Author: Austin Vegas

Posted on

Top Club in America is in Denver?

Is it the banging sound of tracks not to be released for weeks even months on the best sound systems, the continuous crowds contributing to a positive vibe weekend after weekends, the sunshine terraces with hot sweaty dancers, clubland holds the night owl draw for many of us. It’s

DJ Mag produced on March 25th, their “definitive” list of Top Clubs of the World for 2009, but I just saw this about a month ago and wanted to comment. There’s not much listed as to how this list is compiled except that it’s voted on by readers of the magazine. I’ve always questioned these voter polls legitimacy, because there’s no criteria except for attendee (or listener, in the case of DJ polls) preference and rightly so at times.

No surprise that clubbing meccas Ibiza, Berlin and London are at the top and I’ve had the pleasure to experience at least 4 of them (bold):

01. Berghain – Berlin
02. Fabric – London
03. Space – Ibiza
04. Womb – Tokyo
05. Amnesia – Ibiza
06. Ministry Of Sound – London
07. Pacha – Ibiza
08. Watergate – Berlin
09. D-Edge – Sao Paolo
10. The End – London

Unfortunately as of press time, The End has reached its end so 11 moving up would be: Cocoon – Frankfurt, Germany.

Of the 100 list, the following are the top American clubs:

23: Beta – Denver, Colorado
25: Ruby Skye – San Francisco, California
28: Space – Miami, Florida
30: Pacha – New York, NY
34: Cielo – New York, NY
40: Avalon – Los Angeles, California
53: Vanguard – Los Angeles, California
60: Mansion – Miami, Florida
65: Vinyl – Denver, Colorado
83: 1015 – San Francisco, CA

There’s some interesting tells of this top US clubs list from the global Mag offering. First, Denver is the top US Club? What? I didn’t see that coming. Not NY, LA, Miami or even Chicago… but Denver. I’m still curious to know what’s the voting criteria here. I understand the DJs and mag subs voted on this but really, what are the standards? Club layout? Sound? Crowd? Lighting? Set up? Back stage perks?

I’m ecstatic to see my home hood of SF represented here, and somewhat malcontent that Ruby Skye is the top club still of the city. I would have thought someone else would have stepped up in the scene and created a contender.

The usual suspects from LA, SF, NY and Miami are represented, I’ve been to all of them except those in Denver, and they all seem to have a repeatable formula in layout, sound and dance music styles that don’t venture too far clubbing mainstream. Space for it’s terrace and Cielo for it’s sound and minimalism are unique in separating from the formula. Conspicuously missing are any venues from Chicago or Las Vegas (the self proclaimed mega club venue of the US).

One thing is clear, America’s club scene is well behind that of the global community according to DJ Mag with Germany, UK, Spain, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, Holland, and Argentina all topping the list; most with multiple clubs representing. These are all countries where electronic, dance and house music are just as popular as other genres and even more so in some areas as you hear it saturated in every aspect of life: stores, radio, internet and even elevator musak. At least we still have an auto industry and their commercials to help support the scene…

Posted on

French electro pop garners proper attention…from male eyes

French house and electro pop has always been associated (to me) with new disco and filtered funk 4/4 beats. I think my first French house track I bought and loved was Daft Punk’s “Da Funk” – which I still love and would play today. Later their Homework album opened the door to a short disco house era blown up by Stardust’s “Music sounds better without you”.

Today, my French house bag holds more of the deep house, trip hop and laid back tunes coming from artists like St. Germain, Laurent Garnier, Modjo, Air and Stephane Pompougnac, but I still keep in rotation tracks from Dimitri from Paris, Sabastien Lager, Bob Sinclar, Justice, and Rinôçérôse.

I just watched the video for “Baby Baby Baby” by Make The Girl Dance, a new French Pop group sure to break out this year with at least attention paid from the male audiences. Since I don’t read French (and have the time to dig-translate-report), the best I can understand from them is that they like to “make music to make the girls dance”. I and many men (and women) can get behind that:

<

The video is more entertaining than the track (check the lyrics below), but it has potential to cross over to the US clubs and I hope there’s some good remixes that come out from this (Justice?).

I want to have Sebastien Tellier on my Ipod; I want your Mom’s Black AMEX; I want your dad’s car; I want to go out with your friends; I will wear my cutest panties; I want a hot sex session; You can look but you can’t touch.

I want to be in Justice top friends; Gaspard’s hand on my thigh; I want to be able to count without my fingers; And I want yours in the right spot; I don’t want to take the stairs; Carry me in your arms then; I want to be the only person on pictures; And I want to model for Yves Saint Laurent; I want geniuses as children; And I want my dog to graduate; I want your head on a tray; I want mine on TV.

I dont want a piece of cake, I just want blow; I dont want Kate, I want Ethan Hawke; I want to jump off of big ladder; do as you can for the rainbow; i want chocolate and vanilla flavoured ice cream; i want your balls to be blueberry flavoured; I want to dance like Vanessa Paradis; I want to see her boyfriend at Ibiza; I want to be asleep when you wake up; and I want Yelle’s tshirt; I want to fit in all my jeans; and I want you to make me presents with your pay check; I want ice cubes in my glass; I want to make your grandma smoke weed; I saw your stupid ex blah blah blah

Ah yes. Perfect for the NY Club scene girls at Cain, Luxe, Eldridge, or Oak 1.

Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
[audio:https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/409697/348%20Da%20Funk.mp3]

Stardust (Still getting reworked 10 years later) – Music Sounds Better With You (2009 Dirty Bergeon Remix)
[audio:http://www.therealkylestewart.com/biscuits/may09/Bergeon_Stardust.mp3]

Posted on

Delgado & Mets take out the Pirates with 1-2-3 shots in 8th

I had an opportunity to check out “Citi Field”, one of two new stadiums in New York, this weekend. Per the normal game day migration, we took the 7 train out to Shea (some fist pumping fans immortalize their love via plaques in front of the stadium suggesting it will always be Shea).

Like a Wal-mart, the entire front entrance management strategically placed greeters and ushers for the fans to find their way in to the new concrete playground. Once inside the park, it’s like you’re 12 again, going to the ball park for the first time: less concerned about where your seats are first, just looking around and taking it all in. As we’ve all heard, there’s much more dedication to corporate and VIP seating but with that comes exceptional food stands from tacos, to lobster rolls, sushi and a Shake Shack.

There’s definitely more viewable areas in the walk areas to catch the action. The stadium is built up, rather than out, so there’s really no bad seat, just a higher vantage point to watch the game. Our seats were up in the 500s first base side, close enough to touch the air traffic coming over from La Guardia. Both the Mets and the stadium food services have up’ed their game this year – me enjoying the steak tacos and micro brews behind the center field screen.

Added with the new Shea experience are much more fan participation actives, as every inning a camera crew with corporate shill in tow, create a game, give-away, trivia or contest (pizza box relay) for a free sample from the represented sponsor. The food sellers in the seats are few and far between, but the beer guy is everywhere, this time with Brooklyn lager along with the prerequisite American piss beer.

On the field the battle was intense as Pirates took the lead early and not until the 8th inning when the Met’s “erupted” with a Delgado HR and 2 additional runs, taking the game in fantastic baseball sportsmanship.

With not a bad seat in the house, and preferable to me at times, I might purchase the cheapest seats, and spend most of my time at the “beer garden” areas behind the outfield this summer. The full set is in the gallery pics I took are here but here are a few highlights: