Wow Adrien from Masomenos looks so much like Villalobos.. He even conducts himself in a very similar manner. I seriously thought it was him.. until I read Highroller's post.
Did anyone get to see Booka Shade or Magda? How were they? My friends and I ended up heading back to Toronto because of the ty weather.
A brief review of some of the sets that I saw.. starting from my favourite:
1. Claude Vonstroke: What a versatile dj.. never heard anybody throw such a wide array of big-room funky tunes at his audience so consistently. So many different tempos, sounds, moods.. IMO, out of all the djs I saw at the BP stage, he probably made the best use of the speakers. On top of that, he maintained a very positive vibe throughout his whole set.. whenever his set would get darker and more serious.. he'd bring in a sample / track that would put a smile on your face again. He's pretty much the dj I wanted to see the most.. and he delivered.
2. Plastikman: Never heard a set like this before.. Very minimal techno with a touch of breakbeats and acid synths. He would stretch every sample he used to unimaginable extremes. Some people didn't enjoy the fact that the set wasn't continuous.. but I loved it.. at times, the set would pause for a few seconds and continue into a new chapter.. very theatrical. Didn't get to see much of the light show.. but what I did see looked awesome.
3. Richie Hawtin: Proper techno with a little hint of house at times. He kept in dropping these darker retro /electro sounding minimal tracks, which got me going nuts.
4. Jamie Jones: Slow deep sleazy sounding disco tech-house. Very solid set. Never imagined myself dancing so much to a down-tempo set.
5. Rex Sepulveda: Beautiful orchestral progressive house and techno.. flawless mixing. I've never heard of him before I saw him at DEMF.. he's very skilled.
Random videos I found on youtube.. there are plenty more uploaded.
mickmack
wow... what a weekend!
i don't think i heard a bad set the entire weekend (except for plastikman but i was expecting that). sets of the weekend for me were cassy, ida, carola, barem, innercity and richie. pissed that i didn't see paco (maybe i did and just don't remember). i heard he wasn't that good this year anyway.
seeing marco carola and richie hawtin go back-to-back on the boat was an experience and such a surprise! soooo glad i didn't miss that. i didn't leave that floor the entire cruise.
i thought the miami party was going to be a giant show but it wasn't at all. i wish i knew who was playing the whole time we were there but music was amazing and there was a great vibe. the rain didn't slow anything down either. maybe it's because it was soooooo hot out. it seemed to actually get busier but we left around 2ish. heard it got shut down by the fire marshall but re-opened again.
doubletree FTW!!! the rooms were perfect and it was a short walk to the festival or you could take a free shuttle bus. those cookies were phenomenal. the staff was awesome too considering the they probably had to put up with that weekend.
overall i thought the festival was extremely organized. alot better then i thought it would be. one of the most organized festivals i've been to. the washroom situation could've been a little better in the evenings but what can you expect. drinks were reasonable @ $8 but they were HUGE cans. detroit is extremely sketch if you leave the main downtown core but no worries anywhere near the festival or the hotel. i thought i was going to get shot at the liquor store we stopped at on the way into the city.
i think i'll definately go back next year and bring the wifey. maybe not 3 full days though. today was a rough day at work.
i'll post a few vids later.
Adamo
quote:
Originally posted by jad
Did anyone get to see Booka Shade or Magda? How were they?
Both delivered.
I was walking between those 2 stages, bookashades live act was really cool and it was nice to hear some of their tunes being pumped out on the fly, the crowd was really into it as well, erupting at every drop.
The funniest part was, I never knew where the made in detroit stage was until the last day! lol. So i go down to that little concrete cave and step into a hotbox of fat minimal basslines. She cranked out some good tunes, so good richie came back and enjoyed a good chunk of her.
DJ Mach X
quote:
Originally posted by jad
Did anyone get to see Booka Shade or Magda? How were they? My friends and I ended up heading back to Toronto because of the ty weather.
Bookshade was AWESOME! I found a nice spot on top of that concrete pyramid, perfect vantage point of the whole tent just going off it's , and great sound! Awesome to see the energy and good people to watch it with!
quote:
Originally posted by jad
4. Jamie Jones: Slow deep sleazy sounding disco tech-house. Very solid set. Never imagined myself dancing so much to a down-tempo set.
EPIC set... perfect sounds to get me into the day of festivities
quote:
Originally posted by mickmack
doubletree FTW!!! the rooms were perfect and it was a short walk to the festival or you could take a free shuttle bus. those cookies were phenomenal. the staff was awesome too considering the they probably had to put up with that weekend.
I was a little worried when I first saw the distance from the map, then again when I got screwed into paying $40 for parking next to the hotel, apparently the guy in the lot lied to me and said they were official. Thankfully got my money back and scored street parking for free cuz the holiday!!!!
Shuttle was sweet, nice staff, great rooms! My jaw dropped as I first walked in! It was room to run bitches in, not rave and afterparty in lol! Comfortable beds, soft blankets and sheets... and I can't get over how friendly the staff was! They kept everything in order without getting loud or yelling or throwing the book at you like they probably could. I remember walking outside with drinks a couple times and the door guy just say "hey bro, keep it on the DL" and winked at me lol...
Would definently stay there again next year!
jad
^^ Ah lucky guys! Wish I could get to see them one day.. let's hope they stop by Toronto sometime soon. Hey it was nice bumping into Sandeep. I met an Adam from Toronto but I'm not sure if it was Adamo.. If it was then nice meeting you. Anyways.. I think I'll definitely be going again next year. What an experience :D
DPetey81
What a great weekend. The drive back home wasn't even that bad, as I was reminiscing on the good time. Now, after a 16 hour nap, haha, I'm ready for more..... well, no, not really. It's still gonna take a bit for my old knees and back to rebound.
Highlights, Festival:
- Cassy: Brilliantly built set that just kept climbing. Loved it.
- Carola: Destruction at Torino
- Ida: Added bonus, she's smokin.
- Whoever filled in for Radio Slave: More on this later
- Magda - Tore up the underground, and sound wasn't as bad as everyone predicted.
Highlights, Elsewhere:
- Yel3: Went for Spectral crew, but Speedy J stole the show.
- Drumcode: Great party until it prematurely ended.
- TV Bar: Kate Simko on the patio Monday morning kept me in a great mood despite surmounting odds.
- Old Miami: Looked about to get shut down, then rain, then music turned back up, rain stopped, party continued, poured rain, party continued. Left at 7 pm as they played what I think was an encore. Many less antics as I was expecting.
- Hawtin afterparty: Not sure what the venue was called on Shelby, but it was pretty nice, and a great party to end the weekend.
Lowlights, Personal Fails
- Drumcode: Early shutdown just before Beyer :whip:
- Ozer: disappointed me, but just different strokes, I guess. Along the same lines, the Red Bull stage was not my flavor most of the weekend.
- The boat: This is my own Epic Fail, as I overestimated my current tolerance to alcohol. I am very upset about this, and if I met you on the boat, I'm going to have to meet you again. :sadgreen: This disaster would also lead to one of the more aweful porcelain praising experiences of my life later after returning to hotel from TV bar. This, in turn, would lead to a late departure for Old Miami. Just bad news all around.
- Radio Slave (or, lack thereof): So, prior to the festival on Monday, I had not heard the news that Radio Slave did not make the trip. I had, however, previously seen pictures and vids of him. Still, upon arriving at the festival after Old Miami, I proceeded to convince myself that the guy playing was actually him, despite the guy's radically different appearance and slightly different tunes. It was a very enjoyable set, and to prolong my failures, I bragged to several people how "Radio Slave tore it up". I suck..... and still haven't heard who the guy actually was.
Special Thanks
- To everybody who I met and made this weekend enjoyable. There's too many of you to list, so I'm just gonna give luv to the whole group. You guys are all great, and I can't wait to do it again. I'm debating J00F and C&C events, and am very likely to make a trip up for the entire weekend surrounding Canada Day/Pride. So, thanx again, and c ya soon.
dan
hardcore_barbie
not sure if this is the right thread for it... but was anyone @ the vitamin stage when larry heard was spinning? he played a track that had the same lyrics repeated over & over:
"you (or he?) picks me up when i am down... [& then..] builds me up when i am down..." something along those lines.
it was the perfect track to dance to in the sun but i cant find anywhere what its called???
appreciate the help!
hardcore_barbie
oh i just realized it was right before 7pm on sunday cus we left for cassy right after... i think it was his 2nd last song. thank youuu!
v-vaughn
Any reviews on Paco??!! I'm just guessing amazing...
quote:
Originally posted by mickmack
seeing marco carola and richie hawtin go back-to-back on the boat
Whoa, sick!!!
Cribby I can't wait to read your review :D (mostly to hear about how the hard work we spent choreographing went!! :p)
london_ta
quote:
Originally posted by Sasha
well, i dont't feel bad for missing it then :p
no, that was only main stage .....richie closing party was insanity!!!
jchung52
quote:
Originally posted by DPetey81
Drumcell filled in/ Set was slamming. Didn't want to move to other stages
nadezhda
hands down WAY better musically than last year (apart from luciano vs loco dice). i feel like last year i spent too much time wandering around trying to find something that entertained me and not enough time shaking my tail feather.
highlights:
- cassy - best set i've ever had the pleasure of hearing from her in person. i've really only ever heard her play on the more mellow side, but i lost my . so good. <3
- plastikman - damn, yo. ok, so i nearly had a panic attack trying to escape from the crowd in the bowl, but once i managed to get out of there and find a spot near the top, i was able to enjoy myself. no, it wasn't all danceable, but i loved it. the lightshow was ridiculous too.
- richie hawtin @ beatport
- chris leibing @ beatport
- marco carola @ torino
- simian mobile disco @ red bull (bonus points for being covered in the rain!)
- old miami - less randomness than i was expecting and the music wasn't as good as i would have liked while we were there, but that's probably a blessing in disguise because it was way too hot while the sun was out for me to even entertain the notion of dancing. that being said, it was fun and something different and i would definitely go again. it was entertaining just for the people watching. the bar was so overwhelmed i couldn't even be bothered to wait for half an hour for a drink. i wonder how much money they bring in on this one day?
- the doubletree. i love that place! the cookie was perhaps the greatest baked good that i have ever eaten. and the bed was perhaps the greatest bed i have ever slept in. i thoroughly enjoyed my experience there. the suites were amazing. never staying at the shorecrest again!
- the cab driver back from old miami talking about how his mama didn't like his girlfriend. he was hysterical.
- the people in detroit. they are so freakin' friendly!
- make your own omelette and lucy and ethel's. so good and under $6.00! i love how everything is so cheap.
lowlights(?)
-rain on monday. i hate rain. i would have brought my wellies if i would have had any sort of forethought. ruined a shirt and my shoes are still covered in mud because i don't yet have the energy to clean them.
-detek party. loved voodeux (basically the only djs that i saw for an extended period of time at this party) but it took forever to get in, the place was completely rammed and just got too hot towards the end. i think we left just before claude von stroke came on. maybe if i wouldn't have been so exhausted i would have been able to deal with it more, but i dunno. disappointing. and my clothes had to be put into a "biohazard bag" afterwards because they smelled like i had been rolling around in an ashtray. i keep forgetting that you can smoke indoors in other cities. blech! to be honest, i think i'm kind of over the afterparties at DEMF. i could do without them next year. for the most part, i find them to be completely underwhelming.
-missing onur ozer's set. to be fair, i was just curious to see if he sounded as good as he looks. LOL.
am i missing anything? probably. had a great time, i'm never drinking again, and i need to sleep for a week to feel normal again.
