BLAH Iiitts Bbback!

*honest

After a brief interlude, iiits baaack...uh oh, unadulterated, premium grade A drivel with no common purpose! In the midst of watching "my life as a turkey" on BBC 2 - "bioloigist joe hutto who raised 13 endangered wild turkeys from eggs to the day they left home." A moment of clarity, i remembered there was an outlet for times like this.

Its been a gooooooood summer thus far, festival filled, new subclub/cocoon flag commissioned, weddings galore, paris (graveyard sessions), berlin(panorma wins, galluzzi wins), even managed to bag a new female companion with like minded views on living the bohemian rackity lifestyle that one has become accustomed to "long tall sally".

This week a break from the norm.... "weekend aff it" (kind of) and through to the nation's captial for The Fringe and Desperados events. A must see show from last year is "Toby - Lucky" at The Attic in Edinburgh. Clubbing/Party calander/views/reviews to follow....

Week Fünf...

So this week, we finally welcome back Oner Ozur to Glasgow as the Bigfoots Tea Party have their contribution to the acclaimed G.E.M.F festival. Having not played in Glasgow since Pressure 3/4 years ago when I last saw him, this announcement got me very excited. Onur Ozer hails from the Turkish capital of Istanbul and is responsible for re-igniting the Turkish club scene in the late 90's. Bigfoots Tea Party has been one of my most favourite Glasgow parties over the last year and now its time for the Bigfoots family to take over the hallowed depths of the Sub Club. Who knows whats in store when these guys put their wizards capes on and cast spells of  outlandish decor blended with quirky suprises.

Moving in to Saturday we welcome a man who I have said prayers for at night, that some one brings him to Glasgow. Another Italian M_nus colossus on the bill but my personal favourite of the ENTIRE 5 weeks Signor Fabrizio Maurizi...vai vai! After missing him play at the London M_nus party last May due to a 2 hour que outside of Ministry I have felt the shooting pains ever since. Two of my most played podcasts of all time belong to this supreme being (ibiza voice & soundwall - download now). Thank you to the Kollektiv Glasgow boys we can all enjoy the musical delights of this man this Saturday. Now in order for your G.E.M.F experience to be complete it is essential that you attend the pre party for this event which is located in Lost Souls bar (the old republic uber lounge/bier hoffe) 1 floor up just off sauchiehall street towards bath street (arcoss from Diechman Shoes (as if anyone even has a clue where that is, just look out for the Kollektiv banner) where myself and james dinning (the strays) will be providing the perfect build up to Kollektiv night (hopefully, you make that decision).

So "this is the end" .....reaction to follow

...G.E.M.F reaches the penultimate week

For week 4 of G.E.M.F, a much more mature and tame affair, Damian Lazarus in the Sub Club for Return to Mono with Silicone Soul's Graham Reedie in support on Friday just passed. Managing to make it out unlike many casualties of week 3 I am glad I did. A much more relaxed Sub Club, busy enough but still space to get the groove on, get served quickly at the bar and no nuggets chanting "here we F***ing go". Track selection was perfect and building to an intense finish and most enjoyable last hour. Slangevar Damian, Slangevar!

-------------------------------------que fan fair or "let glasgow flourish"------------------------------------

   

Its been a quick 5 weeks, the best in history in terms of underground musical DJ talent showcased in the vibrant city of Glasgow. Oor wee home town setting its party standards high in comparison to our main land European rivals. 24 hour party laws not required here, we make the rules. If Cameron or Salmond are stuck for ideas in bringing the economy back into the green, they just need to explore the fruits of attracting international clubbing tourism to Glasgow, an option I feel may have not yet been explored.

For the last week of G.E.M.F its a grand finale of epic proportions....

...best weekend in Glasgow?

Sorry for the delay i know the past few weeks have been hard, and the lack of my blogging has led to many a boring coffee break, but he's back....a lot to cover so...GEMF week 3 reaction in just 3 letters: WOW.

Two Fridays ago saw Ricardo Villalobos making his GEMF debut, in 6 years of Glasgow clubbing I have never witnessed such fierce, unhinged, raw excitement about one man. The night caused pandemonium at the box office, with a record time for sell out, tickets were being offered for as much as £60 a piece. With his vast entourage he strolled into the DJ box and weathered the storm like Sir Francis Drake, sailing through his 3 hour set with consummate ease. The odd curb ball thrown in as expected with Ricardo, 80's classics such as "talk talk - its my life" and "sound of violence - when the sun goes down". Armed with a homemade "subclub <3 ricardo" banner that was inevitably signed by the vinyal spinning warlord it was all aboard the bus for the after party. "will he come?", "will he play?" ....in short no, he didn't come back but who needs Ricardo Villalobos when Tricky Bickerton's behind the decks. With no effort required I can easily say the ambiance, crowd, track selection and general healthy vibes that were oozing out the place was up there with the best Glasgow after party atmosphere I've had.

Going to keep the GEMF wk 3 post as one single post...as the weekend pretty much intertwined as one entity anyway. After, after-after parties involving the study of talking heads film "stop making sense", which EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH, it was on to Nomad @ The Art School with Heartthrob(live). Hazed and dazed I'll be honest it won't be a blow by blow account here but I do remember never being in one room with more familiar faces than that night. Ivan Kutz and London's Rossko were both unreal and Heartthrob the Michigan M_nus Man with his 1 hour live set of cosmic interplanetary raw spice bombs dealt the top trump card.  For me it was on to private after parties but through the grape vine I have heard reports of unorthodox hybrid dj/live sets from oor Jesse and tears were shed by many. "The best after party ever" ?????

here's to the after hours athlete

...sorry for the lack of update, here lies the reason [head not working]

Ricardo @ Timewarp 2010

With Timewarp fast approaching and Ricardo taking to the helm at the Sub Club this Friday, never a more appropriate time to get this video out there...first track is HUGE, "hands in the air like its 1995"

...G.E.M.F welcomes Chilean royalty

Wooosh, PING!---------->Week 3 already, ahaaa its time for G.E.M.F to move it up a gear, 2 days of unadulterated mayhem in prospect. Recovery achieved and after the positive devastation created by Marco Carola last week at Pressure, best summed up by the Ned in the toilet "that bald cunts bangin eh!" its time to introduce Chilean royalty. Not involved in the mining accident but if he was would have used his raw creative talent to blast an exit route with consummate ease (no doubt). We're moving into the BIG BOYS playground, dishing out the shmoakes and hoggin the swing is a man that if underground music earned you royal status he would be addressed as: Lord Ricardo Villalobos O.B.E - L.T.E.R. As a young boy ricardo mastered the conga and bongo drums aged 10 so if you dont like drums, bass or general healthy beats - PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND and leave your ticket at the door under R. T. Carmichael - much obliged. (looking for an extra 2 if anyone can help...) So self promotion out the way thats not all this Friday ..OH NO... G.E.M.F just keeps giving.

If you are among one of the unlucky non-ticket holders or a complete fruit-cake and not into Villalobos then Tic-Tac-Toe are hosting Art Department in The Arches Cafe Bar, responsible for two of last years biggest underground records "without you" and "vampire nightclub" ....so may our paths intertwine and here's to G.E.M.F (friday) and in the words of Jerry Lee Lewis "be bop a lula".

Unfurl the Italian flag

As is approaches week 2, round 2, party 2 of the unofficial G.E.M.F festival....ayipayipa, we welcome a man, well some say he's a man, some say god-like figure...i find it best to describe him as a cloud personified. This is a man of Cumulonimbus stature in the world of techno. Cumulonimbus defined as a type of cloud that is dark, dense, and involved in thunderstorms and other inclement weather, they create lightning through the heart of the cloud and can further develop into a supercell (a severe thunderstorm with special features). Now that may be an understatement for the Italian Gladiator but its the  best I can come up with on a Wednesday morning during my coffee break.

This week its Pressure's turn to throw their best ingredient into the GEMF cauldron of musical delight, and they haven't disappointed. Recently featured on Radio One's Essential Mix, Naples's finest and one of my own personal top 3 DJ's (after both mind-blowing sets at la cierre, amnesia closing October 09 & 10)  ...Signor Marco Carola a a a aaaaahhhh

GEMF week uno

Week one, round one, fiesta numero uno complete ...wooosh its been and gone. Its fair to say raresh delivered the goodies, put out the bins and tore a new hole in the atmosphere all in a little under 3 hours, impressive stuff. Take a bow... all involved, raresh, sensu, sub club and those joyous faces in attendance. So Romanian appetiser gobbled its time to select a mature Italian wine to accompany this musical feast...up next "a man who single handedly built the Italian techno scene" some say Napoli would still be without running water if it wasn't for Glasgow's next guest. Four days time Pressure welcomes Marco Carola into the GEMF banquet.....buon appetito

ra ra raa reshhh...

oh yes oh yes oyesoyesoYES...the unofficial GEMF festival kicks off today in style (Glasgow smiles better) ...and in a little under 12 hours time the Sub Club courtesy of the Sensu boys opens with a Romanian superstar. One third of ar-pi-ar, Ra ra ra resh is coming to town. This is one not to be missed, having seen him spin a few records to a rapturous daytime circoloco crowd (the most demanding crowd) in the outside terrace for DC10 closings 2009...in the words of michael buffer lets get ready to rumble.

...so let the games begin!

For the next 5 weeks Glasgow's club scene is going to resemble Ibiza in mid summer, rival Berlin for big name DJs and have an atmosphere on par with Tahir Square, Cairo. Some of the most enigmatic producers and record spinning wizards are set to grace the Glasgow stage. The unofficial Glasgow electronic music festival 2011(G.E.M.F which i propose to be an annual event) kicks off this Friday and will include the likes of raresh, marco carola, ricardo villalobos, heartthrob, art department, fabrizio maurizi, andrew weatherall, onur ozer, damian lazarus.....jee whizz. Excitement, wet nickers and nerves all round. So this week is certainly the calm before the storm and in preperation, its ronhills on and round the block, granny annie's home cooking and gallons of berocca. Gladiator's stamina and an investment banker's wallet are going to be required but this is the pinnacle of the Glasgow club scene/underground scene, whatever you want to call it....and im poised like a greyhound in the trap, yaldy bags galore!

..villalobos one of the best?

...agree agree agree, craig richards talking complete sense about one of my favourite DJs. Due soon to grace the sub club thanks to sensu. The exception however is when ricardo's playing and partying too much i.e monza closing party, ibiza september, 2010 b2b with cassey, cassey carried him through. Friends who were working in Ibiza all summer were very dissapointed with him last year and i witnessed this at the closings... go 'easylee' on the partying ricardo.

fr fr friday plans...

...so fr fr friday, on the cards this weekend: 1st stop a cheerie bye for ando - jersey bound for the "warmest place on the british isles". Then craig richards@subclub - a fabric legend, yesoyeso yes! The trickmeister general and rondog in the warm up...excited about this much.Then into sarahs 30th YES THIRTIETH birthday saturday night in the courtyard, a place i thought would never be re-visited, a place which has harvested the best times of my life and has now also in a sharp twist of fate, chewed them up and spat them right out... have you seen the place recently...yuk yuk yuk all decorum 'oot the windae', some glasgow gangster has got his hands on the keys and spent a few beans in ikea to re-decorate and kindly invited every bam, jake & reprobate this side of possil to attend. Swung by last weekend for a brief recce and was greeted by 25 set of gums, 3 teeth between them. Happy hardcore and scouse house the genres of choice on the jukebox ...uh oh!

a start...

...finally time to put finger to key and tell of the long exaggerated truths, twisted tales and valiant voyages one has been involved with in recent times, focusing on the positives and disregarding the negatives (ever the optimist). Inspired by a true wizard (personal hero) and his "a few things from ivan smagghe" blog I thought it about time to start archiving stories before all is forgotten... so a year in the life of oor robert...