Infusion #291 : 19 March - 2 April ’17

WE'RE GOING DOWN TO… BLUE MARLIN LAND

MAKES HIS DUBAI DEBUT + MAYA JANE COLES!

Felix Da Housecat, Plus Minus, Sandy Rivera, Deep Like turn 100, The Atlantic, Dance FM and more!

MUSIC

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PEOPLE

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LIFE

SATURDAYS SERVED FRESH MARCH 18

RAXON . TIM GREEN

MARCH 25

SASCHA BRAEMER & NICONÉ

APRIL 1

CHLOÉ . EL MUNDO .

PIERRE RAVAN

APRIL 15

JIM CASSADY & PABLO .

UNUEBERLEGT

APRIL 22

MARC POPPCKE .

STELIOS VASSILOUDIS

APRIL 29

GOLDCAP .

LUCA BACCHETTI

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL MARINE CLUB

TALAL BUDEBS Publisher CHARL CHAKA Managing Partner charlchaka@infusion.ae FRAK FU Sales/marketing sales@infusion.ae ANDY BUCHAN Editor andy@infusion.ae PAULA MANGUEIRA Design design@infusion.ae SONIA IGNACIO Operations operations@infusion.ae

Dance FM just keeps on getting better and better – they’ll be live streaming the Ultra Music Festival from Saturday 25 to Monday 27 March including shows from Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta, Galantis, Major Lazer and more. Tune in via 97.8FM and on Dancefm.com.

There are some big big gigs coming up before Ramadan, including New Order and cult comedian Eddie Izzard – big bookings!

Rent out your Storm Trooper outfits now people, as Comic Con is just around the corner on April 6.

CONTRIBUTORS: Ginger S, Frak Fu, Dan Fahy, Neil Henderson

GUEST LIST

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

BLACK LIST

infusionmag infusionmagazine infusionmagazine

Unorganised people. Please, life isn’t that hard that you can’t get your basic s*** together.

OUR PARTNERS Charl’s green beard. St Paddy’s day has been and gone, and so should that Hulking monstrosity :-)

4 hour traffic delays at the recent Guns’n’Roses gig – you know when even Axl Rose has to traipse over the sand dunes to get to his own gig that something has gone very, very wrong somewhere.

Say What?

OLD JOKES HOME

The worst pub I’ve ever been to was called The Fiddle.

It really was a vile inn.

THINGS THAT DIDN’T EXIST IN 2006… (!)

iPhone iPad Kindle 4G Uber Airbnb Android Oculus Spotify Nest Stripe Square Pinterest Instagram Snapchat WhatsApp MEME CORNER

WE LOVE Bonkers Bingo @ Societe

When the invite came to attend the launch of Societe’s “Bonkers Bingo” I admit, I was skeptical, but with the promise of “earthumping music, dynamic drinking games and a host of hilarious prizes” my curiosity got the better of me, so I headed down with a group of friends – and what a fantastic decision that was.

Host Layne Redman did a great job of keeping everyone entertained and it was extremely amusing to watch tables full of people in silence, dabbing their cards, only to be interrupted by an impromptu dance-off to ‘Mambo #5’. In a time where things seem to be getting increasingly snooty and exclusive, Societe brought everyone down to earth with a cacophony of 80s hits, drinks offers, fun games and prizes (without a dress-code in sight).

If you want to let your hair down, enjoy a few drinks and laughs with a group of friends on a Wednesday night, it’s a fantastic alternative to a quiz night and you might even get the chance to ride home in style in a brand new Dragonmart go-kart!

Words by Dan Fahy

ONE BIG FRIDAY RETURNS

Boasting DJ sets from house stars Gorgon City, drum and bass whizzkids Sigma and Defected mainstay Sam Divine, Zero Gravity’s One Big Friday will be living up to its name on Friday March 31. Support comes from Mark Pickup, Chris Wright, Somn3um and more, with free entry before 7pm and AED150 after.

BIG DEEP LIKE

It’s a big time for Deep Like fans – not only are they throwing their 100th party at Snoop Island in Fujairah, but they’ve also booked house/techno duo Frankey & Sandrinho to play their March 30 party at their new Backyard home at the Steigenberger Hotel, Business Bay. Expect deep, emotive house and techno from the duo behind last year’s smash hit ‘Acamar.’

TIME TO KLOCK ON

It’s been an incredible journey for Groove on the Grass, and it continues to grow, this time turning back to their throughbred techno roots with a huge back-toback headline session from Berghain residents Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann. Elsewhere, Mind Against do their proggy techno thing, with support from Locked Groove and a host of UAE talents. It all takes place at their Emirates Golf Course home on Friday March 31.

WHITE DUBAI TO HOST THE BUBBLE LOUNGE

If you’re heading down to this year’s Dubai World Cup on Saturday March 25, then make sure to book ahead for the notorious Bubble Lounge, this year hosted by White Dubai. Not only boasting ace race views, they’ll also provide prime seats for the aftershow concert from SIA.

MARCH 22 SHERAZADE, SOFITEL JBR

MARCH 23 CALI SWAG DISTRICT, VIP ROOM

World music, with a dash of rock, French songs, Gypsy music and more from the RussianAlgerian singer and her band LavionRose. 8pm.

American hip hop group CSD – behind 2010’s Teach Me How to Dougie – play live at VIP Room.

10pm-3am.

MARCH 24 SVEN VATH, BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

MARCH 30 SANDER KLEINENBERG, PURE SKY LOUNGE

Papa Sven brings his bodymoving techno back to Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE for another day and night session. 11am-late.

The Dutch house DJ returns for another set of up-tempo cuts at the stunning open-air JBR bar.

9pm-late.

Kambiz Kia:

in his own words

Analog Room are proof that home-grown brands are best, and they’re letting two of their residents – Siamak Amidi and Kambiz Kia – take control of their new Industrial Avenue home. We caught up with their March 23 headliner Kambiz to find out more…

I was born in 1985 in the capital of Iran, Tehran.

I left Iran for Dubai in 2010 to discover more sounds and work on my music.

My DJ career started in Tehran’s underground scene, which is technically made up of illegal parties. I played quality electronic music from deep house and techno.

Now, I play Lo Fi, Dub, Techno, Ambient, Old school House and Disco.

I’ve held down residencies at Azure Blue (Cafe Del Mar), 44 Bistro & Lounge, The Mine, Yukunkun Beirut and of course Analog Room.

I’m producing music these days, but I’m not in a rush to sign anything, I believe it will happen organically.

Best gigs to date? Playing alongside Anton Zap, XDB, Binh, Siamak Amidi, Shemroon and many more at Analog Room.

My DJ heroes are whoever keeps it real. Unfinished Portraits, Hunee, Deniro, Palms Trax and Small Ville guys are doing cool things recently.

Analog Room, every Thursday at Industrial Avenue, The Westin, 10pm-3am. Thursday March 23 feat. Siamak Amidi and Kambiz Kia, facebook.com/ analogroomdxb

A VIP MAN Infusion’s Ginger S caught up with David KingUnderwood, VIP Room’s General Manager and the man who makes running a 500 capacity club look easy How did you get started in management for nightclubs? I’ve been in hospitality for 11 years, I started off working behind bars.

Then I became bar manager, and then moved into restaurants. I first started in Dubai at OKKU in 2010, then Movida opened in late 2012.

The brand is from London then it took over Thursday night. I became bar manager. The group opened VIP Room and they pulled me in to structure and organize the nightclub. I’ve been the VIP Room general manager for almost 2 years.

Can you share something that we may not know? I created the Hobo Concept, a little boutique club in a super cool venue.

Now it is run by Movida management. I have also been in charge of building and opening up both Toko and Sass Café. Both of them are franchises, Toko from Sydney and Sass from Monaco.

What inspired you to move to Dubai? I felt that I needed a changed. I applied and was called in immediately. I packed up my life within 10 days. It showed that I can do anything I put my mind to.

What do General Managers do? Everything from marketing strategies, operations, bar, cash management, the P&L (Profit & Loss) of the venue, looking at the reservations, making sure everyone is doing their job. The music is very important and what type of DJs are playing. Maintaining that level of service once people go through reception. Maintaining that same experience. We have a high standard level of service. We have to be the best.

What’s the proudest achievement that you gained in being the General Manager at VIP? We have won best club and best event awards and we did the Lil Wayne event. I organized everything for the event set-up. Won the award from Time Out. We organized that event in 5 days. We won the Highly recommended best club last year and Best newcomer from Ahlan and Time Out. With so many nightclubs in Dubai, how are you able to maintain the prestige of VIP Room? VIP Room is a very famous brand from France.

We run our own nights. We don’t let 3rd parties run our nights. Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays. We manage these nights. We are always bringing different DJs, different artists.

We pride ourselves in having a high standard venue and a

nice looking crowd. They are going to get the same friendly service every time. We have friendly staff, good music, great atmosphere. We also maintain safety of the nightclub. Safety of the venue and people. No undesirable characters are in the club. We get a lot of problems when we don’t let certain people in. We do it because we have to maintain the classy element. The ratio is always mixed. Minimum 50/50 ratio. No hip-hop attire.

We maintain dress code and the quality of our venue.

Where do you see VIP Room in the future? I think it will still be around being one of the premium venues in Dubai. There are still a lot more venues. We have market experience and we haven’t dropped down. We are still strong over 500 people every single night. It’s almost full every night.

VIP Room, JW Marriott Marquis, Business Bay, Sheikh Zayed Road, facebook.com/VipRoomDubai, 052 881 8888

PLUS MINUS GO OPEN-AIR

There’s a new venue (and a 4am license) and an impressive line up at Plus Minus over the next few months. We caught up with Karim and Adrian to find out more…

We're very excited about your new venue, La Cala, for March 24 with Oliver Kozletzki – what did you like about the venue? We can operate till 4am, that’s a massive plus for us.

There’s already a great Funktion One sound system in the venue and of course it’s open air which takes us back to the days when we used to operate at Nasimi Beach.

What times are you running from, will you overlap with Blue Marlin? We will operate from 10pm to 4am so we are expecting some of the crowd to come over from Blue Marlin after their event.

And do you see Plus Minus running more parties down there before the end of summer? You’ll have to wait and see! We have a lot in the pipeline in the coming months…

Will you be bringing in any extra décor for the night? This will very much be a Plus Minus event so we will stay true to our core identity. You’ll just have to come down and check it out for yourself!

Who's opening up on the night? We have our resident Andy McGirr kicking things off and he will be followed by Majdo (Boneca, London) for his UAE debut as well as Stil vor Talent boss, Oliver Koletzki’s debut. Our Oliver Koletzki booking is moving to La Cala and the other bookings will stay where they are for now, as we are testing it. We will not move from Level 42.

About La Cala

Nestled to the right of The Golden Tulip entrance, along a winding path sits La Cala, a fantastic open air beach bar but without the pretense of some others. With a definite Balearic feel, and a 4am license, it’s one of the hidden gems in the UAE. Plus, the promoters are making it worth your while heading down there – it’s only AED350 for an open bar from 10pm-midnight, a free pizza and entry, or tickets only from AED100.

DATES FOR THE DIARY Oliver koletzki Friday March 24 - La Cala Alan Fitzpatrick Friday April 21 - ON42 Einmusik b2b Jonas Saalbach Live Friday May 12 - ON42

Ahead of his March 31 headline show at Provocateur, we took a look back at some classic Felix Da Housecat interviews…

Felix Da Housecat in quotes

On having fun with music In the '80s, people really didn't take stuff serious. It was more [about] having fun. I think what happened with tech-house is people just started taking it way too serious and getting too technical with it, and it just got to the point where being too serious was not cool. The last two albums, Kittenz and Thee Glitz and Devin Dazzle, I didn't take [making them] serious, but I made the music sound mature and serious. I'm a silly person, so my characters definitely come out in the music.

On his history I’ve been making house since 1994, when I was fourteen years old.

When you make house for twenty-six years, there’s the risk to get bored as a producer and as an artist with the same 4/4 tempo. After a while there were two things you could do: stop making house music or try to reinvent yourself and try to do new things. I think some people when they make house, it’s over-saturating, overcommercializing, over-EDMizing, and it’s killing it.

On working with Puff Daddy Nelly Hooper comes up and said: “Hey Felix, you should work with Puff Daddy”. At the beginning I didn’t want to, because Puff Daddy was a legend, but he thought we should go together to the studio, he thought that would be crazy, and he was right.

On who he’d like to collaborate with…

I’ve always wanted to work with Thom Yorke, I almost had him in 2005, but he was busy workin’ on his solo album.

On Djing The tour DJ Felix is different than album artist Felix. With DJ Felix, you’re getting a show of the history of house music, disco, electro, 80s, or whatever I’m feeling at that moment, unrehearsed and unplanned; the boppers and I are in it together to experience every live moment.

Felix Da Housecat plays Provocateur, Four Seasons Hotel, Friday March 31

A CENTURY OF DEEP LIKE An innovative house party that quickly struck a chord with clubbers, Deep Like have turned the tables for their 100th party and taken over Sandy Beach Resort in Fujairah for a spectacular day/night party. We caught up with them ahead of the March 24 event to find out what’s in store…

Congratulations on 100 parties – that's some milestone! What do you remember about the first few? I remember happiness.

Everyone was happy, the team, the crowd, the artists. The vibe was very special, warm, cosy, it felt like home. I always knew Deep Like would be different, because it felt like it from the start!

When did the idea to take over Snoopy Island come about? I think it was last year, after we met Tarek (managing director of Sandy Beach Resort).

His venue is so beautiful, and we wanted to offer something different for our Deep Likers.

The collaboration happened naturally. I think Dubai needs more of that kind of event. This feeling of driving away from the city is so uplifting. Combine a

mesmerising venue, a kick-ass lineup, and our awesome Deep Likers, I have feeling this one will be for the books.

You have a really dedicated fan base, not many other parties would try to get hundreds of people to the other side of the country – why do you think they're so passionate about what you do? We love them and they love us back. We listen to them, their suggestions, they are a source of inspiration for us. They feel important, because they are important. We are all part of this mini ecosystem that is Deep Like, and we love to see it evolve and grow. I think more than a party, for a lot of us it became a social club, the meeting spot where everything happens: we witnessed and supported friends becoming amazing artists, and

people meeting and coming up we great ideas. And of course magical moments of music and dance, when the energy is just perfect, we’ve had quite a few of them!

Musically, how do you make yourself stand out from a fairly crowded club scene in Dubai? We always followed a specific music direction. Not a genre, but a feeling: we like to take our crowd to musical journeys, sometimes dreamy, sometimes darker, the story is different every time, and it's exciting that way. It was very new for Dubai when we started:

no big names, but amazing music and vibes guaranteed.

Almost all the artists on our lineup never played in Dubai before, and I think it's a great way to keep our sound very fresh and new, and the events musically interesting. It's very rewarding to see how people trust us now, and are excited to listen to the sets, even when they don't know who is playing.

You moved to a new venue recently, why was that and how have the new parties gone? The parties are doing great so far. We love our new venue, it's spacious and it looks

amazing. After a few months having the parties indoorwe wanted to go back to an outdoor space. We found The Backyard and we immediately felt like it was the perfect venue for Deep Like Thursdayz! We also have a tradition of changing venues quite often at Deep Like.

It allows us to renew ourselves in a dynamic way. We change the whole set up, it's always a challenge! Each new venue is like a new chapter in the Deep Like story.

What's in store for the Snoopy Island party, who's playing? Amazing internationals and locally based artists!

The Swiss guys from Animal Trainer are the ones with who we started it all, our first ever booking at Deep Like. The Deep Likers love them, and so do we!

We became very good friends

since our launching party. They couldn't miss Deep Like 100.

Monolink will be performing live at Snoopy Island. He is such a talented artist, his sound is fresh and unique, Monolink is definitely a UFO in the house music scene. We also asked Zone+ to come play with us.

His career is sky rocketting now as a producer and DJ, and his music is amazing. We also have Bachir Salloum, one of the most talented DJs in the region, who has been actively supporting us since day one. He knows how to take the crowd to epic melodic journeys like we love them.

And of course the Deep Like Residents, Hoolz, Sam Farsio, Jason Pinto and myself. snoopybeats.up4what. com/deeplike100

Deep Like 100, Friday March 24-Saturday 25, Fujairah, Sandy Beach Hotel, tickets from AED300 including BBQ and 2 drinks. sandybeachhotel.ae

TOP 5 TUNES

SANDY RIVERA Ahead of his March 31 date at 360, we look back at Sandy Rivera’s outrageous back catalogue of tunes and somehow whittle it down to our favourite 5

KINGS OF TOMORROW – FINALLY An instant classic when it dropped in 2000, this soulful house classic has transcended borders and nations to become a global house anthem. With Julie McKnight’s timeless vocals, chiming chords and that walking bassline pushing things ever onwards, it still sends goosebumps down clubbers’ spines.

SANDY RIVERA I CAN’T STOP Released a year after ‘Finally,’ this high tempo track was one of the classics of the funky house era thanks to its ear-worm vocals: ‘this this this this this.’ Oh, and that bassline that Stevie Wonder would drool over. And the clever stop/start drum programming and the epic breakdown. We could go on, but the main reason why it’s so good is it was written by Sandy Rivera.

SANDY RIVERA – CHANGES Signed to Defected, this Sandy original is another intoxicating blend of deep chords, simple bassline, emotive keys and a killer chorus, this time from Haze. Simple and highly, highly effective.

EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL VS SOUL VISION – TRACEY IN MY ROOM The king of the alias, Sandy Rivera (as Soul Vision) collaborated with Ben Watt on this epic bootleg, 5 years after the Everything But The Girl original track ‘Wrong’ was released. With a Balearic vibe and Tracey Watt’s timeless vocals, it updated this big hit into the definitive last-tune-of-the-night.

KINGS OF TOMORROW – KAOZ Released on techno label Poker Flat, this blends Rivera’s soulful tendencies with a more streamlined production, with echoing sirens, a truly classic house vocal from Divine Essence and a driving, punchy drums.

Rooted in US club culture, it’s one of Rivera’s biggest sellers and rightly so.

Sandy Rivera plays 360, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Friday March 31, 4pm-3am, free entry all night

IT BEGAN IN AFRIKA…

We’re back! House of Afrika returns with a new weekly party at its new JW Marriot home, Bridgewater Tavern, with an exciting line up of deep, tribal and afro grooves. We caught up with Boddhi Satva, our March 30 headliner, ahead of his Ancestral Soul gig...

You've got an impressive gig schedule coming up including Senegal, Bulgaria, Switzerland, the UK. Where do you enjoy traveling the most? The African continent is definitely my number one travel destination, then in Europe, I'd say that Portugal, Holland and Italy. The Middle East and Asia are also some of my favourite places to travel. In terms of performances I of course adjust the selection a bit to match the vibe of each of those territories.

You're bringing ANCESTRAL to Dubai for the first time – what makes these events so special? ANCESTRAL is special because since its inception 3 years ago, it’s become a true movement. We have a very multicultural crowd coming from all walks of life and a strong energy focused on nothing but good spirit. In other words ANCESTRAL is a gathering where the essence is primitive and the sound is futuristic.

Musically, what ground do you cover in your sets? I usually like to travel a bit. So I'd start with my usual Ancestral Soul/Afro House sound but should time permits during the set I like to drop in some Deep and Soulful House, Deep Tech, Disco (not the cheesy one) and some Trapsoul.

There seems to be an increasing amount of light shined internationally on the SA house music scene – where else in Africa has a strong dance music scene?

S.A has been under the spotlight for a little while, since it is the world capital for House Music.

However countries like Angola, Morocco, Botswana, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and even Sudan's house music scene seems to be slowly growing.

Your brand new song with Grammy Award Winner Bilal was premiered by Billboard and just came out. How was it working with him?

‘Love Will’ is the title of this collaboration and it's a true dream that came through. I've been a fan of Bilal since the late 90,s early 2000s. When I decided that making music was going to be my everyday job, he was amongst the many musical heroes I have and wanted to work with. My friend and business partner Marcus Logan from Cool World Agency helped with the collaboration and Bilal

loved the song. I was in heaven.

We didn't have the chance to be in the same space when he recorded the song, but with someone like Bilal, you know that you can close your eyes, he will do nothing but magic. ‘Love Will’ to me is just that.

9pm – 3am, BridgeWater Tavern, JW Marriot Marquis, Free Entry with guestlist registration on HOUSEofAFRIKA FanPage.

100AED on the door, Shisha available on terrace.

Bookings: rsvp@infusion.ae

5 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT GREEN VELVET A leading house and techno producer for over 2 decades, Green Velvet has been behind some of the scene’s biggest tracks, including the epochal ‘Bigger Than Prince.’ Ahead of his UAE debut for Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, we take a closer look at his fascinating story

1

Born Curtis Jones in Chicago, he’s not only the man behind smash hits ‘La La Land’ and ‘Flash,’ but also the producer Cajmere, Geo Vogt, Half Pint, Curan Stone and Gino Vittori. As Cajmere – his more house, disco and gospel persona – he’s had some huge hits, including the still seminal ‘Brighter Days’ and ‘Coffee Pot (It’s Time For the Percolator),’ surely the best caffeine-themed track in the world.

He studied chemical engineering at the University of Illinois, but quickly realized that his future lay in house music after investing in a ‘$60 keyboard and a cheap drum machine’ – clubbing’s gain, for sure.

With Green Velvet – a more industrial, rawer house and techno sound – starting to get more traction, notably in Europe, he released 2001’s timeless album ‘Whatever,’ which spawned the huge hit ‘La La Land,’ designed to be a ‘wake-up call for clubbers to the dangers of pill-taking.’

In 2006, he revealed he’d become a born-again Christian after a near over-dose. After apparently speaking to God, he decided to change his lifestyle, which directly resulted in a music change: ‘I do my music differently now, because I made that vow.’

He’s enjoying a new wave of popularity, more than 2 decades after he first began, with upcoming gigs in Japan, South Korea, Miami, London and, of course, his trip to Dubai alongside another huge house name, Maya Jane Coles.

2 3

4 5

Green Velvet and Maya Jane Coles, Friday March 31, Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE | facebook.com/BMIUAE

deep like 100 mar. 24 Animal Trainer Hoolz

(Deep Like)

.

(Stil Vor Talent, Hive Audio)

Bachir Salloum

(Pureink)

Jason Pinto (Deep Like)

Josephine De Retour Sam Farsio

.

(Deep Like)

.

(Deep Like)

Zone +

.

Monolink (Live) (3000 Grad)

(Underyourskin)

Sandy Beach Hotel & Resort, Fujairah Tickets snoopybeats.up4what.com @ItsDeepLike

ON THE RADAR COMIC CON APRIL 6-8 - WORLD TRADE CENTRE

ART DEPARTMENT APRIL 14 - PROVOCATEUR

NEW ORDER APRIL 7 - DUBAI TENNIS STADIUM

BLUE MAN GROUP APRIL 18-22 - YAS ISLAND

KODE 9 APRIL 13 - STEINBERGER HOTEL

RUSSELL HOWARD APRIL 20-22 - DUBAI COLLEGE AUDITORIUM

JOSH BUTLER APRIL 14 - ZERO GRAVITY

SOUL CLAP APRIL 21 - EL CHIRINGUITO

ON THE RADAR PLUS MINUS FEAT. ALAN FITZPATRICK APRIL 21 - ON42

JUSTIN BIEBER MAY 6 - AUTISM ROCKS ARENA

APOLLONIA APRIL 21 - BLUE MARLIN IBIZA UAE

PLUS MINUS FEAT. EINMUSIK MAY 12 - ON42

EDDIE IZZARD APRIL 27 - WORLD TRADE CENTRE

ZERO GRAVITY MAY 12 - HANNAH WANTS

ONE BIG FRIDAY FEAT. ROGER SANCHEZ APRIL 28 - ZERO GRAVITY

ONE BIG FRIDAY FEAT. MARTIN SOLVEIG MAY 19 - ZERO GRAVITY

MAURIZIO SCHMITZ STAVROZ )LIVE( MARCH

24

2017

:

SVEN VATH

Music News DESMO’S DOWNBEAT WINSTON

DXB’s Desmo Records have signed ex Dubai electronic star Matthew Conley for an ace new single, ‘Downbeat Winston.’

Blending downtempo, nu-jazz elements with glitchy, broken beats, it’s backed by b-side ‘Humdrummery,’ a housier, driving track. Ace, full bodied music that fans of Floating Points, Four Tet and Bonobo will appreciate.

PIMMS O’CLOCK

Pimms Brooke is back with a brand new single, ‘Notes To A Stranger’.

Produced by Mohammad Bailouni, it’s a ‘deep RnB track about going through changes, it’s about being stuck in the way of life you’ve become accustomed to.’ Backed by a sultry video directed by Eazy World Peace, the track is out now on iTunes and Spotify, with the video on Vevo.

Photo credit: VARTAN KELECHIAN

Soundstage JAY WUD A Lebanese guitarist, singer, songwriter based in Dubai, Jay has opened up for Aerosmith and Robert Plant and plays live every Wednesday at Stereo Arcade

My first musical influence was… I was exposed to bands

like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix by my father. Later on, in my teenage years, I started to get into heavier bands like Guns’n’roses, Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Pantera to name a few. Then my focus shifted to guitar players like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy, Gary Moore, Marty Friedman. I was always open to blues, rock, and metal.

The last pop star I liked was… Michael Jackson of course. I think time stopped for me in the pop world after that.

My sound is best described as… Heavy and melodic. My main focus when I’m writing is always built around the riffs and guitar themes that compliment the lyrics and the song in general.

Best piece of advice you’ve received? Keep your head down and work hard.

What’s your musical guilty pleasure? The Weeknd?

The best band in Dubai is… Still didn’t get there. There are

some good bands here but I’ve not been to a show and been blown away by a performance yet.

Best claim to fame? Still working on that part too!

When I make it, the one thing I want on my rider is…

Red M&Ms.

My musical motto is… “We are the music makers and the dreamers of dreams”- Arthur Shaughnessy.

Best gig you’ve played? There are a lot of good shows that we put on but my favourite would be supporting Guns’n’roses in Abu Dhabi in 2013.

And the worst? I won’t name it but it was in Europe. I had

technical difficulties with my guitar and I didn’t have a backup guitar on me. I had to play 4 or 5 songs with a detuned high E string trying to avoid it at all times. It was a nightmare!

Best lyrics of all time? That’s a tough one. I’d go with Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’. www.jaywud.com

DJ BOOTH: DJ BIA The Bliss Lounge resident talks us through her law degree, David Guetta and why she’d love to DJ in the 1950s…

One thing you might not know about me is… I’ve got a degree in law.

My worst ever job was… Working as a flight attendant for 4 years. For 1460 days I dreamt of getting out of that uniform and making people dance.

My favorite ever record is… “Lady Is A Tramp” (Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet version). It’s wonderful to watch them playfully singing and genuinely having a great time although they belong in two different music eras.

Dubai’s clubbing scene is… Full of talented artists that move from all over the world to make a living, which is actually amazing.

I’m really proud of... Making a living as an artist. There are many hurdles and set backs to overcome but doing what you love every day is a blessing.

What track could you drop in every set? ‘Game of Thrones’ Mahmut Orhan. It’s combination of my two biggest passions, music and acting, plus it always gets crowd going.

I can’t live without… Praying, books, my dogs, my headphones and talking to my friends from all over the world.

My biggest DJ achievement to date is… Playing music at the Viper Room on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood and being headliner of the biggest Oman music festival that took place recently.

What is your guiltiest pleasure? Blue cheese.

If you could DJ in any decade which would it be... The 50s would be amazing, fabulous things happened to the music industry back then, the birth of rock’n roll, soul, jazz, big band.

If I could go back-to-back with any other DJ it would be… David Guetta, he da man! I would to make a track with him.

I’m not a politician but… All I know about politics is that Barack Obama was the first black president and Donald Trump is the first orange one. www.mixcloud.com/yoyoland07/

M MEEEETT TTH HEE A AR RTTIISSTT:: FFEELLIIP PEE U UR RTTEEA AG GA A Meet Felipe Urteaga, the Meet Felipe Urteaga, the mastermind behind the mastermind behind the brand that everyone is brand that everyone is talking about, Sickindividual. talking about, Sickindividual.

The talented artist will The talented artist will create a 1.8m x 1.2m create a 1.8m x 1.2m original art piece at Virgin original art piece at Virgin Megastore, Yas Mall. Visit Megastore, Yas Mall. Visit the store between 20th the store between 20th March – 23rd March to March – 23rd March to see the talented artist in see the talented artist in action or stop by for an action or stop by for an unforgettable Sickindividual unforgettable Sickindividual party in-store on 23rd party in-store on 23rd March from 5PM. March from 5PM.

1) Tell us a little bit about your brand, Sickindividual.

Sickindividual is a brand that creates unique storytelling designs that connect; inspiration, pride and self-identity. The style of Sickindividual is based on surrealism, symbolism and psychedelic features; all strongly influenced by today’s pop culture. Every design is a tribute to cultural icons and to social ideologies that are a result of extensive research and information synthesis.

2) What is the process of developing the intricate artworks featured on the t-shirts?

The first step is identifying a meaningful legend and learning everything about them. I watch documentaries and read biographies to understand the legend’s accomplishments, ideologies and personalities – this is one of the most inspiring steps in my opinion! I then compile the most impactful details to create a design that truly represents a legend and relays their passion.

“My art is psychedelic, surreal, deep and meaningful.”

3) Which artist do you feel has had the biggest impact on your artistic sensibilities?

Ahh...I love this question because it’s the foundation for my inspiration. My biggest inspiration is music, specifically The Beatles and Pink Floyd. My art is psychedelic, surreal, deep and meaningful which is reflected within the Sickindividual brand.

4) What can we expect to see next from Sickindividual?

I’m currently working on 4 new concepts which maintain the essence of intellectual and artistic visuals. The new collections revolve around ‘historical moments that have changed the world’ and ‘society behavior’. I cannot share more at this time but I am sure that our fans will love the new designs.

Carl and Reda Mafia Photo Diary

Yeah baby, we’re here!

Armed with a camera phone, their indomitable sense of humour and some stunning Middle East backdrops, Carl and the Reda Mafia take us on a virtual road trip following their recent minitour to Egypt, Beirut and Jordan facebook.com/cnrmafia/

Carl at the Roman Amphitheater in Amma

Carl by the Pyramids having an epic photo moment

Carl & The Reda Mafia during their gig in Amman. What a gig it was!

Reda and Josh having a tea party by the Temple of Hercules while Chris is a little too busy with the view

Carl playing a song for Beirut. We fell in love with the views in Lebanon!

Reda about to go sound check before the Beirut gig. #thatgraffiti

Apparently no one likes morning flights except Reda!

Chris pretending to have a radio interview in Beirut before their gig

Carl & The Reda Mafia chilling at Dubai airport on their way to Lebanon

Reda having fun poking Carl in his sleep on their way back from Cairo

Reda, Chris & Ratish literally barely made it to the plane at the Dubai airport on their way to Cairo

WE ARE OPEN MMI ARMADA JLT

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What we Ate

ESPAÑA BAR & LOUNGE, JUMEIRAH CREEKSIDE HOTEL

From the moment you see the Gaudi-inspired tunnel entrance and hear the warm deep and progressive house journeying through its lair, you’re held captive by this bar and restaurant’s charm and bravado. In definitive Gaudi style, the place is warmly drenched in a fusion of surrealist artwork and Catalonian Modernist adornments.

The sangria bar as you enter is a must to kick things off. The cocktail experts have brought a creative twist, and are among some of the most impressive professionals in the city. Hispanic Cosmos and Andalusian Mules were stand-outs. The menu covers a range of tapas and main courses, some classic, others reinvented: all incredibly tasty and prepared with neat little touches like tied paper pouches for the empanadas to be wrapped in.

España is truly a well hidden gem - you’ll be wanting to return to time and again for the different experiences on offer. ¡Que hagan todos las reservas ya!

Words by Neil Henderson

Imran Yusuf

Phil Nichol

Thu 6 Apr Fri 7 Apr Mon 10 Apr Tue 11 Apr Wed 12 Apr Thu 13 Apr Stephen Grant

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

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8pm

Eat Sleep Rave Repeat The Atlantic Dan Fahy tucks into some fishy fare at Souk Al Bahar’s latest high end eatery…

Since Rivington Grill closed last year, Souk al Bahar has been missing that flagship restaurant with world-beating views of the Fountains and Burj Khalifa.

The wife and I went along to see if The Atlantic – Dubai’s latest export from Melbourne – could compete with the other top eateries in town.

The first thing that struck us when entering was how beautiful the interiors were – it’s a shame that the main selling point is the balcony, because inside it really is stunning.

With a bright, airy feel and luxurious finishes, I really hope that as the venue evolves, more guests decide to eat inside to create the atmosphere it deserves.

We started with the Moreton Bay Bug (an Australian classic), the Garlic Tiger Prawns and the Crab Bisque; the Bug was tasty with a mild touch of spiciness, the Prawns were quite enjoyable and the bisque was delicious with the ravioli executed perfectly.

I’m a big gin fan, so was impressed with the variety on offer and the reasonable pricing (at least compared to my other favourites, Ginter and The

Scene); the specialty tonics were unfortunately not included in the price, but it didn’t spoil the wonderful experience of my liquor of choice. The wine list was strong and priced fairly, with a big emphasis on Australian wines. James the Manager (and trained sommelier) was able to recommend some fantastic pairing options throughout the night.

For main, I went all out and tried the Lobster Thermidor.

The chefs claim to use only the best seafood, and that was evident by the freshness and size of the lobster. The wife on the other hand had the Dover Sole. Both dishes were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The thrice cooked potatoes and Kale were a great addition to an already great meal.

The Executive Chef is one of the leading chefs in Australia, so we were hoping for something special, particularly with prices competing with the top, high-end restaurants in the region (main courses 220 AED on average, starters 80 AED).

Although there are a few kinks still to work out, it was nonetheless a most enjoyable experience.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

The Atlantic, Souk Al Bahar, 04 442 5662 facebook.com/TheAtlanticDubai

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Cool Test DANNY CEE VS KATIE OVERY VS DAVE CLEARY

It’s a battle of wits for the Dance FM trio as breakfast show DJs Danny Cee and Katie Overy take on drive time jockey Dave Cleary. But who’ll be the radio champion and who’s radio gaga?

The funniest word you’ve said on the radio is...

DANNY CEE:

KATIE OVERY:

Think of the worst word a man can say to a woman… it was an accident!

Country Bumpkin.

Don’t ask.

DAVE CLEARY: Soonley. One of my friends would say that all the time and one day it just came out, he would say I will see you “soonley”.

Your answer to dead air is...

“And now Katie Overy presents 4 hours of standup comedy.”

Press next!

Blame it on someone else but never yourself.

The coolest radio DJ ever is...

DANNY CEE:

Chris Moyles.

KATIE OVERY:

Scott Mills.

DAVE CLEARY: The late Robin Williams, Good Morning Vietnam.

Who could ever be better than him?

Really?

The coolest DJ on Dance FM is...

The girl on the breakfast show who snorts when she laughs.

The guy on the breakfast show who always turns up late!

Danny Cee, I’ve worked him in the past and his shows always been the breakfast show of choice here in the UAE.

The question I get asked the most is…

What’s your favourite Do you have a script track? And I find it or what’s it like really hard to answer. getting up so early?

How can you travel so much? Do you get free tickets or is your other half cabin crew?

The coolest early morning track is...

Michael Calfen ‘Treasured Soul’.

Dario G ‘Sunchyme.’

Anything from Chicane will do!

Those guys are no stranger to playing here in the UAE, I hope the guys are back soon.

The coolest person in my phone book is…

DANNY CEE:

KATIE OVERY: The Eat & Drink delivery guy.

Got to be my Dad.

DAVE CLEARY: Empower..

It’s not big and clever but…

I often steal all the chocolate biscuits from the fridge and blame my daughter, she’s 2, I’m ashamed of myself.

I eat Nutella straight from the jar with no shame.

That’s enough about me!

My answer to everything is… ”Yes I’ll do that right away darling.”

My Dad said so, so it must be true!

Do it tomorrow.

My best claim to fame is…

I met HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Spartan Race and he said he listened to my show!

Being invited to The White House in Washington, a strange feeling I once gave Sister walking down the Bliss a lift back to her corridors of power. I hotel after her gig in was lucky enough to Dubai. get a photo standing outside the front doors of The White House.

THE VERDICT:STAND UP DANNY CEE, THIS ISSUE’S CHAMPION. Dance FM, 97.8, dancefm.com

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SAME SAM BUT DIFFERENT

Celebrated comic, Infusion writer and all round nice guy (he paid us to say that), Sam Moult is leaving the UAE to further his comic career in the UK. Before he left though, he had a few things to get off his chest…

Things I’ll Miss 1.

Being the biggest, tallest, fastest and bestest. Whilst it might get on some people’s nerves, there’s nothing better than busting out a superlative fact when a friend comes to town.

2.

Getting literally anything delivered. Goodbye McDonald’s man, goodbye pharmacy man who isn’t a drug dealer, goodbye 3am beverage vigilante, goodbye to all of you ruthless, fearless motorcycle heroes.

3.

The weekend events. Just popping out to go for a yacht ride, listen to a world-famous band, eat until I explode, go to sleep at sunrise, head to the beach, eat more food, drink some more, then watch a top DJ do their thing, and there’s still another day of the weekend left.

4.

The multi-cultural mix. My best friends come from 7 different countries, and I only have 4 friends! I also love how everyone is just slightly racist, but it’s completely acceptable. We aren’t picking on our backgrounds, merely celebrating our differences.

5.

The Shattaf. Possible the single greatest invention I have encountered here. I love it so much, I wrote an Ode to the Shattaf.

Ode to the Shattaf Oh sweet toilet hose, How I will miss you so.

You’re always by my side, There to clean my behind.

Your spray cleans my every bit, So I don’t smell of unpleasantries.

Things I Won’t Miss

1.

Driving. Whether it’s a Nissan Patrol, Nissan Sunny, those little bus min-van things or a rogue bicyclist, the roads here will never leave me short of frustrated, flustered and f-ing fuming. On the plus side, I have discovered inner peace, enlightenment and now have a resting heart rate of 215 BPM. Best weight-loss ever.

2. Sweating for no other reason than ‘the sun saw you briefly and you had a t-shirt on’. I mean, it’s nice to experience life from the point of view of an unbaked cake, but when you’ve just showered and get caught outside you get pretty riled up when you’re more oiled than a bodybuilder.

3.

Tables in nightclubs. If you do the math, a bottle is sometimes more economical, but it’s not the bottle culture, it’s the people who buy them just to show off. The posers, the white shirt and white trousers brigade, the ‘don’t care about the music’ people, the “look at me, I’m spending lots of money” people. Anyway, enough about the Lebanese (just kidding, I love you, please don’t hurt me).

4.

The prices (and their unjustified rise). Rent was always expensive. It’s what we expect for living in a cosmopolitan, bustling, vibrant city; but it’s getting silly now.

5.

The late and relaxed attitude. Sometimes it can be used to your advantage, but most of the time it just adds to the already annoying grind of the city. Taking a number to see someone who will give you another number, receiving a message that someone will be late when they’re already 5 minutes late, the ambiguity in people’s answers and INSHALLAH. facebook.com/samuelmoult/

All all that… jazz?

So, I’ve kept quiet, I’ve kept schtum – which believe me, is harder than a Ben Klock mix – as the Emirates J*zz Festival has denigrated its name over the years. Sure, it might have hosted pop names James Blunt and David Gray, but it’s also given us actual jazz names like Freddy Cole, Randy Becker, and erm, Jools Holland.

But I have to draw the line at this year’s J*zz festival – Enrique Iglesias? Mariah Carey? Tom ‘Delilah’ Jones? Miles Davis must be rolling in his grave. The only way it could be made worse was if previous guests Olly Murs and Sting jumped up onstage for a live twat-off.

Stop having a laugh and call it the Emirates Music Festival already…

Monkey Out...

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

FRI 31st MAR 2017 MARK PICKUP | CHRIs WRIGHt sOMN3UM | ADAM ALDOUs | sOULNINJA VIsUALs BY COLD FUsION LOCATED AT SKYDIVE DUBAI DROP ZONE, AL SUFOUH ROAD, DUBAI MARINA, UAE RESERVATIONS: +971 55 500 9111 OR +971 4 399 0009 | EMAIL: INFO@0-GRAVITY.AE www.0-gravity.ae

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