The Return of Lee Burridge

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home > nightlife&clubs > The Return of Lee Burridge

July 13, 2005 9:33 PM
by

When watching Lee Burridge DJ, it's tough to decide who's having more fun: the crowd of mesmerized clubbers, or the man driving them to dance like crazy behind the decks.

A veteran with more than twenty years under his belt, Burridge returns to Chicago after nearly a year away on Saturday, July 16, at Vision Nightclub.

Along with Chicago's own Mazi, as part of the club's new PUREvision night, Burridge will deliver his distinctive brand of tech-house and acid-laced funk.

The duo last played together at the now-infamous Labor Day Boat Party of 2003, which many called "the party of the year." Burridge's energetic, fun-filled performances in the Windy City have made him a crowd-favorite here in Chicago.

While he may be all-smiles in the booth, Burridge is also a genre-bending talent, an artist with the technical mastery to match his eclectic record collection. Despite his jovial and carefree demeanor, he somehow never seems to miss a mix.

He's one of the world's top DJ talents, but his roots were less than glamorous. Instead of carving out his career at raves and clubs-like many of his contemporaries-Burridge spent his early days spinning records at birthday parties, weddings, and even the occasional funeral.

Yet even though he wasn't playing at them, Burridge was still a regular at England's acid house parties of the late 1980s, and the music he heard seems to still influence his playing style to this day.

In 1991 Burridge moved to Asia, and the rest, as they say, is history. His career took off. What began with Hong Kong's first rave eventually became a monthly night where Burridge spun and played host to some of the UK's finest DJs.

A few years later, at one of his famed Hong Kong after-hours parties, Burridge caught the attention of two visiting guests from his homeland, Sasha and Craig Richards.

The two DJs were so impressed by Burridge's unique sound that they asked him to return to England and join them at a new night they were planning: Tyrant. Burridge eventually departed Hong Kong and returned to England, where he joined Sasha and Richards as part of Tyrant at the legendary Bomb in Nottingham.

Despite playing in the long shadow of these two heavyweights, Burridge was never one to be overshadowed, and he began to carve out his own niche back in England, gaining critical acclaim for his work behind the decks.

The exposure Burridge gained at part of Tyrant led to more gigs, production work, and impressive residencies.

Within a few short years he had become a globe trotting favorite in far flung countries such as Romania, Australia and the U.S. He also landed a mix album on Global Underground's influential NuBreed compilation series.

Through it all, though, Burridge has kept the same carefree, breezy attitude that must have seen him through those dreadful funeral gigs. When he takes the decks at Vision on Saturday, the city will be in for a real treat yet again.

Lee Burridge will be appearing at Vision Nightclub, 646 North Dearborn, on Saturday, July 16. For more information and RSVP information, go to www.purefuture.com.