In other news, I saw Laurent Garnier play an all-night set in Manchester between Christmas and new year. It was a small sub-500 capacity basement club, and how often do you get to see a DJ of Garnier�s calibre playing in a space like that? What�s more, Garnier started his career in Manchester in the late �80s while working at the French embassy, so his fanbase in the city is particularly loyal and long-standing.

The set was every bit as wide-reaching as you�d expect from the Garnier. The first 30 minutes were basically all dub and jazz, with no true �electronic� music at all. By that point the place was practically full already. From there he built up through Motor City Drum Ensemble-style raw deep house into some beautiful abstract deep techno right at that point in the night, which made me feel like I meditating in deep space. Then it was on into the kind of big, emotive, punchy melodic techno he specialises in, with plenty of scenic detours. For thirty minutes in the middle he went straight-up disco, then towards the end he got into some speed garage and dirty bass �n breaks. What I love about Garnier is he�s one of those DJs with absolutely no qualms about playing big, big records at the right moments in the night. He�ll play the coolest stuff around from right across the spectrum, but when the night needs a big spine-tingling anthem he�ll deliver in spades and not give the slightest fuck as to whether it�s �cheesy�. I also love the way he mixes � there were a few times where I noticed him flip the EQ straight from one bassline to another and it gave the energy such a boost.

Also, that crowd. Fucking hell. Might just be the best crowd I�ve ever been part of. The intensity in a club is always better when the room is small, the ceiling low and the DJ at eye level. But this was next level. People were cheering and jumping around at practically everything he did. I�m not sure I�ve ever seen a crowd go more mental than when he inevitably slipped in Crispy Bacon right near the end of the night. It was an absolute sweatbox � sweat dripping off the ceiling, huge clouds of steam rising up the stairwell back up to fresh air. An extremely satisfying night of dancing to round off 2018.

___________________
Mixes:
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24
> Surface Tension [Progressive Trance]
> Back To Deep [Deep Trippy House]
> Terra Nova [Modern Progressive Trance]

If you enjoy any of these sets and want to hear me live, I'll be playing a 2 hour progressive trance set at Basing House in Shoreditch, London on 11th October.
I'm also a resident at our bi-monthly party Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

Last edited by SYSTEM-J on Jan-07-2019 at 13:40

system

that sounds fn amazing. I wish people would go back to more of this and less these outrageous big room cheese fests that are as bad as anything the Dutch trance djs ever did in the early 2000s

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X-MIX 1 The MFS Trip

This guy needs to come back

I saw a comment on social media recently after it was announced that yet another 500-capacity club was closing in Leeds (the legendary Mint Club). It said something to the effect of: �Kids getting into this music aren�t going to know what a nightclub is. All they�ll know is a 4pm-11pm event in a 4,000 capacity warehouse.� I think that�s definitely the way the scene is going, in Europe at least. Dance music is more popular and commercially successful than it has been since the end of the superclub era, and yet I constantly read about how nightclubs are closing and millennials don�t go to them anymore. Everything is shifting to giant arena events, one-day festivals, and ever more outdoor summer festivals. And yet, for me, the best parties by far are always the small rooms. Anything over 1,500 capacity I won�t even look at now. That�s the absolute upper limit I think can guarantee a good atmosphere. But it seems people just don�t give a shit about this kind of thing. They don�t want sweat dripping off the ceiling. They want a big day out at the firework show, on drugs.

___________________
Mixes:
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24
> Surface Tension [Progressive Trance]
> Back To Deep [Deep Trippy House]
> Terra Nova [Modern Progressive Trance]

If you enjoy any of these sets and want to hear me live, I'll be playing a 2 hour progressive trance set at Basing House in Shoreditch, London on 11th October.
I'm also a resident at our bi-monthly party Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I saw a comment on social media recently after it was announced that yet another 500-capacity club was closing in Leeds (the legendary Mint Club).

Wow, not that I'd ever been or would ever have likely wound up there, but I'm kinda bummed to hear this is shutting its doors, as I posted a video from a night out with Diggers and that low, illuminated ceiling seemed incredible.

___________________
He traded sands for skins, skins for gold, gold for life. In the end, he traded life for sand. Afari, Tales

Last edited by Paradox Lost on Jan-08-2019 at 00:35

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I saw a comment on social media recently after it was announced that yet another 500-capacity club was closing in Leeds (the legendary Mint Club). It said something to the effect of: �Kids getting into this music aren�t going to know what a nightclub is. All they�ll know is a 4pm-11pm event in a 4,000 capacity warehouse.� I think that�s definitely the way the scene is going, in Europe at least. Dance music is more popular and commercially successful than it has been since the end of the superclub era, and yet I constantly read about how nightclubs are closing and millennials don�t go to them anymore. Everything is shifting to giant arena events, one-day festivals, and ever more outdoor summer festivals. And yet, for me, the best parties by far are always the small rooms. Anything over 1,500 capacity I won�t even look at now. That�s the absolute upper limit I think can guarantee a good atmosphere. But it seems people just don�t give a shit about this kind of thing. They don�t want sweat dripping off the ceiling. They want a big day out at the firework show, on drugs.

It is very sad and very true but it also does present the underground with an opportunity. All it takes is enterprising young ravers to go back to throwing nights in small venues and booking up and coming underground talent for long sets. In fact, the parties can go back to being great again as the tourists and hipster losers go to their firework shows.

___________________
X-MIX 1 The MFS Trip

This guy needs to come back

just wanted to say that since New Years, ive played Ruhe about 200 times. It almost felt like my entire raving experience was linked in that moment. Ruhe was like one of the first big tracks I remember from my early raving days.

___________________
X-MIX 1 The MFS Trip

This guy needs to come back

I didn't want to declare it before I went out on Friday, but now I am not ashamed to say I went and saw Steve Lawler for the first time in years on the weekend and I really enjoyed myself. Drummy, grimy, raw, thumping, proper house grooves. I saw him 5 years ago and he played such god awful, pedestrian, run of the mill tech house - not to mention the sound was horrible and the crowd was shit, and the dj booth was full of cunts. This was nothing like that. It was just enough of a taste of how good he was in the early-mid 2000s without sounding dated. Pleasantly surprised with how fresh, focused, and energized his set was.

Just got back home from 3 hours of LTJ Bukem and Roni Size. LTJ Bukem played an incredible set from start - to finish. Great crowd, and energy. Not a single person under the age of 30 if I remember correctly. Met a lot of old friends that I hadn't seen in years. Two hours of great music and flawless mixing from Bukem.


With that said, Roni Size started playing and killed the vibe for me right away. I was pretty surprised because I expected him to continue in the same vein.

Stayed for 45-minutes. Had two pints and took an Uber to an after party. Now I'm back home, smoking a spliff and still amazed how the energy went from good to bad in such a short time.

I still had a great night and this thread came to mind.

Just some disjointed thoughts from an old head.

Bukem is always quality. He's playing here in a couple of weeks but I don't think I'll be able to go.

We should resurrect this thread. It was a good one. I'm seeing Alex Kassian next Friday, so I'll report back with my thoughts.

___________________
Mixes:
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24
> Surface Tension [Progressive Trance]
> Back To Deep [Deep Trippy House]
> Terra Nova [Modern Progressive Trance]

If you enjoy any of these sets and want to hear me live, I'll be playing a 2 hour progressive trance set at Basing House in Shoreditch, London on 11th October.
I'm also a resident at our bi-monthly party Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/