One of the things I love about traveling is checking out the party scene in the cities I visit. Since moving to Tokyo last August I have immersed myself into the culture of Japan as well as the nightlife. As strange as it may sound to some, I know that you will understand that I couldn’t move to a city without knowing that my cravings for long nights on the dance floor would be satisfied.
After eight solid years in the scene in Toronto, this is something that is deeply ingrained in me and it’s not going away any time soon, if ever. Tokyo is an amazing place to party; it’s definitely satisfied me in many ways. However, as in every city that hosts a nightlife there are things that could be improved. So what I want to share with you is all the great things I love about partying in Tokyo, as well as some of the things that I missed from the city I left a year ago.
Tokyo is home to some phenomenal nightclubs such as the infamous Womb, Yellow, AgeHa(Asia’s largest club), Air and many others around the city. But as we all know it’s not just the venue that creates a good night, it’s a combination of things, the crowd, the lighting and of course the music.
Having never partied in Asia before, I didn’t know what to expect. I had visions of the Guvernment where crowds of whacked out Asian’s cover the floor because their legs just can’t hold them up anymore. After a conversation with Luke Fair (who has headlined many clubs in Japan, including Womb) my worries were put to rest when he assured me that this in not what partying in Japan is like. He said that Japan is one of his favorite countries to play and now I understand why.
I have been to some very memorable parties in Japan, including my birthday party with Alex Fish of Holosound, Hed Kandi at Air and Spirit Catcher at AgeHa. However, most of the memories come from nights spent at Womb. The best parties were Nic Fancuilli and James Zabiela on their last stop of the `One + One` tour, the Danny Howells `Dig Deeper` birthday party, Ali Dubfire on his GU tour, SOS on the Balance 13 tour and most recently Hernan Cattaneo at Yellow for an extended twelve hour set. The energy on those nights was just electrifying!
Womb is outfitted by Phazon Sound. Just imagine a sea of Japanese people and foreigners jumping in unison to beats bellowing from one of the world’s best sound systems. It allows you to hear the amazing depth and strength of the music without leaving your ears ringing once you leave.
And the lights; to be on the dance floor of Womb is almost like dancing on another planet. While the sound envelopes your entire body, the lasers that shoot out from behind the DJ booth engulf you into a tunnel of spiraling colour, as if you are about to enter an endless hole. All of your senses are peaked and it’s what makes the music all the more amazing in that room.
Apart from the amazing technology and high energy crowds, there are some logistical things that really make a club night in Tokyo go much smoother. For example, the line-ups to get into the club; I remember freezing my mini skirt off many nights back in Toronto in the middle of winter, sometimes waiting in line for over an hour. In Tokyo the longest I ever waited was ten minutes.
Womb has fingerprint scanners so that you don’t have to bring your I.D. Just a quick press of your thumb onto the pad and all your information is there, putting you into the club that much faster.
Plus there are no body searches (except for AgeHa), which means you can bring anything into the club. My friend and I even brought in cans of beer in our purses!
To speed things up yet again, instead of waiting in a massive coat check line before and after the club, there are coin lockers. This makes things so much easier, if you want to bring a change of clothes for an after party its no problem!
Tokyo is a city full of conveniences and this has spilled over into the clubs. One thing I was really surprised to see, which has been amazingly convenient, is vending machines full of beer or Chu-Hi (Japanese vodka like cooler) inside the club. This eliminates waiting for bartenders or tipping. Of course there are bars inside the clubs, but there is no tipping at them either. I have come to love this. You don’t have to bribe the bartender with a big tip to give you quicker service; everyone is equal and served the same way.
This applies at restaurants too. I know we have all had those terrible servers that didn’t deserve a tip but we tipped them anyways just because we felt we had to. I used to be a waitress so I know how important tipping is, but Japan has changed my point of view. North America is pretty much the only place where tipping is still a rule. I think the rest of the world has it figured out, tipping sucks!
One thing I did miss was bathroom attendants. In their case, I think tipping is justified, if you are taking something. I used to take them for granted but in Japan when you find yourself without a hair elastic or without gum, there is no where to turn. I was really surprised this job hasn’t been created because most people who have been to Japan will contest; the service throughout the country is on a much higher scale than in the North America.
As a culture, Japanese people are overworked. The majority of people spend at least an hour on a crammed train (I mean so crammed there are actually `pushers` to pack them in like sardines in a can) to get to work, where they will stay for an average ten hour working day.
By the weekend they have a lot of stress to relieve. This is usually done with copious amounts of alcohol. Did I mention there’s no last call?! That is mostly seen as a good thing, but it can be dangerous. I know I drink way more in Tokyo then I do back in Toronto.
Although I have never seen a tripped out Japanese person on the floor, I have witnessed many who have drank until they passed out. The combination of long work weeks, plus endless amounts of booze, puts people here into a slumber in the funniest places. Imagine how drunk you have to be to pass out near some of the most powerful speakers in the world?
I have to admit though; I have done this a couple of times. However in my case, it wasn’t the alcohol that put me to sleep. It was the fact that I couldn’t take the train home until 6am (cabs are out of the question because they are so expensive). Normally staying out til 6am isn’t a problem for my energetic self, so why would I fall asleep? Well the music hasn’t always been the greatest.
Rarely was I able to find a local DJ with the kind of talent I have become accustomed to hearing back home. In Toronto I think we are spoiled with how many really good local DJs there are. There is some talent in Tokyo, but my critical ear has yet to hear real quality mixing. There has been a couple of times where I was pleasantly surprised, but in an entire year, way too few.
For me, part of the problem is that there is far more techno and hard electro being played, styles that I’m just not that into. Another possible reason why I haven’t been so impressed is that I haven’t exposed myself to enough local talent. That’s because on any given night, whether it’s a weekday or weekend, whether there is a world famous DJ headlining or not, cover is at least $25 (Womb, Yellow and AgeHa are always $40).
I would have to be guaranteed an incredible night for me to pay that much in Toronto and after a few nights in Tokyo of being completely bored with the music, I wasn’t going to dish out that kind of money again. That’s why I started to reserve my club nights only for DJs that I really wanted to see… I guess maybe that was a good thing.
Though I know this is a challenge for most cities (it’s what we at bringthebeats have struggled with in Toronto for years), but Tokyo is lacking a venue that can draw a dedicated, quality house crowd on a weekly basis. Some clubs have come close, such as Yellow. But by the time you read this, Yellow will have closed its doors after twelve solid years as one of Tokyo’s best underground nightclubs (the building it resides in is unfortunately being demolished). The closing of this club was a lot like when System Soundbar closed its doors; it was a very sad occasion for all the people who had many amazing nights at Yellow over the years.
As in any city with a thriving nightlife, this is a natural evolution that can not be stopped. I have only been away from Toronto for a year and I hear there have already been numerous changes there too. We can`t stop promoter politics or legal issue from invading our nocturnal world, but we can focus our passion into making the nightlife we love as enjoyable as possible.
I think Tokyo has done a great job with running a smooth nightlife in almost all aspects, which has made my time here extremely enjoyable. If you ever have the chance, make the trip to Tokyo and explore it for yourself, it truly is a city that never sleeps!
It’s all about making a party live up to the hype for the promoter, DJ and floor. This past Saturday, when Brad Copeland and Luke Fair once again displayed how a perfect night of house music should be put together, it happened.
Mad family obligations delayed my arrival until just after Luke stepped up, but from what I heard after the show and through text messages during his set, Brad “warmed the room proper.”
Someone so skilled is essential for the overall success of a night like this. Luke plays such a distinct style from what most headliners play in this market right now and only a multi facetted talent like Brad can prepare the floor for such a unique experience.
When I walked in the room at 1am the place was sizzling, thanks to Brad.
After playing his last two sets in Toronto in a bar, not a club, it was amazing to finally have Luke in an underground space. And let me tell you he delivered like never before in this more appropriate environment.
Straight up, this was a top five set I’ve ever heard. Probably my all time favourite from Luke, this might even push it into the top two.
His programming is absolutely flawless. Few move a room so deliberately… maybe Danny Howells or Sasha and Digweed when all the stars are aligned? He weaves in and out of genres and never loses pace; I’ve have to assume that’s super tough to do.
Luke’s “filler” builds so much tension and intensity, the peak tracks go off with four times their natural force. All the tracks are so deep, smooth and sexy, even when they’re driving and deadly. It’s accessible underground house music, my favourite for sure.
The night was so amazing we could barely catch our breath to stop and take a couple shots. But we did manage to take a few good snaps that’ll help trigger the memories of this hard to forget event.
Yes the Winter Music Conference was great; amazing music, even better people. The weather was excellent and it was soooo nice to let loose without any responsibilities other than to remember to sleep and eat. But as I become more involved in the scene – and increasingly jaded I guess – I start to see things with a more critical eye.
It was ANOTHER year of technical difficulties. So many venues had shotty sound. I know Miami doesn’t have a strong House scene outside of conference, but this week comes around every year, with much, much notice, you figure the venues would give the promoters a hand and ensure the set-ups are absolutely perfect when these world-class events go down.
And holy shit, aren’t you totally sick of paying $8 for water and $10 plus for drinks? I know there’s a free pour policy down south, but someone has to tell South Beach that more doesn’t necessarily mean better… like I don’t need a Flintstone sized helping for every meal either!
Don’t get even get me started on the fact the city doesn’t recycle… soooo gross!!
But enough of the bickering - I’ll save that barney’s blazes (coming soon) - the week really was awesome, with so many long lasting memories and friendships made once again. Here are some day by day highlights of bringthebeats’ WMC ‘08. (more…)
Ever since I first interviewed Alex Fish of Holosound last year we’ve kept in close contact. I had been a fan for quite awhile, hoping that Holosound would make it to Toronto before I left for Japan. When this didn’t happen I was pretty disappointed, thinking that it would be a long time until I got to hear their ‘Illectro’ sounds live.
So when Alex mentioned that he was thinking of making a stop in Tokyo on his way to Thailand, I really wanted to make some sort of event happen. Not only did I want to hear Alex spin, but I finally wanted to meet a friend who I had never actually seen face to face. Plus, it just so happened he was going to arrive on my birthday, the perfect day for a crazy introduction to Tokyo.
Anyone who has ever tried to get a gig in Tokyo knows how difficult it is. There’s an over population of Japanese DJ’s in Tokyo who make it hard for outside talent to get booked. And unless you are a superstar DJ, clubs are very reluctant to pay for flights. Even the DJs who live here have trouble getting decent gigs.
So when Alex asked me to help out I knew there was almost nothing I could do. Of course I asked around, but on such short notice I didn’t know how we were going to make it happen.
The only person who I knew that could possibly get a club for a CiTRiC party was DJ Que, who Alex put me in contact with when I first got to Japan. When Que finally pulled through with a decent venue I was so excited. I now had a wicked party to promote for my birthday.
On February 16th (the day after my birthday) we all headed to a traditional Japanese izakaya for a warm up dinner. Alex and I were both pretty hurting from the crazy night we had at Womb the night before, but after we filled our bellies and quenched our thirst, we were ready to get the party going. I rounded up the crew and we headed down to the club for 11:30pm, picking up friends on street corners along the way.
None of us had been to Club Ever before, so we didn’t know what to expect. Upon entering we made our way downstairs to the bar and passed a large dimly lit lounge area filled with white couches. To the right of the bar was a dark dance floor, one light and a large screen which projected visuals.
After a few visits to the bar and Que’s fantastic warm up set, Alex was ready to work his magic. I don’t know who was more excited, him or I. Once he got behind the decks, the dance floor immediately picked up. He mixed a beautiful set of classic tracks, high energy build ups and fresh new vocal beats that had everyone smiling.
Prior to Alex’s arrival in Tokyo I asked him what he was going to play. He said that people were telling him to play techno, and of course I said “NO!” We hear way too much of that here. Alex knew the crowd I was going to bring had a different kind of ear, a kind he definitely satisfied that night.
Now you get to be the judge. I listened to the entire two hour set again while lying on my bed the other day and it was really hard to stay still. This was one of the best birthday’s I have ever had. Thank you Alex Fish for making your Tokyo dreams a reality!
Jeff Button maintained status quo by simmering the dance floor to perfection in the early hours. It has to feel wicked to have one of your favs walk up to the decks while you have 300 locked in a groove. Jeff’s getting to know this feeling all too well.
There’s a crazy level of nervous anticipation when you’ve booked a top level DJ. You know he’s going to rock it, you just hope you can come through on your end. Add on the threatening weather and the phenomenal rush from the music and floor was well deserved when the party was absolutely going off at peak time.
Jody Wisternoff quite simply torched the place. A flood of unreleased tracks and edits, always mixed at the perfect pace, overwhelmed The Mod Club. Jody came through big time at a time that our crew and all of the EXPOSED faithful needed a release from the dark days of this season.
And I know its becoming cliché, but progressive is far from dead. If it’s kept updated and anything but obvious, it’s truly the best electronic music out there (in btb’s humble opinion only… of course).
Our original goal with the bringthebeats bookings was to bring in one fresh artist each month and debut them in Toronto on The Mod Club stage. Admittedly this was a pretty lofty goal considering how competitive the T.O. scene is and how clubbers have become so attached to particular DJs and sounds.
Though we did our best to stick to this policy, we decided to bend our own rules after Neil Quigley’s EXPOSED performance in November. He was so impressive we knew we had to bring him back asap. There wasn’t nearly enough progressive house heads on the floor for his first visit and we needed to expose more of the EXPOSED faithful to this wicked talent.
We rolled the dice with this mid winter booking - on a Friday of a long weekend - and are we ever glad we did. Neil’s first EXPOSED.live recording provided all the promotion we needed. There was so much hype around that set; people were forced to brave the cold and a potentially long party weekend to check out Neil’s second Toronto appearance.
He definitely didn’t disappoint. We couldn’t believe that it could happen, but Neil was even more on point this time than last. He still had the enthusiasm of playing in a new market, but now he was more comfortable with the crowd, vibe and venue. He was finely tuned in every aspect and put together three hours of some of the highest quality dance music played anywhere in the world.
We’re extremely proud to have jump started what seems to be a loyal and extremely up for it following for Neil Quigley in this city. Combined with Jeff Button, the hottest new local DJ in Toronto right now, Quiggers has provided two of the most successful btb bookings of EXPOSED so far. He’s become a “can’t miss” event, so if you didn’t make it to either of the first two, don’t miss the next one, I’m sure he will be even better whenever it goes down.
Look for the set coming soon after Neil’s Kiss mix is aired on John Digweed’s radio show next month. He can’t let out all the secret gems at once.
If there was one guy that could brave the Canadian cold and put on a show despite a blizzard, NYE hangover or any other January blahs excuse, it’s Eli Wilkie. And of course B.C. is always the perfect wingman. These two complete madmen put on a show for the EXPOSED hardcore with some kick ass comedy house.
It was a pretty interesting mix of people on the floor for this event. Many thanks to the bringthebeats following that came out to support. Our promotions group and of course our good friends Eli and Brad Copeland definitely appreciated the kick ass energy you all brought to the night.
I’d say the craziest aspect of the party had to be the girl on stage left. People on the stage have been a dilemma throughout our first six months, and to tell you the truth, we’d rather people not be up near the booth.
But this girl, who I’m sure you can all point out in the pics, was so over the top that we had to let her continue to do her thing. I’ll leave it at that because you really had to be there to believe what she was up to, but I will give her props for some absolutely uninhibited, funky ass moves.
Brad played a more up tempo opener than his December gig with Naveen G. He’s just so freaking versatile. Brad can play in any roll, across so many genres and make it flow like no other. Dude is awesome, no question.
In many senses, Eli was the night. His relentless enthusiasm and appreciation for being behind the decks was super satisfying for our team. He rocked it out especially hard for the EXPOSED faithful, but maintained his signature, light-hearted sound. Eli has serious skills, but his sets are far from that. How injected pure fun into the night was most refreshing for us.
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.
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.
Luke Fair in Argentina, Sasha & Digweed boat cruises, the 2005 Bedrock party at the WMC, the Sander K’s and Tyrant at Stereo, Danny Howells at Breathe and even Mauro Picotto on Canada Day waaay back, all were amazing events. However for me, one most definitely stands out from the rest.
Of all the parties I’ve ever been to – all the dance floor “journeys” - only twice have I been completely and utterly under the control of the DJ in the booth from beginning to end.
The first was at one of Toronto’s most posh nightclubs ever, Meow. That was an incredible night, in probably the most gorgeous venue the city has seen. It was the first time I can honestly say that I experienced next level electronic music.
But for as great as Sasha was at Meow, it wasn’t “Sasha at Aria.” That party on October 18, 2002 remains my favourite of all time, no doubt.
In the early 2000’s you could find as many as 30 - 50 of our friends on any dance floor in Toronto or Montreal that was hosting a progressive house talent. Our Toronto crew was locked into a continuous groove born out of the legendary Friday nights of Breathe at System Soundbar. Add the throngs of locals and Americans that were also obsessed with the progressive sounds of the day, and each and every event we hit up in Montreal had the potential to be the “best ever.”
Every other disc, the entire ride from T.O. to Montreal, was Sasha’s most recent Kiss FM. With the Airdrawndagger tour in full swing, Sasha was only on top form and this set was a fine example of what we were about to hear at Aria.
We arrived at our most gracious francophone hosts, poured a few cocktails, cleaned up a little and then we were off to an event of a lifetime.
As always, Aria was rammed upon arrival. Chris Fortier was already on the decks and the phenomenal vibe that consistently encompassed Montreal dance floors was in full effect. We made our rounds but quickly settled into a spot at the front right of the magical Aria booth.
The anticipation for Sasha to hit the decks was almost unbearable, and the tension built by Fortier’s opener made the butterflies circle even faster. When the puppet master finally hit the decks I remember a feeling like I’ve never felt before. I was with my best friends, at one of the best clubs in the world, standing in front of who I still think is the best DJ in the world… this was absolute clubbing satisfaction.
There was a pink haze hovering over the room. The retractable lights filled the space with the most magnificent colour and the sound system, which always presented the highs with incredible brilliance - ideal for Sasha’s sound - was perfectly tuned.
From melodic to blazing, Sasha guided us through the whole spectrum of his musical genius. When on, he’s THE conductor of electronic sounds and on the floor stands a memorized audience in awe of a most efficient and magnificent one man orchestra. On this night Sasha was totally on!!
I’d say we spent half the night dancing and the other half jumping. Each build was across four or five tracks and all the selections melted one into the next. The breakdowns were MASSIVE! It was an emotional roller coaster ride of the greatest kind.
The encore track was Underworld’s “Cowgirl.” The remaining of the tight crew, which was about 20 at 10am, joined sweaty arms to form a circle right in front of the man himself. It sounds and really was cheesy, but the euphoria of the moment brought us all together to enjoy the final track as one.
As the build up climaxed, we all broke free and mayhem ensued. I don’t think I’ve ever come even close to feeling that good on a dance floor again.
The almost immediate ride home was one of the best we had throughout our over two-plus year run of monthly trips to Montreal. We continued to kill the Kiss FM and stepped back even five years earlier to Sasha & Digweed’s Northern Exposure Tour Triple J Mix Up from 1997; mind blowing music that has withstood the test of time even to this day.
The rest of the weekend included another Sasha experience at the Kool Haus and one of the craziest after parties we ever endured. It’s all just a blur really, as I was hanging onto the bliss of Saturday morning to get me through the next two days. However, I do know this time after the Aria trip helped enforce friendship bonds that will last forever… most definitely the best clubbing times of my life, for sure.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve told the “Sasha at Aria” story. If you ask Adriana, waaaay too many. You can surely blame this night for much of the passion I still feel for the scene, the music and the people that put it all together.
It was like a gift from God that I came across these four videos from this most memorable event. I now have visual proof to accompany what many must regard as simply a tale and not a real life, larger than life experience… like it truly was.
With a big commercial party going on at TIL and solid bookings at both Footwork and Revival just across the street, we knew we were facing a lot of challenges leading up to this night.
But its quality, not necessarily quantity that’s important and for this event we couldn’t have asked for a better group of people on the dance floor. And thankfully, the one thing we do have under our control, came through as always… absolutely fantastic underground house music.
It had been two months since Brad Copeland’s last EXPOSED appearance - two months waaaaay to long. He assumed the warm up duties for the first time at EXPOSED, a position in which our crew fell in love with him during the progressive glory days of Fridays at Stereo in Montreal. Though he’s moved on to become a world class headliner since then, he definitely hasn’t lost his touch in the set-up role.
Brad finds a way to combine pace with deep selections, warming the floor like only a few can. I’ve never met a DJ who didn’t appreciate the way Brad handed off the decks, and this event was no different. The entire floor was moving and in great spirits as he wrapped up. Naveen couldn’t have asked for a better vibe to be left with.
Fresh off some really cool gigs in South America, Naveen G made his first trip north and most definitely didn’t disappoint. Aware that there was a large bringthebeats crew on the floor, he started off on a housier tip which totally pleased the btb faithful. His selections showcased the highs and mids, a stark contrast from the bass heavy beats that have dominated the past few EXPOSED events.
Naveen literally bobbed and weaved through the entire progressive house genre with many unexpected turns and many, many uplifting moments. As a friend pointed out on the floor, you can tell he’s an intelligent person, as he’s extremely systematic at the decks. Like a surgeon of sorts… oh yeah he is an MD… go figure! It really was incredible to see and hear someone who understands the music and the importance of “playing it all” while maintaining a flow.
Though I wish we could have brought more people to the club to experience the overwhelming talent of this totally wicked dude, Naveen himself made this a night to remember. And in the end, that’s really what it’s all about; letting the DJ set the pace, establish the vibe and the rest of us just jump in and enjoy the ride.
There is a huge amount of stress a promoter feels when he or she is bringing in an underground talent that may not be that well known by the T.O. clubbing masses. My worldwide contacts thought I was crazy; “Dude, its Neil Quigley?!” But I knew that even though Neil is supported by some of the most established brands in the business and is ultra popular in Europe, the majority of Toronto had yet to discover this incredibly talented DJ / producer.
My stress level was amplified ten-fold when Jeff Button’s car stalled on the highway in Mississauga just minutes before he was to open the room. Thanks to Manfred’s driving beats, a two track fill-in and an efficient cab driver, Jeff’s delay wasn’t an extended one and the night began with barely a hiccup.
Jeff spun his signature silky smooth and stylish opener and had the floor right into it when Neil walked on. To my very pleasant surprise there were a lot of Neil Quigley fans up front and centre when I walked him to the booth. Their excitement truly took the room’s energy to the next level and from track number one of Neil’s headline set the party was completely off the charts.
Neil’s opening track had this super sexy vocal sample. That track melted into another with a funky, funky Mediterranean vibe, highlighted by island drums and horns. Soon enough it got darker and deeper, with chuggy tribal baselines, and before you knew it, it had switched back to a driving progressive and then to a more melodic house feel.
All night Neil weaved in and out of genres, but it was always deep and the mixing was absolutely seamless. Rarely have I heard such an eclectic array of House music within one set, from one DJ. Neil is a class performer; no wonder Bedrock, Renaissance and Urbantorque have brought him on to their most prestigious stables.
In most respects this night was a success, but I have to tell you it’s still a struggle trying to get people off the name game and committed to a new fresher outlook on clubbing. Despite his vast experience within the UK club scene, Neil was and maybe still remains a relatively unknown talent within the Toronto market.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure this night turned a lot of people on to Neil and the funkier, more light hearted and fun (imo) side of house, but we still have a long way to go before the city’s clubbing faithful put their complete trust back into the promoter and the venue and not just DJ Mag’s Top 100 list.
This is the way it was back in my early Breathe days and it’s that kind of attitude and booking that still has me completely addicted to the music many, many years later. This is what we’re trying to build with EXPOSED.
I can’t believe it’s been five years since we first put bringthebeats online. The btb concept has always been from a “dance floor” perspective; even our parties have remained relatively small, more intimate affairs. Until now… until EXPOSED.
I also can’t believe we’ve finally found a Toronto DJ that likes it as deep and funky as we do. Jeff Button is a serious breath of fresh air for us new school House lovers. To be able to walk into the room and not be immediately blown back on our heels by big banging beats is a dream for our crew. J Butts keeps it smooth and groovy and that’s exactly what we ordered for this very special night for bringthebeats.
The absolute bliss that came over all of us when Jeff handed the decks over to Ricky Ryan is almost indescribable. It’s not only about the beautiful music and high level skill that this South American wonder-boy possesses; it’s his purest of attitudes that makes him such a special person. He embraces all aspects of the scene and cherishes every moment he’s a part of it. In our opinion, he’s most definitely a cut above the rest and we were completely overjoyed to finally have him in a proper club atmosphere in Toronto.
I’ll steal a description of Ricky’s EXPOSED appearance from Andy Reid of NocturnalMagazine.net, because his 11 plus years in the biz and skills as a DJ / producer hold a whole hell of a lot of credibility.
“EXPOSED continues it’s reign as the king of fresh and rising global talent as this week none other Ricky Ryan aka Can Costa touched down all the way from Argentina for his Toronto debut. This much anticipated appearance didn’t disappoint as Ricky drove through his trademark funky progressive sounds with dashes of dark tribal and crunchy tech-house thrown in for good measure…”
Really I couldn’t have said it any better, so I won’t. I’ll simply mention that this is surely not the last we’ll hear of this amazing talent in Toronto and expect even more from Ricky when he touches down on Canadian soil once again.
Brad Copeland closed out the night and totally put together the perfect set following Ricky. He started off on a funky tip, but with a noticeable increase in pace for the late night floor dwellers. It quickly became super clubby and the hardcores totally ate it up.
I totally became overwhelmed by his versatility, as Brad transitioned into gritty Progressive and back to more melodic House. Maybe it was the harmony of the entire event that brought on such feelings, as I’ve always known Brad is a DJ that can play it all. But on this night there was something different, what he was doing up there seemed absolutely extraordinary to me.
We’ve yet to give Brad his full due at EXPOSED. With so many sounds and so many DJs lined up to play for the night, we haven’t had the chance to get Brad in the headline spotlight. But when we do, in January, expect some real floor filling stuff.
One of the things I love about traveling is checking out the party scene in the cities I visit. Since moving to Tokyo last August I have immersed myself into the culture of Japan as well as the nightlife. As strange as it may sound to some, I know that you will understand that I couldn’t move to a city without knowing that my cravings for long nights on the dance floor would be satisfied.
Womb is outfitted by Phazon Sound. Just imagine a sea of Japanese people and foreigners jumping in unison to beats bellowing from one of the world’s best sound systems. It allows you to hear the amazing depth and strength of the music without leaving your ears ringing once you leave.
This applies at restaurants too. I know we have all had those terrible servers that didn’t deserve a tip but we tipped them anyways just because we felt we had to. I used to be a waitress so I know how important tipping is, but Japan has changed my point of view. North America is pretty much the only place where tipping is still a rule. I think the rest of the world has it figured out, tipping sucks! 
I would have to be guaranteed an incredible night for me to pay that much in Toronto and after a few nights in Tokyo of being completely bored with the music, I wasn’t going to dish out that kind of money again. That’s why I started to reserve my club nights only for DJs that I really wanted to see… I guess maybe that was a good thing.
It’s all about making a party live up to the hype for the promoter, DJ and floor. This past Saturday, when 
His programming is absolutely flawless. Few move a room so deliberately… maybe Danny Howells or Sasha and Digweed when all the stars are aligned? He weaves in and out of genres and never loses pace; I’ve have to assume that’s super tough to do.
Ever since I first interviewed Alex Fish of 
The only person who I knew that could possibly get a club for a CiTRiC party was DJ Que, who Alex put me in contact with when I first got to Japan. When Que finally pulled through with a decent venue I was so excited. I now had a wicked party to promote for my birthday.
Though we did our best to stick to this policy, we decided to bend our own rules after 
It was a pretty interesting mix of people on the floor for this event. Many thanks to the bringthebeats following that came out to support. Our promotions group and of course our good friends Eli and Brad Copeland definitely appreciated the kick ass energy you all brought to the night.
Being an old, line-up weary crew, we arrived very early and were able to catch virtually all of 
From melodic to blazing, Sasha guided us through the whole spectrum of his musical genius. When on, he’s THE conductor of electronic sounds and on the floor stands a memorized audience in awe of a most efficient and magnificent one man orchestra. On this night Sasha was totally on!!
Brad finds a way to combine pace with deep selections, warming the floor like only a few can. I’ve never met a DJ who didn’t appreciate the way Brad handed off the decks, and this event was no different. The entire floor was moving and in great spirits as he wrapped up. Naveen couldn’t have asked for a better vibe to be left with.
Jeff spun his signature silky smooth and stylish opener and had the floor right into it when Neil walked on. To my very pleasant surprise there were a lot of Neil Quigley fans up front and centre when I walked him to the booth. Their excitement truly took the room’s energy to the next level and from track number one of Neil’s headline set the party was completely off the charts.
The absolute bliss that came over all of us when Jeff handed the decks over to Ricky Ryan is almost indescribable. It’s not only about the beautiful music and high level skill that this South American wonder-boy possesses; it’s his purest of attitudes that makes him such a special person. He embraces all aspects of the scene and cherishes every moment he’s a part of it. In our opinion, he’s most definitely a cut above the rest and we were completely overjoyed to finally have him in a proper club atmosphere in Toronto.
