"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)

"Brazilian Beats Lauding It In London " - The Week - Club Review

"BRAZILIAN BEATS LAUDING IT IN LONDON”
THE WEEK – SATURDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER
CLUB REVIEW


It would be fair to say that we are lucky to have some amazing home-grown club brands that have made a impact across the world and that we can be proud of, names such as Trade, DTPM, Love Muscle & Crash springing to mind, oh and not forgetting Beyond of course, this Sunday morning afterhours having made more than a splash in Amsterdam & Paris, while the former brands have made it further a-field, destinations including Australia, South Africa & even South America. Now, as much as we can be proud of our British brands, the diversity of our scene is such that we often welcome overseas clubs with open arms, although there has seemingly been a dominance by all things Spanish in this respect, Matinee Space & SuperMartXe ruling supreme in the import stakes, while others like Muccassassina, Nightkomn & Scream only getting a recent look in at specialist event The London Global Dance Festival (LGDF). But the man behind this huge undertaking which dominated the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend, who was also responsible for the NYD success story that was As One, Mr Alex Erfan, had something else up his sleeve, the arrival of a club event in London, this time from Brazil and a brand that is not only a legend in its own country, but had just last month made its mark of Barcelona’s Circuit Festival.

The Week, whilst relatively unknown to the average Joe in London, is simply huge in its home town of Sao Paulo, as well as making considerable waves across Brazil in both Rio & Florianopolis, this club event in South America’s largest city regularly attracting well over 2500 revellers through its doors in a club setting that simply blows the mind, two huge rooms illuminated with wall to wall laser lighting and plenty more besides, plus an outside area sporting a swimming pool & views over Sao Paulo to absolutely die for and we haven’t even touched on the Rio setting yet. And as for the crowd The Week attracts, well you can imagine that it is full to brimming with bare chested Brazilians, handsome & scantily dressed go-go dancing boys, muscular men & gorgeous girls, all who know exactly what having a good time is about, topping all that with magnificent music of the uplifting, funky & fulsome kind, from some of the best looking D.J.’s in the business. So, with this massive brand making strides not just in its home country, but slowly & surely across the globe, London simply had to be on their touring agenda and what better man to make it happen than Mr As One & LGDF himself.

So, with our sights firmly set on Fire and with the prospect of something quite special, at least by London standards, we made our way down to Vauxhall, arriving at the venues doors a little after midnight, negotiating a rather healthy queue of people as eager as us to see just how this Brazilian brand of a club would work in London. With door pleasantries over, we stepped into the club proper, first calling on the coatcheck to drop off our bits & bobs and then grab some refreshments at the bar, meeting almost immediately the delightful Danny Shubert, who was on a relative free reign to enjoy the party, while partner Roni was masterminding proceedings from a background position. With Danny soon off to locate his liege, we headed down into the main room, very much taken a-back by the considerable changes that had been made, the D.J. booth completely moved from its original spot, now standing proud towards the far end of the room, which had been knocked back as far as the building perimeter, a large stage area wrapping around both sides of the booth in readiness for the spectacular carnival of a show that had been promised.

Finding a spot to the left of the D.J. booth, we surveyed the new territory that was Fire’s main room, the most striking addition being a massive LED lighting affair on the back wall, to compliment the banks of video screens down one side & the infamous Fire laser lighting that set off the yellow & green decor & interesting ceiling decor that was certainly making a statement. But much more of a statement was coming from the D.J. both, not so much from his music, which for us was a bit off beat, but from his smouldering good looks, Doug Uim certainly cutting a stride and impressing pal Danny who had rejoined our side. With a quick visit into the lounge space over, we were back in the main room and ready for the duo of Steve Pitron & Mikey D, both who never fail to deliver delectable & majestic music whenever they perform alone, but to get them together and at this The Week party was to be an outstanding highlight. And, do you know what, they delivered in each & every department, track after track mesmerising the crowd and short of lifting the roof off Fire.

But it wasn’t just their music that was making our experience special, as both Steve & Mikey made us feel so much a part of proceedings, Mr Pitron bounding over before his back to back performance, to say hello and share a “who am I speaking to" joke with us, then calling us across to the other side of the booth as his stupendous set with Mikey commenced, even Mr Dower looking over constantly and, having also said his hellos’ yet another quip about his latest compilation release entering into conversation. With the duo in full swing and the main room literally bursting at the seams, also reports coming in the queue outside was stretching up towards Starbucks, the heat from the mesmeric music was one thing, but the heat from the un air conditioned main room was another, so something had to give, the team rolling open the doors to the mirrorarch room early, Doug Uim stepping in ahead of Gonzalo Rivas’s arrival to ease the roadblock that was both the main room and the waiting masses outside.

Now the party was in full swing, the crowd getting bigger & bigger by the minute and the good looking muscle men intermixing with Brazilian boys & classic Fire club kids to create an enticing mix of dance crazy people that just wanted to party. And with the amazing LED display behind the main room D.J. booth firing on all cylinders, displaying Steve’s & Mikey’s names in bright white lights, both stars very were much in their element and loving every minute of it. Then to further add to our euphoria, we were joined by fantastic friend Brent Nicholls, who had his camera in hand ready to take shots of the incumbent stage show, as well as plenty of the other action going on around the club, although it was soon apparent that the full show would not be set in motion until close on 3 a.m., the start of his set next door in the “Latin” lounge, although having Mr Nicholls with both Steve & Mikey, not just under the same roof at the same time, but performing at the same party, was bliss indeed and took us back to the days of Crash, Ultra & the original Beyond, brilliant!.

With Steve & Mikey’s performance coming close to an end, we retreated from the stifling heat of the main room to take a few moments out in the “Latin” lounge before Brent’s set, catching up on news & downing iced refreshments with our pal before he started his stint behind the decks, our devotions from here on in very much torn between Brent in the lounge and Paul Heron in the mirror arch, who had taken over from the might of Gonzalo Rivas and was stirring up some superb sounds of his own. Meanwhile in the main room, the drop dead gorgeous & muscular to boot, Leandro Bekker, had taken charge of the decks, his tougher sounding house finding favour with the Brazilian lot, but the carnival of a show that preceded his full on performance, stole much of the limelight, twelve appropriately dressed dancers parading round the extended stage to samba style sounds that had the crowd cheering in appreciation of the sparkling spectacle. But having savoured the show, our main devotions were to the more Latin flavoured & funky beats Brent was masterminding next door, he pulling plenty of our favourite tunes out of the bag, the room pitching & yawing with followers of funk. Even Industri pal Stephen was getting in on the Latin act, rising to the occasion and swinging around on the dancing pole in the middle of the room, much to our hilarity, although being far braver than us in his escapades.

Such was the brilliance of the party that the time literally flew by, Per Q.X. eventually taking up the main room mantle and Pier Morrorco, who had been enjoying the party, called to duty to step in for a swift departing Mr Heron, the final few moments of our stay occupied with liaisons towards a now off duty Leandro Bekker and Spirit Of Star supremo, the engaging Michel Mau, although with 6 a.m. approaching fast, our attentions were now diverted to forays across Vauxhall at Beyond, a trip we had not made for some time. So, negotiating the very lengthy coatcheck queue to collect our belongings, we waved bye to Brent, eventually leaving Fire and a hugely successful The Week event behind, smiling from ear to ear from this ecstatic experience.

Without doubt we can conclude that in The Week at Fire, Alex Erfan & everyone involved in the organisation of this incredible event very much pulled of one of the best parties we have seen in Fire this year. Not only were we taken a-back by the numbers through the doors, but the music from the top class D.J. line up, definitely delivered to expectations & more. The changes to Fire’s main room were certainly impressive, the LED lighting display shouting out a stunning statement and whilst many would say the London effort wasn’t a patch on those In Sao Paulo & Rio, we thought the party packed a considerable punch, showing the rest of clubland in the capital at least, just how good it can be done at Fire. As for our highlights, well it has to be the spellbinding back-to-back performance by Messrs Dower & Pitron, along with the Latin infused excellence of Brent Nicholls, all three serving to prove that we definitely have top quality D.J.’s in London to match anywhere in the world. The Week definitely did it for us and we can’t wait to see it lauding itself in London again, as we will be there for sure. (DISCO MATT)

"Second Spanish Sunday Smash" - Matinee - Club Review

"SECOND SPANISH SUNDAY SMASH”
MATINEE “OPEN AIR SUMMER PARTY II” –
SUNDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER
CLUB REVIEW


Having been absolutely astounded by the magnificence of Matinee’s new look & style at Ministry of Sound (MOS) back in July, we can safely say that the event of the year so far had definitely set the standard for this Spanish brands new Sunday soiree’s, the terrace theme working like a dream, not only as the weather was kind to promoter Logan Schmitz and his team, but there seemed a real desire for something new & refreshing, Matinee itself craving for its own identity to set it aside from the teams other stable-mate, SuperMartXe. And with the “Open Air Summer Party”, Logan certainly achieved that, not only capturing the mood & captivating his admiring audience, but in MOS, he had found a venue that seemed to suit Matinee well, this even having been a favoured choice of previous promoter Oliver M, when deciding on his next move from Colosseum & Cable.

With MOS certainly delivering first time round and Matinee was very much the talk of the town, mixed fortunes for the Logan presents team over August Bank Holiday seemed to propel to perceived popularity of this second summer special, although planting the event into September, admittedly marrying it with the brands closing parties around the world, was a risky prospect, particularly considering that the success of the “Ibiza Terrace” theme hedging itself against the uncertainty of the capitals climate. But with a D.J. line up stronger than we had seen at a Matinee since Cable, as well as the inclusion of diva vocalist Vanessa Klein, the scene was set for a Second Spanish Summer Smash to match the first and with back up plans to move outside in, should the weather dictate, all was set fair for another magical Matinee full of mesmeric music at MOS. So, how did this second open air summer special turn out? Was it about outside, in or both? And did the Soho Pink Sunday event effect affect Matinee in any way?

Having well & truly sweated it out at Suzie Krueger’s sporty fetish frolic the previous night, a planned trip to Beyond was shelved in favour of finding fresh legs for the extravagance of Matinee’s “Open Air Summer Party II” at MOS and having savoured all the delights of the pre-party just two days previously at the Box in Covent Garden, we were definitely in party mood as we approached the entrance at just before 4 p.m., for us a fashionably late arrival compared with our previous visit in July. With just a small queue to negotiate, as well as a rather over-zealous security guard who felt the need to search under our crotch, we were into the club before you could say “how very dare you” and into the main room to be greeted immediately by a beaming Paul Heron, who reminded us of our camp claim from Hype, before caching up on news of his Mykonos exploits & more recent developments. But with refreshments on our mind, we headed for the bar and then joined Paul & fellow D.J. Hugh Stevenson behind the main room decks, where bello Alesaandro Londra was waving his magical musical wand, the screens showing Matinee parties past & present and the lighting in full swing, illuminating the dancefloor below, a select crowd soaking up his euro & Spanish influenced sounds.

Clearly, however, the emphasis at this relatively early hour in Matinee’s second outing at MOS was on the outside, so with Industri pal Stephen arriving, we headed off the terrace to check out the action, finding a cavorting crowd bopping to the beats that pre-party star Leandro Kloppel was dishing out, an uplifting yet hard hitting collection of chunky tunes to inject some pace & passion to proceedings. Looking around there were plenty of familiar faces already gathered, we spotting Logan’s lot, including, Naomi, Luke, Dilmar, Fabio and, of course the ever smiling Mauricio, who remarked on our Matinee t-shirt and then produced a fresh new black number for us to wear with pride. But plenty more had already gathered, a whole collection of muscular Latino men, gorgeous girls, club kids & much in between, friend & fierce partner in crime, Lexi, catching our attention and immediately trading delightfully extravert dance moves with us, very much setting the standard to things to come. But, whilst the terrace was filling out nicely and the sun shining, the summer heat that was very much evident at the first party was missing, which seemed to affect the atmosphere somewhat, the crowd seemingly more in sociable mood rather than dancing delirium, although as Paul Heron took to the decks, we were certainly poised to prance, over indulgent ducks & dives to the Balearic inspired beats attracting the attention of D.J. pal Micky Galliano, who was determined to get us up onto the podium, while the rebellious Romano was also trading with our affections in his usual mischievous manner.

Taking a moments respite from the ever increasing pace of the party outside, we headed in to pay a visit and were somewhat shocked by the actions of a security guard in the conveniences, who was being far too heavy handed with customers in the cubicles, even pulling one poor individual out and short of making him choke from the shock. Then, on heading back out onto the terrace, yet another incident involving this security guard erupted, as a whole bunch of people getting caught in a commotion which definitely deflated the atmosphere somewhat, although in typical style it was mere moments before Mr Heron had restored the equilibrium & raised the pace back to fever pitch with a selection of sounds that had the terrace rocking, a now off duty Alessandro adding his own element of excitement with continued toots on the infamous air horn that had been so much a part of the previous party. However, as good Paul’s performance was, we had to spread our wings a little, so headed back in to see what delights incumbent main room D.J. Nick Tchernaik had to dish out, but not before catching up with female clubbing friend Michele Thornber, who had not long arrived to savour her own slice of this summer special, like many, remarking on the chillier climate and the shortfall in numbers, although our impression was that this Matinee was much busier than the last.

And arriving inside it was plain to see that many had traded the terrace for the main room, Nick Tcherniak treating his ever increasing audience to a truck load of tremendous tunes, plenty of uplifting & tech fuelled beats to build the dance action, we again finding our dancing feet in an instant, especially when the fabulous Alan X remix of “My People” was belted out, this really signalling a step change in the mood towards this Matinee party, as there seemed to be a sudden surge of arrivals, possibly having peeled off from the Soho Pink Sunday event, which, for us was somewhat an afterthought to the lack of a proper pride party, yet was fortunate that the sun was shining. Such was the excellence of Nick’s set, that we totally missed the P.A. performance outside, the stand –in for an absent Vanessa Klein, the brilliant Abigail Bailey, who apparently more than made up for the missing Spanish diva vocalist, Paul Heron also extending his set to compensate for the non arrival of Matinee resident J Louis, whom we had been informed was stuck in Ibiza with Vanessa following cancelled flights.

But none of this mattered much, as not only has both Nick & Paul treated us to some terrific tunes & pulsating performances, but Michel Mizrahi then took up the mantle inside to really stir the emotions with some electric euro beats that well & truly hit the mark, only to be ousted from his seat by a late arriving Pagano, who was intended to fill the vacant slot outside. But with sound issues halting proceedings on the terrace earlier than expected at 9 p.m., our Italian stallion assumed his position in the main room and with everyone inside, the place ended up absolutely heaving, Mr P pulling out a procession of progressive & pumping beats that truly ignited the party beyond all expectations, we trading spots next to the D.J. booth, dancing with fellow Francesco fan & friend Rob, with moments at the bar with Nick, Michelle & a beaming Fidel Trotman. With plenty more besides deciding to trade yet more dancing moves with us, including the lovely Lexi & the luscious Luke, all this audacious action pretty much wore us out, calling an end to our Matinee experience, but not before we had a battle behind the booth to retrieve our belongings, a jovial & friendly Pagano refusing to let us leave, rather soak up the remaining moments of what was a scintillating set. However, take our leave we had to, slinking out into the a late Sunday evening and waving farewell to as many as we could before heading to Soho to see for ourselves what the pink Sunday fuss had been about.

Looking back on this second Matinee Open Air party, we can say that, despite the cooler climate, plus the complications the team encountered both with missing artists and outside sound issues, it actually made for a very good party indeed. Yes the expectations were high and in some ways that may have be a factor in the rollercoaster atmosphere outside earlier on. But there was no doubt in our mind that that numbers were up on the last event and the later finishing time of midnight was most definitely a hit with the crowd. Given that Soho Pink Sunday was pitched on the same day, didn’t seem to have much of an effect on Matinee in the end and with all the D.J.’s performing brilliantly, Logan & his team can be pleased with themselves for pulling off another excellent party. In MOS, they have definitely found the right home for Matinee, although there still remains the question of the sometimes overpowering security that took a shade of shine off this sparkling end of summer smash, although in saying that, this latest instalment in the history of this Spanish giant in London, once again proved the strength of Matinee as a brand & the surging popularity of Sunday clubbing. Bring on the next one, summer or not, we will be there for sure. (DISCO MATT)