orchestral music with dance music. While that might sound a little too coffee table kooky for many, in reality it works – so well in fact that ‘Rather Be’ spent 5 weeks at the top of the charts earlier this year, their 5th Top 40 hit. And their debut album employs the same level of quirky fun, with off beat lyrics (‘Telephone Banking’), mad rapping (‘Torchy The Battery Boy’) and bass-slapping electro-funk (‘A+E’). It might sound horribly dated in a couple of years, but for now, this is fun and clever pop music that will have Beethoven toetapping in his grave.


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Look and Listen

MUSIC THAT MATTERS Send tracks/edits/remixes to andy@infusion.ae

Schooly – Summer of Love, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE One of Dubai’s best sunshine DJs delivers a near 4 hour long live mix that’s so sunny, it should come with its own pair of Raybans. mixcloud.com/djschooly/summerof-love-live-blue-marlin-ibiza-uae/ Raxon – Overlord Audio tonic’s Raxon shows no sign of slowing down, with a Hulk sized slice of sleazy tech-house. Pamp! soundcloud.com/raxon/overlordoriginal-mix-tonic-preview Greg Funk – Vintage Love Proper cosmic Nu Disco work out from the Dubai DJ and producer, that sounds like a punchy mid Todd Terje track. soundcloud.com/gregfunk Nasrawi – Motet We have no idea what to call this, other than brilliant. Futurethinking beats, half-heard vocals, booming bass, this is Boards of Canada given a Middle East makeover. soundcloud.com/nasrawi/motet Kyubu – Bear Hug (MUUI Paranoid mix) Spiralling, driving, mind-warping techno from MUUI main man Patrik Carrera on the remix.

Strap in and enjoy the ride. soundcloud.com/kyubu/bear-hugmuui-paranoid-mix-kyb004 Cuts Above + DUST – John Morales warm up Live funk, boogie and disco session from the Cuts Above and DUST gents, including a re-edit of Carrie Lucas’ classic ‘Dance With You.’ soundcloud.com/cutsabove/dustcutsabove-john-morales-warm-up Copy Cat – Moodyboi + Ronzi Constantly evolving slice of tribal tech, with plenty of acid hustle and big room drums. soundcloud.com/ron-zi/copy-catmoodyboi-ronzi-wmc2014 Mark Drake & Peter Pleser – Move Your Feet (Groove Society) Classic slice of funky house with an extended jazz-funk breakdown and dynamic bongos from the Dubai based record label. soundcloud.com/thegroovesociety/ mark-drake-peter-pleser-moveyour-feet-original-mix A.B Markus – Made In Argentina Proggressive house in the Digweed/Sasha mold from the aspiring Dubai DJ, featuring an all Argentinian musical cast. soundcloud.com/abumarkus/ made-in-argentina


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MEET YOUR PROMOTER

Already big news and it’s still more than 4 months away, we caught up with Nicolas Vandenabeele to find out more about the 15,000 capacity Sensation event this October… Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Nicolas Vandenabeele, 32 years young, born and raised in Belgium. I moved to Dubai 2 years and a half years ago together with my business partner. We had a few projects in mind, Sensation was one of them. I’m the marketing director for Envie Events.

What events do you currently run?

We’ve been working on bringing Sensation to Dubai since May 2012, it has been quite a ride. When we walked in to the first meetings in Dubai and explained what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it, some people must have thought… Are they serious? Sensation is a project that takes a lot of time and effort to put it together. It will be the first open air edition, that means the production needs to be adapted from an indoor to an outdoor stage.


– Sensation (Envie Events) Need to know Running since: Globally since 2000. Run by (in Dubai): Envie Events, a promising newborn entity that has over 25 years of combined experience in the entertainment, hospitality, and nightlife industry. Venues worked at: Together with my business partner Barry Pavic, who’s the managing director of Envie Events, I managed a nightclub in Belgium with a capacity of 3,500 people and we hosted an area for 8 years on Tomorrowland next to the MainStage. On top of that we will be having an end stage and not the usual center stage. So production-wise, it brings many challenges. And Dubai itself is also a challenge, this kind of production has never been done before in the Middle East. We’re shipping containers filled with equipment from Europe and flying in 100 crew members.

What’s the key ingredient to building a good brand and promoting?

In my opinion the main ingredient lies within yourself. If you have a passion, you’re able to transfer that passion and infect people with it. You can build or buy whatever brand you want, but without passion it’s worth zero. The best promotors are your customers, no billboard on Sheikh Zayed Road will beat that.

What’s been the biggest mistake you’ve made?

Good question, I think everybody makes mistakes in life, but these mistakes are part of your life path. The biggest mistake I made in my professional life was to rent out a venue to two different parties on the same date. I found out about it a week before the events would happen. Trust me, “Nervous Breakdown.”


All jokes aside, it’s finding the right balance. It’s not only about the production. Everything has to be in balance to make it an epic experience.

And what challenges do 15,000 people at your event bring?

Keeping everybody happy. Dubai is a different market than what we’re used to so we need to adapt. We are very focused on security, this is the most important part of the event. Providing safety for every customer. On an F&B level, avoiding

And the biggest success?

When we put the “Dubai we’re coming” trailer of Sensation online. After two years of blood, sweat and tears, our journey could finally begin. Gaining the trust of key people to pull this off took us some time and Sensation would not be possible without them.

What’s the most you’d spend on event production? I would spend everything I have on it so that people would remember it for the rest of their lives but our CFO wouldn’t allow it, hahah!


queues at the bar and serving people in a timely matter. Everybody hates waiting…

How underground can you take your vibe, or how commercial will you play it? Sensation is all about writing and telling a story and building it up towards the ultimate high. Therefore you can start your vibe in the beginning of the night with deep house and build it up through some house, tech house and then end with EDM. It’ll gradually build up the BPM of the music so when you go full on with your lightshow, lasers and fireworks people are in a state of mind where everything falls together and they go wild.

You’ve received a lot of press for your table packages and the cost – have you had much interest in the Dhs500,000 tables?

We expected some comments on our AED 500,000 tables. First of all, Sensation is about uniting people and celebrating life with house music. We want everybody to be there. From the party animal who wants to dance all night and drink his 5 beers to the ultimate VIP who wants to come in and experience it like he’s used to in style and luxury. I think we achieved the right balance on this, there’s a level of experience for everyone. We’re not excluding anyone.

To come back to your question, there have been demands on these tables and even demands to get an extra upgrade on it…

How do you see the nightlife scene evolving?

There is so much potential in Dubai and I think it will change in a positive way. We’ve been analysing this market for a while and you can do great things here but the time has to be right. I personally look forward to more clubs in Dubai with a dance floor than nightclubs with tables.

Promoters I admire:

That’s an easy one, our friends from Tomorrowland. What those guys have achieved is surreal and deserves nothing but love. Sensation, Friday October 31, Meydan, sensation.com/dubai


DJ Booth: Benni T

A Warehouse Dubai, Arcadia and loveBRUNCH resident, Benni T is one of Dubai’s deep house and garage DJs with a soft spot for crumpets and milkshakes (although not together, we presume)‌


One thing you might not know about me is... My nickname is Tank. My worst ever job was… Picking gum from underneath the desk in detention at school. My favorite ever record is... Cheryl Lynn, ‘Got To Be Real,’ banger! DJing is much like... Cooking. The end product can look good but it’s the ingredients that make the mix! Dubai’s clubbing scene is... A work in progress, but coming along nicely! There are a few quality promoters bringing a lot of quality acts over, I hope it continues. I’m really proud of... My mom as she is proud of me. What track could you drop in every set? Wildchild, ‘Renegade Master’. I can’t live without... Crumpets. My biggest DJ achievement to date is... After playing with EZ recently it has to be playing at Warehouse Dubai. This guy is something else and just has such a buzz around him, I really enjoyed stepping up after him. What is your guiltiest pleasure? Ice cream milkshakes. If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... Now. Some of the sounds being produced at the moment hit the spot for me. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be… The one and only Carl Cox, yes yes! I’m not a politician but… If I was the world would be a better place. soundcloud.com/dj-benni-t www.facebook.com/clubbeats


Kicksound

Soundstage

Having won the recent Zippo Encore battle of the bands competition, and with their debut EP set for release, UAE band Kicksound are on the up and up‌


Winning the Zippo Encore competition was… The highlight of Kicksound’s career so far! We’re very proud and it’s a great vote of confidence, just before we release our debut EP. Our first musical influence was… In terms of age, it would be the classic 60s and 70s bands such as The Beatles, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Led Zeppelin. Best piece of advice you’ve received? To move to Dubai. The city brought the band together and inspired our music. What’s your musical guilty pleasure? It would have to be Bon Jovi. The best band in Dubai is… We’re very envious of EYE. They’re a great band, and opening for Metallica is no mean feat. Our music has been compared to… Audioslave, Foo Fighters and Muse. Our producer termed it as ‘smart rock’, which we’ll take as a compliment. Lamest claim to fame? Our frontman Olly went to the same school as Marcus Mumford and Ben Lovett from Mumford & Sons. Our bassist Will can top that – he went to school with Superman (Henry Cavill). Our musical motto is… Riff like there’s no tomorrow. Best gig you’ve played? A sweaty punk night at the former Aussie Legends (now Champs) in Satwa. Playing in a small place that’s packed to the rafters is way more fun than a big venue that’s half empty. And the worst? When we got kicked offstage at a wedding for playing too loud. Best lyrics of all time? “I’m looking California and feeling Minnesota” – Outshined by Soundgarden. facebook.com/kicksoundband soundcloud.com/kicksound-1


Amir Sharara OKKU & Cielo Sky Lounge Soundcloud.com/ amirsharara

16 Bit Lolitas - Beat Organ (Original Mix) Lana Del Rey - West Coast (Solomun Remix) Mickey - Sweet baby ((Original Mix) GusGus - Crossfade (Maceo Plex Mix) Nic Danilin & Stan Progman - Hold You (Gariy & Hacker Remix) Hot Since 82 & Joe T. Vannelli ft. Csilla The End (Sabb Remix) Sons Of Maria - Need You (Original Mix) Croatia Squad - All Alone (Original Mix) Simone Vitullo- My Darling (David Penn deeper remix) Oliver $ - Pushing On (Original Mix)

SKINNYLOOP Armani/Privé soundcloud.com/ skinnyloop

Future Ft. Kanye West - I Won Schoolboy Q - Man Of The Year Wiz Khalifa - We Dem Boyz K Camp Ft. Rick Ross & 2 Chainz Cut Her Off (Remix) B.o.B. ft Wiz Khalifa - High As Hell YG - Left, Right Flosstradamus Ft. Casino - Mosh Pit Drake - Draft Day YG Ft. Drake - Who Do You Love Pharrell Williams ft. Daft Punk - Gust of Wind

Eric Francis Cassland at Story/ Socio at Dek on 8 Media 1 Soundcloud.com/ ericfrancisdj

Amir Alexander - Don’t Go Tom Flynn - Angel Street Jay Lumen - The Real Thing Wez Saunders - Summertide (Southern Cross Heavy Weather Remix) DJ W!ld- Last Summer (Kerri Chandler Rmx) Andrea - Hits Carlo Lio, Harvey Mckay - Droid Decay Denis Cruz, Luliano Mambo - Expander Adrien Fairless - Satisfy Kuedo - Vectoral

To submit your Top 10, send in the above format to andy@infusion.ae


Mr Switch 3 x DMC World Champion

DJM-900SRT & DDJ-SP1 VINYL DESTINATION DJM-900SRT 4-channel mixer with Serato sound card: PHONO inputs on every channel / PRO-DJ LINK via LAN connection / Inbuilt Serato sound card / 6 Sound Colour FX / 13 Beat Effects / Quantize / Touch sensitive X-Pad / 3-band EQ and 3-band isolator / MIDI assignable DDJ-SP1 add-on controller for Serato DJ*: Plug-and-play control of Serato DJ / Performance Pads with Velocity Mode / MIDI assignable / Syncable six slot sample bank / Auto Loops, Manual Loops and Loop Roll / Slicer to chop up tracks and create new arrangements Vinyl DJs, look no further. The DJM-900SRT four-channel mixer is the versatile solution that boasts PHONO inputs on every channel – so turntables can sit alongside CDJs for effortless switching between sources. Plus, the mixer’s inbuilt Serato sound card gives you the option of mixing music from Serato DJ via control disc (CD/VINYL).

Combine with the DDJ-SP1 add-on controller to enjoy seamless access to Serato DJ’s four decks and inspiring performance features, including six syncable samples, multiple loop options and a slicer. Set the software free with the tactile Performance Pads – which put dynamic triggering of samples, hot cues and loops at your fingertips.

Join the community

PioneerDJGlobal * The DDJ-SP1 does not have an inbuilt Serato sound card; it requires connection to a Serato sound card or hardware containing one.

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Looking

CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...

> Weird News > Bar Review: IZEL LOUNGE > Eat Sleep Rave Repeat > Movies > Angry Monkey


Looking Closer

Weird News... Flight club

England might not win the World Cup (who are we kidding, of course they won’t), but one of their fans could be in contention for the best paper airplane throw of all time at the recent England vs Peru friendly at Wembley. Tossed from the high stands at the back, the plane soared all the way down to the pitch and struck a Peruvian player near the centre circle, with the Youtube video quickly hitting over 1million views.

WEIRD PIC What the… An Australian man could be set to make a fortune by selling the word “the” written on a piece of paper on ebay. He’s had more than 40 bids, with the top price Dhs8000.

Porn Identity Obviously all porn sites are blocked in the UAE, but PornHub have produced a collection of ‘safe for work’ adverts and asked users for their favourite. There have been dozens of entries, most of which are pretty funny and amusing, and can be found here… pornhubcampaign.tumblr.com



Dubai it would seem considers Supperclubs like Londoners consider their buses: nothing for years and then dozens of them come at once. We got to grips with Izel at the Conrad Hotel, which promised a contemporary Latin American vibe…

Bar review:

Izel Lounge

Izel translates as unique in Spanish and attempts to stand out from the competition in the city in three ways. There are two seperate areas – the full restaurant and the lounge which serves food, which is where we found ourselves. They’ve also added live South American music to the menu, the 10 piece Kaney Band, and they have a fully stocked, and rather impressive Cigar Humidor for those that like to relax with a long, full smoke after dinner.


Once ensconced in the lounge, we started with a delicate watermelon vodka cocktail that was a refreshing intro, followed by a selection of ceviche and a trio of Empandas (South American pasties), all served with a lovely tomato and onion jam. We ordered some wine and moved onto mains. The Chicken thigh could have done with a little more seasoning, but the butternut stuffing and the butternut pickle on the side were the perfect accompaniments. The strip steak was good, but a little over done, so make sure you request how you like it in advance. After an interlude where we enjoyed the band, a trio of desserts wrapped up proceedings. The Dulche De Leche Crème Brule was the pick, a rich, creamy and decadent dessert, alongside a slice of Tres Leche and a slab of rich but slightly too heavy chocolate cake. Ultimately, we’d have liked a little more South American flavour from the food, a bit more passion and vibrancy. But if you’re after good drinks, a cool Latin vibe and good bar food, Izel’s Lounge is unique in Dubai. Izel closing party is on June 20, from 9pm. Izel, Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, 04 444 7111 dubai.izel.com/


eat sleep rave repeat Bar and Restaurant Our last Eat Sleep Rave Repeat of the season, and our seasoned foodie Stephen Day finds himself down at GQ Bar, to find out if the restaurant lives up to the muchloved magazine‌


GQ Magazine is a British Institution along with afternoon tea, Bank Holiday Mondays spent at the seaside and the Queen. The name GQ conjures up an image of style, sophistication and elegance but still with an edge and a cheeky wink. To make sure they stay one step ahead of the competition, they’ve branched out into franchised bars, with the JW Marquis the latest addition to the chain after Moscow, Singapore and Istanbul. The venue encompasses a welcoming and well-stocked lounge bar area, a 2nd floor terrace and a restaurant. We arrived at 8pm and were shown to our table in a small formal dining area that looked onto a glass wall with the bustling kitchen behind.

Whilst we decided on what to eat, we ordered cocktails from the fun and extensive menu: a Bourbon based Woody Allen for me and a Vanilla Vodka Stay Calm for my guest. Both these arrived and were first class; the maple syrup foam on mine was so light but worked perfectly with the sweet sharp Whisky. Nicely set up, we turned our attention to the menu, and were pleased to see just a handful of dishes across all the courses, not the spiralling tome you often find in some high end restaurants. And another sign of confidence came from our amuse bouche – the frothy and very tasty egg foam and truffle set the tone perfectly.


We both opted for seafood to start and we weren’t disappointed. A scallop dish of both pan seared and Carpaccio for her, a beautifully presented lobster salad on a bed of apple puree and red cabbage for me. Well cooked, balanced and just the right size. Max, our Waiter, had persuaded us to also order a sushi course as he promised it was some of the best in Dubai. He wasn’t wrong, the king crab roll was amazing, crunchy, soft, salty, gooey and packed a great chilli punch. Onto the mains, a perfectly cooked rib eye with crushed thyme and garlic potatoes and I tucked into a veal loin (yes veal,

get over it PETA), with a mustard breadcrumb, pumpkin puree, goats cheese and baby spinach. We had also ordered some truffle fries, macaroni cheese and braised endives. Everything was cooked to perfection, but the sides were more than enough for 2 people and probably not really required as we struggled to eat what was already on the plate. We retired to the lounge for a while and the place was starting to fill up, in fact Thomas the manager informed me they were fully booked in the lounge that night which was good to hear as the atmosphere earlier on had been very pleasant if not a little sterile. Whilst sitting at the bar we noticed the DJ working hard and building a playlist to accompany the night. In fact


the music all evening had been great, not too overpowering and some solid up to date tunes. We returned for desert (it seemed rude not to) and my guest plumped for a very rich chocolate fondant that eventually beat her and I choose a lemon tart. It arrived deconstructed which under normal circumstances would annoy me - why bother to deconstruct something so simple and perfect in the first place? But I take my hat of to the pastry chef, a toasted meringue, a sharp lemon sorbet and a delicate buttery pasty base was a fantastic dish, and a great way to end.

To be the best bar and restaurant in the JW Marquis alone would be a feat in itself as it has 10 other venues to complete with let alone stand out in the whole of the City, but stand out it does. How you condense a magazine into a bar, I’m not sure? All I wanted was for it to deliver stylish, well thought out tasty dishes and it delivered. In my opinion the cocktails alone make it worth a visit especially as it’s happy hour every night from 6pm until 9pm, but mix in the food as well then it excels, get yourself along whilst you can still get a table.

04 321 4541, email reservations@ GQdubai.com, gqbardubai.com


MOVIE 22 Jump Street The hapless cop duo return after the success of 21 Jump Street, this time going deep undercover at a local college, discovering that college might just be the thing that makes them grow up, and apart. Classification: 15 Director: Phil Lord Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hills

Think Like A Man Too

All the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas, but plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. Classification: PG 13 Director: Tim Story Starring: Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union


PREVIEWS Penthouse North

A reclusive, blind photojournalist lives quietly in a New York penthouse, until a smooth but sadistic criminal looking for a hidden fortune enters her life. Classification: PG 13 Director: Joseph Ruben Starring: Michelle Monaghan, Michael Keaton, Barry Sloane

Edge of Tomorrow Time travelling sci-fi action flick, as Cruise finds himself fighting aliens in a war, but discovers he’s caught in a time loop of his last day in battle, meaning he has to re-live that day over and over. Sci-fi Groundhog Day if you will‌ Classification: PG 13 Director: Doug Liman Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton

Disclaimer: Film release schedules are subject to change, please check reelcinemas.ae, grandcinemas.com and voxcinemas.com for full schedules.




Don’t hang the DJ (yet) So yeah, nerves. We all get nervous. Lord knows I start to get twitchy when Mrs Monkey straps on, but sometimes you’ve just got to go with the flow. Which is why promoters and event organisers need to trust DJs a little more. Unless you’ve booked them on the strength of their Social Media (and if you have, you’re utter, utter scummers), then you know what to expect. If people aren’t dancing at 9pm, it’s cos they want to drink more, chat more and ease into the night, not because the DJ needs to play more commercial, or ‘Guetta’ as it’s known these days. If people are leaving because it’s not that busy, don’t question the DJ first, and tell him to ramp it up to an increasingly empty club, get to grips with the promotion. But if the DJ is playing self indulgent tripe and walking around like he’s bigger than Prince, then you have the Monkey’s blessing to get medieval on his ass.

Monkey Out... The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.



L Club Opens every Tuesday and Thursday Tuesday is « Fairies Night» a new style of Ladies Night, with the best retro English, French, Spanish Hits, performed by Nadine Chammas. Thursday is «Celebrities Night», The club is known to be the place where many celebrities enjoy clubbing and celebrating with the audience, with Micho Performing the best Arabic hits.


For reservation call +971 52 810 3333


ADVERTORIAL

We’re Back! World Top DJ’s Middle East Awards is hitting Dubai for yet another year on 26th June @ Fashion Studio, Emirates Towers Dubai. This time with an all new World Mix Master DJ award. Nominees will be in with a chance to win a 17 show International Tour and the chance to mix for an International artist. World Top DJS Awards and Festival started in 2011 and this is its 4th year in the Middle East, last year WTD made history and broke the Guinness World Record bringing together 119 DJ’s to mix consecutively alongside special guests Akon, Sean Paul, ATB and many more. Get ready to vote for your favourite DJ’s and witness them live at Fashion Studio – vote now on www.worldtopdjs.com.


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