Played a great set, and as everyone else has said should have just played right through Nevio's slot.
Nevio
I don't even know where to start. It's nice to see that "Nevio 2.0" has become marginally better at beat matching, but has retained his horrible programming skills from the Sonic days. He may have even become worse. What opener plays trance in the last hour of his set before Lawler? He actually played the Braveheart theme!
I think it's safe to say that the extra 45 minutes that Nevio played were so bad that it effectively killed the party. I noticed the crowd thinned out before Lawler even started.
Lawler
After seeing Lawler in his heydays, I really think he's lost his touch. He he has been unsuccessful at maintaining his Lawler magic as time goes on, and as music changes. He did play some amazing tracks, as he always does, but he failed to tell a story with his monotonous, boring set.
I think in 2006 when Lawler tried to delve into the minimal sound, he realized that it wasn't working for him, and decided to go back to his old tribally sound from the 2000-2002 era. To those who said he didn't play enough tribal on Saturday: lol, were we at the same party? He played too much tribal. In fact, if he played any more I think I would have gone crazy!
I think it was unrealistic for some of you to think a significant portion of his set would be tribal tracks from 2001. A lot what many of you are calling "tech house" is just the new tribal. Just because other tech house DJs play the tracks, doesn't mean it's tech house.
I did leave at 4am though, and I heard the last hour of his set really picked up, but 1 hour of good music doesn't redeem 3 hours of mediocrity.
Although this review sounds really negative it wasn't a bad night. I actually had a really good time because of the friends I was with. However, the party itself was very average. I can't believe the Lawler was paid so much money for a party like that.
As for New Year's Day parties in general, I feel like they've been lacking the last 2 years. After the old Boa and Sonic marathons and Lawler's NYD party at TiL in 2008, my expectations of NYD shambles are really high. I guess that is why I was disappointed with this party at Circa, because it was just another average club night.
All in all, I had an amazing New Years weekend and birthday (which fell on the same weekend). The only thing that could have been better was the party at Circa, but it wasn't a big deal anyway because it wasn't a significant part of the weekend.
DJOS2
quote:
Originally posted by Spam
Circa sucks. It was probably the suckiness that ruined your vibe, not the music from Nevio. I'm with you, no WONDER they're going bankrupt.
Did you have any luck finding a dance floor? Because that stage built for 25 people just wasn't doing it for me, and the private booths that fill up the entire main-room are a collection of the worst ideas I've ever seen in a club. Sure, there's room in the back, but who the wants to dance in the back of the club? The whole club made me feel like I was walking around in a school... And endless series of hallways, and nowhere to stop and build up a vibe.
The whole place feels backward, where their lighting booth is, should be the DJ booth. Where the private booths are, should be a big open dance-floor like Guv and The Docks (Sound Academy now?). Where the current dance-floor is, should be private booths!
And hell, don't get me started on the stupidity of glass bottles on the second and third floor. I'm surprised no one's had half a bottle implant itself in their neck after being kicked under the glass barrier.
Also, wtf with the weak-ass lighting? Not even ONE laser? Just a bunch of regular spot-lights swirling around and the occasional strobe-flash? Get REAL Circa. For a club that tries to be the big-club alternative to Guv, it sure strikes me as a giant, amateur, fail-fest.
PS: I'd take the skasians and crack-heads at Guv over the douchebags running around Circa ANY day!
Keep in mind that Claire Brothers pulled ALL the SOUND & LIGHT from the place a few months ago due to non-payment. Its used to be much better. Now its just a half-assed temp. rental system...
OS
Jeff Button
I had an amazing time at this party. It was great playing in front of so many of my friends, and fellow TA's - and I am quite humbled by the response to be honest. Thank you for everyone's kind words, and for working the floor in the early stages of the night. Nothing gets me more pumped up than to see the people closest to me rocking out on the dancefloor. :)
I felt like I spent the majority of my time leading up to Lawler's set catching up with friends, and chatting about NYE, etc. Nev seemed to have the majority of the Circa regular's dancing up a storm though. I recall at one point him mentioning to me he was feeling a bit 'off', and I know he was totally consumed with the planning involved leading up to this night. I've heard Nevio completely pwn a room (lounge at Boa comes to mind), but for the TA's on this night, it obviously wasn't the case.
I personally enjoyed Lawler a lot. He seemed a bit lost at the beginning of his set, but his second half was vintage Lawler house. He played 'Westworld' again (which was a bit of a surprise, but a crowd pleaser once again). People complaining about the lack of lighting, decor, etc - but I guess I'm the only one who feels this suits this type of party/music. Some of you may recall a venue with a minimal dark approach named Boa-Redux, which focused on the music and not all the pretty lights and furniture. I'm hoping Circa can continue doing parties with an afterhours vibe, that focus on the main room alone.... all my friends enjoyed the space immensely.
Rook
quote:
Originally posted by DJOS2
This makes sense.
I remember the sound in circa main room being very rich and easy to understand, however, at Lawler the sound was pathetic and based on an youtube interview with Lawler, he places a high importance on the system. I cant imagine he was happy with the sound for this event. I would constantly find myself trying to hear the subtleties of the music on the dancefloor when in past events at circa the music was just heard.
I too was disappointed with Lawlers set and left shortly after the closing dj came on!!
It would truly be a shame to see this club close, had a few good times there and was looking forward to having more.
6.5/10 overall
infinity HiGH
OK here's my take on this night:
As it's been said many times in this thread, Button did an incredible job starting the night off. This was as close to a perfect warm up set as any headliner could've ever asked for. From Friday onwards he should be the default warm up DJ for any international coming through our city. It's almost mind-blowing (even though it shouldn't be) that there's DJs out there that take the time and effort to put some thought into their track selection and programming based on the DJ they're opening for.
Nevio's set, however, was garbage. What I witnessed between Jeff's and Lawler's set was insulting, and had I been a little more sober I probably would've walked out of the club. I really don't know where to even start: the trainwrecking? Or the fact that he played trance in between 2 house DJ's? In fact, those 2 facts are pretty comical themselves. Trainwrecking trance must be pretty hard but yet you managed do pull it off. Good job. How anybody has the nerve to play such an abomination of a set for a headlining DJ is beyond me. This was my first time seeing him but judging from what people have been saying the past few years it sounds like this guy needs a serious intervention. It's pretty disrespectful to the headlining act if you're gonna go on such a tirade of music which any concern to what he has in store.
Lawler's set was enjoyable but not mind blowing. It probably would've been better had the vibe not been completely ruined but what can you do? I had a blast and he played Westworld, which I always wanna hear in a club. The club itself is pretty nice. Granted, this was only my second time ever there but I liked it. I could care less about lights and all that . Would've been nice to have some speakers at the back though (reminded me of Mod Club cause of that).
7.5/10 night.
Skipper
quote:
Originally posted by Cribby
.. I'm pretty sure it was the soundtrack to our movie, The Prehistoric Sessions: 2010
lol. I love you
Cribby
quote:
Originally posted by Skipper
lol. I love you
we needed you to play a role! :p
*~LiSa-LoO~*
quote:
Originally posted by slingshot
I suck bigtime for not being able to make this party.
You definitely do sir.
kotsy
quote:
Originally posted by *~LiSa-LoO~*
nice to finally meet you :p
CODE
All I wanna know is if Lawler was in the room when Nevio
Dropped that DJ Sakin+Friends track....Braveheart baby..lol
would have love to see Lawler face :P
samhouse
actually i was wondering that too. I was upstairs taking a rest on some very comfy couches and I remember having a truly fantastic "WTF" moment. And to think that just a few weeks ago at the Gift, I was at the front of the guvernment main room going bonkers to that tune.
