"Towering Techno Trip" - Berghain - International Club Review

“TOWERING TECHNO TRIP”
BERGHAIN – SUNDAY 24TH OCTOBER
INTERNATIONAL CLUB REVIEW


Having mentioned to a number of people that we would be partying in Germany’s capital, the original plan simply to savour Salvation, but then also realising that Hustlaball was a homage we would hook onto, although, before leaving London, virtually everyone we spoke to about our latest clubbing expedition into Europe, said, “...if you are going to Berlin you have to go to Berghain...”, explaining that we would be blown away by the venue, the music & the people that populate the place, some even going as far to say that this colossal club was one of THE best in Europe and maybe even the world. So, with such a prolific picture having been painted, regardless of just how huge Hustlaball turned out to be & how superb Salvation was, our weekend of decadent dancing delrium would not be complete without at worst, a look in on this iconic industrial style institution, we thinking there would be at least one person truly disgusted if we returned to London having missed out. So, what was so special about this Sunday morning? And what made Berghain so brilliant?

Well, despite so many people having been so forthright in their views about this Berlin beast of a club, much of the devil in the detail was left out, the only clue as to what we could expect being in the music, which we kind of knew would be planted firmly in the techno bracket, the general trend in Germany (particularly Berlin) being to this much tougher end of tech. But having done little or no research on the club, we were totally unprepared to for sheer size of the place & the divine decadence that Berghain would bring, our only thoughts that it would be the Berlin equivalent of Beyond, but we were to be shocked & surprised by the scale of our underestimation of just what this East Berlin bounty would bring. Indeed, to compare it with London’s audacious afterhours, as we were in our heads, is like saying hot is cold, on is off, & black is white, the only similarity being that they both begin with B but that’s exactly where the comparisons begin & end.

But before we go on, it is worth highlighting a little history of the club, the name being derived from the two quarters of the city it straddles, Kruezberg to the north & Friedrichshain to the south, hence the club being called Berghain, the venue a former power plant standing tall on the landscape just east of Berlin’s fourth largest railway station Ostkreuz, itself the inspiration for the legendary club Ostgut, of which Berghain is a re-incarnation. But the foundations of Berghain go deeper, having emerged out of fetish men only nightclub, Snax, an event that still takes place yearly, although echoes of it remain within Berghain each & every week, the extensive basement a massive darkroom where trance & techno are traded for sex & seduction, although the main emphasis of the club is the main floor where the 18 metre high dancefloor dominates the design & a further upward trip leads to the Panorama bar which has equally huge proportions but a slightly more laid back feel to the music & vibe.

So, with the history lesson over & a pinch of a picture painted, our Berghain experience started with a trip from across town, Salvation in Shoneberg to be exact, in the fabulous company of D.J. Nick Tcherniak & singer P.A. Valerie, our trip fantastic to Berlin’s best in the hands of a taxi driver who fortunately knew exactly where to head, such is the magnitude of the clubs standing & familiarity in the German capital. And as we disembarked from the taxi, whilst we had a vision in our minds of what to expect, nothing could have prepared us for the sight before our eyes, the gigantic ex power plant raising skywards like a Berlin version of Tate Modern, although we could hardly take in the sheer scale of it all quite yet, as the hilarious conversation with which we had engaged with both Nick & Valerie in the cab, continued virtually to the door. With a healthy queue assembled, we thought we would chance our luck with a fast track entrance, Valerie bowling up to the rather scary looking brute on the door to test a little of the German her sister had religiously taught her, although the straight forward English approach from Nick seemed to be getting a better reception, yet, despite our pleas for accelerated entry, our request eventually fell on deaf ears, we finding our place in the queue, to patiently wait on the start of our Berghain bash.

Now, we promised we wouldn’t quote, but such was the continued hilarity the three of us were indulging while waiting, was not going unnoticed, Valerie coming out with one laughable line after the next, Nick stoking her fire & even our little anecdotes causing a stir around us, the waiting crowd nothing like any queue for a club we had seen before, well with the possible exception of Trade in its heyday, each & every person waiting their turn to enter this mecca of techno clubbing in Berlin, clearly music fans rather than posing queens, even the cross between Lady Gaga & Lena Zavaroni, this wasn’t a case of being glamorous rather being passionate. And when our turn arrived, the guy that had the look as though he had just chewed a wasp & Valerie’s tough northerner, gave us a smile & waved us through without incident, the incredibly tough door policy entrance now negotiated and our towering techno trip to Berghain now well & truly on its way.

With yet another incredibly efficient coatcheck process complete, Nick needed to spend a penny, so went in search of what looked like the toilets, disappearing into this dark space, but coming back as quckly as he went, exclaiming “...I just want to confirm that that is NOT the toilets...” need we say more, the poor innocent Mr Tcherniak having walked straight into the infamous darkroom. So, with the laughter back, we all started ascending this incredible space, a truly industrial setting like we have never seen the like of in any club, the continual references to Tate Modern without the art & paintwork flooding through our minds eyes, the backdrop of pure Techno beginning to pump through our bodies. Having made it to the main floor, our breath was simply taken away by the dimensions of the space, the place teaming with party heads that were clearly well into the incredible tough sounding beats that were bouncing off the metal surfaces & the discreet yet inviting lighting illuminating just enough to retain that drench of decadence that we hadn’t seen in a club in close on 20 years.

Nick had now found the proper facilities, returning suitably relieved to gather us up and take us round through the labyrinth of corridors and then up yet further metal stairs to the Panorama bar, a second space in this incredible clubbing cathedral that made for Berghain’s host venue, the might, the mass & the magnificence of the place now really beginning to dawn on us. And like the huge room now below us, this Panorama bar was filled with ardent clubbers, locals rather than travellers, Berliners that were mixed in their makeup but liberal with their attitude, such a refreshing change from the g queen pushing & shoving that happens all too often back home, just a cavorting crowd intent on escaping into the trance house grooves that set this space aside from its bigger techno triumph downstairs. But, looking around, whilst the dimesions of this space weren’t quite as vast as before, they were no less awe inspiring, huge pieces of art spread across the far wall (hence our continual refrence to Tate Modern) & just a handful of spot lighting to add to the already awesome ambiance.

So, with yet more refreshments in our hands, we headed for a neat spot in the corner, where we had a superb view of East Berlin outside (albeit a peak through the substantial metal blinds), as well as resident D.J. Cassy who was selecting some superlative sounds & from vinyl no less, this together with the whole atmosphere, somehow transporting us back in time to our early days of clubbing, mixing in with a most eclectic crowd of people that simply just wanted to party. So, with Nick & Valerie in close call, we very much joined in on this pulsating Panorama party, throwing ourselves into the deep grooves, trading moves with our twosome dancing partners as well as others around us, only momentarily pausing to record this tremendous time for posterity on our phone, yet more hilarity occurring as a virtual synchronistic Facebook broadcast was in motion, neatly followed by Valerie’s make-up moment (you had to be there), we ourselves exclaiming to the world “...here we are at Berghain with Nick Tcherniak & Valerie post Salvation & couldn’t be in better company in this amazing club...”, our morning getter better by the minute, our enjoyment levels rising as quickly as the sun outside & the inescapable feeling that we were experiencing something very special indeed.

Having all agreed that after the splendour of Salvation before, our braving of Berghain would be just a short pop in to say, “...we have done it...”, so good was this club & so incredible was the venue, that an hour extended to two and then into a third, Cass’s music hitting every single sweet spot in our body and our company enriching the whole experience more than words can say. But as the D.J. switch came & then music took on a more electro feel, the call of time on our towering techno trip was coming close, both Nick & Valerie conscious of their impending flight back to London & our need to re-charge our batteries for our final forays around this wonderful city we had found ourselves within. So, squeezing our way past the party people packing out the Panorama bar, we meandered back through the myriad of corridors still strewn with clubbers taking respite from the two rooms of musical madness, down the metal stairs to collect our belongings & then out into the East Berlin morning sunshine to make our way back west, conversing lyrically with Nick & Valerie on what was, without question THE most amazing outing we have enjoyed in years.

To say that Berghain is breathtaking only tells a minuscule amount of the full story, every single element of this colossal club adding up to make it the best event we have witnessed in Europe, ever. Yes, the music is firmly planted in purist techno in the towering main space, and the draconian darkroom downstairs would be a shock for some, but there is always the Panorama bar for the slightly more feint hearted, yet the whole Berghain offering is quite unique and one that we would never really believe we would say “...you have to go...” until we did. For us, the club captures everything that is so decadent yet so splendid about the city within which it stands, Berlin, and by golly do the Berliners know how to party, our simple three hour snippet of a showing a mere drop in the ocean compared with the eighteen or so of hedonistic hours that the club’s doors are open, from dark to dawn to dusk, the decadence doesn’t stop. So, while Beyond is undoubtedly brilliant, Berghain is the best and by a long shot and we will be back. (DISCO MATT)

"Sashaying in Shoneberg" - Salvation Berlin - International Club Review

“SASHAYING IN SHONEBERG”
SALVATION BERLIN – SATURDAY 23RD OCTOBER
INTERNATIONAL CLUB REVIEW


When we look back over the years, there have been only a small number of club brands that have survived the test of time, more often than not, their lasting appeal down to the fact that they have a following both internationally as well as here in London. And there is no doubt that Salvation’s success, particularly of late, has been as a result of its global rather than domestic standing, the foundations that were originally built in London, now firmly planted in Europe, allowing promoter Steve Elliot & his team to springboard the concept into South America, Australia & South Africa, but also to include destinations like Paris, Stockholm, Ibiza & Mykonos in their year round calendar packed schedule, Berlin having been added to the stable of favourite forays a couple of years ago. So, when we decided to also stretch our own legs into Europe, Salvation simply had to be on our schedule too, a trip to the German capital etched in our dairy a good three months ago and our excitement & anticipation rising relentlessly as the big weekend arrived. So, why all this enthusiasm and were our expectations fulfilled?

Having just about re-charged our batteries from Hustlaball the previous evening, we made a rendezvous with D.J. pals Eduardo De La Torre & Danny Verde, Edu having forgone a Friday meet up due to work commitments & Danny having just arrived from Milan, a late lunch then followed by a sneak preview of Salvations host venue. Having checked out the literature beforehand, we were expecting the place to be pretty close to where we were staying in Shoneburg, although knowing Berlin as we do now, this district of the German capital is pretty large, our trip with Edu, Mrs De la Torre & Danny in the car taking us right into the sticks. However, the trip proved invaluable, as we managed to landmark our directions for later, having decided to be adventurous & t6ake the train, rather than a cab, even bumping into a fellow Londoner on route who had done the same. Mind you, has it not been for our i-phone map application, we may not have made it to the industrial Malzfabrik at all, our arrival instead being as smooth as silk.

Having decided on an early arrival, we were at Salvation’s doors at just turned 11.30 p.m., virtually immediately bumping into a busy looking Steve Elliot, one familiar face in amongst many others, although, to our surprise the cute looking guy managing the entrance also recognised us (what happened to anonymity in this city?!?!), we being waved through in a trice and our belongings efficiently packed away in the adjacent coatcheck. With that small formality over, our sashaying in Schoneburg was about to begin, the main room literally opening out in front of us, this massive warehouse having previously been the home of the infamous sex parties held by the Kitkat club, the raw feel of the warehouse style of the place broken by sophisticated lighting & the massive LED D.J. booth which was making a colourful splash & statement.

And this was our first port of call, bounding up to say hello to Edu, who was warming up this Salvation showing with some seriously tech infused sounds which were booming out from the massive speakers banging down from the ceiling which was a good 50 foot above. With our greetings over, we retreated to the bar to seek refreshments, this time opting for the energy boosting choice rather than the beer of Hustlaball before, we also being conscious that some serious pacing was going to be required , should we also make the essential trip to Berghain as so many people had said we should do. Relaxing into a spot by the bar, it was clear we had arrived early, as it took quite some time for the crowd to develop, however, like many Saturday night gatherings in London, one minute the place seemed rather empty & the next it was packed full, the collective crowd very much more the club type we were used to, a myriad of muscled men, plenty of glamorous girls & even familiar club kids, one guy in particular noticing us from our times at Fire in Vauxhall (isn’t the world small sometimes), while a number of other faces were familiar, obviously the trip to Berlin this weekend being a popular choice & Salvation a definite draw.

But, we were now very expectant of the arrival of not just Danny Verde, but also an inbound Nick Tcherniak, whom we had seen just a week or so previously back in London, both of us very much looking forward to partying together outside of our usual haunts, rather internationally for the first time. And arrive they both did, Danny spotting us as he made his way to take over from Edu in Malzfabrik’s main room, while Nick assumed the decks up in the second room upstairs, the entry to which was up a most industrial & well worn set of stairs, the whole ambience both on the ascension & the arrival in the room, much more draconian than we were used to, although Nick’s music was anything but, we finding our steps to his sounds in an instant, the space soon filling out with plenty of party people, very much into the more intimate atmosphere of this separate space. And with a tremendously warm welcome from the man himself, we couldn’t have felt more at home, this feeling made even more fulsome by the second familiar face of fellow D.J. Paul Coals, who had been warming up the space & was later to take position in the main room.

Now we were very much in Salvation mood, trading this lofty space with devotions to Danny downstairs, each visit back & forth timed to perfection as both Nick & our Milano mate picked tunes that tripped off our musical memories, Nick’s “My People” track yet again a highlight, having already played a prolific part in our weekend, Danny’s “Let Me See Your Underwear”, “Pushin To The Top” & even his bootleg of Madonna’s “Vogue” getting airplay. However, the music in the main room was only part of the scintillating story, as not only were we treated to a pulsating P.A. performance by London based Valerie, but a succession of dancers were intermixed by fire eating displays & a most explosive angle grinding show, played out virtually in front of our eyes on the expansive podium to (yes you guessed it) the left of the D.J. booth, our favoured spot in any club.

Henceforth, we simply couldn’t separate the delectable deliveries from the deck maestro’s performing in our midst, darts back & forth intermixed with plenty of camera clicking of Raul Gonzalez’s drop dead gorgeous go-go’s both males & females impressing immensely, the crowd showing their appreciation with every move they made on the podiums, Danny’s brilliant beats even ensuring that on the few occasions the elevated areas were absent, they were quickly filled with bare tops beauties from the cavorting crowd, the laser lighting & ticker tape drops from the ceiling above adding to the amazing atmosphere in this truly voluptuous venue. Even Nick was having his say upstairs, true devotees to his terrific tech honed house music there by choice, we even bumping into yet more faces from back in London who were as pleased to see us as we them, the sweat from their furied frolicking evidence of just how good our fabulous friend was entertaining enthrallingly.

With Danny virtually done with his set, the second impromptu back-to-back set of the weekend was about to take place, the duo of Nick Tcherniak & Paul Coals taking over the main room music, both upping the tempo from the second room before, Paul especially impressing with his diversity compared with his guest spots & residencies back in London, Nick sliding easily into the change of pace & playing to the crowd like the seasoned pro he is. And, the crowd were incredibly receptive of their performance, not the thinning out that you all too often get back in London, when the call of a certain afterhours drags people away prematurely, these Salvation sophisticates seeing out most of the remainder of this exceptional event close to the 7 a.m. finish, even the performers, Danny, Edu & Valerie partying around us right till the end, everyone thoroughly enjoying the whole experience so much they, like us, didn’t want it to end. But, with the last tune played out by Nick, the time had come to move on, we choosing a relatively swift exit with Mr Tcherniak & Valerie, to make that essential must visit to Berlin’s Berghain club to continue what had been a simply sensational Saturday come Sunday soaked in Salvation splendour.

In Salvation as a club brand we have enjoyed some truly prolific parties, most if not all in London’s Cafe de Paris, very much on the glamorous end of the clubbing venue market. Having said that, the Hippodrome made for a truly awe inspiring setting, as have the couple of occasions we have sampled it in the brilliance of Barcelona, although to see it acted out in the Industrial & bohemian setting that was Malzfabrik in Berlin was an experience we will remember for a long time to come, as not only did it show Salvation in a new light, but it made for an altogether fresh & fulfilling time in what has fast become one of our favourite city destinations. Yes, the venue was a little bit out in the sticks but that made Salvation much more of an adventure & given the numbers through the doors, there is still clearly a penchant for this long established brand, not just in Berlin but across Europe & even the further reaches across the globe, meaning that sashaying in Shoneberg was certainly scintillating & we salute you, superb Salvation, bring on the next party, we can’t wait. (DISCO MATT)

"Macho Meet Up In Mitte" - Hustlaball Berlin - International Club Review

“MACHO MEET-UP IN MITTE”
HUSTLABALL BERLIN – FRIDAY 22ND OCTOBER
INTERNATIONAL CLUB REVIEW


When it comes to combining horny action with disco dancing, it doesn’t come much better than Hustlaball, the club brand that has its origins in New York, but has very much spread its word across in Europe, first touching our lives just over two years ago when it landed on London for the time, taking our breath away at Renaissance rooms, the combination of superbly saucy stage shows & heaps of horny horseplay, very much giving us an appetite for more of the same. Having repeated the affair back in May, even meeting up with the Hustlaball top brass, the club was firmly on our radar, so when a trip to Berlin was planned, it came as no surprise that a second macho meet up, this time in the city’s Mitte district at the new Kitkat club no less, simply had to be on the cards. But, how did our third liaison with this erotic event turn out? Was it bonking in Berlin? or simply monotony in Mitte?

We like to think of ourselves as pretty organised, although for some reason, whenever we travel abroad, however much planning we do, certain elements never turn out as they should expect, our trip to Berlin & Hustlaball being a perfect example. Yes, we knew that it would be on the cards and yes, we had come prepared, packing our leather chaps, boots & accompaniments, although no, we had not done much research as to where & when the main event would take place, an update on our favourite social networking site seemingly indicating the party being scheduled for the Sunday, our minds fixing on this when deciding to devote the whole of Friday to touring around the beauty of Berlin’s superb sights, rather than concentrating on clubbing cavorting. However, fate was to lend us a helping hand as not only did we bump into the familiar face of D.J. & club entrepreneur Fabio White within hours of landing in Germany’s capital, but a well timed text deluded to the fact that we had got our dates seriously wrong & had just three hours to get our act together & head for the Kitkat club in Mitte.

So, with all our leather paraphernalia sorted & us looking very much dressed to impress, we made the relatively straight forward trip across to Kopenicker Street, arriving at Hustlball’s host venue doors at not long turned 10.30 p.m., quite early by Berlin & our own standards, although with news that the party was a sell-out, we didn’t want to be disappointed with missing out in any way. Finding an already healthy queue of people waiting to enter, it wasn’t long before we found ourselves within the Kitkat club, leaving our belongings with the well organised & speedy coatcheck and then sinking ourselves straight into the action, the multi layered & cavernous club opening out in front of us, immediately drawing comparisons in our minds with Turnmills back in London, the Kitkat club a much bigger version, yet with that same decadent & delightful feel that has made Trade’s ancestral home so special.

Indeed, as we wandered around the myriad of rooms, each one having their own character & feel, yet all connected with an air of mystery & intrigue, there was no doubt in our mind that Hustlaball had found the perfect place for pitching their porno party, from the generous outside terrace, to the calm chill-out room with plunge pool, & from the magnificent main room through to the compact yet charming underground bar, the club had it all, save for a sling or two, well at least what we thought, although we were kindly informed the following evening that there were plenty & much activity in them too, damn & blast!! Mind you, such was the labyrinth of nooks, crannies, rooms & passage ways; it wasn’t surprising that we failed to find them, our thoughts more on the main room action, rather than the play areas.

So, finding a spot, surprisingly just left of the D.J. booth (sounds familiar), we watched as the space filled pretty rapidly, Sorry Shoes head poncho, Mike Kelly, in charge of the tunes, pumping out a mix of electro tech & uplifting beats to a crowd that was as nearly eclectic as his record choices, men sporting leather harnesses & the like, dancing right next to guys in sports gear with much in between, but all intent on soaking up the building atmosphere. And it wasn’t long before a bevy of beauties ascended the podiums & bar top not far from where we were standing, adding their own element of saucy sexual intrigue in advance of the main show which was about to come, the arrival of both incumbent D.J., Fabio White & show host Chi Ch La Rue almost simultaneous, all eyes moving towards the stage & Miss La Rue’s gaggle of gorgeous go go’s, while ours were pointed more towards the booth where Mr White was gearing up for his own prolific performance.

With Chi Chi’s rousing of the crowd over & the go-go’s intermixing their displays with the odd porn star here & there, most of the attention swung towards the dancing and no surprise really, as Fabio White certainly took up the mantle marvellously, the height of Mr Kelly’s set, a superb rendition of the Tcherniak & Thomas hit, “My People”, been reached & surpassed with virtually every record choice, Fabio hitting the mark & sending the crowd wild with a glorious mix of funky & chunky tunes to match the raunchy & rocking feel of this Hustlaball Berlin main space, laser lighting at full tilt & the podiums swarming with party heads intent on dancing till dawn & beyond. Indeed, such was the amazing atmosphere, the room continuing to pack out with people, even our relative anonymity smashed by the arrival of Svetlana Queen, whom we had bumped into upon our arrival in Berlin two days previously & were now partying hard once again, even Lovechild’s Dee Crooks popping across to say hello, yet another unexpected yet lovely liaison.

Now we were well into our stride, the familiar spot by the D.J. booth helping us feel at home & an ever attentive barman making our time all the more pleasurable, although it was the magnificent music that Fabio White was serving up that was the epitome of our enjoyment, one track after the next having us dancing in a dervish, in between clicking shots of the action in front of our eyes with our phone camera, even catching the man himself in action, Fabio clearly revelling in the rapturous reception he was receiving. But, as good as the main room was, we had to take a few moments to explore the other spaces, first stopping off to say our hello’s to Chris Bekker in the second space & then made a dart across to the outside area, where we bumped into Mr Hustlaball himself, Jeffrey David, he very much content with his lot and quite rightly so, as reports had come in of a 3000 plus turnout, we not at all surprised as it seemed virtually every square inch was buzzing with party heads.

But it was back to the main room where Fabio was polishing off his prolific performance before handing over to yet another Italian, this time the good yet menacing looking Phil Romano who had not long arrived with fellow D.J. & pal Steven Redant, both deciding that an impromptu back-to-back session was the order of the day, Mr White relinquishing the decks and then disappearing into the madding crowd for a bit of post disc spinning saucery. And, with Messrs Romano & Redant doing their full on tech & progressive stuff, we were soon taken on a much tougher journey of sound, although by now we were completely carefree, such had been the euphoric extent of Fabio’s set, even the uncharacteristic amount of beverages we had consumed not dampening our spirits. However, having pretty much danced our socks off but not having taken anything off (if you know what we mean!), a final investigation around the club was required, before we decided to call it a morning, well it was by now, waving farewell to the Kitkat club, to return to our weekend base to re-charge our batteries (phone & all) for the next instalment in our Berlin bonanza break.

Walking away from this Hustlaball party with a smile as big as a Cheshire cat, pretty much summed up our experience at the Kitkat club, the smile very much representative of our amazement at the venue and the magnificent music, not least from Fabio White who served up a truly stellar set. We have to say that the crowd was not quite the handsome looking lot we have seen at events in London and the mix of sports gear & leather was an interesting combination, but you cannot deny that the whole party had a much more raunchy, intimate & sexy feel than the two Hustlball’s we have witnessed back home which made this Berlin outing all the more enjoyable. Plus, in answering those questions we raised earlier, to say that Hustalball Berlin was simply mundane in Mitte would be a judgement way past the mark, yet whilst, for us it wasn’t quite bonking in Berlin, it could have been had we found those illusive slings (then our cousin Crisco Matt would definitely have been out), but we had a good enough time as it was, meaning that come 2011, we will certainly be considering a re-visit. (DISCO MATT)

"Brimming With Buff Bodies" - Lovechild "Hot Muscle" - Club Review

“BRIMMING WITH BUFF BODIES”
LOVECHILD “HOT MUSCLE” – SATURDAY 16TH OCTOBER
CLUB REVIEW


You have probably realised that hardly a month goes by now without us making a homage to the club that saw promoter Alex Erfan re-emerge as one of the big players on the scene in London, this brand certainly seeing no signs of succumbing to the toils & troubles of a floundering economy. However, with our European tour of duties getting the start it needed in Paris at the end of September, we missed out on the last outing, a marriage with French outfit Delice and all those drop dead gorgeous boys that come with it, reports coming in that they certainly wowed their captive audience as they always seem to do. But, with the prospect of a more manly & beefed up affair this time round, we were certainly not going to miss a trip down to Fire to savour the delights of Lovechild at its testosterone best, the male body also being projected as the art form it is in this memento to all things muscular. So, what was “Hot Muscle” meet all about, were we inspired by all the man meat around & did we come away satisfied with our lot?

Having been plagued with one piece of bad news after the next just over a week before, very much putting paid to most of what was looking like a hectic weekend, with matters somewhat more settled in our world, we were in much more of a fun filled frame of mind as we made our way down to Vauxhall for this muscle-bound man fest, marking our first trip to Fire in nearly four weeks (a rarity these days), the last being the wonderful The Week event which set us up beautifully for our trip to Paris. But eyes were very much on Lovechild this time round, as we arrived at the re-organised rear entrance to the club, the ever smiling Andrew Jones on hand to welcome us, although it was a mere moment before the radiant Roni Inan arrived, his trademark fur coat number on (it was a pretty cold night) to usher us in. Mind you, with duties pulling him away before you could say brass monkey’s, we joined a long & slow moving coatcheck in the outdoors, waiting patiently for our turn, only relinquishing our coat at the last minute due to the cold.

Inside and we immediately headed for the bar, Booster Romain Lopez spotting us and doing the honours while catching up on news of the previous weekend, but with drinks in hand we were keen to investigate this hot lovechild muscle meet, advancing into the main room where new resident & good looker to boot, Doug Ui’im was in charge of the decks, pumping out a glorious mix of funky & chunky euro style beats with an uplifting twist that was certainly warming the already considerable crowd into this latest love-in with Alex Erfan’s brilliant brand. Looking around the room, it was evident that the planned artwork from Anthony Chia-Bradley was being displayed all around the room, interesting canvases swinging in amongst the banks of laser lighting that were bombarding the walls & ceilings of this evolving main space in Fire. Indeed, on in advancing right down to the end, it was clear that nine bells were still being knocked out of the room, a planned new bar area & mezzanine VIP lounge in the making.

With the main room gaining momentum & the massive new light installation at full tilt, we headed into the lounge to catch up with regular D.J. resident, Gabrielle Cutrano, who was mixing up a delicious cocktail of tech infused yet laid back tunes that had a select crowd moving & grooving around the central pole-dancing podium, two excitable individuals swinging around like spinning tops in a child’s playground. There we caught a moment with incumbent D.J. Hugh Stevenson, who was due to play a back-to-back set with other former Beyond Colosseum icon disc spinner, Alan X, we very much looking forward to their performance, probably more than any other on the line-up, although our attention was soon grabbed first by Danny Shubert and then by an off duty Phil Hewson who had special guest New Yorker Justin Ryan in his midst, the main floor bound man having flown in especially for this Lovechild event from a tour of duty in Brazil, we catching a mere moment of his time before heading back into the action next door.

Back in the main space & Leroy Tayler was now selecting the sounds, the crowd being further delighted by the arrival of a collection of muscle-bound go-go’s, very much on the man end of the scale compared with previous events, the foursome very much cutting a considerable stride on the generous dance stage wrapping around the D.J. booth, their tight torso’s & pumping pecs exciting the crowd in front of them, although merely paving the way for bigger things to come as the main event body builders from head muscle man Lucas Alexander’s stable were yet to show their hand. However two people that did were Industri pal Stephen & fellow friend Stefan, both bounding up to say hello & then Stefan, without warning, jumped onto the podium in front of us, now vacated by the dancers, and gave us his own impromptu performance, soon being joined by the larger than life yet magnificent Chrissy Darling, dressed in yet another unique & striking costume, the duo attracting much attention from the wave of camera’s pointed in their direction.

However, by now the duo of Alan X & Hugh Stevenson where firing up the mirrorarch which some truly terrific tunes, we choosing this room over the two others for our lion’s share of devotions for the rest of the evening, many more also making the same choice, such was the extent & enjoyment from the heavenly house hits this dynamic duo were delivering. Indeed, we would have stayed put for the rest of their set, had it not been for a roll call from Alex, his request pulling us back into the main room where the bevy of body builders had gathered on the stage for a rip roaring pose down, each & every one of them seemingly enjoying showing off their assets to the goggle eyed admirers in front of them, the music pace first slowing as the muscle men posed & then gathered considerable pace as Mr Alexander had a go on the decks, pulling out the track that never fails to get a reaction, “Release Me” short of blowing the roof off Fire, the posers replaced by prancers revelling in the brilliant beats, guest D.J. Justin Ryan then taking over & moving the music up a further gear or two with a distinct New York style hard edge to it that had the room pulsating.

However, both Alan & Hugh were drawing us back, so we headed through to the mirrorarch once more, being stopped in our tracks by Paul Heron, whom we had not seen for such a long time, but who was very much looking forward to setting his designated room alight, this second room spot right up his street, he hardly failing to hit the mark with tonnes of terrific tunes. And with the dynamic duo bowing out, it was Paul’s turn to show the crowd what he was made of, the room soon swelling to capacity as he set about laying down some scintillating sounds, tech & progressive based but rip roaring in their delivery that had the room rampant. Then to add to the incredible atmosphere, first the muscled body builders returned to delight and then the room’s sponsor, Regulation, placed a small collection of dildo’s on one of the podiums next to us, although while the collection may have been small the dildo’s were far from, one absolutely huge, wider than our arm in fact. So, the inevitable happened and with Chris Jepson in situ, first one dildo was pushed against our lips, then another, this time by the ever present Roni Inan, a few more people getting in on the act with Chris snapping away merrily, this very much setting the tone for the remainder of our evening in the hands of a prolific performance by Paul & in the delightful company of Roni, Danny, Stefan & Stephen, seeing out our testosterone & muscle inspired walk on the Lovechild side close to the 7 a.m. finish before heading to pastures Beyond.

Having been part of our regular monthly calendar for close on a year now, it would be fair to say that in Lovechild we sometimes take things a little too much for granted and it is only sitting back a few days after an event these days that we truly realise just how good the parties actually are. And in “Hot Muscle” this was very much the case, the experience at the time not feeling anything too special, yet looking back, it actually was. With a choice of three rooms serving up significantly different styles of music from a wealth of talent in both resident & guest D.J.’s, there is no question that Lovechild deserves its spot in our devotions and whilst the formula may be pretty much the same, Alex & his team always keep the theme fresh & inviting, meaning there is always something new to inspire & delight. As for this time, well our delight were those dildo’s & the inspiration was the incredible music, so keep it coming Lovechild and we can’t wait for the next party in November. (DISCO MATT)

"Prolonged Pop-In" - Profile Bar - Review

“PROLONGED POP-IN”
PROFILE BAR – FRIDAY 15TH OCTOBER
BAR REVIEW


It seems such a long time since we devoted a review to a bar, but then to be honest, following a guiding light back in May, we have severely cut down our alcohol intake, not that we need to consume this kind of liquid to be in & around bars, although the culture in the capital seems to lend itself to that. Mind you, we still partake of the odd shandy here & there, generally as a quick refreshing boost after a long day burning up London’s roads, more often on a Friday, although the days of wobbling home are long gone, meaning if we make a night of a bar trip or hop, our rule of thumb is home first James & then back out on two feet rather than two wheels. But you know what they say about rules and by golly did we break ours last Friday, Profile being the host for our night of naughtiness, all in the best possible taste though.

Now, without question, the bar that has ruled the roost in our times knocking around the Soho scene has been Rupert Street, our devotions to this stylish sophisticate having been consistent since it opened over 12 years ago, although the recent re-location of relative new kid, Profile Bar, to Wardour Street has made it much more accessible & indeed with bigger sister Lo-Profile now just downstairs, makes for a superb combined destination night out. Mind you, come Friday’s there is only one place for us to be and that is upstairs, whether it be a trip back for one of the many pre-parties the bar hosts, or if a mere drop in after work before making the journey home. However, this last Friday ended up being something much more extended and a great deal of fun to boot.

So, having initially planned merely to pop into our usual stop off at Rupert Street, a voice in the back of our mind was also saying to zoom round to Profile bar to say a quick hello to Friday resident D.J. Phil Marriot, who always gets the evening started in superb style, this Gaydar Radio jock also transmitting his set live on the stations clubnation show. So, the music he selects is always incredibly accessible, uplifting yet club like, making for an altogether sumptuous set of sounds to start the weekend in style. So, having made our way up & into this Wardour Street watering hole, we headed straight for the D.J. corner to makes our presence felt by the man behind the decks, Phil beaming out at us in his usual fashion while clearly in the zone with his mixing. Leaving him to his devices, we headed to the bar to grab refreshments, catching our favourite barman’s attention, the usual “black sambuca” joke (long story) raising smiles from both of us.

Back in our position by the booth we caught up on news with Phil, at this stage our visit planned as just a brief one before heading home after a long day toiling around London’s roads, but with the expected arrival of New York glamour drag queen, Peppermint, we were keen to make a liaison, our glass soon emptying and a refill sought at the now very busy bar, Profile a heavenly haven for some very good looking men & luxuriant ladies, a real buzz in the air & a mix between drinkers & diners making for an altogether enchanting experience. But we were intent on making a little mayhem in our corner, Phil also in a naughty mood ahead of the arrival of his partner, Russell (we won’t use his nickname) who was expected any minute. And arrive he did, bounding up to Phil and engaging in an endearing embrace before turning to us to say hello, remarking that it had been a while, back in June in fact at Onyx in Vauxhall, on that occasion it being a momentary meet.

Now it was clear that our evening at Profile was going to be much more prolonged than we had expected, although very much in a good way of course, as it became clear that we had much more in common with Russell than we had thought, he too having firm roots in South Africa, his accent in our more fulsome conversation coming out much more clearly than before. So it wasn’t long before we started reminiscing about our homeland, talk of braai’s borevoors & biltong intermixed with all sorts of other splendid South African specialities that had us transfixed & transcending into magical memory moments minute after minute. Such was the extent of our enjoyment, all thought of our homeward journey was long gone, even Russell deciding to stay in the grip of Profile rather than head for a planned meet with work colleagues, the time flowing by effortlessly as was the conversation, we even being treated to snippets of our second tongue, Afrikaans, from the expert in our midst.

With the truly superb night unfolding, it wasn’t long before we were tempted into consuming sambuca shots & jaeger bombs (lethal), Phil joining in on the frivolity, as was a number of people that had arrived, choosing our corner of calamity & cavorting, dancing friend Andrea making an appearance which, in itself, signalled a yet further terrific treat to our evening. Through all this activity around him, Phil was doing a sterling job concentrating on his job in hand, he delivering track after track that kept grabbing our attention in amongst our reminiscing with Russell, one particular favourite of ours & the song of the moment for us, “Happiness” getting an airing, although yet another version to the ones we had heard both recently & when the track broke our world. And the fabulous music kept coming, making any intended departure all the more difficult, although we were far from ready to throw in the towel, rather carry on with the chat & calamity, the dancing & the drinking that was making this very much impromptu evening something rather special.

Profile was now a sea of people all intent of fulfilling their Friday, some starting their night here before venturing to pastures new, but many more others ready to party deep into Saturday morning down in sister venue Lo-Profile below, where D.J. delights Jamie Head & Paul Heron were ready to entertain, posters plastered around Profile’s walls to advertise the fact. And before we knew it, the jovial Jamie was in our midst, weaving through the crowd & coming up to say his usual warm hello before descending to get things going downstairs. This was virtually immediately followed by the arrival of Peppermint, this New York glamour puss preparing for a showing at Shadow Lounge, but putting time aside to come & meet up with Mr Marriot, an introduction coming our way before she disappeared into the night nearly as quickly as she had come out of it.

By now we were feeling a little worse for wear, the sambuca & the jaeger bombs having taken effect, although it was not curbing our enthusiasm for this truly enigmatic evening we were experiencing, conversation with Russell still at full tilt & Phil looking over virtually constantly trying to grab a piece of the action in between choosing tunes. However, with 11 p.m. approached & gone in a flash, time was close to calling a halt to what had been one of the best Friday’s we could remember for a long time, although an energetic Andrea was determined for our night to continue down in Lo-Profile, we very close to be tempted save for the need to collect our belongings that had been safely stored away in Rupert Street, our first call for the evening. So, with this march of time, we waved our farewells to Phil, to Russell and to the collective crowd that had touched our evening, departing to wend our way home & reflect on a most fantastic Friday of full on Profile fun & giving thanks to everyone that touched our time there, especially Phil & Russell, we are privileged to know you.

Having been around for both the launch and the first birthday, Profile in its new location on Wardour Street has certainly become a firm favourite of ours. Not only does it provide a haven from the sometimes hectic surroundings it finds itself within in Soho, but with an extensive food menu, all prepared fresh (and we mean fresh) on the premises to American style booth tables & even snacks to the bar area, the whole experience is one of complete satisfaction. Furthermore, the previous issues with slow drinks service has been significantly improved, the engaging & friendly bar team going that extra mile to make your visit one to remember rather than forget, meaning we cannot express our recommendation highly enough apart from saying as we always say, Go There! Be There! (DISCO MATT)

"Julbilant Japanese Jaunt" - Beyond "Tokyo" - Club Review

“JUBILANT JAPANESE JAUNT”
BEYOND “TOKYO” – SUNDAY 10TH OCTOBER
CLUB REVIEW


The last couple of months have been a strange old time in our clubbing world, as whilst we have been as busy as we have always been, there has been a definite missing link in our clubbing calendar. Yes, we have had a slice of Spanish with a magical Matinee party, we have done the Brazilian thing with The Week, tucked our forelock in the direction of NYC underground house with Paradise 45 & even gone French continental with The Supersize party in Paris. But while an Onyx outing, a hook up with Hype & an afternoon with As One have touched our dancefloor lives recently, there being plenty more besides, one club has not figured as large as it normally does. Yet, when we sit here kick starting our review of this amazing afterhours, we have amazed ourselves at just why it hasn’t been part of our landscape, well since July in the capital & August in Brighton.

Beyond has been an intrinsic part of our lives now for close on a decade now, even given the fact that it took a short break back in 2006, although since establishing itself at current home, Area in Vauxhall, this amazing afterhours has gone from strength to strength, for us hitting a real purple patch earlier this year, when our weekly homage’s just seemed to get better & better in unrelentless fashion. Although, like an over inflated balloon, the pop was inevitable and extreme elation turned into deflation when an unfortunate incident (no fault of the club we must stress) left us not only nervous of a re-visit, but saddened that something so important to us & our weekly existence was destined to become just another also ran club in our calendar. But, such is our passion & love for this very special brand & the people involved, that a return was always on the cards, so just why did the re-engagement happen & how did we find Beyond having been absent for so long?

Having been plagued with one bad piece of news after the other, what was looking like becoming a busy weekend for us, deteriorated rapidly, trips to both fetish club Hotwired & SuperMartXe’s “Porno Star” event(s) aborted, well they didn’t even start if the truth be known, but there was something in the back of our mind that said we needed to make Beyond, so an alarm call at 5 a.m. rose us from our slumber & we headed down to Vauxhall and a liaison with our favourite club & all friends connected with it. And indeed, on checking social networking updates, it became apparent to us, that, not only was this latest Beyond party a special, with a Japanese theme, we spookily having left the house & the Japanese F1 Grand Prix on the T.V. screen, but more importantly for us, we simply had to be there to mark the occasion of promoter Steven Sharp’s last event in charge of this Sunday morning phenomenon.

With the usual pleasantries with doorman extra-ordinaire Tom & plans for our concert visit later that evening pretty much sorted, we were in the considerable queue to get into this special “Tokyo” event, waiting patiently to gain entry to what looked like an incredibly busy Beyond already. However, it was a shame that one such individual didn’t have the patience, pushing & shoving his way past, with an attitude to match his barging, very much giving Latino’s a bad name, although, having an exclaimed look saying, “who are you?!” his face was an absolute picture when a beaming Steven Sharp plucked us from the queue & led us straight into the club, past the coatcheck and into the main room, red carpet service indeed.

Having taken a moment to commiserate with him on this, his last Beyond, we left Steven, drink in hand and headed down the packed main room, aiming for our spot which everyone who knows us at Beyond will recall is right next to the D.J. booth. And there we found ourselves, very much back with a bang, especially as the maestro was at work, Steve Pitron bopping up & down and beating out a never-ending succession of truly amazing tracks, many Beyond anthems and a-typical Pitron style. Rather than attracting his attention, it was clear we were attraction n many others, a stream of familiar faces passing us by and pausing to say hello. To say we were overcome with emotion at being back in our favourite club & being around so many friendly clubbers, was an understatement, our fragile state tinterring & we fighting back the tears with determined dance moves to banish all thoughts of our bad week from our minds.

So, the scene was set for a morning filled with incredible music & all the magic that Beyond at Area is renowned for, the best lighting, pyrotechnics & effects in the business, undoubtedly some of the best D.J.’s in town & even all the new additions to the venue, not least the massive elevated stage at the far end of the main room. With Steve in full flow and we going absolutely nowhere, rather burning up our corner with exuberant dancing dervishness, even the incredible heat in the place was not stopping us in our tracks, the only slight halt to our movements being the never-ending stream of people cramming into the room to lap up what was becoming the best Beyond we had been to in a long time. And it was going to get better, as not only did a succession of dancers hit the main stage, but then we were treated to a P.A. performance by Hadley, to compliment the striking dancers both Shaun Capewell & Elektra Paris were co-ordinating.

Now, it has to be said that we are never that keen on P.A.’s in Area, mainly because all they seem to do is interrupt the flow of our morning and, to be honest, this was it same, the whole situation not being helped by technical issues with her mic, but in typical Pitron style, Steve carried on regardless, made the best of a bad situation & soon we were back into our stride, especially when he pulled out our record of now, “Happiness”, this once again bring tears of eyes, although this time tears of happiness, Steve even looking over, spotting us & giving us a huge thumbs up. With a few hello’s to the Orange Group top brass, Alex Erfan, Jonny Marsh, Dave Cross, & Jay Vokins, all who were strangely present & on cue. But the music was our real devotion & with Mikey D soon taking over the reins, what had been a truly exceptional set by Steve, was to be equalled in every way & even exceeded in some, a small refreshment break, finding us rejuvenated & ready for another non-stop two hours of moving & grooving to Mikey’s music.

To say that by now we were losing control only referred to the fact that track after track reminded us of Mikey’s brilliant compilation “lose Control”, we in absolute heaven with every track he was choosing and very much in our element in our most favourite club, every moment just getting better & better, the crowd one of the most jovial friendly & good looking we had seen in ages. So good was our experience becoming, we felt compelled to tell the world, remarking on our experiences via our mobile & social networking sites, the pitch hitting a true crescendo when Mr Dower played the magnificent “Elevated”, the track an absolute reflection of our mood & what Beyond had transformed from a downbeat & fragile individual, to a determined & ecstatic person.

Being back to our comfortable self, the morning only going to improve, with Steven Sharp passing by & escorting us to the Terrace for refreshments, where we caught up with Hifi Sean who was preparing for his set, taking over from Paul Christian, while the duo of David Jimenez & D’Johnny (we affectionately label them D.J.’s D.J. & D.J....get it?!?!) playing a storming back-to-back set in the new extended middle space, now called The Chapel Bar, very much re-kindling this is a creditable dance room. Whilst Sean was a little tired, having flown in direct from Athens to play at this special Beyond party, it certainly didn’t show in his music, a sparkling set of sounds that he aptly termed teriyaki tech, it certainly touching our sweet spot perfectly. But, with a serious eye now on the clock & with Tom’s 12 midday deadline ringing in our heads, we dived back into the main room to catch up with Alan K, although such was the brilliant & euphoria of his set, we simply couldn’t tear ourselves away, only eventually doing so under duress at just before the 1 p.m. closing, leaving Area behind to reflect on a simply scintillating session at Beyond.

Well, what can we say, apart from the fact that Beyond Tokyo was, for us, probably THE best one this year. Yes, we had not witnessed much of the August Bank Holiday Super Size party, which so many people remark as being the best, but if it was anywhere near as good as this one (which we doubt) then it also is top of the tree. From the minute we were whisked out of the queue, till the moment we left Area’s doors, not only were we made to feel well & truly welcome by so many people, but we felt so much at home & ease with the club that has meant & means so much to us. Finding the exact words to describe just how magical it all was is difficult, but Beyond just seems to have that all important edge over any other experience & Sunday mornings surely now have to begin with B & end in D and no longer T & E as what was previously our tip top afterhours experience, Trade, having had its crown well & truly stolen by the might of Craig Elder’s creation.

As for Steven Sharp, like our journey on this special Tokyo event, from the minute he took over as Beyond promoter, till the final moments of his tenure end, you couldn’t ask for a more charming, generous, kind & thoughtful individual to run the club. His dedication to his audience & his customers has been immense and he knows exactly how to pitch his presence perfectly, this care for what he does showing through in bucket loads, his popularity with the punters speaking for itself. All this means that, like when Steve, Mikey, Jamie or Sean are not at Beyond (no offense to the other D.J.’s of course), it is never the same for us and without Steven there, it won’t be the same, so we just hope that whoever takes over the club has the same care, consideration & dedication, but with this jubilant Japeanese jaunt being such a good party, we will be back to Beyond, regardless. (DISCO MATT)

Postscript

If you were unfortunate enough to miss out on this brilliant Beyond bash, then you can always get a slice of the action through three tremendous compilations, one a direct recording from his set at “Tokyo”. So, let’s cover that one off first, as Alan K treats us to yet another beyond mix, which you can grab now at http://djalank.podomatic.com/. As for the other two, well we have mentioned them before, but they are so good & evoke so many great memories of this & previous Beyond parties, you simply have to add them to your collections. Steve Pitron’s “Summer 2010” has become a classic & is still available at http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com/ while Mikey D’s rare but latest offering “Lose Control” has his performance at Beyond Tokyo written all over it, so is an essential mix for any Beyond main room enthusiast which you can grab at http://mikeyd.podomatic.com/.

"Terrific Time Dancing" - T.T.D. Launch - Club Review

“TERRIFIC TIME DANCING”
T.T.D.LAUNCH PARTY – SUNDAY 3RD OCTOBER
CLUB REVIEW


We very much look back on our early clubbing days in the capital with fond appreciation, many magical memories of a rich variety of clubs making for our very colourful weekend existence. Sunday in particular was always held in high regard, not least due to the legendary Trade, the equally iconic FF & Warriors, the delight that was DTPM & even clubs like Sherbert, Factor 25 and, who can forget, Salvation & PSP. Yes, Sunday’s were certainly very special in our world back then and looking at all these clubs, they had two things in common, firstly, central locations with a capital C & secondly, style with a big fat capital S. However, as time has moved on & trends changed, Vauxhall is the place now, other parts of South London sparkling on Sunday’s, although for us, both the C & S words are too often missing, therefore leaving a considerable gap in the market.

However, one man has very much grasped the nettle and with his new club T.T.D. (still waiting to find out exactly what it stands for) has combining those magical ingredients of Sunday P.M. clubbing in a central location. But not only that, creator & visionary behind this new clubbing brand, Billy Richard, ticked the central London & Sunday afternoon/evening boxes, with T.T.D., the plan is to bring a little bit of sophistication back into clubbing, not so much the pompous A listing of certain venues that see themselves as select and not the mundane weekly happenings that occur south of the river, but something delightfully in between the two, dare we say a kick back to the halcyon days of Salvation, Factor 25 et all. The question is, did T.T.D. achieve this on the launch? & how did we find our first experience in Sound?

So, in true style & feeling a little perkier after being laid low for a few days, we got ourselves organised nice & early, meeting up with friend & D.J. Brent Nicholls at just turned 3.30 p.m., he himself having started early at a private Cowboy/Cowgirl party over in The Shadow Lounge, a brief snack & catch up then finding us at Sound’s doors just on the strike of four & ready for the planned opening time (if but a little early in our estimation). With promoter Billy Richard running around finalising what preparations still needed to be done, it was down to the cool, clam & collected Simon Patrick to show us up to the main (3rd) floor, giving us a brief tour around the rather impressive venue, before we settled at the makeshift D.J. booth, Brent finding his bearings and firing up some uplifting & funky sounds to fill Sound with music.

Looking around at the space, it certainly had an impressive feel about it, the industrial chrome look, blending well with the striking lighting & furnishings, although the paint splashed wall panels around the dancefloor were a little too garish for our liking. However, with two further floors to the venue, there was certainly plenty of space, although, in our fragile state, the fair hike to the toilets was always going to be a challenge, but even given this we were suitably impressed with Sound as a host for T.T.D., Billy having added his own touches of production & lighting to give the main space an extra special feel, vivacious visuals playing on the bank of screens & imposing three dimensional lettering floating behind the D.J. booth where Mr Nicholls was now in full flight, even if he was challenged by not having a monitor to accurately mix tracks, although some of his attempts were cause for some hilarity on our part, we get more than a taste of our own medicine back from a jovial Brent, who’s quips as well as music kept us & the select few around entertained

With people slowing beginning to drift in, including the dancing crew, the gorgeous Mark bounding up so say hello to Brent & us before heading off to change, the gauntlet was thrown down for us to warm up the dancefloor with our energetic moves, some of them being caught on video, especially as the crowd began to develop & join in with our antics. With other clubbing pals joining in on this T.T.D. launch fun, Andrea, & co, Chris Brogan, Industri pal Stephen & occasional visitors Jeremy & Andy, the magnificent Minty, who made her usual commanding entrance, friends David & Stuart ready to party, we were certainly getting into our stride, soaking up the full on funky & latin twisted sounds Brent was serving up, one moment of hilarity being followed by the next, from a collapsible chair behind a speak, to a very interesting energy drink we were consuming, “Pussy” very much being the word of the party, even if it did taste a little odd.

With the arrival of incumbent D.J. Nick Tcherniak, we were looking forward to trading some moves with pal Mr B, although the absent monitor was causing continual concern, but with equipment on its way, Brent extended his two hour stint, eventually handing over the reins at not long before 7 p.m., by which time a healthy, if but eclectic crowd had developed, the brighter lighting of before traded for something much more appealing, the previously absent smoke effects now in full tilt & improving the atmosphere on the dancefloor considerably, encouraging even more people to join in with our overt antics. Nick was now himself adjusting to the lack of a sufficient equipment behind the D.J. booth, selecting some superb sounds, that included the massive “Deep Water” & “My People”, partner Tom also in situ exchanging latest bits of news with us, as the pace of the party continued increase momentum, minute after minute, the arrival of the dancers onto the main floor attracting attention, especially Mr Mark who was fetchingly dressed in thigh length boots & a tight fitting bodice, all which was showing off every asset (& my has he got some tasty ones) to their best.

Now the launch sequence of T.T.D. was way behind up, Billy’s spaceship of a club having reached the upper stratosphere in terms of atmosphere, we totally engrossed in our dancing, our continued hilarity with Brent, Stephen & Andrea and our “pussy” providing the rocket fuel we needed to keeping us from plummeting back down to earthly reality. And it was only going to get better when the Italian stallion himself, Pagano arrived, ready to take on an extended set to add to the already brilliant time we were having, surrounded by one of the most fun filled & carefree crowds we have been with for a long time, even arrivals Mis-White, Andrew Harris, & Dimity K blossoming the bountiful brigade of party people wanting to get their slice of this new Sunday sophisticate. With the Sicilian splendour taking to the decks, shrugging off the absence of a monitor & diving straight into action with classic Pagano tunes that brought even more people onto the square dancefloor, the bevy of beautiful dancers exchanging positions & moves each side of the maestro D.J. at work, completing the pulsating picture of perfection that was now T.T.D. However, with a good things unfortunately, they have to come to an end and with an eye on the clock which was creeping up towards 11 p.m. & commitments the following day, we were forced to call a halt on our terrific time dancing at T.T.D., saying our farewells and heading home to reflect on a successful start in the life on this new extremely enjoyable Sunday clubbing experience.

So, what was our conclusion on T.T.D. as a viable venture & what should the team concentrate on for future parties? Well, first & foremost, there was no doubt in our mind that this new kid on the gAylist scene block is such a refreshing change to the now normality of Vauxhall, the central location a real winner in many people’s eyes, even if Sound as a venue took a little getting used to. It was clear that the music was the main statement, all three D.J.’s putting up prolific performances, the whole essence of a musical journey being satisfied superbly and with the combination of that Sunday socialising feel to it, we can definitely see T.T.D. increasing with popularity, party after party.

Yes, Sound was never packed, but when you consider that the team had to face inclement weather & tube strikes, the numbers they pulled in were impressive enough and whilst the party lacked a little polish here & there, the absence of certain equipment & proper podiums for the dancers, the in balance of lighting early & the lack of smoke & laser effects which made a huge difference, are all things that can be put right quite easily. Given this was Billy Richard’s first ever full on clubbing event, he can be proud of what he has achieved, his team truly committed to the cause & the result a party that everyone (and we mean everyone) we have spoken to since, thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, so like us, will be back for plenty more of that terrific time dancing that we had, come 7th November & you should be there too. (DISCO MATT)

Postscript.

Why not check out the specially commissioned compilation for the T.T.D. launch party by Brent Nicholls, which you can grab by either going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/music or by downloading the mix at http://speedyshare.com/files/24364407/1009_TTD_Pre_Launch_Warm_Up-_Welcome_To_The_Club_128.mp3

"Poolside Plunging In Paris" - Supersize Pool Party - Event Review

“POOLSIDE PLUNGING IN PARIS”
SUPERSIZE POOL PARTY – SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER
EVENT REVIEW


Whilst our first steps into a club and onto the dancefloor were deep down in the southern hemisphere in South Africa, the real roots of our clubbing devotions are planted firmly here in London, although having been accustomed to plenty of travelling in our youth, the penchant to take combine two incredible passions in our life has been an ambition for some time now, the thought of us becoming ever so slightly European or international an exciting prospect. Yet, such is the daily demands on our life & the continual draws of the prolific scene that we find ourselves within, that we have struggled to break free from the capital, only this August seeing our first venture outside the boundaries of London, well in the collaborative clubbing, travelling & writing perspective at least, our first real escapade being back in August for the Gay Dance Weekend down in Brighton, which was to give us the incentive we needed, more the renewed desire to seek out new territories beyond our usual comfort zone.

And with this new found enthusiasm came our first opportunity as the massive Spirit Of Star event was popping over the horizon, as The Supersize Pool Party was once again returning to France’s capital for another huge splash in Europe’s biggest indoor waterpark, The Aquaboulevard in Paris, promoters Michel Mau & Aurel Devil joining forces with Brazil’s best, The Week, which had, just seven days before, taken London by storm at the hugely successful event down Vauxhall way. But as much as The Supersize Pool party was the major draw, news in a D.J. pal being in town at the same time made our first clubbing trip over the channel as Disco Matt all the more enticing. By the very nature of its name, The Supersize Pool party had very much painted lots of pictures in our mind, of masses of muscled men plunging in the pools then dancing themselves dry, the images these thoughts were creating, combined with the eye catching advertising, very much evoking everything that seemed splendid with marrying poolside antics with dancing dervishness, then add in the element of the romance of gaaay Paris and our expectations were high for a supersize experience to match the stats of this event, so did Spirit Of Star’s crowning glory deliver? And what were the highlights of our aquatic inspired antics?

Being in unfamiliar territory, we were certainly glad to have D.J. & friend Javier Medina to guide us around Paris on our arrival, although it was clear that The Supersize Pool party was not really his bag, meaning we would be venturing across to Aquabouelvard on out tod, although as is the case back here in the capital, this tends to be the norm for us, but in this case we would likely to be far more anonymous. So, with directions in hand and deciding to brave the perils of an unknown Paris road & Metro system (why didn’t we just take a taxi?!?), our journey of exploration & excitement to reach our aquatic destination began at just turned 10.30 p.m. Now to say that the journey was a mere 3 or 4 kilometres from our start point was the extent of our trip, but when we finally reached the splendour that was The Supersize’s host venue and glanced at our clock, we couldn’t believe that it had taken us over an hour to make it, which say’s enough about our directional abilities in the dark of an unknown territory.

However, we were here and have paid our way into this special aquatic party, we were then directed into the first of two massive changing areas, where we stripped down from our regular clubbing attire into an unflattering pair of knee length swimming shorts, the extent of our footwear, a simple pair of Kappa flip-flops, yet not quite brave enough to strip ourselves of the skimpy club t-shirt we had packed for the occasion, although looking around at the myriad of others also preparing for the party ahead, we seemed a trice over dressed. However, undaunted, we left our belongings with the utterly charming French coatcheck ladies and then meandered back through the entrance, past the second & more extensive changing area and into the Aquaboelvard waterpark proper. By now, we had missed much of the pool antics that had started back at 9 p.m., with Spirit Of Star’s Little Nemo (very apt name) in charge of the tunes, although it was never really our intention to indulge in that part of the outing, our interest much more in how the clubbing & dancing party of this massive event much more the reason for our visit.

However, despite our fevered anticipation, acclimatising ourselves to strange clubbing surroundings of this waterpark took some time, the climatic temperature soon making us strip off that skimpy clubbing t-shirt, joining virtually everyone else in the 1500 or so throng of Supersizer’s that were sinking into the sounds of resident jock Aurel devil, playing aloft from a D.J. booth that looked out across one of the few expanses of dry land. And this space had certainly been dressed to give the feel of a dancefloor, plenty of laser & flashing lights adding to the atmosphere, a huge stage to one side with a massive video screen enticing the eye to visuals of the various sponsors of the event, as well as tasty pictures to compliment the actual eye candy in front of us, while further screens sandwiching the D.J. booth completed the scene.

Now, it would be fair to say that we were relatively unfamiliar with Aurel Devil’s music style, although having seen him perform back in May at the London Global Dance Festival, we were certainly expecting a slightly tougher more tech fuelled set compared with the, we have to say it, G.A.Y. like string of sounds he was putting together, but despite our disliking to the music, it was clear the majority were very much into this lighter more accessible collection of tunes he was playing, the Aquaboulevard a light with dancing delirium from a hot bed of lovely Latino’s through muscled European’s & everything in between, very much combining the mixes of crowds we were used to seeing at SuperMartXe, Beyond & Matinee all into one, yet pleasantly attitude free & welcomingly friendly. Music aside, we were slowly beginning to accustom our mind to this very different clubbing experience, helped along by the stage shows that has sprung into action, a collection of drop dead gorgeous go-go dancers ascending the podiums by the D.J. booth and the stage itself alight with action, plumes of smoke from a huge cannon held my a muscled hunk adding to the exceptional effects that were making the most of The Supersize pool party’s home.

Pausing momentarily for refreshments back at the bar, set away from the dance area, we were somewhat taken a-back by the 10 euro charge for a drink, opting for a energy re-fuelling liquid with a kick as our relief from the shock to our wallet, but then quickly resigning ourselves to the fact that this Supersize experience was a special excursion, so well worth the price. So, back to the dancing we found ourselves and having mastered the art of moving & grooving in flip-flops, the arrival of The Week resident Leandro Bekker lifting our spirits considerably, the music taking on much more of a familiar & favoured ring to it, plenty of electro, funky & tech tracks intermixed with octane fuelled beats that included the record that never ceases to get us dancing deliriously, Zoe Baldwin’s “Release Me”, which somehow injected extra vitality into our legs and energy in our veins, Leandro very much stepping up to the mark & hitting our musical sweet spots with every track choice he made.

Indeed, after the more camp & frivolous set of Aurel Devil, this much more forthright & fulsome performance by Leandro had transformed our experience from one of relative boredom to outright enjoyment, verging on the ecstatic, even our relative anonymity at this event being broken, first by Leandro himself, who spotted us dancing next to the booth, waving across in acknowledgement, then by Sprit Of Star’s own Michel Mau, both whom we had met at The Week party back in London the previous weekend. But it didn’t stop there as we were spotted by a whole crowd of Londoner’s back at the bar, very much consigning our obscurity to the rubbish heap, all this adding to the outstanding outing we were now savouring, Mr Bekker’s beats saving our musical day & the exceptional shows together with the eye candy filled crowd topping off this pool party in Paris with pure panache, we seeing it through close to the 6 a.m. finish with ease, only a rendezvous at the afterparty with our liege, Javier, tugging us away from seeing out the end of this exceptional event.

To try and give this Supersize Pool Party the justice it deserves in just several paragraphs is difficult and in some ways, you had to be there to experience the full extent of just what made this prolific Paris brilliance of a bash special. Yes, it was totally different to any clubbing event we had witnessed or enjoyed, but enjoy it we did, the interesting yet enchanting setting only adding to the amazing atmosphere that the Aquaboulevard brought to this Spirit Of Star spectacle. Yes, we missed out on the pool antics and it took us time to get used to the feel of the vent, Aurel Devil’s music not quite hitting the mark for us, but Leandro Bekker & the influence of The Week on proceedings was a definite plus, making for an altogether spectacular end to a thrilling aquatic influenced clubbing trip that will certainly remain in our memories for a long time to come.

Having very much been enchanted by Paris as a charming city during our whistle-stop tour of France’s finest, we can also say that, in the Supersize Pool Party, we found our own clubbing fatal attraction, that this reflection & review has only served to heighten and in the imitable words of that Debbie Harry song, Paris was definitely calling & this Supersize spectacle was doing plenty of French kissing on our mind spirit & soul. Would we do it again? Well, we would most definitely consider it and maybe next time take the pool plunge we missed out on during this visit and having gotten used to the experience of dancing in swimwear & not much more, would definitely recommend the feeling of frolicking freedom it gives and with a clubbing crowd that has to have been one of the friendliest we have come across, not to mention the best looking, what more could you ask from a party. Isn’t it just a shame that Supersize is only a twice yearly event? (DISCO MATT)