MUSIC • PEOPLE • LIFE
GUY GERBER
GETS MUSICAL AT Barasti turns 21, SA Braai Day, Angry MonkeyThe Boxtones, The Recovery.
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ANDY BUCHAN
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PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae
CONTRIBUTORS:
Frak Fu, Sonia, Neil Henderson, Stephen Day, Jes Body
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OUR PARTNERS
We’re getting our Lego freak on at the Stack event at Skydive Dubai near Zero Gravity from October 19-22. Not only will there literally be millions of Lego bricks to play with, but there will be Star Wars Lego displays. House of Afrika is back very soon at a brand new venue, and launching a sister brand VIVA! New Saturday afternoon party Cuts Above at Tamanya Terrace launches this October offering funk/soul/disco and house cuts, food and drink deals and some of our favourite DJs. Win win!
Getting spam email blasts from DJ ‘Bad Man,’ who’s available for Weddings and Events. We’ll pass, thanks.
Space Ibiza as we know it had its last dance recently at its closing party, as dozens of DJs played through the night and day in a party of truly epic proportions. Doubly sad as we weren’t there!
‘Cool’ bars charging AED50 for a bottle of beer on an ‘underground’ night out. Not cool.
BLACK LIST
SAY WHAT? OLD JOKES HOME What’s E.T. short for? Because he’s got little legs.
RUMOURS There’s another new beach club set to open called La Cala right next to Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE. Techno DJ Jeff Mills is coming to Dubai early next year.
We’ve heard that Roger Sanchez is going to be in town on New Year’s Eve.
Jazzy Jeff is back for his Barasti residency, playing Halloween at the beach club this year. Laidback Luke is confirmed to play Barasti for New Year’s Eve this year. Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson has been confirmed for a show in the UAE later this year, playing the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on November 3.
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WE LOVE Cymatics
Cymatics, for those of us not near a dictionary, is the study of sound and vibration made visible. So when the bass bin wobbles, or when the drink on the bar leans like Pisa, or when your diaphragm nearly collapses in on itself when the kick drops. Fittingly then, new H Hotel club Cymatics have a kick-ass sound system that’s perfect for watching our favourite kind of science at work. They’ve also teamed up some cool parties, including bass/house warriors Superheroes and the Because We Can crew who celebrate the best in 90s hip hop, while the club is also pushing local talent including Miss PM, Somalie, Bachir Salloum and Lebanese DJs like 3lias and Gunther. An underground venue named after the science of sound opening their doors to some of the city’s best DJs and promoters? Yup, we love that for sure.
H Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, 1111 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 050 545 7583
ELEMENTS / DUBAI
OCT / NOV LINEUP
NIGHTSWIM @
Presents:
10/14/2016
10/21/2016
SOLARDO (ViVa//UK)
THE RESIDENTS
Kerry Wallace (S.A.S.H//AU) Rod Lee Winters
Megadon Betamax Tobie Allen Wisqo
10/28/2016
11/04/2016
MAT.JOE (Exploited//GER)
LEON VYNEHALL
Jason Dodds Rich Showell
Megadon Betamax 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
(Running Back // UK))
What we did
BLUE MARLIN IBIZA FEAT. FRANCESCA LOMBARDO, ANJA SCHNEIDER, NICOLE MOUDABER Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE aims for a mercurial blend of a sophisticated yet raunchy vibe and underground yet big-name music. With this stellar line-up of Francesca Lombardo, Anja Schneider and Nicole Moudaber it managed that in spades. After a day of lounging and laid-back brunching, the sun began to dip and Francesca stepped up to the decks, the club blossoming into a dance-floor of tech heads. With an emotional narrative of dreamy soundscapes, stirring melodies and hypnotic rhythms, she has conquered dance floors around the world and set up the dancefloor perfectly for Mobilee founder Anja Schneider who dropped seismic slabs of driving tech house. The hot-as-summer Lebanese Nigerian DJ Moudaber then took over: in demand everywhere you look right now, she controlled the crowd with her own brand of percussive, deep and dynamic rhythms. The masses rose to fever pitch, in this mercurial but fiercely underground venue. Neil Henderson Up next: Richy Ahmed Oct 14, Guy Gerber, Oct 21
GROOVE ON THE GRASS @ EMIRATES GOLF CLUB
Opening their fifth season with nothing but pure musical goodness, we reached the grounds when Simian Mobile Disco were controlling the main stage with big techy sounds getting the crowd moving. We proceeded inside to a packed tent where Radio Slave was true to his name, enslaving the crowd with his much harder yet uplifting techno beats. Was the tent especially packed because it had A/C? Maybe. Although we can all agree it was a rather sweaty experience, it added to the festival experience: we were all in the same boat and were all connected in some way. Despite the sweaty weather and a new ticketing system at the bar that raised a few grumbles, smiles were on everyone’s faces, none more so than when Josh Wink closed the main stage with a bang leaving us wanting for more. Frak Fu
BUSTA RHYMES @ VIP ROOM Being a big old school hip hop fan, this was the perfect opportunity to see one of the fastest MC’s in the world who is partially responsible for shaping the musical movement. Signing his signature classics such as “I Know What You Want” and “Gimme Some More”, he got everyone singing along. By the third song he was already spitting rhymes faster than my brain could process. Impressive skill. His presence on stage was simple, effective and showed he was having fun by passing the microphone to the audience so they could sing along. Frak Fu
MCGETTIGAN’S @ SOUK MADINAT
Everyone knows what they’re getting on a night out in McGettigans - the JLT and DWTC branches have offered quality fun brunches, beers and burgers for what feels like forever. That is until you walk into their spanking new joint on the Souk Madinat’s waterway. Hotly anticipated at the heart of the Madinat it really couldn’t be better positioned for anything you want in a night out - or day for that matter. Like some kind of incongruous Irish Venetian mashup, the heads of this stalwart home-brewed chain have pulled off something remarkable with a pub that’s as stylish and plush as its new menu is tasty. Get yourself two orders of the nachos just for starters, while the wagyu beef burgers and truffle and rocket flatbreads count among some of the tastiest and best quality pub food in the city. Factor in the forthcoming Friday brunch plans, the top of the line sporting coverage - rightly positioning themselves as the most serious venue for sports in the whole Souk - and all manner of weekly promotions, lady’s nights and quizzes and you’ve got a real cracker. WNeil Henderson
TING IRIE
Ting Irie is the newly launched Jamaican restaurant in Souk Al Manzil, promising to bring the real taste of Jamaica to Dubai. You know you’re in the right place when you are greeted by the hostess who is singing and dancing in a warm Carribean way. Once inside, we couldn’t help but tap our feet as DJ Cheriana rocked the reggae vibes, setting the tone for the night. The first mocktail we tried was the ‘Irie Green’. A mix of sweet pineapple and bitter cucumber with a fizz of ginger beer. Even though they’re still waiting for their liquor license the mocktail list is extensive and delicious, we barely noticed the missing alcohol. We ordered the ‘Rasta Greens Salad’ for our starter, which was very tasty. A mix of the Chef’s greens, pickled watermelon, cucumber and cherry tomatoes it was light and healthy, perfect to start with. There was no choice but to try the ‘Spitfiyah Jerk Chicken’ for mains which was ridiculously good. The chicken was slow rotisserie roasted which made it tender and smoky all the way through and came served with mango salsa and groovy gravy. We closed our account with their ‘Sweet Tings’ menu with the Crunky Monkey which is warm dark chocolate tart, ice cream, crispy cereal and caramelized banana. We really enjoyed the vibe of Ting Irie, the food was delicious and we felt like extended family. We can only imagine once they get their liquor license, everyting will truly be irie! Jes Body
Y2K @ STEREO ARCADE
RON CARROLL @ XL
BUSTA RHYMES @ VIP ROOM
LIVE MUSIC
DIRTY SUITS
VINYL REVIVAL
EVERY SUNDAY 8.30 PM
EVERY TUESDAY 8.30 PM
FUNK POWER
THE DISTILLERS
EVERY WEDNESDAY 8.30 PM
THURSDAY- SATURDAY 8.30 PM #THISISHARDROCK
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY DECIBEL!
Monthly house/tech-house night Decibel celebrate their 1st birthday with Canadian Toolroom signing D-Unity dropping a blistering set on Thursday October 13 at their ON42 home. Playing everything from deep tribal cuts to emotive techno, the DJ’s music has been played by a cross-selection of DJs including Carl Cox, Pete Tong and Richie Hawtin. The night runs from 10pm-3am, with Deian and Toubba on support duties.
ROBIN SCHULZ RETURNS TO NASIMI
His last gig at the Atlantis venue saw him strutting through an adoring crowd of thousands in his sunglasses, and we predict more of the same when Robin Schulz returns on October 13. Famous ever since his remix of ‘Waves’ dominated charts around the world, his pop friendly house sound has seen him sell millions of records and tour the globe including shows at Ultra and Tomorrowland. Support comes from Infusion faves Hollaphonic, with free entry for everyone from 7pm.
PLUS MINUS RETURN TO ACTION
After a hugely successful summer season, house/tech-house night Plus Minus are back in action with Sebastian Mullaert AKA Minilogue playing at ON42 on Friday October 14. One half of noted Swedish duo, Mullaert is best known for his sprawling, intelligent but dancefloor focused records, thanks in part to his classical music training. Support comes from Sam Farsio, with online advance tickets starting from AED85 from Platinumlist.net.
FRIDAY - OCTOBER 14
aKING
is born
Our insanely popular Braai day is back on October 14 at Emirates Golf Club and we have another stonking South African line up including Cape Town band aKING who have shared the stage with Oasis and Snow Patrol. Ahead of their debut Dubai gig, we caught up with the 4 piece to talk nicknames, Oasis and BBQs… Welcome to Dubai, your first gig here I think – what have you heard? Thanks! We’ve heard only good things. Braai’ing is one of our favourite past times, so to be able to share that with our friends and supporters in Dubai is a dream come true. How hard is it to break out of the South African music scene and go global? What other countries have you toured or played recently? We haven’t really played outside of South Africa much. In May 2015 we played a show in India, other than that we’ve played
shows in Mozambique, Namibia & Argentina. With that being said, we would love to stretch our tour legs in Europe or the Americas. How would you describe the music you play? Melodic rock with a jocular edge. You’ve played on the same bill as bands like Oasis and Snow Patrol – did you meet them, did you learn anything from them? Unfortunately mere plebs like us weren’t allowed to mingle with the bigwigs, so as much as we wanted to, we didn’t get to meet them. And do you play any covers in your sets, or is it straight aKING material? We have dabbled with playing a cover or two in the past, but for now it’s all original aKING. Also, why is Jaco ‘Snakehead’ Venter called Snakehead – should we be scared? And what nicknames would you give the rest of the band? We have waaaaaaay too many nicknames for each to share on here, some funny, some downright offensive. To cut a long story about Snakehead short, it basically arose from a rhyming joke. Jaco becomes Jakes, Jakes becomes Snakes, which ultimately became Snakehead. It’s actually a kind of fish. Google it.
About Braai Day HOUSEofAFRIKA presents SA BRAAI (BBQ) HERITAGE DAY on Fri 14th Oct at Emirates Golf Club ft aKING from Cape Town + a special acoustic sunset set, rooted in blues with influences of country, bluegrass, world music & traditional Indian melodies by Dan Patlansky. Joining them is SA Comedian, Paul Snodgrass our MC & funny man for the day.
They’re doing it SA “Bring & Braai’ style so bring your meat & come braai with them on the grass lawn as DJ James Justin provide the perfect soundtrack throughout the day. For those that might not want to braai but still want to be a part of the experience, they will have a South African inspired Braai menu on the day. It will be a fun day for the family with activities for the kids & this year they also adding a space for the SA community to sell their products, food & drinks you love. Everyone is welcome to bring picnic blankets, camping chairs, umbrellas, sports games & celebrate their Heritage Day with a big smile! HOUSEofAFRIKA AFTER-PARTY The SA Braai Day will be followed by the HOUSEofAFRIKA after-party at Emirates Golf Club Media Room featuring DJ Eugenics from Cape Town! Support by Charl Chaka, De Caf & James Justin. FREE ENTRY with SA BRAAI DAY wristband or 60AED on door
What is SA Braai (BBQ) Heritage Day? Their mission is to position National Heritage Braai Day as South Africa’s annual day of Celebration in Dubai. South Africans gather around fires, being the central theme of the celebration. National Heritage Day is a public holiday in South Africa. Their government set this day aside for all South Africans to celebrate their rich heritage. Across race, language, region and religion, they all share one common heritage. It is called many things: Chisa Nyama, Braai and Ukosa to name few. Although the ingredients may differ, the one thing that never changes is that when they have something to celebrate they light fires, and prepare great feasts. They encourage all South Africans to gather around a fire and braai. They link this initiative to annual celebrations cherished by other leading nations of the world; Thanksgiving for Americans, St Patricks Day for the Irish, Bastille Day for the French and Australia Day for Australians. This is a noble cause, which will contribute to strengthening South Africa as a nation.
• Over 21: 120AED | Under 21: 60AED | Kids Under 6: Free • Early Bird Tickets: 100AED | Under 21: 50AED • Tickets available online at Platinumlist.net • Tickets will also be available at the door • Doors open 2pm-late
MY MUSIC DARIUS SYROSSIAN
DJ, producer, label boss and radio host Darius Syrossian gives us the low-down on his music collection ahead of his date at Zero Gravity’s new pool party Supernatural on Saturday October 15 The track I’m most proud of making is… ‘Who’s the Douche.’ The track I wish I’d made was… Underworld – ‘Dark & Long.’ The first track I DJ’d with was… Daft Punk remix of Chemical Brothers ‘Life is Sweet.’ The first album I remember falling in love with was… Prodigy ‘Experience.’ The song that always makes me cry is… Sabres of Paradise – ‘Smokebelch II (Beatless Mix).’ The track I’d play as my first wedding song would be… Plantlife ‘When she smiles she lights the sky’ (4 Hero Remix). The last track I made was… A track that came out on my New Balance compilation and also comes out on Nick Curly’s 8 bit label next month. The track everyone asks about when I DJ is… Darius Syrossian – ‘Funkflex’ or maybe Darius Syrossian – ‘Freaky D.’ The track I wish I’d never made was… I’m genuinely proud of every track I have ever released. I only make bombs! No fillers :) The track I like to finish sets with is… Prince – ‘Erotic City.’ Supernatural feat. Darius Syrossian, Saturday October 15, Zero Gravity Free entry to the poolside party from 4.30pm. Beach and pool day rates apply before 4.30pm, Zero Gravity garden free entry all day.
Barasti started life 21 YEARS ago as a tiny beach shack next door to Dubai International Marine Club Barasti is the name given to the wooden framed houses built and lived in by the Bedouin during the hot summer months OVER 23,000 flip flops have been left at Barasti over the past 21 years – 75% of which didn’t have a mate The first bar at Barasti was just 6ft long!
Barasti has the highest consumption of Corona in the world - outside of Mexico Barasti chefs fry an average of 280 EGGS per day - just for club sandwiches! Barasti has been the scene of at least eight marriage proposals that we know of! (We’ve stopped counting the drunken ones!) From bouncers to chefs, management to glass collectors, it takes 155 people to staff Barasti on a regular Friday night
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARASTI! Barasti turns 21 on Wednesday October 19, and fittingly, they’re throwing a mammoth party featuring Coolio, Robin S and Fatman Scoop. Ahead of the free party, the Barasti team put some facts and figures together to highlight their 2 decades of partying (and if you lost your prosthetic leg there, please do get in touch!)
The most popular item on the Barasti menu is the burger (they sell approx. 30,000 a year)
A dress, hair straighteners, hundreds of sets of keys and a prosthetic leg are just some of the items left behind at Barasti
They sell an average of two tons of fries per month (approximately one kilo per minute)
Over 15,000 litres of beer were sold at Barasti during last year’s Oktoberfest!
Up until 2011, dancing on the beach at Barasti was NOT allowed!
The clean-up operation after closing time takes around 8 hours! Barasti’s 21st birthday party feat. Fatman Scoop, Robin S & Coolio, Wednesday October 19, AED21 drinks until 9pm
LIVE AND
LET BE!
Analog Room and JK58, both renowned for creating outstanding music and event experiences, have teamed and created ‘BE’, a brand new, dance music beach party concept in the heart of the city! BE will become a monthly event at Dubai’s newest party location, launching on Friday 21st October with three international DJs from global dance music capitals; D’Julz from Paris, Delano Smith from Detroit and Berlin based AlexKid on its custom-built stage. Its an all-day affair starting at 1pm hosted at the criminally-underused DIMC beach venue located within Dubai International Marine Club, full stop after Barasti. The party features Detroit techno star Delano Smith, whose no stranger to Dubai, having played here several times previously for Analog Room, and was recently seen playing at the DC-10 closing party. He’s joined by house and techno DJ Alex Kid, another Analog Room guest who’s first record was
signed to Laurent Garnier’s label back in 1997 never disappoints. Last but not least is D’Julz. Whether it’s through his productions, radio shows, compilations, parties or club sets, D’Julz has been at the forefront of electronic music since his career first began back in 1992. A firm DJ and fan favourite alike, his ability to transcend genres and trends has seen him hold one of the most consistent levels of success of any modern-day DJ/Producer. A run of form that is at its strongest, today. A relaxed day at the beach with sand between your toes, grab a bite from the food trucks, splash in the inflatable pools whiles 3 top international DJs provide top quality international dance music: BE is definitely onto a good formula here. All of this for free from 1 - 7pm, the only question is where are you going to BE?
ALEX KID
DELANO SMITH
D’JULZ BE, Friday October 21st. 1pm - 11pm. Free Entry from 1 - 7pm. 120AED thereafter
BASSWORX GET COMMAND STRANGE
Our favourite bass night have gone big for their October 20 party, as they’ve invited down rising Kazakhstan DJ and producer Command Strange for a headline slot at their Casa Latina home. Signed to some of the best DnB labels including Metalheadz and V Recordings, Alexey Fuifanov first got into jungle aged just 7 and has since gained support from industry heavyweights like LTJ Bukem, Marky and Goldie. Doors open at 9pm, and there’s a long list of local support acts including Bassworx resident Woodle.
FATBOY SLIM HEADLINES DXBEACH
You know it’s party season when Zero Gravity start bringing out the big guns, and they don’t come much bigger than Fatboy Slim who’ll be headlining the next installment of DXBeach on Friday October 21. The ‘Praise You’ star is joined by resurgent house DJ MK, electro producer Benny Benassi, while Zero 7 will be on hand to soundtrack the sunset. Early bird tickets are AED225 and the event runs from midday until 3am.
Rumour has it!
COVER FEATURE
Ibiza resident, P Diddy collaborator and Joy Division fan, it’s not easy to pigeon hole Guy Gerber, which we expect is exactly how he’d like it. We caught up with the Rumours main man to talk Space Ibiza, jazz and partying in Dubai…
Obviously you’re a big part of the Ibiza party scene how much impact will Space closing have? Where do you see the island’s club scene evolving to? I was obviously very sad about Space closing - I had one of my first Ibiza residencies there, 8 years ago with Kehakuma. It is definitely becoming more commercialised - there are more and more people coming to the island who have no idea about its history. On the one hand, that can be a good thing because there’s fresh eyes and ideas, but for me, the history of the island is what makes it special - it’s not just about partying. And how do you deal with the intense competition on the island? Have you heard of promoters taking things too far to get an edge over rival promoters? I have dealt with the competition by just focusing on myself and my party and what makes it unique. That being said, it has definitely felt more intense this year and sometimes it seems like promoters are focusing more on their competition than their parties, and the island is full of rumours. I don’t take any notice of it - I’ve been playing here for a long time and nothing I hear surprises me any more. And as a DJ with weekly parties there, how do you balance the hedonistic
lifestyle, being healthy and running a business? Do you have a cut off point for parties where you take yourself to bed? RUMORS finishes at midnight, which helps - we’ve been known to party into the next day afterwards though! I try to visit the spa here, work out, and I have my studio for working. The food in Ibiza is very healthy too. This year I’ve also had lots of friends staying nearby me too hanging out with them helps me keep my feet on the ground. Musically, what are you playing at the moment, what’s working for you on the dancefloors? For RUMORS, I play more underground, deep house. I really like the material that the group Red Axes are putting out at the moment, and I’ve had them play at RUMORS a few times over the summer. Away from the dancefloor, I’ve been listening to rock and jazz. And what have you been producing lately? I’m working on an album - which I always say, because I’ve been working on an album for ages. I’ve got a lot of new material but it takes me a while to perfect it and let it go. I’ve got a track which has been finished for a while that I’m finally ready to release, I think I’ll call it ‘All The Wrong Choices’. A lot of people have been waiting for that one.
Growing up, you were a big fan of cult bands like Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine. Have you ever tried to work any remixes into the dancefloor? Or is that music sacred and shouldn’t be remixed? That’s true, but I generally feel like music like that shouldn’t be touched. The thing that’s annoying me at the moment is all the “edits” of classic tracks that are coming out. Producers just add the simplest thing, like a kick drum, then get the credit because it’s their “edit”. I tend to steer away from stuff like that. Who are the cult bands for you now, what do you listen to when you’re not DJing or producing music? I’ve been listening to Night Train,
a really old jazz album by Oscar Peterson. I like listening to movie soundtracks, and one that I like at the moment is by Jonny Greenwood, for a film called The Master. I’ve always been a big fan of the composer Steve Reich too. And what should we expect from your show at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE? I’m looking forward to it, Dubai will be special for me. I’ve just come off the back of a long season of RUMORS and I have lots of material to play. I’ll be playing alongside dOP, I’ve been friends with them for ages and they party hard - although in Dubai you have to be a bit more controlled, which is probably a good thing. I really hope I get to play a long set.
Guy Gerber & dOP play Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE Friday October 21, 056 113 3400 or email reservation@bluemarlinibiza-uae.com
BULL FUNK ZOO ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY
The UAE music scene is as good as we can remember it right now, and a large part of that is thanks to super-talented bands like Bull Funk Zoo and their superb new album Dangerous Radio which they’re launching on October 22. Relative father’s of the scene, they’ve been leading the way for several years with their energetic funk/rock sound, and will be showcasing their new work at Stereo Arcade, one of the most fervent supporters of the city’s live music scene. Support on the night comes from Hadi Sarieddine and Carl & The Reda Mafia, with BFZ on stage around 10pm.
ON THE RADAR
OCTOBER 27
ANALOG ROOM FEAT. AKUFEN Story Rooftop
OCTOBER 28 MAJOR LAZER
Autism Rocks
OCTOBER 28
OCTOBER 28 JAZZY JEFF Barasti
OCTOBER 28
NIGHTSWIM FEAT. MATT.JOE, AUDIO TONIC W Hotel
NOVEMBER 4
Provocateur
ADRIATIQUE
GROOVE ON THE GRASS FEAT. SCUBA Emirates Golf Course
OCTOBER 28
NOVEMBER 4
LOUIE VEGA Zero Gravity
ERICK MORILLO Zero Gravity
ON THE RADAR
NOVEMBER 4
NIGHTSWIM FEAT. LEON VYNEHALL, AUDIO TONIC,
W Hotel
NOVEMBER 4
SUNSTROKE FEAT. GRANT NELSON 360
NOVEMBER 5
NOVEMBER 11 SENSATION Bab Al Shams
NOVEMBER 11
PARTY IN THE PARK FEAT. KAISER CHIEFS Media City
NOVEMBER 11
PAUL WOOLFORD Zero Gravity
NIGHTSWIM FEAT. M.A.N.D.Y, AUDIO TONIC W Hotel
NOVEMBER 10
NOVEMBER 12
DECIBEL FEAT. MATT SASSARI ON42
MIGUEL CAMPBELL
Zero Gravity
MATTHEW DEKAY OCTOBER
14 2016
RICHY AHMED KENNY GLASGOW
Music News HANNAH WANTS SOMEONE ELSE’S MUSIC?
The internet nearly collapsed under itself (well, at least the music/DJ nerds section) recently when footage surfaced comparing Hannah Wants new track ‘Found The Ground’ with Boddika and Joy Orbison’s ‘Mercy’ (VIP). The similararities between the two tracks are striking, with Hannah Wants – who has openly used ghost producers in the past – saying via an impassioned Facebook post that “It’s no secret that the inspiration for the track was Joy Orbison & Boddika’s ‘Mercy (VIP).” The internet went much further, however, accusing her of blatantly ripping off the 2012 classic. The track, due for release on Rinse, and included on her Fabric Live mix, has been taken offline amidst the controversy.
NELLY HOT IN HERRE
Times are tough for plaster-faced rapper Nelly after he got slammed with a big tax bill by the American authorities. But his loyal fans have stepped up to the plate and are streaming his classic hit ‘Hot In Herre’ on loop at night time in a bid to help him pay it off. It might take a while though – 7 hours sleep equals 110 plays, which is about a quarter of a dollar. And he owes $2,412,283, which is 280 million streams.
DRAKE’S A HOUSE FAN
You know when you’re that rich that you can buy your neighbours house as they complained about your music being too loud? Yeah, us neither, but it’s apparently a thing for Drake after he snapped up his neighbour’s house for $2.85 million. A four bedroom house with 2 swimming pools and a guesthouse, the previous owners weren’t said to be his greatest fans, while his 2015 lyrics to ‘Where Ya At’ boasted that he’d ‘buy the neighbours’ house if they complain about the noise.’
Box office! One of the hardest working bands in show business, The Boxtones have just released their debut single on Universal MENA, the barnstorming ‘Against All Odds.’ We caught up with singersongwriter and guitarist Gary to find out how the video featuring 150 extras, cheerleaders and bag pipers went down…
Congratulations on your debut single on Universal – what does it sound like, if it was a word what word would it be? First Part: It sounds like a hundred thousand people singing in a football field filled with drum kits. Second Part: Epic.
team) were there for nearly 24 hours and were fantastic. We found a few little trinkets from the Nicki Minaj show that was on the night before, and the guys at 117Live were really accommodating. It was hard work, but well worth it - we can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks…
UAE labels seem to be increasingly supportive of local bands and talent, is that something you've found? The UAE music scene for western live bands is still in its infancy at the minute, as there aren’t that many of us signed to labels. However Universal MENA have been fantastic to work with, and they support almost all of our crazy ideas. We try our best to include all the artists in the region in our music and social media, as we really believe in bringing this region to the top of the pile when it comes to local, regional and international attention on the worldwide music scene. There are some ridiculously talented people here, and they deserve to get attention for their art.
What's being in a rock and roll band like – women, booze and fast and furious lifestyles, or hustling for gigs, working long hours and carrying your equipment round in 50 degree heat? A bit of both really. It’s a lot of hard work. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun. We have travelled the world doing what we love, and we have been well rewarded for our hard work. There are days with no sleep, days and nights of endless partying, gig after gig when touring, one hotel room blending with another, but I don’t think any of us would change a single thing…
What was shooting the video like – what input did you have, was it glamorous, fun, hard work? It took 19 hours… straight! We had over 150 extras. We had water companies deliver fifty gallons of water. The guys at 815 (the video production
You balance your work well – corporate band who are also a rocking originals band, how hard is it to straddle that divide? It is hard to balance it. We have our own company here in the UAE so we tend to about 4 to 500 enquiries, and perform about 150 to 200 corporate gigs each year since 2013. Now that we are signed and developing our original material on some
pretty big stages around the region, a lot of our focus is on this part of our careers. We spent 9 months making the new album, cancelled holiday plans last year, and sacrificed a lot of potential well-paid gigs to pursue our own music, but I think Dubai and the rest of the region are now ready for our sound…
of talent here, and are looking for ways to express that art. Because we vanished from the public eye for the past 6 to 9 months or so working on this record, we have kept ourselves pretty much to ourselves, but we did ask a few artists in the region to feature on the album, and we are really excited to announce their involvement.
The UAE's live music scene is growing with open mic nights and lots of talent appearing – what's your take on it, have bands asked for your help, what advice would you give? A good friend of ours does about 17 open mic nights each week and they are really gathering momentum in the community. It’s a testament to the fact that there is a lot
Where can people find you playing live at the moment? We have some big announcements coming up soon for some shows we will be a part of, but we can let you know that we will be playing at this year’s Party in The Park on November 11th with The Kaiser Chiefs and more. ‘Against All Odds’ is out now
TECH TALK Beyerdynamic TG V71d
Infusion get vocal this issue, as British soul/disco/house vocalist and Roger Sanchez singer Amiee Sophia puts the latest Beyerdynamic microphone through its paces… “Testing a microphone is really a singer’s go to! The microphone is going to amplify the singer’s tone, vocal range, style and power, so it’s important to have confidence in your mic. Once the technical side is on point, then the artist can really focus on the art and expression, in my case that’s singing. I have been lucky enough to use lots of different brands and try different types of microphones and I came away really happy with the quality of this microphone. It captured my blues tones with my soft falsetto notes. It was really sustainable once I used higher sound pressure levels, carrying my vocal range with clarity and tone. The quality of the capsule (the very top of the microphone) is what encapsulates the sound quality and ensures great sound quality and this model was great.” avlelectronic.com, AED700
MUSIC THAT MATTERS SCOTT FORSHAW – ZERO GRAVITY MIX
3 hours of sunshine grooves that builds into clubbier territory from the Hollaphonic producer and new Zero Gravity resident. soundcloud.com/scottforshawofficial/scottforshaw-zero-gravity-dubai-300716
UAE imprint Ma’ana have branched out with their first EP, from the French/Dubai duo Komino, full of deep disco and pulsing house. beatport.com/release/electronika/1829499 SOSSA – BADALA (EJAZ REMIX)
More minimal techno from Ejaz as he reworks this Chronovision Ibiza cut into a propulsive mid-set groover with a killer breakdown. beatport.com/track/badala-ejazremix/8158125 MARIO BAZOURI & MICHKA – SHADES OF GREY
The dynamic DisconekWWt dream team return with this melodic, escalating techno track out now on Voyeur. soundcloud.com/mario-bazouri/shades-ofgrey-mario-bazouri-michka-original-mix
Send tracks/edits/remixes to: andy@infusion.ae
KOMINO – ELECTRONIKA EP
CONNOISSEUR MIX – YASS DUBAI
Sultry, vocal-heavy deep house mix with selections from Black Coffee and Mr V. mixcloud.com/yaz788/connoisseurmix-2016/
PAUL MENDEZ – GET UP GET UP GET DOWN
The prolific Cargo resident DJ busts out a high energy electro/Bounce cut coming soon on Manafactured Music. soundcloud.com/paul-mendez/paulmendez-get-up-get-up-get-down-192kpreview-coming-soon EMI GALVAN - HUNTER (PAUL HAMILTON REMIX)
Another prolific producer, Hamilton turns in this prog-house builder full of soaring strings and moody pads for the Balkan Connection label. beatport.com/track/hunter-paul-hamiltonremix/8299750 TIMO HIGGS – SPOIL
The Night Vibes resident returns with a very pleasant, melodic, deep house track that would work well on the Tamanya Terrace floor. youtu.be/HgvFDkxjFyQ RITON FEAT. KAH LO – RINSE REPEAT (WILL HOYEK REMIX)
The XL resident transforms this chart hit into a thumping electro-house remix that’s had a staggering 600,000 plays. And it’s a free download, so tuck in. soundcloud.com/willhoyek/riton-featkah-lo-rinse-repeat-will-hoyek-remix-freedownload
DJ BOOTH: FLIPPSIDE
Old Skool DJ and Living Room’s Friday night resident talks us through his 2 degrees, Japanese culture and why he’d go back to back with DJ AM One thing you might not know about me is…I hold two degrees, one in Computer Science and the other in International Business. My worst job ever was…None actually. Something I’ve learned from the Japanese culture: ‘whatever the work, job or task, take it on with a smile. It wont feel as bad as you think it is and it
will definitely open up doors for you’. My favorite ever record is:Frank Sinatra – ‘The Way You Look Tonight’. DJing is much like…Any other Job. You have to put in time to improve your skills and you should always do your homework! Dubai’s club scene is…Has been slowly evolving over the last 4 to 5 years. With house, Hip Hop and now a new addition that’s growing in popularity celebrating Old Skool music! I’m really proud of…How much I have matured as a DJ. Until last year I wasn’t sure about taking on DJing as a career. I have a long way to go to get where I want to be but I feel I’m on the right path to get there. What track could you drop in every set? It’s so hard to choose just one but, ‘Faith Evans – Love Like This.’ I can’t live without…Music and my Bible. My biggest DJ achievement to date is...Aside from joining the Selekt DJ team, my biggest DJ achievement to date is winning the 2015 Red Bull Three-Style DJ competition. If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... Absolutely the 90s. It was the time when DJs were truly appreciated for the music. Artists knew to always send their new records straight to the most poppin’ club DJs. If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be... The legendary DJ AM… R.I.P. In my eyes he was the true definition of a Disk Jockey. soundcloud.com/mrcurlsofficial
THE SPIN OCTOBER 2016
PAGE 217
ISSUE 47
IBIZA CLUB THE SPACE TO OFFICIALLY OPEN IN DUBAI
Nearly 30 years after first opening, Space Ibiza is being reborn in the UAE following its closing party in Ibiza recently. UAE promoter Tay King and his partner De-Piss are launching the club this season at a soon-to-be-announced location in the heart of Deira. ‘There’s no bigger name in clubbing apparently’, said the promoters, ‘so when we heard that Space was closing down in Ibiza, we decided to take the franchise. Obviously, laws like copyright and trademarks don’t exist in the UAE, so we didn’t bother looking into acquiring the name. We’re just calling it The Space to get around that. It must have been doing something right to last for 3 decades, so we thought “we’ll have some of that!” Musically, the club are moving away from the forward thinking electronic music policy, and will be playing non stop Urban and Top 40 hits, with some of the city’s finest up-coming DJs already looking to under-cut each other and offering to play for free already. *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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COOLSTUFF we want
The Movement
There’s been a wheelie good revolution across the city over the last decade, as cycle paths have started criss-crossing our city and deserts. Desert hang outs like Al Qudra have given the UAE #fitfam a Friday morning hangout, while the Marina bike program has given us some post-brunch fun times. And there are a series of homegrown companies pushing this growth, notably including The Movement. ‘A carefully curated selection of stylish, affordable and practical bicycles for adults and children,’ they’re now located in The Courtyard in Al Quoz, and offer a workshop for maintenance and repair work as well, all using biodegradeable, non toxic cleaners and lubricants. We’ve got our eyes on the Linus Roadster, a steal at under $500. facebook.com/themovementae
The
RECOVERY Next up in our Recovery series dedicated to finding the best places to soothe the soul after the night before, our intrepid (and hungover) reviewer Stephen Day gets his cronut on‌
Approx cost for 2: 250 AED for 2 breakfasts, coffees and a cronut to share Licensed? No Highlight of the meal? Cronut, cronut, cronut oh and on point eggs I love this place and I love Tom & Serg (who launched this venue in 2015). How could you not love their eateries, each one different, each one unique and most importantly, each one part of a local home grown business empire, not some hotel chain or souless transatlantic franchise. Common Grounds sits snugly in the corner of the MOE extension, quiet and unassuming from afar, its modern fit out perfect for us weary breakfasterers (it is definitely a word, Google it). We arrive, we sit, well we flopped: it was a big night Thursday and Friday is all about the chillin’. Menus read, orders were taken and the first of it arrived with speed. The beauty of Common Grounds is you feel a little bit healthy by eating here. The menu is organic, modern and the coconut sago pudding is its ethos in a bowl: creamy, crunchy, gooey and sweet, the perfect start to replenish what that naughty alcohol took. We moved on to a tick all the boxes: a plate of soft scrambled eggs, goats cheese toast, crispy kale, spicy sausages and buttery mushrooms: it’s the best way to soak up all the pains in my head. We/you think you’re done, but you’re wrong. As well as the best coffee in the city, the greatest ‘nutritious’ fry up, Common Grounds also host a selection of pastries the streets of Paris would envy. Tucked up under the glass is the piece de resistance, the one thing to not only set you up for the day, but for the week: it’s the salted caramel cronut. If you’ve never eaten one before then more fool you, it’s just perfect. Layers of flaky pastry oozing a delicate slightly salty burnt sugar and butter cream filling, each mouthful amazing, and a sad face once it’s all gone. We are full, we are done but here’s the rub, this is the genius of Common Grounds with a hangover: once you’re finished you can stagger to the cinema next door for darkness or the other way into The Sheraton and The Brunswick Sports Bar (another excellent Tom & Serg outlet) to start drinking all over again. Common Grounds, Level 2, Mall of the Emirates 050 478 1094, hello@commongroundsdubai.com 8am-late
You’re not, you’re really really not This might come as a surprise to some – hopefully like a smack round the face with a wet kipper – but DJs aren’t actually beings from another planet. They’re not actually demi-Gods who bring sunshine and smiles and the modern day equivalent of fish and loaves to the masses. They’re (largely) dudes who are overly geeky about music and technology, who press play on records other people made and then pretend like they’re the second coming. So, newsflash – you’re not. And you with the jumped up FB profile and paid-for-Instagram account pretending you’re on some David Guetta type hype when you’re a mid-week jockey in Dubai, you can jump off your high horse and go back to Maidstone/Sydney suburbs and do your thing there, thankyouverymuch.
Monkey Out... The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.