By: Dave Elliott

November 19th, 2003 - Club Medusa
2218 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA

Every once in a while I get the urge to make the 3 hour trek from Portland to Seattle to see a show. A recent D:Fuse show was the stimulus this time around along with the fact that the show was being held at a very interesting club that I had never been to. Located in downtown Seattle is a mid-sized venue called Club Medusa. Previously a Mediterranean restaurant, the space has been renovated in fine style to produce a very unique atmosphere.

Upon entrance to the club you pass through two 20-foot sculpted Spartan guards that loom over you setting the tone for the club. Imported Italian floors, marble bar tops, and massive stone columns give the sense that you stepped back into the future of ancient Rome. The main dancefloor area in the back is the real highlight of the club. According to Club Medusa’s website the lighting system was designed by the same technician who provided the light show for the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and the sound is  Seattle’s only linear concert-grade speaker system. The sound was very clear, loud enough to fill the floor and get the crowd rockin’, but thankfully not so loud as to make a conversation with someone a shouting match. It could have used a little more low-end, but I am sure that with a little EQing the sound could be perfect.

We arrived a bit late due to the drive time to find that D:Fuse had already taken the decks, but looked as though he had just set up and was on his first track. We grabbed some drinks from the back bar and settled into the dancefloor just below the booth, which was situated about ten feet off the ground above a flowing fountain. Club owner Benjamin Blackburn informed us that the booth will soon be extending out over the fountain to provide a more connected feel between the floor and the DJ, but as it was it gave a really good vantage point between dancers and DJ. Speaking of dancers, there is a mezzanine above the dancefloor where the clubs dancers perform for the crowd. On this night they were representing with the cowboy hats….don’t mess with Texas! Around the room at different levels were glass windows framed in the wall giving the impression that you were in some courtyard. This was visually very cool!  And if that wasn’t enough to keep your attention, a short way into D:Fuse’s set a girl came out and climbed up on a trapeze rope and performed just above the heads of dancers below.

Catch D:Fuse and Djsinbox’s own Dave Elliott on October 11^th at Level in Portland, Oregon. You can check out Dfuse mixes on his website at www.djdfuse.com


By: Dave Elliott

April 5th, 2003
LOÖQ Hard At 111 Minna St. Gallery San Francisco

Having lived on the West Coast for just over two years without visiting San Francisco is quite simply a crime to the soul, especially if you are a fan of electronic music. This fact was made clear to me after completing my first ever excursion there recently. Overall a splendid trip, the highlight of the short weekend getaway and the excuse I used to go was the April installment of a monthly party called Loöq Hard at the 111 Minna St. Gallery located in the SOMA district of downtown San Francisco. This art gallery features rotating exhibits from local artists and sports a DJ setup, two bars, and a more than ample sound system. Loöq Hard, thrown by Jondi and Spesh's San Francisco based Loöq Records happens every month on the first Saturday and features a single four hour set by a top DJ. Tonight's set came from Loöq Records frontman himself, DJ Spesh.

We arrived to an already hoppin' crowd and entry was quick and simple. First things first -----the staff of this venue was VERY nice and it really made for a pleasant experience. We later found out that the girl taking money at the door was none other than Jackie from Loöq. The drink tickets and the overall hospitality were greatly appreciated, thanks Jackie! From the moment we stepped in the door we were bathed in the infectious sounds of the always spot-on turntable stylings of Spesh. Apparently we missed the downtempo/ambient atmosphere of the earlier hour, but Spesh was well into laying down a smooth prog-house groove and the dancefloor was already filling up. In attendance was what seemed to be a really good mix of clubbers out to experience something a bit more sophisticated than the average club night.

What was most notable about this party was it's tremendous sense of style. The dancefloor area of this basically L-shaped venue was divided above by a giant, sheer white tapestry hanging from the  ceiling and guarded by a giant metal dragonfly sculpture. Throughout the night the tapestry was bombarded by a high-speed slide show projection visible from all areas of the dancefloor. This streaming consciousness of images was laced with shots from previous Loöq parties and Loöq flyers, and a video of two dancing stick figures sporting smiling DJ Spesh heads (quite funny actually). Up high on one of the walls was a color projection of Spesh that read "DJ eSpeshial". It had a look to it that like all Loöq "propaganda" really stood out. A look that led me to do some research after the trip and find out what the scoop was on the style that Loöq is trying to portray. I spoke with Loöq art director  (yes they actually have an art director) Christian Mathews. His take on DJs is that they "really have this matador thing going on: the nod, the tilt of the head, the hands, the crowd, the direct attention." His ad campaign focuses on the confident matador-like photos of the DJ but with a dash of punk attitude. "Techno is often sold as this sublime and otherworldly, airbrushed and illustrated made-up futura and it's not at all" says Mathews. "It's got a dingy, unique politicized and stylized grass roots core --- in essence its punk. The Loöq Hard color palette was already set with red and black so bigger, bolder type, torn edges, un poco espanol, a touch of the typewriter --- stir, shake and back ---- PUNK MATADOR!"  But this is no shake and bake operation. It was to me that the location of this party was deliberately chosen and the atmosphere carefully crafted to create a unique clubbing experience.

I strayed from the dancefloor for a bit to check out the non-dancefloor side of the gallery which was designated no-alcohol for the night (a temporary sanction apparently). Comfortable chairs and couches were spread out over a beautiful hardwood floor with a long, nicely decorated bar. The lighting was a bit brighter than the rest of the club making art appreciation easier, but was still low-key enough to provide a perfect chill-out atmosphere. Mackie monitors above piped in enough of the music to allow you to easily hold a conversation  but still stay with the DJ Spesh, who by now was pumping some full tilt progressive jams. Oh and always a bonus ---- I-Macs hooked up to the net for surfing pleasure!  I logged on and shot friends an email telling them where I was and how much fun I was having.

Great music, unique atmosphere and great people made this overall the best time that I had on my first visit to San Francisco. It's also worth mentioning that the space had an excellent barstaff --- especially Rosie ---- and a killer beer selection. The Guinness pints were good and they had the king of beers: CHIMAY! Our group of ten stayed until the end and a great time was had by all. I highly recommend attending one of these parties whenever the chance arises and if DJ Spesh happens to make it to your area of the world don't miss it. If you happen to find yourself in San Francisco on the first weekend of the month and are looking for a first-class throwdown, don't look hard ----LOÖQ HARD!

Loöq Records also hosts a weekly event every Wednesday at the 111 Minna St. Gallery called Qoöl Happy Hour from 5pm until 10pm. Resident DJs include Jondi, Spesh, Mark Musselman, Jerry Bonham, Alex Whalen, Jonathon Ojeda, and many more on an ever growing list.


by: Dave Elliott

Saturday April 26th, 2003
Resident Alien Party

USC EVENTS presents Heaven: DAVE RALPH "Resident Alien" CD Release Party @ Noiselab in Seattle, WA

This was the final excursion of a weeklong outing to Seattle that began on Friday with one of the worst DJ sets I have ever heard (DJ name omitted) and ended with Dave Ralph, a name synonymous with quality. This was the third time I have caught one of his sets live (and have heard many a recording) and he has always been spot-on with tonight probably being the best that I have heard. Of course, it's not always about the DJ. The venue and the vibe play an equally important role and this place had both going for it.

Noiselab, located at 925 E Pike St. in downtown Seattle, WA, has been USC Event's location of choice for hosting some serious talent recently. Tonight was a prime example. We arrived shortly before midnight and picked up our VIP bracelets and headed into the venue with ease, as there was virtually no line. This was our first time attending an event here so we immediately began to scope things out. I don't know who the DJ was that was playing but I think his name was Ryno and it sounded really good coming from a well placed and very well amplified sound system. Several projection setups were going on both sides of the DJ booth that was located in the main front room and there were some cool decorations that were obviously brought in especially for the evening. The venue was really interesting. At first it seemed like a maze, as there were so many places to go. There was a low balcony on one side for VIP and another balcony towards the back of the room. They both joined together and entered a second floor room with a small bar and another DJ setup where some downtempo/loungy tunes were being played. Off the backside of the room, which was actually a balcony itself, was yet another first floor room with another bar that seemed to be the main spot for acquiring libations. As this was an 18+ event, alcohol was restricted to certain areas (most disappointingly the dance floor..but what can you do?) and most people were back here fueling up for the main event. On the second floor off to the side of the back room was an arcade with all of the classics: Frogger, Pac-Man, Burgertime, Joust, Defender, Tron, Missile Command. I had to play a game of Tron and relive my youth for a moment. I bit it on the second round of tanks! After checking out the place we settled in on the VIP balcony with a beverage and waited for Dave to arrive.

Dave Ralph arrived shortly before his set time of 12:30 and the place had filled up quite nicely by then and it looked like a good crowd. The mix of minors and legals was about equal and people were spread out over the entire club, but most of the minors were on the dance floor due to the alcohol restrictions. I headed up to the booth to chat with Dave for a moment and catch up. He said he had been really busy in the studio and had a lot of new material to play for us and seemed really excited to do so. At right around 12:30 he took the decks and proceeded to rock it in fine style. The sound was kicked up a notch and Dave wasted no time getting things going. I recognized very few tracks but was able to get a nod when I heard something that I thought was a Dave Ralph original. One of his first few tracks was a beautiful progressive-house vocal piece with a female proclaiming "It's gonna be alright!". It was more than alright! The hammer came down pretty quick as he proceeded to lay waste to the dance floor with some serious stompers for the next 2-½ hours. During his set people hopped up on big boxes on both sides of the booth and proceeded to be the Dave Ralph cheerleading squad (one girl giving us a fine display of plumber's butt!). Dave rode the decks all the way up until the scheduled closing time of 3am and was spot-on the whole time with the exception of a skipping cd. He tried to overcome that but then just rammed the mix to the next record and laughed it off. The crowd cheered! As the last track ended someone from USC Events was right there with a microphone thanking Dave and thanking the crowd for a splendid night. I proceeded to yell "One more!" and was joined by the rest of the room. We got what was probably the finest encore I have ever heard. Dave grabbed the mic and told us he had been digging through some old records and ran across one that he had not played in a long time: a dance remix of Ice-T's "New Jack Hustler" (remix of the song from the New Jack City Soundtrack). The crowd went completely nuts!

This was one of the best shows I have attended in the Northwest to date. The 18+ crowd was actually a breath of fresh air as the kids that aren't old enough to drink (and there were tons of them) were there to throw down and did so in fine style. Great crowd, great club, and a slammin' set from Dave Ralph who is truly one of the great masters of the art. Quality night!

Visit www.uscevents.com for upcoming Heaven events at Noislab in Seattle, WA.


By: Dave Elliott

Chris Fortier @ Ohm

Already a hot August night, it was scheduled to get even hotter as Ohm nightclub, nestled in the Old Town district of Portland, Oregon, was gearing up to host a stop on the world tour for the new Bedrock CD. Tonight Portland would get a chance to experience the world class DJing talents of Fade Record’s very own Chris Fortier as he makes his first ever appearance to one of this towns best dance venues.

After a three-hour opening set by myself (Dave Elliott), Chris took to the decks around 1 AM to a fully charged and ready to go groove posse. Picking up right where I left off Fortier proceeded to lay down the best set of music that I have experienced since setting foot in this town last year. It was acetate after acetate after acetate of truly amazing upfront progressive bliss. His mixing skills are impeccable which made it difficult to tell when the songs began or ended. What really stood out for me was nestled perfectly amongst the freshest sounds were some remixes of some of the great classics. Most notably a new re-edit of Moby’s “Go”, a Park’s and Wilson mix of Peter Lazonby’s “Wavespeech”, and a Way Out West mix of Sunscream’s “Perfect Motion”.

Seamlessly weaving back and forth between deep and melodic sounds, and some full-tilt prog-trance monsters, Chris kept the floor packed and the hands in the air for three straight hours. Club owner Dan Reed was seen many times throughout the night seemingly very pleased and throwing down his super-funky dance stylings. Some crazy bloke from the UK kept screaming for Chris to play “Heaven Scent”. Although he didn’t get it, his energy on the floor was a constant peak and much appreciated. At the three o’clock point, 30 minutes after state law requires all alcohol to be completely consumed and removed, I let Chris know that the club would start emptying out pretty rapidly based on prior experience with most shows. Almost in defiance he didn’t let that happen. The floor continued groovin’ it up until the 4 AM closing point when Chris played his last record. And then something wonderful happened…something I haven’t seen since my earlier days back East…people were screaming “one more, one more!” Never one to let a crowd down, Chris went on to drop not just one, but three encore records. First BT’s “Mercury and Solace” which really put the smiles on, then Cosmos’ “Take Me With You”, and finally to many cheers Sasha’s “Wavy Gravy”. What an ending!

Several fans approached the booth at the end for some autographs, which Chris was more than happy to supply. After a few chill moments and a chat with mutual friend Daryl Danner (aka Cellsite System), it was time to take Chris back to the hotel. Upon arrival at his room Chris was gracious enough to grant www.djsinbox.com a few moments to conduct a short interview (he had less than two hours before having to be on his way to the airport). He also gave me some really great advice on what to do to help build the scene out here and make it stronger. Truly an amazing DJ and one hell of a nice guy, Chris gave Portland a night that it won’t soon forget. Thanks on behalf of www.djsinbox.com, Ohm nightclub, myself, and most importantly all the Portland clubbers who were touched by your amazing performance. We eagerly anticipate your return.

Bedrock Release tour update with Chris Fortier

1. This tour, slated to be a year in length, has taken you all over the US as well as abroad. What would you say has been your most memorable stop on the tour so far?

There have been so many...(sites Gatecrasher festival, Israel, his residency @ The Cross in London, Dallas the previous night and tonight in Portland as examples). Each one is different, so there are some positives to take from every one of them. I think that they have all been really strong, give or take a couple of hiccups on some nights. As a whole everything has been really great.- -

2. Is there an upcoming tour stop that you are particularly looking forward to?

I look forward to them all. I go back to Ibiza next week, then England and Europe for two weekends, and then Ibiza again, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Greece....then I'm going to be in south America so I'm looking forward to Buenos Aires  and Rio. I've  got all of Australia  for two weeks coming up and the far east coming up  in December. It's hard when you're really only playing 3 or 4 days a week. It's a big world and it's hard to cram them in in such a short amount of time so it takes a good ten or eleven months to do it all properly. There is still a lot to go...other places  that I haven't played while the CD was out this year so I'm looking forward to getting out there....especially Australia.

3. Before coming here to Portland you played consecutive nights in Dallas and Austin in Texas. Do you find that playing multiple nights in a row really helps to keep you on your game?

It can, yeah. What happens sometimes, depending on when the gig was before you start the multiple ones in a row, if you play some new stuff it enables you to know the music a little better. Maybe the first night you play a lot of new stuff, then the second night you play it a little bit better, and the third night you play it a lot better. It can be the other way around too where you've played so much that if you're  not getting enough rest you might be run down. But I am playing so much every week that I feel like I've learned my music really well, especially the records that I've been playing for a while, and I feel like I'm playing pretty good. - -

 4. The club scene in the Northwest has seen a substantial decline in attendance over the past year. Have you seen evidence of the same throughout other parts of the US?

To tell you the truth, not really. I wouldn't necessarily contribute any decline in anything to do with the economy or what a lot of people think about clubbing or music style. If there is any decline in certain areas it might be because the clubs aren't doing everything that they can do to get people in. Take like San Francisco...Spundae [for example], I played there earlier this year and it certainly isn't the Spudae of old. But Spudae events that are in other cities which they've put a lot of effort into are really strong. So I haven't really seen a decline...I mean, things have reverted back to smaller clubs, but some of the main stages where they do their jobs and do them properly ---- like Boston or Denver ---- they are just as strong as ever. It's about making sure that everyone is doing there work, djs are playing well, and clubs are doing the promotion.

 5. Any advice to promoters on what they can do to boost attendance for larger shows with bigger acts?

Just really to do the legwork. A lot of people, clubs and promoters around the country are sort of misled. They think 'All I have to do is book this guy ----I've heard of him, he's a big DJ --- we'll just book him and people will come, it'll be packed.' If it's an area where a DJ doesn't play a lot it's hard to put people in the club. It's about setting examples and having a good quality club and event, and all around showing the patrons that come to the club a good time. It's really for them. It's not for any other reason than for the people that come to the clubs and pay to get in. You have to five back to them and they have to feel that they are getting their money's worth. [Promoters/Clubs] need to work with what they can afford and build, develop, and set foundations. There are a lot of clubs out there that have been patient and that's why they are still there. And there's a lot of clubs that have come and gone and have tried to sit back and rest on their laurels or they've been impatient and not wanted to let things develop to the next level. They are interested in the quick fix or quick buck which in the long run isn't good for them or the music.- -

 7. Overall how do you feel about the success of the tour so far?

Excellent! I see a difference in all the gigs. I see a response from everyone that comes out...a real connection, a lot better of a connection than I've had than the years before when I've been to many cities. The CD is getting out there which is the whole reason to do the tour...to promote the album and to connect with people.-

8. What plans are in store for Chris Fortier once the tour comes to a close?

Whew! Sit on the beach! I have a month off, maybe six weeks in January and February. Really work in the studio and get some more tracks done. It's been hard to really make music this year because of the tour. I've gotten quite a few things done, but I want to get more things completed...get the Fade album out of the way and just really get back to everything. Probably by February or March I'll be gearing up for maybe another album. I'll do another one next year for sure, but don't know for sure when it will be exactly or who it will be for. My focus now is Bedrock.

Latest Tour dates

Aug 16  Ibiza @ Priviledge
Aug 17  Edinburgh, Scotland @ Progression
Aug 23  Nashville, Tn @ Electric Lounge
Aug 24  San Francisco, Ca @ Coolworld
Aug 25 - 28  Scheduled Vacation
Aug 28  San Diego, Ca @ ?
Aug 31  Indianapolis, In @ Eden
Sep 02  Ibiza @ Four Four (El Divino)
Sep 06  Laussance, Switzerland @ Cult Club
Sep 07  Istanbul, Turkey @ Hip
Sep 13  Amsterdam, Holland @ Earth
Sep 14  Thessaloniki, Greece @ Decadance
Sep 19  Lima, Peru (Mos Tour)
Sep 20  Rio, Brazil (Mos Tour)
Sep 21  Buenos Aires, Argentina (Mos Tour)
 
Oct 04  Wellington, New Zealand
Oct 05  Melbourne, Australia
Oct 06  Sydney, Australia
Oct 10  Canberra, Australia
Oct 11  Perth. Australia
Oct 12  Brisbane, Australia
Oct 16  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 17  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 18  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 19  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 20  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 21  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 22  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 23  Sasha Usa Tour
Oct 24  New York, Ny (Tbc)
Oct 25  Scheduled Off
Oct 26  Scheduled Off
Nov 01  Uk (Tbc)
Nov 02  London, England @ Prologue @ The Cross
Nov 28  Honolulu, Hawaii (Tbc)
Dec 4-14 Mos Far East Tour To Take In Following... Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila, Jakarta, Taipai, Hong Kong And Tokyo-

By: Mark Kovach

Anthony Pappa @ 1150

This was my first opportunity to visit the Atlanta super-club eleven50. If you're on eleven50's mailing list then you know what I'm talking about. This club has been booking some of the highest profile international talent for the last year or so...solid. Tonight’s guest of honor is no different, as Liquid Groove joins forces with Eleven50 for the night as they fly in Australian maestro Anthony Pappa.

As we made our way inside the club we were greeted by friend and General Manager for Eleven50, Byron Burroughs. We were then led to our awaiting private booth directly off one side of the dancefloor. The royal treatment…wicked indeed. Eleven50 is located in downtown Atlanta and is an absolutely beautiful space. The venue is very elaborate, with white walls and high domed cathedral ceilings giving it very open feel. Very conducive to an event just like this. As we collected ourselves and stocked up on libations we made our way through the rest of the club for a quick tour. Towards the rear of the club was a simple plush decorated area that was dedicated to gallery showings of artistically gifted individuals. A very nice showcase for their material. Although it was roped off for tonight’s event, the crowd could still get a pleasing view of the gallery...nice touch. Stepping outside was almost like stepping into a mirage. A long corridor- to the right centered upon a water fountain surrounded by several booths with white drapes providing an extra bit of class, as well as privacy. To the left were more secluded, booths of generous VIP proportions with white drape trimmings again. Atmospheric Drum & Bass was a nice touch to the already aesthetically pleasing atmosphere.

After a brief mix and mingle session we made our way back into the club. Upstairs on the balcony, where the DJ is normally situated, the booth had been closed off for the night and manned by Active Sound & Light to monitor their custom configuration brought in for the evening. Billy Justi was manning the controls and assuring the crowd of a rich sonic palette for tonight’s DJ’s. We scanned down below to take a birds eye view of the setup. Tonight, center stage was where it was at and Gene Carbonell (one half of Dark Driver and Sek’s resident) was on the decks and already warming up the receptive crowd. Gene’s taste in music was quite impressive, as we’ve come to expect, and he was playing a very up-front set.

As time passed the club started to fill in nicely, and the man of the evening made his way onto the stage. The crowd swelled and gave forth a respectful cheer as they anticipated what is ahead for them all. Around 1:30AM Anthony took to the wheels of steel and by this time there was little  room on the dancefloor to cut a rug. Pappa’s flawless mixing and keen music selection led clubgoers on a musical journey through progressive house and deep trance. Notable tracks for the evening included Hamel, Swain, and Snell’s “Future” and Steve Porter and John Debo’s “Deported”. With the exception of a minor technical difficulty at one point on stage, the night went well. I would like to give a generous thank you to Christian who kept the drinks flowing… you never missed a beat! And a big thank you to Byron Burroughs for setting us up with the royal treatment. What an excellent start for a weekend full of music.