Girl About Town 5.20.2008

May 22, 2008 9:27 AM
by chipi [email]

This week marked the return of my favorite (and most seldom) indulgence - sleep. Maybe it's the weather kicking my ass, maybe it's months of closing down dance floors and trudging into the office at 10 the next morning. Whatever the source of the issue, the running theme in this weeks GAT is oversleeping, but ultimately - it seems I didn't miss out on much.

I started out last week with no sleeping issues and a visit to Takeout Tuesdays with Keen One at Buck 15. This apartment style venue sports some great artwork and a few display cases full of toys and collectibles. The small space and retro aesthetic gives the room a comfortable living room vibe. This hip-hop party has been going on for some time now and the breaker crowd stays loyal to the old school funk that's spinning there on the regular. Keen and company took it way back and dropped everything from Biggie to Raekim to Tribe. Definitely made my boogie down heart smile.

After working out for a while on the dance floor at Buck, I made my way to Damn, Son at Jazid. This week was the spanish language installation, but it was business as usual on the song selection. With Aramis joining the Deuce Crew in the attic, the party got started with an early kick. I think we sometimes forget, having been spoiled by the overindulgence in indie bliss at Poplife - that Aramis is a unique DJ. Danny Ashe was in attendance and we swapped notes on the bearded ones DJ style.

What sets Aramis - and all good open format sessions - apart from the rest is the ability to mix into an unexpected tune. Anybody can follow up The Smiths with Joy Division or pair Justice and Daft Punk. Only a handful have the ear and programming skill to blend The Breeders with Justin Timberlake or Pitbull with Belle and Sebastian - and make it work.

This is a skill that I find Mike Deuce has been developing over the past few months and his turn at the wheel was a good time as usual. Damn, Son! seems to have built itself a pretty steady Tuesday night following. Check out their video posts each week for the hilarious promo work of DS363. Some of the most creative advertisement I've seen in a minute.

Wednesday night brought me some technological drama, so I headed over to Sweat to work out some kinks on a borrowed laptop. Free WiFi yo, it's a blessing.

I caught wind that there would be a reunion of sorts at Can You Rock A Little Softer? who had that very same day had been dubbed Best Open Mic Night in the New Times. I settled into my favorite corner of the pub and enjoyed a few tunes by Raffa and Rainer, Rachel Goodrich, Eddie Green and made one of my rare attempts at belting out a number myself. Thanks to Rainer for indulging me in a Flock of Seagulls sing along.

Friday night I was under a spell of electronic music DJs, making my first stop at Blue for Adultnapper's show. This gig was getting a lot of lip-service on the forums and the beach at large, so I had to make my best effort to show up. I came in around 12:30 and the crowd was beginning to build up. Adultnapper made it onto the decks at around 1am and kept things interesting enough to make me late to my next stop at Shine.

When I landed 10 blocks over at the Shelborne, clusters of people were scattered around the hotel lobby and the nightclub. I walked in expecting the majority of the crowd to have dispersed already, but instead found a healthy head count, all of which were blowing up to the sounds of Anthony Pappa. I had a handful of people walk up to me and scream "That's my favorite DJ!" with ear to ear smiles on their faces. Pappa was going at them hard and with the exquisite sound and light system at Shine, it elevated the night from a good party to an experience.

At around 3:30am I decided to venture back to Blue to check on the party status. Adultnapper was wrapping up his set and handing the decks over to another DJ (anybody know his name?) to wrap things up. In my absence the party had built itself up to a slam. It was still comfortable enough to move around in and the reasonable drink prices had put smiles on everyones faces. The vibe was exactly what's been missing from the minimal scene and the Miami party scene at large - people take themselves much too seriously!

What's the point in going to a party if you're going to sit or stand around acting like you're not having a good time? If you're not happy to be there, leave. Nobody is making you stay. Everyone at Blue on Friday was warm and fuzzy, including Danny Tenaglia. He dropped in with Biz Martinez and hung out with some of the Junkie forum family and Adultnapper. We all got the boot at around 5am and I was too burnt out to venture into the night any further.

Saturday's activities left me a little rough around the edges and I figured a quick disco nap was in good measure. This would get me to the Vagabond in time to catch Jay-You and Conway do their ditty and make it to deadmau5 at Mansion without issue. I'm not sure who I was trying to kid and friendly accounts report that I went so far as to pick up the phone in my sleep, claim I was on my way and fall right back into REM.

Long story short, I bolted out the door at around 2:30am, freaking that I'd missed the crowd at Mansion, was going to have a terrible time and lose my job. Fortunately for me, deadmau5 is an animal. I walked through the doors of 1235 Washington Ave around 3:30 and into a swelling, massive mess of a party. The floor at Mansion was more packed than I've seen it since conference and deadmau5 was making people lose their shit.

When I got on stage to take some quick shots I found him grabbing his bottle of Jager and pumping it in the air towards the crowd - at this point he was 3/4 of the way through it. Now, if you've not seen deadmau5 before, my guess is he weighs about 35 lbs, tops. How this guy was still standing - I have no idea. But, if thats what it takes to get him working the room in the way he was, I hope they don't outlaw Jager for as long as his career lasts. The guy was dancing behind the decks, jumping on top of the speakers and driving the crowd hard all night.

Once he tried to jump the railing from the stage into the crowd, I guess it seemed like a good time to pull in the reigns. They ushered the boy off stage but I did catch a glimpse of him walking into a door before finally leaving the club.

A quick pit stop for nourishment and a drive across the bridge later and I'd made it to afterhours. At this point I was pretty grateful for having overslept. I hit the terrace with more energy than usual and with Ivano and Patrick M on the line-up I used it to it's fullest extent.

I got my good dose of House, it's become an appointment I keep religiously. Patrick M is my new priest and Emi Guerra is the lead altar boy - gathering everyone around for shots in the booth and orchestrating some of the sloppiest parties in the history of the Terrace. At around 10am I abandoned my favorite party people - I figured it had reached it's peak when I heard Julie McKnight belt out "Time marches on neverending...", why push an immaculate morning?

Monday night the Junkie office made a date with Chat Noir - the new cabaret/vaudevillian/beautiful freak show at Dream. I've always thought that this Venue was perfect for performance and it's finally being used to it's fullest extent. It seems the team at Dream have figured out it's gonna take a certain extra something to get people to come out consistently - and it's working. The night was a mixed bag of performance, drag and DJ, with a Saxophone player accompanying practically everything - all tied together with a string of funky house. The show began at 10:30 and filled up quickly. The VIP section got a bit cramped at one point, but once the liquor started to flow, people cozied up to each other and enjoyed the proximity.

This week I'll be taking it easy, preparing for my trip to Detroit for the Movement Festival. My partner in crime and undercover boyfriend, Marcos Colón, will be out and about, taking notes and blinding you in my absence. Stay safe, avoid the beach at all costs and light a sparkler or something.

Weekly Picks

Wednesday 5.21 - Soultech @ Skybar
Need a little minimal-tech in your life? DJ Sabox and resident Andres Amadeus will be handling the decks at Skybar at the Shore Club at Miami's new refuge for minimal fans.

Thursday 5.22 - Hip-Hop Symposium @ the Miami Beach Cinematheque
Hip-Hop is dead. Let's be real. What was once an integral cultural and societal happening in the Urban sector has been dead for some time. While things as of late have been taking some interesting turns - the days of KRS-One, Chuck D. and Slick Rick are long gone, but not forgotten. Before boarding up your windows and vacating Miami Beach for the weekend, check out the Hip-Hop Symposium starting at 8pm at the MBC for FIU's screening of documentaries about the late, great days of Hip-Hop. Then run for cover.

Friday 5.23 - Oscar G and Ivano @ Gryphon
For a revival taste of the old at a place that's new, check out Oscar G and Ivano playing at the Seminole Hard Rock. Make it your first stop on the house train this weekend.

Saturday 5.24 - Dirtybird @ the Vagabond
On the quirky tip, catch the Dirtybirds as they land in Miami for a special Memorial Day slop-fest at the Vag. As ever, Ryan Evans and Carmel will be working it in the bar room for the regulars.

Sunday 5.25 - House Sessions @ Spirits
Donald Glaude works the dance floor at House Sessions Volume I. This West Coast boy is a guaranteed party and on a Sunday night before the big day off, it's a definite slam.

Monday 5.26 - Do absolutely nothing of value to society, the world or yourself.
Stay home, sleep. Enjoy your family and cable television. It rains every year, without fail. Just chill hard and take a day off. You know you'll need it for the rest of the week.

For Live Music Junkies - Friday - 05.23 Afrobeta returns! @ Circa 28
Tony Smurphio is back in action! After traveling the country with Pitbull singing about culo and mami and all kinds of things your grandma would give you the chancleta for listening to, the fro'd man is home to join forces with Miami's favorite leading lady, Miss Cuci Amador. No better place to rekindle the flame than Circa and no better time to get crunk than Friday. Don't forget to vote for them on myspace so they can rep it hard for Miami.

I can't stop spinning...

In my iPod: Apparat ft. Raz Ohara - Holdon (Modeselektor Remix)
For the first 40 or so seconds of this song, you might find yourself thinking "What is this? Nicole has fallen off. Lost her shit. What is this song she has me listening to? It sounds like somebodies nightmare." Well, you're absolutely right. I have lost it. And by 'it' I mostly mean my ability to hear, from blaring this with subs on blast at least five times a day. Make it through the first few seconds of uncertainty and then prepare yourself for a blow up track. With these boys rocking out Studio A in the not too distant future, you better start stocking up on everything they've ever touched, just to take the experience to another level.

If you're on that local tip: SPAM Allstars- Ochimini
Performing every Thursday at Hoy Como Eyer, Spam Allstars are Miami's latin funk pride and joy. Imagine taking all the salsa records your Cuban Mom plays on Saturday afternoons when she's vacuum cleaning the house, turning the funk up a notch and throwing in some electronic sampling and FX for good measure. Then you've got Spam.

For Literary Letharios: Chuck Palahniuk - Snuff
This Tuesday Palahniuk released Snuff, the latest addition to a slew of vile, degenerate, filthy celebrations of the human spirit. You might know him as the mind behind Fight Club but in terms of "fucked up" factor - Fight Club doesn't even come close to the dark corners of the human psyche Palahniuk's work has at times ventured to. With this release, Palahniuk ventures into the porn industry with a tale told from the perspective of 600 men entrusted with the task of having sex with a fading porn starlet, hoping to end her career on an enthralling note by accomplishing the aforementioned goal in one day. As per usual, this uncomfortable content is ultimately nowhere near the points of value of the novel. The author spends more time developing the characters waiting for their number to be called rather than focusing on the gangbang happening in the next room. Nonetheless, I'm pretty certain that this one will never make it to the big screen - so invest the time and effort into reading through it.

On Celluloid: The Wackness
So the big man on the other side of the office pulls me in front of his laptop, sits me down and says "Watch this, young one. Experience my adolescence." Then he patted me on the head and started whittling a Technic from a piece of oak. After getting over the initial weirdness - I watched and was instantly obsessed. With an eclectic ensemble cast including Josh Peck, Ben Kingsley, Mary Kate Olsen and Method Man this film revisits an era that predates the technology we've all grown so bitterly attached to. Remember blowing on your Nintendo game cartridges to get them to work? Using beeper codes? Selling weed out of an icee cart in the streets of New York during a sweltering summer?...too far? You get my drift. It's coming of age, it's hip-hop, it's retro, it's analog. Get back to 1994, get into The Wackness. Check out the boombox on the website, get ready to be transported to another place and time.

See you around town junkies.

peace love and music,

chipi

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