Anyways, I went with high expectations because I really like Schossow's podcast (Tone Diary) and his productions. We haven't really heard anybody play a good prog set at Beta and Schossow is one of the best progressive trance/house DJs out there at the moment, so I was looking forward to some excellent deep chuggy delicious grooves.
Unfortunately it was not to be; I was extremely disappointed with Schossow's set.
It wasn't proggy at all; it basically sounded like Benny Benassi/Sander Van Doorn. Big room synths, tech-trance, fat basslines, boring noise-house, popular swedish house, more tech-trance (and not the good kind).
I got there at around 11:15 and there was a big queue outside full of people who presumably were trying to take advantage of the "free before 11:30" offer. I don't really care and am glad to support Beta with my $10, but I understand why they want people in there on the first night of their new residency. I'm pretty sure the place was full; it seemed completely packed by the time Schossow got on. Both coat checks were full too; Beta needs another rack or three upstairs.
Kurtbradd opened and I caught the last 20 mins of his set. It was good but IMO too hard and too housey for Schossow. Kurt's last track (you can see in the video) was Above & Beyond - Sun & Moon... WTF?! I can't fathom for the life of me why Kurt would play this, especially since:
a) Schossow himself has remixed Sun & Moon and anyone could predict with 100% certainty that he intended to play it later in the night.
b) With its huge-ass trancey supersaw synth, it's way too trancey for the last track during the opening set for a guy like Schossow anyway.
Schossow cut the track off abruptly and cold-started his set with a bigass buildup.
Schossow's set was total MEH for me. Hung out with Stefan for a while who ended up leaving about an hour in to "go home and listen to some trance that doesn't suck". It did get better after the first hour where Schossow played mostly boring noise-house, but still was void of proggy goodness. IMO it was a mediocre trance set at best, but the crowd seemed happy with it. Schossow is a hilarious guy and really interacted well with the crowd (he sometimes completely cuts the sound abruptly to hype them up; not sure if everyone would like this but I found it amusing). Mixing was bug-free but mostly fast and boring; nothing special or interesting. Schossow played for about 2 hours 45 minutes, which is less than the "at least 3 hours" that Ryan promised on Facebook but was already longer than the 2 hours Schossow was originally booked for.
Sound was the best I've ever heard at Beta, I think. It's not nearly as bad anymore as it was at Gareth Emery. My favourite spot is still at the back just above the stairs by the downstairs coat check because there's a clear line-of-sight to the speaker stacks.
Lighting also underwent a huge improvement since I was last at Beta. I actually was very disappointed with the lighting at Andy Moor because the laser seldom went on, the lasers at the front were never used, the strobes weren't used properly, etc. This time, everything was perfect (I think perhaps their regular light op was not working during Andy Moor.) I can't overstate how much of a huge difference it makes. The programming and execution of Beta's lighting is the best I've ever seen at a club. (Just fix the dead spotlight in the middle please! I'm sure you're working on it, but it was dead at Andy Moor too.)
Overall, Beta's looking better than it ever has, but I don't think I'll be seeing Schossow again because I personally didn't like his set at all. I'd rather sit at home and listen to his podcast.
chris_leslie7
quote:
Originally posted by DJ_Elyot
Lighting also underwent a huge improvement since I was last at Beta. I actually was very disappointed with the lighting at Andy Moor because the laser seldom went on, the lasers at the front were never used, the strobes weren't used properly, etc. This time, everything was perfect (I think perhaps their regular light op was not working during Andy Moor.) I can't overstate how much of a huge difference it makes. The programming and execution of Beta's lighting is the best I've ever seen at a club. (Just fix the dead spotlight in the middle please! I'm sure you're working on it, but it was dead at Andy Moor too.)
Overall, Beta's looking better than it ever has, but I don't think I'll be seeing Schossow again because I personally didn't like his set at all. I'd rather sit at home and listen to his podcast.
Laser went major improvements and updates this week, its almost 100% operational. Gonna change the bounces, and try to add some difractions, There was issues with it so it was barely used. Learning new updated software as well for better shows. Laser I think really adds and finilizes the venue, makes everything think better IMO.
Andy Moor I was working, but also training someone else to do lighting/back up for me he's never used it before so its a learning process (as even I get better and know the system with time) as will he.
I didn't notice the light during Andy moor, but I noticed it this week, trying to figure out whats going on with it. View from my booth isn't the best.
AshyLarry
Dude, do you ever post anything positive in here? There's nothing wrong with a little constructive criticism but sheesh. BTW - you seem to enjoy cutting Kurt up on a regular basis...where do you spin?
FunkyCrew
quote:
Originally posted by AshyLarry
Dude, do you ever post anything positive in here? There's nothing wrong with a little constructive criticism but sheesh. BTW - you seem to enjoy cutting Kurt up on a regular basis...where do you spin?
you obviously haven't been on here long enough
Elyot writes constructive and detailed reviews and a lot of positive ones as well
ChemEnhanced
The only negative I see in the review was for the DJ. Everything about the club seemed to be positive for the most part. On any given night a DJ set is going to be hit or miss for someone you haven't seen live before.
GGM
It's criticism but it's constructive since he's giving reasons to support his opinion. Someone can actually read this and improve the club based on it and at the same time it gives a good view of the club's strengths/weaknesses to people who haven't been yet.
The alternative is "OMG best set ever. I know it's still early, but I think this was THE party of 2011!" or "Night sucked, club sucked, crowd sucked, set sucked..."
Beta
Feedback for the most part is GREAT.
The comment about Schossow's set time, is BLAH... crowd was thinning and I took him off.... We planned to stay open until 4am.... Waterloo crowd is not ready for after 3am yet....
1) Opening sets will be harder then somewhere live GUV. Waterloo can't do the BOOM BOOM BANG BOOM BOOM opening set. We need to separate our opening set and headlining set for these Saturday's to appeal to all crowds. Actually I feel Kurt's set needed to be a bit more commercial. Building a scene in Waterloo has never worked before because people that have tried to build it have been stuck to the "proper" way to do it..... Adjustments must be made to be successful and so far we are reaping the benefits of those adjustments.
2) Laser tech has been switched and YES HUGEEEEEEEE difference.
3) Sound is a lot better but we just need some revenue (booze) and will go four corner.
4) Schossow played exactly how he needed to to establish his residency at BETA, In a university town. I think it was BANG on.... It was not the great sounds of tone diary but it was what it needed to be and was alot of different sounds for 3 hours! (2 hours 48 mins)
5) Thanks for the support. I wish everyone would spend the $10 and buy a drink or 2. Average spend at bar was 0.75 beverages per patron. Pretty lame :)
Like always thanks for the feedback :)
Shaya007
I like how Beta compares itself to Guv once in a while
You're not Guv, You'll never be Guv.
Be Beta
constructively speaking of course
:toothless
DJ_Elyot
quote:
Originally posted by Beta
Feedback for the most part is GREAT.
The comment about Schossow's set time, is BLAH... crowd was thinning and I took him off.... We planned to stay open until 4am.... Waterloo crowd is not ready for after 3am yet....
1) Opening sets will be harder then somewhere live GUV. Waterloo can't do the BOOM BOOM BANG BOOM BOOM opening set. We need to separate our opening set and headlining set for these Saturday's to appeal to all crowds. Actually I feel Kurt's set needed to be a bit more commercial. Building a scene in Waterloo has never worked before because people that have tried to build it have been stuck to the "proper" way to do it..... Adjustments must be made to be successful and so far we are reaping the benefits of those adjustments.
2) Laser tech has been switched and YES HUGEEEEEEEE difference.
3) Sound is a lot better but we just need some revenue (booze) and will go four corner.
4) Schossow played exactly how he needed to to establish his residency at BETA, In a university town. I think it was BANG on.... It was not the great sounds of tone diary but it was what it needed to be and was alot of different sounds for 3 hours! (2 hours 48 mins)
5) Thanks for the support. I wish everyone would spend the $10 and buy a drink or 2. Average spend at bar was 0.75 beverages per patron. Pretty lame :)
Like always thanks for the feedback :)
Yeah, Beta seems to die around 2:30am which is too bad. I'm glad the headliners are starting earlier though.
I guess one should point out that what I personally enjoy in a DJ vs what is necessary for Beta to be commercially successful may not necessarily agree. But I'm not sure about openings being commercial. Barry's opening for Andy Moor was very commercial and it still didn't seem to be quite what the crowd wanted.
I think that you guys should just open with a premixed recording of 2 hours of Deadmau5 tracks. :P
(All kidding aside, I certainly hope that Kurt dropped HR 8938 Cephei and so on because IMO this is the type of opening material that will bring people to Beta).
Pretty much 100% agree with what you say regarding Schossow's set; hopefully people will be wanting to see him again and he'll be able to do things a bit proggier.
Are you always gonna have him as a solo headliner or would you ever have him play before another headliner?
Advertise drinks more? Mixed drinks with red bull and pineapple juice or something? I get the feeling that people don't even know that such things are available or don't know how to ask for them.
Concession could help too? We made about $3 per person selling fruit by the foot, toosie rolls, granola bars, and glowsticks at Jungleplasm on Friday.
Congrats on your DJ mag position BTW.
DJ_Elyot
And yeah, Beta is really nothing like Guv at all. Much better in every way imaginable; the only thing you need to do is clone Mark Oliver. :P
Beta
quote:
Originally posted by Shaya007
I like how Beta compares itself to Guv once in a while
You're not Guv, You'll never be Guv.
Be Beta
constructively speaking of course
:toothless
Hey we don't compare ourselves to GUV... Everyone else does. Different places :)
The only time I personally mention GUV is showing respect to the amazing venue (from BETA fan page) or on my personal page when my social media is not just copied but plagiarized. I do not mention it on BETA's page because imitation of the greatest form of flattery.
Example from today below :)
-------------
Beta
Thank-God there is nothing going on next week.
Marcus Schossow destroyed BETA. We will be busy cleaning tiny pieces of brain matter off the floor for the next week!
WOW... wow...
16 hours ago · 2257 · Unlike ·
The Guvernment
Thank-God there is nothing going on this week. @SteveAngello destroyed THE GUV. And did you hear which famous DJ showed up?
WOW... wow...
16 minutes ago · 43 · Like ·
Shaya007
quote:
Originally posted by DJ_Elyot
And yeah, Beta is really nothing like Guv at all. Much better in every way imaginable; the only thing you need to do is clone Mark Oliver. :P
