Brown Alley is proud to present an evening of diverse music on Friday June 11th featuring:
Ali B [AIR Recordings](UK)
Skool Of Thought[Against The Grain](UK)
Chris Fortier [Fade] (USA)
Dubfunk [Audio Therapy, GU](SWZ)
FEATURING ROOMS FROM :
AGAINST THE GRAIN
DARKBEAT
MIXED MESSAGES
This promises to be an innovative evening showcasing the world’s greatest exponents of quality techno, breakbeat, tech-house, progressive, minimal, electro, disco, and ambient.
Each room will cater for their specific genre over the full Brown Alley Complex, in a nut shell this will be THE night for any discerning listener of modern electronica.
FULL LINEUP:
AGAINST THE GRAIN ROOM – Presented by Rock Like This
Ali B (UK)
First Projects: "We did a Monday night at The Deco Bar in Richmond and ripped off the Mo’ Wax label artwork. We called it ‘No Tax’ ‘cos it was free. I never wanted to be a DJ as a youngster, I never even thought about it. I was an avid music collector and it was probably when I got to 16 that I thought ‘right, I’m going to be a DJ.’ I bought a deck from a car boot sale at Kingston Hospital for £4.55. This wicked, steel-based Pioneer belt-drive deck with a +3/-3 pitch control. I got this real shit ‘Made To Fade’ mixer and I’d mix to the radio because I only had one turntable. When everyone was into the rave scene I was more into acid jazz. I got my first gig at 17 at a bar in Richmond. Once you’re into that scene everyone wants you to come and DJ. I put on parties throughout my college years, boat parties and the like. We did Flavors at Ballooga’s on Finchley Road. As a student you have this mad following of 80/90 people.
One mate of ours would run the coachers up from Richmond it was a right result. He’d put on two seventy-seater coaches, hammer it down to get there for 10 and get back to Richmond at 3. We were on a right fucking winner. We did that for eight month’s. I was doing Friday’s at The Blue Note at the age of 19. I’d just finished college and heard that Acid Jazz were doing a club and I basically banged down the doors of the Blue Note when they were building it. I’d done loads of bar work and I was like ‘let me work here, give me some work.’
Labels and Production: "I’ve been doing this twisted electro shit, messing around with records like daft punk. At the moment I’m more interested in giving people something different, a new take on a track they know, than producing original material."
DJing: I used to do PR for Norman Jay. I rate him and I like to keep his open-mindedness in my thoughts when I’m DJing. He taught me a lot I suppose, probably unwittingly. I also love out of town gigs. There’s probably less choice in areas once you get out of London. And no-one wants to pay to get into a London club!" I really enjoy it. Canada is wicked, really exciting."
Fabric: "I remember being shown round by [Fabric Live Promoter] Steve Blonde when it was a building site. It was proper, we had the old hard hats on, up and down ladders, it was fucking amazing. I played the opening Thursday press night and I was asked to be a resident then. I’ve not missed many since - I love it. I’m lucky in that I get to play in all the rooms and change my sets accordingly. I’ve had 7 hour sets in that backroom which are just fucking amazing. I’ve got the utmost respect for fabric: that a club of that size and stature can consistently book such strong DJs. The club is bigger than the DJs that play there which gives you a license to do whatever the fuck you want. If you have a venue and bring in promoters every night you lose that continuity. It has real attention to detail and you get looked after brilliantly."
The Future: "I’ve had a good grounding but by no means have I arrived. There is still more to learn."
Skool Of Thought (UK)
Living between the UK and Australia, Skool Of Thought is the owner and label manager behind the award winning Against The Grain & SuperCharged Music record labels - home to the likes of the Freestylers, Krafty Kuts, Splitloop, Ed Solo and of course Skool Of Thought. He is the guy responsible for the enormous Groove Armada 'Superstylin' and Freestylers v Pendulum 'Painkiller' breaks remixes. He has appeared on the front cover of 3D magazine in Australia, described by IDJ magazine as 'an underrated genius' and recognized by DJ magazine as helping form the 'nu skool breaks' scene. He has produced countless breakbeat monsters over the years including Heavyweight Breaks Volumes 1 & 3, Breakspoll 3, numerous 12" singles and is currently celebrating the success of his debut artist album with Ed Solo entitled 'Random Acts Of Kindness'. To top it all off he has just launched a third label called 'Cool & Deadly' with Tayo. Phew! Time to take a lesson from Skool...
DARKBEAT ROOM
Chris Fortier (USA)
While many people may claim to know Chris’ sound, with their focus on continually labeling him one thing or another, Chris is equally as focused on his efforts to push back the musical boundaries. It is testament to the man that he continues to develop his sound and musical direction, after all, as the man says himself “I just like to play good underground music, I don’t limit myself.”
It is artists such as Chris Fortier who are inextricably linked to the underground dance music scene that are the genuinely pushing the sound forward. Chris’ determination to continue to push the envelope can be seen in all aspects of his career. Proof of this can be found on his recent triple CD compilation Balance and his recent solo production under the 40oz moniker and his stellar debut artist album As Long As The Moment Exits.
The Balance CD genuinely offers something exciting and underground to the current stale compilation market. Boasting tracks from across the musical spectrum like David Gilmore Girls, Global Communication and Floppy Sounds through to Slam, Matthew Jonson, Rabbit in the Moon and Bent. It is little wonder the CD was name checked for compilation of the year by numerous international press publications.
Under his 40oz production guise Chris has released the several EPs that musically could fit comfortably on labels such as Cocoon, Kompakt or Get Physical. Further remixes of Alexi Delano, Joshua Collins, Lee Burridge, Freaky Chakra and John Selway show Chris’ genre defying sound at it’s underground best. Taking this a step further in 2007, his debut artist album was released to countless plaudits and impeccable praise. Not satisfied with status quo, look for the boundaries to continue to be pressed and pushed with each coming musical excursion.
With a DJ career spanning 15 plus years, he has continually been a crowd favourite, confirmed by his very first residency at the legendary “Aahz” in Orlando through to more recent residencies at The Cross in London and at Twilo in New York. Since a debut European tour in 1997, Chris has gone on to consistently tour the globe behind numerous singles, remixes and no less than 9 mix albums. You can catch him as easily in Tokyo as in Buenos Aires and all points in between on any given weekend.
To those that know Fortier’s history, they know to expect plenty more to come, for those that are just getting initiated, Welcome!
Dubfunk (SWZ)
Dubfunk is a growing DJ / producer taking further solid steps in his musical experiment. His developing artistic maturity is bringing a groove blending different genres known for their simplicity and tweaked structures: techy minimal beats with an underlying progressive theme.
Dubfunk has always been a fellow follower of music. As a teen he had already reached a revelation for music thanks to many great artists such as Led Zeppelin, The Doors or Nina Simone only to mention a few. As he took on a music engineer career, he spent eight years developing music’s technical side. During this time he discovered Electronic Dance Music, finding a true passionate calling whilst listening to Northern Exposure and Global Underground compiles. This forged his interest in learning the techniques of djing and producing, seemingly the best way to create a fusion of many different musical cultures.
2002 kicked in with his first professional experiences as a DJ; he started playing in his co-owned venue in Cairo to later become a resident of Sharm El Sheikh’s Pacha where he caught attention from big named artists. Thanks to this recognition, in 2005 he decided to move to Switzerland and set up his proper studio. He concentrated on starting a new self experiment in producing his own musical elements.
The following two years gratified this personal investment by gigs in Europe, South America and Egypt; giving him the reputation of a solid dj. Both South American tours in 2006 and 2007 were a genuine experience for him, as it provided a great source of influence and inspiration for his music – aiming him to deliver his own sounds rathar then exterior releases.
This led to the beginning of a producing frenzy; Dubfunk started his own label “Dyami and got his third track “Cruel” released on Mashtronics Records. As his productions hit charts and received support from major artists such as…. Hernan Cattaneo, Laurant Granier, John Aquaviva among others, it is no coincidence that he is now a prominent figure of Global Underground. GU has trusted him with the elaboration of 4 compiled Cd’s and has effectively given him a strong turning point in his career as his original productions and remixes reached n°1 charts.
If asked about his experience so far, he comments; “The releases I produce are never planned or written down, everything depends on my mood, feelings and own experiences. I just truly enjoy sitting in my studio and flowing with music for hours and as a result producing intimate tracks to appeal my constant obsession over music.”
Support:
PQM (Hip Hop Set), Phil K, Rollin Connection, Ozzie La, Dave Juric, Lister, Alam, Jon Beta, Harley Augustine, Freya vs Mish, MJ, Professor Darkness, Nick Thayer, Citizen.com, Deviant Shifty Sly, JD, Flip, Protien Shake DJ’s, Abstar, Miss Max, Yenks, Dstract, Llupa, Snowie, , Nikki Sig.
Tickets:
$15 + BF EARLY BIRDS online available here
http://brownalley.qjump.com.au/event/62 ... avaganza-2
(Limited to 100 Tickets Only)
Brown Alley
Cnr King & Lonsdale St, City
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