MUSIC • PEOPLE • LIFE
LOUD AND CLEAR DECIBEL CELEBRATE THEIR
1ST BIRTHDAY WITH D-UNITY Audio Tonic's big return, Kenny Dope, Shibuya, Sound City, Madness, The Kaiser Chiefs and more! infusionmag
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Presents
SA NATIONAL
BRAAI (BBQ) DAY
EMIRATES GOLF CLUB
KIDS ACTIVITIES • SA FOOD & DRINKS • BRING & BRAAI
FRIDAY 14 OCT 2016 1PM-LATE
TICKETS : 120 AED | UNDER 21 : 60 AED | KIDS UNDER 6 : FREE
AKING
DAN PATLANSKY
Paul Snodgrass (MC)
GUEST LIST TALAL BUDEBS Publisher
CHARL CHAKA
Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae
SALES/MARKETING sales@infusion.ae
ANDY BUCHAN
Editor andy@infusion.ae
We hear very credible rumours that a dance music dedicated FM radio show could be coming the UAE’s way very soon… Get on cult UK show People Just Do Nothing – if The Office and Human Traffic made chav babies, this would be the show.
PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae
CONTRIBUTORS:
Frak Fu, Paul Walker, Dan Fahy, Stephen Day
Our own DJ Factory is upping the ante and bringing you its own dedicated dance music production module, full details coming soon!
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Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098
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Couples only policies. C’mon guys, it’s 2016 – how am I supposed to find my next wife if we can’t get in? Promoters starting the outdoor season in early September. Unless your entry comes with its own selfhovering AC unit and 8 gallons of water, we’re not interested. Fabric has been shut down, a true bastion of the clubbing community. Makes us appreciate clubs like Blue Marlin and Story Rooftop that bit more this season.
BLACK LIST
SAY WHAT? RUMOURS Guy Gerber has confirmed that he’s coming back to Dubai, this time to play Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE. Eden Beach Club could be returning under new ownership and with a new name, rumoured to be Ocean Beach. Legendary Monday night party Secret Circle is going to be back in action soon.
OLD JOKES HOME Q: How do find Will Smith when he’s lost in the snow? A: You look for the fresh prints.
DID YOU KNOW Drake’s tourbus was recently robbed, with the thief making off with $3million in jewellry. The UK’s two biggest debut artist albums (Zayn and Jack Garrett) have together not outsold Rick Astley’s new album. Sad, sad times. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, clairvoyant Trisha will not be appearing in the Kevin Bird Suite tomorrow night” - Mansfield Town FC. Well, don’t think anyone else saw that coming…
WE LOVE The Fridge Concert Series
Where else in the city can you witness an 8 piece Latin-influenced jazz band, a UAE debut album, spoken word/acoustic fusion group and some of the city’s most in-demand musicians combining to create a DXB supergroup? The 21st edition of the Fridge Concert Series is upon us again in deepest darkest Al Quoz, once more thrusting local, live music into our faces (and ears) every Monday night for a month. A leading independent artist and entertainment management company, The Fridge’ series shines a deserving spotlight on local talent, with Khalifa Thani, Upslide, David Beats Goliath and Floetics all lining up this season, alongside The Fridge Allstars. And with tickets just AED50, we can think of few other places we’d rather be on a Monday night. facebook.com/thefridgedubai/
SEPTEMBER
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What we did
BRUNCH @ TRIBECA Like the bar and lounge itself, this brunch takes its inspiration from New York and its urban roots: there’s a cool, trendy feel that gives it an unpretentious vibe. With classic American movie stills as background, graffiti-style murals and over-sized Chesterfield sofas, we felt right at home as we tucked in. The brunch is based on organic and healthy food as its backbone, meaning there’s a table of salads with a few choices of grains and leaves and a pasta station serving up gnocchi and a selection of roast meats, with salmon the stand out. The outside BBQ meanwhile served up sliders, fish tacos, chicken wings and lamb chops in small plates giving it a Tapas feel. The service throughout was sharp and on point – especially from the live cooking stations – and the cocktails and shorts on offer were also impressive. With a selection of 90s RnB classics on rotation, as well as some well-chosen funk and soul classics, this is a chilled-out brunch good for couples and large groups. Paul Walker
BREAD STREET KITCHEN BRUNCH @ ATLANTIS, THE PALM
Bread Street Kitchen is Gordon Ramsey’s newest venture into Dubai after Verre closed in 2011. The missus and I headed to Atlantis to experience their Family Brunch and see if lived up to the reputation the name on the door held. We were greeted warmly and led through the huge restaurant to a table next to local guitarist, Tim Hassall, who serenaded the guests with pop music throughout the ages. The brunch was definitely tailored towards families with activities including cooking classes and access to the hotel’s impressive aquarium for the kids. The brunch consisted of cold starters from a buffet and hot starters brought to the table, followed by a choice of main dishes from a roast dinner, salmon or vegetarian pasta, finished with a variety of desserts. We didn’t care much for the starters; the chicken lollipops were extremely sour and the pizza dough raw, but the roast was tasty with well-cooked beef and the desserts were all excellent. With only Estrella and house wine available, for 335AED (and 95AED for kids) it could be seen as expensive, but whilst the weather is still too hot for outdoor brunches, it’s the perfect place to bring the whole family out for a fun afternoon. Dan Fahy
HOP FEST @ IRISH VILLAGE The Irish Village once again erected its giant marquee and sprinkled the saw dust in preparation for one of the messiest 3 days in the Dubai calendar. With over 120 beers and ciders from around the world to choose from, we were spoilt for choice as we wandered through the sea of well-lubricated expats like a kid in a sweet shop. The Maplejacks and Milage 51 provided some great classic rock covers for the masses to make questionable shapes to as we soaked in the jovial atmosphere whilst sipping on a bottle of Cocker Hoop. Germany proved to be a popular section, however we did the rounds and found a favourable tipple from almost every country we visited: stand outs were Snek Lifter (UK) and Grimbergen (Germany). Our only gripe was that the sound system could have been a bit crisper, however after the first few rounds, it made little or no difference. Vip Patel
ANALOG ROOM FEAT. BEN UFO @ STORY ROOFTOP
Hailed as a great DJ, Ben UFO has built his reputation purely on his DJ and selection skills. And luckily for him, he was booked at a party that let him showcase his skills to a crowd who knew their music and knew how to party. With a combination of house, garage, dub and techno blended effortlessly together through 3 CDJs and the beautiful Rane analog mixer, the crowd were treated to a selection and DJing master class by one of the highly respected DJs of the moment. The combined Story and Analog sound system suited Ben UFO’s playing style perfectly and allowed the blend between all the music styles during his extended set. Tunes came thick and fast, but when you’re dropping bombs like Lauer’s remix of Igor Tipura’s ‘Dwams’ and Lone’s ‘Alpha Wheel’ you can tell that the crowd went on a musical journey. Paul Walker
GARAGE NATION @ XL BEACH
EXIT 29 @TRIBECA
SEASON OPENING @ WHITE DUBAI
THURSDAY - SEPTEMBER 29 DUE DIRTY SOUTH
Dragan Roganovic – or Dirty South to his millions of fans – is back in the UAE to welcome in the new season for XL as they promise a grand show case of their new décor and brand new in-club tech. Nominated for a pair of Grammy Awards, Dirty South has remixed for U2, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta and The Temper Trap (the latter
THURSDAY - SEPTEMBER 29
earning his 2011 Grammy nomination for his still-killer ‘Sweet Disposition’ remix) and has been making music for over a decade. The Serbian/Australian DJ has had several Beatport Top 100 smashes, and has been a virtual ever-present in the DJ Magazine Top 100 Poll. He’ll be bringing his biggest and best beats to play at XL on September 29, and we recommend you’re there front and centre to soak them up from 10pm.
FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 30 NO ORDINARY JOE
Read the words Red Bull Music Academy and know one thing – they mean serious sonic business. And so, of course, they’re now bringing world renowned DJ and selector Joe Claussell to Dubai for a truly cutting edge showcase of everything from jazz, doo-wop, rock and roll, calypso, rhumba and whatever else the Brooklyn via Puerto Rico DJ decides will make you dance. As one third of cult New York party Body & Soul (alongside Francois K and Danny Krivit), his DJ credentials are as impeccable as they come. Catch him in action at Story Rooftop on September 30, with support from Craig Massiv, James Locksmith and Charl Chaka, with free entry until midnight and AED100 after.
ODDISEE & GOOD COMPNY ZEID HAMDAN & MAII WALEED JAY WUD
WEDNESDAY 5TH OCT 2016.
STEREO ARCADE, DOUBLE TREE HOTEL, JBR, DUBAI. DOORS OPEN 9PM. FREE ENTRY.
FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 30 BLUE MARLIN GETS DOPE!
Few DJs make us get down like Masters at Work DJ and producer Kenny Dope, meaning we’ll be applying our finest face pack and getting lots of sleep (hopefully) so we’re fully charged for his show at Blue Marlin Ibiza Dubai on September 30. A true innovator, able to turn his hand from soulful classics to straight up house cuts, Kenny Dope is supported by hip-turned-house star Bas Ibellini and Canadian DJ – and Stereo Montreal resident – Maher Daniel, making this triple trouble of the best kind.
FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 30 BAD HOUSE PARTY RETURN WITH YOUNGER LOVERS
There’s a lot to love about Bad House Party – the punk attitude, the blow up animals on the dancefloor and the fact they play music no one else does. But most of all, they put their money where their mouth is – and yet again, they’re bringing out an up-and-coming indie act, this time to play at the McGettigans Baggot in JLT. The band are Younger Lovers, a three piece California power pop punk band who’ll get you pogoing in your pumps come September 30. Tickets are AED100 and DJ support comes from the BHP crew.
FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 30 VA-VA-VADIM!
It’s been a welcome return to weekly action for the Deep Crates Cartel crew, and they’ve gone big time as the season kick-starts proper with prolific Russian DJ and Ninja Tune star Vadim flying out to DJ at their Las Vegas Club (that’s Satwa, obvs) party on the 30th. Expect expertly blended hip hop, funk, soul, rarities and genre-defying oddities from Lobito, Dubijad and the rest of the DCC crew on support. Doors open at 9pm, and tickets will set you back AED100.
Gig Guide Toolroom Records feat. Mark Knight, Crazy P, Zero Gravity The first of a series of Toolroom parties, label head honcho flies out to headline with his hi-class house and tech-house sound, with disco-funk-house stars Crazy P dropping a DJ set, with live support from Arcade 82. 3pm-3am, Free for ladies before 10pm, free for men before midnight, AED 100 after. Red Bull Open Water Party, Nasimi Homegrown electronic duo Hollaphonic headline, with support from Tobie Allen and Scott Forshaw at this all day party in the sea and on the sand. 2pm-late, free.
COVER FEATURE
MAKE SOME NOISE! After a storming season opening party, Decibel are back on October 13 with Canadian DJ D-Unity celebrating their first birthday. We caught up with the Decibel DXB family to find out what’s in store this season and why they prefer first time DJ debuts in the city… Congratulations on a great first season – you dived into the deep end, booking big venues and big international Djs, were you nervous? We did dive into the deep end where nervousness was met with excitement, anticipation and fulfillment. We definitely knew how busy we were going to be considering we hosted previous events in Dubai, Lebanon and
Egypt but “Dubai busy” is always much busier than anywhere else. When it comes to our nights, our main focus is to make sure everyone is having a good time and that’s when we know we can start partying. What have you learnt over your events so far? And how supportive have other promoters been, is it competitive at the moment?
We’ve realized some things work across all the board but sometimes what worked for one event might not work for the other. We’ve made good friends with promoters throughout the year, some more than others but that’s just how things are whether here or internationally, especially when you have so many good quality acts that are being booked – sometimes it can get overwhelming; you do have a few weekends per year where you’re way too spoiled for choice. Where did the inspiration come from, did you spot a gap in the market? All the Decibel Family has an electronic music history on all
spectrums; from House to techno to trance to Drum and Bass all the way to Psy. When it came to establishing Decibel it wasn’t to fill a gap in the market as such, it was solely to bring new and upcoming acts that we felt Dubai should experience. You've teamed up with Spanish club Elrow for a lot of your parties – how many times have you been there, when did you know that you wanted to work with them? Touring Ibiza, the Decibel family saw Eddy M playing before Carl Cox and put him on the radar for future bookings. Back in Dubai a common friend (Thanks Ruben) told us he can get us in touch with Eddy M to book him
COVER FEATURE for December 2015, and that’s where the “ElRow-Decibel” link started. How do you choose the Djs you bring over, what makes a Decibel DJ? Ultimately we prefer to have our DJs be first timers in Dubai, high in energy musically and interactive with the crowd. What are the key ingredients for Decibel? Decibel goes by “Music for you by you” and we put a lot of effort to follow that as much as possible. We try to bring in the best upcoming acts that focus around the Tech House/Techno
genre which we feel would take our crowd on a dancing journey. When it comes to our crowd, it’s anyone and everyone. Who are your resident Djs and why? Residents are Karam “Toubba” and Rami Talj “KruchO”. Both Toubba and KruchO bring the needed energy that makes a Decibel night whether playing opening or main set. And who are you most looking forward to from the season? Haha… trick question; each event is a story by itself!
About D-Unity Signed to Universal, Toolroom, Great Stuff, Armada and more, D-Unity has gained airplay from a wide selection of DJs including Carl Cox, Mark Knight, Danny Tenaglia, Pete Tong and Richie Hawtin. A regular at top clubs like Pacha, Womb and Stereo, while his blend of tech-house, tribal and techno music makes him a regular in the Beatport Top 100 charts. Expect underground tech sounds of the highest order from the Toronto DJ Decibel feat. D-Unity, Thursday October 13, ON42, Media One Hotel, 10pm-3am, AED100, ladies free before midnight
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THURSDAY - OCTOBER 6
Shibuya is back! Dancefloor warriors Shibuya are back in action after a prolonged break, and have German Daft Punk remixer Boris Dlugosch playing their Industrial Avenue party on October 6. We caught up with the ‘Sing It Back’ remixer to talk good gigs, back gigs and the school run How did you start DJing? I think like most people: an older friend of mine had 2 turntables, I went to his house almost every single day after school practicing until he sold me them and his mixer. After that I continued at home every day. Soon after I gave a tape to the owner of my favourite club in Hamburg (Club Front) and asked if they needed a DJ. They did and I got my first job. You’ve had a huge amount of success DJing around the world, what would you say was your most memorable gig? There have been a few and the travelling and trip itself might have been quite memorable, but the best nights had been the nights at Club Front back at the beginning of my career. The crowd there were always very special and appreciative. You could play a record for the very first time but if it was a big record they immediately went totally crazy, screaming their hearts out. Every single Saturday for 10 years have been like that. And your worst? Ha ha, these are forgotten very, very easy. Really! You end up at places you can’t imagine sometimes. You just immediately feel in those rooms: this is definitely not my place. Whatever you play people won’t be happy, cause it’s just not the right combination of club, crowd and DJ.
THURSDAY - OCTOBER 6 What is your average day comprised of? Getting up with the family, making breakfast for the kids. When they’re at school I’m at my computer or straight to the studio working on new music. Fridays and/or Saturdays it’s off somewhere to DJ. Quite the same every week. Not very exciting. What’s your formula for a hit record? If there was such thing and I had it I would be too busy talking to you now!
Shibuya & Electric Lollipop feat. Boris Dlugosch, Thursday October 6, Industrial Avenue, The Westin, 9pm-3am, AED200 open bar from 9-12, free after midnight
THURSDAY - OCTOBER 6 UTTER MADNESS
Don your finest two-tone suit and get ready to skank as British institution Madness are coming your way on Thursday October 6. The band, best known for classic hits like ‘Our House’ and ‘Baggy Trousers,’ have experienced a renaissance in recent years thanks to high profile gigs at the Queen’s Jubilee and playing at the Closing Ceremony of the London Olympics. During the 70s and 80s, the ska pop band spent over 214 weeks in the UK singles chart, including 15 Top 10 tracks, and are still a current pop band with their new album ‘Can’t Touch Us’ due for release later this year. Tickets for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium gig start from AED250 and are available from Platinumlist.net
THURSDAY - OCTOBER 6 SUPERHEROES MOVE HOUSE
It’s a fresh start for the Superheroes crew as they’ve teamed up with underground H Hotel club Cymatics for their next three parties. And they have Black Butter signing Woz on headline duty alongside residents Rutherford and Fuente. The bass friendly night which pushes house, garage and breaks is one of our favourite homegrown parties, so we’re looking forward to a fresh start at this cool new club. The event runs from 10pm-3am, with free entry before 11pm and AED100 after.
THURSDAY - OCTOBER 6 360’S BATTLE OF THE DJS
Get down to 360 on October 6 and you’ll not only be part of the cool crowd, but you’ll also get to spot 360’s new DJ battle it out in action at their DJ Competition. Local legend Rone Jaxx, Infusion DJ Factory’s Frak and UK DJ Shortee Blitz will be judging the hip hop and RnB competition, and there’s still time to enter: submit your 15 minute live mix to 360.entertainment@jumeirah.com.
THURSDAY - OCTOBER 6 BEATBOXER BEARDYMAN IS BACK!
Outrageously talented beatboxer Beardyman is back once again at Zero Gravity for another voice-throwing, mind-blowing show. Not just an incredible beatboxer, his live club show is a serious feat of technological wizardry, as he creates never-to-be-repeated house, breaks and DnB tracks on the fly using just his vocals. His last set at Zero Gravity – notably the last hour when he went truly freestyle – were amongst the most fun club sets we’ve heard out here so we’re hyped he’s back in town on October 6. Entry is free for ladies before midnight, guys before 10pm, AED 100 after.
Back with a bang! So, 3 new nights across 3 cities and 2 continents – sleep is for the dead right? It certainly is, I’ll need a fair bit of Red Bull, under-eye cream and dutch courage! But all very, very exciting and a huge progression for the audio tonic brand. We have partnered with the guys from Decadent Entertainment in Abu Dhabi, and are now expanding the brand across all its facets, which includes building the name in UK and Europe through our events, and most importantly the record label. You must have been in demand after you left 360 – who got in touch, and why did you choose the Wet Deck at the W Hotel? Once the word got out we were moving from 360, yes a lot of doors opened up pretty quickly. It made me realise how well respected the brand was having dedicated all those years to one venue, and of course the demand to host audio tonic which was incredibly humbling. The W is
The longest running house night in the region is back, as audio tonic return to the UAE’s clubbing scene, and in some style, as they take over the W Hotel’s infamous Wet Deck from October 1, and return for weekly parties in Abu Dhabi. Oh, and they’re also taking over the UK with fortnightly parties in Manchester. Infusion spoke to Mr Mr, the party founder and resident DJ, to find out more…
MATT.JOE
M.A.N.D.Y
LEON VYNEHALL
SOLARDO
a new hotel, and the Wet Deck is a new venue, and we definitely didn’t want to go to a venue that had already been exploited so to speak. We like to keep all aspects of the brand fresh, so it was a perfect fit. Capacity is just over 300, there will be 2 large bars, the slash pool (4ft deep all the way around) is open until 11pm so people can come and swim, dance, do both… party! DJs will start from 4pm but people are of course welcome to come earlier and close at 2am. Our guest Djs will likely start from 10pm (so don’t be late!) You’re back in the capital as well on Thursday nights – where's that and is that local or international Djs? Yes we are, and can’t wait to host for the first time weekly Thursday events at Relax@12 at Aloft Hotel. We will predominantly have local Djs playing, with some new additions to the Abu Dhabi resident team, including Ilona Maras and Lucy Stone. And finally, you’re in Manchester – what's behind that move, and are all 3 playing the same audio tonic signature sound? Yes! It’s always been on the radar to host audio tonic events in the UK, and as
you know we have done a few over the last couple of years in Barcelona (for Off Sonar) and Amsterdam for ADE. I grew up on UK club culture, Fabric (RIP!), The End, The Cross, Bagleys, and when I lived in Manchester it was Sankeys, so it’s time to take the brand built by music enthusiasts back to the roots. Manchester is one of the only cities in the UK that takes ‘underground’ (hate using that word!) dance music seriously, especially as London is cracking down so hard. Our sound is quality House Music, it spans the sub genres, but our lineup can be a little more unique. We’ve got Franck Roger (Desolat) for the opening on Oct 01st, Jimpster (Freerange) on Oct 15th, Gorge (8Bit) on Nov 5th, and our good friend Raxon on Dec 05th! You’ve seen Dubai grow for the last decade – how strong is the club scene now, how competitive is it? It’s very strong yes, there really is so much choice. And yes, it’s incredibly competitive. There are a lot of venues, and a lot of promoters, but there are
less people who go out these days: no matter what anyone says Dubai is very expensive to socialise in clubland, and people just don’t have the disposable cash like they used to. You've gone with some big hitters for your Wet Deck parties (Mat.Joe and M.A.N.D.Y) and also some very cool names (Leon Vynehall) - was that the intention, to balance education and big names? Who else is on the hit list? It always has been that, a fine balance between, cool, credible and entertaining. Well I can tell you that our surprise opening guest is somewhat of a US kingpin, we are stripping back the musical policy to good ole’ straight up House Music, but he’s still releasing some amazing new music in trend with current styles; chunky, techy, groovy and sexy. He’s worked with the likes of New Order, Gorillaz, Giorgio Moroder, Les Rhythmes Digitales and Jamiroquai. It will go off, no doubt! As for Manchester, all the names so far mentioned above.
Nightswim @ The Wet Deck line up Oct 7 – Opening party, line up TBC! Oct 14 – Solardo (ViVa, UK) Oct 21 – Residents Oct 28 – Matt.Joe (Exploited, Ger) Nov 4 – Leon Vynehall (Aus Music, UK) Nov 11 – M.A.N.D.Y (Get Physical, Berlin)
FRIDAY - OCTOBER 7 ONE BIG FRIDAY FEAT. PVD
Now fit and healthy again after a traumatic fall that broke his spine in two places, it’s a very welcome return to action again for Paul Van Dyk as he plays Zero Gravity’s One Big Friday party on October 7. The German trance DJ fell off the stage at a State of Trance Festival stage and was in a wheelchair for 5 weeks and intensive care for several weeks before making a full recovery. Support for the event comes from EDM duo Dubvision as well as UK house group 99 Souls who were behind the radio-rinsed mashup ‘The Girl Is Mine.’ Entry is free before 6pm, and AED150 after
presents
Let me show you, Finally, Two can play that Game
Exit29 THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER DJ’S MARK PICKUP JON BESANT LEON KNIGHT CN WILLIAMS FUNKY VOCAL HOUSE CLASSICS
FRIDAY - OCTOBER 7 SPEN SPEN SUGAR
Funky/vocal house outfit Sunstroke have booked US house DJ Spen for their October 7 party at 360. Cool fact alert: DJ Spen was actually behind the 1987 track Girl You Know It’s True, so memorably covered by the great pretenders, Milli Vanilli. A highly respected DJ for his turntablism skills as well as his selection of high energy vocal house cuts, Spen – now signed to Defected – will no doubt get the full Sunstroke crew out in force on 360’s rooftop. Support comes from Jack Woodcock, Danny Kwang, John Spoor and Miss Foster, with free entry all night until 3am.
ON THE RADAR
OCTOBER 13
OCTOBER 28
OCTOBER 13
OCTOBER 28
DECIBEL FEAT. D-UNITY ON42
MAJOR LAZER Autism Rocks
Nasimi
ADRIATIQUE Provocateur
OCTOBER 14
OCTOBER 28
ROBIN SCHULZ
SA BRAAI DAY FEAT. AKING
Emirates Golf Course
OCTOBER 27
ANALOG ROOM FEAT. AKUFEN Story Rooftop
LOUIE VEGA Zero Gravity
OCTOBER 28
NIGHTSWIM FEAT. MATT.JOE, AUDIO TONIC W Hotel
ON THE RADAR
NOVEMBER 4
GROOVE ON THE GRASS FEAT. SCUBA Emirates Golf Course
NOVEMBER 4
NOVEMBER 5 PAUL WOOLFORD Zero Gravity
NOVEMBER 10
ERICK MORILLO Zero Gravity
DECIBEL FEAT. MATT SASSARI ON42
NOVEMBER 4
NOVEMBER 11
NIGHTSWIM FEAT. LEON VYNEHALL, AUDIO TONIC
W Hotel
NOVEMBER 4
SUNSTROKE FEAT. GRANT NELSON 360
SENSATION Bab Al Shams
NOVEMBER 11
PARTY IN THE PARK FEAT. KAISER CHIEFS
Media City
ELEMENTS / DUBAI
OCTOBER LINEUP
NIGHTSWIM @
Presents:
10/07/2016
10/14/2016
JUNIOR SANCHEZ (New York)
SOLARDO (ViVa//UK)
Arcade 82 (live) Michael Robert (Mr Mr) Russ Cooper
Kerry Wallace (S.A.S.H//AU) Rod Lee Winters
10/21/2016
10/28/2016
THE RESIDENTS
MAT.JOE (Exploited//GER)
Megadon Betamax Tobie Allen Wisqo
Jason Dodds Rich Showell
WET DECK // W HOTEL // AL HABTOOR CITY. Every Friday from 4pm till late. DRESS CODE: Swim // dance // do both. RESERVATIONS: +971 (4) 436 6666 GUESTLIST: guestlist@audiotonic.net
Soundstage SOUND CITY
A raucous riot of rock energy, Sound City are Stereo Arcade’s not so secret weapon thanks to their Friday night residency. We caught up with the 5 piece to find out what makes them tick… The last pop star I liked was… Josh: I’m not hugely into “Pop” music but I do like the newest Panic! At The Disco album. Dan: Rick Astley. Frankie: Bruno Mars. My sound is best described as… Josh: Solid, grooving, loud and proud. Jess: Soulful, emotional, big. Best piece of advice you’ve received? Josh: Don’t overplay. Sometimes less is most definitely more. Jess: “You are awesome, if you fail that’s OK, celebrate your fails - it will only make you stronger.” What’s your musical guilty pleasure? Dan: Both Tweaking and Twerking. Phil: Doing house work + Pantera. Jess: Justin Beiber. The best band in Dubai is… Frankie: Lots of good ones here, to name a few: Re-Vinyl, The Distillers and JetLag, who play at Stereo Arcade every Tuesday and Wednesday
Best claim to fame? Jess: I’ve sung for the queen... She loved it! When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is… Josh: A drum tech! And a basket of puppies/scantily clad women. Jess: Chicken nuggets and Channing Tatum. Phil: Being fanned on a psychiatrist couch whilst being fed green grapes. My musical motto is… Josh: Don’t give up. Don’t lose faith. Don’t lose sight of your goals. Frankie: Play like it’s your last gig ever. Dan: I’d rather be a spicy curry than an icy cake. Best gig you’ve played? Josh: Every Friday at Stereo Arcade. So much fun and so sweaty! Jess: I did a concert at DU arena, that was pretty awesome huge stage and a massive crowd. I was running through the arena in 6 inch heels getting everyone up dancing! Best lyrics of all time? Josh: “I will follow you into the dark” - Death Cab For Cutie. Dan: “Together we stand - divided we fall” (Roger Waters). facebook.com/SoundCityUAE facebook.com/StereoArcade
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DJ BOOTH: ANDY SWIFT
UAE club veteran and Q43 and Mahiki resident Andy Swift talks us through his love of Michael Jackson and Paul Van Dyk
One thing you might not know about me is... My surname’s actually Miranda and not Swift! My worst ever job was… I worked in a Mexican fast food restaurant making nachos and quesadillas for 14 hours a day. My favourite ever record is... Too many to name, but if I ever have to choose one it would be ‘For An Angel’ by Paul Van Dyk. DJing is much like an… An artform that I use to make people happy. Dubai’s clubbing scene is... Not where I expected it to be years ago, not sure it’s a good thing. I’m really proud of… The fact that I’ve been DJing in Dubai for over 10 years at some of the best venues around. What track could you drop in every set? I could definitely drop Michael Jackson’s ‘I Want You Back.’ I can’t live without… My Harley (that’s my lil’ British bulldog). My biggest DJ achievement to date is... I got a chance to open up for Mark Knight, I think that was something special. If I could DJ in any era it would be… The 80s, I love the era and the music. If I could go back to back it would be… 100 percent Jazzy Jeff. He’s just phenomenal and has taught me so much that I integrate into my own sets. I’m not a politician but… We need more love in this world.
THE SPIN
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SEPTEMBER 2016 ISSUE 46 DUBAI NOW 2ND BIGGEST CITY IN THE WORLD – IF FAKE FB PROFILES INCLUDED
A new study from the Internet Institute has found that if fake Facebook profiles were counted as real people, Dubai would be the second largest city on the planet behind Tokyo. The Institute found that there are currently 24 million fake Facebook profiles across the UAE, with Dubai at its epicenter. The research found that most are involved in the city’s club scene, with millions of bearded, hairy and flatulent men posing as large-chested, sun-ripened beauties spamming the UAE with event invites to Millionaire Mondays and Secretion Sundays. They also found that some of the most common surnames in the UAE on the social media site corresponded to the clubs with most desolate dance floors. *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.
Looking Closer
Weird News WAGE SLAVES Be careful what you ask for, is the motto of this story after a factory in China brought in to robots to replace human workers after they asked for a pay rise. The production factory which manafactures lenses for German company Carl Zeiss has employed dozens of robots to take care of cutting, polishing and packaging, previously human-held jobs. Over 60 jobs have gone, and the chain of factories are instigating the same practice in its other outlets after they found that costs fell 10-20%. Skynet is coming‌
ASK AND THY SHALL RECEIVE Ever wondered what you can get away with at hotels? One enterprising guest decided to push the envelope, and asked for 3 red M&Ms and a framed picture of bacon on arrival. The American hotel complied, so he decided to go further. He then asked for a fort made out of pillows and a picture of a dog dressed as a sea captain all of which they came through with.
8pm Wed 12 Oct Thu 13 Oct Fri 14 Oct Mon 17 Oct Tue 18 Oct Wed 19 Oct Thu 20 Oct Thu 21 Oct The Gramercy DIFC
Allyson June Smith
Larry Dean Nick Dixon
www.thelaughterfactory.com call : +971 50 8786 728 Ticket AED 140. Over 21’s Only
Eat Sleep Rave Repeat
Couqley
Boasting high end cuisine at affordable prices, Lebanese French restaurant franchise Couqley arrives in JLT. Andy Buchan puts it to the test‌
JTL. A maze of frustrated would be U-turners, dank lakes and precious few good eateries. Until that is Nola and Couqley burst onto the scene, and not only showed that good food is possible in the area, but that it could also be sensibly priced. And with the UAE restaurant scene as competitive as it’s ever been, keeping that price point low and the quality high is as good a USP as you can get. To keep the review brief: you could eat out at Couqley for under AED300 for a bottle of wine and two steaks. The house red (a steal at AED95) with its rich, plummy flavours goes perfectly with the Steak Frites and house sauce (AED97 each) which are perfectly seared. Great value and great food, but Couqley is much more than just that. A cavernous space that seats 200 people, Couqley is classily
decorated with red leather and dark woods to the fore, offset by a striking yellow lighting scheme. Despite the size, it feels snug and cosy, especially when we’re led to our seat at the back of the restaurant giving a good view of the bar and busy kitchen. We opted for the French Onion Soup to start. It came with a mountain of grated cheese on top, and was thick, viscous, caramelized and about as tasty as soup gets. We’d also gone for the Tuna Tartare which came with a fine blend of herbs and aromatic toasted sesame seeds, light and perfectly seasoned. As the night progressed, the background music – jazz, funk and soul – got louder to complement the rising background noise. We’d booked our table by 8pm, but being a French/Lebanese eatery, this
place got busy after 9 as table after table poured in: with a smattering of overheard French and Edith Piaf on the stereo, you could have been in a backstreet Paris eatery and not in the middle of a skyscraper carpark. After a brief hiatus, and our waitress almost catching our cascading fork in mid-fall, Superhero style, our mains arrived. The menu was stacked full of French classics, and we both opted for the quintessential main, Steak Frites, as French as bank holiday strikes, onion vests and Ikea pictures of Paris in your living room. The steaks were perfectly cooked (blue and medium rare), and came with stick-thin chips and their in-house sauce. If anything, the sides took the gold star, but maybe that’s just because we’d inadvertently ordered cheese with everything. The wilted spinach a la crème was succulent and rich,
while the grilled Portobello mushrooms with Parmesan and fresh cut herbs was richer and more loudmouthed than Trump: speaking of which, we were sorely tempted by the Special of the day, the Orange Tarte Du Jour. Instead, we plumped for the Tarte Aux Pommes, a thin disco of crisp-fluffy pastry with extra fruity apple slices and a voluptuous vanilla ice cream, and a decadent chocolate mouse which tasted exactly as I thought it would – amazing. It was rich, dark and lighter than my wallet after a good session at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE. Put together by the same team behind Stereo Arcade, you know attention to detail is their thing, and Couqley is proof of that. The wine glasses are reassuringly hefty, the staff beyond friendly, knowledgeable and friendly and the food fresh, lovingly prepared and very competitively priced.
Laguna Tower, Mövenpick Hotel, Cluster A, Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT), 04 514 9339 https://www.facebook.com/CouqleyUAE/
Dubai: a city powered by hot air and promises It might be cooling down temperature wise, but it’s heating up bulls*** wise. Dubai is a city powered by hot air and promises, and with party season winding up, the wind is blowing loud and strong. Never have I met so many flaky people, never have I been waiting for so long for promises to materialize, never has the smell of fertilizer been so pungent. ‘We’re launching a new club soon, bro,’ ‘We’re launching our own festival, bro,’ ‘We’re launching our own record label, bro.’ You know what, bro? You’d have thought the recession would have wiped the bro-crew out, but no – they’re still here, promising the earth and following through with nothing but a skidmark. As ever, don’t believe the hype, Dubai.
Monkey Out... The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.