dance. massive

Rip It Up, Issue 232, 1 December 1996, Page 25

dance. massive

|shoot the dj

Well, you wouldn’t believe it but it’s Santa time again, and things are getting kinda hectic... Whatcha doing for New Year’s then? There’s plenty of dance action in the main centres so just go with the f10w... Wassup to the Skankatronics posse, who held the release party for their excellent Pure Wellingtronika CD (in stores now!) at Calibre. A good crowd turned up, including lots of us ex-pat-Wellingtonians, and fun was had by all ... speaking of Calibre, their drum ’n’ bass night, The Breakz, every Thursday, just keeps getting bigger. This must be the most popular weekly night in Auckland right now. Make sure you’re at Calibre on December 14 for James Hardway playing a live drum 'n' bass set with Nathan Hanines, and look out for their New Year's party, which is going to be a 100 percent breakbeat affair ... new band on the scene is Mesh, “a threepiece live techno / ambient” outfit, featuring James Pinker, Paddy Free, and Jason Lesley Hall. Mesh will be playing out and about soon ... the Railway Station never had a chance once the Stomping Core crew were let loose in it to create the Phaseshifter experience — an interesting time, infused with the sense that nobody was quite in control. Not pointing fingers, but promoters need to go to more effort to provide DJ friendly . mixing set-ups. After all, the music is presumably the most important aspect, and if your DJs aren’t comfortable, nobody else will be. ’Nuff said ... on December 7, up at Squid, we’re promised the last ever Cheap Sex (In Hollywood). To prove this you get your ticket back, and if they ever do another one, it gets you free entry — hhhmmmm ... on the same night check the Redzone at De Bretts for Scream with Sally Sound (Australia), and on December 14, Praise (The House That Chris Built) — it’s Chris Walker’s last night before he goes home to the UK, and he’ll be playing with Sye, Billy Bremner and G-Spot. On December 21 the Redzone hosts

Grant Dell, co-resident at Mr C’s London techno club, The End ... look out for Norris ‘The Boss’ Windross, playing at the Box, Friday 13. He will be joined by Mez and Greg Churchill, on the house and garage tip, while in Celebre, it’s a rare, groove thing. Brought to you by Strut Promotions, over summer they intend to bring over various UK DJs to play dates here under the mantle, ‘Lords of the UK Underground’... Global Alert, the promoters responsible for the Alienhead party, bring you Sykosis at The Club, December 20, with 48 Sonic, D-Rave, Billy Bremner and heaps more ... Sam Hill is having a birthday party at Squid, called Revolution. It’s on December 21, with Sam and some friends on turntable patrol. Samis age is officially listed as 'no comment’ ... and for New Year’s in the AK, Millenium 4 is back at the Aotea Centre, with loads of DJs, three dance zones, and a live stage with DLT, Che Fu, Teremoana, Mighty Asterix, 3 The Hard Way, and the Hallelujah Picassos.' ANDY PICKERING Channel Zero, Napier’s vibe pushing dance crew, rocked into the light hours on November 16 at the Old State Theatre, with a multi-talented line-up including Conspiracy, LRS, Anatomic and Danman. Lil Bastard found the funk, and Flying Colours lit da joint, enhancing the environment to the delight of a groovin’ crowd ... the Bass Chamber's engine will be fired up again in a week or so. Expect to see Anatomic and Danman on board with the blissed-out chunky basslines at O'Flahertys back bar ...

and check New Year’s in the Bay, for Channel Zero, featuring New Zealands top DJs, live techno bands, and live acts including Unitone HIFi, Salmonella Dub, Lava Lava and — the big one — a live set from German acid kings Hardfloor. A camping area will be provided, there will be four separate sound areas, food stalls and 24 hours of pure dance magic. Location is the very scenic Tikikino,

promo material out this month, for more info phone (06)835-8616. ANATOMIC Heaven Productions presents XSbass, the final frontier in the Sbass voyages for 1996. It's Xmas eve at the Globe Theatre, with DJ Sweet (ex-UK) and local lads Trent and Slimmatt. Doors open from 10PM, bar facilities provided. Heaven will be on-line next year with Nato 1997, stay tuned. / Down here in Wellingtronika... jungle has become cafe music (no offence!), apart from Espressaholic, where the best DJs work, and after hours head up the hill to Active 89FM to break it in before the move to the dancefloor ... Dave Angel was the highlight of this month’s dancefloor experience, ESC was magically transformed into a smoking Detroit underground club, the man Dave let loose for about three hours, while the Navigator Zero, who warmed up for him, was in true form playing space disco like only he does ... new venue Cuba 2 has opened on Cuba St. Noise Control are running the show, ensuring diversity is the key. Regular nights include Morph trance night every Wednesday, and Top Line Dub Sunday with Jimmy Future and Roots Twig ... Labour Weekend is starting to come back to me: Inner City Bass Science was the Roots Foundation’s way of celebrating, with Salmonella Dub performing two sets, Stinky Jim, 48 Sonic and the mighty Lemon, Mu, Maverick and Goosebump, giving it to us good and rootsy ... Quarter Century Darma was the S-ence crew’s tribute to the 25-year-old Coda at the Hole in the Wall ... Skankatronics released itself at Troubador Records. A good posse turned up to support and listen to the swirling live PA of Atemeg ... the Jewel School were pimping at The Hustle — they’re the guys who know how to strike a gangster lean and provide true discofied house ... coming: up for December 6 and 7 is The

Sentinel, spread across two nights featuring Ritchie Hawtin and Stacey Pullen with Headstrong, Mechanism, Aaron and Skankatronics providing support, it should be one of the highlights of the year... also look out for Wreckage at ESC on December 14, featuring, from London, Norris ‘The Boss’ Windross, Jet Jaguar live, cool DJs, and an emphasis on ruff, tuff dancefloor action ... Thursday 19 the Hole in the Wall hosts Omissions, with David Harrow, and Friday 20, it’s Orbit at Taki Rua, a narcodelic beat frenzy with Lava Lava and David Harrow ... December 28 Salmonella Dub play Bodega ... parties are popping up from new crews Clearlight, Natives and Cyberfreeks in Torrens Terrace ... the city is hyped about the welcome return of our favourite DJs who have been in AK, its all good in the capital, keeping it as real as can be. TETH Anybody who’s been through Nelson and caught a rave knows Nelson’s got the best rave scene in the country (of course the best ones happen in peoples lounges). Every second Wednesday at Zhivargoes, the usual redneck crowd stay home and the Fearol/Dero team take over... Flux plays sonic trance, Stefan goa-trip, NIL B&D-hop, and Zippy hard trance — these DJs sort things out in fine style ... over the last few months raves have been happening regularly, with Bloom, Edible Beats, Swirl and G-Spot all going off. Most posters have a phone number, but if you’re new in town, Zippy’s Cafe is a good place to start ... Nelson’s buzzing about the New Year’s event on top of Takaka Hill at Cannen Downs. The Gathering includes six arenas, massive lighting, Nelson, NZ and oversea DJs, live acts including Salmonella Dub, Decay Dance and live techno from Unit 23. The event takes place over 48 hours from December 31 to January 2. Food available, but bring extra, and bring sunblock. Nationwide advertising

commences December, but more info via Muzz, PO Box 355, Nelson, phone (03)548-2427. NIGEL Look out for On The Beat N Track (Part 2: The s Dance Version); it includes wicked trance/drum ’n’ bass remixes of the Bats’ ‘North by North', completed by Rotor without access to the masters!,’it also features the full length version of Technova's remix of Salmonella Dub’s 'THC Winter', (the EP version has two minutes cut out of it in an attempt to get an NZ On Air video grant!) ... December 12 at The Edge Salmonella Dub play live with David Harrow ... on December 6 a free party will be held by the Fusion crew and affiliated dance crews for the Christchurch massive. As they say, nothing compares to a free party, free spirit ... on December 14 the Sandoz crew will hold another warehouse party aimed at the hardcore breakbeat crowd, and from then on everyone will be saving their acid and money for The Gathering. See you there! KINESIS This is the year that has finally seen the New Zealand dance scene establish itself as a major part of our culture, and playing a big part in that was the numberjf internationals who visited this year. Although our own DJs are getting better and better, internationals provide a constant boost, as people’s expectations just keep getting higher. On the upcoming international tip, DJ Trace, Oliver Bonziro, Josh Wink, and Kemistry and Storm are all expected to drop through in the next few months, so get out there and support the promoters and DJs. Like I said last year, love and respect to alt DJs whatever you play, to the promoters who have it harder than people seem to think; but most of all to anyone who lost it somewhere on a dancefloor. I saw you and you looked rad! Ahh yes, I can see it now, New Year’s Eve,’sex, drugs,. and techno then... •

ANDY PICKERING