“DYNAMIC DISPLAY”
ONYX “DIGITAL” – FRIDAY 27TH AUGUST
CLUB REVIEW
There can be no doubt that, in terms of clubbing on a Friday, one brand has dominated the landscape since being launched on an unsuspecting public just over twelve months ago and whilst it may have changed hands from its original creator, Steven Gellar, you simply cannot question the strides it has made in recent months under the steership of promoter Jonny Marsh, previously known more for his D.J. work for club brand Wild Fruit in Brighton, as well as his connections with Gaydar Nation and the high profile online interviewing segments, covering key players, D.J.’s, promoters & the like (even we were privileged to be put on the spot). However, having taken over this fun-filled Friday nighter at Area in Vauxhall, Mr Marsh has brought renewed energy to the brand, strengthening the D.J. line up, introducing prolific P.A.’s and restructuring the three room offerings to give the club fresh & varied appeal that have seen it, not only fend off the competition, but grab much of the attention & limelight.
Yes, Onyx has very much re-painted Friday clubbing in the capital, although for much of its existence has escaped our full-on devotion, a surprising fact to many, yet Friday’s can be quite tricky for us, especially peeling off from a hectic week whizzing around London’s roads, many a promise falling by the wayside & a club event missing out on our review exposure. Mind you, wild horses weren’t going to keep us away from this Onyx, especially with the prospect of a superb five hour set from Italian stallion Pagano in celebration of the release on his first ever full-on compilation, “Digital Generation”, not to mention signalling what was expected to be the start to a full-on final Bank Holiday of 2010, encompassing seven parties & drop-in’s on a couple of others. Plus, with the likelihood that this would be our one & only call on Area across the weekend, we were keen to see the dramatic changes to the venue which we had be deluded to in conversations throughout the week. So, how did our first full foray into this Friday Onyx overture to our long weekend? And were our “Digital” desires suitably delighted?
With a couple of social calls required next door in Barcode over & done with, not to mention having savoured the fabulous pre-party for Hype & M.O.S.T. in the sister venue in Soho, our attention was very much devoted to Onyx and having caught up with the ever present Tom Fuller outside, we swung into Area’s doors, this being our first visit since our unfortunate incident a few weeks before. With nothing short of royal treatment, we were whisked into the club in a trice and released to investigate the buzzing space of three rooms of activity, first dropping off our belongings in the re-shuffled coatcheck and negotiating a rather worse for wear straight female & her gay companion, but then thankfully were soon thrust into a main room space that certainly had a new look to it compared with our last visit. Gone were the stairs leading up to the mezzanine level above the ground floor bar, this hideaway rarely utilised for clubbers, rather normally allocated to coatcheck facilities, the removal of the stairs very much opening up the main room & creating the space for the team to install a semi-permanent & improved stage area for performances & dancers. Moving further down, the usual podiums each side of the dancefloor were absent, instead were pushed closer to the D.J. booth where a bank of imposing speakers somewhat shrouded our usual view into the box, although nothing was going to stop us from attracting the attention of the maestro at work.
And catch his attention we did, even if the man was in full flow, Pagano seeing our head popping over the side of the D.J. booth & with this, giving us a huge smile before thrusting a special copy of his new compilation into our mitts, which we safely stored away in our pocket before sinking into his five hour showing, the main room already pulsating with his rousing progressive & tech infused sounds, intermixed with uplifting tones that had us & a frenzied crowd around totally captivated. It wasn’t long before long-time pal & Trade baby Rob came bounding up, sporting a “I Love Pagano” vest shirt and joining us in a merry dancing close to the D.J. booth as a whole string of classic Francesco tunes had us going absolutely nowhere, the magnificent Area lighting creating incredible effects across the space & illuminating the duo “Digital” signs hanging neatly above the D.J. booth. As the room began to fill even more, the trademark Onyx fire-eater & muscle-bound go-go dancers found their positions both on the new stage & the podiums dotted around the space, adding extra dramatic effect to the already explosive beats Pagano was pumping out, his signature tune of now “Drama On The Dancefloor” the appropriate track for this illuminating moment while the fire-eater created her own drama to equal Mr Francesco’s dynamic display.
With the call of nature & then the need for energy boosting refreshments, we retired to the second space next door, another room which had been given some serious make-over treatment by the team, the previously enclosed “Blackbox” space having been opened right out, making for a much improved elongated second room, more akin to the layout when Area was first opened, thus restoring the attractive feel both for dancers & D.J.’s alike. And it was certainly working at this latest Onyx onslaught, with a healthy crowd soaking up the sounds of guest & iconic figure, Tasty Tim, who was serving up a poptastic selection of old skool disco beats & nu house that even had hostess extraordinaire, Chrissy Darling, up on the podium in front of the booth, strutting her stuff in fine fashion, dressed in yet another multi neon coloured costume that has become her own trademark. Noticing us in the crowd, she beckoned us over to say hello, tempting us up onto the podium to join in the frivolity, although our modesty got the better of us, we instead seeking out some action next door in the Terrace bar where Lisa German was turning out a terrific ton of tunes, including one of our favourites “Disco Electrique”, which had us in a dancing dervish in an instant.
But it was the main room that drew us back in, although before we could make our way back to our usual & favoured spot next to the D.J. booth, we were given a guided tour of the changes to the venue by the man in the know, Tom Fuller, who pointed out the new elevated dancing stage born out of that mezzanine floor we had mentioned earlier, as well as hinting to the plans for the rotating plinth on the new ground level stage and the installation of banks of LED lighting down each side of the main room, some of which was already on display for all eyes to see. However, as much as we were fascinated & impressed with all the changes Tom was showing us, it was the dancing, the music & Pagano’s pulsating set that was our devotion, although with the room not quite so full as it had been before we left it, we decided on darting between spots to make the most of the delicious dancers that made appearances on the podiums, as well as taking our own snaps of proceedings for posterity. Eventually, however, we inevitably fell back into our position by the D.J. booth, which was going to be to spot where we stood back to soak up the P.A. performance, which, for us, distracted from the magical music our Italian stallion was mixing, the diva on show even struggling a little with the sound system & feeling a little too distant from the crowd.
So, with the shortish show over, it was back to Pagano to pump us through into Saturday morning with a glittering array of awesome beats, he deftly dipping between tech, progressive, uplifting & electro with consummate ease, hitting our musical sweet spots with every change & track choice, that saw us last much longer at this special “Digital” celebration for his latest compilation than we had planned. Indeed, his dynamic display of dexterity behind the decks that had all the elements we expect from a Francesco full-on performance, hits “Loca”, “Back To The Future”, “My Religion” and not forgetting, of course, “Drama On The Dancefloor” and “Digital Generation” adding to plenty more heavenly house hits that we were privileged to witness at this outstanding Onyx, his whole performance leaving us wanting for more, we eventually dashing home to play the superb sampler of his new mix and reflect on five hours of simply incredible music and a party that made for a superb start to our long weekend of action.
In summing up our first full-on Onyx Friday night experience, we have to say that the performance from Pagano was the single most humongous highlight of the whole evening, his prolific performance outshining every other element of this dynamic “Digital” dervish. We have been lucky to witness some simply superb sets from this Sicilian star of the decks, but this latest scintillating showing has to rank highly with the best we have seen of Pagano in his prime at Matinee & Megawoof and even come a close second to the best ever when he played superbly at Logan Schmitz’s private party “Up” back in July, that’s just how good it was. Seeing the changes to Area was a bonus, as was the special moments with Chrissy & then Lisa German, although having made fleeting visits to Onyx in the past, it was not quite as busy this time round, perhaps the Bank Holiday lag element coming into play. However, this takes nothing away from main man Francesco, who absolutely captivated us from start to finish and very much delighted our “Digital” desires. (DISCO MATT)
ONYX “DIGITAL” – FRIDAY 27TH AUGUST
CLUB REVIEW
There can be no doubt that, in terms of clubbing on a Friday, one brand has dominated the landscape since being launched on an unsuspecting public just over twelve months ago and whilst it may have changed hands from its original creator, Steven Gellar, you simply cannot question the strides it has made in recent months under the steership of promoter Jonny Marsh, previously known more for his D.J. work for club brand Wild Fruit in Brighton, as well as his connections with Gaydar Nation and the high profile online interviewing segments, covering key players, D.J.’s, promoters & the like (even we were privileged to be put on the spot). However, having taken over this fun-filled Friday nighter at Area in Vauxhall, Mr Marsh has brought renewed energy to the brand, strengthening the D.J. line up, introducing prolific P.A.’s and restructuring the three room offerings to give the club fresh & varied appeal that have seen it, not only fend off the competition, but grab much of the attention & limelight.
Yes, Onyx has very much re-painted Friday clubbing in the capital, although for much of its existence has escaped our full-on devotion, a surprising fact to many, yet Friday’s can be quite tricky for us, especially peeling off from a hectic week whizzing around London’s roads, many a promise falling by the wayside & a club event missing out on our review exposure. Mind you, wild horses weren’t going to keep us away from this Onyx, especially with the prospect of a superb five hour set from Italian stallion Pagano in celebration of the release on his first ever full-on compilation, “Digital Generation”, not to mention signalling what was expected to be the start to a full-on final Bank Holiday of 2010, encompassing seven parties & drop-in’s on a couple of others. Plus, with the likelihood that this would be our one & only call on Area across the weekend, we were keen to see the dramatic changes to the venue which we had be deluded to in conversations throughout the week. So, how did our first full foray into this Friday Onyx overture to our long weekend? And were our “Digital” desires suitably delighted?
With a couple of social calls required next door in Barcode over & done with, not to mention having savoured the fabulous pre-party for Hype & M.O.S.T. in the sister venue in Soho, our attention was very much devoted to Onyx and having caught up with the ever present Tom Fuller outside, we swung into Area’s doors, this being our first visit since our unfortunate incident a few weeks before. With nothing short of royal treatment, we were whisked into the club in a trice and released to investigate the buzzing space of three rooms of activity, first dropping off our belongings in the re-shuffled coatcheck and negotiating a rather worse for wear straight female & her gay companion, but then thankfully were soon thrust into a main room space that certainly had a new look to it compared with our last visit. Gone were the stairs leading up to the mezzanine level above the ground floor bar, this hideaway rarely utilised for clubbers, rather normally allocated to coatcheck facilities, the removal of the stairs very much opening up the main room & creating the space for the team to install a semi-permanent & improved stage area for performances & dancers. Moving further down, the usual podiums each side of the dancefloor were absent, instead were pushed closer to the D.J. booth where a bank of imposing speakers somewhat shrouded our usual view into the box, although nothing was going to stop us from attracting the attention of the maestro at work.
And catch his attention we did, even if the man was in full flow, Pagano seeing our head popping over the side of the D.J. booth & with this, giving us a huge smile before thrusting a special copy of his new compilation into our mitts, which we safely stored away in our pocket before sinking into his five hour showing, the main room already pulsating with his rousing progressive & tech infused sounds, intermixed with uplifting tones that had us & a frenzied crowd around totally captivated. It wasn’t long before long-time pal & Trade baby Rob came bounding up, sporting a “I Love Pagano” vest shirt and joining us in a merry dancing close to the D.J. booth as a whole string of classic Francesco tunes had us going absolutely nowhere, the magnificent Area lighting creating incredible effects across the space & illuminating the duo “Digital” signs hanging neatly above the D.J. booth. As the room began to fill even more, the trademark Onyx fire-eater & muscle-bound go-go dancers found their positions both on the new stage & the podiums dotted around the space, adding extra dramatic effect to the already explosive beats Pagano was pumping out, his signature tune of now “Drama On The Dancefloor” the appropriate track for this illuminating moment while the fire-eater created her own drama to equal Mr Francesco’s dynamic display.
With the call of nature & then the need for energy boosting refreshments, we retired to the second space next door, another room which had been given some serious make-over treatment by the team, the previously enclosed “Blackbox” space having been opened right out, making for a much improved elongated second room, more akin to the layout when Area was first opened, thus restoring the attractive feel both for dancers & D.J.’s alike. And it was certainly working at this latest Onyx onslaught, with a healthy crowd soaking up the sounds of guest & iconic figure, Tasty Tim, who was serving up a poptastic selection of old skool disco beats & nu house that even had hostess extraordinaire, Chrissy Darling, up on the podium in front of the booth, strutting her stuff in fine fashion, dressed in yet another multi neon coloured costume that has become her own trademark. Noticing us in the crowd, she beckoned us over to say hello, tempting us up onto the podium to join in the frivolity, although our modesty got the better of us, we instead seeking out some action next door in the Terrace bar where Lisa German was turning out a terrific ton of tunes, including one of our favourites “Disco Electrique”, which had us in a dancing dervish in an instant.
But it was the main room that drew us back in, although before we could make our way back to our usual & favoured spot next to the D.J. booth, we were given a guided tour of the changes to the venue by the man in the know, Tom Fuller, who pointed out the new elevated dancing stage born out of that mezzanine floor we had mentioned earlier, as well as hinting to the plans for the rotating plinth on the new ground level stage and the installation of banks of LED lighting down each side of the main room, some of which was already on display for all eyes to see. However, as much as we were fascinated & impressed with all the changes Tom was showing us, it was the dancing, the music & Pagano’s pulsating set that was our devotion, although with the room not quite so full as it had been before we left it, we decided on darting between spots to make the most of the delicious dancers that made appearances on the podiums, as well as taking our own snaps of proceedings for posterity. Eventually, however, we inevitably fell back into our position by the D.J. booth, which was going to be to spot where we stood back to soak up the P.A. performance, which, for us, distracted from the magical music our Italian stallion was mixing, the diva on show even struggling a little with the sound system & feeling a little too distant from the crowd.
So, with the shortish show over, it was back to Pagano to pump us through into Saturday morning with a glittering array of awesome beats, he deftly dipping between tech, progressive, uplifting & electro with consummate ease, hitting our musical sweet spots with every change & track choice, that saw us last much longer at this special “Digital” celebration for his latest compilation than we had planned. Indeed, his dynamic display of dexterity behind the decks that had all the elements we expect from a Francesco full-on performance, hits “Loca”, “Back To The Future”, “My Religion” and not forgetting, of course, “Drama On The Dancefloor” and “Digital Generation” adding to plenty more heavenly house hits that we were privileged to witness at this outstanding Onyx, his whole performance leaving us wanting for more, we eventually dashing home to play the superb sampler of his new mix and reflect on five hours of simply incredible music and a party that made for a superb start to our long weekend of action.
In summing up our first full-on Onyx Friday night experience, we have to say that the performance from Pagano was the single most humongous highlight of the whole evening, his prolific performance outshining every other element of this dynamic “Digital” dervish. We have been lucky to witness some simply superb sets from this Sicilian star of the decks, but this latest scintillating showing has to rank highly with the best we have seen of Pagano in his prime at Matinee & Megawoof and even come a close second to the best ever when he played superbly at Logan Schmitz’s private party “Up” back in July, that’s just how good it was. Seeing the changes to Area was a bonus, as was the special moments with Chrissy & then Lisa German, although having made fleeting visits to Onyx in the past, it was not quite as busy this time round, perhaps the Bank Holiday lag element coming into play. However, this takes nothing away from main man Francesco, who absolutely captivated us from start to finish and very much delighted our “Digital” desires. (DISCO MATT)
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