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A Note From The Editor
Publisher: Talal Budebs Managing Partner: Charl Chaka, charlchaka@infusion.ae Editor: Andy Buchan andy@infusion.ae Sales Director: Vip Patel Vip@infusion.ae 050 169 8712 Online Guru: Chris Rayner chris@infusion.ae Contributors: Stephen Day, Sam Moult, Matt Zaharias Design: Gustavo Cordeiro
Summer is coming, and with it comes the fear. It means no more open air clubbing, no more big festivals and no more al fresco partying until October. But it does mean a return to clubbing indoors, with covered clubs like The Basement, Level 41, Pacha, O2, Casa Latina, XL taking the lead, and giving a different feel to the city’s clubbing scene. Whether you’re staying here, or heading overseas, we’ll be here before and after Ramadan to keep you cool during the heat (well, apart from the Angry Monkey).
Infusion is published by Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098 Never miss an issue, get Infusion delivered to your door for just Dhs100 a year. Email info@infusion.ae now!
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Thursday 28th May
Level41, Media One Hotel, Dubai SPECIAL GUESTs//
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WE LOVE
The Basement
Tecom's underground bastion of dance music gets our thumbs up this issue...
Clubbing, at its most basic, its most primal, its most arresting is simple. A dark room with a big soundsystem. And some fistpumping music that makes you want to make love to the dancefloor. And yet, and yet… we’re a city drowning in imported concept clubs, where clubbers will happily spunk thousands on a table with fake mates while cookie-cutter tech-house blares out of the speakers. Don’t get us wrong, we’re grateful for what we’ve had and what we’ve got. iBO, Alpha, Catwalk all had it, and Level 41 and Q Underground do it properly as well. Dark, back to basics rave caves. But this issue’s We Love is dedicated to The Basement, which is currently flying the flag for intelligent dance music, come first, where real music is pumped through the speakers and real people are on the dancefloor. Their resident brands like Secret Circle (we’ve never seen a Monday night even come close in the decade we’ve been running), Shibuya, Covert, De.con.struct and Glitch are all highly credible, bringing underground house and techno to the masses. The Basement: dance music done right, and long may it continue. Shibuya feat. Ralph Lawson, Thursday May 28, 9pm-3am.
LOOKING
BACK Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.
• What We Did • Photo Gallery
Looking Back
What we did PLUS MINUS FEAT. JAMES ZABIELA @ LEVEL 41 By now everyone’s probably already been to a party hosted on Level 41 of the Media One Hotel, but in case you haven’t, we can’t recommend it enough. A dark room, relaxed dress code and no f***ing sparklers in sight, this a place for promoters to cater to music lovers without the posing you get at other clubs, and who better than to throw a gig like this than Plus Minus. Sure, the production was a little rough around the edges. but so is the venue and although you can’t escape tables in this city, at least they were kept out of the way of the dance floor. Gabriel Floriani was the man on warm up duties from midnight and although the room was sweltering, he kept his cool and played out a quality set, keeping things subdued until Zabs was ready to roll. James worked his way through a number of genres, matched only in variety by the technical equipment that he kept pulling out of his bag to work into his performance (and we’re pretty sure we saw a rabbit hiding out in there too). The cluedup crowd was entranced, with the progressive melodic numbers getting a huge response. We were gutted that the wizard only had an hour and a half to work with though - we can’t wait until he’s back in town. UP NEXT:
Friday May 22 - Chris Liebing Friday June 5 - Mathew Jonson
Matt Zaharias
Looking Back
BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE’S 3RD BIRTHDAY FEAT. DIXON & AME Blue Marlin, as we expounded in our We Love feature in the last issue, has got the formula right. On point bookings, residents who get it and a loyal crowd that returns week after week to celebrate all that is good about the music scene in the region. The sun was out, the drinks were flowing and the crowds came, and came to party hard. It was tough to top this season’s big bookings – Luciano, Marco Carola and Papa Sven all spring to mind – but Blue Marlin raised the bar once again and brought in two of the biggest and best DJs
UP NEXT:
currently on the house market, Innervision founders Dixon & Ame. The label bosses set out their stall early and relentlessly banged out pumping tune after pumping tune, wave after wave of quality music, the crowd lapping it up and the front door shut early as the place was at capacity. Once again, Blue Marlin did what they do so well – a packed out day/night party with music at the forefront. I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember my own 3rd birthday: I certainly wont forget theirs. Stephen Day
Friday May 22 - Cocoon feat. Dorian Paic & Ilario Alicante Friday May 29 - Cadenza Showcase
Looking Back
Looking Back BLENDED FEAT. KASABIAN @ MEDIA CITY AMPHITHEATRE
Mosh pits are a rare commodity in this city. Maybe we’re too posh to mosh, but we can count on two hands the number of times we’ve seen a crowd really go for it. And two of those occasions belong to UK indie quartet Kasabian, whose previous gig in the UAE 3 years ago had the front bouncing like Kim K’s assets. This time around was no different as the band all in black – and beanpole bassist Serge in all white – strolled out to a wall of electronic squall at the Media City Amphitheatre. Backed by a string quartet, the touch of band confident on stage they ran launched into ‘Bumblebee’ from their new album 48:13, before seguing into a bouncy ‘Shoot The Runner’ that saw the moshpit start to emerge. Amazingly considering they headlined Glastonbury last year, you could almost get within touching distance of the band as they entered their mid-set period. With Tom decked out in John Lennon round sunglasses, they slowed the set down, with ‘Thick As Thieves’ warping into ‘People Are Strange’ by The Doors, before it ended in a blurred Beatles pastiche. Things then got weird as Serge launched into ‘I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside.’ Not a verse, the whole thing, including a crowd sing-a-long. Normal service was quickly resumed as Tom and Serge started play fighting on stage, before ‘Fire’ emerged with its catch all chorus inciting the mosh pit into furious action. The closer was a knockout punch for the crowd –a cover of Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ which mutated into a raucous ‘L.S.F’ sending the mosh pit into overdrive, and everyone else into beaming, beer-spilling euphoria further out.
Blended feat. Kasabian @ Media City Amphitheatre
Finest Friday feat. Francois K @ Level 41
Club Luxury @ Zinc
Plus Minus feat. James Zabiela @ Level 41
Sun City @ Level 41
Superheroes @ Dek on 8
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LOOKING FORWARD
Where we filter out the best things that are coming your way...
• Local News • Cover Story • Ulterior Motive •Spen • One Love • Guns and Roses • Secret Note • Example • Gig Guide
Looking Forward
Local News NEW CLUB OPENINGS
It’s been relatively quiet on the new club front over the last few months, but worry not – there are two brand new rave spaces opening this month that we’re pretty excited about. First up is The Square, a brand new club opening on the 5th floor of the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel. Open Tuesday and Thursday, they’re bringing a ‘Berlin style party’ to the city, with the emphasis on dancing. Tomas Vindasius, general manager, said: ‘You do not go to SQ to be seen. You go to dance. We say no to commercial nonsense and yes to the best underground music supplied by solid performers.” They open
on Thursday May 21 with house heavyweight Reboot (pictured) returning to the city, joined by Secret Circle resident Aidin Karami. Equally exciting is the news that two-roomed club Stereo Arcade is opening up in the Double Tree by Hilton in JBR. Brought to you by the same party providers as Republique from a few years ago, they’ll be playing a strong mix of 80s/90s music, and – amazingly – they have a huge bank of vintage arcade games in the club, as well as the Angry Monkey bar which will host some of the city’s best live bands. We’ll see you by Street Fighter 2!
Looking Forward CHRIS LIEBING PLAYS PLUS/MINUS
A name synonymous with techno in every sense of the word, Chris Liebing has long employed a barrage of technology to draft his signature sound. The CLR boss and festival mainstay makes his way to Level 41’s warehouse space on Friday May 22 for the consistently on point Plus/Minus crew. His sets have seen him garner accolades from his peers and fans the world over, largely due to his straight up and stripped back brand of techno. Support on the night comes courtesy of a back to back set from Adam (Warped) & Ejaz (Pacha).
BASSWORX GO BRAZILIAN
DnB night Bassworx are signing off for the season with a Brazilian twist as they’ve teamed up with Brazilian Spirit to bring Good Looking DJ L-Sides to Casa Latina on Friday May 29. DJing alongside the Innerground Records star will be Somalie, Anderson Lima, Woodle, Dante and MC JD Odyssey. Entry is Dhs60 including 1 drink, or you can sign up to free guestlist via bassworx-dxb.com.
SHIBUYA HAVE 20/20 VISION Award-winning house night Shibuya return for their season closing party on Thursday May 28 with 20/20 Vision’s main man and UK house star Ralph Lawson as the main guest. The Leeds DJ and producer is one of the main players at Back To Basics, the legendary long running club night that’s been going for more than 20 years in the UK, while he’s also a regular guest at Fabric, The Hacienda, Womb and D-Edge. He’s joined by Mr Mr, Smokingroove and Drinky, with special drink offers from 9-11pm on the night.
MAT ZO MAKES DUBAI DEBUT
One of the most versatile DJs around is making his in the Middle East on Thursday May 28 as Mat Zo touches down at Pacha Ibiza Dubai. Able to turn his hand to trance, techno and drum and bass, he’s a Grammy nominated producer who alongside Porter Robinson had a huge Beatport smash with ‘Easy.’ He’ll be joined by Gavyn Mytchel from London club The Gallery on support.
Looking Forward RUMOURS
• Dubai Music Conference is starting this coming November, a four day industry event celebrating the region’s dance music, including a music festival and party. • Much loved Mexican pub Loca are opening a 2nd venue this summer at Souq Al Bahar. • London station Kiss FM are launching their Kisstory night at Level 41 on June 12.
Big ups to Piknik Electronik: a real home-grown success story with a great array of onpoint international bookings, and rotating roster of homegrown talents. Looking forward to having you back in November already.
Heads up all producers and bands: head to bringthequiet. com and submit your music and you could be part of a very cool new project with your music possibly appearing on a vinyl album from Axe. A sad adios to Raxon, the audio tonic star who’s moved to Barcelona to further his rapidly growing music and DJing career. Best of luck dude!
Ibiza statuses. They’re coming soon, with the opening parties just around the corner. A good time to choose ‘see less from this person’ on Facebook we think... Promoter BS. ‘Party was amazing, so busy, what a vibe.’ Oh wait, there were 50 people there, and you closed the bar at 11.30 as it was so quiet. Shhhhhhh. We were gutted to hear that Eden had temporarily lost their alcohol license a few days before their Martinez Brothers gig, hopefully they’ll be back in action soon!
Digging
Deep A true house music ambassador and one of the longest-lasting DJs on the house market, we caught up with John Digweed ahead of his May 29 date at Pacha‌
Welcome back to the region, how much of a priority is playing the Middle East for you, or other emerging new dance music markets? I think it’s a very important region for me to play in and it’s also a market that is growing year after year. We heard that the last time you played in Abu Dhabi, you didn't play your full set and EDM and urban were played directly after you – is that what happened? Has this happened to you before, how do you react? The club was packed and they told me I could play as long as I wanted, with this in mind I started my set a little deeper in order to build it up. In hindsight it would have been better to just have gone in there and banged it out for 90 mins. Nobody left and I just think they were not expecting that kind of start to my set but also they maybe didn’t realise that the energy would increase the more I played. I did play 90 mins not the 3 hours I thought I was going to play. Everything is cool sometimes, it takes places longer to get their heads around music they don’t know yet. You've had a hugely successful career – why do you think you've lasted through so many years and trend changes?
It’s down to hard work, passion and consistency. I love what I do but also don’t rest on my laurels and I am always pushing myself to find the latest music. And who from the current crop of Djs can you see doing the same? Guy J, Hot Since 82 and Nic Fancuilli spring to mind. Musically, what's exciting you at the moment in the dance music world? I think there is a great mix of deep house to techno tracks from some great producers out there. I love that there is so much variety so you are not stuck with just one sound to play. You've seen the role of the DJ change from a humble party starter through to superstar Djs and now to pop stars – which was your favourite era? And do Djs today believe their own hype too much? To be honest I am one of the lucky ones who have seen it right from the very start and have seen the status of DJs rise from the the humble beginnings to massive global superstars. For me every period has been exciting from not knowing how long it might last at the start to suddenly getting requests to play gigs outside of the UK to playing all over the world. The fact that it is constantly changing and
new faces are always coming in keeps the scene fresh and me on my toes. What helps you stay grounded through your career? I think the fact that it took me a long time to get the success at the start of my career has really made me appreciate what I have and to always deliver 100% at every gig. And what's planned for the summer ahead? I am resident at Pacha in Ibiza for the 3rd year running for the Friday night Insane party which is an amazing party that has grown from strength to strength since it started. I am also playing various festivals and club shows all over the world.
John Digweed factfile
Age: 48 Record label: Runs the peerless Bedrock DJ most likely to go back to back with: Sasha. The pair both rose to fame at the same time (1993 onwards) and have often gone back to back during their career Noted residencies: Twilo (New York), Heaven (London), Kiss FM radio Fun fact: He was one of the first DJs to create a licensed mix compilation, putting Renaissance: The Mix Collection by Sasha & John Digweed out in 1994 John Digweed, Friday May 29, Pacha Ibiza Dubai. 10pm-3am.
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ULTERIOR MOTIVE 12 years is a long time in dance music. In Dubai, 12 years in dance music is a miracle, yet that’s how long DnB night Globalfunk has been punishing bass bins in the city. Ahead of their 12th birthday bash, we caught up with their guest headliners, Fabric favourites Ulterior Motive‌
A very warm welcome to Dubai – has the city ever been on your radar before? Thanks, I’ve always wanted to visit Dubai, not just visit the airport like I have a few times! It's been on my radar for a long time as an old friend moved there years ago. Drum & Bass is a small community so when you hear from other DJs who've played there and how good it is every artist wants to visit.
early in the Ulterior Motive career - it means so much for such an amazing brand/club to be behind you.
And how did you get involved with Metalheadz? And how is Goldie as a boss? We got involved with Metalheadz by sending Goldie “All That We Are”, a tune we did a few years ago with FD. That got signed and Goldie kept an eye on us, eventually offering Sum up the music you play us an album deal. Goldie as a in 5 words… boss is great - he's very hands Funk, Tech, Energy, off creatively, letting the artist Rolling, Credible. do pretty much what they want. As an artist this can be You're playing a 12th birthday very liberating. party – any tunes that you know will go off and do We've had Djs like Wilkinson the job? playing main stages of Yes for sure, you go through festivals out here – is that those times when your record exposure for the DnB scene box is full of amazing new music a good thing, or should it be and luckily this is one of those kept in clubs? times. We have some VIPs and I think it’s definitely a good remixes from our, Lenzman’s thing. Not all drum & bass & Jubei’s albums that always works on the main stage at a go off. festival but obviously a lot does and it’s great exposure for Drum And if you were to get a & Bass, a genre that’s getting present for a DnB night on more and more popular right their 12th birthday, what now. It's a way in for people would it be? who can then dig a little deeper A good vibe is all that’s needed! and find what they really like in the scene. You were asked to mix the Fabric Live series, how much Globalfunk’s 12 birthday, did that mean to you? Thursday May 21, Casa Fabric have supported us from Latina, 9pm-2.45am, Dhs100.
5 minutes with‌
DJ Spen
Baltimore turntable whizz and soulful house champion DJ Spen is the latest booking for boat party turned party provider Sunstroke. We caught up with him ahead of his 360 gig on May 21 to talk Milli Vanilli, DJing at 13 and working with Defected‌ Good to have you back in Dubai, what memories do you have from previous visits here? Ohhhh yeah! I have some great DJing memories and my wife and I spent our 10th anniversary there. So Dubai is very special to me. You've had a very long, successful career in dance music - did you really start when you were 13 years old?! Yes. At the age of 13 was when I actually started in radio and I had my first paying gig at that age as well. You've worked with small and big record labels including Defected - how does the record label business compare with when you first started out, which do you prefer? Record label wise, I prefer the way things are now as opposed to back in the day. As an independent label, even though it's incredibly hard
work, I get to influence every aspect of songs we decide to put out. I've always had a great experience from the creative side of things, but learning the business side is nothing but fascinating to me even though it's proven to be hard work for the amount of return we get these days. From a creative stand point, I definitely prefer the old way of doing things. If you wanted a piece of music back in the day you had to go and purchase it at a record shop. That in itself was a great thing because buying music was a social thing, especially if you were a DJ. Today, that aspect has been taken away. Technology has made it so that you can find anything that you hear without having to leave your smart phone and not have to pay much of anything at all for the music. Sounds strange, but apparently true - Milli Vanilli covered your track 'Girl You
Know It's True' (when you were part of hip hop outfit Numarx) and sold 13 million copies of it? Did you know at the time they weren't quite what they said they were? I had no idea! I knew they were German, but I didn't know that they couldn't speak English or didn't sing in the song at all. That was nothing but a shock to me. And that must have opened a lot of doors at the start of your career? Actually, quite the contrary. We tried writing more songs and shopping them to every label on the planet, but nobody seemed to pay us any attention. The good thing is
that we learned so much about how the music industry ran at an early age that we were able to carry that into the future with us. You're good friends with Karizma who played the same party here in Dubai recently - did he have any feedback for you on what to expect? He said to me that this party was the best one he's played in Dubai! So needless to say I'm excited to see if he's right! I'm looking forward to seeing you guys soon. Sunstroke feat. DJ Spen, Thursday May 21, 360
One Love Ahead of the Wailers return to Dubai on May 21, we caught up with frontman Dwayne ‘Danglin’ Anglin to find out about stepping into Bob’s shoes… What does reggae mean to you? Reggae music is rebel music, that inspires people to fight for their rights... And how has the reggae business changed since Bob’s day, better/worse? I don’t much about the business of reggae. I know about the music. The business is essentially for those who value money over people. All we want is what we earn; nothing more, nothing less. As the lead singer of The Wailers, how does it feel filling Bob’s shoes? No one can fill Bob Marley’s shoes. My job, as required by Family Man, is to help bring Bob’s message to the masses, nothing more. You didn’t start off in the music industry – what were your first few jobs, and how did you get your break into music?
We have a pair of tickets to give away, head to infusion.ae
My first career choice was the military, but music always finds its people. With music I feel a sense of accomplishment when people are positively affected by my songs. For me, there is no greater feeling. What songs get the best reaction? And is there any scope to include new songs, or is that a big no no? It’s hard to choose any one song and say it gets the best reaction. People respond favourably to the entire catalog, which is why this music is so greatly celebrated. We’re always working on new music. As for any pending releases, only Family Man can answer that question. Who would be on your ideal festival line up, past or present? Bob Marley and the Wailers, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac Shakar, Traci Chapman, James Brown. And who’s keeping it real in reggae at the moment? Anyone who respects the origin of the music, and is willing to invest in live instrumentation and professional recordings. Reggae music is meant to inspire positive vibrations; therefore, it can’t be reggae if it is not positive... The Wailers, Irish Village, Thursday May 21, tickets Dhs130.
Guns and Roses Behind the band
When we heard the Guns’n’Roses Experience were playing in town for a couple of shows, we immediately hit Google and decided to put the band’s knowledge to the test…
We have a pair of tickets to give away, head to infusion.ae
During a tour with Motley Crue in 1988, Steven Adler broke his hand, how? - He punched a street light after a bar room brawl. (Correct) True or false, Guns N' Roses once played an entire concert without Axl? - False (Wrong, Axl arrived late to an Alice Cooper opening, and security would not let him in. Slash, Izzy and Duff handled the vocals for the entire show) True or False, Axl was once a choir boy? - True (Correct) What's Axl Rose's real name? - William Bruce Rose Jr (Correct) Which band members haven't been fired, or fired someone else in the band? - Axl Rose. (Trick question, they all have!) How long is it said to have taken the band to write 'Sweet Child O'Mine'? - One Day. (False. 5 minutes according to Slash) Which member of the band had a stalker that claimed she could communicate with him through telepathy? - Duff McKagan (False, it was Axl Rose) How many strings did Slash's first ever guitar have? - One (Correct) Duff McKagan wrote a financial column for which magazine? - Playboy Magazine (Amazingly true, and therefore correct) Guns’n’Roses Experience, Thursday May 21, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, 8pm, Dhs100 Friday May 22, Music Room, Dubai, 9pm, Dhs100.
SECRET CIRCLE SICK NOTE FROM THE DESK OF INFUSION MEDICAL SERVICES May,_____2015 Dear (insert name of boss here) I’m very sorry that I wasn’t able to attend our 9am ‘blue sky thinking’ session this Tuesday morning, or indeed any of the recent Tuesday morning meetings. I’ve sadly been diagnosed with Secret Circle disorder, and my Dr has put me on a course of top quality house music antibiotics to help cure the condition. The symptoms are pretty intense if I forget to take my medicine. I get serious FOMO and even a week off gives me The Basement blues. Thankfully, the medication seems to be working – it’s given me heightened energy, and also given me a reason to be hopeful and optimistic during the week, although apparently there are possibly some liver related side affects, and it can cause insomnia. It might seem odd, but I’m grateful that I’m not alone in suffering this cruel disease – there are about 500 sufferers across the city every week, and that number is growing. As a result of this, my Doctor has signed me off work every Tuesday morning until midday, so please accept my sincere apologies in advance. And if you happen to smell alcohol on my breath on Tuesday when I do come in, it’s just a side affect of the medication, honest. Yours sincerely, (insert your name here) Secret Circle, every Monday, The Basement, 10pm-3am.
Infusion meets Example I want to set the right example for my kid English multi-hypenate (singer-songwriter-rapper) Example recently graced Dubai’s shores once again at Nasimi alongside Goldfish. Our man with a plan, Sam Moult had a chat with him to talk about Twitter, being a Dad and feeling overexposed…
This is your sixth show in the UAE. How has it grown? Has it changed? When I first played in the UAE 3 and a half years ago the line-ups used to be all sorts rather than just EDM. The UAE still seems to be on the same dial as the USA. Over there they seem to be last to get stuff and then they blow it out of proportion. Dubai just feels like home from home but with more hotels and nicer weather. When you play somewhere a few times you know what to do. Just try not to swear here. I treat it like a gig I would do in Ibiza or Mallorca. On Twitter you used to rant a lot. What’s currently irritating you? To be honest, ever since I’ve had a kid I’ve become a lot more chilled out. I know it sounds boring but I have become a lot more positive. When I was single I used to vent my anger on Twitter and social media. But now I want to set the right example, haha, sorry, for my kid. Now I just block people and say “have a nice day”.
How is fatherhood? The main thing it has done is inspire me not to write music about being a Dad but to work harder and dig a little bit deeper to get back to the heights that I was at a few years ago. Over the last year I think I toured too much and wrote catchy songs but didn’t feel that they represented me as much as I would have wanted. On this sixth album there is a lot more rapping and a lot more Elliott in there. You’re taking a break from the live band this year. Is that because you’re changing it? I think I was just overexposed. People have had access to me too easily and I think that I need to go away for a while so that when I come back people will remember why they liked me in the first place. On the fourth and fifth alum I made music that people wanted to hear and I enjoyed it, but now on this new album there is a lot more of me in it. It’s mostly rapping but there’s influences from lots of other aspects; pop, EDM, trap etc.
ON THE THE RADAR ON RADAR
JUNE 4 Nick Warren O2 Club
JUNE 5
JUNE 12 Noir & Jackmaster, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
JUNE 12
Lee Foss, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
Night Vibes feat. Pillow Talk, Story Rooftop
JUNE 5 Plus Minus feat. Mathew Johnson, Level 41
JUNE 12/13 Michael McIntyre, World Trade Centre
For a full list of what’s on, please head to infusion.ae
AUGUST 27/28/29 Hopfest, Irish Village
OCTOBER 2 David August Level 41
SEPTEMBER 17 Spandau Ballet, Trade Centre
Dave Matthews Band Yas Island
SEPTEMBER 25 30 Seconds To Mars World Trade Centre
OCTOBER 8
OCTOBER 30 Sensation Meydan
We’ve re-worked our listings – one-off events will appear in the magazine, for everything else please check infusion.ae for our day-to-day listings. For inclusion, email andy@infusion.ae Pick up a copy from our Infusion Magazine stands at these locations and more across the city Every A+E outlet, Every MMI outlet, Double Decker, Media One, Zero Gravity, 360 club, Casa Latina, Barasti, Pure Sky Lounge, Beatz and Cuts, McGettigans JLT/DWC, Music Room, China White, Nasimi, Story Rooftop, El Fuego, The Basement, Bliss Lounge, Zinc, Pulse, Cinnamon - Raddison, La Terrasse, Fashion Lounge, OcactI, Serafina, Soul Al Bahar, The Scene
THURSDAY 21 Deep Like feat. Jonas Saalbach, Level 5, JW Marriott Marquise
A big double house header with Saalbach playing live, with support from Sasse. 9pm-3am, Dhs100. INFUSION PICK! Globalfunk 12th Birthday feat. Ulterior Motive, Casa Latina One of the longest clubbing brands in the region celebrates its 12 birthday, with Fabric favourites Ulterior Motive dropping some dancefloor destroying drum and bass. 8.45pm-2.45am, Dhs100.
Jay Hardway, XL
Electro and progressive house from the Dutch DJ and producer, with S3r-han and DJ Will on support. 10pm-3am, Dhs150.
Reboot, The Square (JW Marriott Marquise)
The grand opening of the city’s latest club, with German house and techno star Reboot the guest of honour. 10pm-3am.
Sandro Silva, N’Dulge
EDM from the Ultra, Dim Mak and Armada signing who’s played at EDC Las Vegas, TomorrowWorld and Amnesia Ibiza. 10pm-3am, Dhs100 advance.
Sunstroke feat. DJ Spen, 360 Baltimore house DJ Spen drops a soulful house set, with Sunstroke residents on support for their last big gig
before Ramadan. 6pm-3am, free entry.
Timo Maas, 02 Club
O2’s big May continues, with house and techno heavyweight Timo Maas headlining. 10pm-3am.
FRIDAY 22 Audio tonic, 360
The resident DJs take control of the two floors with deep disco and house Above and Below. 4pm-3am, free. Weekly.
Aurora feat. Markus Schulz, Zero Gravity
One half of the New World Punx (alongside Ferry Corsten), Markus is one of the busiest DJs at the moment, with residencies at Amnesia and his own stage at Tomorrowland. Expect trance and pumping house. 6pm-3am, Dhs100 after midnight, ladies free until midnight.
Velocity feat. Crazibiza, Zero Gravity
Budapest duo Crazibiza make their Dubai debut, having turned out tracks for big labels like Defected and Ministry of Sound during their career. 6pm-3am, Dhs100 after midnight, ladies freeuntil midnight. INFUSION PICK! The Wailers, Irish Village Reggae classics and plenty of irie vibes from cult band The Wailers. 7pm-late, Dhs130.
Cielo Sky Lounge Season Closing Party
Resident Consoul Trainin is joined by Mark Pickup, Smokingroove, DJ Carlos and Michael Karrera as the Creek-side bar bows out before summer. 8pm-late. INFUSION PICK! Chris Liebing, Level 41 Plus Minus are back with another ultra cool booking, with CLR main man Chris Liebing dropping a 3 hour techno set. 9pm, Dhs100 advance.
Cocoon feat. Dorian Paic & Ilario Alicante, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
Techno from one of the finest techno labels around, with Dorian and Ilario teaming up with residents Frederick Stone, Jean B and Jixo & Danz. 1-11pm.
Guns’n’Roses Experience, Music Room
The leading GnR tribute bands play all the hits live. 9pm, Dhs100.
THURSDAY 28
INFUSION PICK! Dash Berlin, XL House and EDM from the Dutch star recently voted at No.10 in the DJ Mag Top 100 poll. 9pm-3am.
Never Get Out The Boat Night Vibes takeover, Jebel Ali Resort
The penultimate cruise sees Amy Wells, Jacob Bailey and Pro Moe taking over the decks. 1-6pm, info@wearedumm.com
Steve Paradise, Dek on 8
House and Italo disco classics from the long standing veteran Italian DJ. 6pm-3am.
Deep Like, Level 5, JW Marriott Marquise
It’s a residents throwdown at the popular open-air party, with Sam Farsio, Josephine de Retour, Hoolz, Jixo & Danz, Jc Pinto on the decks. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.
INFUSION PICK! Dennis Ferrer, 02 Club Vocal, deep New York house from the ‘Hey Hey’ star. 10pm-3am.
Krafty Kuts & A Skillz, Zero Gravity
The breaks, hip hop and party starting duo are back for their last monthly residency of the season. 6pm-3am, free before 10pm, ladies free before midnight, Dhs100.
Mario Reyes, Asia Asia
Asia Asia welcomes back Latin music legends Mario and Georges Reyes for for another live show, including hits like ‘Djobi, Djoba’, ‘Bamboleo’ and ‘Volare’. 10pm.
INFUSION PICK! Mat Zo, Pacha Ibiza Dubai Trance, with doses of techno and maybe even DnB from the hugely versatile DJ and producer. 11pm-late. INFUSION PICK! Shibuya feat. Ralph Lawson, The Basement House music from the 2020 Vision head honcho and the Back to Basics resident, with Mr Mr, Smokingroove and Drinky on support. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.
INFUSION PICK! Superheroes feat. Stanton Warriors & MJ Cole, Level 41 House/bass/garage night Superheroes take things to the next level, with breaks (Stanton Warriors) and bass (MJ Cole) taking over Level 41 for the start of their summer series. 9pm,Dhs120 advance.
FRIDAY MAY 29 Amine Edge & Dance, The Act Ghetto house DJs and producers, and Sankeys Ibiza residents make their debut at The Act for their Invasion night. 10pm-late.
Audio tonic, 360
The full roster of resident DJs take control of the two floors with deep disco and house Above and Below. 4pm-3am, free. Weekly.
Bassworx feat. L Sides, Casa Latina
Bassworx team up with Brazilian spirit as they bring Good Looking signing L Sides over from Brazil for their last event before Ramadan. 9pm2.45am, Dhs60 including 1 drink.
Cadenza Showcase, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Gianni Callipari, Argy and Cesar Merveille do the house and tech house honours for the cult dance music label. 1pm-late.
INFUSION PICK! Insane feat. John Digweed, Pacha Ibiza Dubai House and tech-house from the UK legend behind Bedrock and over 30 years of clubbing history. 10pm-3am.
House of Afrika feat. Jose Marquez, Dek on 8 House and Latin-edged beats from the well respected American DJ and producer, with DUST’s James Locksmith on support. 6pm-3am, free.
The last voyage of the season for the NGOTB crew, with Matthew Charles and Sammi Adami joned by special house guests. 1-6pm, info@ wearedumm.com
INFUSION PICK! Night Vibes feat. Mr C, Story Rooftop House and tech house from the ex-Shamen star and Superfreq promoter. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.
Purple Disco Machine, Barasti & China Grill
Up-and-coming nu-disco and house producers do the honours, dropping a set at Barasti during the early evening followed by a set at China Grill afterwards. Free.
SATURDAY 30 Pig & Dan, GQ Bar
Bedrock/Cocoon and Soma Techno titans Pig and Dan drop big beats at GQ Bar. 9pm-late.
Purobeach End of Season party, Conrad Dubai Never Get Out The Boat Season Closing Party, Jebel Ali Resort
Resident Adam Graca heads up this 11 hour day/night party, with guests DJ Benyamin, Sam B and Tommygun alongside. 12midday-11pm, Dhs175
LOOK AND
LISTEN Music be the food of love, so read on... • Music News • Album reviews • Tech Talk • Rock Dj • Soundstage • Dj Booth • Music That Matters
Look and Listen
Music News... BAD HEADLINE OF THE ISSUE
Simon Cowell’s Ultimate DJ show will be a
“World Cup of EDM”
HIP HOP BIGGER THAN THE BEATLES
Scientists have proved that the hip hop revolution was the greatest in musical history, and had a bigger impact on music than even the 1960s British invasion led by The Beatles. Using an analysis normally applied to evolutionary biology, they found that the rise of hip hop was the most significant intervention, while jazz music – notably the dominant seventh chord – has all but fallen out of popular music over the last 50 years. Key moments have been noticed in 1964 (The Beatles), 1983 (the rise of synth music) and 1991 (hip hop).
BREAKTHROUGH THURSDAYS
If you’re a rock fan, then head down to the Breakthrough events held at Classic Rock Coffee UAE in Healthcare city. The slightly out of the way location is hosting a series of weekly events, with a huge rock showdown on May 21 with Riff Raff, Deadshakes, Pull Box, Morning After Midnight, Boogers & MilkCrispy, Ela and Konektados playing live.
both, u could be o y e c n e c li quor W ithout a li E THE RISK! K DON’T TA
The process couldn’t be simpler, just follow these 3 easy steps.
STEP 1 Complete the Application Form and get it stamped by your employer.
STEP 2 Attach copies of the required documents.
STEP 3 Visit any MMI shop to submit your Application Form and documents.
For more information please contact our Liquor Licence team on 04 304 0331/0332 or e-mail lipsadmin@mmi.ae mmidubai.com
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Look and Listen
Album Reviews... DE SLUWE VOS – KONTRA
House/Techno // soundcloud.com/desluwevos
RELEASED AS A SERIES OF THREE EXTENDED MONTHLY EPS, Kontra is the bold debut album from rising Dutch star De Sluwe Vos. Just 23 years old, he’s built on the success of his well received Slapfunk EP ‘Concrete Groove’ with a diverse 15 track album that takes in several disparate elements. There are out-and-out house bangers like the anthemic ‘I Want You Back’ alongside growling dubbed out works like ‘Trapped Like A Sin’ as well as several high tempo techno tracks that take no prisoners, notably the scuzzy bass of ‘Apex.’ Tracks like ‘Circle’ meanwhile hint at more subtle talents, all Four Tet melodies and layered jazz-accented drums, while album closer ‘Operator’ is maxed out, peak-time Orbital with extra acid. Eclectic, but very energetic.
Socio presents
T +971 50 425 89 20 E thedekon8@mediaonehotel.com W www.mediaonehotel.com
Look and Listen
VISIONQUEST – ULTRAVIOLET
House // facebook.com/visionquest.official
IT’S HARD TO FIND YOUR NICHE IN DANCE MUSIC TODAY. Every corner of dance music seems taken, every sub-genre has seemingly been created (and then re-hashed several times). And yet Visionquest, the Detroit/Berlin based label continue to create their own niche, and thanks to some excellent A&R work, have developed an impressive roll call of talent into their midst, including Maceo Plex, Laura Jones, Guy Gerber, Chaim and Benoit & Sergio. It’s the latter who kick off this 3 CD Best of, with their already classic ‘Walk & Talk’ opening up CD 1, the first of two unmixed discs that showcases some of the label’s biggest hits. So there’s Maceo Plex’s ‘Fallin’, ‘Dark Song’ from Tale of Us, and Laura Jones’ ‘Let Me In.’ All the tracks have Visionquest’s ideology sonically imprinted – deep, thrusting techno, that’s not afraid to get weird or innovative, but is still melodic enough that you’re playing air piano/bass. Firming up the Best Of is a sprawling, leftfield look at the label’s output thanks to Pittsburgh’s DJ Three who blends cuts from Dinky, Pezzner and two of the trio’s label bosses (Ryan Crosson and Shaun Reeves) into a fittingly sinuous techno mix.
TECH TALK
SENNHEISER URBANITE XL WIRELESS We love Sennheiser’s HD25s, a headphone staple for any DJ. But how do their new range of wireless headphones match up?
The wireless version don’t depart far from the winning Urbanite combo, with Sennheiser opting for a durable mix of canvas, rubber and plastic which is a nice change from the usual heavy metal construction. The headphones are big and bulky, and don’t fold down to a snug package, but are nice and lightweight despite that, giving a very comfortable and durable wear (11 hour deadline days went by in a flash). The right cup houses the line-in jack, power button, Bluetooth switch and microUSB port for the battery, which charges quickly and lasts for around 25 hours (but less if you’re caning the volume). There’s also a small pinhole microphone for taking and making phone calls when connected wirelessly. Turn the headphones on, and they immediately go into pairing mode, or hold down the Bluetooth button until you get a flashing red light. Once the cable is plugged in for wired mode, the Bluetooth is disabled to conserve battery life. There’s a volume slider and a single button – one press for play/pause, two to forward a track, and three to go back. The sound as you’d expect with Sennheiser is nicely balanced. The bass isn’t overly dominant, and there’s good sound isolation. And, importantly, they sound as good wireless as they do plugged in. As with many headphones now, style is almost as important as substance, but if you’re looking for big cans to wirelessly power your music, you can’t go far wrong with these. Check out the new Sennheiser in store shop at Jumbo Electronics, Mall of the Emirates. $300
Rock DJ
DJing isn’t just about house beats and bottle clubs. Held every Friday in the Zephyr Rock Bar at the Grand Excelsior Hotel in Bur Dubai is the Dubai Rock Scene Gathering, where DJ Storm whips up, erm, a storm of rock and metal…
THE KEY TO BEING A GOOD ROCK DJ IS… A good knowledge of all genres as I have to please everyone, besides checking daily to what is going on in Rock and Heavy Metal world through magazines, record labels, online radio stations etc. THE BEST REQUEST I’VE HAD WAS… Iron Maiden, ‘Fear Of The Dark’, as you could hear everyone at the bar singing along. THE WORST REQUEST IS… Eagles, ‘Hotel California’ and I didn’t play it! THE BEST SONG TO HEAD BANG TO IS… Pantera, ‘Cowboys From Hell’. Even those who are not into metal will head bang. THE BIGGEST SONG IN MY SETS AT THE MOMENT IS… Manowar, ‘Warriors of the world’ and it’s become the official anthem of the bar. DO YOU PLAY TRACKS BY LOCAL BANDS, WHICH IF SO? All the time, we are a small rock community in Dubai and we must support each other. I always play tracks from Nervecell, Alpha Kenny Buddy, Svengali and Ascendant. THE ROCK SCENE IN DUBAI IS… Growing and improving as I can see new faces and true followers every weekend. DJING ROCK AND METAL IS MUCH LIKE… Knocking on heaven’s door.
Soundstage
CLARITA
Sony signing singer songwriter – and closet Steps fan – Clarita is in our musical hotseat this issue
Our first musical influence was… Most likely Abba! Mum and Dad would blare it out from the car from such a young age. Deary me. The last pop star we liked was… I don’t like many pop stars to be honest but recently Katy Perry’s music seems to get to me. I don’t know why as it’s mostly rubbish, but for some reason my ears like it. I also like Emelie Sande. I think about her a lot when it comes to my goals and when I look for inspiration. Having worked with her in the past, I know how hard she works and she really is a talented lady. My sound is best described as… Er… I have no idea! I would like to say that it was a mix of pop and classical, but that would be pretentious, a tiny bit arrogant and, probably, untrue. That said, the album does skip between the two to a degree; I wanted this album to not just show my pop tendencies, but also my slightly
self-indulgent side; the part of me that will sit at the piano rehearsing classical pieces instead of Predictable Pop. More Sonatas, less Spice Girls, if you will! The album title refers to… The album title is actually a line from one of the songs called “Beautiful Losers”. “Speak.Delete.Repeat” is about our need as humans to communicate, even at the risk of repeating yourself. If anything, the act of communicating is sometimes more important to us than the people we are communicating with. What’s your musical guilty pleasure? Steps. I can’t get enough of them. Reminds me of my school days and I still know all the dance moves and I am not afraid to pull them out when their tunes come on. Lamest claim to fame? I kissed Mike Ross. He’s famous right? Haha. I have a few and most are pretty lame. I did the Icon’s Cup Gala Dinner gig recently and there were a few heroes there (and I admit I didn’t know any of them even though they were super famous such as Luis Figo). Luis came up to me and complimented my dress and set and I just said “thanks so much” and walked away as I had to make a call. Someone after that told me who I was and I felt a bit silly. Oops. My musical motto is… Do it with passion or don’t do it at all. Simples. Best gig you’ve played? Support for Elton John in Abu Dhabi. The best gig of my life so far! I could do one of these every day and never complain about being tired. What a buzz and a fantastic crowd. And the worst? At this ridiculously disorganised private female party in Dubai. There was no microphone, and I was expected to bring all my own equipment even though I stated I didn’t do that. On top of that she tried to haggle my price down to a stupid rate… and I ended up using her son’s toy karaoke machine with a horrific reverb….and as there was no microphone stand, she got the maid to hold it for me the whole time. Classic. claritadequiroz.com
DJ Booth: Farhad B
Zero Gravity resident DJ and one of the driving forces behind Secret Circle and Trip Land, Farhad is currently one of the busiest DJs on the circuit‌
One thing you might not know about me is... I work as a real estate broker. My worst ever job was... Being in a costume in a children’s festival. My favorite ever record is... Cassius – ‘99’, the Tim Green remix. DJing is much like... Giving and getting energy. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Very strange. I’m really proud of... Not smoking and drinking. What track could you drop in every set? Matthew Dekay, Lee Burridge - ‘Lost in a Moment’ (Dixon remix), out on Innervision. I can’t live without... Burgers! My biggest DJ achievement to date is… Having a good reputation with most of the club owners. What is your guiltiest pleasure? Having ice cream everytime after a good night out. If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... The 90s. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... The Martinez Brothers. I’m not a politician but… I would be if I wasn’t a DJ. Soundcloud.com/djbisquit
Look and Listen
MUSIC THAT MATTERS SEND TRACKS/EDITS/REMIXES TO ANDY@INFUSION.AE
Russ Cooper – audio tonic 9th Birthday Live 2 hour recording from audio tonic’s 9th birthday, with new and old house cuts. mixcloud.com/russellcooper2/ russ-cooper-audio-tonic-9thbirthday-010515/ Matthew Charles – It’s Just Music A new house music podcast series from the Never Get Out The Boat main man, with tracks from Doorly and KiNK’s huge ‘Cloud Generator.’ soundcloud.com/ 1matthewcharles/sets/matthewcharles-pres-its-just Kasparov – Biggy Bootleg The Superheroes resident turns Biggy’s ‘Hypnotize’ into a skanking, dub funk workout. soundcloud.com/kasparov/ biggy-bootleg Todd – Deep End EP Tribeca’s resident DJ drops his first EP, a rock-solid deep three-tracker with the bassy ‘Take It From Me’ our favourite
soundcloud.com/stu-todd/sets/ todd-deep-end-ep-undersound DJ Bliss – Shining One of Dubai’s leading urban DJs returns to the music world with this release, with Daffy and Mims lending their vocal talents. youtube.com/ watch?v=mWdhotXeZ2U L Phunk – Sun and Sand Bouncy house mix from Dubai new-comer L Phunk that progresses nicely from deep disco vibes to more peak time territory. soundcloud.com/djlphunk/sunand-sand-mix Wisqo – Sunday Night Live QBara’s resident delivers a 90 minute live mix with stand out tracks and remixes from David August, Maceo Plex and Adriatique. Free download. soundcloud.com/ raynerandwisqo/wisqo-sundaynight-live-qbara
WEEKLY DJ SHOW LIVE FROM THURSDAYS 4 - 6 PM
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CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...
• Weird News • Cool Test • Just For Kicks • Movies • The Spin
Looking Closer
Weird News...
ALDI STOCKS UP ON COKE (BUT NOT THAT COKE)
Over 386kg of Colombian cocaine was found in several supermarkets in Berlin recently. The shipment, which was presumably not intended to wind up at 14 Aldi stores across the techno capital, was worth €15 million, making it the largest find in city history. The find more than doubles last year’s bust in which 140kg of nose candy was also found hidden in banana boxes in supermarkets across the city, making it the largest discover of cocaine in Germany’s capital in about 15 years. “Apparently there was a logistical mistake somewhere along the line,” police spokesperson Stefan Redlich said, adding that authorities were now focused on finding the product’s final destination.
MO MUSCLES, MO PROBLEMS
We’ve all been there, looking for a quick health fix. Well, one Brazilian bodybuilder – who wanted to look like the Incredible Hulk (erm, that’s your first warning sign) – injected a mix of oil, painkillers and alcohol to pump up his muscles. The 25 year old was a regular user of synthetic filler synthol, and at one point was scheduled to have one of his arms amputated. As his arms got bigger and harder, he needed to upgrade the needles he used, like the kind of needles used on bulls. We’ll stick to our weekly gym session and table football in the office, thanks.
COOL Superheroes go XXXL with their summer line up, with breakbeat heroes Stanton Warriors playing alongside garage/bass don MJ Cole on May 28. But who’s got the biggest basslines, and the best answers?
MJ COLE
STANTON WARRIORS
Who’s the coolest person in your phone book? Chuka Umunna
My mum! She’s pretty damn cool and has always been 100% supportive!
What’s the longest you’ve gone without sleep?
About 48 hours
We’ve had some gruelling schedules before. Playing NYE twice flying back over time lines in Australia and then playing 2 NYD parties in 2 more cities over a 48 hour period nearly killed us but we did thug it out!
Describe your best bass face… Pained wincing screw face
A serious frowning bad ass lost in the music type of look. A bit like the look like sykwalker had just before he fired his missile into the Death Star.
Coolest word in the world? Sic [sic]
Tessellate
Coolest DJ in the world? David Rodigan
Jazzy Jeff - skilled, innovative and humble
MJ COLE
VS
STANTON WARRIORS
Coolest track ever made? Ice Ice Baby
Massive Attack – ‘Unfinished Symphony.’ Killer beat, beautiful vocal and still sounds amazing today. Plus they are friends from our home town in Bristol!
Your best dance move is… The head nod
Slightly drunk attempted breakdancing
What’s your best claim to fame? Princess Alexandria visited my infant school
Winning loads of awards for our first ever mix tape Stanton sessions Volume 1
It’s not big and clever but… I like fish fingers
Let’s do it anyway
What’s the best insult you could give each other? There’s only one of me. I shall internalise
I’ve just drank the entire rider to myself
The verdict: A real ding dong, but we’re going for MJ Cole and his sardonic wit. Superheroes XXXL feat. Stanton Warriors & MJ Cole, Thursday May 28, Level 41, 9pm-3am, Dhs120 advance.
JUST FOR
NIKE AIR TRAINER HUARACHE PREMIUM
We’re seriously digging these new range of mids newly released from the Huarache line. With a strong less is more design spec, these sleek sneakers were designed with cross-fit in mind, and have looked towards South American sandals and waterski boots for inspiration. Which is all well and good – and very lightweight as well, we should add – but we think they look damn fine, and this dark emerald and black medium berry combination is our favourite.
Go grab yours now, starting from $115.
MOVIE TOMORROWLAND
The Incredibles director takes control of this magical film, with a sci-fi mad teen pairing up with a reluctant former inventor to unearth some other-world secrets. Classification: PG 13 Director: Brad Bird Starring: George Clooney, Hugh Laurie and Britt Robertson
DANNY COLLINS Inspired by a true story, an aging rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year old letter written to him by John Lennon. Classification: 15 Director: Dan Fogelman Starring: Al Pacino, Annette Bening and Jennifer Garner
PREVIEWS SAN ANDREAS
In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his estranged daughter. Classification: PG 13 Director: Brad Peyton Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Daddario and Carla Gugino
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD In Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor. Classification: PG 13 Director: Thomas Vinterberg Starring: Carey Mulligan, Michael Sheen
DISCLAIMER: Film release schedules are subject to change, please check reelcinemas.ae, novocinemas.com and voxcinemas.com for full schedules.
MAY 21
THE SPIN MAY 2015
PAGE 200
ISSUE 20
New poll reveals that having a beard makes you a better DJ
The latest poll from Hirsute Entertainment has revealed that having a beard not only makes you a better human being, but also makes you a better DJ. Over 1500 clubbers were asked across the region which DJ they preferred (beard vs no beard), with the bearded wonder winning a staggering 97% of the vote. The news comes at a bad time for Matthew Charles, who having led the vanguard for DJ beards, dramatically shaved his off, posting the denuded pictures on Facebook to his shocked followers. German DJ in Dubai Herr Peace said he’d consider growing a beard to try and break into the DJ elite in the region. ‘It’s just ridiculous. I have downloaded the entire Beatport Top 100 from torrents, I have the latest kit, but I still can’t get any work. I think growing a beard is the only way to be taken seriously in the region.’ Raxon could not be reached for comment.
Beach club admits that importing an Arctic glacier to cool down the sea over summer, and allowing clubbers to ‘Party with polar bears’ was poorly thought through… *These stories are not true, this is not a real newspaper. This is a parody/fiction/satire/joke. The Spin is not intended, in any way whatsoever, to be taken as factual.
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