GUEST LIST TALAL BUDEBS Publisher
CHARL CHAKA
Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae
ANDY BUCHAN
Editor andy@infusion.ae
VIP PATEL
Magazine / Sales Director vip@infusion.ae +971 050 169 8712
Infusion DJ Factory coming soon for all those budding DJs out there!
The Food Truck Jam at Emirates Golf Course is a must on Saturdays – bars, ace food trucks, acres of grass to spread out on and live music. The next event is on April 9.
CHRIS RAYNER
Online Guru chris@infusion.ae
PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae
Congratulations to all the winners at this year’s Time Out Nightlife Awards. We’re not sure the Angry Monkey was so pleased though...
CONTRIBUTORS:
Vip Patel, Chris Rayner, Matt Zaharias, Stephen Day
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Bruce – sorry, Caitlyn – Jenner is now being booked for DJ sets in America. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse…
Ten Walls, the publicly outed homophobic DJ, has been confirmed for a show in Abu this May.
People, people: yes, the Face Swap photos were mildly funny first time around, but please, enough is enough.
BLACK LIST
SAY WHAT? RUMOURS One Big Friday is back at Zero Gravity, with Oliver Heldens (below) rumoured to be one of the headline acts
Underworld, MK and Eric Prydz (above) are rumoured to be three of the acts playing at the Smile Festival in Dubai next November.
OLD JOKES HOME: Good conversation is like a miniskirt: Short enough to retain interest but long enough to cover the subject.
MEME CORNER:
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WE LOVE Disconekt
The lights strobe, the music slows, the crowd instinctively drops to its knees, patiently waiting for the build up before catapulting up in time with the breakdown, an eruption of synapse-snapping energy that could power DEWA for days. This isn’t Fabric, this isn’t an after-hours club in Argentina – this happens every Wednesday at Disconekt, the latest mid-week clubbing venture that’s sweeping the city. Playing a very current mix of deep, melodic tech house, and with a crack team of residents and guests including Michka, Mario Bazouri, Fred Stone and Aidin Karami, the night is full of dance music heads, hipsters and insomniacs all getting their weekend started a day early. Plus, if you fancy a night out without the hedonistic aspect, the Vii Lounge and Terrace is open from 8pm, while the club opens at 11pm for the late night ravers. Disconekt, Vii, Conrad Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road. Every Wednesday from 8pm
LOOKING
BACK
Retrospective on what’s been happening in our world.
• WHAT WE DID • PHOTO GALLERY
Looking Back
What we did
DARA O’BRIAIN @ WORLD TRADE CENTRE As a nation, the Irish are known for sticking together and supporting their own. This was evident on St Patrick’s Day as they were out in droves to watch home-grown funny man Dara O’Briain perform new show ‘Crowd Tickler’ to a 3,000 strong crowd. The ‘Mock The Week’ presenter drew on subject matter from his hit BBC TV shows including Dara O’Briain’s Science Club to treat his fans to an intelligent, fast talking and hilarious onslaught of verbiage that had some fans laughing so hard they were gasping for air. His ‘scientific’ explanation as to why men think differently to women particularly tickled our fancy. High on the BAFTA Nominee’s agenda was audience interaction and he used it extremely well, showing quick wit and cultural knowledge to both tailor his show to the audience and embarrass almost every member of the front row, a Project Manager for Legoland taking the brunt of it. We walked into the show not really knowing what to expect from the successful TV show host, we walked out fans of his masterful stand-up. Vip Patel
Looking Back
SVEN VATH @ BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE He’s played three times in the last year now after an extended absence from the region, but we’ll never get sick of hearing Sven Vath, the Cocoon Records head honcho, wizard of vinyl and allround nice guy hold court behind the decks. And if the size of the crowd that turned up to Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE on Friday is any indicator, the techno fans of the region won’t tire of him either. Warming up for Sven as the sun sank was Maurizio Schmitz, who set the stage perfectly with some delightful atmospheric techno that pushed the kick drum back and brought the melodies forward - the ideal soundtrack to watch the sun dip below the horizon. Once darkness set in though, it was time for Papa Sven to step up and show why he’s the boss - and for the rest of the night he did just that, pumping out driving records of all genres and styles, from techno to samba and anything and everything else that tickled his fancy. Although there was space around the edges of the club, we aimed directly for the center of the 250,000 watt sound system that’s been so carefully put together. Once there, with the killer tunes cranking with perfect clarity, the crowd screaming and Sven himself waving the record’s sleeve above his head, you couldn’t have wiped the smile off our faces even if you tried. Matt Zaharias
Looking Back
PIKNIC ELECTRONIK FEAT LA FLEUR & PIONAL @ THE ADDRESS, MONTGOMERIE GOLF COURSE As we wondered through Emirates Hills towards the penultimate Piknic of the season, the distinct sound of 4x4 beats resonating through the air and with the Marina skyline infront of us, we couldn’t help but be excited. As we entered, the crowd, a mix of families, hippies and ravers, or Piknicers as they are collectively known, were scattered throughout the venue. Alongside the music, there are several food trucks across the venue, while kids can enjoy several bouncy castles and makeshift sand pits (golf bunkers). Daytime sets were brought to us by local talents Aidin Karami and Maga who warmed things up nicely with their deep and mellow vibe. Things ramped up once the sun set, with headliners La Fleur and Pional providing more energetic sets as a fun filled crowd including a hoola hoop conga line and poy jugglers hit the dancefloor and partied throughout the evening. Vip Patel
BACK2BASICS FEAT. MARCO V @ PACHA
BRAZILIAN SPIRIT @ DEK ON 8
PIKNIC ELECTRONIK @ MONTGOMERIE GOLF COURSE
PLUS MINUS FEAT. DEETRON @ LEVEL 41
DECIBEL FEAT. MARK REEVE @ LEVEL 41
TOY ROOM 1ST BIRTHDAY
JACK PAROW @ DEK ON 8
DUBAI WITH ATTITUDE FEAT. DJ PREMIER @ THE ACT
Transylvania Legends Prepare to witness top Romanian DJ's Negru 7th April
Mahony B2B Azteca 5th May
Nusha 2nd June
Be Electrifyyd! SOCIO introduces a top Romanian DJ every month to THE DEK on 8. Each Legend will showcase their masterful selections; spinning a unique range of beats to keep you going until early hours of the morning with the support of DJ MELU. Don’t be late Happy Hour drink deals from 7-9pm
It’s time to get up on 8 before you get down
LOOKING
FORWARD
Where we filter out the best things that are coming your way...
• LOCAL NEWS • COVER FEATURE • HERNAN CATTANEO • DJ BLISS
Looking Forward
Local News DANCE MUSIC CONFERENCE
The long-awaited Dance Music Conference makes its debut in the city from April 21-22 at Pacha. Spread over a full weekend and utilizing Pacha’s 3 room set up, the DMC will include DJ sets from Sister Bliss (Faithless), Mark Knight (pictured), Olivier Giacomotto, a live show from Sailor & I. They’ve also teamed up with local nights and labels like audio tonic, Shibuya, Analog Room, Hollaphonic and more. Head to dancemusicconference.com for more info.
vibe series
presents
Looking Forward
ET W!LD BACK AT TOEDEN THE 80S!
80s icons The Human League line up alongside Sister Sledge and German act Thomas Anders on Friday April 15 at the Media City Ampitheatre. Electro-disco stars The Human League are best known for their huge hits like ‘Don’t You Want Me,’ still considered a modern day classic, as well as ‘Love Action’ and ‘Lebanon.’ Early bird tickets start from AED299, with the concert starting from 9pm.
Looking Forward TECHNO TITAN DAVE CLARKE MAKES UAE DEBUT
A principled DJ who’s stayed true to his techno roots for over 2 decades, Dave Clarke is a dance music institution respected by clubbers across the globe. And the lucky people at Groove on the Grass on April 8 will be able to catch the Fabric regular in action in their techno room at Emirates Golf Course alongside CLR signing Rebekah. And don’t forget that George Fitzgerald and Hot Chip are on DJ duties on the main stage, with a strong local support line up. Tickets start from AED180 from Platinumlist.net and doors open at 5pm.
Looking Forward
ET W!LD LOADED AT EDEN BRUNCH GOES LIVE
Award-winning indie/alterntive night Loaded have teamed up with Stereo Arcade and launched the weekly Late Late Brunch from April 15. Running from 1-4pm, the brunch will cost AED249 for an open bar, with an a la carte menu including the Loaded pizza. The brunch will feature the best local bands on rotation, with Carl & The Reda Mafia, Craig Perry, The Bridge Incident and Josh Monteath confirmed for shows.
THIS YEAR's MOST PRESTIGIOUS DJ COMPETITION
REMIX & DJ WITH
CO M PE T I T IO N GRAND FINALS WILL BE AT Ministry Of Sound LONDON For all DJs from EUROPE, ASIA, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA U.S.A AND ALL OVER THE GLOBE for inquiries and sponsorships
+971 52 633 3381
Looking Forward 2MANYDJS PLAY EDEN
Eden have turned towards the Dewaele brothers from Belgium for their April 8 booking, a duo better known as 2ManyDJs. A regular in the region, they’re best known for their eclectic mashups, although their sets more recently have tended to focus on house, electro and techno with splashes of their mashup brilliance. Technically some of the best DJs around, and easily the best party DJs Eden have booked this year.
Looking Forward
ET W!LD SHAPESHIFTERS AT EDEN PLAY XL
‘Lola’s Theme,’ ‘Back To Basics’ and ‘Incredible’ – The Shapeshifters were a virtual ever present in the UK Top 10 in the mid 2000s thanks to those dance music hits, turning themselves into one of the funky house scene’s biggest names. Still running over a decade later and signed to Defected, the duo are bringing their good-time house music sound to XL on Friday April 8.
SIGMA PLAY NASIMI
Chart-topping Drum and Bass duo Sigma are back at Nasimi on Thursday April 7, alongside nu-disco star The Magician. Sigma have sold nearly two million singles worldwide, including ‘Nobody To Love’ and ‘Changing’ and received two Brit nominations. The event is sponsored by Tiger, with live graffiti artists, photo booths, face and body art available on the night. Doors open at 7pm, with tickets AED100 in adance from Platinumlist.net.
Looking Forward
ET W!LD ANALOG AT EDEN ROOM START A NEW STORY
Cult house and techno night Analog Room have confirmed that they’re taking over Story Rooftop for their weekly parties, with Delano Smith launching proceedings on Thursday April 7. The Detroit DJ returned to dance music having taken a break in the 90s, and has become an in-demand name and a crowd favourite at Analog Room. Analog Room are bringing in their own sound system for the nights and will re-design the layout of the Media City venue.
MATRIX SOUNDTRACKERS PLAY DUBAI
Psytrance night Ravelations celebrate 9 years of parties on Thursday April 7 as they welcome down Juno Reactor to play at Level 41. The group collaborated with Don Davis on cult 1999 film The Matrix, and are one of the most influential trance and psytrance acts of the last two decades. Expect big melodies, fast and furious Goan-inspired beats and an up for it crowd. Doors open at 10pm and tickets are AED125 in advance from Platinumlist.net.
Looking Forward
LAUGHTER FACTORY TURN 20 ET W!LD AT EDEN
We have a pair of tickets to give away to the gig, head to infusion.ae to enter
A Dubai institution like brunches, bad driving and ‘my tower is bigger than your tower’ building syndrome, The Laughter Factory turns 20 this April and – as usual – have an action packed line up of international comics. BBC comic Adam Bloom is joined by UAE regular John Fothergill and ex NME writer JoJo Smith (pictured) for a 5 night tour of the UAE starting at the Movenpick JBR on April 7 and ending at The Gramercy in DIFC on April 15. Tickets are AED140 from Platinumlist.net, check out the full line up and dates at thelaughterfactory.com.
OT GENASIS PLAYS MAD YAS ISLAND
High end club MAD are hosting urban sensation OT Genasis on Friday April 22. Signed to G-Unit Records in 2011 after 50 Cent heard his debut track ‘Jackie Chan’, the Californian star hit the big time last year with ‘CoCo’ which sold millions across the world, dominating radio and club playlists for months. A strong live act, he’s currently working on his debut album having been signed to Busta Rhymes’ Conglomerate Entertainment label. Support on the night comes from MAD residents Devon Kosoko and recent Time Out Best DJ winner Dany Neville.
Looking Forward IS THIS THE BIGGEST DXB WEEKEND EVER?
We’ve had some big DJ and live music line ups in the city, but looking ahead, Friday April 29 looks like being one of the biggest days the city has ever seen. Rudimental (live) and Disclosure line up at the Media City Amphitheatre with more names to be announced, while just over the road Plus Minus are throwing their Arena party and taking over the Media One Car Park for an 11 act line up including Kink, Audio Fly and Henry Saiz and his live band.
That’s not all, as Eden roll out their biggest line up yet as Sasha and Joris Voorn (pictured) trade house music blows on the palm. And not to be outdone, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE have another double header with Davide Squillace and Eats Everything playing the Ghantoot venue for a special art-themed night. audio tonic are also going big on the night as they team up with the Red Bull Music Academy for their 10th birthday party at 360 with Gramophonedzie Tiger and Woods on DJ duties, with more names to be announced. Plus, House of Afrika have DJ Shimza on DJ duties at the Dek on 8. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough for you, Paul Van Dyk takes over Zero Gravity the night before on Thursday 28 and Roger Sanchez headlines at Cavalli. Sleep when you’re dead has never sounded more fitting.
Cover Feature
JOSEPH CAPRIATI IN NUMBERS Once a rising name in the techno scene, Italian DJ Capriati is now a major league player who counts Marco Carola as a close DJ friend. Ahead of his show at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE on Friday April 15, we profile the Music:On star in numbers…
80
Capriati was in charge of mixing Fabric’s 80th compilation, which was released to acclaim early in 2015.
9
Number of gigs he’s playing this April, taking him from Switzerland, Germany, Britain, the UAE and then on to Australia for a 3 date tour.
38
Position he placed in the 2015 Resident Advisor Best DJ poll.
1
number of chants he gets at gigs, as Italian fans sing ‘Nap-o-li’ to him. Some even carry around King Capriati banners, so keep your eyes peeled at Blue Marlin.
11
Age he bought his first DJ console, playing for friends in garages and basements.
12
Number of hours he played to a soldout 7,000 capacity Metropolis club in his home town of Naples. We’re not sure how many times he went to the toilet, however.
130
Number of gigs he completed in 2013, his breakout year, spread over 25 countries
139,000
Soundcloud followers, with 66 tracks and mixes for fans to listen to. His mix for Music: On recorded live from Amnesia has had nearly half a million plays‌
Cover Feature
ÂME & BLACK COFFEE
If you can’t wait until April 15 for your house party kicks, then – as usual – there’s another stomping line up the week before at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE as deep/tech house champions Âme are paired up with South African house hero Black Coffee. Expect deep, melodic house and tech-house from German producers and DJs Âme (one half of Innervisions alongside Dixon), and hard-hitting but soulful tech-house grooves from Black Coffee, a firm Infusion favourite.
Joseph Capriati, NU + &ME play Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE on Friday April 15 facebook.com/BMIUAE/
IN HIS OWN WORDS: HERNAN CATTANEO
One of the biggest South American house music exports, Hernan Cattaneo has been there, done that and made you dance in your sweaty t-shirt. He’s now back in Dubai and playing for the Back2Basics crew at Pacha on April 14 “These days, a minimum of around 500 new tracks a week arrive to any top DJ’s inbox. That takes a good four or five hours a day to check!” “Only about 10% of the music being made right now is actually worthy of a release, and so a label’s role is to become the perfect tool to filter the quantity with quality. If labels are consistent, people come to trust their judgement, and let them offer up really interesting music – in the same way that 15 years ago, DJs used to go to their favourite record store and trust the taste of their preferred sales guy.” “The DJ scene has changed a lot in the last 15 years, but one thing remains the same: personality is crucial. You must have your own musical identity, and try hard to be a leader rather than copying anyone else. So many DJs and producers just copy what they like and whatever happens to be successful at a certain moment, and that’s never the right way.”
“Success is only important until you have it, then it’s like a prize that you put somewhere in your house. It can be a shortsighted thing to focus on; I believe in the long-term, in building an extended career and a good global fanbase. This scene is very trend-orientated, and that can be very tricky. You think you’ve made it, and then the trend passes and only very few remain with their heads above water – you see it happen all the time.” “There is one good thing about EDM and it is that they made the scene much bigger in the last half decade. They introduced different kinds of electronic music to people, who have now left that scene and gone to more underground stuff. Now, all styles of electronic music are much more populated. They brought millions of new kids into our music. They constructed a window.” Back2Basics feat. Hernan Cattaneo, Thursday April 14, Pacha Ibiza Dubai, 10pm-3am
Diamonds are Forever
Ladies Night Every Tuesday
050 991 0400 / RESERVATIONS@CAVALLICLUBDUBAI.COM DRESS CODE: STRICTLY FABULOUS / NO EFFORT NO ENTRY
STEP INTO -18˚
“I want the world to know about my sound and I want them to know it’s from the UAE.”
A mainstay of the urban scene for over a decade, DJ Bliss has finally released his debut album 4 years in the making. He talks us through the process, his alternative rock history and reppin’ the UAE “This album has been a long time in the making... 4 years actually. I wanted to make an album that supported the local talent in Dubai. I want this album to be played on the radio stations here in Dubai. We don’t have enough outlets willing to showcase our local talent.”
“Hamdan Abri and I were in a band when we were 16 years old, so we go back many, many years. The song we did together was the first song I recorded for the album. Abri is beyond talented and more than even he knows. This guy has the best voice, and he writes melodies and lyrics. Some of the other guys include Ramzi, Clarita De Quiroz, Sasha, Dia from Juliana Down trying something solo here and some up and coming talent too.” “We all have to evolve in our respective careers and as a DJ, music production is logically the next step. We spend time playing and remixing other people’s music, so there comes a time when you want to make your own. I actually started playing instruments and being in alternative rock bands before I started DJing.”
“It is always about quality when it comes to anything I do, but right now also about focusing on the music. I do less weekly residencies and more monthly residencies. I have started being a bit more selective with my gigs, but by no means has my schedule calmed down. “ “Being the first Emirati signed to SKAM has absolutely been beneficial to my career. I have already done a nationwide US tour earlier this year and have plans to do another sometime this year. SKAM has helped me obtain new fans abroad that would not have been introduced to DJ/Artists from Dubai.” “The music scene is growing but still has a long way to go. We need more venues to perform in and radio stations need to play more local talent. The club scene is pretty strong although it’s going to get interesting now with all these new clubs opening up. One more thing we need is for the DTCM to come up with a new strategy to obtain permits for DJs and artists. The scene needs it in order to grow.” “It’s a very small industry and I strongly feel that the focus now should be directed towards making our own music great so that it creates enough noise and ultimately puts UAE local artists on the international entertainment map. Those of us who managed to put ourselves out there, need to continue supporting homegrown talents, guide them with the tools and opportunities to make a name for themselves, so they too can pay it forward when their time comes. This album, Made in Dubai, is just one project and I have more projects coming down the line. I seriously believe that if more local artists embrace this mission, we can achieve greater things.” Made In Dubai is out now
ON THE RADAR APRIL 21
DUBAI WITH ATTITUDE FEAT. LIL JON
The Act
APRIL 21
DEEP LIKE FEAT. SASSE,
GQ Bar
APRIL 21-22
APRIL 28 PAUL VAN DYK Zero Gravity
APRIL 28 ROGER SANCHEZ Cavalli
APRIL 28
DANCE MUSIC CONFERENCE FEAT. SISTER BLISS
THE PROCLAIMERS
APRIL 22 SOMETHING BIG OUTLOOK PARTY Story Rooftop
APRIL 29 EATS EVERYTHING Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
Pacha
Irish Village
For a full list of what’s on, please head to infusion.ae
APRIL 29
DISCLOSURE & RUDIMENTAL
Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
APRIL 29
SASHA & JORIS VOORN
Eden
APRIL 29
MAY 6
GROOVE ON THE GRASS FEAT. DJ TENNIS
Emirates Golf Course
MAY 6
ART DEPARTMENT
Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE
MAY 13
AUDIO TONIC 10TH BIRTHDAY FT. TIGER & WOODS
PLUS MINUS FEAT. SOUL CLAP
MAY 5
MAY 19 DECIBEL FEAT. MARC MAYA Level 41
360
GOODGREEF FEAT. JORDAN SUCKLEY
Chameleon
Level 41
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, Nasimi, Story Rooftop, Y Not Lounge, Bliss Lounge, Zinc, Cinnamon - Raddison, La Terrasse, Fashion Lounge, OcactI, The Scene
THURSDAY 7 Bad House Party, Casa Latina Punk and indie hits from the funloving night that pulls in a cool crowd. 9pm-2.45am, free.
I’m With Disco feat. Dada Disco, Industrial Avenue (The Westin) Disco-loving night I’m With Disco begins a regular affair at cool Westin venue Industrial Avenue, with German selectors Dada Disco on DJ duties. 9pm-3am, AED55 before 11, AED75 after.
Danny Avila, Zero Gravity The super young Spanish DJ returns to Dubai, having made a name for himself in Ibiza and Las Vegas. 6pm-3am, free before 10pm, ladies free until midnight, AED100 after. INFUSION PICK! Hip Hop on Air feat. Rick Ross, VIP Room Weekly urban night Hip Hop on Air brings down American rapper and MC Rick Ross for a live show. 10pm-3am.
Ravelations feat. Juno Reactor, Level 41 Dubai’s psy-trance night returns for its 9th anniversary with Matrix soundtrackers Juno Reactor playing live. 10pm-3am, AED125 in advance.
Laughter Factory, Movenpick JBR It’s the 20th anniversary of the Dubai institution, with John Fothergill, JoJo Smith and Adam Bloom on funny duties. 9pm, AED140.
INFUSION PICK!
INFUSION PICK!
Analog Room feat. Delano Smith, Story Rooftop
2ManyDJs, Eden
The Roomers have a new space to call home as Analog Room leave the Q Underground behind and start a new chapter at Story Rooftop with Detroit DJ Delano Smith on deck duties. 10pm-3am, AED100. INFUSION PICK! Karak Beats feat. Alexander Nut, Velocity Karak Beats are teaming up with the Dimensions Festival for a launch party featuring jazz/funk/soul/hip hop star Nut of Eglo Recordings fame. 10pm-3am, free before 11pm, AED100. INFUSION PICK! Sigma, Nasimi The multi-million selling Drum and Bass duo team up with Tiger Translate for a night of graffiti and music alongside nudisco champion The Magician. 7pm-3am, AED150.
FRIDAY 8 House of Afrika feat. Born To Funk, Dek on 8 Dutch afro-house DJ Born To Funk returns for the House of Afrika team. 6pm-3am, free.
Belgium brothers 2ManyDJs bring their party starting mix of house, electro and techno for their Eden debut. Midday-late. INFUSION PICK! Ame & Black Coffee, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE The big line ups just keep on coming as deep house duo Ame are joined by rising global star Black Coffee who returns after his stand out show last year. 11am-late.
Purple Disco Machine, Zero Gravity Funk-fried disco and house beats from the prolific producer behind huge 2013 hit ‘My House.’ 6pm3am, free before 10pm, ladies free until midnight, AED100 after. INFUSION PICK! Groove on the Grass, Emirates Golf Course Hot Chip (DJ), George Fitzgerald, Dave Clarke and Rebekah line up across 2 stages for the most eclectic Groove on the Grass yet. 5pm-3am, AED180.
Laughter Factory, Movenpick JBR It’s the 20th anniversary of the Dubai institution, with John Fothergill, JoJo Smith and Adam Bloom on funny duties. 9pm, AED140. INFUSION PICK! The Shapeshifters, XL House, house and more house from the ‘Lola’s Theme’ duo. 10pm-3am, AED150 in advance.
TUESDAY APRIL 12 INFUSION PICK! Mashrou’ Leila, Music Hall Cult Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila tour their new album Ibn El Leil. Tickets from AED195 from Platinumlist.net. 8pm.
THURSDAY 14 Analog Room Spencer Parker, Story Rooftop House and techno from the British DJ known for his edits and productions. 10pm-3am, AED100. INFUSION PICK! Back2Basics feat. Hernan Cattaneo, Pacha Ibiza Dubai A dance music institution and one of South America’s best exports, Cattaneo brings his deep, melodic take on house and techno to Pacha. 10pm-3am, ladies free before midnight, AED100.
DUST feat. Nickodemus, Velocity NYC DJ and funk/house/disco champion Nickodemus returns for the DUST crew for another dancefloor session. 9pm-3am, AED100.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 13 Laughter Factory, McGettigans JLT It’s the 20th anniversary of the Dubai institution, with John Fothergill, JoJo Smith and Adam Bloom on funny duties. 9pm, AED140.
Hard Rock Sofa, Zero Gravity EDM and energetic house music from the Russian duo signed to Axwell’s Axtone label. 6pm-3am, free before 10pm, ladies free until midnight, AED100 after.
Laughter Factory, Grand Millenium Tecom It’s the 20th anniversary of the Dubai institution, with John Fothergill, JoJo Smith and Adam Bloom on funny duties. 9pm, AED140.
FRIDAY APRIL 15 Audio tonic feat. Manuel De La Mare, 360 The 4th last audio tonic party at 360 features 303 Lovers star and Italian house DJ Manuel De La Mare. 4pm-3am, free. INFUSION PICK! Decibel feat. Tony Varga, Level 41 Tech-house night Decibel returns with another Spanish house DJ, as Space, Pacha and Amnesia regular Tony Varga plays for the Decibel faithful. 10pm-3am, AED120.
Flashback feat. Human League, Media City Amphitheatre Influential 80s electro pop pioneers Human League play live, including smash hits like ‘Don’t You Want Me’ and ‘Lebanon.’ Midday-late, tickets from AED299.
House of Afrika, Dek on 8 Deep, soulp-influenced tribal tech house from the House of Afrika crew. 6pm-3am, free.
INFUSION PICK! Joseph Capriati, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Our cover star makes his Blue Marlin debut with his full blooded techno sound. Midday-late.
Laughter Factory, The Gramercy DIFC It’s the 20th anniversary of the Dubai institution, with John Fothergill, JoJo Smith and Adam Bloom on funny duties. 9pm, AED140.
One Big Friday feat. Oliver Heldens, Zero Gravity Zero Gravity’s big beach party returns with Heldens making his Dubai debut, with support from ‘Easy Love’ DJ Sigala. 3pm-3am, free before 6pm, AED150 after.
Night Vibes feat. Nitin, Tamanya Terrace Cool house and tech-house soundtrack from the Night Vibers with Toronto DJ Nitin headlining. 6pm-2am.
EVERY FRIDAY FROM 1 TO 4
AND SPECIAL GUESTS
-APRIL 15-
LOOK AND
LISTEN
Music be the food of love, so read on...
* ALBUMS •SOUNDSTAGE •CARL REDA *CRAIG PERRY • DJ BOOTH
Look and Listen
Album Reviews
MA’ANA – SOUNDS OF DUBAI VOLUME 2 House/Techno // facebook.com/maanamusic
Not only is Dubai’s club scene thriving at the moment, but the homegrown DJ talent is making waves in the music industry. And thanks to the second Ma’ana album, there’s now another global platform for them to shine. Early stand outs from the album which features 25 tracks from across the region are the bassbin bothering Hollaphonic (pictured) remix of Far Kanal, Tom Chubb’s classic houser ‘Take You’ and Darko De Jan’s sprawling ‘Acid Underground.’ But its real strength is in showcasing names that might not be on your dance music radar. Kicks & Keys, Timo Higgs, Mario Bazouri & Michka and Todd all deliver stand out tracks that are well produced and captivating. A unifying force, Ma’ana celebrates the best of the UAE’s club scene, bringing together nu-disco, house and techno on one format.
Look and Listen CARL & THE REDA MAFIA – WHAT THE?! Rock/Funk // soundcloud.com/cnrmafia
A Bon Jovi warm up slot, a beatboxing video that went viral with millions of views and now a debut album that’s been garnering wide spread acclaim – it’s been an incredible, rapid rise for Carl & The Reda Mafia. Then again, it shouldn’t be that surprising – even from early, embryonic shows, the quartet’s driving, funk-rock style was obvious, as was the charisma of front man Carl. Influences like Red Hot Chili Peppers and a less disco Jamiroquai loom large over the album, with rumbling bass, frantic fretwork and stop-star rhythms leading the way. ‘A Better Place’ and current release ‘Moo Point of View’ stand out as indie-pop hits that should be getting local airplay, but it’s the changes of pace that really complete the album. ‘Starting New’ is deft, angular pop music, while ‘Let The Music Take Control’ is a Noel Gallagher backing track with yearning Americana-influenced vocals over the top. An album full of sunshine funk and rock, What The?! cements the band’s place as one of the region’s best bands, and rightly so.
Soundstage PULSE AND SOUL
Iris Dubai’s Sunday night band Pulse and Soul are next up in our Soundstage series discussing hugging Michael Jackson, why they need a bellboy and the horror of Top 10 hits… My first musical influence was… My father and family and professionally Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson! My sound is best described as… Soulful/unique. Best piece of advice you’ve received? Don’t worry about the negative - we can’t please everyone and embrace positive criticism. What’s your musical guilty pleasure? Singing along to horrible music that is in the Top 10, but loving it. Then realizing ‘Oh the horror!’, but then continue humming along! Best claim to fame? Hugging Michael Jackson and being on the same baggage check as Amy Winehouse at Gatwick Airport! When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is… A 5 bedroom suite with a masseuse and bellboy. Oh, and a driver! My musical motto is... Feel it, live it, sing it from the heart. Best gig you’ve played? There have been many, especially when the crowd interacts and enjoys our music and style, or when I hear that we have made them cry or get goose bumps! And the worst? A polite, appreciative but unresponsive audience. Best lyrics of all time? All my original tracks, as every song I have made play an important part in my life and special moments! www.pulseandsoul.com
Just over a year old, Carl & The Reda Mafia can already boast gigs infront of 25,000 people, a viral video seen by millions and an assured, funk-heavy debut album. Front man Carl gives us his take on their year so far‌
Big congratulations on your album launch – how did the night go, how did it compare with opening for Bon Jovi in Abu Dhabi? Thank you so much. The launch gig was phenomenal. We had a packed house and the crowd were there just for us. The Bon Jovi gig was great but everyone knows those 25,000 people at du arena were there for Bon Jovi and not us. It felt great to have musicians and artists from the growing music scene out to support us and celebrate the big night with us.
Did you get to meet Bon Jovi, did the experience give you a taste of the big time? We got to meet the drummer Tico, David Bryan and Phil X very briefly. They were backstage before we went up and Phil and Tico actually stayed and listened to our whole set and they enjoyed it. We met Jon (I feel I’m on a first name basis with him now) very briefly right after his set. We were backstage doing the whole “you are a legend” bow and he stood there and applauded us and gave us a thumbs up. To play du arena within a year as a band was a crazy experience. At Beats on the Beach we had an even bigger crowd of almost 35,000. So yes we’re definitely getting a taste of the big time and we’re enjoying every second of it. There have been several great local albums this year already including Craig Perry, Aeli, Fair Played and you – is there something in the water, why are local acts getting better and making more music? I guess we share the same dream as other artists here which is to create a rich music scene and create a buzz that vibrates internationally. With all the up coming albums and the amount of new bands and artists coming out of the UAE, we’re headed in the right direction. But first we need the people here to accept us, love us and support us to even think of creating a scene.
How long did the album take to write, where did you write it and what does it sound like? We wrote the 10 songs on the album within 7 months as a band. A couple of them were songs I wrote years ago which Reda and the boys revived. We wrote the songs right here in Dubai. Reda sent me tunes via voice notes that he composes at his flat in JLT. I primarily used to put the lyrics and tunes to these songs while on the metro or the bus. It’s the perfect place to write. You look around at people’s faces and they tell you stories. The sound of the album can be called funk jam. The songs have a lot of funk elements mixed with rock n roll and blues. One thing I can promise is you won’t here another album like this out there. It’s a fresh new sound. You had a video go viral recently (over 15 million views!) with you beatboxing to Siri reciting one trillion to the tenth power. A) very very cool and b) did you have any idea it would be so big? And c) have you made money from the video now, is that another revenue stream for the band? It was a video that wasn’t meant to go out. It was leaked from a WhatsApp group and someone uploaded it. What happened after that was just mad. It got over 20 million views and was one of the top trending videos both on Twitter and Facebook. I was getting calls from BBC and 9gag and all I had to say was “ I don’t beatbox, that was just for fun”. We didn’t make any money out of it though. Who are your influences, both current and when you were growing up? I grew up listening to a lot of country and rock n roll. Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Simon & Garfunkel, The Eagles etc. But I was highly influenced by Michael Jackson, especially “Off The Wall”. The album changed how I listened to music. You’ll hear a lot of Dave Mathews band and Beatles influence as well on our songs. Can music become a full time job for you in the Middle East, is that your ambition? That is definitely what we’re pushing for. We don’t want to take the easy way out and play covers just so we can do music full time, we don’t enjoy doing covers at all. The only way is if we get to gig and tour a lot playing our original songs. It’s hard but it’s not impossible. We’re confident we can put on a good show on any given stage and if we get our music to the right people I’m sure we’d get the chance to do this full time and live the dream. Carl & The Reda Mafia’s debut album What The?! is out now
THE MAKING OF JIGSAW REPEAT
Craig Perry and his band were chosen as the GCC’s best new act by Gap and flown out to the depths of Ireland to record for one week in one of the world’s most prestigious studios, Grouse Lodge. Here’s how the excellent Jigsaw Repeat was made...
The plan was simple: record 10 songs over seven days. A full album. How hard could it be? Michael Jackson, Muse, Stereophonics, Paolo Nutini and Snow Patrol have made music at Grouse Lodge; cockups were not going to be ok. Before arriving at Grouse I spent considerable time researching any scrap of information on the place, but it’s only actually being there when you appreciate how special it really is. Original stone walls, 4-poster beds, real log fireplaces, chickens and dogs running loose outside, no phone signals, no traffic, home-cooked meals three times a day; the list goes on. You could easily spend months here (as Michael Jackson did post-case dismissal) living and writing in a perfect environment for making music – heavy rainfall aside of course.
Photo credit Francisco António Abreu Photography
Shortly after landing, the guys and me sat with John Henry and his cohort Sean Burns-Deets, the resident engineers. Both bloody talented blokes, although there were several pairs of raised eyebrows when we said we planned to record 10 songs in 7 days. “That’s ambitious. Very ambitious,” they said. Either naivety or sheer determination led me to believe that it was more than achievable. It was unfortunately the former… Pre-trip, a lot of time was spent rehearsing, nipping and tucking the songs to the point where we were, at least musically, tight. Tighter than a Jumeirah Jane’s face in fact. The advice of other musicians was a constant mantra in my ears, “Don’t waste studio time rehearsing”. Good advice as it turns out. After landing and eventually finding Grouse Lodge (no signposts, no GPS), and also affirming we were not Emiratis observing Ramadan, or members of ISIS, setup began. Drums are always the longest/toughest part to record but finally after hours of tuning and rigging, running through the tracks, 18 microphones were ready to go. Day one: complete. With the exuberance of arrival
fading, and the reality of the task ahead, day two was easily the toughest of the week. A testament to John’s skill as engineer and co-producer was his ability to offer advice on small changes to song structure and dynamics: doubling a chorus, shortening an intro, changing a drum pattern – that kind of thing, although this inevitably added more time. Sleep was limited, tempers were frayed and frustration kicked in. At the close of day two, we had only two drums tracks recorded… and sadly, my contingency plan of cutting two songs had been activated. A clutch play was desperately needed and day three was the kicker. After a full Irish breakfast (no love for the full ‘English’ here), John’s early morning advice to Rikki was, “Just f****** hit them harder”. Which he did, repeatedly, until the day’s end and a further five tracks had been harvested, a stellar crop for the day. The two tracks pencilled for cutting, were tentatively pasted back in. After three and a half days, the final drum foundations were down, and we were just about back on schedule and managed to squeeze in the final two tracks. We were up to ten; although the decision had long-since been made that there wouldn’t be time for the vocals. A constant reminder throughout
the recording process was John’s advice to follow the golden rule, “don’t be s***”. The rest of the recording process was surprisingly painless. Guitars got tracked (using original hand-wired Marshall heads, a Vox AC30 combo and a Fender Twin Reverb combo for those that care), Nik “one-take” Bass nailed it down and we finished with mic’ing up and tracking the very same grand piano that Matt Bellamy recorded Absolution on. And an egg shaker. Happy, tired, relieved, the week at Grouse was over and the sun finally decided to come out. After spending a couple of days in the Dublin sunshine, listening to very rough mixes of the tracks, those 14 hour days had been worth it. Yes the vocals still
needed recording, but because of the sheer quality of the Grouse material, the incentive to improve vocal lines, lyrics and harmonies was even stronger. We put a plan in place to record these in Dubai, still working with John (don’t be s*** though!) This isn’t about becoming a huge rock star any more, but about legacy. The journey to get to this stage has been intense and is no longer just my journey alone; the next step will be putting the music into people’s hands, and hopefully their hearts. Seven days, ten tracks. Done. Craig Perry’s debut album Jigsaw Repeat is out now on all major music platforms. www.craigperrymusic.com
DJ BOOTH: DJ SOL
French vinyl specialist and new HOBO resident DJ Sol talks us through his love of wax, cereal and 90s hip hop One thing you might not know about me is... I’m a DJ and producer from Paris. My worst ever job was… When I was 16 in Paris, I used to play in a club in France and something happened to the lights and I had to play for a thousand people in the dark. It was crazy because I couldn’t even see my turntables!
My favourite ever record is... I have so many ideas in my head, but If I have to pick up one I would say Funky Men by James Brown. I wish I could have been able to see him in live. R.I.P James. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Interesting because there are so many different DJs from all over the world. I’m really proud of... Being able to play all over the world, to do what I really want to do. I never expected it when I was young and now I have so many DJ friends in so many different countries. Vinyl is… Knowledge. I used to buy so many vinyls to know all about who’s producing the records. I remember my first vinyl was Mary James by Rick James. I’m a big fan of black music. What track could you drop in every set? So many! I want to say Disclosure & Lorde - Magnet - Atrak remix, I’m a big fan of electronic music.. My biggest DJ achievement to date is… I produce lot of music, in my bedroom but I have recently been approached by a big music company in Canada do to some music for them. If you could DJ in any decade which would it be… The beginning of the 90s when Hip Hop started to grow. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... Jazzy Jeff or Premier just for fun and to talk to them about music after our back to back! I remember I used to watch an interview with Premier and he said, “Don’t come talk to me if you don’t know your classics.” So I’m curious to see if I have the level to talk to him. soundcloud.com/deejay-sol
HANDS UP
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LOOKING
CLOSER Opinions, thoughts and gibberish...
•WEIRD NEWS • THE SPIN • COMIC CON •JUST FOR KICKS • ANGRY MONKEY
Looking Closer
Weird News SHIP SHAPE We do love the British sardonic, sarcastic sense of humour. A new Antarctic research boat could be called ‘Boaty McBoatface’ after an online poll in England was started to name the vessel. Boats are traditionally named after explorers, which would make ‘Boaty McBoatface’ one of the more, ahem, unusual names.
HEADLINE OF THE ISSUE Dog-obsessed mum spends more than £30,000 on clothes, wigs and pampering for her pet Chihuahua
AIR HEADS We knew that China had an air pollution but we didn’t know that selling bags of air was actually a thing. Chinese vendors in the Guangdong Province have been bagging air from the mountains and selling it at a popular hiking destination to help alleviate the smog heavy walking conditions.
THE SPIN APRIL 2016
PAGE 217
ISSUE 40
DUBAI DECLARES ITSELF CENTRE OF THE CLUBBING UNIVERSE
In a bold move, Dubai’s central clubbing authority – Dubai Underground Music Body, or DUMB for short – has declared itself above Ibiza, Berlin and Las Vegas as the world’s biggest party capital. Dave Smith, a DUMB spokesman, bragged to The Spin that ‘Dubai had everything. From high end VIP clubs playing awful music, to over priced beach clubs all offering the same line ups and soulless mega concerts featuring washed up DJs and 80s acts, Dubai has turned itself into the clubbing and music capital.’ We asked an Ibiza spokesman to respond, but we couldn’t make out the reply for the laughing that seemed to be interupting the call. *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.
n ew p e, p op on the ca rs to stun! The ir , x e d n t phase ubai the spa at the D slide on er and se Time to lightsab n touches down of golden e th to s in ico ays batterie and Com l 7th for three d ast Film Middle E e Centre on Apri d et World Tra ords: Mart y M !W sm ’i k e e g
LIVE LONG AND COMICON 2016 Now in its 5th year, the MEFCC looks to continue its impressive track record of success, expecting to attract over 70,000 fans from across 30 countries. The MEFCC event is an annual highlight for the Infusion team and this year we’re more excited than ever! Beyond stalking the list of celebrity attendees, joining the cosplay parade, sketching with guest illustrators, we have exciting plans to jump-in on a few of the ‘cool’ workshops on offer… Our eye has been drawn to a workshop with elite game designer Fakhra Al Mansouri, The founder of the Hybrid Humans game studio, she’ll take us through the building blocks of creating a video game. Covering the build, design, and publishing of the game, this workshop will be a one-stopshop on what it takes to be a game designer, so for those aspiring to work in an industry that makes a lot more money than Hollywood, this is a must attend workshop. The carousel of celebrity talent is as impressive as ever this year. Stan Lee will be back on Skype for a chat. This dude is of course the ‘real’ hero of the Marvel
universe, creator of characters like Spiderman, the X-Men, Hulk, and Iron Man to name a few! Fabian Nicieza, the co-creator of everyone’s favourite ‘antihero’ Deadpool will be available for signings and conversation. It’ll be very interesting to ask how he came up with the idea of such an X-rated ‘cheeky’ chappie! This year, you’ll also have the chance to mingle with Hollywood legend Christopher Lloyd, Back to The Future’s ‘Doc’ Emmett Brown. He’s at the top of our autographhunters list and we are determined to get him to use his famous catch phrase “Great Scott!” We will be camping by the front door from Monday to ensure we are first in, to explore every action-packed alley and avenue of the exhibition. We only hope that this year there are enough seats and shade scattered around the outdoor food-court – the exposure to the blistering Dubai sunshine whilst trying to grab a quick bite was our only grumble from MEFCC 2015! www.mefcc.com
JUST FOR
NIKE HYPERADAPT 1.0”
Adidas might have been stealing all the sneaker headlines recently with their NMD release, but Nike have an ace up their sleeve with the release of their power-lace technology, HyperAdapt 1.0. First seen on the Nike MAGs, the real life version of Michael J Fox’s trainers from Back To The Future that went into production recently, the self-lacing system will be out from this summer. Code-named E.A.R.L AKA Electro-Adaptive Reactive Laces, the laces are manually controlled via on-board buttons, and will be available to Nike + members in very limited numbers.
And the loser is... So awards season is here. Again. I understand awards, I do. People love being told they’re ace, and it’s great PR for the magazine (and winners). But there are some general rules that are being flagrantly ignored… House and techno is not alternative – it’s the back bone of the dance music industry. It’s about as alternative as breathing. Including Analog Room, Back2Basics (who are a retro house night) and Night Vibes in the Alternative Category is a farce. Nominating every single house/urban night under the sun is not a credible awards strategy, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel – your editorial policy is the equivalent of being drunk on Instagram and firing out Likes to every picture. Having 25 categories is overkill. You’re literally nominating every venue, DJ and party in town. That has zero value. Nominating a night that ran a total of 4 times and attracted a crowd only just into double figures is laughable. That said, good luck to everyone!
Monkey Out... The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.