Recently in Audio Category

I was DJing at John and Colin's party in Ad-Lib on Friday, which was nice. It's been years (literally) since I've played records in front of more people than the teddy bear that's jammed down the back of my wardrobe, so it was cool to break out some choons for folk to nod their heads to.
Unfortunately, most of my set was played with the mixer volume set waaaayyyy low and the sound system set waaaayyyy high, so it sounded crap until we got the barman to turn the amps down. Right at the end of my set. Never mind, at least I got The Resident out while it was sounding good.
Si brought his Traktor setup, since he's too lazy to use vinyl any more. Impressive stuff.

Equally impressive was the monitoring for the decks - a big fat PA speaker, hooked up to the booth output (yay!) on the DJM 500 (yay! we love the 500) for fingertip deafness control.
Unimpressive was the way that the bar sound system was louder than the dance floor system.

Anyway, this gets me to thinking - maybe a page on basements/bars you can hire out for wee DJ nights is in order. So far I can think of:
Ad-Lib
O'Henry's
The Rockgarden
McPhabbs
The Iron Horse (maybe not, though...)

Anyone got any more?

Ralph Lawson's doing an all-nighter tomorrow at the Sub. I am positively wibbling in anticipation.
Me and Koof went to Leeds ages ago to see him at Basics, but didn't have the foresight to check whether or not he was actually playing that night. Needless to say he was, in fact, not.

I refuse to be disappointed twice.

If you need to find me, I'll be the guy in front of the DJ booth alternating between jumping around a lot and meerkating over the plexiglass to try to find out just where the fuck you get records like that.

This just in: my iTrip is now legal. What a relief that is.

I don't usually go for the whole 'Currently listening to...' crap you usually get in blogs, but sooner or later everyone goes to the zoo.
I'm Currently listening to...
This through one of these, on one of these, amplified by this, driving these, which are on this.
It is so choice.

I would like to propose a new term for the Dance Music vernacular:

The Juno Minute.

This is the 60 seconds* of a tune chosen by on-line record shops for the 'Listen' MP3, which bears no relation to the rest of the track.
You'll think you've bought the finest Ambient available to humanity, but will in fact receive bastard-hard nose-bleed Techno. The Juno Minute will have been the breakdown.
You'll have gone looking for some tracky Deep House, but the postman will hand you full-on-gospel Garage. The Juno Minute will have been the first minute of the track.
* - Pedants pointing out that Juno's clips actually last 90 seconds will be wedgied. They used to be a minute long.

Hey peeps! I'm working on a new tape.
Inspired by the Kerri Chandler Essential Mix a wee while ago, I started digging around my limitless reserves of Deep House. Transport was an excellent tape (even if I do say so myself, and the folks at DI seem to agree), but it lacked that certain Deepness that I require from a tape.
So far we've got some Ibadan, some Drop Music, some Airtight (where's your website gone guys?) and some other random excellence on the playlist.
Think Afterhours, not Choice Cuts.
It's gonna be real Deep.

Have a wee clip of Music is Free.

It has arrived. I have finally tracked down a 12" copy of 'Music is Free' by 'Skilled Work'. That's where the tagline above comes from. First heard on the 1997 Fathers of Sound Essential Mix, never to be heard again. Until now.
It only took 9 years to get hold of it, which (if you're familiar with the track I'm sure you'll agree) was well worth the wait.
I'll put up a wee audio clip when I get back to the *cough* studio.

The search is nearly over...

Went to Basics in Leeds at the weekend (have some of their gallery - their main site doesn't do it justice). None too shabby, I have to say. Riiiiight up there with the Sub (I haven't been on the Sub's new bodysonic dancefloor yet, so I'll reserve judgement). Smaller than I imagined, but on three levels for excellent gouch-couch opportunities. Weird sort of tent bit out the back too - not recommended in cold weather unless you have to, you know, 'calm yourself' for a bit.
Sound system's good as you would expect from a quality House club, and the night myself and my bruv were there it went on 'till 8 (we... sorry, I... only lasted to 5 though). Unfortunately Ralph Lawson wasn't playing, but the music was first rate House anyway. We'll catch him next time no doubt.
If you're going to Basics (or Leeds in general), be sure to get your ass into Doctor Wu's and observe the nonsense on a Saturday night before you go out. I could have sworn I saw Pedro being led out to safety, sweating profusely and looking more than slightly worse for wear.
Good times.