28.02 ABOVEº
MR MR & RAXON ROD LEE WINTERS | JC PINTO BELOWº
MARK PICKUP FRIDAY’S BELOWº
THE 360º SUNSET BRUNCH
DINE @ 360º
From 1300 with Tristan Bain & Conan Manchester
From 1900
The multi award winning 11 hour party returns for it’s 8th Season at 360º, the region›s longest standing weekly event playing a unique soundtrack from classic sunset sounds through to cutting edge forward thinking House Music delivered by weekly International guests and its trusted resident DJ roster. 360º, Jumeirah Beach Hotel 1600 – 0300 21+ Please bring valid I.D. Guest List (4pm – 8pm) available at Platinumlist.net/360
For table reservations call: +971 (0)56 682 6617 More info: info@audiotonic.net audiotonic.net 360dubai.com facebook.com/audiotonic facebook.com/360dubai twitter.com/audio_tonic twitter.com/360dubai soundcloud.com/audiotonic
ABOVEº 07.03
BELOWº
KOLOMBO (2DIY4 | OFF RECORDINGS)
ROD LEE WINTERS | CRAIG CAMERON 14.03
FUTURE FUNK MACH4 B2B SOMALIE
PRESENTS
PRESENTS
NATIVE 21.03
28.03
NATIVE
MR MR & RAXON | MEGADON BETAMAX
RICH SHOWELL
JOHN MONKMAN
SAM FARSIO
RAXON | RUSS COOPER
TRISTAN BAIN
JADE (C U NXT SAT) MARKII
EATS RETRO CLASSICS
JC PINTO
MARK PICKUP
The multi award winning 11 hour party returns for it’s 8th Season at 360º, the region›s longest standing weekly event playing a unique soundtrack from classic sunset sounds through to cutting edge forward thinking House Music delivered by weekly International guests and its trusted resident DJ roster. 360º, Jumeirah Beach Hotel 1600 – 0300 21+ Please bring valid I.D.
Guest List (4pm – 8pm) available at Platinumlist.net/360 For table reservations call: +971 (0)55 500 8518 More info: info@audiotonic.net audiotonic.net 360dubai.com facebook.com/audiotonic facebook.com/360dubai
A Note From The Editor
Editor-in-chief: 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 Contributors: Nthayi Tshehle, Richard Perez, Vip Patel, GarethIsOnIt, Monique Belle Design: Allan (Jmaxlolo) Tinsay
Technology might make life easier, but it sure can take a lot of the fun out of clubbing. Since when was clubbing about watching grainy 3am footage of you holding your phone into someone’s armpit, instead of living in the moment on the dancefloor? Look around at any big gig or concert, and there’ll be dozens of people, all staring at their 2 inch screen, when the real action is unfolding live in front of you. Seems a bit dim, right? Some clubs have banned phones already, including Berghain and several clubs in New York, what are the chances of that happening in Dubai? Slim to non existent we guess, but we’d definitely be at the first camera-phone free event, ironically taking pictures of the no pictures sign. Andy
Grown-up stuff: Infusion is published by Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Contact us: Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098
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BACK Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.
> What We Did > Say What? > Photo Gallery
Looking Back
What we did
Steve Lawler @ Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
You’ve got to hand it to Blue Marlin, there really isn’t anywhere like it in the UAE, and you can’t help but feel you’re somewhere special when you arrive. Maybe it’s the 30 minute drive that rewards the effort and builds the excitement? Steve Lawler’s set started off with a blizzard of lights and a shock and awe opening track - he’s a big name for a reason. It took a little while for the crowd to get going, but the party is always something to behold. The soundsystem and the lighting rig really can’t be faulted, and if you still haven’t been, you really should make that trip soon. -GarethIsOnIt
Looking Back
Reggae Beach Fest III @ XL Beach Club If I don’t have to go out, I don’t. Simples! And not many things can pull me away from my TV and a newly released episode of Girls. Reggae Beachfest however not only managed to get me out of my PJs on a Saturday night but had me bumping and grinding with the best of them on the dance floor till gone 1am. By 7pm, the venue was packed and the Jamaican inspired food and Jerk chicken was so popular it ran out after 3 hours. Dawn Penn hopped on around 11pm and did a medley of some of her big hits as well as some of her newer material. Her set was a bit like when I would catch my Grandma pottering around the kitchen whilst signing her favourite Dawn Penn songs: she’s definitely a better recording artist than a live act, but when the crowd sang back ‘No, No, No’ with an encore of ‘Yes, Yes, Yes’, it didn’t really matter. The Reggae Beach Fest team did a great job, to get a venue full on a Saturday night and kept the vibe going for 12 hours straight. -MonBelle
#ThisIs... @ Tabla
Hangover Wednesday will be a regular occurrence in the Infusion HQ from this week on, thanks to our newly launced ladies night ‘This Is’ in collaboration with the No.1 Events crew. The DJs, Nthayi and Schooly, dropped an old skool RnB, funk and soul set, with plenty of big hitters. With a packed house from 11pm, and a live drummer, bubble machine and free drinks for ladies all night, we’re pleased to say there’s a new ladies night in town. We’re sure the Panadol suppliers around the Marina and Tecom are doing brisk Wednesday morning business as well… #ThisIs Every Tuesday night, at Tabla Club, Grand Millenium Hotel in Tecom.
Piece of cake
We love cake-flinging DJs as much as the next clubber, but we couldn’t help but be a little shocked when we saw tickets for Steve Aoki were Dhs400.
Dancefloor dictionary
Booth w@nkers Muppets who manage to elbow their way to the front of the DJ Booth, and believe that by dancing like a tit in the booth, they’re helping the party reach critical level. You’re not. You’re dancing like a tit, in full view of everyone. Cease, and desist.
Sign of the times
In Microsoft Word 2010, the word “Kardashian” got the red squiggly line treatment from the automatic spellcheck.
Working it
What to say at work when you want to appear clever Human desourcing - sacking people Google naps - using Google to work out what time colleagues in the US will be sleeping, to avoid them replying to emails. Stock home syndrome pinching stuff from the office Shout-of-office - Someone who wants every single person in the building to know they are off on holiday.
In Microsoft Word 2013, the word “Kardashian” is now a recognized spelling.
Daft Punk unmasked?
Cotton Candy
@Story Rooftop
Sean Finn
@ XL Beach Club
No.1 Fridays feat. Amerie
@N’Dulge
OMG
@2Liv
Plus Minus feat. Timo Maas @Nasimi
This Is... @Tabla
MAINSTAGEPRESENTS
6TH EDITION
FEATURING
BOMBAY BASEMENT LIVE IN DUBAI
Thursday 21st March 2014
The Music Room, Majestic Hotel, Bur Dubai Tickets: Dhs 70/ - I Age 21+
SIC BASS MU
HOUSE
GARAGE
THURS 27 FEB Djs: under the moon kasparov Somalie Music WE pLAY: HOSTAGE WOOKIE BILLON KRY WOLF CLEAN BANDIT GRANT NELSON ROSKA CAUSE & EFFECT HANNAH WANTS TEED MNEK julio bashmore MJ COLE LEE Foss Gorgon City Storm Queen Claptone Jamie Jones Finnebassen DJ ZinC Disclousure Route 94 Rudimental MNEK Dusky DJ EZ Hot Natured Rain City Riot Joe Goddard Booka Shade Tube & Berger MIGUEL Campbell Shadow Child Breach Eats Everything WOZ Richy Ahmed Tensnake Maya Jane Cole Joris Voorn Justin Martin Claude Von Stroke StaNton Warriors Duke Dumont Zombie Disco Squad Benoit & Sergio John Talbot Pete Tong Steve Huerto MK Kidnap Kid Deetron Waifs & Strays Thomas Gandy MY Nu LENG
6PM TIL 3am
Looking FORWARD Where we filter out the best things that are coming your way...
> Local News > Cover Story > Lessons We’ve Learnt > Q-Bik, How I DJ > World in Motion > Super Mario
Looking Forward
Local News Carl Cox returns
It’s been 7 long years, but Carl Cox is finally returning to Dubai to play a Live at Atlantis show on Friday March 21. The house and techno legend started life as one of the main DJs in the rave and hardcore scene in the late 80s, and has since become one of the biggest and best DJs on the planet. Gilles Peterson, Sharam and Yousef have also been added to the bill, tickets from Dhs200.
Groove on the Grass sign up Butch
Always keen to push the scene forward with their bookings, the Groove on the Grass team have notched up another UAE first as they’ve signed up German house and techno DJ Butch for their March 14 date at Emirates Golf Course. Perhaps best known for his ‘No Worries’ smash, he’s also a resident at Berlin’s Watergate, and has released on leading labels including Desolat, Cocoon, Rekids and more. International support comes from Canadian DJ Konrad Black.
Do the Kitten and The Hip
Still beaming from their legendary NYE party with Jazzy Jeff and an impromptu show from Will Smith, Barasti are back with another international act as UK band The Kitten and the Hip headline the Sugar Beach event on Friday February 28. Their first single, ‘Don’t You Worry’, was signed up by HedKandi and they describe themselves as pop with an electronic, swing, funk and R&B twist.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
ROLL MASTER
Rolled by sho cho’s renowned Roll Master with your own combination of super fresh ingredients. Simply design, order and pay online. Then our speedy delivery Ninja’s will suddenly appear at your door. Let’s Roll!
Call 800 SUSHI (78744) or visit chezshushi.com Eat or collect at our restaurant. Find us at Shop 18, Wasl Square, (opposite Safa Park) Al Wasl Road, Dubai.
Looking Forward Mackelmore makes Abu Dhabi debut
It’s been one of the feelgood stories in music: US rapper Macklemore became the first artist since 1994 to have a US number 1 without major label backing, and this year walked away with 4 Grammys, including Best New Artist. And now the ‘Thrift Shop’ singer will be making his UAE debut, as he plays for Flash at the du Arena on Friday April 25.
Henrik Schwarz drops live set at Nasimi
Competition: We have 4 pairs of tickets to give away, head to infusion.ae to enter
You know you’re a good DJ by the company you keep. In Henrik Schwarz’s case, that means a collaboration with Jesse Rose as Black Rose, and a three way musical mash up with Ame and Dixon under their Critical Mass guise. More than anything, it’s his live sets that have seen Henrik’s stock rise in recent years, blending a heady range of techno, house and jazz influences into an utterly unique sound. And he’ll be showcasing that sound at Nasimi on Friday March 7 thanks to the Plus Minus Sessions, which are quickly becoming one of our favourite monthly nights.
Globalfunk line up
We’re biased as we co-run it, but we’re exceedingly pleased to announce that the best Drum and Bass night is town, Globalfunk, is back in a big way for 2014 with a series of monthly events. First out of the blocks is Marcus Intalex and MC DRS on Thursday March 13, with Andy C and MC LowQui following up on April 10. LTJ Bukem and SP MC then do the honours on May 15, while DJ Marky and Stamina MC close proceedings on June 19. And staying in the bass world, the all encompassing Superheroes night return to action on Thursday February 28 at the Dek On 8, Media One Hotel, with free entry for all.
Looking Forward Rumours Prince is looking to add a Dubai leg to his recent tour. Pharrell Williams is on one promoter's hit list, and should be heading to the UAE before the end of the year. Danny Tenaglia is a possibility for one party later this year.
Infusion Records has turned one, and we've put our favourite cuts together in an exclusive mix, head to soundcloud.com/ infusion-records to check it out! This Is got off to a cracking start, with over 400 clubbers through Tabla's doors for our mid-week Ladies Night. Wednesday hangovers have never been so much fun. Now where's that takeaway menu... The Golden Age of TV continues, with True Detective, Walking Dead, House of Cards all on air now, with Mad Men and Game of Thrones inbound.
Promoter beefs. Yeah, we get it, you're rivals, you both think each other sucks hairy donkey balls. Reading it all on social media is fun and all, but no one comes out a winner. 3 beer hangovers. Since when has that been a thing? Door headaches. Yes, you've been pumping more iron than Robert Downey Junior, and you've got a flickering vein in your forehead, but you're just an over-roided doofus in a badly fitting suit, stop getting ideas above your station. Winter, you've been great, but a little more sunshine would be appreciated. Thanks!
District Lounge DIFC
Since opening last year, District Lounge has become the go-to venue in DIFC for a party night out, with DJs like Dany Neville spinning old school urban beats and joining their Thursday LIVE NIGHT resident band Layla & the Free Sound Project. We spoke to Managing Partners Michael Hariz and Alan Honein and Investor Raki Philips to find out more...
What marks the bar out from the rest of the post-work DIFC bars? We visualized a club concept that would accommodate each of our personalities and our individual social networks in Dubai. We thought it would be practically impossible to tickoff the full checklist, but after meeting with the Capital Club, it was a done deal… a match made in heaven! The venue is sophisticated, classy and cosy; it also has
a 3,000sq ft. terrace facing Burj Khalifa from one end and Emirates Towers from another. Service staff are quality trained and certified to handle the top members of Capital Club. The kitchen is headed by French Chef, Cyrille Troesch, and we’ve got Shisha! District Lounge is just a stones throw away from some of the city’s most popular dining destinations in DIFC, so the majority of our guests are from the neighbourhood.
Although it’s considered a lounge/ bar, it actually has more of a club feel – people are dancing all night long at District – so this makes it stand out from the rest. And why have you incorporated live music into your schedule? There’s nothing like it in Dubai, it’s probably the best weekly outdoor live music event in the city. The band is great, very creative, very interactive and they never fail to surprise us and the guests with special artist appearances on a weekly basis, from beat boxers, poets, rappers… you name it, we’ve had it. Musically, what’s your focus – house, hip hop, pop, live music? Thursdays we have District Live which starts early around 8pm, targeting the post-work crowd. It’s headed by Neo/Soul Funk artists, Layla & the Free Sound Project and our resident DJ Rich E, playing everything from 80s/90s and the latest house tracks – basically whatever keeps you on your feet.
Friday is dedicated to fantastic old school hip-hop and R&B by Dany Neville and the UGP Crew. Very authentic urban… we’re keeping it real on Fridays.
A quick word with…
Layla & the Free Sound Project Hi, who are you and what do you do? Executive by day and aspiring rock star by night - ha! I work hard to maintain a balance between my professional life and my world of music - working with the band and producing original music. The band consists of Mikhail on guitar, Shay on bass, Jerry on drums, Ben on the keys and yours truly singing my heart out. We love collaborating with Beatbox Ray, Dana Dajani with her captivating poetry, and flair master Paul on sax. Where have you played before in Dubai? District Lounge, DIFC at Capital Club, OKKU Lounge, Blue Bar, Rare Lounge, Jazz at Pizza Express to name a few.
How have you found the response to your music at District Lounge DIFC? It’s been incredible, we look forward to every Thursday! We see a lot of familiar faces, and many new ones. I’m always on a high after the gig; I feel the band and audience vibing on the same positive frequency. Do you play your own music, covers or a mix of both? The Free Sound Project is not an originals band, rather a collective of independent musicians/songwriters/producers who want to play good music live. We do mainly covers but in our own rendition. We very rarely do a song true to the original. Which other bands do you like in the region? I love Bull Funk Zoo, Funk Radius, Noush like Sploosh, Third Culture, Juliana Down and of course, Floetics, a band established by my partner in rhyme, Dana Dajani and myself. District Lounge, DIFC, Capital Club, Building 3, every Thursday from 7pm, every Friday from 10pm, 050 880 2285.
nd m a -deck y u r e D rn 3 thl n th nd bo t mon o a ce la for Zea debut d ize ew is ogn ene, N kes h c e A r ss sc ik ma orx… Ba Q-B ssw DJ ve Ba ra I first learnt to DJ… When I was 19 in Hamilton, New Zealand, and began playing out a year or so later in 2002. My inspiration growing up was… Does Michael Jackson count, haha! Who wasn’t when you’re 5 years old in the early 80s! As a DJ my music tastes have… Been wide and varied and have drawn inspirations from many different styles. I loved lots of rock and metal and grunge in my early formative years, then Hip Hop and RnB as well as early introductions to dance music like The Chemical Brothers, Basement Jaxx and Total Science.
The most important thing a DJ needs to do is… Learn to play to your time slot and read the room you are playing to. We all want to play our biggest and best tunes, however, time and place is important in my humble opinion. Being a 3 deck DJ means I can… Have the versatility to play and change the vibe in an instant as well as create a new way of listening to music mixed together. Double drops, triple drops and ‘where the heck did that tune just come from’ moments. I first was inspired by Carl Cox and Ritchie Hawtin then Andy C. Come see/hear what I mean! The best set I’ve heard from another DJ was… That’s a tough question for a DJ. But there are 2 times I remember vividly. My first time hearing DnB’s number 1 DJ - Andy C. Hearing him mix and blend like no other at the time was formative for me in my early DJing career. Then one I cherish is Calibre when he played in Perth, Australia. He played mostly his own music and created a vibe with it I’ve never since experienced from other artists. Vibes! Vinyl/digital? Music is music! Who cares really? I don’t believe the masses
come to hear someone play digitally or on vinyl only, they come to listen to good music and artists! I still respect and love vinyl and feel that we should always pay homage to the origins, but we should also look forward at all the amazing advances in music technology. My preferred DJ set up is… 3 or 4 CDJ 2000s, 1 x Technics 1200, Pioneer 900 or 2000 mixer and Technics 1200 headphones. Mixing Drum and Bass is harder/easier than 4/4 music because… I learnt to mix DnB first and found mixing other styles like 4/4 easier after that, then realized I probably chose one of the harder genres to learn to mix. I love mixing it all now and and am currently making and signing 4/4 music to Plasmapool (Miles Dyson’s Label). My set in Dubai will be… A full spectrum set of Drum n Bass. From the present to the past. Full of energy and fresh music from around the world. Variety is the spice of life! Bassworx feat. QBik, Friday February 28, Casa Latina, 9pm-3am, free.
We’re very excited to announce that South African drummer and DJ duo Black Motion will be headlining House of Afrika’s 1st Birthday at the Dek on 8 on Friday March 7. We caught up with them to find out what’s in store
Welcome to Dubai – what have you heard about the city and House of Afrika? Dubai for us is about glamour, shopping and fun. You’re a live drummer and DJ combo – how important are the African rhythms to what you do? The African rhythms are important because the pattern we use in our music is largely influenced by the African sound, these patterns are what makes us different and unique. And do you write material with the drummer in mind, or is it a free-flowing process? We both produce music and it is a free flowing process. How do you cope with drums flying out of your hands when you get sweaty, especially in a club gig? It always happens, but I always make sure I carry extra sticks because they always get broken as well. You’re both very vibrant performers when you’re playing live, what moves can we expect when you make your Dubai debut? We are excited about the freeze move choreographed for our track ‘Fortune Teller. People always look forward to seeing us perform this track for the choreography.
How far have you travelled with your music, where have you been touring and gigging? We have been everywhere, Miami, Portugal, Angola, Maputo, Switzerland, Kenya and now Dubai. You posted on your FB page recently about the up-coming elections in South Africa. How politically motivated are you? We are very motivated because we are supposed to be cheering the voice of the people. As public figures, we can encourage people to vote and make voting cool. South Africa has a strong reputation for house music – is that true in all the cities, do different areas have different musical vibes? South Africa is the house nation, in terms of genres for house music it differs within the country. The Durban sound is based around a double kick, Johannesburg is big on commercial house and Pretoria is more on the deep house sounds. And what should we look forward to from your show? A crazy performance, new tracks, new moves and a whole lot more new tracks. House of Afrika 1st Birthday feat. Black Motion, Friday March 7, Dek on 8, 6pm-3am, free
Named after Nintendo’s Mario, and with a back catalogue of gorgeous nu-disco hits to his name, we caught up with Lithuanian DJ and producer Mario Basanov ahead of his Story Rooftop gig… Hi Mario, good to have you back in the city. You’ve had a busy start to the year with America, Italy, Holland, Spain and Australia in the diary before you hit Dubai. Where are your favourite places to play? I actually love to play in all places because I love to go somewhere new, but I also love to return to places that I’ve been to before and see the friends I’ve made there. Musically, cities like London or Berlin, you can really take people in all kinds of directions. But there are so many places with amazing crowds. I play a lot in Italy but recently I went to Toronto and LA and it was great. You’re not only a nu-disco and house producer, but also do a lot of pop – who have you worked with on that side, and is it a financial thing or do you enjoy it as much? As a producer I work on many different sounds. There was a time when I was involved in producing pop music in Lithuanian. It’s where I learned my craft and of course it paid like any job, but now I focus on my own productions. Working on pop music teaches you many things, melody, hooks and mastering. The experience was invaluable and now I can pursue my passion for electronic music. We hear you’re a big computer games fan – so much so you’re named after Mario from Nintendo?
Super
I am, I love to play Xbox. Mario did some from Nintendo. I need a name and I chose Mario as it’s a classic. Have you made music for any games yet? And what about movie soundtracks? Not yet, but it is my dream. Right now I’m touring a lot and making music and remixes but one day I would love to be more involved in soundtracks and especially music for computer games. I just need the right project to come along… We’ve also heard that you like to kiss your USB at the end of good sets – when did you first start doing that, and are you giving thanks to the music? Ha! I always do this, it’s just a little reminder that I need to thank powers that be for the opportunity to play such amazing gigs.
Competition: We have a pair of tickets to give away, head to infusion.ae to enter
Machu Warriors feat. Mario Basanov, Friday February 28, Story Rooftop, 9pm3am, Dhs100. soundcloud.com/mariobasanov
Mario
MONSTER MIDDLE EAST Tel: +971.4.883.04.05 Emai
il: support@monsterme.com www.beatsbydre.com
ARTY GUIDE
ONTHE THE RADAR ON RADAR
March 13 Globalfunk feat. Marcus Intalex, The Music Room
March 14 Bob Geldof, The Irish Village
March 14 Groove on the Grass feat. Butch, Emirates Golf Course
March 21 Carl Cox, Atlantis Beach
March 21 Herbie Hancock, Abu Dhabi
April 3 UB40, Irish Village
April 10 Globalfunk feat. Andy C, The Music Room
MaY 23 Justin Timberlake, du Arena
April 25 Macklemore, du Arena
MaY 29 Black Sabbath, du Arena
For a full list of what’s on, please head to infusion.ae. Please submit your listings to andy@infusion.ae for possible inclusion.
PARTY GUIDE
April 17 Lionel Richie, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
ARTY GUIDE
Sunday 23 Magnum Sundays, Boudoir
Hard-hitting urban DJ line up of Brooklyn, Emtee and Shero deliver the hip hop and RnB cuts. 10pm-3am. Weekly.
Occupy Sundays, Cavalli
Brand new Sunday night, where you have to gain guestlist to the event via the occupysundays.com website. 9pm-late.
Stand Up Comedy Night, The Grammercy
Kuwaiti born Mo Amer makes the funnies. 8.30pm. Repeated Monday 24.
Monday 24 Club Classics, Boudoir
All the classic house and electro cuts courtesy of DJ Destroyer. 10pm-3am.
Hip hop Mondays, Cirque Le Soir
Bustling early-week party with hip hop vibes from start to finish courtesy of DJ Bliss. 10.30pm-3am.
Mixed Mondays, XL Beach Club
The first 100 ladies and first 75 men get free drinks all night, with Dhs50 a drink ladies and Dhs100 beer buckets after that. 7pm-3am.
Manic Mondays, Zinc Greg Stainer and Andy
Swift play old and new skull anthems, with a 10pm-midnight happy hour. 10pm-3am, ladies and couples free. Weekly.
Tuesday 25 B:Lush, Media One
4 free drinks for ladies, with Da Sendri dropping funk, soul, disco and house. 7-10pm, free.
Champagne and Strawberries night, Horizon Lounge
3 complimentary glasses of Mojitos or Bubbly from 6pm, with a happy hour from 4-8pm.
Dreams, The Act
A brand new addition to the venue’s line up, with a theatrical dining experience promised. 8.30pm, repeated Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
Girls Don’t Q, Q43, Media One Hotel
3 free drinks for ladies at this brand new, gorgeouslooking Media City venue. 6pm-1am.
Hunters Gentlemen’s night, Hunters (Westin)
50% off your steak or red wine at this male-focussed midweeker. 7pm-late.
Pop Your Cherry, Cirque Le Soir
More mid-week funkiness at the popular circus-themed club with Tim Kay headlining. 10.30pm-3am.
INFUSION PICK! This Is, Tabla
Brand new ladies night with free drinks and hip hop and RnB throwbacks from Schooly and David Craig. 11pm, free.
Wednesday 26 90 Degrees North, Story Rooftop
Deep house and tech house from Dubai DJ Matt Charles and friends. 6pm-late.
Bootik, Vanity (Al Murooj Rotana)
Excellent mid-week house party, with support from resident Fred Stone. 11pm-3am.
Cavalli 54, Cavalli
A night celebrating the hedonism and music in the legendary Studio 54. 8pm-late.
Shero and Brooklyn drop the urban tunes at this popular weekly night. 9pm-3am. Weekly.
Horizon Heroes, Horizon Lounge
A gentleman’s night, with bucket deals and good pub grub. 7pm. Weekly.
S’Chic, Supperclub
Old school 80s and 90s funk, soul, RnB at pop with Es Paradis resident Steve Valverde on the decks. 8pm-late. Weekly.
Societe School Night Retro pop hits, classic TV shows (including Biker
Thursday 27 Abri & The Funk Radius, Pizza Express JLT
Abri and the extremely funky Funk Radius drop funk, soul, hip hop and rock covers and originals at this bustling Thursday night joint. 9pm, weekly.
The Act, Shangri La
Live acts, mixed up music and tasty Peruvian food at this very popular new club. 8pm-3am, repeated Sunday.
Analog Room, Q Underground
All things electronic, at this cult weekly Thursday night spot. 9pm-3am, Dhs75. Weekly.
Clique feat. D-Pulse, 360
Deep house from the Russian duo at this monthly night. 6pm3am, free.
Conan Manchester, Loca
Foot-tapping funk, soul and rock and roll from Conan at one of our favourite bars in town. Weekly Thursday and Friday.
Fashionista, Donatello Lounge
Funk, deep house soundtrack at this fashionable start to the weekend. 8pm-late. Weekly.
Jamrock, Ego Lounge
Calypso, dub, reggae and urban from Sir Taz and DJ Crown Prince. 10pm-3am, ladies free before midnight, weekly.
PARTY GUIDE
Diamond Wednesdays, XL Beach Club
Grove and Grange Hill) and Dhs30 vodka Red Bulls. 10pm. Weekly.
ARTY GUIDE
Movida Meets Fierce Angel
Funky deep house as label and UK promoters Fierce Angel take over the club for their monthly bash. 11pm-3am.
INFUSION PICK!
Paul Van dyk, zero gravity
The German electronic master returns, with Jixo and Danz and Dion Mavath on support. 6pm-late, Dhs200 in advance, Dhs250 on the door.
POP, N’Dulge
The Coronas, McGettigans
Irish indie rock from the popular quartet. 8pm, Dhs150.
Vintage, Societe Dubai 80s, 90s and 00s at this newly launched alternative venue, with tables for 4 starting from Dhs1100. 10pm-3am.
VIP Room On Air, VIP Room
A new Thursday night concept, with live acts and celebrities promised. 10pm-3am. Weekly.
80s, 90s and 2000s on the terrace courtesy of mixmaster Dean Curtis. 9pm-3am, ladies free before 11, Dhs100.
Westend, Studio F
Punchline Comedy, Emirates Golf Course
White Dubai
Sarp Dakni, Pure Sky Lounge
Audio tonic, 360
A trio of Irish comedians, Chris Kent, Colm McDonnell, and Andrew Stanley, do the honours. 9pm, Dhs200 including food.
Turkish DJ Sarp Dakni is joined by resident DJ Lewis. 8pm, Dhs200 per couple.
INFUSION PICK! Superheroes, Dek On 8
DJ Badir and Masterstepz drop hip hop, R&B and mashups. 10pm-3am, weekly. Electro, house and EDM at this popular rooftop club. 10pm3am. Repeated Friday.
Friday 28 It’s a residents take over, with classics night Eats Retro doing the honours Below. 4pm-3am, free.
Bassworx feat. Q-Bik, Casa Latina
The bass night returns, with residents joined by guest DJ Somalie. 6pm-1am.
3 deck DnB DJ from New Zealand headlines, with support from Woodle, JAB and Breaks Apart. 9pm-2.45am, free.
The Big Grill feat. No Mercy, Emirates Golf Course
Boutiq Electriq, Boutiq
Diana King and No Mercy play live at this steak festival. 4pm, Dhs295 including unlimited meat.
Da Sendri starts his Friday eclectic residency at this 2 room venue in the Address Hotel, Dubai Mall. Weekly.
Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE feat. Uner Spanish techno star Uner plays the main set, with plenty of new ammunition thanks to his new album Tune 432. 11am-11pm, reservation@ bluemarlinibiza-uae.com
Ego Urban Lounge, Boutique 7 Hotel, Tecom
Wall-to-wall urban tunes 6 nights a week, with a strong roster of residents including Dany Neville, Rone Jaxx and Soulninja.
Freaks and Beats, Cirque Le Soir
Nick Tohme heads up this weekly night, where entertainment is at the fore. 10pm-3am. Weekly.
Another Friday, and another international DJ at the Habtoor venue, with German DJ Chris Montana dropping the pool side beats. 1pm-3am, Dhs150 on the door.
House of Afrika feat. DJ Dazz, Dek on 8
More Afro-tech at this hugely popular weekly house night. 4pm-3am, free.
Hush, Vanity
Mo Muscles and Shef Codes drop old school hip hop and R&B tracks. 10pm-3am. Weekly.
Irie Fridays, Sublime
Bosscity DJ Rabu and Ras Dru drop the reggae riddims. 9pm-3am, Dhs60, ladies free before 11pm. Weekly.
Massive Fridays feat. J Capri, Sensation
The ‘Whine and Kotch’ singer performs live at this popular Friday night urban hangout. 10.30pm.
INFUSION PICK!
Machu Warriors feat. Mario Basanov, Story Rooftop
Nu-Disco champion and the man behind Ten Walls headlines at this funky rooftop joint. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.
No.1 Fridays, N’Dulge
Urban, hip hop and R&B at this long-running weekly night. 10pm-3am, ladies free before 11pm, Dhs100 after. Weekly.
Sunny Vibe Up, Dusk Terrace, Radisson Blu
Funk, hip hop, Breaks and more party, with the Deep Crates Cartel residents on rotation. 2pm-late, Dhs50 after 5pm.
Sunstroke Yacht Party, Dubai Marina Mall
David Craig, John Spoor, Danny Kwang and more play this afternoon yacht party. 1pm, Dhs375 including open bar and pizza.
PARTY GUIDE
Friday Pool Party feat. Chris Montana, XL Beach Club
INFUSION PICK!
ARTY GUIDE
T-Pain, Supperclub
R&B and hip hop as US star and two time Grammy award winning singer T-Pain performs live. 8pm, Dhs295.
The Big Grill ft. UB 40, Emirates Golf Course One of the UB 40 bands (minus lead singer Ali Campbell) plays live at this meat fest. 4pm, Dhs295 including unlimited meat.
Tonight I’m A Single Lady, Movida
Free drinks for ladies from 11pm-1am, and resident DJ Mitchell on the decks. 11pm3am. Weekly.
Saturday March 1 Destination, Zinc
UK Garage, Funky house and urban with Richie D and Mister Ash. 10pm-3am. Weekly.
INFUSION PICK!
411, People By Crystal
Kid Ink, last seen on Chris Brown’s single ‘Show Me’ makes his Dubai debut, with Masterstepz and Shef Codes in support. 10pm-3am. Weekly.
Homegrown, 360
vollyball competitions and resident DJs on rotation. Weekly. 1pm-5.30pm, Dhs295, reservation@ bluemarlinibiza-uae.com
Monday 3 The Craig Perry Band, The Fridge Rolling Stone finalist Craig Perry unveils his new album. 7.30pm, Dhs50.
Wednesday 5 Punchline Comedy, Girders (Ocean View Hotel)
A trio of Irish comedians, Chris Kent, Colm McDonnell, and Andrew Stanley, do the honours. 9pm, Dhs150 including food.
Thursday 6 Arado and SIS, Bliss Lounge
Ibiza regulars Arado and SIS drop tech and deep house beats at the beach-side bar and club. 6pm-late.
Eric Clapton, Dubai Media City
Charl Chaka and Frak Fu keep the weekend vibe going with deep, funky house. 4pm-3am, free.
Guitar hero Clapton digs deep into his decades of musical history, including ‘Tears In Heaven’ and ‘Lyla.’ 6pm, Dhs350.
Saturday Brunch, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
Movida Meets Candypants
Wind down your weekend with live cooking stations and free flowing Spanish sangria,
Fun, frolics and funky house at the Sheikh Zayed Road venue. 11pm-3am.
The Wonder Stuff, Irish Village
More poptastic retro cuts from the IV, with the indie group behind ‘Dizzy’ playing live. 6pm, Dhs60.
Friday 7
INFUSION PICK!
audio tonic feat. Kolombo, 360
Belgian deep house star Kolombo returns after blowing the roof off at his previous visit. 4pm-3am, free.
East 17, The Music Room
2 members of East 17 are joined by the Artful Dodger singer Robbie Craig for this 90s throwback night. 9pm, Dhs100.
Eats Everything, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
Another forward thinking booking from the Blue Marlin crew, with UK bass warrior Eats Everything flying in for his UAE debut. 11am-11pm, reservation@bluemarlinibizauae.com
History of House, Level 41, Media One Hotel
DJs Graeme Park, Allister Whitehead and John Kelly are joined by live singer Rozalla for this night celebrating 25 years of house classics. 9pm-3am, Dhs100.
House of Afrika feat. Black Motion, Dek on 8
One of the biggest house hits of the last 12 months celebrates its 1st birthday, with DJ and drummer duo Black Motion headlining. 4pm-3am, free.
Thomas Gold, White Dubai
Big room – or in this case, big terrace – vibes from the Berlin based DJ and producer. 10pm-3am.
INFUSION PICK!
Plus Minus feat. Henrik Schwarz, Nasimi
A live set from jazz-techno star Henrik Schwarz, with a long list of Dubai DJs on support. 7pm-3am, Dhs150.
Saturday 8 411, People By Crystal The original urban dream team of DJ Bliss and Shef Codes close out the weekend. 10pm3am. Weekly.
INFUSION PICK!
Reggae Beach Fest, XL Beach Club The 4th installment of the popular reggae event, with a Carnival themed party and a 10 DJ line up. 2pm-3am, Dhs100 advance, Dhs125 on the door.
Social, 360
Live music at sunset followed by some of the city’s best house DJs until the early hours. 5pm-3am, free.
PARTY GUIDE
INFUSION PICK!
INFUSION PICK!
Look AND
LISTEN Music be the food of love, so read on...
> Music News > Album Reviews > Tech Talk > DJ Booth > Meet Your Promoter > DJ Top 10
Look and Listen
Music News... Deep Dish return
Good news house fans, American/ Iranian house duo Deep Dish are back working together, and released a new single ‘Quincy’ which debuted on BBC Radio 1 recently. The pair, comprised of Sharam and Dubfire, last worked together 8 years ago, and have confirmed a show in Miami during the Ultra Music Festival, with a full tour announcement expected later.
MUSIC BITES
“I’m disgusted with that… the press is evil” Canadian R&B star Drake hit out at Rolling Stone after they pulled his planned cover story and went with Philip Seymour Hoffman following his death.
New wave of Rolands released
Musical instrument manufacturer Roland have announced they’ve updated their Aria range, combining the classic 808 and 909 drum machines into a brand new TR-8 unit, while the 303 bass synth has become the TB3. The 808 was the drum machine of choice for hip hop producers like Afrika Bambaataa, while it was also used as the backbone for Marvin Gaye’s ‘Sexual Healing’, while the 303 was at the forefront of the acid house revolution. The new units are available in March from roland.com.
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Look and Listen
Album Reviews... Conan Liquid – Basement Tapes Volume 2 (Infusion Records) House/Nu-Disco www.infusion.ae/en/section/music-news-1/infusion-records-1
It’s a commonly held clubbing truth, that the warm up, the opening of a night, is the most important part. Come 1am, any monkey – and sometimes, a monkey would be preferable – can bang out the hits to a drunk crowd. But seducing the crowd onto a dancefloor, that takes a very different type of musical weaponry. And the latest EP from Infusion Records is a three track education in warming up, with two mid tempo, spacey, synth heavy numbers joined by a funky, rolling track. Both ‘7 Bar Blues’ and ‘The Very Beginning’ have cool vocal samples and intricate builds at their core, with a definite Metro Area feel to them. ‘Rope A Dope’, meanwhile, charts a different course, building on a 70s disco loop, extending and expanding it into a furious funk exposition that touches on filter house territory.
Christian Prommer – Ubermood (Compost Black) House/Jazz
I
soundcloud.com/christianprommer
Fittingly, considering the name of the record label, Christian Prommer’s debut album is a muddy, earthy, compostlike mix of dance music and influences. An improvised, largely live affair, this 16 track album was recorded by Christian, and a set of musician friends, and is truly panoramic in its musical spectrum, taking in jazz, funk, soul and deep house influences. And we don’t mean that in a throw away, ‘deep house sampling a 70s track way’, we mean it in the freeform, jazz-funk way, where melodies dip in and out and rhythms breathe and live. Opener ‘Shanghai Nights’ is jazzier than Jeff, while ‘Zao Bretu’ is a melodic, classical interlude, and ‘Waltz’ is something Mr Scruff would drop into one of his 5 hour marathons. There’s plenty of more dancefloor friendly material as well, like the pianodriven ‘Aturo,’ the organic, gently escalating ‘Synth Jazz’ and the funkadelic ‘Tob, Der Bar,’ making this an excellent album.
Look and Listen ALBUM BITES Uner – Tune 432 (Diynamic)
House/Techno
soundcloud.com/uner
For more Album Reviews go to www.infusion.ae
If You’re a House or techno fan, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE have got you covered at the moment, and are bringing Spanish DJ and producer Uner back for another show. And he’s done something a little bit different for his debut release on Diynamic, as he’s tuned all the instruments to 432HZ, said to be mathematically consistent with patterns of the universe. This isn’t just cod science fiction, mumbo jumbo though, as 432HZ does produce a unique resonance, giving his tracks an extra dimension. And it’s this attention to detail, allayed with his background in classical music, that allows him to create organic techno tracks like ‘Stay’ and ‘Laderas Del Sollube’, both melodic but punchy numbers that should be in any warm up DJ’s arsenal, while closing track ‘Trumpets and Flowers’ is a drop dead gorgeous slice of deep vocal house. Dance music with a difference.
MUSIC THAT MATTERS
Send tracks/edits/remixes to andy@infusion.ae
Ronin & Nesta – Art Department warm up Another twisted, deep meets tech house mix from our favourite Beirut duo, this time behind the decks for the return of the Mix FM Club Night. soundcloud.com/ roninandnesta/ronin-nesta-artdepartment Marko Smokingroove – Basement Beats A live jackin’ set recorded at audio tonic, from the Time Out nominated Best DJ in Dubai. soundcloud.com/markosmokingroove/
Omar Basaad – Hojan A noisy, EDM heavy monster from the recent Creamfields star and Saudi DJ and producer. soundcloud.com/omar-basaad Salah Sadeq – Paris With A K Forthcoming sparse but on point techno 3 track EP on Dubai based One28 Records. Cuts Above – The Sand City Shakedown Serious funk and disco throwdown from the Cuts Above team, with DUST DJs Megadon Betamax and James Locksmith guesting. soundcloud.com/cutsabove/ cuts-cast-02-02-14-the-sand
Lessons we’ve
learnt
No one ever said running a record label would be easy, but with 11 EPs under our belt, and with support from industry illuminati like Roger Sanchez and Louie Vega, alongside lots of love from the Middle East DJ community, we take a look back at Infusion Records over the past 365 musical days with label manager Conan Manchester.
The best thing about running a record label is…
It’s got to be the chance to really build something. You can take it in any direction you want. When we set up the label, we wanted to be pro-active rather than reactive. We wanted to try and stay ahead of the game rather than put out stuff like everyone else. So far I am happy we have done this with the artists we have signed. Also when releasing my own tracks I don’t have to
pamper to another A&R guy which frees me up to take my own music in whatever direction I want to. I have always tried to stay ahead of the game. This doesn’t always translate to big sales, but I would rather be an innovator than a bandwagon rider.
The worst thing is…
Sometimes it’s difficult being objective about my own material, but I have a great bunch of people who are honest and helpful when it comes to the tracks I release on Infusion. Quality control is paramount.
Being download only is…
A massive advantage. I would love to release vinyl and CDs etc, but it’s not that easy in this part of the world. In London, with the Liquid People tracks I produced, we could knock up 500 white labels fairly easily or cut an acetate on a Friday afternoon for the weekend’s gigs, but it was expensive. With download only, it is easy to get a track up straight away, get the track out to other DJs quickly. Also Infusion has always been an organic project and we listen to the DJs and people who buy our tracks. Recently I was asked if I could do another version of a release without a 303 sound in it and I turned it out in an afternoon and updated the release.
Our biggest seller to date has been… We have been pretty constant to be honest and most of the releases have sold around the same amount. What is also great
about downloads is tracks can sit there not really selling and then suddenly you sell a load of downloads because that particular genre or style become popular. ‘Ok 48k Computer’ [from Basement Tapes Volume 1] was an example of this. It didn’t sell well initially but before Christmas last year it suddenly started shifting quite quickly. If you want a plain answer then ‘Blue Boombox’ has sold the most units collectively as an EP.
Over the past year, our reputation has…
Definitely built, but it has built organically. We haven’t had sudden overnight success. It’s hard work out there, and every week you are up against around 1500 new releases, but we have been patient and plugged away slowly and steadily. It helps having the magazine to increase coverage and it helps that in Dubai
the bigger DJs to take their time to listen and react as they have a million promos coming in every week.
Infusion’s releases have been… everyone supports each other. There is no animosity between the producers, DJ and labels in house music in Dubai. We all help each other and in part all those guys have been a massive help in building the labels reputation.
The hardest part of getting your music heard is… The hardest part is that your track is sent out or released alongside so may other tracks. Bigger labels with bigger producers and bigger marketing budgets. We are a small outfit putting out quality house music and I hope over time we will build and build to the point that DJs and producers see our label logo and listen just on the strength that it is on Infusion. This will also help the unknown producers we sign. We want Infusion to be a portal for local producers in the UAE and obviously a lot of those local guys may be releasing their first track and won’t be familiar to big DJs and it’s hard to get
A real cross section of genres all under the umbrella of good quality house music. I think they have been of a good quality, innovative, with something a little different in there.
We’ve been charted and supported by…
Roger S, Moodymanc, CJ Mackintosh, Louie Vega, DJ Spen, Mr V, Full Intention, Todd Terry, Joey Negro, Shur-I-Kan.
In 2014 we’ll be…
Continuing on our mission to sign new local producers from the UAE and help them get exposure. Continue to be innovative and ground breaking. I am hoping to do some collabs with other local producers and hook up local producers with each other and
see what comes out. And I hope we’ll help make Infusion a worldwide brand known for putting out good quality music.
The biggest difference between running a record label now, and 20 years ago is…
Oh that’s easy. Money. Starting a record label 20 years ago needed financial outlay initially. Studios cost more. Mastering cost more and was a pain in the butt to sort out. You had to pay for white labels, promoing, etc. The social media wasn’t there, so it was even harder to get your music heard. However on the brighter side there was less rubbish out there. Because it is easier now to start a label the quality has decreased in my opinion. To give you an idea on how difficult it was 20 years ago, I would finish a track in a studio I had to pay for hourly. It would be recorded to DAT or reel to reel. That was sent by courier to a mastering house. It was mastered and then couriered
back to me. Then if there were no problems it was sent to the cutting house, the master plates were cut then test pressings would be pressed. Providing there were no problems in the cut, copies were then pressed. Then those promos were delievered by van all over the country to shops or were delivered to a distributor who distributed the vinyl worldwide. A long chain of events that cost money and time at every point. It was a lot of fun though. Nowadays people can finish a track on a laptop, master it themselves (with a bit of study and savvy) and then upload it to a website and sell it instantly. They have multiple, free marketing mediums and multiple ways to put it in the hands of the right people.
USBs etc. It’s a tool to get a job done. There is no better or worse. I travelled the world with heavy boxes of vinyl for many years. In and out of airports every weekend. Worrying my vinyl would get lost in the luggage (or stolen). Lugging around a massive heavy bag when we all swapped to padded bags. I am more than happy to turn up with a couple of USB sticks and my headphones nowadays. I would say people who look down their noses at people who don’t play exclusively vinyl haven’t been a working DJ travelling worldwide every weekend. Conan Liquid’s Basement Tapes Volume 2 is out now.
The resurgence of vinyl is… Not surprising. I don’t think it ever really went away to be honest. The only thing that has changed though is the quality of vinyl and pressings. It’s not as good as it used to be in my opinion. I am not partial to the vinyl snobbery that goes on though. I mean I love vinyl (and the 10000+ records I have is testament to that), but there seems to be a snobbery associated with it where DJs are looking down their noses at DJs who play off laptops, or
Infusion Records 1st Birthday Mix is available now, soundcloud.com/infusionrecords
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Sound advice Speakers. For years, they’ve either been bicep buildingly big, or tinny and annoyingly bad. But, now is the time of the portable hand held speaker that not only connects remotely to your device, but also packs a punch in the sound department. Here are 3 of our favourites.
NudeAudio Billed as a portable speaker that’s focused on fashion and design, these NudeAudio Bluetooth speakers are some of the best looking on the market. And with prices ranging from Dhs120 to Dhs600, are affordable as well.
Jabra Solemate Mini With its compact size, and robust, simple design, the Jabra is a more hardy portable speaker, boasting 8 hours of battery life, Bluetooth connectivity and bold colour schemes. Dhs399.
Jawbone Mini Jambox With the most innovate design of the trio, the Jawbone is the most expensive at Dhs799. But the speaker comes powered by 2 neodymium drivers, a bass radiator and 10 hours of playback time, giving it one of the biggest sounds on the market.
DJ Booth: DJ Stutter We get to grips with Movida’s Saturday night Suga resident, German decknician and VJ, DJ Stutter
My worst ever job was… Playing when a power failure hit on a New Year’s Eve Party in Germany with 6,000 guests. One thing you might not know about me is... That I got my name DJ Stutter because I stutter. My favorite ever record is... Bobby Brown, ‘My Prerogative.’ DJing is much like... A way of life. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Amazing, I like how the crowd celebrates and gets into the music and the videos that I play. I’m really proud of… The fact I have 12 years in the industry and have worked with a lot of stars I admired as a child. What track could you drop in every set? Jagged Edge, ‘Let’s Get Married (Remix)’ I can not live without... Music and my beautiful children. What is your guiltiest pleasure? To sing and dance in front of the mirror. If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... The 80s, it was the time when R&B hit the scene. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... DJ Jazzy Jeff, he inspires me a lot. I’m not a politician but... I know I would do better than any of them, which is not hard. soundcloud.com/jamaicanlove soundcloud.com/djstuttermix/dj-stutter-sex-music-vol-2
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MEET YOUR PROMOTER
We get to grips with Deian Markov, who’s part of the Groove on the Grass and Clique @ 360 team
Who are you and what do you do?
I am the booking agent and one of the cofounders of Groove on the Grass, an open air festival, and Clique @ 360.
What’s the key ingredient to building a good brand and promoting? Having good people to work with, and booking the right artists.
What’s been the biggest mistake you’ve made? Booking Ricardo Villallobos [who cancelled at the last minute for his scheduled event in December] was a pretty big mistake, but we learn
– The Artist Network Need to know Running since: 2007 Run by: The Artist Network (I founded this in Canada 2007) Artists played: Luca Bacchetti, Tigerskin, Damian Lazarus, DJ Koze, Steve Bug, Droog, Anja Schneider, Catz N’ Dogz, Marc Romboy, Robert Babicz Local residents: SUFYAN, Kaytek, Jixo & Danz, Sam Farsio, Rishi, Deian, Nasrawi Venues worked at: 360, Emirates Golf Club, Bliss Lounge
from everything and it get’s a lot easier.
And the biggest success? The Groove On The Grass project as a whole is our biggest success to date, we are really looking forward to the up-coming season!
You started working at Emirates Golf Course, and opened the venue up to other promoters – why do you think the venue works so well? The venue works so well because of our team, our production, our vision, and our artist selection. The venue is not available to other promoters in the electronic music industry, however the other themes that are held at the venue have been doing great, and the team at EGC is great to work with.
What’s been the most outlandish/odd thing you’ve seen on an artist rider?
Most of the acts we book are more artistic and less demanding than the commercial acts, nothing out of the ordinary so far. The bigger the artist the more the demands, all have been reasonable demands except for bringing the girlfriend along on business class flights, a common request that is a little outlandish.
How does your day job affect what you do?
I make sure to keep the two separate, time management and working far in advance is the key.
And any nightmare acts you’ve had to deal with?
Everyone in the industry can agree, dealing with the NGE agency is a nightmare, a lot of divas over there.
How do you balance what you want to see and what the crowd wants, and
when have you got that wrong and right?
So far, so good in this aspect, I think we have cultivated an audience who comes with an open mind to our events and allows our artists to be more flexible and experimental. The outcome has been amazing, creating a great vibe every time.
Who do you see as your competition in the city?
There are only a handful of electronic music promoters so I would have to say each and
every event is competition no matter the size. But now, more than ever, new-comers are trying to create brands, so I feel it is becoming a little over-saturated.
Who would you most like to bring out to the region? Wait and see this season, we’re bringing them!
Pro mo ters I ad mire: There are way too many, but off the top of my head... Craig Pettigrew founder of BPM festival, Andrei Osyka of Droog who runs Culprit at Standard roof top in LA, and bookings at Sound. And our local boys at Analog Room for having creativity and developing a really cool concept which is unique in our market. D-Pulse, Clique @ 360, Thursday February 27, 6pm3am.
Competition: We have 2 pairs of tickets to give away to Groove on the Grass, head to infusion.ae
Groove on the Grass feat. Butch and Konrad Black, Friday March 14. facebook.com/ GrooveOnTheGrass
Sister Rock Fridays 4-9pm Jukebox, Nelson’s, Media Rotana, Tecom soundcloud.com/ sister-rock
Pharrell Williams – Happy Avicii – Hey Brother Storm Queen – See Right Through (MK Remix) Robin Thicke – Robin Thicke Pitbull feat. Kesha – Timber Jason Derulo – Trumpets Eminem, feat Rihanna – The Monster Lady Gaga feat. R Kelly – Do What You Want Awolnation – Sail Katy Perry – Roar
Dory Badawi soundcloud.com/ dory-badawi
Max Graham - The Evil Id (Original Mix) Andrew Rayel - Dark Warrior (Original Mix) Solarstone - Solarcoaster (Markus Schulz Remix) Mauro Picotto - Lizard (Solis & Sean Truby’s Ibiza Mix) Hardwell ft. Amba Shepherd - Apollo (Dash Berlin 4AM Remix) Craig Connelly - Decibels (Original Mix) Armin van Buuren ft. Richard Bedford - Love Never Came (W&W vs. Armin van Buuren Remix) Lange & Ilseviolin - Violins Revenge (Dark Mix) Simon Patterson ft Lucy Pullin - The One (Original) Ram - Sledgehammer (Antillas Remix)
Marko Smokingroove MSG Sandance | GQ Bar soundcloud.com/ marko-smokingroove
Yousef – Just a Beat – Circus Recordings Sonartek & Andrea Landi – PunchiPick Sable Sheep - Crop–Eared – DFTD Ray Okpara – Midnight Protein (Andrea Oliva Rmx) Stu Laurie – Dub Sub (MSG Civil Disobedience RMX) - Love Network Jesse Perez - That’s Real Muthafu*kin Talk Kerri Chandler – Hellelujah (Supernova Jackin’ Rmx) Smokingroove – Introspektive – Illuminati Green Velvet & Riva Star – Robots (Weiss Rmx) Trash You – Watch This – OFF
To submit your Top 10, send in the above format to andy@infusion.ae
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Looking
CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...
> Weird News > The Big Q > Cool Test > Movies > Angry Monkey
Looking Closer
Weird News... Hopping mad
ONE ENGLISHMAN rang Crawley Borough Council to claim that he was being harassed. By a frog. The amphibian was apparently hassling him at the bottom of the stairs to his house, with the council recommending that he simply wait until the frog hopped off on its own accord.
Death metal
SKINNY PUPPY, an experimental rock band have sent a bill to the US military after being told its music was used to torment suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. The band have asked for Dhs2.4 million for the use of their music. The band’s keyboardist, Cevin Key, said: “I am not only against the fact they’re using our music to inflict damage on somebody else but they are doing it without anybody’s permission.” It has been reported that the US military blasted loud music into detainees’ cells, ranging from Metallica and Nine Inch Nails to Queen and Sesame Street.
Weird PICS
Smash and grab US bobsledder Johnny Quinn literally takes matters into his own hands after he got locked inside a bathroom at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
Etch-a-sketch Amazingly, this police sketch – dubbed the worst ever – has led to an arrest in the US after a mugging in Texas
Looking Closer
THE BIG
QUESTION What’s the worst break up line you’ve used, or had used on you?
David: I’ve already bought you a ticket home.
Catherine: I can’t keep you satisfied.
Jacqui: I can’t keep up with you.
James: It’s not you, it’s me.
Celine: I love your personality, but I’m just not that into your body.
Kristel: I was with this guy for six years, a long distance relationship, the next moment I saw on Facebook he had just got engaged!
Bruno: You’re too good looking for me.
Tommy: I can’t break up with you, you have to break up with me!
Cool
After the humdinger last month, we invited the Punchline Comedy funny men, Chris Kent and Andrew Stanley, to test their mettle against each other.
Chris Kent
Andrew Stanley
The funniest word is… Avocado.
Poop. Come on, absolute gold.
The best heckle I’ve heard is… “Can somebody please help him” (A concerned lady stood up and said this while I was on stage).
“I wish you hadn’t been born!” And that’s why my mother doesn’t come to my shows anymore.
The question I get asked the most is… “How do you get your hair “Are you really a comedian?” so curly.” Seriously. It’s quite depressing. My biggest claim to fame is… I got to rub the chest of All I am close personal friends Blacks Captain Richie McCaw with Bob Marley. for a TV ad. That’s right ladies. Rugby Legend, Richie McCaw.
Have you ever used your name or fame to get out of trouble?
No, but I have used other people’s names to get me out Once I pretended to be Chris of trouble, and subsequently Kent to get out of something got them into a lot of in Cork. It didn’t work. trouble... that’s what friends are for.
Chris Kent VS Andrew Stanley CHRIS
ANDREW
Have you ever injured yourself at work?
Yup. I once knocked myself My dignity was once on life out with a microphone when I support, does that count?! was being a little too vigorous (Refer to heckle above). telling a story. It’s not big and clever but…
He did ask me to do these Fart noises are funny. gigs, thanks Andrew Stanley! Your answer to everything is… You’re not drinking enough Yup I can definitely do that. water. Usually when I can’t. What’s the best insult you could give each other? What a mental question. This is definitely not the best Asking him what his day friends quiz, lol. I would say job is...! something like “You remind me of a young me.” Nasty!
The verdict: Andrew Stanley. The answer to your heckle joke might earn you a warm seat in hell, but it certainly made us chuckle. Emirates Golf Club, Feb 27, Dhs200 including food, Girders Ocean View Hotel, Mar 5, Dhs150,
MOVIE ANCHORMAN
2
The much delayed Will Ferrel follow-up hits the UAE screens, as San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy, takes on New York’s first ever 24 hour news channel. Classification: PG-13 Director: Adam McKay Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd
3 Days To Kill
A dying Secret Service Agent trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in exchange for one last assignment. Meh. Classification: PG 13 Director: McG Starring: Amber Heard, Kevin Costner, Hailee Steinfeld
PREVIEWS Pompeii
Utterly dire-looking disaster flick, that turns back time to the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano, as a slave turned gladiator fights against the Roman Senate and struggles to find his one true love. Classification: 18 Director: Paul W.S. Anderson Starring: Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning
Don Jon Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars and directs in this larger than life tale of a New Jersey man and his unrealistic expectations in love after becoming hooked on porn, while his girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson) struggles to come to terms with her own Hollywood-induced disillusionment. Classification: R Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
Disclaimer: Film release schedules are subject to change, please check reelcinemas.ae, grandcinemas.com and voxcinemas.com for full schedules.
PLAYING HARD TO GET There’s a lot to be said for playing hard to get, just ask Mrs Monkey on a Friday night when she’s playing coy in her suspenders and high heels – the fur fairly flies, let me tell you! And it’s a notion that club land should embrace. You can spot the dead spots on a night out by how much noise they’re making, like soggy-breasted ladies of the night leaning into your car telling you they’ll do everything. They have drinks deals! They have dancers! They have 4 DJs on the bill all playing the same pop crap! They have surprises on the night (surprise, the night is sh*t)! But, keep a bit of mystique about your event, make them want it, and make it good enough that people come to you to find out more, and you’ll have people (literally) queuing out the door. It’s like when you’re a small kid, not the pooping yourself bit (although we do hear that happened to someone recently), but when you can’t have something, you want it so much more. Less is more people, less is more.
Monkey Out...
The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.