"Amazing Alternative" - Reverse Sunrise - Club Review

“AMAZING ALTERNATIVE”
REVERSE SUNRISE – SATURDAY 22ND MAY
CLUB REVIEW


We are occasionally accused of devoting too much time to the big clubbing events that often dominate the clubbing calendar and in doing so, overlook some of the alternative offerings that deserve a little attention, so breaking out of these clutches we decided to answer our critics by taking a look at something very different to our norm and venturing away from the trappings of Vauxhall to savour a metrosexually driven concept that would prove to be a most satisfying one, not least for the incredible & diverse crowd, but for a very different yet fresh music offering in truly lofty surroundings, that resulted in one of the most spectacular views we have seen in any club ever. What are we talking about? Well, Reverse, a clubbing concept that was born just 12 months ago, hitting the capital to critical acclaim & the brainchild of one Guy Williams, a real pioneer in the metrosexual market, keen & passionate to bring something different to a sometimes monotone & mundane scene, a series of parties in London & Manchester throughout 2009 doing just that and paving the way for other new clubbing projects.

So, with the anniversary of the Reverse beginning on our doorsteps, we booked a slot in our diary, reassuring promoter Guy Williams that we would be there, hook or by crook, come rain or shine, although with the forecast looking simply amazing we knew we were going to be in for a special treat as we headed into town to warm up our night as we so often have done, in the hands of Brent Nicholls at Barcode Soho, but with an eye on the clock so as not to arrive at this Reverse happening too late. Tearing ourselves away from what was developing into another bountiful Barcode experience in the hands of Brent, we arrived at Guy’s happening which was once again being held 31 floors up at the top of Centrepoint in the club space Paramount, the loftiest venue we know in the whole capital, providing stunning & breathtaking panoramic views across London in every direction and the backdrop for the theme of the party “Sunrise” which would see us witness the awe inspiring picturesque sight of the orange globe that enlightens our lives every time it shines, rising relentlessly into the sky.

However, with it being just beyond midnight, our attentions were to the club itself, as we were zoomed from ground level to the dizzy heights of this special space, a clean and clinical area which, even after three visits, still reminded us more of an office rather than a club, but had, in the expanse of windows each side, the undeniably sensational scenery spread before our eyes, the whole of London light up in sparkling splendour stretching to each horizon in front of our eyes. Grabbing some refreshments, we headed round onto the eastern side of the venue, set aside as the dancefloor and with suitable disco lighting & lasers illuminating the space, moving in time with the musical beats being pumped out by Reverse promoter & accomplished D.J. Guy Williams, who was pleased to see that we had made his event. And what of the music? Well, it was definitely a departure from the usual house genres we tend to get attracted to, rather a glorious collection of what Guy and a whole host of enthusiasts call “nu- disco”, very much a nod to the sounds of the disco jiving 70’s & 90’s, but also with nineties style “Hed Kandi” influences, as well as more up to date remixes of classics, giving this slant of sounds a fresh & funky feel. And Guy’s choices were definitely hitting the spot, as the building crowd were swapping their view gazes for the dancefloor & delighting in the disco frenzy that was developing.

Feeling a little out of our comfort zone with a distinctly more metrosexual audience, we were soon to become more at ease and elevate our enjoyment with the arrival of friends Tamsin Roberts & Clington Forbes, who also introduced us to a bunch of their friends who were most inviting, making us feel much more at home in the alternative offering that was Reverse and as the club filled out further, more familiar scene faces appeared to balance out the crowd, making for quite a delightfully eclectic mix of homo’s & hetro’s, all with the intent of having a great time in the disco-tastic hands of Guy and his resident band of D.J.’s. Indeed when Serge Santiago took over the decks, we began to really relax into the vibe he was creating, with all thoughts of our usual Vauxhall happenings a distant memory, well at least for this night anyway.

Now our attention was fully grabbed and with Tamsin in close quarters, keeping us highly amused with her cute & doggie daschund shaped handbag, as well as a cavorting Clington moving to the disco beats, the speed of the music increased a further few notches, when special guest stars, Faze Action took to the decks and a whole myriad of memories of some brilliant Hed Kandi moments were played out in our minds & in front of our eyes, as the boys picked some terrific tunes to keep us tripping the light fantastic, gyrating and swinging to the sounds in unison with many around us, only briefly departing to powder our noses & recharge with liquid refreshments. But little else could keep us away from these cosmotic disco beats, so evocative of those sampled from their amazing album “Stratus Energy”, which just like the live set they were laying down for our delectation, is drenched in total new age disco and confirming their groundbreaking status in this “nu-disco” following we found ourselves within.

But the night was far from over and about to get even better, as Pete Herbert then took his turn behind the decks, turning the pace up a little further, lifting the atmosphere higher and treating us to some stupefyingly spectacular selections that had us rocking & rolling even more than before, our occasional glances across to the D.J. booth spotting him pouring a whole load of energy into his set, which was going down an absolute storm. However, as good as Pete’s set was, the sight which many had come up these 31 floors to see, was beginning to develop, as the skyline was slowly changing from black to blue, as the dawning of a new day was about to unfold and first a very thin line of orange skimmed the buildings in our eyes sight and the then soon to emerge sun began to lighten the London scene in breathtaking fashion. Pete, undeterred by all the gazing action, continued to pour out one magnificent mix after the next, which was always going to be a hard act to follow, but one we had been looking forward to all night, as the legend that is Severino arrived to assume the decks & take us on a much more funkier & fulsome Italio influenced electro music madness.

By now the sun itself was appearing & breaking the capital’s horizon like we had never seen before and unlike the first Reverse outing a year ago, when rain clouds shrouded the view, the sun was beaming in all its glory, this incredible orange globe turning a more brighter yellow as it grew higher in the sky, casting its beams right across the Paramount dancefloor and illuminating Severino in his masterful delivery of a whole string of pulsating & pumping beats. And what a funky feast of new & exciting sounds it was, that saw us dance our way right through the rest of his fantastic set, all with the awe inspiring backdrop of the supreme sunrise view that we have never witnessed in such splendour before, save for those special times jetting around the world, in some ways the moments & minutes we watched the dramatic night to day transformation through the Reverse windows, emulating the feeling that we were flying high in the sky.

With the sun now quite high in the sky, our latest Reverse clubbing experience was almost at an end, but not before Guy Williams once again took to the decks and played us out with some brilliant disco renditions, including the fabulous & timeless classic “Illusion” by 80’s band Imagination, which rounded off a most enjoyable alternative experience, leaving us to sink back down 31 floors to terra firmer, to then wend our way home in the bright & warm Sunday morning sunlight. We even decided against a post Reverse return to the temptations of Vauxhall & Beyond, rather opting to keep all those disco tunes running through our heads and hold the memories of a great alternative evening fresh in our minds.

Well, in summing up this Reverse outing, it goes without saying that we had a fabulous time from start to finish. Despite being considerably removed from our comfort zone of regular house music, we delighted in the disco directed sounds served up by Guy, Serge, Robin, Simon, Pete & Severino, which made for a refreshing change to the normality. Plus the mixed & metrosexual crowd were really up for the experience, the event getting better & better by the minute, the venue also proving to be the perfect host for this prolific party, but whilst the music, the atmosphere & the crowd were top drawer, top marks have to go to the backdrop that was that stunning & spectacular sunrise. We are certainly glad we stayed to witness what was without doubt the most incredible climax to a night of clubbing we have ever seen & seeing that sun pop up over the London skyline & then rise high into the sky was worth every second. Reverse “Sunrise” you were scintillating. (DISCO MATT)

"Bowled Over & Breathless" - Beyond - Club Review

“BOWLED OVER & BREATHLESS”
BEYOND @ THE LOVE WEEKEND – SUNDAY 16TH MAY
CLUB REVIEW


There are a mere handful of clubs that has made a massive impact on us over the years, some which have sadly fallen by the wayside as the gAylist scene has developed, changed & moved on, while others have survived to continuingly influence our weekends and draw us out to party, as mega pop legend Prince said in his song “like it’s 1999” and by golly did we party back in those days. But just three years after, one club was launched that sees us doing just that virtually every Sunday and as such gets virtually unrivalled attention and for good reason, so, it was inevitable that we would once again be gracing the doors of Beyond in an all encompassing “Love Weekend” which saw even our aging disco legs make it through four out of the five events, this mega Sunday morning afterhours playing its part. But how did it turn out? And what was our verdict on this clubbing experience extra-ordinare under the direction of its new promoter?

In reality no weekend would be complete these days in Disco Matt land, without us including Beyond, the club that relentlessly ticks virtually every box in our criteria for providing the truly perfect clubbing experience and one that was very much on our radar following our “love in” with Lovechild, making up the third out of four clubbing exploits over this special weekend. And arriving at the doors just shy of 7 a.m., we were greeted, as usual by doorman extra-ordinare Tom & hostess Naomi, both who week in week out make sure of our smooth & speedy entry into what is, without doubt, our favourite club & venue, this occasion being no different as we were inside in a trice and upstairs depositing our belongings in the coatcheck ready to hit the club proper. And that we did running, as entering the Terrace room, the atmosphere was already buzzing as we witnessed the welcome return of The Sharp Boys, both George & Steven treating us to some stupendous sounds that had the space well & truly rocking, very much like the old days of Beyond at Area, people up on the dance platform gyrating to the magical music & the whole space alight with audacious activity.

Inevitably, we wanted to get a feel of the other parts of the club and moving down into the Blackbox room, Paul Christian was definitely holding his own, with a select crowd craving for his harder edged tunes, the phased opening of the club always ensuring that this middle space gets its fair share of devotion from the masses that pour into Area each Sunday morning. But it was the main room where we headed and which had not long fired up in the hands of rapturous resident Gonzalo Rivas, who set about truly delighting us with a dream collection of hedonistic house hits which injected incredible vitality to a an already packed dancefloor and it was in our usual spot just shy of the D.J. booth in what has become our most favourite spot of any club in the capital and one we feel most at home spinning to the special sounds that Beyond delivers on every visit.

And this latest adventure was to be no different as we found our stride within minutes, moving in motion to the magnificent music, the tech infused yet uplifting notes that Gonzalo was delivering hitting the mark with every twist & turn we were trading with those around us, which included a collection of faithfull’s positioning themselves for the incumbent Steve Pitron who was due to take over the reins from Gonzalo in his now regular slot of 9 a.m. Seeing these familiar faces gathering signalled a respite before what would become an all consuming two hours of fever pitch paced & dizzy dancing dervishness to the mixing maestro at work, as we headed out back to where our experience stared, the Terrace room, where the Sharp Boys were right in the middle of handing over to the house hero Hifi Sean, whose stints in this special space always prove a real hit and were sure to do the same yet again. Plus having been promised that the doors onto the outside space would be swung open, we weren’t to be disappointed, as new Beyond promoter James Brewer, ensured our wishes were his command, especially as by now the sun was shining and the magical feel of alfresco dancing on the tables as well as throngs of party goers mingling to soak up the incredible atmosphere only served to spur Sean on, who treated us to some wonderfully wax lyrical tunes that had us burning up our spot in satisfying showmanship style dance steps.

But it wasn’t long before we found ourselves back in our favoured position on the main floor with Steve Pitron now in charge of the decks and Logan’s gorgeous dancers poised on the podiums ready to impress with the energetic & striking moves to the musical mastery that was unfolding. And what an awe inspiring selection of sounds were we then treated to as a whole string of terrific tunes were played to please over the next mesmeric two hours of dance delirium, including massive dance floor hits “Release Me”, “Acapella”, “Here Comes The Rain Again” & “Downpipe”, all receiving rapturous whoops & cheers from a crowd that nevertheless seemed different & somewhat strange to the usual incredibly enthusiastic bunch we have come to expect at Beyond. Undeterred, Steve continued to pour out track after track that had us moving magnificently and to the surprise & gaze of those around us, emulating the moves of the gorgeous go-go muscle hunks shimmering under the incredible Area lighting and effects, which included ticker tape explosions and ceiling height whizzing rockets, all released in time with the crescendo moments of Steve’s superb selections that also featured one of favourite records of now, Dave Ramone’s brilliant mix treatment of Edward Maya’s “Stereo Love”, which is fast becoming one of those Pitron anthems that are so trademark of the vitality & energy that he creates behind the decks like no other.

Our morning was now in full swing and our enthusiasm for this breathtakingly brilliant Beyond at dizzy heights, especially when the star resident jock that would see us into Sunday afternoon arrived, Alan K popping his head above the D.J. booth parapet, spotting us and then jaunting out to say hello with the look of pure excitement on his face and ready to increase the pace of our already chanter pumping heart with his unique and skilful multi mixing, which on this occasion had the added dimension of a D.J. pal (the name escapes us) going back-to back with him during what was a totally fun filled & frenetic remaining two hours of our stay at Area. Not only were we treated to some wonderful Alan renditions of hands in the air floor fillers, mixed in with new versions of old classics from his partner in D.J. crime, but when yet another new & incredible mix version of Zoe Baldwin’s huge hit was lined up, the whole main room once again exploded in roars & cheers to what has become probably the most prolific & popular tune that, in over twelve months since its release, still captures the imagination and invokes the biggest reaction of any record we know, “Release Me” hitting our sweet spot every time and one which we never become bored of being all the more brilliant in the hands of the mixing master that is Mr K.

With Alan steering us way past midday and with no real respite in the atmosphere, our stay at Beyond was destined to see us dance right through until the final moments, a rarity for us but nevertheless a culmination of over six hours of scintillating sounds served up by some of the best D.J.’s on the gAylist London circuit and left us more than satisfied with our lot. So, collecting our belongings we eventually tore ourselves away from Area to sink into a restful Sunday afternoon, although upon trying to escape the clutches of this audacious afterhours, we were spotted by a lively Tom, whom we had traded chit chats on the outside space during the brief moments we escaped the prolific proceedings inside, who without too much arm twisting, persuaded us to continue of “Love Weekend” of activity across Vauxhall at Later, turning up at Fire to the welcoming yet amazed arms of Naomi, Steve, Paul Heron & Mikey D, all who had partied hard themselves at Area beforehand.

Reflecting as we have, over two weeks since this bountiful Beyond as part of the special “Love Weekend”, memories of outing are still crystal clear in our mind and despite the somewhat strange feel to the crowd, yet again all the D.J.’s delivered impeccably and entertaining us impressively from start to finish. Not only were we delighted to see the old feel of the Terrace room recaptured, courtesy of the doors being swung open, but were equally impressed with new promoter James Brewer’s attentiveness right across the club throughout the whole morning and it seems that Beyond is definitely in safe hands under his control, James picking up the intact & incredible legacy left behind by the super Steven Sharp. Yes it is fair to say that Beyond has a readymade captive audience, but in no way is it resting on its laurels, moreover continuing to strive to deliver the very best experience that sees it remain at the top of its game, plus is still ours and many people’s top choice clubbing destination. Bravo Beyond, we were definitely “bowled over & breathless”. (DISCO MATT)

"Loving The Love-In" - Lovechild @ The Love Weekend - Club Review

“LOVING THE LOVE IN”
LOVECHILD @ THE LOVE WEEKEND – SATURDAY 15TH MAY
CLUB REVIEW


With a weekend that had “love” central to its theme, it came as no surprise that the clubbing brand that was bang slap in the middle of the line up was Alex Erfan’s Lovechild, the brand that hit the capital back in February 2009 as a Sunday t-dance style event at Pacha in Victoria, but found new legs south of the river in the capable hands of latest host venue Fire, which certainly added the oomph required, also giving the team the flexibility required to re-position the club as a Saturday night offering. And despite the ravages of recent tough economic trading conditions that have even impacted on the erstwhile unaffected pink pound market, Lovechild has certainly held its own, with some exceptional outings that have included the Fire launch back in November, the follow up party in December & the “Wet” affair just last month, but how would this latest party in the Lovechild chain of events fare? Was success tripping off the tongue? Or did it got lost in translation?

Having risen for our over indulgent slumber, originally intended to be a mere disco nap, we were certainly raring to rev up our weekend and with glad rags on, we headed in the direction of Vauxhall for a rendezvous with Industri pal & cougar extraordinaire (in house joke) Stephen, who had light-footed it from a local stag do, to fit in a small slice of the “Love Weekend” courtesy of Lovechild at Fire. Meeting at the door and being greeted by the engaging Jerry Boston, resplendent in his striking pseudo drag style mohican wig & equally fetching attire, we were inside the club in a trice, although not before saying our hello’s to the ever welcoming Simon Patrick, who was masterminding everyone’s smooth entry to the club as always.

Once inside and having deposited our bits & bobs into the coatcheck, we headed down onto the main room space, refreshments in hand, to investigate this latest Lovechild “love-in” and were immediately struck by the stunning production, not to mention the incredible visuals on the plethora of screens, helping to elevate the atmosphere and draw in the crowd to revel in the superb sounds emanating from the massive speakers. And who was responsible for those superb sounds, who indeed, as we approached the D.J. booth to find Stewart Who? behind the decks, the man that has, over the years, entertained us with his diverse musical tastes, whether it be a nostalgic nod to the disco drenched 70’s & 80’s or the more toughened up-to date house tunes, this man’s repertoire has it all and he really stole the show in the Hustlaball room at the official afterparty back at the beginning of May, treating us to a mesmeric minefield of magical music and rocking the Mirrorarch room to its foundations with his stupendous set. However, finding him in the main room slot, here at Lovechild, was a little surprising, as we had expected him to be taking hold of the Contact room, but were, nevertheless please to see him out in the thick of the action where he belonged.

But, we wanted to continue our foray into this Lovechild “love-in” and headed for the lounge space, to find the room full with funky house hunters, lapping up the sounds being served up by Lovechild newbie Leo T, who was very much in the groove, delighting his audience with a truly uplifting yet funky chain of tunes that has the lounge well & truly pumping. With pal Stephen off to powder his nose (not in that way naughty!), we were back into the main room to lap up the delights of Stewart behind the decks and just in time, as one of the sexiest go-go dancers we have seen, ever, appeared along with his fellow dancers, then to our extreme pleasure took to the podium adjacent to where we were dancing, leaving us gauping in envy at his bronzed and beautiful torso, all the go-go’s dressed in sexy Greco/Roman attire, their faces hidden by black warrior type masks, adding to the truly horny, sexy & seductive vibes they were exuding, particularly our man (well not ours really...we wish!) resplendent on the podium next to us. With Stephen back and now very much in cougar mode (all will be revealed), we were well into our stride and feeling very “loved in” at Lovechild, although with the Contact room opening delayed, it felt more like a walkway where we were standing and a slightly disappointed yet jovial Phil Hewson joined us for a boogie, waiting in anticipation for the space to open and then with D.J. pal Alessandro joining the fray & showing his Sicilian exuberance, stripped the doors to the contact room of their misleading signage, bending us double in hysterics.

But all focus was on the main room and the arrival of Spanish guest D.J. Albert Neve, bringing with him an impressive reputation both in the D.J. and producing game. although with the thought in the back of our minds that in-bound Spanish D.J.’s rarely hit the mark and fulfil their promise. However, from the minute Mr Neve hit the Lovechild decks, we knew we were in for a treat, as one tune after the next elevated the already pumping atmosphere left behind by Stewart Who?, and the room well & truly ignited with magnificent laser lighting & pyrotechnics to compliment the tremendous tunes Albert was serving up, one track after the next, fulsome, flamboyant & fantastic. And talking about those three f’s, that was exactly what the P.A. Kaysee was, taking to the stage in the main room and immediately rousing the audience with her powerful vocal presence and then belting out a rendition of the new smash hit release, “She Won’t Give Up”, as well as “She Loves” (very appropriate), both recorded & produced by Albert and sounding superb in this Fire space, she also treating the now packed main room to her own interesting version of Toca’s “Miracle” which blended a few other lyrics in to keep us on our toes.

With the P.A. over, it wasn’t long before the much anticipated & awaited Contact room opened up and we, along with hoards of others, poured in, Phil Hewson now having his moment (deservedly so) and set about injecting some real pace into this seductive space, laying down some serious sounds that had us dancing in an instant. Settling into our usual spot just shy of the D.J. booth, we soon bumped into Lovechild’ers Roni Inan, Danny Shubert and the toned down Jerry Boston, as well as the man himself, Alex Erfan, who was now relaxing into the night and enjoying himself, while Pal Stephen was also in full stride, effecting his hilarious cougar moves on us, claws prone and his advances & swipes leaving us in fits of laughter (it's a long story!), his vampire inspired t-shirt seemingly all the more fitting with every move (well at least he didn’t draw blood). But antics aside, the room was soon full, many displacing from the main room, but soaking the appealing atmosphere & Phil’s tunes.

But yet more was to come, as international megastar Paul Heron arrived to assume the decks and took the music to new heights, delivering a tech infused yet rapturously hard hitting set, with tinges of more mainstream floor filling sounds like “Downpipe” (there’s a story in that too!) as well as more underground inspired sounds, the man in his element behind the decks, exuding his enthusiasm for his art with characteristic movements in time with the tracks, reflecting the mood in the room, which was nothing short of electric with excitement. Then the surprise of the night unfolded before our eyes as pal Stephen disappeared into the playroom, much to the surprise of both us and Paul Heron, jaws dropped when he re-appeared from the darkened space, the look of naughtiness on his face. But our attention was soon back on the marvellous music Paul was entertaining us with and even the cries of the fourth leg of the “Love Weekend” across Vauxhall couldn’t tear us away, rather seeing out Paul’s set right to the end (and not for the first time this month!), so good it was.

Ending on a superb high, what did we think of this Lovechild “love-in”? and what were the answers to the questions we posed earlier? Well, it would be fair to say that it wasn’t the busiest one we had been to, but with enough to overspill the main room and then the contact space, it worked out reasonably well. But what worked much better were the performances from the D.J.’s, not least guest star Albert Neve who impressed immensely, following up on a stellar set from Stewart Who? But once again, Paul Heron proved just why he is in such demand across the globe, as he proved more than his worth and was our true star of the show, although that was taking nothing away from Phil Hewson, who also hit our sweet spot, as did the brilliant P.A. from Kaysee, she very worthy of her huge billing & reputation. However, the most magical moment has to go to that drop dead gorgeous dancer (one track mind or what!) and he will be one of many reasons why we will be back for more at the next Lovechild outing. (DISCO MATT)

"Oh To Be In Love" - The Love Weekend - Special Club/Event Review/Overview

“OH TO BE IN LOVE”
THE LOVE WEEKEND – FRIDAY 14TH TO SUNDAY 16TH MAY
SPECIAL CLUB/EVENT REVIEW/OVERVIEW


There is something extra special about that feeling of love, not just the rush of emotions running around your head, your heart pumping that extra beat, but the sheer feeling of happiness & euphoria that comes with falling for someone or for something, meaning that the feeling of love is like no other sensation for us, it ignites a real spark & injects unparalleled levels of excitement into our bodies. Whilst they say that the first love is sometimes the deepest, it is fair to say, that in lots of ways, we fall in love nearly every weekend, in love with the amazing variety & brilliance of clubs we have before us in gAylist/land London, in love with the amazing music on offer in our clubs & hot spots, in love with the people that deliver it all, but most of all in love with life and for being party to all this lovely loveness. So when news hit our desks of a weekend dedicated to love, we simply couldn’t resist throwing our heart & soul into it all.

The concept of throwing a whole collection of events into one massive weekend is nothing new, in fact circuit festivalling as it is more commonly known as is an activity that is part of clubbing culture right across the world, a great example being the huge week long party held in Barcelona each August, However, London is not necessarily renowned for this type of clubbing, yes it has held massive warehouse parties in the past, remember Famous Five out at Bagley’s in Kings Cross, it has often combined club brands under one roof, an event like Universe being a good example, but stringing a series of parties together is something we haven’t come across in the capital for a long time, so the thought of one such happening was definitely wetting our appetite for an enormous weekend of clubbing activity and with the clubs in close proximity, it made for an even more palatable prospect.

So, where and when did it kick off?, well as all weekends generally start, the when was on the Friday (mind you ours usually gets going on a Thursday, naughty!) and the where was the club that seems to be the talk of the town at the moment, Onyx at Area, which was launched by Steven Gellar to critical acclaim back in the summer of 2009 and reached award winning status, but just seems to be going from strength to strength under the steership of new promoter kid on the block, Jonny Marsh. And starting the “Love Weekend” here was a perfect choice, not least that its home, Area, has built a reputation not just for its magnificent lighting, pyrotechnics & visuals, but for sporting some truly great parties & club brands, Onyx rightfully taking its place amongst the elite and in many ways transforming Friday clubbing in the capital. With a host of resident D.J.’s including Phil Marriot, Jamie Hammond, Ariel & Lisa German, the three rooms of fun offer an exciting mix of house genres to delight the truly eclectic crowd the night draws in and this Friday was no exception, as we swooped in on Onyx for a brief yet thrilling look at its “Love” offering.

With the Terrace bar room filled with party goers waiting in anticipation for the inbound Lisa German to stoke up the sounds with a tech infused set, we squeezed our way past the mass of bodies that were cramming the corridor into the middle Blackbox room, where an altogether more uplifting & disco tinged musical direction had the space packed. We headed straight for the D.J. booth to find the joyful & smiling Lee Harris behind the decks, treating the masses to some seriously sparkling sounds that also had us dancing in a jiffy. But, as good as Lee’s performance was & as brilliant as the atmosphere was difficult to resist, we were soon main room bound, where returning guest D.J., the Italian stallion himself, Pagano, was in charge of the tunes, delivering an altogether more tantalising & trippier string of sounds, that saw the main room swell to capacity right before our eyes, the trademark Area lighting & effects swinging into action, complimenting the masters work behind the decks. So the scene was set for yet another spectacular Onyx party, taking the huge packed crowd of clubbers deep into Saturday morning and starting the “Love Weekend” off in superb style.

The next instalment was A.M., the Friday afterhours at Fire which has been pulling in punters and then pouring them out into Saturday lunchtime fulfilled with an outrageous & overt experience to match no other. Since A.M. was launched back in 2000, it has, week in week out, provided that niche gap for those that simply want to extend their partying beyond Friday night and the special synchronisation of sounds from resident D.J.’s David Jminez, The Oli, Paul Martin, D’Johnny, Jamie Head & Alan K, have proven irresistible for many and indeed, in the early days, we used to make our weekly homage to Vauxhall especially for this audacious outing and more recently having enjoyed an awesome 9th Birthday celebration that certainly left is wanting more. But in the “Love Weekend”, A.M. was going to be something extra special, as the resident D.J.’s were being joined by no one, but two incredible international stars of the decks, Eduardo De la Torre & Paul Heron. But with all plans laid to waste, a quick trip home to change, found us napping well beyond dawn & missing out on a simply spectacular & stupendous party, with the two guests truly captivating the crowds & adding superbly to the stellar performances of the resident jocks. However, all was not lost as the event was captured in a brilliant video which gives a real feel & insight to just what a terrific party it was, so take a look at http://facebook.com/?ref=home#!/video/video.php?v=433480385983&ref=mf

Having recovered from our momentary slumber, we geared ourselves up for the further instalments in this massive weekend of love, first shimmying down to Fire on Saturday night for what turned about to be a very enjoyable Lovechild, with Albert Neve, P.A. Kaysee & Paul Heron huge highlights in an altogether engaging gathering, which was followed by the holy grail style homage to Beyond, this club once again proving why it is such a draw, both parties getting our full review focus and deservedly so. However, as has been the trend of recent times, the club that not only proved to be the most wonderful end to the quintet of “Love Weekend” events, but once again came into its own, delivering delightful debaucherous & decadent deep cuts of action, was Later at Fire, making the most of the Beyond crowd that wanted their weekend of partying to continue unabated, but also drawing in those who had either rested or chose to spice up their Sunday. And this has been very much the ingredient of the club, since its launch some seven years ago, which has seen Later consistently deliver an afternoon of audacious action week in week out.

It was certainly true of this “Love Weekend” too, as we arrived at just turned 1 p.m., accompanied to the door by fabulous friend & companion Tom, who had persuaded us to complete what turned out to be a quartet rather than a quintet of clubs, but nevertheless resulted in an auspicious end to a very enjoyable weekend. Right from the minute we entered Later & the Mirrorarch room, we knew we were in for a treat, being welcomed by the angelic Naomi & the stupendous Steve Pitron, who had delighted us with another stormer of a set back in Beyond. Inquisitive as to whether we had been to bed, a surprised Steve seemed impressed we had not and with refreshing energy boosting drink in hand, we soon sped onto the dancefloor to soak up the scintillating sounds being sent our way by the man behind the decks, Jon Bills, who was treating us to some of our tip top favourite tunes, including a couple of Soul Avergerz’s classics, “Drop The Bomb” & “Shame” causing us to dance deliriously on our spot within a packed out space, soon joined by Steve & co, as well as Paul Heron who, like us, was making the most of this love weekend. But the afternoon was only going to get better, as first guest D.J. Mikey D took to the decks to take up the gauntlet laid down by a departing Mr Bills, taking us to dizzier heights with a delicious & heavenly house music drenched stunner of a set, but was then followed by resident Terry Bryan who rounded off a purple patch & perfect Later to well & truly savour, a gathering that promoter Jay & his team should be proud of.

So, what was our verdict on the “Love Weekend” and what were the real highlights? Well, given the fact that it was the middle of the month and particularly one sandwiched between two bank holidays, the numbers at all five parties were very impressive. Yes, it seemed like a bit of an Orange group love-in, but the theme was very much about “Love” and in offering five fantastic events as one massive party for the phenomenal price of £20, the organisation was definitely spreading the love this weekend. As for the highlights, well Onyx yet again delivered in virtually every department, we were told countless times just how good A.M. was, with Eduardo & Paul delighting the audience and Lovechild had sparks of brilliance, Albert Neve in particular impressing us with his performance.

But as is usually the case, it was all about Sunday for us, as not only did Beyond leave us breathless, but Later saw to it that our weekend finished on a real high note. We can hear some of you say, “...this “Love Weekend” was just about Fire & Area...”, but you know, two better venues you couldn’t have asked for, plus we were impressed by offering from the selection from the cream of the crop of D.J.’s, all that ensured the music offer was top notch. And of those we witnessed, well Pagano was definitely up there, Paul Heron had us moving & grooving like a good-un, Jon Bills hit plenty of our sweet spots, but once again it was those Beyond boys that really did it for us. Not only was Steve’s set surreal, but Alan’s multi mixing was magical and whilst Mikey was in Later territory, he laid down a set that would have been just at home in the main room at Beyond, so good were his track selections. Were we once again in love? you bet ya, loving the music, loving the people, loving the clubbing and loving the weekend!! (DISCO MATT)

"Awesome Afterparty" - Orange/Hustla-The Temple Of The Pharaohs - Club Review

“AWESOME AFTERPARTY” –
ORANGE/HUSTLA-THE TEMPLE OF THE PHARAOHS
MONDAY 3RD MAY
CLUB REVIEW


Looking back over the number of bank holidays we have enjoyed on the gAylist clubbing scene in London in recent times, there is generally one club that rounds off our weekend in style. It is true that a few other protagonists have tried to steal the crown of excellence, but have failed to wrestle the prize away from the one that does it for us. So, when news came through that it would be joining forces with Hustlaball to provide them with a fun-filled frolic of an afterhours event, despite nursing wounds from an accident & still in recovery mode from an illness, the temptation to make our immediate future a little brighter in the hands of Orange was too much to resist, especially given the immensely strong D.J. line up that was spread across five rooms of action, with Jodie Harsh’s “Circus” club joining in the fun, it was going to take wild horses to keep us away.

So, with our leathers replaced by our regular clubbing gear and our batteries rejuvenated from our exploits at Hustlaball, we met up with clubbing pal Jason at the head of the queue into Fire’s “lightbox” entrance, a more unconventional way of entering the club, although it was clear the plan was to slowly open the various spaces backward from the new Raw room, eventually stretching right across to the lounge, over what is one incredible expanse & variety of rooms. Having been greeted at the door by Orange’s own Stephen Sharp, we were through past the developing queue in a trice, and with the new coatcheck efficiently handling our rather large bag, we were inside and savouring the new room before you could say “Orange-Hustla”, or maybe more like “The Temple Of The Pharaohs”, well it was very swift put it that way. And was it a delightful little space or what, perfectly formed with the super sound and lavish decor & lighting, the elevated D.J. booth sporting Terry Bryan behind the decks, he delivering a delectable collection of chunky tunes that had the space well & truly pumping. Having caught his eye, we soaked up one fabulous tune after the next, this space & Terry’s music proving the most perfect start to this Orange-Hustla afterparty anarchy.

But, we were keen to venture across into the other rooms and first falling on the Lightbox after bumping into Matinee & SuperMartXe pals, as well as friends Benoit Cliniot, we decided to indulge in a bit of “Circus” style sashaying in the hands of Jodie Harsh & co, advancing into the room and find the fabulous Kris Di Angelis behind the decks, spinning some sensational uplifting sounds that got our disco feet moving & grooving in an instant, Kris thrilled to see us after so long, the feeling being mutual and while the room only had a smattering of faithful bopping away, the atmosphere was still quite enchanting. However, our forays further soon saw us head into the Mirrorarch room, which had been set aside for Hustlaball and with an extremely appetising D.J. line up, the space being kicked off by Stewart Whoo, a scene stalwart that has entertained us on many occasions across the years & was a welcome addition to the line-up. And it was clear he was revelling in his inclusion, treating us to some stonkingly funky & chunky house tunes, that had the room absolutely pumping in adoration of his selections, we lapping up every morsel of magical music, fierce partner in crime Lexi, joining us to well & truly get down the brilliant beats, even Hustlaball honcho’s Roni Inan, Danny Shubert, Jerry Boston & the man himself, Alex Erfan, delighting in the wonders of Stewart’s performance.

So now the scene was set for yet another amazing Orange gathering with the added Hustlaball ingredients and with the music doing much of the talking in the Mirrorarch, we were going nowhere else, especially given Mr Whoo’s scintillating set, which paved the way for the legendary Alan X, the man taking up the gauntlet laid down before him in magnificent style, delivering one incredible track after the next, evoking for us, memories of classic moments in his hands at Crash & Beyond way back when, but his sound selections still having that fresh feel. With our corner feeling more like a D.J’s harem, Hugh Stevenson in close call, Eduardo De La Torre & boyf lapping up the fun, Stewart very much in party mood following his set, even incumbent guests Steven Redant & Jack Chang arriving & soaking up the splendour of this arousing afterparty we were certainly in regal company while we danced away to Alan’s superb set. And, as we sought some refreshments at the bar, yet more D.J. pals popped up, Lee Harris of Lovechild fame and a truly enthusiastic Jamie Hammond, with whom we spent a few moments catching up on news of Onyx’s parties & new record releases.

Our eyes were now on the main room which had swung into action and with The Oli injecting an Orange flavoured feel to the space, dishing up some fabulous funky electro tainted & vocal drenched house tunes, complimented by the luminous lasers & vivacious visuals that saw the room fill with a crowd very much ready to see their party activity stretch deep into Monday afternoon, settling into the room and lapping up the special feeling of the space. We were soon joined by pal Benoit who remarked just what a great time he was having, dancing away to the far more uplifting beats akin to his taste, then a further rendezvous with D.J. Nick Tcherniak, who had been given a free pass to enjoy himself at this Orange-Hustla gathering, Nick’s naughty partner Tom in tow, also gearing up to boogie way past brunch and it was the main room that got the lion’s share of our devotion as The Oli’s prolific performance gave way to a superb showing from George Sharp, which it itself paved the way for the plu-perfect Pitron.

However, we wanted to check out the lounge space too and before the arrival of mister maestro, we headed through to catch Mikey D on the decks, spinning a soother & smoother version of the scintillating sets we often get privileged to witness at Beyond, he also featuring regularly at Orange bank holiday bashes and treating us to alternative vibes, his Easter set over at Area being a perfect example. And, here he was doing it again, the delectably different groves really hitting our sweet spot as well as those around us, only heightened when an amazing new version of our fave dancefloor track “Release Me” excited the atmosphere to fever pitch, the band of merry revellers around showing their appreciation with a dervish of dancing moves, creating an extra special feel to this lovely lounge space. However, the magic of our maestro wasn’t going to keep us away from the main space, so back into a pulsating room we went & with Steve in position, we were once again in awe as record after record, track after track & tune after tune had us in dancing heaven, our weary legs rejuvenated and our heart beating in ecstatic admiration of the mesmeric music, characteristic uplifting huge vocal fuelled electro tainted house hits including a rendition of “Rising” a new version of the awesome “Addicted” and naturally the full on version remix of “Release Me”, all sending the crowd wild and afterparty experience all but complete. And with dancers aloft the podiums including the lovely Naomi, we knew in an instant that we were witnessing & part of yet another brilliant Orange bank holiday bash.

But it was far from over as friend Graham joined us on the main floor adding hilarity & fun to proceedings, trading dancing moves, high kicks and a whole paraphernalia of amusing antics that had us in stitches, injecting yet more energy & passion into our experience and before we knew it its was Paul Heron’s turn to continue the party vibe, although not before we were tempted outside for a catch up and break before our final leg of this amazing frolic with Orange’s pharaohs themed event. However, our trip outside proved a little longer than planned, as a sudden hail storm besieged us and revellers dived for cover, many not wishing to get caught in the wet running to the only remaining entrance to get back into the action, although it wasn’t long before we found ourselves back inside and lapping up the final hour or so of Paul’s set, a slightly harder edged tech infused journey of sound but with some rousing tunes, like the brilliant “Downpipe”, that saw us making it through to the end, finishing off our dancing frolics next to Trade baby pal Rob. And with the final record fading, we had made it from start to finish of this superb afterparty, clocking up an incredible sixteen hours of virtual non-stop dancing in the hands of Hustlaball & Orange, resisting calls to continue the mayhem at Later in Area, rather sauntering, satisfied our weekend ended in superb style.

In concluding, there are few words that could give justice to just how good the Hustlaball afterparty “Orange/Hustla – The Temple Of The Pharaohs” was, however, terrific, ecstatic, & fantastic are three, incredible, phenomenal & wonderful are three others and from the minute we stepped into Fire, until the moment we waved bye to our chums to head home, we had a simply enchanting time, courtesy of magnificent music supplied by a string of D.J’s that performed excellently, Terry Bryan, Kris Di Angelis, Stewart Whoo, Alan X, Mikey D, Steve Pitron & Paul Heron, all topping our list, that in itself speaking volumes. But it was also the superb company we kept throughout that once again made this bank holiday outing on the wild side special and testament to the fact that when it comes to having fun, it’s difficult to beat Orange for ending our weekend on a high, whether it be at Fire or Area, both the Easter party and this one real highlights of our year so far, meaning that, come the next bank holiday, we will be looking out for another reason to end our three days of frolicking in the hands of promoter Steven Sharp’s citric splendour, bring it on! (DISCO MATT)

"Hard, Hung & Hyper - Hustlaball - Club Review

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"Wonderfully Wet" - Lovechild - Club Review

“WONDERFULLY WET” – LOVECHILD
SATURDAY 17TH APRIL
CLUB REVIEW


Now, when it comes to complete transformations & change in fortunes, it is rare to see such prolific advancements than we have seen in clubbing brands across what is both a very active & competitive gAylist clubbing scene in London. It seems that well established brands still tend to steal the limelight and attract the lion’s share of the crowds, but in Lovechild, we have seen one of the most amazing advancements, following the promoters decision to move the brand into Fire at Vauxhall, a venue that has been a popular hotbed of activity for most of the decade, sporting some of the biggest club nights. In the short time it has played host to Alex Erfan’s cornerstone club brand in his “presents” family, Fire has allowed Lovechild to really find a new identity, help the team push the boundaries a little and introduce fresh new ideas to compliment the feel of the night. And with its latest party, Lovechild “Wet” that was exactly what was promised, so did it fulfil expectations?

Having savoured a snapshot of the Lovechild mood at the pre-party, held on the Friday at Rupert Street bar in Soho, in the capable musical hands of D.J. Alessandro, we decided on the night itself to head to Barcode Vauxhall for a small warm up before hitting the event proper. Bumping into D.J. cheeky minx Steven Artis, the pattern for the night was quickly established, as his naughty advances got us right in the mood & the “wet” theme of Lovechild was definitely intriguing both of us, we having resisted the temptation to get some inside information on the planned installation of showers (yes you heard us right), rather preferring to be surprised by the effect. However, the anticipation was too much, so downing refreshments, we headed down to Fire and a smoothly negotiated entrance to this latest instalment of the luscious loveliness that has become Lovechild, arriving at just turned midnight & being greeted at the door by the welcoming Simon Patrick, who ensured our smooth & speedy passage, once being inside it was a mere minute before our bits & bobs where checked in and we were free to start our night proper.

Moving down onto the main floor, the space was slowly beginning to fill out with party goers that also seemed quite intrigued about the “wet” theme and you could feel the air of excitement within the atmosphere, all being helped along by the wonderful Phil Hewson, who was delivering a delightful dishful of disc’s, uplifting & funky house tunes to really get the party going. Making ourselves known but not wishing to interrupt his flow, a quick peck on the cheek was enough acknowledgement and we retired into the “love” lounge, where Egg’s resident D.J, the enchanting Gabriele Cutrano, was serving up some funky yet soulful house sounds to give the room a real seductive feel. We paused for a moment or two, waving across at the booth and then turning as our shoulder was tapped by Roni Inan, as always dressed really smartly and looking excited about the night ahead, Danny Shubert by his side and both really pleased to see us and it wasn’t long before the man himself flew in, promoter Alex Erfan, who seemed suitably calm and collective, even given the radical shower installation in the aptly named “contact wet” room, that was as yet untested.

And that’s where we were next headed, the space not yet open but Alex keen to give us a guided tour and seeing the shower display in the flesh, we immediately recognised that it would definitely make a considerable splash. Waiting in the wings and preparing for his set was Australian guest D.J. Johan Khoury, who came bounding up to say hello, immediately making us feel weak at the knees with his good looks & antipodean charm, although with his set about to start, he soon had to disappear behind the decks to get ready, although in an instant we knew exactly where we were going to be for the next two hours at least. Then, with the “contact” room firing into action, the choice was pretty straightforward, as Johan treated us to a superb set, full of uplifting electro tainted & tech infused beats that had us stripped down to our waist, dancing in an instant and quickly drawing in a crowd that saw the room packed and pumping. And, as a result, fellow guest D.J. Danny Bond of The Basemonkey’s, struggled to hold an audience in the main room, while Craig Daniel had a nice collection of cuties (as always) lapping up his laid back & funky sounds in the “love” lounge.

But all eyes were on the “Contact” room, where not only was the shower now in full action, Chris Geary’s gorgeous go-go’s shimmering through the perspex casing definitely making for a unique & drenching display, although, for us, it was the roll tap bath on the stage in front on the D.J. booth that was making the most impact, as go-go, one after the next took their turn to dive in and get fully covered in blue & silver glitter and adding further to the sexual intrigue of their near naked bodies, we by now in prime viewing spot (surprise, surprise) next just right of the D.J. booth. And just in time too, as Pagano arrived, spotting us and giving us a very unusual welcome (too rude to mention) leaving us both aghast & in hysterics, before he took his place behind the decks to deliver on of the best sets we had heard in a long time, a gorgeous mix of progressive & deep sounds, old Pagano favourites mixed in with new stormers that meant we were going nowhere, the bath in front of us still attracting plenty of attention, and Alex & co popping through every now & then to keep us company. However, our inevitable moment of sexual intrigue occurred when fab photographer Chris Jepson appeared and, with curiosity killing the cat, dragged us into the “contact playroom” to see what all the fuss was about, the space certainly fulfilling the brief of sex meeting glamour, although we strangely reluctant to indulge, preferring to reserve our audacious activity on the darkroom side for Hard On!

With D.J. pal Alessandro arriving and having danced virtually for the whole of Pagano’s stupendous set, only brief trips into the main room, where Tony English was re-capturing the crowd with his stirring performance, breaking the Francesco frenetic set service, our night was definitely on heat, in more ways than one, the superb lighting & the magnificent pyrotechnics in the hands of the angelical Dorin, who popped out of his lofted control station briefly to say hello, ensured the “wet” event was certainly meeting expectations. And with Alessandro picking up from where Pagano left, the Italian stallion giving us yet another erotic approach as he stepped down from the D.J. booth (the saucy man!), the magnificent music continued, Alessandro pulling out some real gems from his bag of tools, very much his style of latin infused electro funk with splash of tech that continued to capture the imagination of the crowd.

But the Alan K jungle drums were beating and tempting us into the main room and wow were we in for a treat or what! as what had been a pretty lack-lustre space was now well & truly brimming with gyrating bodies, go-go dancers aloft the podiums, Fire’s main room lasers casting superb spells of enlightening effects on the crowd, flashing in time to the amazing energetic beats that Alan was delivering, making for an altogether electric atmosphere. Making his appearance at Lovechild for the first time, seemed undaunting to Alan, Mr K being right at home in the main space and treating us to a Beyond-esque style closing set that was short of breathtaking, injecting his massive enthusiasm into every track selected, many multi-mixed in true Alan style, the decision to include him in the line up an inspired move by the promoters. But when he played one of our favourite tracks of now, Denis Christopher’s “No More Lies”, we went into stratospheric dancing mode, in pure heaven & absolutely enthralled with the music we were having the honour of lapping up. And the crowd response was the same, the room absolutely kicking virtually right through till the end at 7 a.m., Alan truly deserving his slot at this incredibly fun-filled & wonderful “wet” Lovechild event.

So, what was our verdict on Alex Erfan Presents’ latest offering? And who really did it for us? Well, as we said at the beginning of our review, there is no doubt that Fire is proving to be a brilliant home for Lovechild and the expanse of spaces , the differing feel of the various dance spaces and the popularity of venue has worked like a dream for this luscious clubbing brand. The “contact” room space always seems to work the best, but each of the other two spaces also have their draws, although in the case of this “wet” event, the temptations of the shower installation, the fabulous roll top bath touch, not to mention the scintillating sets from Johan Khoury & Pagano, were too much to resist. However, there can be no doubt that Alan K’s performance blew us away, even the promoters remarked just how good it was and the way he transformed the main room was short of miraculous. So, yes, this Lovechild “wet” was definitely wonderful with a whole host of shining stars that made it so special & we can’t wait for the next party. (DISCO MATT)