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Ni-Cd's review! part 1
Hiya folks! I posted this on houseaddict, but knowing that there's only a select number of peeps on that forum, i thought I'd post my review here too. If i'm breaking any forum rules, please kick my ass!
On with the show--let's start at the beginning though.
My father and my mother loved each other VERY much, and one day they decide----SCREEECH. Ok, not THAT far back in the beginning. 
I have the pleasure and honor of posting my review before Johnny Action because the BASTARD IS STILL OUT DANCING AT THE ZONE. I'm not bitter. I'm not bitter. *deep breath*. Deep Dish. *shakes head*. Ok, on with my review!x
And with no further delay:
So our story begins with poor Leap_frog waking up and feeling absolutely horrendous on Sunday. Taking her to after hours, we find that she has a sinus infection, and she's NOT feeling well enough to go to turkey dinner, let alone for a night at the guv. As some of you may recall, it was my weekend to stay home (snicker to Cat: footwork on Friday /end snicker), work on my lectures, and Leap was to boogy it up for the Guv 10, since i had been to the last all-access, ultra-spin 11.
So at thanksgiving dinner, we meet up with my cuz who's into techno and breaks, and we try to convince him he should go to the guv that night, and that possibly i'd go with. He declines, and we end up heading to T.dot later that night to hang with him. He ends up heading to cambridge, so Johnny Action and I look at each other, and we're like... Guv?? Oh yes, my friend. Oh yes.
So we BOLTED to the DVP to take our easy root from 404 dvp, lakeshore, queens quay...but the dvp was shut down south of eglinton. ARG. STUCK in traffic. I slam in my latest MP3 CD and crank the tunes. Anas Attia's dirty beats help keep our cool. I check my phone/clock. 10:45. Nathan said to get there early. Arg. We're stressed, but not really. We crack open our trusty energy drinks: Rockstar energy drinks.
Eventually we end up taking some minor artery down, and parking at the guv, and find the guest list line. We deviously decided to use Leap's name and her guest list spot she secured on Nathan's guest list. Yesssss. PhatCat was to meet us, so we chill for a little bit.
Well, no sooner than did we start chilling when BOTH of our tummies start rumbling. I say to Johnny: Dude...i need a washroom. quick. He says to me: dude. totally. I do too.
Side review: Rockstar energy drink. Not good. Can be used as a mild laxitive. Too much information? Damn right. But you readers need to be informed on the dangers of clubbing. I'm your man to do just that. So we bail on poor phatcat and RUSH inside to the guv washrooms, grabbing our reduced passes (thank YOU Nathan Barato!) and buying our tickets, and grabbing a stall. Thank GOD it was early in the night and the washrooms were just short of hellish, instead of well beyond. I'm sorry peeps. TMI big time. On with our story.
We got our little passes that showed set times. We leisurely parused the times. And to my horror realized that we had missed most of Nathan's set. ARG.
We bolt up to the drink and work our way to the front to see Nathan dealing out bombs in spades. We scream out: NATHAN!!!! he looks over at Johnny, sees me, and gives me the look like, wtf are YOU doing here? Where's leap?? So (and imagine this), johnny starts pantomiming himself being strangled, and i fake throwing up, all at the same time. You know. So nathan would understand Lea is sick. HAHAHA. I'm sure we looked we tar id.
"Yeah, they're retarded...but hey, they add some life to the party."
The tail end of Nathan's set was sic. I was still doing my 'aclimitization' getting my bearings, and i hadn't really ever partied in the drink before. The bars to either side of the DJ booth may SEEM like a cool idea... but let's be real. That creates traffic. Every time I started to get my gr00ve on, someone would walk by with a dirnk filled to the brim. Looks fancy, but form before funtion was clearly followed here. I do like how intimate the area is though, relatively cramped in, and the vibe gets strong FAST. Easy to hype it up with the DJ so 'there' in front of his crowd. In fact, after tonight, I'd have to say that The Drink is probably my most favourite part of the guv. I hope I can establish why throughout this review!
Johnny Action gr00ves it up early in the night, Nathan spinning the beats, as Manzone & strong start to take over the decks.
So manzone and strong hit the decks with one pounding drop after another, really starting to set the mood. and we spot the sound tech... "fixing" a speaker... with ... DUCT TAPE. SWEEET! I saw one of the Manzone & Strong boys pointing out a tweeter with his monitors, so i suppose one was blown or something? Must make mixing tough when you can't hear portions of the tracks due to faulty equipment. As jenny said about zone & sound equipment issues--i can't imagine how complicated the setups are, and what sort of support back shop it takes to keep it running. I'd love to get the DJs viewpoint on this--how's the guv sound shop? Do they take care of you guys?
Manzone & Strong - 7/10 (because of ppl pushing past for drinks, and socializing, interrupting my appreciation of their set)
In my review, i often talk about lighting; the lighting in the drink is cleverly done. With the low ceilings, they have rotational spot lights embedded with translucent plastic doo-hickies (yes, doo-hickies) hanging down to hide them. The effect is really euphoric. They also have NO2 bombs in there?? What! What! Oh yes, they do! Anyways, back to the lighting itself, Mr. sound tech was giving our friend here lessons on the system. The paper in front of the keyboard is keyboard shortcuts to the computer controlled lighting array. I saw him wave his fingers back and forth, demonstrating, hit a button, and all the lights did the same. I couldn't help but identify with that sound tech...the 'do it all' of the office. Johnny can probably relate. Also, geeks: notice they're using a mini-cube to power the computer. *shudder* with the HEAT in that room, i can't imagine what punishment that computer gets, in a mini-cube format. We had soooo many troubles with these at work, and here it is, ridden in humidity and mega-heat. I can tell you, that computer is going DOWN soon! (bummer).
We decided we had better go wait for PhatCat, so Johnny and I headed out, and ta-da!! Kriskool was at the back of the drink. She joined our company, and off we went to the guv entrance to await PhatCat, where i saw this pretty honey dancing in the crowd (Man, she's practically in every review i do, heh!)
(she thinks: i don't know WHO this guy is, but he gets a picture with me EVERY freakin' time I'm here....)
The Guv beats at this time were being dealt out were a little low-key (compared to the DRINK, thank YOU Manzone & Strong, as well as Nathan), but still solid. Can't beat that bass ripping through the body in the guv. Miss Nine was on the decks. In fact, i would find the guv low-key for most of the night, and not fitting my particular vibe (the need to dance hard). Setup was great--i love it when they have the DJ down where you can see them...whoever designed the 'bunker' for mark oliver to spin in weekly wasn't thinking of putting the DJ in touch with his crowd. :angry:
Waiting for Cat, Kris-hotasamofo-kool and I danced it up with Johnny Action duck paddling-it around us. Actually, i felt pretty damn jittery at this point (another knock against you, Rockstar energy drink! I'm switching to MONSTER).
Let's spend a moment on a true clubber: Kriskool. Ladies and gentlemen, i have not met a more high-energy, down-to-earth, fun loving person. She brings it EVERY time. She's my key dancing partner, for sure. Kris, thanks for being you--and I mean it. You've been a big part of my house music education, and I sure appreciate it. (and chk out that bod!) I want to come over and chk out your record collection some time soon, maybe just chill and let you show me what music really speaks to you.
Cat got in around midnight, and we collectively decided Miss Nine, although talented, wasn't what our diet required at that point. We needed the sanctity of our Gallery. Simon Jain was on. Simon wouldn't let us down
The weave between the dancers to get to the gallery...place was filling up fast!
Review: Simon Jain
Please keep in mind that my opinions, etc, come from the aspect of being new to the scene. Having only been 'out' since January, i can't be considered an authority, but, regardless, here's my two cents. Simon's energy is what carries him as a DJ. Hands down. He transmits that energy into the crowd, and they respond in kind. I adore him for this. His sets themselves, i find, are the 'tried, true and tested songs' that he mixes up a little and loops appropriately, making the drops worth while. I don't find him too experimental, but who the HECK cares when he gets one barefoot up on the decks and screams at the crowd: "Show me what you got!!!!" You can't help but just love the energy. The sets at home don't carry that same energy, because he isn't there to physically transmit it; and i think that if he can figure out how to overcome this, to transmit that energy into his recorded sets as well as his live stuff, he'll have a personal road block removed! (see: any recorded set by Carl Cox). Simon is really really good at the club, but i think he has the potential to be really great. Fantastic personality, and will always be one of Lea's and my favourites (thx to JennyPie who originally introduced, seemingly ages ago). (Simon, is it true you don't have a web site man?! Dude, you gotta let Johnny action and i hook you up).
Simons Set: 8/10 (carried on his energy)
So here's another clubber's tip. On Thanksgiving, MANY people eat around, what, 4 pm? Early dinner type thing? We did. I ATE LOTS. I thought, this'll be good enough to keep me going all night.  NOPE. by 12:30, both Johnny and I were feeling our tumblies grumbling for food (likely cleansed by freakin' rockstar energy drinks). So, I pull out the trusty:
KICK BUTT BALLS
Ok peeps. I'm really happy with this product. First of all, it's practically a transportable red-bull mixed with protien bar. Johnny-Action and down two each, and our tummies thank us...then the energy hits us later on. I was SO happy to have them. I wish there was FOOD at the guv. Something. I guess it would introduce a whole mess they don't want to deal with. I get that. The first time I hit the guv, at New Years, this year, they had SUBS at 3 am. That was awesome!!! I wish they'd do that more. I'd pay for it, 4 sure. The food would be so good for our starved bodies, over-hydrated with just water to drink for some 12 hours. :P (uh, check out my wrist in that picture... looks...broke or something... )
What can I say? That's adam, and god bless him for ALWAYS being happy. Every time i see the guy. Such a positive dude. Surround yourself with ppl like this. *thumbs up*
Clubber tip: NINJA OTTOMANS
Take a look at this picture:
Do you see it? Look again.
These things provide entertainment for hours. A distant relative of the killer-death-stools from the koolhaus, these things are nigh invisible in the gallery tent area. After i took this picture, some poor sod went flying over one of them. Johnny and I couldn't help but laugh and help him up. Freakin' ninja ottomans.
At this point, we decided to head over to hear Oakenfold. Off to the koolhaus through the secret passage way. Do you know where the secret passage way is from the gallery directly to the koolhaus? Do you? 10 pts for whoever maps it out.
So we get in there, and Oakey is dropping slam after slam. It's pulse-pounding trance, just the way i like it (a la Markus Schulz from UltraSpin 11). I'm looking around, vibing off some dancers on the podium, where i see....
It's good to see that my entrance bucks would be going to cover the cost of these..... large...gigantic...balloons....hanging from the ceiling...... Ok, whatever. It'd be cool if they came down later in the night to (they didn't... *sigh*)
Cat came with us, and we misplaced Kriskool somewhere along the way; that's no problem, i often go 'touring' solo myself to do some uninterupted observing and listening. Cat and I ended up hanging most the night, and I have decided (well, decided long before now) that i truly love the spirit she brings to the scene. Whether it is at home listening to a track on her stereo, or at the club in front of the speakers, we're there for mainly one thing: THAT SOUND. I really am happy finding such a kindred spirit in her with this.
Cat: thanks for partying with us last night, you truly set such a great tone! Especially when Paul Oakenfold dropped: southern sun.
Flash back. In my business, i used to travel abroad quite often, before we had employees who can do it for me (and better than me) now. I was in BC doing some presentations for my company, and working away on them while listening to this dude i dloaded off of the net. Paul Oakenfold. I loved the album. Chilling vocals, starry eyed surprises, and more. I listened to it over and over. I msn'd the album home to Lea to listen to, i was really digging this stuff (NO experience at all with the scene that long ago). Let me tell you, to hear him drop Southern Sun and thrust me back to those days was SUCH a cool experience. Cat and I sang along passionately. It's amazing what MUSIC can do to you. I'm thankful to God for creating such an amazing thing. (/end corniness).
Review: Paul Oakenfold
Randomdoug joined us, and we danced near some leather sofas so we wouldn't be traffic-jammed to death. An older-sketched-asian crowd dominated the area, and the smoke was killing me, so i was moving around often to get fresh air (highly asthmatic, so i have to be really careful lest i make a scene trying to get air).
Just me, or is that a LOT of bottles of water for like, 5 people????
On that note, it was time for Johnny Action to give his belt-buckle a spin. Yes. It's a spinner. Don't ask, but i think it's freakin cool. Bullets and butterflies baby.
So at this point we start to focus in on Oakenfold.... when... all the power goes out.
So the story goes that the cube computer controlling the lights up in the drink went down. Instead of them chking the cube computer itself out, the techs figure there's a breaker blown. They go down to the guv basement (sacred of all sacred-ness secret passageways-ness) and find the master panel. "this looks like the one. Yup." FLIP. All the thumping above them goes quiet. "shit. Quick. flip it back the other way, and uh, let's hide."
Paul Oakenfold messed up a lot of transitions while we were listening in. Some serious beat matching issues. For a world-class (? what's that mean anyways ?) DJ, should we not expect better? Should the performance not be flawless? Randomdoug was right... we pay X amount for big names (well, i didn't i love the residents, the others are just bonus), we should expect highest calibre spinning. Track selection: FANTASTIC. just what i needed. I loved it. But the actual mixing, and handling of the decks... like nails on a chalk board at times.
Paul Oakenfold rating: 5/10 (due to some terrible beat matching and seeming power outages, which really, i think was him doing a sic drop, bring-back, but it didn't seem to work well? other views appreciated)
After a bit, we decided to head over to the Guv to chk out Deep Dish. On the way through the koolhaus entrance, we see this guy spinning (can someone name him for me?)
....continued in next post
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there's a teaser comin up 
I love fun stuff!
