Up until last Friday I had succumb to the fact that these kinds of parties just didn’t exist anymore, at least not close to us here in Toronto. But Montreal’s Tribe Hyperclub crew came through BIG TIME with this one, reconfirming that with the right talent and production, the underground scene is still alive and kicking in Canada.

Being an old, line-up weary crew, we arrived very early and were able to catch virtually all of Spooky’s opening set… which was absolutely fantastic! Digital progressive; bumpy yet methodical, Charlie May and Duncan Forbes were ultra impressive. One in our posse thought it was the best set of the night and in many senses, I can’t disagree.

I’d love to know what Spooky was doing up there. The “Live” label should come with a program at the front door describing exactly what the set-up is. Nevertheless, this was our second time hearing the duo in 2007 and this appearance was every bit as cool as their DJ set at the WMC Proton Party in Miami.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Spooky - Live at WMC Proton Party - 03-21-07

I thought Sasha and Digweed were equally spectacular. Sasha played the most unique music; twisted, techy and very industrial sounding. Digweed definitely played the dance music out of the two; deep, driving and extremely groovy selections. I agree with some in our crew that the back to back session became a little stop and go, but that comes with the territory when you’re sharing the decks…. and only spinning MEGA BOMBS!!!

For as much as I’ll always have a soft spot for Sander, I don’t think he scored many points with the music heads when he opened with a Prince remix. From what I heard of the first hour and a half of his set, he didn’t dig too deep into the commercial cheese. He continued to move the room and sounded a little closer to his old, more underground form.

Huge props to the Tribe crew for the production of this event. The party was further evidence that great big room memories can still be made in this scene. The sound, though a smidgen too loud, filled the room with crystal clear precision. The stage presentation was incredible and the light show breathe taking.

The whole event was fueled by the booking of two DJs that in my opinion remain head and shoulders above the rest. Sasha & Digweed play the allusive bombs that seem tailor made to their styles. I’m certain these tracks are produced with only each of them in mind. Their styles contrast but perfectly connect at the same time. They seem to be getting better with time… I absolutely love it.

This was an extremely inspiring night for a promoter who is doing his best to recapture the “wow” factor in his clubbing life. I dream of hosting an event of this magnitude and pray one day bringthebeats will because Toronto deserves a party that reaches the legendary status this one definitely achieved.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 at 11:03 pm and is filed under Reviews, What's Going Down. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.