Infusion #294 : 30 April - 14 May ’17

CLOSES IN STYLE Groove on the Grass Season Closing • Black Motion Alex Bau • Stay True Weekender • May Mania Serge Devant • Bridgewater Tavern • BRAAIDAYDXB and more

MUSIC

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PEOPLE

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LIFE

#BRAAIDAYDXB #BRAAIDAYDXB

EMIRATES EMIRATESGOLF GOLFCLUB CLUB FRIDAY FRIDAY12TH 12THMAY: MAY:3PM 3PM--LATE LATE

COME BRING COME BRING&&BRAAI BRAAI(BBQ) (BBQ)SA SASTYLE STYLE KIDKID ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES· BRING · BRING&&BRAAI BRAAI· ·MARKET MARKET

SASA FOOD FOOD& &DRINKS DRINKS· FAMILY · FAMILYFUN FUNDAY DAY

DIEGIFAPPELS GIFAPPELS DIE

SHAUN&&CEL CEL SHAUN TICKETS ONON PLATINUMLIST.NET OR AT DOOR TICKETSAVAILABLE AVAILABLEONLINE ONLINE PLATINUMLIST.NET ORTHE AT THE DOOR TICKETS: 21:21: 60AED | KIDS UNDER 6: FREE TICKETS:120AED 120AED| UNDER | UNDER 60AED | KIDS UNDER 6: FREE EARLY 100AED | UNDER 21: 21: 50AED EARLYBIRD BIRDTICKETS: TICKETS: 100AED | UNDER 50AED

TALAL BUDEBS Publisher CHARL CHAKA Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae FRAK FU Sales/marketing sales@infusion.ae STU TODD Editor editor@infusion.ae PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae SONIA IGNACIO Operations operations@infusion.ae CONTRIBUTORS: Dan Fahy, Stu Todd, Neil Henderson..

INFUSION IS PUBLISHED BY Milehigh Media, LLC PO Box 53443 – Dubai, UAE Tel/Fax: 04 368 8098 infusionmag infusionmagazine infusionmagazine

OUR PARTNERS

From the minds that brought you “Dubai Jazz Festival” comes an actual jazz event. Taking place at Habtoor Grand Resort, Dubai Marina, the Jazz Garden series will be headlined by Bonita & The Blues Shacks on Friday, April 28th and its free.

The UAE have recently put in to action their space program which hopes to see their astronaut in space in a few years! The program also hopes to see the UAE reach Mars by 2021 and building a settlement by 2117.

New super club Base is free entry during it’s opening weekend. It might be geared towards booking a table for the “full experience” but being able to see Axwell and 50 Cent for free is something else.

GUEST LIST BLACK LIST With Ramadan on its way, that also means the host of amazing outdoor parties will be coming to an end. Boo to that!

When venues tell us that theirs is “out of this world”, what in the actual real world does that actually mean? Perhaps they have shuttle buses running to the edge of the atmosphere for their party.

Promoters still insist on sending event invites to me even though I don’t live in that city anymore?!

There is such a thing as city filters, c’mon guys focused PR is key.

Say What?

BREAKING NEWS

Mike Tyson to open a gym in Dubai That’s right, Iron Mike is due to open up a chain of gym’s in Dubai called the Mike Tyson Academy (MTA). These fitness centers hope to set a new precedence in physical training and the former world heavy weight will be in town on May 4th for a press conference and then there will be a gala launch event at the Burj Khalifa on May 6th.

EsMAAR annouce Marina Projects It was somewhat of a shock when plans were announced to tear down the much loved and recognised Dubai Marina Yacht Club and now EMAAR have unveiled details of its replacement. Marking a new era in the Dubai Marina landscape, Vida Dubai Marina Hotel and residences will massively impact the appearance of the area.

This comes as part of a EMAAR’s plans to roll out a portfolio of 10 hotels and 3 serviced residencies across the region.

MEME CORNER

WE LOVE BRIDGEWATER TAVERN

Business Bay has for a long time been undergoing a bit of a renaissance with great venues popping up almost weekly. JW Marriot Marquis have recognised this and have upped their game and re-conceptualised the space where Velocity once stood. What now stands in its place is a great 2 level venue with a focus on offering great gastro-bites, an amazing atmosphere to enjoy the myriad of sports being shown on the various screens, clever furniture touches including the elongated high tables which have a huge ice bucket built in to the table, and of course the striking postindustrial décor.

Upstairs, however is where Bridgewater Tavern really comes in to its own. There you will find a perfectly executed mid-sized music venue that has attracted several of Dubai’s top promoters in House of Afrika and Stereo Nights. The décor has been effortlessly continued throughout to include retro lighting, with the kitsch cinema type billboard showing the evening’s entertainment a great touch. For those wishing to take a breather from the carefully curated music, there is a comfortable terrace area where you can indulge in delectable cocktails or expertly crafted shisha while enjoying the views of the Dubai Canal and the surrounding area.

Bridgewater Tavern is certainly not just a sports bar but demands your consideration for a top night out, whatever the evening’s entertainment.

What we did

BRUNCH & STAY AT DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON, RAK

The Doubletree by Hilton at Al Marjan Island, Ras al-Khaimah recently launched a staycation deal, where you can experience their “Islander’s Brunch”, a night’s stay at the hotel, breakfast and a late check-out of 5pm starting from 650 AED. The wife and I plugged in the sat-nav and headed to RAK to see whether the deal was really as good as it sounds.

Firstly, as a resident of Dubai Marina, RAK seems ridiculously far away – but it’s not. In 1 hour 25 minutes we had reached the hotel, checked in and were sat in our spacious, sea-view room, unpacking whilst enjoying our welcome cookies.

The brunch itself offered impressive value for money on its own (270 AED for the full package). With a fantastic, fresh pasta live cooking station, the largest selection of fish we’d seen at a brunch, burgers, chips and pizzas for the kids and some extremely moreish ice-creams (Ferrero Rocher ice-cream anyone?!). The food definitely rivalled the best of the mid-range brunches in Dubai for quality, with the added bonus of prices to match the cheap-and-cheerful ones.

The brunch segued nicely into the pool party, where we were entertained by an excellent saxophonist in between an upbeat set from their resident DJ. Afterwards, it was great to just walk back to room, get our heads down and enjoy breakfast and a day in the sun on Saturday. For the price, it’s an absolute steal, so make sure you make the trip across before the weather gets too hot – but be warned, they’re booking up quick!

OFFICIAL PARTNER

Thursday 4th May 22:00 - 03:00 21+

Tickets: Limited Supply First Release at AED 75 on Platinumlist, AED 100 on the door.

For further info and table reservations contact: somethingbigdubai@gmail.com Media One Hotel contact: +971 4 427 1000

ON42 Media One Hotel Dubai Media City

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2

Novo Cinemas at Ibn Battuta was the venue for the Guardians of the Galaxy (GotG) Vol. 2 premiere and as it is one of the most eagerly anticipated sequels in Marvels universe, Novo went to a lot effort to give a great party atmosphere upon arrival. From the character decorations in the foyer, the GotG look booths and of course the cosplay. They even had a DJ spinning 80’s hits from a massive cassette tape DJ booth with the title “Awesome Mix Vol. 2” on the front. The fearless guardians return for more hilariously well timed black humour from Drax, mind blowing special effects and an awesomely 80’s inspired retro sound track. I was lucky enough to catch the movie in pristine IMAX definition and it made the wide screen fight scenes spectacular. I am a huge fan of pretty much everything Marvel does, but even I was massively impressed with the sequel and I can’t recommend it enough.

& present

LIGHTNING SEEDS THE FARM TOPLOADER 3 Full live performances

Friday 12TH MAY Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

General Admission 195 AED E ARLY BIRD 175 AED Doors 6PM & S h o w 7 P M Tickets available from The Irish Village, www.theirishvillage.com, www.800tickets.com, Virgin Megastores, tickets.virginmegastore.me, platinumlist.net and tixbox.com STRICTLY 21 YEARS AND ABOVE

Contact - +971 4 239 5000 - www.theirishvillage.com - @TheIrishVillageDubai

Unless you have been living under a small mountain, you will know that Shadi Magalla and his beloved record store The Flip Side are on the final descent in to Dubai. A sizeable order of vinyl in all shapes, sizes and genres has been taken, the record racks have been installed and thanksfully for Shadi, A/C has been switched on. He has even had a custom sound system installed from the talented lads at Levels, Abu Dhabi and it will help serve as the ideal creative hub for in store DJ sessions, showings of music documentaries and will offer a platform for the cities burgeoning music scene. More information on that next issue.

Photo credit: Suha Afyoun

CATCH YOU ON THE FLIP SIDE

MUSIC ROOM IN MAY

Longtime stronghold for live music in Dubai, The Music Room has a varied and culturally diverse line-up of music for the month of May. Starting on Thursday, May 4 there is a showcase of Sri Lankan music and it is a great way to get to know the many faces of Sri Lanka’s music scene. The following night (Friday, May 5) will feature a celebration of Bob Marley’s life and commemorate his death in 1981. This will see the levels ramped up on the Dubstation International sound system and various DJ’s and acts will be “toasting” Bob. Wednesday, May 10 will see a performance from Notorious B.I.G. collaborator Lord Finesse. Support will come from Dan Greenpeace and Lobito Brigante. The following week (Friday, May 12) one of the most in demand metal bands from Germany Lacrimas Profundere, will be stopping by Dubai on Friday, May 12 for their debut. They will be supported by local bands Ascendant and Freeman’s Pocket. Thursday, May 18 will round out The Music Room’s season with a night dedicated to contemporary folk rock from Nepali singer-songwriter Bipul Chettri.

EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 7PM

BEST OF BRITISH The Irish Village, directly below the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Al Garhoud is a Dubai institution and it is easy to see why. The much-loved beer garden plays host to some of the world’s most loved music stars of years gone by and present day.

It is the former that the line-up of The Lightning Seeds, The Farm and Toploader belongs to and ahead of their gig at The Irish Village on Friday, May 12 we re-introduce you to some of the biggest Britpop acts of the 90’s….

The Lightning Seeds, originally a studio based solo project by Ian Broudie, he had enjoyed a fair amount of success in various forms, most notably being the producer for cult Liverpool based band Echo and the Bunny Men. The Lightning Seeds had garnered commercial success with their first 2 albums Cloudcuckooland (1990) and Sense (1992), but it was only after the domestic and US success of the band’s third album Jollification (1994) that the band began to tour the world. However, what the band are arguably best known for is their song “3 Lions”, which featured guest appearances by top football comedic duo Frank Skinner and David Baddiel. “3 Lions” was an ode to the English football team and their participation in the Euro ’96 football tournament, this resulted in the song topping the UK Singles Charts in both 1996 and 1998.

Another band that was born in 1980’s Liverpool was The Farm, a group whose best-known music could easily trace the lineage of the Acid House and Madchester movements of the late 80’s and early 90’s. With the band having a troubled past including the several band members leaving and joining, also the untimely

death of band member Andrew John "Andy" McVann in 1986 also rocked the band. The Farm would go on to top the UK Album Charts in 1991 with their debut album “Spartacus”, the album was later dedicated to Andy’s grieving parents. The group also enjoyed a huge amount of success both in the UK and the US, and with their trademark raucous stage show and anthemic tracks, such as “Get on the Groovey Train” and “All Together Now” the band have, and always will have a cult following wherever they perform.

Lastly, but by no means leastly is Toploader, forming later than the previous 2 bands but having enjoyed similar chart success. Since their inception in 1997, Toploader have sold over 2 million albums with their debut long player Onka’s Big Moka (1999) hitting over 1 million sales and propelling the band to number 4 in the UK Album Charts. Although their follow up album Magic Hotel (2002) went one better by reaching number 3 in the UK Album Charts, it is perhaps the bands rousing cover of “Dancing in the Moonlight” from their debut album that the band is best known for.

The Lightning Seeds, The Farm & Toploader play The Irish Village, Friday, May 12, 6pm to 11pm, entry from AED175

RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY X

BLACK MOTION. CRAIG MASSIV & CHARL CHAKA

THURSDAY, 11TH MAY 2017. 9PM.

BRIDGEWATER TAVERN, JW MARRIOT HOTEL, DUBAI.

DOORS OPEN 9PM I 100AED ENTRY I RSVP@INFUSON.AE RESERVE YOUR TICKETS ON EVENT PAGE OR PURCHASE AT THE DOOR.

MAY MANIA The month of May signals the end of yet another award-winning season at 360°, Jumeirah Beach Hotel but things are not cooling down for the beloved rooftop terrace. In fact, they are heating up.

Kicking off “May Mania” on Friday, May 5 is a milestone in Jack Woodcock’s Sunstroke brand. Having found a home at 360° many moons ago they have brought the likes of Joey Negro, John Morales, Karizma, DJ Spen and countless other house music luminaries they can now add Chicago legend Terry Hunter to that list.

Another success story of the season is that of Soul Heaven’s first season in residency at 360°. The Defected Records affiliated brand has brought big hitter after big hitter to the water front venue and has recently welcomed none other than Louis Vega and Sandy Rivera to the 1’s and 2’s, and 3’s and 4’s in Louis’ case. For Soul Heaven’s season swansong on Friday, May 12, Riva Starr has been called upon to close out proceedings in the chunkiest, most funkiest way he knows how. Riva’s productions and his Snatch! Record label has long been a staple of top DJ’s the world over, so you can bet your bottom dirham he will blow the roof off of 360° come May 12.

Terry Hunter plays 360° on Friday, May 5, Riva Starr plays on Friday, May 12, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, 1pm to 3am, free entry.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

With a slew of releases on some of the biggest tech house labels around, Serge Devant is a name not only to remembered but to be reckoned with. The Russian born, now New Yorkian set up shop in The Big Apple in the mid-nineties at a time when the scene there was exploding. This has clearly had a huge impact on Serge as his refined, bass heavy percussive productions certainly hark back to early days of progressive house music and genre defining sets from the likes of Sasha and Danny Tenaglia.

His early productions such as his reworking of KLF’s seminal “3AM Eternal” further adds to his authenticity that he is not purely a new name on the scene; Serge has more than earned his chops. The fact that he has been picked up by Yousef’s rock solid Circus Recordings, Hot Since 82’s Knee Deep in Sound imprint, Damian Lazarus’s Crosstown Rebels and has recently been nurtured by Hot Creations label boss Jamie Jones. Watch this space, as you will shortly be hearing a lot more from Serge Devant.

Serge Devant and Jamie Jones play Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, Friday, May 19, Golden Tulip Hotel, Ghantoot, 1pm to 3am, free entry via guestlist.

7 elephan

reservations@7elephantsdubai.com T:

+971

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CALLING THE CITY’S PLAYERS. 7 CUISINES | SHISHA BAR + SOCIAL TRADING LOUNGE

LEVEL C | EMIRATES FINANCIAL TOWERS DIFC, DUBAI, UAE

SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR SEASON

Alex Bau is an artist with a very philosophical outlook when it comes to crafting serious dancefloor music, “The whole party is like a movie, and while you guys are the main actors, I am just delivering the soundtrack”.

However, when Alex is in control of said soundtrack there is no mistaking who is directing the dancefloor…

What has been happening on and off the road lately Alex?

Off the road, I´m really busy with lots of label work currently.

I´m investing a lot of time and dedication into the sound of the label, not only my own releases, but also the releases by other artists. On the road, it also never gets boring because you never know what to expect with the gigs. Each night is unique.

Where have you played recently that really surprised you? Hmmm, not sure if I would call it surprised, but I was definitely curious when I heard I was about to play in Tunisia. I hadn’t heard a lot about techno

in this country before, and then I ended up on a proper rave on my premiere gig there and the vibe was amazing.

What was different about it?

It felt different because it seemed to be really fresh for the people and everyone was so enthusiastic and open to the music. People followed the music in a very open-minded way. Great experience.

As with many DJ’s of the time, your roots are firmly placed in vinyl and its culture.

At what point did you move away from the format?

Actually, I didn´t move away in the sense of loving vinyl, actually I still buy vinyl records.

But DJ technology evolved and I recognized the advantages of not being bound to what’s pressed on the records. And it was also nice to have to carry around 30 or 40 kg`s of plastic on one or two unhandy massive alu-boxes ;-) How has your setup changed through the years?

In the beginning and for many years I played vinyl on two, later on three turntables. And honestly at that time back then I couldn`t imagine to ever switch from that way to play music.

Then around 2004 or 2005 I got into the final scratch technology because I invested more and more money in dub plates to be able to test my own productions before being released on labels.

One day I thought, “Alex, for all

this money for dubplates you could have bought the Final Scratch stuff...“, and so I switched and used vinyl only on the third turntable.

In 2009 I finally changed to create an all-digital setup with Traktor and Ableton on two computers, as I wanted to add things and possibilities to enrich the performance.

What does your setup currently look like? Right now, I am still using Traktor and Ableton, now running on one computer and different controllers to direct the software.

What piece of studio kit would you say has helped to define your sound over the years? It’s definitely Logic as being the sequencing software for all my productions. It enables me to achieve the things I want in a very fast and efficient way.

Do you still use that piece of equipment? Yes, because what I experienced and at least for my ears this program has still the best sound engine you can get for digital production. It sounds warm, direct and rich, not flattened like a lot of other, new software programs.

What piece of kit can you no longer live without? I think there is one special compressor I use frequently and one digital reverb plugin I love to use because of its very own, unique sound and room it creates. But the names will be kept secret ;-) Congratulations on Credo turning ten, how did that feel? On the first second it didn’t feel as excited as I expected, but then when I thought about it more intensely, I realized that it’s a great step and that it deserves some kind of special treatment.

Did it help to put your career in to perspective? Hmmm, that’s a question everybody else can probably answer much better than I could do myself. For the last ten years it was always around, not so present in the beginning as I considered it just to be a very small platform with occasional releases only by myself, and other labels I released and release on currently apart from CREDO like CLR in the past or Cocoon recently are much bigger of course.

What would you say has been the biggest track on Credo during the last 10 years? Wow, that’s a mean question ;-) Every track on the label has a special reason to be on there, so it wouldn’t be fair to pick just one. Let’s put it this way, the track that brought the label to a wider audience was for sure “Bullet in your Heart” back in 2007 and also “Hollywoodbullet” a few years later was a quite successful tune. But as I said, unfair to name a few only.

What made it stand out so much from other techno music at the time? I think “Bullet In Your Heart” was different to the huge hype around minimal at the time it was released back in 2008. It had a strong kick, a really heavy bassline, sharp hats and a strong drive.

Basically, everything that minimal didn’t have.

Your track “Arctica” is one of my favourites from you, is there any track that you wish you had put out on your own label instead? Actually no, and the reason is very simple: before I pass on tracks to other labels CREDO is always my first choice. But sometimes tracks don`t fit style wise or the time is not right, or I maybe have a better feeling with seeing them in another label’s context.

You are due to perform for Decibel in Dubai for their season closing, what is your pre-conceptions of the Dubai techno scene? I’m super curious! Honestly, I am not saying this because I wanna appear as Mr. Nice Guy, but it`s a very exciting thing to visit places for the first time with my music. I was in Dubai before and it’s an exciting city, but I have not seen anything in terms of techno when I was there. It will be very interesting to see how the audience will react to my style of techno which obviously is very underground.

How do you usually prepare for gig in a new country? Or do you stick to you your sound no matter what? Of course, I have a certain range of music to adjust to the place I play, but it`s all within the “Bau-sound”. I mean, that’s why I was invited to play for, so I will definitely not take the role as being the jukebox. But in the end, it’s always the same. The people on the dancefloor are the main actors, I´m just delivering the soundtrack.

Do you have any releases or gigs coming up that you are especially looking forward to? Beside my premiere in Dubai at Decibel, I will also premiere in Vietnam in June which will be very exciting too I suppose. But there are also places I have visited already a couple of times before and which never disappoint like Under Club in Buenos Aires or Egg in London to name just a few. And another highlight to come in August when we will be part of the Streetparade in Zurich with our very own CREDO.TEN truck.

Alex Bau plays Decibel at ON42, Thursday, May 11, Media one Hotel, Media One Hotel, 10pm-3am, entry AED100.

STAY TRUE TO

YOUR ROOTS

The last time the Stay True Weekender pitched up at Barasti Beach, Dubai Marina they brought with them certified dance music royalty in the shape of Armand Van Helden and Basement Jaxx, to say that the return of the Stay True Weekender between May 11 and 13 will continue this trend is wildly understated.

When the first edition of the Stay True Weekender came to town last December it featured just one headliner each day, this time around it boasts 2 headliners and that is just on the first day (more on the other days later). The all-important job of popping the cork on this huge weekend falls to previous Stay True guest Lovra. The Berlin based Ministry of Sound artist has been charged with sunset duties each day and her perfectly crafted sun kissed house grooves are tailor made for setting the pace for the evening.

On Thursday, May 11 she will be joined by none other than Felix Da Housecat; a true legend and pioneer of the scene. Call his early work what you will, nobody can deny the influence this cat has exerted on the dance music industry, look no further than “Silver Screen, Shower Scene� for a fine example of a stonewall classic.

Felix is set to blow-up your Thursday night at Barasti and his audio fireworks are more than a match for any pyrotechnics in the world, of which you can expect more than a few during his performance.

What better way to start your Friday evening than by relaxing on the sandy Barasti beach to the tunes of Lovra; the adopted sunset resident of the Stay True weekender. She will take you through the sunset hours and ensure you make the transition from the lounging position to hands in the air elation. Joining Lovra on the Barasti mainstage on Friday night is even more legendary US house dons.

First up is Subliminal Records mainstay Harry “Choo Choo” Romero, his chunky but extremely funky house weapons have propelled this US artist to the top of the house tree, largely thanks to his feel-good, Hispanic infused house discography featuring seminal cuts like “Tania” and “Night @ The Black”.

The US house supremoes don’t stop there and they don’t come much bigger than Todd Terry. Todd’s name is as synonymous with house music as Germany and Detroit is to techno, and he has a credit list the length of several tall people’s arms to prove it. This New York pioneer has crossed over from house music to commercial acclaim and back again several times and his record breaking remix of Everything But the Girl’s much loved “Missing” as well as his solo productions “Keep on Jumping” and “Something Going On” saw Todd break in to the UK Singles Charts top 20 and stay there for much of the 90’s. There is an unmissable masterclass in house music awaiting you down on the sand come Friday.

With Saturday’s usually being a much tamer affair, the weekend is definitely not over just yet and staying true to form, Barasti have yet another top day of house music ahead. The rock solid sunset specialist Lovra will be on hand to ease you towards the sunset hours before an artist that is yet to touch down on the sandy shores of Dubai stops by for a flawless sunset session. Californian artist Miguel Migs has made a highly successful career from cultivating super smooth house cuts that are infused with a great many influences including reggae, dub, jazz, and of course soul.

Miguel will be joined by another long-time star of the US music scene, Puerto Rican artist Robbie Rivera will be bringing an emphatic end to one of the most impressive US house line-ups of the season.

Robbie’s UK Singles Chart number one smash “Bang” fired Robbie in to the consciousness of DJ’s and clubbers the world over. His more tech leaning vocal track “Float Away” as well as his long running Juicy radio show has kept him in high demand ever since its inception in 2007. Of course, this line up of stars is nothing without the talented group of Barasti resident DJs’ to knit the event together.

So, regardless of what point in the weekend you drop by the Stay True weekender you can be sure the music will be on point.

Lovra, Felix Da Housecat, Harry Romero, Todd Terry, Miguel Migs and Robbie Rivera play Stay True weekender at Barasti Beach Club, May 11 – 13, Dubai Marina, 6pm to 3am, free entry

IN

O M

N O TI

With Dubai’s streets and airwaves still rattling from the last time Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA) rolled in to town, it is time to prepare for an altogether different musical journey.

Partnering up with long standing member of the house community HOUSEofAFRIKA, RBMA are bringing South African house stalwarts Black Motion to the dance planks of Bridgewater Tavern, JW Marriot Marquis on Thursday, May 12 for a night of the best percussive house music.

This venue is quickly becoming a bastion of quality house music in the Business Bay area and with a rock-solid VOID Acoustics sound system what more could you ask for?

Well, for one, Black Motion are not just any house act, the South African pairing of Bongani Mohosana (on the decks) and Thabo Mabogwane (on the drums) have, since their formation in 2009 released 3 albums via Universal Music South Africa, Talking To Drums (2011), Aquarian Drums (2012) and Fortune Tell (2015), the latter which reached gold status with in the first 40 days of release. The duo expertly weave African percussion in amongst a soulful selection of house music and has led to them recently releasing the 2 track Rainbow EP with one of the most influential house labels in the world – Defected.

Black Motion performing live are just as irresistible as their productions, with a setup more akin to an electronic band, Black Motion employ a real African drum kit as well as a Pioneer CDJ setup and the end result is nothing short of spiritual.

For a point of reference on what to expect from Black Motion come Thursday, May 12 check out the pair’s energetic performances for the likes of Mixmag, The Lab and Boiler Room.

RBMA & HOUSEofAFRIKA present Black Motion at Bridgwater Tavern, Thursday, May 12, JW Marriot Marquis, 9pm to 3am, entry is AED100.

BRING AND BRAAI

One of the best things that you can do with a spare Friday afternoon is spend it in the sun with your close friends and family, some tasty food and of course, great music.

This is exactly the ethos behind South African open air event BraaiDayDXB. Taking place every few months at Emirates Golf Club, the art of the braai, or BBQ is a simple one: grab your favourite cuts of meat, your nearest and dearest and bring them along to the party, it really is as simple as that.

The upcoming BraaiDayDXB. on Friday, May 12 at Emirate Golf Club will feature a huge array of music, food and games for all the family. Music will be provided by guests for the day Francois Van Coke and his band, support will come courtesy of local SA act Shaun & Cel and Afrikaans band Die Gifappels.

BraaiDayDXB. have also brought in SA comedian Paul Snodgrass to join the party as compere for the afternoon.

To complete the SA home from home, there will also be a range of South African food and beverages to remind you of being back in the Rainbow Nation, apart from your meat everything else is provided.

To really ignite feelings and memories of home, you can also submit your favourite SA songs to be played over the SA Jukebox sound system.

As if that isn’t enough, once the sun goes down HOUSEofAFRIKA will be providing the allimportant after party and this time they are welcoming hotly tipped South African DJ and producer DJ Shimza to the fold. Shimza is a talented young DJ who has proven himself in the flourishing SA scene and is now, as a result of his solid productions and his association with Djoon club in Paris is seeing bookings flooding in from Berlin, Amsterdam (ADE), UK and of course Dubai. So, make sure you clear your diary Friday, May 12 and head long to the green surroundings of the Emirate Golf Club and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of BraaiDayDXB.

BraaiDayDXB at Emirate Golf Club, Friday, May 12, 3pm to 3am, over 21’s AED120, under 21’s AED60 and kids under 6 go free.

CLOSING IN STYLE Since last Ramadan, home grown festival Groove on the Grass have had 5 instalments of their sprawling, multi genre line ups but by taking one look at the calibre of guests that have brought to Emirates Golf Course, it is very much a case of quality of quantity. Ahead of their season finale we look at the artists that will be sound tracking one of the parties of the year.

ELLEN ALLIEN

Topping the bill is none other than BPitch Control label boss and Berlin legend Ellen Allien. With her first artist album since 2013 “Nost” is due to drop next month, so Ellen will have more than a few secret weapons of her own up her sleeve. Her history with acid and techno stretches farther back than the 1999 date stamp of her label as her DJing skills meant that by ’92 she was already resident at legendary clubs like Tresor and Werk.

OCTAVE ONE LIVE

Coming a close second is Octave One; the direct translation of a live house and techno act. What makes this act and their output even better is that it is a family affair, with the core members being the Detroit brother duo of Lenny and Lawrence Burden, other family members occasionally drop in to the fold. Few live acts have the soul, nor the dexterity to inject the amount of musicality in to their performances that Octave One have at their disposal. Amongst other seminal tracks in their back catalogue, one has stood the test of time and “Black Water” truly holds a special place in the hearts of house heads around the world.

KENNY GLASGOW

Most will know the name Kenny Glasgow as being one half of Canadian tech-house duo Art Department, but with Kenny now branching out on his own and leaving Jonny White to fight the good fight, Kenny has found his own voice. With Kenny’s releases now popping up on solid techno labels such as Tronic and Turbo, there is a seismic shift on the horizon.

With Kenny now working with Seth Troxler and The Martinez Brothers you can expect an altogether different sound from the former Art Department member.

HUNTER/GAME

With a sound for virtually all tastes, Groove on the Grass welcome a relatively new name on the techno scene that has steadily been building a reputation for brooding dancefloor destroyers. Hunter/ Game aka Italian duo Emmanuele Nicosia and Martino Bartola have recently found a home on one of the most revered techno labels of recent times in Kompakt, and with their new Dead Soul EP on the duo’s own Just This imprint finding its way in to the record bags of techno’s top tier, you will shortly be hearing the name Hunter/Game a lot more in the near future.

Ellen Allien, Octave One, Kenny Glasgow & Hunter/Game play Groove on the Grass Season Closing, Friday, May 5, Emirates Golf Course, 5pm to 3am, from AED195

Dominic Holland

Addy VanDerBorgh

Thu 11 May Fri 12 May Mon 15 May Tue 16 May Wed 17 May Thu 18 May Fri 19 May Kai Humphries

8pm

Ticket AED 140 / QR 140. Over 21’s Only

Buy your tickets now !

www.thelaughterfactory.com call : +971 50 8786 728

ON THE RADAR MIKE SKINNER MAY 5 - SOMETHING BIG / ON42

LORD FINESSE MAY 10 – THE MUSIC ROOM

TERRY HUNTER MAY 5 - 360°

BLACK MOTION MAY 11 – HOUSE OF AFRIKA

ÂME MAY 5 -BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

ALEX BAU MAY 11 – DECIBEL / ON42

OCTAVE ONE (LIVE) MAY 5 – GROOVE ON THE GRASS

EINMUSIK B2B JONAS SAALBACH MAY 12 – PLUS MINUS / ON42

ON THE RADAR SOLOMUN MAY 12 - BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

MIGUEL MIGS MAY 13 – BARASTI

TOPLOADER MAY 12 – IRISH VILLAGE

RIVA STARR MAY 19 - 360°

FRANCOIS VAN COKE MAY 12 – BRAAIDAYDXB / EMIRATES GOLF CLUB

JAMIE JONES MAY 19 – BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

TODD TERRY MAY 12 – BARASTI

MARK KNIGHT MAY 25 – Q43

Soundstage JOSH BANNISTER

I sat down with one of the region’s top drummers, Josh Bannister to find out what happens when he picks up his rhythm sticks…

My biggest gig ever was…

Playing to 3,000 Chinese people who barely speak English was an experience to say the least!

I’m best known for…

Being one of the few drummers who sing lead vocals.

I’m most proud of…

Being asked to play with the likes of Bull Funk Zoo and Jay Wud amongst others.

The artist I’d most like to work with is…

Dave Grohl and Matt Bellamy. Those guys are 2 of my biggest musical influences and I would be beyond honoured to work with them!

One thing you may not know about me is that…

I’m currently playing in 6 bands, all with regular gigs!

This year, I’m playing in…

Sound City (Stereo Arcade), easily the most professional, talented musicians I’ve worked with. This summer I’ll be going on tour with a very special band! Stay tuned...

My sound is described as…

Good groove, deep pocket, concise, rocky.

If I had to live in one decade it would be…

60’s or 70’s, I would have loved to be able to put my stamp on the music industry at that time.

The one piece of music kit I can’t live without is…

My sticks! Hi Vic Firth...please send free sticks!

DJ BOOTH: ED WISE

This Egyptian DJ, now residing in Abu Dhabi, is the man responsible for sound tracking endless amazing nights at Marina hotspot Asia Asia. We find out what makes up this talented DJ‌

One thing you might not know about me is…I am a history and science buff. I live in Abu Dhabi and work in Dubai, so I listen to at least 3 hours of science and history podcasts on my drive every day.

My worst job ever was… Moving to Toronto at 15, I had many awful jobs, perhaps the worst was as a janitor for clubs and bars.

My favourite ever record is… That’s a pretty tough one, but the Serge Devant remix of “Complex” by Jonas Rathsman is an absolute tune from last year, and the classic Solomun remix of “Around” by Noir and Haze is one of my all-time favourites.

Dubai’s clubbing scene is… Dubai has really become a serious music capital with more and more events with big names hitting us almost every week and needless to say the locally developed concepts have really become part of the city’s DNA. I’m really proud of… Being the resident Dj of one of Dubai’s hottest restaurant bars, Asia Asia. We have won several awards including Best Bar last year and we’re hoping for some more this year.

What track could you drop in every set? When it’s late at night and the place is buzzing, I love dropping Pryda’s The End. It’s unbelievably energizing!

I can’t live with out… Podcasts, my laptop and my C25 headphones.

My biggest DJ achievement to date is I think I still have a ton to achieve but a couple of years back I opened for the legendary DJ Ravin, that was pretty cool.

What is your guilty pleasure? New sneakers.

If you could DJ in any decade which would it be… I would say the 90’s was pretty great.

If I could go back to back with any other DJ it would be…I am gonna keep this one local… Raxon, Michka, Moe Turk.

I’m not a politician but…We all smile in the same language.

LIFE THROUGH A LENS In the hectic cut and thrust of life in media, the vision and hard work of the person looking through the view finder of a camera is sometimes overlooked. We pay tribute to one of the unsung heroes of video and photography, our man in the field - Neil Henderson

For those that don’t know you Neil, can you introduce yourself and what you do?

Sure! I’m a Digital Multimedia Producer, so I’m a jack of all trades in film-making, photography and animation. I’m a cameraman, videographer, photographer, editor, animator, the list goes on!

I could be shooting video for an event preview or commercial stills for an international developer, interviewing a Hollywood star, or editing a TV pilot episode. On top of that I write on topics like film, nightlife, political and economic op-eds for a range of publications.

Tell us about your business/freelance work? In my role, no two days are the same. One of my craziest weeks this year had me filming F16s and Apaches for the UAE military by day, editing the footage into teasers by night before writing an event review from Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE for infusion, then filming an interview with Fady from Aly & Fila at Sensation on the Friday. It’s nuts and keeps me properly on my toes. In the last year my business has expanded substantially with bigger projects coming in and broader regional and international reach.

What shoots have you been working on recently? I’ve just wrapped covering Citywalk’s Overdrive project with the post-event video coming out about now. That was awesome fun getting stuck into things like hyperlapsing underground parties & braving some stabilised gimbal work around the Pro Drift Academy track with cars flying past inches away from me and my kit. Wicked fun. Prior to that I shot for HRH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Dubai World Cup prize-giving gala dinner.

Where did your love affair with film and photography begin?

For as long as I can remember I’ve loved and wanted to work in film in some form, whether directing features someday or in other associated ways behind the camera. I started shooting stills when I first travelled and lived in Spain, France and the USA in ’99, as well as working in London’s film & TV scene for a few years properly kicked things off. I got the chance to work with Ridley Scott at his production company Scott Free and in a way seeing a full size model head from Alien in his office through a plume of his thick Geordie cigar smoke kind of hooked me for life!

How did that connect with the music scene? My other addicted, mad, passionate love besides film & photography has always been music – they’re equally essential. I guess I arrived at clubbing and all things electronic in London in my early 20s. I became so crazy hooked on progressive trance and house – in the original sense, not the current EDM hybrids that it consumed me. The Cross, Heaven, Turnmills, MoS and of course Fabric just ruled my world. Seeing more and more stills and videos come out as phone tech, 3G, LTE etc began to explode just got me keen to try and combine my two loves. I got really lucky to find a way to do that out here.

What is your professional background, where and how did you cultivate your art? I got my diploma in cinematography from film school in the UK, alongside a languages degree which actually enabled me to teach French & Spanish for a few years alongside my production work. I started out working in London for companies like ITV on dramas like Life Begins, for Pathé, Scott Free, Ealing Studios on a range of projects largely centred on development and pre-production. Then I got into shooting my own stuff, I wrote and directed a short film called “Breathe”, taught film-studies to students and wound up with the chance to work in Dubai. That was 7 years ago and the rest is history I guess!

What brought you to Dubai? Definitely the sun and the chance to travel from this base on some insane trips. Of course, on top of all that, is the fact this city’s aspirations and diversity make it one of the most exciting melting pots on the planet and in turn offers such a fertile hotbed of opportunities for my work. With Expo 2020 round the corner things are getting more exciting and busier by the day!

What does an average week look like for you Neil? My weeks and projects are so random that I don’t know anything looks average for me these days. That said, in between jobs, I’ll spend a bunch of time on my business’ admin, following up with leads, taking meetings, updating my digital & social portfolios. Alongside that I could be shooting at the F1 track in A.D. interviewing Game of Thrones cast members for INTV, editing a TV pilot in my 4K suite or producing a 2D motion graphics animation for an engagement party invitation – all so random!

What has been the best job/shoot you have been involved in?

Recently, the Overdrive project I just wrapped has been one of the most diverse and fun in terms of the sheer range of content I was gathering. When I was starting out, collaborating on set for the production of ITV dramas was definitely a high point in terms of gaining experience. Shooting Sensation, Tiësto and Fatboy Slim events this season were all very messy affairs – crazy fun!

What would be your dream shoot? I’m working towards getting established in California where I’m going to be directing film and producing animation in both the science-fiction genre and the space sector itself. So a dream shoot would be collaborating with some of my favourite directors on a sci-fi adaptation of something like Greg Bear’s work. Alternatively covering the first launch stage to Mars by SpaceX or Virgin Galactic’s first flight around the stratosphere. Our species has no greater, nor more important pursuit than getting off this planet further and faster than ever before to find what’s out there!

What do you have coming up? A really exciting TV pilot I’m editing for Discovery & The Travel Channel that I’m not allowed to say much about! Plus a few promo shoots & edits for the launch of Base with Axwell right about now and interviewing one of the all time greatest tune selectors on the planet – Mr Nick Warren himself. Then at last I’m off on holiday – heading to Vegas for the annual Star Trek convention via Glastonbury. Cannot wait!

For more information on Neil and his work visit www.neilkhenderson.com

TECH TALK SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 2

As with any music ninja in the industry, it’s always good times when market leaders send you their new toys to play with. This time around, the Sennheiser Momentum 2 were on display.

First impressions are good, which could perhaps be a massive understatement. These headphones have been designed with quality in mind and one would think they had a “it needs to look as good as it sounds” mentality. From the travel case to the headphones themselves, the quality materials such as stainless steel and high end leather exudes an attention to detail that is simply not found in some of Sennheiser’s peers.

Sound quality with Sennheiser is paramount and as you might expect from the German manufacturer, the sound image is pristine.

The closed cup design of the headphones gave a clear signal without too much focus on the lower frequencies, which meant it wasn’t tiring on the ears. As the Sennheiser Momentum 2 are also light in design, they were more than comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time without fatigue, I found these excellent for use while travelling. In short, they are a solid set of headphones for music enthusiasts on the move, I found the build quality to be very good except the cable, it felt a tad flimsy, which is strange considering the rest of the product is beyond reproach.

RRP from AED1,499 from most good electronics stores.

Gadgets AUTOMATON BY JAMIROQUAI

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Jamiroquai’s first album in 7 years, Automaton is the return we have all been waiting for. An absolute musthave for your music collection.

Bluetooth earphones with industryleading noise cancellation and ambient mic features that make it one of the best in its category.

LUMEE II

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Kim K’s secret to the perfect selfie: get lit with the Lumee II iPhone 7/7s cases for picture perfect photos.

Discover the next generation of gaming with Acer’s Predator 21x, the powerful laptop designed especially for serious gamers boasting two GTX 1080 graphics cards and a curved display.

THE SPIN DUBAI, APRIL 2017

PAGE 217

ISSUE 58

IF THE SHIRT FITS

With the band merchandise industry becoming a multi-millionpound business and people style their whole outlook on life based on their favourite band. It is no surprise cult status has remained through out the years. However, it would seem that some so-called “fans” aren’t throwing straight dice.

In a recent poll conducted by non-profit initiative Life Is Art Rectified Shortly, or LIARS for short, have concluded that a large portion of music fans who insist on wearing specific band t-shirts can in fact not even name a single song by their “favourite” band.

It was found that less than 2% of those polled could actually name one song by their chosen band. What is even more worrying is that the wearers of t-shirts with the band The Ramones and AC/DC were among the worst offenders.

On the back of these startling findings LIARS have began petitioning for an entry exam to be enforced when purchasing such a t-shirt. In a bold move, LIARS are insisting that if a band t-shirt must be bought then the wearer should at least know what music the band plays. If passed, this law could set a new precedence for future cases of people claiming on social media platforms that they have been a fan of recently deceased music stars for some time.

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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7 ELEPHANTS

Upon entering the roof top venue, the billowing curtains which adorned the entrance were very inviting and gave a subtle hint at what lay beyond. Once inside, the sheer height of 7 Elephants was quite striking and the illusion of space was increased further by the part retractable roof. It was unclear if this would fully close during the hotter months, should this be the case then you can be sure 7 Elephants will be a shoe in for best new bar come award season. I loved the simplistic white linen soft furnishings, light wood fixtures and use of wound rope around the array of huge pillars which supported the venue. From our table this light and airy décor conjured up images of a savanna hide out deep in the African plains. A very cool touch was the mirrored elephant heads which topped each of the rope wound pillars, this made for a very eye catching addition and also helped to punctuate the height of the venue. Another instantly remarkable feature of the décor are the oversized light balls suspended from the roof and when combined with the white soft furnishings gave much of the venue a stylish light green and purple hue. With 7 Elephants being situated in the heart of the financial centre of Dubai, the designers of the venue concept have gone to great lengths to ingrain this in to the fabric of their identity. From the projections on the wall of Wall Street day’s past and present, to the social stock market concept of the bar, to the direction of the menu.

Once seated at our table we were greeted by our super friendly hostess Mafey, who was more than happy to welcome us to her “home”. Once the concept of the bars stock market fluctuations was explained we were given a guided tour of the menu and introduced to the 7 different food markets on offer - Italy, Mexico, Spain, India, Bali, Britain and the Middle East. We first of all opted for the short ribs from the Bali market. As each item is designed to be shared, the 2 portions were presented in a cupped lettuce leaf and were packed full of pomegranate, puree chickpea, kale and rib meat that was so soft and tender it simply melted on the tongue.

Shortly after shrimp tacos from the Mexican market arrived and the soft taco was simply bursting with flavours so delicate that I could even be so bold as to say it was one of the best tacos I had ever had.

As our hostess’s recommendations had been so on point we welcomed her further choices of the Spanish sautéed prawns in white wine, which balanced the various flavours so finely they were to die for, and her personal favourite – the Mexican chicken wings. These wings were so unbelievably tasty that I could have easily ordered another 2

portions purely for myself. To top off the selections Mafey brought us a portion of Spanish calamari, now I am not usually a fan of calamari but the light batter that each bite sized piece was encased in was so tasty it barely lasted on my tongue before it disappeared only to be replaced by another piece seconds later.

There really is not one aspect of my visit to 7 Elephants that I didn’t enjoy, from the impeccable service from our amazing host Mafey, to the perfectly mixed cocktails (be sure to check out the fruity “Italian Job” and refreshing “Bali Beach”) and of course the music. The soundtrack to the evening was great mixture of cooler laidback 90’s hits and funk & soul but with a modern flip which was perfectly weighted to the atmosphere.

It wasn’t until I was leaving that I was informed that the expert mixing was from Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE resident and local legend Jean B. Beats International smooth “Dub Be Good To Me” and an unknown gem of an edit of Chaka Khan’s goose bump inducing “Aint Nobody” really set the tone of the evening perfectly. I really cannot recommend 7 Elephants enough, just make sure you bring your friends and an appetite.

7 Elephants, Emirates Financial Tower, DIFC, 04 354 4354 facebook.com/7elephantsdubai

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If there is one thing in this world that you can count on, it is that people will try to blag their way through life as far as they can before being found out. When it comes to music, there is so many things that an “artist” can do to bolster their weak profile both in the clubs and online. One thing above all else that can’t be faked is skill. Sure, you can get your mate to design the best logo the house and techno scene has ever seen, and sure you can pay for thousands of Facebook and Soundcloud followers, and sure you might get that gig, but one thing that you can’t pay for is natural flair and talent. So as soon as you put all your “hard work” in to action, your gonna get found out.

So, if you are spending more money on your social media profile than you are putting in hours in the studio or behind the decks then you have your priorities all wrong. If you want to get anywhere in this world you need invest in your craft, not your artist logo.

Rant over.

Monkey Out...

The Angry Monkeys’ views are his own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of Infusion Magazine.