MUSIC • PEOPLE • LIFE
LET THERE BE
HOUSE IRAN AND INDIA'S
UNDERGROUND
DANCE MUSIC SCENE!
Plus Minus summer line up, Deekline, Nikki Beach, Something Big, Summer Vibes, 360's new direction and more! infusionmag
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FIESTAS PATRIAS PERUANAS Celebrate Peruvian Independence Day and try a unique 3-course set-menu along with authentic cocktails. Enjoy the musical rhythms of the live band as they echo the energetic spirit and passion of Peru. Thursday, 28 July, 6pm to 3am AED 225 per person food only AED 375 per person including free-flowing signature Peruvian beverages LEVEL 5 JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD, BUSINESS BAY, DUBAI, UAE | T +971 4 414 3000 | JWMARRIOTTMARQUISDUBAILIFE.COM JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI | @JWDUBAIMARQUIS | @GARDENDXB | #GARDENDXB
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
PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae
CONTRIBUTORS: Stephen Day
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We’re loving The Scene’s very tongue-in-cheek advertising around Marina Mall. We’re not sure how they got some of those ads approved, but we’re glad they did – belly-laugh funny.
UK politics – thanks for reinforcing why we live in the Middle East.
We’re excited to see what new club Cymatics (H Hotel) has in store for us this season, good to see a proper club dedicated to the basics – good sound and good music.
David Guetta was invited back for more glorious button pushing at the Euro 2016 closing ceremony. Please, people, please – can we please have a David Guetta amnesty at all big sporting occasions from now on? We’re sad to say farewell to Vip Patel, our Magazine and Sales Director who’s off to pastures new. Good luck Vip! Pokemon Go. Just no. And Snapchat can do one as well.
BLACK LIST
SAY WHAT? OLD JOKES HOME Two weasels are drinking in a pub. One says to the other ‘Oi you, I slept with your mother’. The other one stays calm and doesn’t react. The first weasel repeats his claim ‘Oi you, did you hear me? I slept with your mother’ Again, the second weasel stands at the bar and quietly drinks his pint. Finally, the first weasel goes right up to the face of the second, and shouts ‘I said I f****** your mother!’ At this, the second weasel finishes his pint, puts the empty glass on the bar, turns to the first weasel, and says, ‘Come on dad, let’s go. I think you’ve had enough.’
DANCEFLOOR DICTIONARY Irritable Cowel Syndrome :: an illness that makes you averse to manufactured pop music and reality TV.
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WE LOVE Julian Hairdressing For Men
A Dubai institution like brunch and having to drive miles to find a U-Turn, Julian Hairdressing For Men has been making us look for over a decade. An ex DJ – who held down residencies at Trilogy and audio tonic, no less – he’s as nifty with the beard trimmer and scissors as he was on the crossfader. And he’s now opened a second location in the Arenco building in Media City, which is excellent news for those of us who made the monthly long-haul trip to the original Beach Road site for a trim. With funky interiors, above average barber chat, and good prices (prices start from AED130), Julian’s is a cut above (we had to get at least one hair pun in there). Julianhairdressingdubai.com, Arenco Building Media City, 04 447 3188
DAVID ZOWIE @ XL
DYSFUNKTION @ STORY ROOFTOP
THURSDAY - JULY 21
Local News ANALOG ROOM BACK TO BASICS The bold house and techno party might have acts like Jeff Mills and Ben UFO confirmed for shows later this year, but Analog Room have always been extremely proud of their resident DJs – and rightly so. This week, Analog Room founder and acid-drive maestro Mehdi AKA Shemroon takes over at Story Rooftop for a five hour set. Doors open at 10pm, and tickets are AED100 on the door, ladies free before midnight.
Laughter Factory, Grand Millenium, Tecom Another eclectic batch of UK comedians, with Sean Collins, Ola and Michael Fabri on mic duties. 8pm, AED140.
THURSDAY - JULY 21 ESCAPE WITH ESC Ohm Events are back in weekly action with new night Esc which launches on the 21st with Berlin DJ Christian Loffler dropping a live set. Held at GQ Bar, the weekly party will be bringing an alternative selection of deep house and techno DJs to the city, with Betoko, Audiojack and Beirut stars Romax and TIA all confirmed for later in the season. Support comes from Jixo and Danz and Bachir Salloum, with tickets AED100, and doors open from 10pm.
FRIDAY - JULY 22
4 STAR BILLING Bass night Something Big don’t throw many parties, but when they do it’s best to take notice. Taking inspiration from their mammoth season closing party in May, they have another colossal line up featuring everything from UK Garage to Grime, bass house and Drum and Bass
FRIDAY - JULY 22
COMMODO
DARKO
PREDITAH
LENZMAN
FRIDAY - JULY 22 In signing Preditah, they’ve marked themselves out as one of the most forward thinking nights in the region – signed to Boy Better Know, his garage-swung, grime-infused take on house has seen him rack up millions of plays on Soundcloud, while his remix of Skepta’s ‘Shutdown’ became a festival favourite. He’s supported by an all star cast comprising Lenzman, Commodo and Darko. Lenzman is a Drum and Bass producer and DJ signed to Metalheadz who specializes in dreamy soundscapes, pounding beats and insistent, skipping percussion that pushes the groove further and further along. Check out his Golden Age EP for a slice of blissful Drum and Bass. Commodo favours a low slung dubstep and hip hop tempo to manipulate his bottom end frequencies over. Dark, brooding and harking back to the prime era of dubstep (before Skrillex bastardised it), expect the beat-heavy ‘Unmistakeable’ with previous Something Big guest Kahn to blow up the dancefloor. And rounding out the line up is Darko, a straight up bass house DJ signed to Saucy Records. With 4-to-the-floor beats, fluctuating basslines and production tighter than an otter’s pocket, he’ll be bringing some UK fire to UAE. Local support comes from Deep Crates resident Dubijad, DLB and MC R Vee, with tickets just AED100. Happy hour runs from 7-9pm, and there’ll be a dedicated chill out area all night long. Yet another huge, stonking line up full of forward thinking dance music. Bravo.
19:00 – 20:00 DUBIJAD 20:00 – 21:30 DLB 21:30 – 23:00 COMMODO 23:00 – 00:00 DARKO 00:00 – 01:30 PREDITAH 01:30 – 03:00 LENZMAN Something Big Indoor Festival, Friday July 22, Story Rooftop, 7pm-3am, AED100.
FRIDAY - JULY 22
PLUS
MINUS PARTY
HARD
Long responsible for our Saturday morning hangovers, Plus Minus have upped the ante with their summer series with a run of 7 indoor parties confirmed at their new Media One venue On 42. Keeping their adventurous house and techno booking policy intact, coming Italian Desolat signing Yaya kicks off proceedings on July 22, before Einmusik returns on July 29 for a live set. August features the talents of Adam Shelton, Robert Dietz, Enzo Siragusa and Priku, with Dynamic signing Karmon confirmed for a set on September 2. Signed to Loco Dice’s Desolat label, Yaya has a busy summer coming up playing for tINI and the Gang and Amnesia night Hyte, with a raft of carefully crafted bass heavy house and techno tunes in his arsenal. Come ready on the 22nd, as the weekly Plus Minus parties look like being the go-to home for house heads this summer.
Plus Minus feat. Yaya, Friday July 22, On 42, Media One Hotel, 9pm-3am
FRIDAY - JULY 22
FRIDAY - JULY 22 WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS X SUMMER VIBES The Summer Vibes crew have teamed up with Indie Electro night We Are Your Friends for a session of classics on Friday July 22 at Tamanya Terrace, Radisson Blu Hotel Media City. Weyou’re your Friends previously ran at 360 for a series of parties, and resident DJs Le Jackal (pictured) and Andy Buchan will be working their way through everything from Felix Da Housecat to Jamie xx, with plenty of classic Daft Punk and Justice cuts along the way. Head down before 10pm for reduced entry and to beat the crowds.
Laughter Factory, Grand Millenium, Tecom Another eclectic batch of UK comedians, with Sean Collins, Ola and Michael Fabri on mic duties. 8pm, AED140.
THURSDAY - JULY 28
A quick word with…
Deekline
THURSDAY - JULY 28
Superheroes return for 3 indoor parties over the summer, with UK bass don Deekline headlining with support from Fuente and Rutherford… My style is best described as... Breakbeat, Garage, and Jungle. I think my style has taken a much more versatile approach towards evolving that traditional breakbeat sound by incorporating elements from other genres like garage and jungle into it. Best set ever? Believe it or not, it was a gig I played in Bulgaria in an empty train station. I was traveling on a bus across Europe at the time with the Ragga Twins, Donna Dee, and Ed Solo. I remember arriving at this completely sketchy-looking venue and thinking the party was going to be awful. Surprisingly enough though, over 4,000 people showed up and it ended up being one of the best shows I’ve ever played. Worst Set Ever? There is no such thing in my opinion. I’ve always managed to make the best out of every one I’ve played. Dubai in summer will be... An absolutely amazing experience! I am looking forward to playing there very much. Being a Brexit DJ will be... Well, I guess we’ll find out. Haha! Dance music in 2016 is... All about the breaks. It feels as if all genres out there are pulling together to make one universal sound of breakbeat house. Breakbeat certainly isn’t dying; it’s just moving in a different direction.
Superheroes feat. Deekline, Thursday July 28, On 42, Media One Hotel, 9pm-3am, AED100.
FRIDAY - JULY 29 THE ACT GET IN ON THE ACTION With Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE closed over the summer, they’ve put their energy – and booking talents – into sister venue The Act as they’ve got a busy summer of quality bookings, starting with Parisian producer Olivier Giacomotto on July 29. An in-demand DJ – this is the third time he’s been over recently – he’s a regular at Privilege, Pacha and Womb thanks to his crisp deep techno sound. The action starts from 11pm at The Act, Shangri-La Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road.
RUMOURS Groove on the Grass are planning their new season, and are scheduled in for several parties – with The Element rumoured to be playing their September 23 date.
Pacha looks like it’s closed its doors for the final time after a prolonged summer break.
ON THE RADAR
AUGUST 4
AUGUST 25
FOCUS FEAT. MIND AGAINST, On 42
SUPERHEROES FEAT. WOZ On 42
SEPTEMBER 2
AUGUST 11
PLUS MINUS FEAT. KARMON, On 42
ESC. FEAT. BETOKO GQ Bar
OCTOBER 6
MADNESS Dubai Tennis Stadium
ON THE RADAR
OCTOBER 7
NOVEMBER 25
ZAYN, Autism Rocks Arena
CHEMICAL BROTHERS du Arena
NOVEMBER 11
NOVEMBER 27 RIHANNA, du Arena
SENSATION, Bab Al Shams
DECEMBER 1-3 RUGBY 7S The Sevens Stadium
360 evolution A leading light in the UAE club scene, it’s been a busy few months for 360 as they’ve bid farewell to their flagship brand audio tonic and embarked on a new sound and vision for the bar and club. We caught up with new manager Sam Graham to get the lowdown on the up-coming season
It’s been a busy year for the club with a lot of changes to the line ups including audio tonic leaving after 10 years at the club – what direction is the club going in musically now? 360 built its reputation on throwing great parties with a great atmosphere, I intend to keep the same philosophy but will be progressing in a new direction. I feel that 360 draws on such a wide spectrum of guests that we need to cater for all musical tastes and need to be prepared for different crowds on different nights. What I can say is we will be extremely focused on playing only the very best tunes from whatever genre we decide… How big a loss is audio tonic leaving, being the longest running weekly night in the region? I don’t feel like it is a loss but more of an opportunity, 10 years is a long time and all credit
to Mike Buffton for what he has managed to create but I’m genuinely excited and extremely motivated for the future. We are set to launch The 360 Experience – a new Friday night concept, working with Dubai’s best DJs. You have a lot of dance music history, including managing at Pacha London – what’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced at 360? I’d say the biggest challenge so far has been to manage the expectations of all the different people involved with 360, this ranges from Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Restaurant Group, promoters, DJs, regular guests and of course the 1000s of guests from all over the world that have visited 360 since I’ve been here. It means so much to so many and I’ve had to be very careful in my decision making, either that or the weather which is more unpredictable than the UK and that’s saying something.
And what’s your take on the DXB club scene, is there too much choice, too much competition, can the growth be sustained? The best thing about Dubai is their attitude towards our industry. I come from a city that used to lead the way in entertainment venues and now I feel London is falling behind. Dubai wants to have the biggest and best hotels, bars, clubs and restaurants in the world and due to the laws in the UAE it makes for a very pleasant crowd experience compared to other cities around the world. There’s always going to be competition and only the strong will survive, without competition you don’t get progress so you always need to be on your toes. Where do you see the club evolving to after the summer, what should people and clubbers be expecting? After the summer, when we re-open the roof, I feel that 360 will be in a very strong position. We will be taking time over the summer to really refine our product. I feel that we have made some very significant changes over the last 9 months with The NineZero, Ladies night, Back 2 Back, The 180 Thursday night brunch and the new Friday “The 360 experience” that we have the right plan for next season. Along the way you can expect a few more videos like “The Crazy Commute” to pop
up as well. You will also see the The NineZero, 360’s indoor concept come to life over the summer and move into the late night dining market from October onwards. Musically, you’ve changed the direction of the club – how would you sum up the musical ethos there now? The ethos for 360 moving forward is playing the right music at the right times, we have sunset, lounge bar, post brunch party on a Friday, late night and indoors and it’s our mission to read the crowd and connect with the audience. And what’s planned downstairs over the summer, will 360 be continuing? Yes, the summer sees the launch of The NineZero which is what we have named the downstairs area of 360. Guests will be able to eat, drink and dance until the early hours throughout the summer. It was important to me not to try and do one part of 360 over the summer but to bring the whole concept of 360 downstairs over these months. This is why I’ve tried very hard to steer away from the word “restaurant” when it comes to talking about our new food menu as The NineZero is as much about drinking and dancing as it is about eating. 360, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, www.facebook.com/360Dubai
Sheikh, rattle and roll
Throwing techno parties in Iran is a very risky business. Documenting them, and taking that film worldwide is dancing with the devil. Susan Regina Meures spent 18 months in the country, documenting the country’s fiercly underground dance music scene. With the feature film getting rave reviews at festivals across the world, we caught up with the debut documentary maker to find out how she did it and what she wanted to achieve...
to get a glimpse behind the clouded perception we have of Iran and get an idea of what it really means to grow up under omnipresent restrictions. How do you create your own personal space of freedom, how do you organise this space, especially as a musician?
Congratulations on the documentary, there have been some great reviews – when did the idea of documenting the underground dance music scene in Iran come about? After reading a short article in an English magazine about techno parties in the Iranian desert, I got this picture in my head of these small ‘Burning Man’ type festivals. An image of ecstatic, colourful kids in the Persian desert, dancing in their personal utopia under the bribed eye of one of the most oppressive political systems in the world. I was fascinated and intrigued by the will power and force for freedom of these young people, who are organising parties despite the immense risk. However, I didn’t intend to make a film solely about parties. My intention was
And how did you find out about Anoosh and Arash (the two protagonists)? After I decided to make a film about Underground Iran, I went on Facebook to find young people who are involved in the scene. I flew to Tehran and started researching. After meeting many DJs and musicians I was lucky to finally get in touch with Anoosh and Arash. They are at the centre of Iran’s techno scene and unlike others, were also willing to talk about their story. How long did you shoot footage for, and where was the footage shot? The film was shot over one and a half years in Iran, followed by a short stint in Switzerland. In Iran I mainly shot in Tehran and the desert. It was quite a difficult
undertaking and generally very difficult conditions to get footage. In official places, for example the scene in the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, I used a hidden camera. For most of the other scenes I used a tourist camera. What measures do you have to go to? Parties are either held indoors, privately, often outside of the city in holiday homes. The outdoor parties in the desert or mountains are super secret and hidden far away, in the middle of nowhere. And to actually organise such an event, you are
facing quite a few obstacles. Trying to rent equipment, finding a bus and a willing driver who is happy to bypass the police stops, paying bribes to locals officals and authorities, and ultimately, trying to find friends who are brave enough to party under such circumstnaces, is not an easy task. How many people are involved in dance music in the country, is it growing, is the internet helping the growth? From what I experienced, there are quite a few people involved in the scene and interested in electronic music. But it’s difficult
to judge as the dance music scene was my main focus. I am sure the scene is constantly growing and the internet is definitly central to its growth. And what would the government do if they discovered an underground rave, what are the penalties, have you had friends caught up? The problem is arbitrariness. Anything could happen. Perhaps the police man who comes to your door whilst you’re having a party is happy with a bit of bakshish (a bribe). But the chances that you will be taken to the police station, followed by prison and court are just as high. Only recently, the Iranian police cleared a party held by students in Tehran and all students were fined with 99 lashes. One of my protagonists was in jail twice for partying. Did they try to stop the documentary being filmed, or being distributed? And what has their response been? I was shooting without permission and luckily, never got caught. It came quite close a few times but we were always able to escape the situation. Now that we’re safe back in Europe and the film is finished and showing at festivals, we’ve had a huge amount of interest. The trailer was even shown on Persian satellite TV, so the Iranian government must be aware
of the film. But touch wood, we haven’t experienced any problems so far. How will the documentary affect your career, is this the biggest film/documentary you've been involved in? It is my first feature length documentary. I am not sure how it will affect my career but if the film continues to be successful, it will definitely be easier to find funding for my next film. And what were you hoping to achieve with the film – is exposure enough, will Iran change, does Iran need to change? Anoosh and Arash are representing of a large group of youngsters, which are in many ways stuck. Torn between East and West, educated but unable to find a job which pays enough, not able to travel and experience the world, and not able to be ever officially recognised with their music. And these are just a few things out of a long list… I didn’t intend to make a political film but giving a voice to these youngsters is also a way to give them power, which will ultimately be political. I think exposure is a good step in the right direction but it will take a lot more to change the current situation in Iran. And yes, Iran needs to change. Raving Iran is out now, ravingiran.com
Underground
India
There’s been a lot written about India as the coming dance music power – a huge youth population that’s discovered EDM in a big way. But dig deeper, and there’s a thriving house and techno scene that spans the country. We caught up with Dev Bhatia behind leading artist agency UnMute and DXB techno legend Adam Rahman to find out where the scene’s heading…
Dev Bhatia with James Zabiela
Adam Rahman
How long have you been involved in the dance music scene for? And how has it grown during your time? Dev: I started working in the Indian music scene in 2007 as the manager of Jalebee Cartel, who then went on to become one of the most sought after live acts of the country. Things in India are moving amazingly fast. We’ve got a huge young audience who are looking for newer things to experience – be it in food, music or events. Over the past 5 years, we’ve seen some of the biggest
artists from the mainstream and underground scenes perform in the country. I co-founded an artist management agency called UnMute with leading DJ and producer Arjun Vagale in 2012 and currently we work with close to 30 artists, visual artists and content producers. In 2014, UnMute ventured into launching a medium scale showcase event named RESET along with like-minded partners with local artists, world class sound and unusual venues. I never imagined it would pack
venues averaging 2-3000 people (9 events so far) and spawn a series of various other local artist showcases across the country. Adam: 21 years and it has grown tremendously. When I first started, our exposure to the international circuit was limited. At the time, most DJs were following MOS London (at least I was). But over time a few of us started traveling and bringing home a bit of what we had experienced. The whole scene has completely evolved and now most of the big names and brands have been to India. I mean everyone from Digweed to Richie Hawtin have been there in the recent past. Some really cool underground DJs who dare I say even I was surprised to hear about, like Drumcell, Truncate, Alex Bau, Dubspeeka and very
soon Tommy Four Seven have played. We’ve come a long way. Where are the clubbing hot spots in India, which cities have a strong underground culture at the moment? And how dependent is that on the rules and regulations in each province? Dev: There's this weird sort of rotation amongst cities where they take turns to become hotspots but there are also ones like Mumbai, Delhi and Pune that remain stable. Currently, Hyderabad is doing really well and Chennai is always up there along with Bangalore. We're lucky to have such a big country, so newer territories are always opening up. The gigs in the North East get special mention:
cities like Shillong and Guwahati have an incredible scene with a musically intelligent audience. In my opinion, we've barely scratched the surface. Adam: Most major cities have a healthy nightlife with Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore hosting some offbeat nights like Drum n Bass and Dub. When it comes to house and techno in my opinion this isn’t underground anymore. It’s the norm in most clubs these days. If it isn’t played on a weekend it definitely is on a week day. I have been playing Techno since ‘99 when clubs in Chennai and most of the country weren’t even sure what Techno was, so for me Chennai has always had a special place and strong scene. Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai also stand out from the gigs I’ve played at. Each state has its own rules and regulations when it comes to night life which directly reflects on how big the scene gets. What are the licensing laws like across India – are there many illegal raves, or is it largely in clubs/bars? Dev: It is mainly clubs/bars and restaurants turned into clubs (yes that's a big phenomenon here). Illegal 'raves' (not like the ones of old, but on a smaller scale) are sort of back, not yet that big though. Adam: Different states have
different laws, some cities have full on prohibition on alcohol and some are more liberal. Let’s take two cities in south who share a border - Bangalore can issue alcohol licenses to stand alone venues but can only operate till 1am on weekends, whereas Chennai very much like Dubai needs a bar or club to be linked to a hotel to get a alcohol permit, but can then run till 4am if the club is located in a 5 star property. How has the rise of EDM in the region affected you – has it led to people seeking out different sounds, digging deeper? Dev: Absolutely. While EDM is the pop music of our generation, credit to it for bringing in a wide range of interest from the kids, who then get bored and dig deeper. A big example is the fact that we had an Awakenings stage ft. Adam Beyer, Ida Engberg, Stephan Bodzin, Joris Voorn (to name a few) for the first time at a major festival, VH1 Supersonic in Goa last year and an underground stage featuring Seth Troxler, Art Department, Tube & Berger and more at Sunburn Goa. The interest in the local artists has gone up 10 fold and their new fan base proves this. Adam: I think it has got quite a few kids into electronic music and over time a few have slowly
started understanding good electronic music and following it. I think all of us have had a small stage in life where we went through some bad EDM, but some of us evolve to a certain style and start exploring and understanding the genre more and more. Is there a point where you knew that the Indian house music scene was growing? Dev: I don't think that I can pinpoint one particular moment, it's been a gradual change that has finally gathered momentum like a massive wave. India has seen everyone. From Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Adam Beyer, Laurent Garnier to a few
promoters now even digging deeper and booking artists like Drumcell, Truncate among others. There are tours every week and local underground artists average at least 50-60 gigs a year. Adam: Oh yeah definitely. Many of them played in India long before they even played in Dubai. Take Richie Hawtin for example, he toured India back in 2013. Pig and Dan were in Chennai in 2010 and even Slam one of the key players in Techno performed at GO MADRAS in 2014. With huge festivals like Sunburn, Supersonic, Magnetic Fields, Future Theory, Enchanted Valley Carnival, GO Madra etc, the scene keeps growing.
The key DJs, labels and promoters Arjun Vagale, BLOT, Nucleya, Kohra, Ejaz, Kohra, Ash Roy, Tuhin, AFM, Joba, Midnight Traffic, Lost Stories, Ankytrixx and Kerano who recently had a Beatport No.1. For labels, head for Qilla, Juicebox, Windhorse, SoupHerb. And the party promoters making it happen are Submerge, Go Madras, Magnetic Fields, Slick, Supersonic, Modem Networks, WMS, OML, Percept, Viacom 18 and Wildcity.
Who do you think will be the first global house/techno star from India? Dev: I think we already have one - Arjun Vagale. Adam: Well Arjun Vagale has already put himself and us on the map with his releases on some of the finest international labels like Tronic / 100% / Octopus / MBR / Terminal M / SCI+TEC. Blot! has had a release on Solomon’s Dynamic Music. We are getting there! And where do you see the Indian underground scene in 5 years time? Dev: It will only get bigger. We know of some big international festival brands coming to our shores. Along with import, we will soon be exporting talent in a big way. Local artists have already started to break out internationally by releasing on relevant global labels and playing festivals and venues all over and we will soon have a whole bunch of acts performing across the globe on a more regular scale. The population is a big factor as well. Currently, the audiences following electronic dance music are barely 1 or 2%, which is simply scratching the surface. This number is steadily growing. What's most important is also to increase collaboration with the rest of Asia. The future looks great! Adam: Accessibility through increased spending power and large investments in high quality productions have definitely changed the game and the whole meaning of underground culture. The aggressive competitiveness and sometimes lack of professionalism does interfere rather than nurture, but with the crazy mad talent coming out of the new DJs and producers, I am super excited for what’s in store.
What you can expect to pay when you’re out and about… Beer = from AED13 Vodka = AED19-50 Club entry = AED55-AED250
Look and Listen
Music News NOEL GALLAGHER: SELFIE FREE ZONE
There’s never a bad time to hear from Noel Gallagher, one of the men we’d most like to prop up a bar with. And he’s been in a quote giving frenzy in an interview with Rolling Stone. “There’s no downside to fame. It is a bit awkward when you’re just walking around a department store trying to buy underwear and there’s people following you with camera phones and stuff like that. But the downside to fame, I’ve yet to experience one. It’s great.” But he added: “I’m sick of fans asking for selfies, but I just tell them to go and f*** themselves. I’m not beholden to anyone with a camera phone and I don’t give a f*** if they think I’m an arsehole.”
SAY WHAT?
“We could use more boobs in the race” Dolly Parton for one is happy to see women taking control of British and (hopefully) American politics
DJ OBI SETS NEW WORLD RECORD How long could you DJ for? 10 hours, 24 hours like EZ recently? Well, the world record has just been smashed as Nigerian DJ Obi DJ’d for 240 hours at a Lagos café. He was allowed a five minute break every hour, and always had to have someone dancing during his marathon set. He fought sleep deprivation by taking 5 second disco naps, and was ready to give up after 4 or 5 days after suffering hallucinations, but battled on through: ‘It became bigger than me,’ he said. GLASTONBURY CLEAR UP STILL GOING ON This year’s attendees left 500,000 sacks of rubbish, 57 tonnes of reusable items and 1,022 tonnes of recycling on the 1,000-acre site. It’s thought that about 95% of the rubbish will be cleared by the end of this week, including the phones, driving licences and debit cards that are still being found and – hopefully – reunited with their owners.
Soundstage BULL FUNK ZOO We unleash the righteous guitar funk of Bull Funk Zoo in this issue’s Soundstage My first musical influence was… James Brown. The last pop star I liked was… Michael Jackson.
My sound is best described as… Imagine a big bad bull rocking out, fornicating and wildly stompin’ the blues to rubble. Hendrix havin’ a drink with Tom Waits and Rage Against The Machine decided to tear it up. Best piece of advice you’ve received? Be persistent, be yourself, work your ass off. What’s your musical guilty pleasure? Is there a guilty pleasure in listening to all kinds of music? The best band in Dubai is… There are a few: Carl & The Reda Mafia, EYE, Freeman’s Pocket, Svengali, The Recipe & Hadi Sarriedine. Best claim to fame? Reaching the semi-finals at the International Music Awards with one of my songs ‘Oblivion.’ When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is… A small kitted out (backline) rehearsal room backstage for warming up. My musical motto is… Just do it. Best gig you’ve played? Opening for Sting. And the worst? There are a couple, s*** happens. Best lyrics of all time? ‘Castles Made Of Sand’ by Jimi Hendrix. bullfunkzoo.bandcamp.com/
DJ BOOTH: SNEAKY PETE
Rockbottom DJ by night, quality nu-disco and deep house producer by day, Abu Dhabi DJ Sneaky Pete is next up in our DJ Booth One thing you might not know about me is... I was South Wales’ regional table tennis champion when I was 18. (Wales is small). My worst ever job was… Working in a butchers on a Saturday at the age of 16. Don’t miss that one bit. DJing is much like... The best job in the world,I get paid for something I love doing.
One thing you might not know about me is... I don’t just DJ, I also produce Deep House and Nu Disco under the name ‘PYM.’ My worst ever job was… Working as a Chef in the countryside, hundreds of miles from my friends and family. Although that is where I bought my first pair of turntables so it wasn’t all bad! Dubai’s clubbing scene is... So diverse, on any night you can here so many different DJs and genres. I’m really proud of... Being here, I never thought that playing records would bring me halfway around the world. What track could you drop in every set? I don’t like playing the same songs every night so try to make my sets as different from the last as possible. What is your guiltiest pleasure? Doing nothing, I’m an expert at relaxing and wasting my time! If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... It would have to be the 80s, to be around for the birth of house music and the rave scene. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... Fatboy Slim/Norman Cook, he is a legend to me, from the music he makes to his exciting sets. I’m not a politician but… If I was I would drop beats not bombs! soundcloud.com/djsneakypetesmusic
Weird News ANIMALS BEHAVING BADLY Fair play to LA funny man Wysaski, who pranked the public at the LA Zoo, adding these amusingly fake ‘Animal Facts’ which were left unchallenged for several days before being noticed.
CASH, LOTS OF QUESTIONS Having been to Scottish festival T In The Park, we can attest that they know how to party hard. This year’s 3 day event was no different, as revelers made off with an entire ATM on Friday night, containing ‘a significant amount of cash.’ Amusingly – or not, for the owners – the cash machine had the tagline ‘Cash on the move’ on the side. No leads have yet been found, but there is a spoof Twitter account up already.
THE SPIN JULY 2016
PAGE 217
ISSUE 43
HAIR TODAY, DJ TOMORROW
A noted surgeon in the Middle East has revealed that the UAE is the number one for beard and hair transplants in the region, largely due to follicularly challenged DJs looking to up their facial hair game. Mr Ramit Inmah Asole from Comb On Over Hair Transplant told The Spin they’re getting dozens of young men clutching DJ consoles coming into his offices each day. ‘They all want to be DJs,’ he said, and they know that having a beard and a top knot is the best way to do that. We take beards from goats in Ras Al Khaimah and then stitch them onto the chin, while hair implants work much like Astroturf.’ German wannabe DJ Herr Piece, said he’d had a hair implant to make him stand out from the competition but that he hoped ‘they took to him better than beatmatching which he still found really hard.’ *These stories are not true, this is not a real newspaper. This is a parody/fiction/satire/joke. The Spin is not intended, in any way whatsoever, to be taken as factual.
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Eat Sleep Rave Repeat
Satine Nikki Beach
Our resident restaurant critic gets to grips with Nikki Beach’s new high end outlet, Satine‌
There are a handful of truly global brands that have a concept that feels at home in every one of their locations. When it comes to beach clubs you can’t get a much bigger name that Nikki Beach. Created by American entrepreneur Jack Penrod in Miami back in 1998 (do you even remember then?) the brand now has 12 sites with the latest here in Dubai. Tucked away down the winding road of the new Pearl Jumeirah site sits possibly the best looking beach club this city has seen: a white and resplendent vision, like a glistening piece of porcelain set against the clear blue background of lapping waves. But it’s not the beach club we are here for, it’s upstairs to its sister restaurant Satine that we head. Sitting on the edge of the outside terrace, our waiter warmly welcomed us and thrust menus into our hands. The first thing that hit me was the
limited amount of choice, for me this is a positive sign: keep it simple, deliver a handful of great dishes rather than trying to be everything to everybody. We ordered and took in the stunning view, and as the sun finally set, our starters arrived. I received a colourful plate of very pretty lamb ravioli, tender to the touch and accompanied with some choice spring veg and a couscous consume. The pasta itself was light and paper-thin and the veg was crisp and fresh. I’m not sure how you make consume from couscous, and was a little underwhelming but overall it was a very good entree. My guest chose the crab which was lovely and fresh with sweet meat. It came with a tasty guacamole, although the jelly right at the bottom was an acquired taste. Mains were Arroz Bomba, a lovely Mediterranean seafood rice, with some plump langoustine, squid and mussels,
plus a couple of finger-licking chicken wings roasted to perfection - my only complaint was there wasn’t enough! Valerie went for the steak, grilled by a master accompanied with a truffle celeriac mash and a perfect hint of horseradish to follow it through. It was so good she refused to let me try some. Dessert is always for sharing but we couldn’t resist and ordered 2. We worked our way through a delicate poached peach and confit pear, with a glistening chocolate disc that dissolved once some hot sauce was poured on top: very satisfying. So here’s the rub. Yes the beach club is beautiful, yes the views
are beautiful, yes, apart from a few little niggles the food was very good, but I can’t help thinking something is missing, I know what it is, it’s really simple to fix as well. What’s missing is just a little bit of fun, it’s a beach club, drop some of the pretension and chill out. Satine is named after the character in Moulin Rouge, a rollercoaster of a film, packed full of surprises, drama and most of all a massive smile on its face, some of that here wouldn’t go amiss. I think that if they just lightened up a bit they would win people hearts as well as their wallets in the same way Satine did. satinebynikkibeach.com
Smile! Temptation is the devil – that and crabs, obviously. But The Monkey was still amused to hear of one of the more laughable sackings in recent DJ history. When calling in sick to your job – which is probably one of the best DJ gigs in town at the moment – it’s probably not a good idea to then splash your Facebook feed with selfies of you at another gig in town. A little more discretion, a little less camera time and you could have got away with the perfect crime. In the words of Nelson from The Simpsons, ‘Ha ha!’
Monkey Out... The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.
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