London Global Dance Festival - Muccassassina Profile

LONDON GLOBAL DANCE FESTIVAL
MAIN EVENT – SUNDAY 30TH MAY
INTERNATIONAL CLUB PREVIEW
MUCCASSASSINA


When we gave you a preview insight to the huge London Global Dances Festival, a weekend of all encompassing parties, showcasing a whole host of top international D.J.’s, we also hinted towards the involvement of some major global clubbing brands & party outfits and in a small series of further previews, we will be bringing you our take on these brands and what they will be bringing to the festival. So, first up in our series is our focus on an Italian giant club brand that will be taking its own dedicated room at the LGDF main event at Fire in Vauxhall on Sunday 30th May.

Muccassassina in without doubt Italy’s most flamboyant & glamorous gay clubbing events which takes place every Friday at Club Qube in Rome, boasting the most cosmopolitan crowd of ardent clubbers in search of some of the finest music that this Italian capital has on offer, as the glitterati of the city’s gay scene mix in splendour with their uber chic & straight clubbing cousins, as well as a dazzling doze of head turning transgenders & an intriguing injection of inquisitive queens that give this weekly event a truly awe inspiring atmosphere and has often been summarised as being “very sexy, having a definite circuit party feel & offering a complete experience”.

Having celebrated its 20th Anniversary back in November 2009, Muccassissina has established a firm reputation for putting on the most splendid events, speaking massive volumes through the music offering which is unbeatable, thus attracting some of the world’s biggest D.J. names to play, including Junior Vasquez, Mike Kelly, Max Morel, Taito Tikaro & Pablo Kapanos, but also draws in the cream of the London talent, names such as Paul Heron, Per Q.X., Guy Williams, Brent Nicholls, The Sharp Boys & Gonzalo Rivas to mention just a few, although linking in with Italian D.J. talent always seems to go down very well, Pagano & Severino having graced the clubs decks on many occasions and both Danny Verde & Phil Romano being firm favourites, complimenting the strong resident D.J. line up that includes Claudio Di Rocco, Micky Galliano, Luigi Rossi, Gianluca Pacinni, & Fabio Lanzone.

Spread across three floors, the club event hosts three distinct genres of sound, from uplifting & commercial house, through to more progressive, tribal & electro genres, also serving up a taste of hip hop & New York style underground sounds that offer an enticing blend of music styles catering for a wide variety of tastes. Add to that the stunning array of performers, whether it be muscled go-go dancers, resident drag queens that include Fuzia, Alba & Tsunami, along with extrovert vocal talents Mark & Matthew as well as Miss Mandengo, all draw together magnificently by the musical & performing direction of the flamboyant Diego Longobardi and you can just imagine why Muccassissina is not just the talk of Rome & of Italy but has a global reputation for its stunning shows & extravagant events, testament to that fact being the collection of club brands that have collaborated with Muccassissina, in the past like global sensations Salvation & Space of Sound as well as London favourites Crash & DTPM, attracting an international audience as well as cementing its impeccable reputation in its homeland.

So, Muccassassina will take its place within the main LGDF event, hosting the Mirrorarch space in Fire on Sunday 30th May and two of its most prestigious Italian D.J.’s Danny Verde and Phil Romano, will be flying the Mucca flag. But it won’t stop there, as the clubs creative director, Diego Longobardi, will be jetting in especially for the night, bringing a band of his performers, dancers & singers to really inject that extra special feel to the space. And we are definitely looking forward to sampling a taste of gay clubbing Italy at its best and this will be one room that you won’t want to miss out on for sure. However, don’t just take our word for it, to get the full flavour of this amazingly energetic, extravert & glamorous club & to get a sense of exactly why it commands a slot at LGDF, why not check out their “official” website at http://muccassassina.com/ or indeed take a look at some amazing videos via You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72aq5igiuzU, which links into over 12 video clips of Mucca events/parties and feel the passion & glory that is Muccassassina. (DISCO MATT)

London Global Dance Festival

LONDON GLOBAL DANCE FESTIVAL -
SPECIAL PREVIEW
WEDNESDAY 12TH MAY 2010


We can be very proud of the depth of talent across our gAylist/land/metrosexual scene in the capital, for sporting a huge depth of talent & choice, whether it be in the different venues, club, bars & businesses, in the range of promoters & entrepreneurs that constantly strive to make the scene a stronger & better place, but moreover in the depth of D.J. talent that, week in, week out, deliver top quality sounds meaning that clubs across the capital can be proud of offering truly world class music to the hoards of discerning clubbers & socialites that make our scene one of the most prolific in the globe. Yes it’s true that we don’t always do everything the best, Madrid is renowned for putting on a much more prestigious Pride event, & Sydney’s Mardi Gras festival remains one of the world’s strongest & most reputable gay gatherings, but there are plenty of reasons why other countries & cities look to London, not just for inspiration, but as a place that leads the way in innovation & music styles.

However, while we can be very proud of our home-grown talent and those international D.J’s that have made London their base, there is a veritable feast of great jocks across the five continents of this amazing place we call Earth (couldn’t find any in Antarctica though!) and in many ways, this was the inspiration behind the concept of creating a global festival, drawing on some of the crème of the crop of disc spinning masters, to join forces in one massive event, in the thick of what we have described as the strongest scene’s in the world. And so the London Global Dance Festival idea was born, the concept of one man, a club promoter who tirelessly delivers the best in every event that he launches, delivering on his insatiable appetite for bringing top class & first rate performers to strengthen our scene in London. Alex Erfan will be known from his days involved with Salvation way back when, but more latterly for launching & improving the brand Lovechild in London, as well as being behind what we have called the success of 2010 so far, As One, this event in itself testament to his skill for bringing together, promoters, clubs & D.J.’s under one roof to create a prolific & popular party.

But never wanting to rest on his laurels, Alex decided that London deserved an internationally renowned gay dance festival to not just showcase London’s ability to host & put on a massive & fabulous event, but to collaborate some of the biggest D.J. names & clubs from all corners of the globe. And in the London Global Dance Festival, that is exactly what he and his team have set out to achieve, serving up a weekend of parties around one huge event that will bring together over 20 internationally renowned D.J.’s & producers, joining the crème of London’s best, not to mention some of the world’s biggest gay club brands from Europe & further afield, all who will form a incredible partnership of clubbing & musical excellence never seen before in London. Plus, in bringing so much talent to the U.K., The London Global Dance Festival will rival the likes of Miami’s Winter Music Conference & Barcelona’s own Circuit festival and thus cementing London’s reputation for being the hotbed of top class club eventing, also linking in some of the capitals most renowned & successful club brands.

So, that is the concept, but what about the detail? Well, the London Global Dance Festival will be taking place across the bank Holiday weekend of 28th to 31st May, that’s Friday through Monday and will encompass eight separate parties including the main event itself which will be held at Fire on Sunday 30th May. And it is recognised that Vauxhall is the centre of gAylist clubbing in the capital, so all eight parties will be based in this popular south of the river clubbing village, sharing the events & D.J.’s between two of the major clubs, Fire & Area, encapsulating club brands, Onyx, A.M., Queer Nation, Beyond, Later & Orange within the weekend long schedule, all as delightful tasters & celebrations of the main event itself. So, in these various club brands, not only will there be a fusion of international & London sounds, with each party having representatives from across the globe, but each event will have the London Global Dance Festival (LGDF) as their central theme for the weekend, right from the launch at Onyx, through to the Orange afterparty, clubbers will be treated to some of the best music, production, lighting & visuals seen & heard anywhere in the world and with talent coming from both North & South America, Europe, Africa, Asia & Australia, there is no doubt that the result will mean that London & more importantly Vauxhall, will have a truly global feel right across the whole weekend.

In terms of the schedule, the various parties will be as follows :-

Friday 28th May Onyx “International” at Area 10 p.m. till 5 a.m.
Saturday 29th May A.M. “Global Edition” at Fire 3 a.m. till 11 a.m.
Saturday 29th May Queer Nation at Fire 11 p.m. till 6 a.m.
Sunday 30th May Beyond “The Universe” at Area 6 a.m. till 1 p.m.
Sunday 30th May Later “Presents” at Fire 11 a.m. till 7 p.m.
Sunday 30th May LGDF Main Event at Fire 10 p.m. till 7 a.m.
Monday 31st May Orange LGDF Official Afterparty at Area 6 a.m. till 6 p.m.
Monday 31st May LGDF Recovery Party at Fire 10 p.m. till 7 a.m.

with each party surrounding the main event drawing a truly international theme as a backdrop to their award winning and successful party philosophies. Now, rather than bogging you down in massive detail now, in a series of posts running up to the weekend itself, we will be providing a full insight into each event and what will be on offer. However, to give you a flavour of the main event itself, you can expect the collaboration of International club brands that will include Scream from Paris, Space of Sound/Infinita from Madrid, Muccassissina from Rome, Propaganda from Moscow, Crew Club from Cape Town, and new club brand The Face Of Ibiza, as well as international clubbing outfit Delice, gay partying brand Spirit Of Star and industry renowned record label & agency Sorry Shoes, with this main LGDF event having an upfront, fresh & truly international flavour.

Now, the London Global Dance Festival weekend will clearly be a celebration of the best music on offer across the globe, with the main event itself offering a succession of different sounds spread across six rooms of action &, as we have said, will have a distinctively international feel to it. Not only will you be able to sample the latest cutting edge sounds from all five continents under one roof, but this LGDF main event will draw in massive internationally renowned names including Danny Verde, Phil Romano, Steven Redant, Ben Manson, Leomeo, Ismael Rivas, D.J. Oliver, Danny Tuval, Leroy Tayler, Tin Rotter, & Tony Key, each representing either a club of concept across this main event. Then with a wealth of additional D.J. talent across the other seven parties including Dikky Vendetta, D.J. Luque, Chris Bekker, Alex Taylor, Mike Kelly, Ivan Gomez, Jean Phillips, Thomas William & Nacho Chapado, each taking centre stage at their respective outings, a truly international flavour to these London based club brands will exist. Like the various events, in a series of “Music” posts, we will be giving you an insight to each D.J., familiarising you with their work & sparkling C.V.’s as well as fitting them into the amazing musical jigsaw that will be the London Global Dance Festival.

But, while music is clearly the linchpin to the festival, it won’t just stop there, as the best that the globe has to offer in the worlds of lighting, production, pyrotechnics & visuals will be on display across all eight events, as will be a stunning array of world class performers, dancers & artists that will add a real sense of carnival, drama and excitement to each party. There will be stilt walkers, angle grinders, fire eaters, circus characters & of course a veritable feast of delicious eye candy in the form of stunning muscle go-go dancers, from the best of London’s outfits as well as the lovely Delice boys, Muccassissina will be flying in its infamous drag artists & song stars & Space Of Sound have a whole team of performers jetting in from Madrid too. Each international club represented at the LGDF main event will be bringing their own stunning production, which will compliment the world class lighting & effects that Fire is renowned for and with amazing visuals characterising the different spaces, not to mention an international feel to all the other events, expect to be blown away by the truly global extravagance that will result.

So, now that you know the basis of what will be one incredible festival, keep your eyes peeled for more our upcoming reports, detailing each & every club brand & party that will be taking part across the massive festival weekend, as well as extensive profiling of all the international guest D.J.’s & performers coming up in our specially dedicated “Music” & “Preview” posts. We will also be bringing you the latest hot off the press news as the weekend draws nearer, giving more detail on that all important information of ticket sales, availability and website links to guide you through what will be the biggest event to hit the gAylist scene in the capital, the London Global Dance Festival. (DISCO MATT)

"Cupids Arrow" - Lovechild & DTPM - Special Valentine's Weekend Preview

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Matinee 2006 to 2010 - "Looking Back Then Looking Forward - Special Preview

“MATINEE 2006 TO 2010 – LOOKING BACK, THEN LOOKING FORWARD”
A SPECIAL REVIEW & PREVIEW


There are some amazing home grown brands across the gAylist scene that have made waves in the history of clubbing, names that spring to mind including Trade, Crash, Beyond, Salvation, DTPM & Orange, many of these having successfully made an impact across the globe, Trade making it big in Europe and Salvation being a worldwide phenomenon, celebrating its latest conquest of the dance floors in South Africa. It is clear that brit clubs know how to lay on great parties abroad, but you can’t escape the fact that one massive brand emanating from Spain seems to really show the way, with prolific events across the mainland & on the white isle Ibiza attracting incredible attention. Their latest incarnation, the Circuit Festival in Barcelona, has developed into being one of Europe’s biggest & heads always turn & people flock to party after party this brand lay’s on, whether it be in Spain or worldwide.

The brand? Well, Matinee of course, the Spanish giant club which was launched way back in 1997 as a small outfit operating out of Barcelona, but in its 12 year history has become one of the best known & powerful clubbing brands in the world. Through a series of parties, first in home territory Barcelona with Le-Soleil, Souvenir & then Cafe Ole, it was never going to stop there, as the Matinee magic spread across the Mediterranean, Ibiza heralding the highly successful “Saturday Sessions” held at Space, which was to form an important connection with the group as it spread its message of clubbing excellence far and wide, with L’Atlantida in Sitges and “Nightology” boat tours right around Spain. Then, Matinee took on the biggest gamble in hits history, as it embarked on a world tour, taking in some of the major capital’s & party hotspots, proving to be the best clubbing export Spain has ever seen, with massive successes in France & Italy, but with parties in Frankfurt & Miami becoming real vindications of this risky decision to spread the Matinee word.

But what about London? well it was certainly wasn’t going to miss out & as part of the 2006 “Around The World” series of parties, the Matinee machine hitting the capital on 29th July, importing hot Spanish go-go’s, along with then resident D.J. Juanjo Martin and joining them with London. based D.J.’s , which included Steve Pitron, Paul Heron, Brent Nicholls, Mikey D and one Oliver M, the party hosted by Area in Vauxhall, which at the time was owned by co-promoters Wayne Shires & Rod Lay. It proved to be a resounding success and was certainly a taste of an upcoming Spanish invasion to hit gAylist/land London, being voted the best clubbing event of 2006 and really showing the way for a scene that was suffering from a little mundane normality. During 2007, the Matinee world tour brought the event back to London and was not just keen to follow the successful format that had seen it top the 2006 club poll, but make Matinee a regular feature of the London monthly clubbing calendar.

However, 2007 saw much turmoil in Vauxhall, with The Orange Group (owners of Fire) taking over Area, the venue for the Matinee parties in the capital, thus effectively sidelining this Spanish import, making it clear that somebody needed to come it it’s rescue. And that someone was Oliver Mohns, who along with his business partner of the time, Logan Schmitz, approached the Matinee group in Spain, to take over & fully promote their parties in London, offering the kind of high quality, large scale & glamorous parties the brand had become famous for around the world, but especially in their own backyards of Barcelona & Ibiza. Oliver’s associations with Matinee certainly helped, as he had D.J.’d for many of their parties not just in Spain but as part of The World Tour, including London, so he was a known quantity by the brand’s big brass. In addition, with Logan Schmitz bringing his expertise & skill for laying on stunning stage shows & providing exceptional dancers, this seemed like the golden ticket and the new look Matinee London was born, holding its massive launch party in Jan 2008 at the fabulously spacious Fabric nightclub in Farringdon as a Sunday night event, in some way’s following on from the successful gay formula the venue had sported with a long lasting run of DTPM parties.

It was at Fabric where we witnessed some amazing parties, well and truly dominated by some spectacular shows, Matinee “Knockout” in Feb being a superb example, as the main room was taken over by a huge boxing ring, creating the biggest splash we had seen in a club in the capital yet, although as the crowd consumed the space following the shows & the ring crumpled with the weight, it may have proved a costly affair. Other scintillating parties, the luscious “La-Leche” at Easter, the t-dance delight “Rewind” and then the pulsating “Paparazzi” in May served to cement Matinee’s popularity and its dominance of the glamorous gAylist scene. However, the success that was now the Evolved Events team then seemed to overfill with this exuberance, spurning the launch of their home-grown club Revolver, which, to the outsider, seemed to take some of the teams focus away from its Matinee events, Revolver in reality only receiving only a lukewarm reception.

July’s “Gay Pride” Matinee party was regrettable evidence, with a lack-lustre turnout and it seemed the time had come for change which resulted in a return to where the fairytale had started back in 2006, in Vauxhall, although this time it would be super club Colosseum that would be Matinee’s home. The Sunday formula was also set to change, but not before the massive August Bank Holiday “Superbowl” event which saw the venue filled like never before, but Saturday was Matinee London’s target, which came in the form of probably the best ever party to date, Viva, a spectacle of delirious dancing, magical music & an awesome atmosphere, which was to be our yardstick of all future Matinee events. “Marineros” followed in October, affirming both the move to Colosseum and the change back to Saturday’s, although some quarters missed the large scale shows & glamour that came with parties at Fabric and it was clear that all was not well in Evolved Events land, with an imminent split in the business partnership that was Oliver Mohns & Logan Schmitz, which was set to dominate the pseudo Spanish clubbing landscape in London for the next 15 months.

Matinee London continued, seemingly unabated & unaffected by the drams behind the scenes, with a superb “Space Invaders” event & an exuberant “Xmas Special” party, signalling that all seemed well with the brand in London and with the New Year’s event a complete sell-out, even though it was at the awkward “afterhours” timing, being at Colosseum, the host venue for NYD gAylist parties for many years, it was bound to be a success. Regrettably, the party was plagued with massive queues, both inside & out & cold spaces, the finger of blame being pointed in lots of directions, but unrepentant as the Matinee brand & crowd seemed to be at the time, the NYD was a virtual immediate distant memory as it scooped top spot on the 2008 club poll, followed by further huge successes, first with a charismatic birthday party, in celebration of the Spanish group turning 11, then y the “Masked Ball” and then “Erotica”, all parties delivering stunning shows & amazing D.J, performances. Nevertheless, under the surface, Matinee London & Evolved Events were becoming agitated with former business partner Logan Schmitz, who was making massive waves & taking the capital by storm with competitive brand SuperMartXe, hinting that fortunes were beginning to change for Matinee.

With the economic downturn that was dominating 2009 having its effect, the next three months were to signal a succession of winners & losers and whilst SuperMartXe under Logan’s steerage was going from strength to strength, Matinee was in search of inspiration, finding it in uber new venue Cable in London Bridge. The Evolved Events team launched at this new space & home in July, kicking off with their “Evolution-Revolution” party to critical acclaim, which was to be the new beginning, the August Bank Holiday party being even more popular than the launch. Cable, on the face of it, was proving just the change Matinee needed, however, the euphoria was relatively short lived and whilst Matinee London’s 3rd party went down well and their follow up “The Next Chapter” was a resounding success, for us the best of 2009, it was evident the ravages of inter club promoter feuding & foul play was taking its toll on Matinee London. When the December event “La Nocha Roja” didn’t quite hit the mark & was definitely missing something and then the fateful NYD party failed to ignite any sort of excitement, you would have been forgiven for thinking that this was a signal of things to come.

Then, as 2009 turned to 2010 amidst optimism that the New Year would bring improved fortunes, news came through of a dramatic change, as the Matinee group announced that the London franchise would be changing hands, ironically from Oliver Mohn’s “Evolved Events” to Logan Schmitz’s “Logan Presents”. The news caused a veritable tsunami style reaction across gAylist London’s dancefloors within hours of Matinee’s decision, those close to the respective “camps” taking the news in different ways, lots of questions already being raised as to why Matinee chose NYD to make the announcement, would Logan’s involvement with competitive Spanish brand SuperMartXe result in a conflict of interests, what would be the plans for Matinee London moving forward, would the old team of D.J’s & support staff be part of the new look and just when & where would the next Matinee event be?

Well, many of these questions remain unanswered, some in whole others in part, but with the dust having settled on the biggest announcement in gAylist clubland London in a long while, Matinee 2010 is now beginning to take shape. So, where are we with it all? Well Matinee’s first party of the year was always scheduled to take place on 6th February and this has not changed. Other details that were confirmed or at least planned out back in December, included the involvement of Spanish resident J Loius and he will be heading up the team of D.J.’s for the event, which we can confirm will be international superstars Paul Heron & Pagano, both previous Matinee London residents and rulers of the main floor across most of its history. The other inclusion secured before the promoter news change, was power house vocalist Vanessa Klein, who will be P.A. for the event and will perform, amongst others, her latest smash hit track “Addicted”.

But what of Matinee itself? Well, the new promotions team representing Matinee London & working with The World Tour, are beginning a phase of refurbishment, rejuvenation & reinvigoration, with the February party be hailed as Matinee “Under Construction”. They are promising the highest quality pyrotechnics, lighting & sound, combined with the finest dancing hunks seen anywhere in Europe, as well a stage show spectacular, everything that you have come to expect from the Logan Presents team, all this fused with Matinee’s unique Spanish sound, making for a new Matinee London like you have never seen before. Well, that seems to be the idea and given the level of coverage of both the change & the resultant plans, there is no shortage of hype surrounding this first outing, which will take place at The Fridge in Brixton, an iconic venue with plenty of gay history both old & new. We understand the club has undergone some dramatic improvements, with more to come and with the combination of Logan’s ability to stage prolific parties in these theatre style venues, the first outing is destined to be a huge success, even if the attractiveness of the Fridge has got a big question mark over it.

So, what is our verdict on the change? How do we see Matinee looking as 2010 progresses? And will there be further controversial times ahead for its new promoter? Well, there is no doubting the credentials of Logan Schmitz & his team, their work with SuperMartXe being nothing short of inspirational. In the relative short time that he has been hosting the brand in London, SuperMartXe has literally captivated the gAylist scene like no other venture we have seen in our lifetime, his skill at co-ordinating & choreographing stage shows is undoubted and this talent amongst others should prove to be a great asset to Matinee London. A business decision to change was made by the Matinee hierarchy and whilst the timing could have been seen as heartless, it is nevertheless clear that “team Logan” is very much in business and in the business of putting on superb parties, attracting the glitterati of the scene, which we are sure was seen as a reason for the decision coming out of Barcelona. As for Matinee London having legs in some form or other in 2010, we really hope it will, although we think possibly not at the Fridge, but maybe back where it all began and hopefully with much of the old team intact.

However, there is a nagging concern that that ominous phrase “a conflict of interest” may come into play, after all Matinee & SuperMartXe are major competitors in Spain & have been in London, so having one promotions team managing both outfits has got to have its pitfalls, perhaps signalling some rough seas ahead for Logan and his team. Nevertheless, for the sake of great partying, for the sake of high quality clubbing & for the sake of one of our most favourite clubbing brands, we hope this is not the case, we hope that Matinee London in the hands of its new maker is not only rejuvenated & reinvigorated, but most importantly builds on all the incredible ingredients that made a whole host of parties in the hands of its promotions predecessor superb, by going from strength to strength. There is an undoubted legacy left behind by the outgoing promotions team, who have brought Matinee a long way in London, hosting some truly outstanding parties, so Logan has some amazing past events to not just surpass but equal, although if the new teams track record is anything to go by, they should achieve it in bucket loads & we will be there to support it all. (DISCO MATT)

Matinee "NYD 2010" - STOP PRESS News

Hey Folks,

Well, with 2010 literally just under a day away, it seems that all the big guns are vying for your attention, with New Year’s Day looking like the best time to celebrate the dawn of a new decade. Now, if you haven’t yet made up your mind where to go, then check out our special NYD/NYE “weekend recommendations” post at http://discomatt.com or go to http://seenqueen.com, which also has special coverage of where to be seen between tomorrow night & Saturday.

However, we want to take a moment to focus on what looks like being the best way to kick off your Jan 1st morning, as mega Espaniol brand Matinee goes afterhours for the occasion, presenting their “supersized” event over in London Bridge at the state of the art Cable nightclub. And we must stress, that contrary to certain rumours, Matinee’s doors will be opening at 5 a.m., yes that’s 5 a.m. (not 7 a.m.), meaning this will be the first afterhours event to kick off 2010, the party running through to a planned 2 p.m. finish.

So, with that detail made crystal clear, what can you expect from this special Matinee outing? Well, the Evolved Events all star D.J’s Guy Williams, Paul Heron, Fat Tony, Jonny M, Alessandro, Jon Dennis & Saki will be present, joined by Spanish superstar Matinee resident G-Martin, providing the best quality D.J. line up of the day. Fierce International will be out in force, supplying chunk loads of hot & sexy dancers, but will also be joined by the infamous “Stress” performers, noted for their outrageous & scary club shows across the world, who will be flown in especially for the event from Barcelona & Ibiza.

Plus the latest “hot off the press” news, in an exclusive interview tonight with Oliver M, Matinee London’s promoter, is that Contagious Entertainment will be providing two muscle hunks who will perform a stunning & sexy fire eating & angle grind show. Plus, the first 400 paying guests through Matinee’s doors will receive an exclusive, rare & limited edition A3 wall calendar featuring 12 of Matinee Group’s sexiest dancers (what better way to spice up your office, kitchen or bathroom!).

Oliver has also asked us to express not just his, but the whole of the Evolved Events teams gratitude for your support of Matinee throughout 2009 and promises that you will be blown away, not only by NYD, but by the plans the team have for 2010, as Matinee is definitely in London to stay (more on our exclusive insight to plans in future posts).

Now, if last year is anything to go by, this is going to be an absolute “roadblock”, so we suggest you grab your advance tickets in person, which are still available for £25 at the usual Soho outlets or if you prefer, go online to http://evolvedevents.co.uk and we have assurances that there will be no repeat of last year’s problems, both on the door & with the coatcheck(s).

Finally, we have been provided with one of those rare & limited edition Matinee 2010 wall calendar’s, which we will be giving away to the lucky entrant drawn from the all those that correctly answer our special Matinee competition question, which is, Name the event which marked the launch of Matinee London at Cable back in July this year? E-mail your answers to discomatt@hotmail.com to be received no later than Monday 4th Jan 2010.

We will, of course be at Matinee this NYD to review & report on it all, so make sure you are too & come say hi.

xDM

SuperMartXe - "Alice In Wonderland" -STOP PRESS News

SUPERMARTXE "ALICE IN WONDERLAND"
STOP PRESS NEWS/PREVIEW

Well, we have already given you more than a taster in our recent “Wave Goodbye to 09 & Hello to 10” post on what looks like being the most prolific party of New Year’s Day, as SuperMartXe delves into all things magical & mystical, with its special party “Alice In Wonderland”, which takes place at the O2 Academy in Brixton on 1st Jan 2010, from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. However, given the massive plans for this extravaganza event, we thought it only appropriate to devote a “special” STOP PRESS post to the party, with the latest & hot news coming direct to us from promoter Logan Schmitz.

So, first let’s get the mundane stuff out of the way. As mentioned above, the party kicks off at 5 p.m. with the event running through to a planned 2 a.m., so very much in the tea-dance timescale, although this will be no regular early evening event. Tickets are on sale at your favourite Soho outlets, including Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8, The Box & Profile, but also online at http://ticketweb.co.uk, priced currently at £20. VIP options are available (more on that in a mo) via http://loganpresents.com. We recommend you grab a ticket in advance although they will be on sale on the door.

With the boring detail over, let’s concentrate first on the party itself, which promises to be much much more than just a peep through the looking glass. If you have marvelled at SuperMartXe parties at The Coronet, “Alice” promises to pail these into insignificance, with the most lavish, flamboyant & extravert stage production you have ever seen, whisking you away into a fairy tale land of magical dreams & enchantment, with a stunning array of performers, dancers & P.A’s all dressed for the occasion, think Mad Hatters Tea party (very apt), Queen of Hearts (possibly tarts!), Cheshire Cats & White Rabbits galore, plus all the wonders that this amazing Lewis Carol story gives out.

In a “stage curtain” reveal at just passed 8 p.m. expect everything that SuperMartXe is renowned for, high-tech lighting, lasers & pyrotechnics, as well as flying acrobats, fire eaters & larger than life inflatable’s, enough to captivate you party goers all night long. The magical musical journey through “wonderland” will be provided by SuperMartXe regulars Steve Pitron & Marlon Jones, joined by Spanish superstar D.J. Juanjo Martin in the main “wonderland” arena, while Tony English, Phil Marriot, Aron, & Nathan 6 will play out in the Gaydar sponsored “garden” room. Live P.A. performances will come from Belle & Aimee, with whom Logan & his team have worked closely, not only to secure the integrity of the music, but to provide some extra special surprises on the night. You may have seen previous publicity promoting the appearance of X-Factor finalist Danyl Johnson, but as a compromise on his inclusion within the planned musical content couldn’t be arrived at, he has been dropped from the line up.

Now, let’s move onto the venue itself and time to address some possible concerns. Firstly, with a capacity of 5000, the O2 Academy is well versed in dealing with large numbers, so the efficient “fast track scanning” system employed on the main door should impress, as will the coatcheck facilities, with no less than four separate areas, including a special one dedicated to just bags. Then there is the dancefloor, which, for those of you that have visited the venue will realise, it tilts considerably, although this will be levelled out especially for “Alice”. And, getting to The Academy couldn’t be easier, as it is served by the nearby Victoria Line tube & a whole host buses & other transportation links, plus being probably the best known venue in South London, no taxi driver worth his salt will get lost!!

Now, we said we would cover the VIP options and for just £40, not only do you get a “super speed” specialised entrance at the rear of the venue, but there is then a free coatcheck and reserved VIP tables, positioned along the side of the main arena, where you will have the best view of the shows & the spectacle that will be “Alice In Wonderland”.

So, Friday 1st January looks like being one very special day in the continuing life of SuperMartXe in London and surely one party you won’t want to miss. Plus, “Logan Presents” supports the mega party As One, which is the official “Alice” after party, with special £3 per person taxi’s laid on from the Academy to whisk you to Fire (see our New years “weekend recommendations” post for details on this)..

All, that remains to say, is, in the inimitable words of the promoter....”follow the white rabbit & head for the O2 Academy on NYD”.

xDM

Festive Season Special Preview - "Wave Goodbye to 09, Say Hello to 10"

WAVE GOODBYE TO 09, SAY HELLO TO 10 – WHERE WILL YOU BE CLUBBING THIS FESTIVE SEASON?
SPECIAL EXTENDED “PREVIEW”


Well, it has undoubtedly been an interesting year in gaylist/clubland London, with the downturn in the economic climate taking the brunt of the blame for the problems many clubs have encountered in 2009, but is fair to say that, despite money being tighter than we have known in a long time, many have still managed to satisfy their clubbing desires, with special weekends & most of big events proving the popular choices. Yes there have been some flops, but equally there have been some amazing parties, so as we the year draws to a close, how will 2009 bow out and what’s in store for the dawn of 2010?

There is definitely not shortage of options to dust off your clubbing shoes, celebrate the coming Christmas festivities, them wear off all the excesses caused by just one day (mad aren’t we?!) & hail the coming of what everybody hopes is a much better year ahead of us. Mind you, for some, Christmas started early, with two of gAylist London’s biggest clubs already throwing their festive parties, Matinee’s “La Nocha Rocha”, which was held on 5th Dec being more of a regular affair, although being covered in red coloured production, Matinee definitely was seasonal in look, even if the party didn’t feel that Christmassy. But then Beyond’s “Ice” party was definitely a winter wonderland and we were still dusting off the snow, hours afterwards, having had a brilliant time in the hands of Mikey D, Steve Pitron, D’Johnny & Alan K.

However, it seems the majority of parties are kicking off from this week, so what’s on offer to tempt you out? Well, hold on, as we give you the best of the bunch in our definitive run down.

First out of the blocks, tomorrow no less (Wed 16th) is “Gay City Rollers”, as Alex Erfan’s crew throw a special Christmas themed party, promising that the Renaissance rooms will be glammed up with OTT decor, outrageous costumes & festive go go’s, with plenty of surprises, free gifts & seasonal cheer spread around by Chris Geary’s hunks. And the exciting news is that two real D.J. icon’s will be spinning the tunes, as Tasty Tim & Fat Tony join regular Stewart Who? on the decks, to provide the scintillating sounds. Entrance is just £7, which includes a free drink & hire of the skates, which is probably the best value night out we can think of. Doors at the Renaissance Rooms open at 7 p.m. with the club running through until midnight. More details can be found at http://alexerfan.com

Thursday 17th sees Industri perform for the last time in 2009, with Minty hosting as only she can do, outrageously, and Paul Heron on the D.J. decks from 10.p.m. until 2 a.m. Industri has proven to be THE social soiree of the scene and with an extra special birthday twist this week, it should be a blast. Barcode Vauxhall is the host venue as always and proceedings usually start from 9 p.m., running through it 2 a.m. entrance being free all night!! Check http://bar-code.co.uk for more info.

Then the next Christmas themed party , also on Thurs night (17th), is Gravity at Fire, which plays host to The Oli & Alan K on the decks, with superstar Steve Pitron guesting for the night. The team promise plenty of festive frivolity, with the club being given that special Christmassy feel in the hands of Jay Sharp Vokins’ magical mastery. Plus the fabulous Naomi hosts “Jiggy’s Christmas Sack” with plenty of presents to give away. It all kicks off at midnight, with the club running through until a heady 8 a.m. (books the day off work!) & entrance at anything for £5 to £10, dependant on what time you get there (grab a flyer!). Check out http://firelondon.co.uk for more details.

Friday 18th is definitely an “Onyx” day, as the club that has transformed Friday nights is back with its Christmas “White Spectacular”, with the club being totally transformed but with all the usual ingredients that make Area super amazing, lasers, pyro’s & sexy stage shows and for sure this is one Onyx outing you won’t want to miss. Music comes courtesy of residents Phil Marriot & Steven Gellar in the main room, Jamie Hammond, Tuomo Fox, James St James & Jason Prince lauding it up in black room, with Lisa German taking hold of the terrace bar accompanied by Donald on vocals. However, the big news is that mega international superstar D.J. Paul Heron will be guesting for the night, taking the main room by storm & that is going to be something really special. The team dare you to dress all in white & offer special cocktails & free entry to the VIP bar if you do. What’s more there will be plenty of drinks offers on all night, on top of the amazing free entry before midnight offer. Onyx opens its doors at 10 p.m. & runs through until 5 p.m., with entry charges at just £6 after midnight (bargain!) & advance tickets selling online at http://clubtickets.com.

Saturday 19th sees the Christmas parties continue, the highlight being “Juicy”, as promoter Andrew Harris & his boys come over all festive, throwing a special “Juicy Yule Ball”, offering a bold bundle of fun with super X rated go-go boys to delight & extra special Christmas production, visuals & lighting. Music is provided by resident D.J’s Rob Sykes,
Hi-Fi Sean, Steve Artis, Gonzalo Rivas & David Jiminez, but joining them will be none other than the Italian Stallion, Pagano, who will be playing an extra special progressive & tech infused set in the main room to eclipse all others and we expect his popularity will ensure there is very little “room in the stable”. Juicy takes place at Fire in Vauxhall, doors opening at 11 p.m. & the club running through until 8 a.m. Entrance is £12, but if you grab an advance ticket from your fave Soho outlets, it’s just £10, or online from http://clubtickets.com, with more details of the event at http://myspace.com.firelondon.

Then the all out “Xmas partying” takes a breather until Christmas Day (yes there is clubbing on the day itself...365 days a year darling!!) so as to let you all get your shopping in..and we do like to shop, don’t we?!?!

So, on Christmas day, the mother of all clubs, “Trade”, teams up with “Orange”, to bring you a blowout incredebleu entitled “Orange/Trade – The Magic Of Christmas”, at Fire in Vauxhall. If you have never been to a Trade Christmas day party, you really don’t know what you are missing, as there is no feeling that can be more decadent than clubbing while the rest of society are sleeping off their excesses. To well & truly help proceedings on, the Trade collective, in conjunction with Orange, have lined up a spectacular D.J. list, across three rooms, with the “Tinsel Trade Rudolf Room” playing host to Lisa German, Pagano.Nick Tcherniak & Lady Bianca, while over in the “Orange Claus Chamber”, Gonzalo Rivas, The Sharp Boys, Terry Bryan & The Oli take charge, with a yet undisclosed special guest joining them (could it be Steve Pitron?!). Then there is the “Lap Land Lightbox”, where the dream team of Fat Tony & Tonnic take you on a funky Xmas night journey, with Dave Cross assisting, but as if that wasn’t enough, there will be a fab chillout area, named simply “The Xmas Lounge”, where Steven Sharp’s super Xmas soundtrack will offer you an escape from the frenetic activity. Fire is set to look like a magical Christmas wonderland with all the ingredients we expect from this amazingly equipped venue, with the promise of complimentary mince pies & mulled wine for early arrivals, plus lots of extra surprises! (woo hoo). Trade/Orange (as we prefer it) kicks off at 10 p.m., finishing off at a premature 8 a.m. (must be the licensing). Tickets are on sale now at http://clubtickets.com for £12, as well as at Clone Zone, Prowler, DV8 & The Box, plus from Fire, Area & even from Steven Sharp in person (can’t be bad). Check out http://tradeuk.net for the full news.

Boxing Day sees no let down in the partying, as some of will be dreaming of being miles away in South Africa, as the Salvation Tour kicks off in Johannesburg, but back in good old London Town, uber sexy fetish club Hard On! throws its party to shake off all that turkey, Christmas pud, mince pies, & allows you to indulge in some stuffing of a different kind. So, putting aside the extra large jumper your granny sent you and slipping into leather, rubber, skinhead gear, uniform & the like, its time to get all pumped & funked up, with sexy sounds from resident D.J.’s Brent Nicholls, Hugos’land & Halo Is, as well as indulging in all the happenings across in the massive playroom (gonna do our best to hold onto our T-shirt this time!). And, to add to the fun & frivolity, there is a special two for one drinks offer on Vodka before midnight to really get you in the mood. Hard On! at Hidden in Vauxhall kicks off at 10 p.m., running through until 5 a.m. & remember folks, it is a members only club, details of which you can find at http://hardonclub.co.uk or, if you prefer, grab your membership at RoB or Expectations.

For the less pervy of you, there is always Fire, which hosts its monthly Tabloid outing, this time for a special Boxing Day bender, featuring none other than Boy George on the decks, who will be spinning a special set to befit the occasion, now if that doesn’t grab the front page headlines, what will?!?! Other broadsheet entertainers will include residents, The Oli, David Jiminez & The Sharp Boys, joined by Daz Saund & Nick Tcherniak with the return of the fabulous “Poporazzi Lounge”, hosted by “Jiggy” with D.J’s Jonny M, The very Miss Dusty O & James Saint James on the decks. Expect all the usual extrovert news grabbing production including the “Tabloid Wall Projection” which needs to be seen to be believed, as well as superb lighting, pyro’s & more. Doors open at 11 p.m. with the club running through until 8 a.m., with tickets available at just £10 in advance at http://clubtickets.com with special entrance charges with flyers in hand, otherwise £15 on the door.

We kind of then take a hop skip & jump across the short gap to New Years, with the world & his wife serving up their own form of partying on New Year’s Eve, but it seems that the mother of all of them will be “Kinky Trade” which will combine the forces of three clubs in one at The Renaissance rooms in Vauxhall. So, with promoters Laurence Malice, Andrew Harris & Alex Erfan laying down the gauntlet, the worlds of Trade, Juicy & Lovechild will join together for one spectacular gathering, with some of the biggest D.J. names in the business, including Trade’s Pete Wardman, Steve Thomas, Malcolm Duffy, Nick Tcherniak & Gonzalo Rivas, Juicy’s Steve Pitron, Hi-Fi Sean, Rob Sykes, D’Johnny & Steven Artis and Lovechild’s Mattias, Phil Hewson & Stewart Who?, will be the focus of the musical entertainment, although as of going to press there are more D.J’s to be confirmed. Topping off this amazing gathering, will be some extra special stage shows across the three spaces, with super hot kinky go-go’s, plenty of pyrotechnics, live V.J’s , laser shows, as well as some of the best club production & decor you have seen anywhere. Early bird tickets have sold out, but advance tickets at £20 are still available at Soho outlets Prowler, Aware, Clone Zone, DV8 & The Box, or online at http://clubtickets.com. There are also VIP packages available, which includes express entrance & coatcheck facilities, an exclusive VIP area & separate toilets, with a glass of bubbly thrown in. Kinky Trade’s doors open at 10 p.m. running superlate till 8 a.m. NYD.

But, if like us, NYE is not your thing, then there is plenty to save yourselves for on New Year’s Day, which kicks off in amazing Espaniol style at the mega Matinee goes all afterhours on us, presenting their “Supersized” event , returning to their state of the art home Cable in London Bridge. The Evolved Events all star D.J’s will be present to provide the scintillating sounds, including Guy Williams, Paul Heron, Pier Morrocco, Fat Tony, Jonny M, Alessandro, Jon Dennis & Saki, all joined by Spanish superstar Matinee resident G-Martin. Mark M Forns & Nik Ripley’s Fierce Intl crew will be out in force, supplying chunk loads of hot & sexy dancers, but will also be joined by the infamous “Stress” performers, noted for their outrageous & scary club shows across the world, who will be flown in especially for the event from Barcelona & Ibiza. Now, if last year is anything to go by, this is going to be an absolute “roadblock” and with early bird tickets already sold out, we suggest you grab your advance tickets in person, which are available for £20 at the usual Soho outlets or if you prefer, go online to http://evolvedevents.co.uk., but be quick as the latest news is that these are the fastest moving tickets in town!! Matinee’s NYD afterhours opens its doors at 5 a.m., with the club running through until 2 p.m. (wow!).

Then, drawing a short breath, it’s over to the O2 Academy in Brixton, as Logan presents SuperMartXe’s “Alice In Wonderland” party, which promises to be the biggest spectacle this super Spanish club’s London arm has produced yet. As always, Mr Schmitz is keeping most of the plans very close to his big chest, but we can guarantee that the D.J. line up will consist of residents Steve Pitron, Marlon K Jones & Tony English, who will be joined for this special event by Gaydar’s own Phil Marriot, D.J. Aron, Nathan 6 & flying in from Spain, will be Juanjo Martin, who is resident for SuperMartXe over there. P.A.’s confirmed for this magical experience are Aimee, Belle & extra special guest, X Factor’s Danyl Johnson (that should be interesting). Now, judging from recent events, we are expecting a truly incredible stage show, with production to match & having grilled Logan for more, all he will tell us that he has plenty of surprises up his sleeve, so we suspect that entering the wonderland will be a superb experience indeed. Advance tickets are on sale now both online at http://ticketweb.co.uk & at outlets, Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8, Solar Station, The Box & Profile Bar. And, a special pre-party has been planned at Lo-Profile on Boxing Day (more details of that to come). Check out the new web link http://loganpresents.com for this & all of Logan’s club events.

Then later on New Year’s Day, two clubs go head to head to entice you out to party well past dawn. First up is the return of DTPM and it seems that the rumour machine worked well, as the confirmed venue for this NYD party is The Roof Gardens in Kensington (not quite the central London venue expected), but having been given a complete refurb should definitely be a stylish affair. The D.J. line up is certainly interesting to say the least, as just two original DT residents survive the changes, Steve Thomas & Fat Tony playing, with the big name of Boy George taking centre stage, as well as The House Husbands joining the, if very “un” DTPM, line up. Mind you, the wonderful & talented Nick Tcherniak joins the team & may (if you’re lucky) do a bit of b2b’ing (in the musical sense..steady!!) with Steve, which should, if it happens, be a delight. Such has been the demand following the hugely successful “The Bitch is Back” party, yet again ALL the advance tickets sold out over three weeks ago, but Lee Freeman tells us a very limited amount will be available on the door. For more details, go to http://dtpmevents.co.uk.

But it looks like the second collaboration of the New Year will be club event “As One”, when clubs Beyond, Lovechild, Megawoof, Trannyshack & Lo-Profile join together to bring you a huge event spread across 6 rooms in the arches of Fire in Vauxhall. The confirmed D.J. line up is Steve Pitron, Mikey D, Gonzalo Rivas & Alan K in the Beyond/Logan Presents main room, Gabriele Cutrano, Mattias, Pagano, & Paul Heron representing Lovechild in the mirror arch, Megawoof residents Daz Saund, Diddy & Tim Mclone, will spin in the Lightbox, while, Craig Daniels, Stewart Who? Terry Vietheers & Phil Hewson will fly the flag for Lo-Profile, with the final space, “The Red Room” will be the home for Trannyshack, where Tasty Tim & Miss Dusty O will play out the sounds. There will be a special VIP space, sponsored by fab gay retail outlet DV8, as well as the infamous “contact room, hosted by Chris Geary’s hunks and you can expect some amazing production, lighting, & spectacular sexy dancers, in the form of Logan’s schmitzels. Doors for this mega event open at Fire at 11 p.m., with the club running through until 8 a.m. All early bird tickets have sold out, but advance ones at £15 are still available at the usual Soho outlets & at http://clubtickets.com. More info on “As One” can be found at http://firelondon.co.uk &/or http://alexerfan.com

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Onyx returns for a “one off” afterhours event at Area, on Saturday 2nd January, to really kick you into 2010 with a bang. Returning will be fave resident D.J’s Phil Marriot & & Steve Gellar in the main room, with Jamie Hammond, Tuomo Fox, Jason Prince & James Saint James playing out in the black box, while out in the terrace bar, Lisa German will be mashing it up yet again. This is definitely going to have the feel of a Beyond party and we suspect many will spill out from “As One” where special entrance stamps to Onyx will be available. If not, you can get in for just £6, with the addition of credit crunch busting drinks promotions on offer (after all the previous partying, wallets will be crying out for that for sure!). Area opens its doors for Onyx “Afterhours” from 7 a.m., running superlate and details should be online at http://firelondon.co.uk.

Now, what other events are on offer that deserve a brief mention. Well draw more breath and here goes.....Barcode Soho plays host to “The Cave” for their Christmas party this Friday (18th Dec), then Rupert St Bar hosts two birthdays, Vlad’s on 19th & Disco Matt’s (who is that!?!) on 20th, while Horse Meat Disco’s Christmas Ho-down is also on Sun 20th & Orange squeeze the last of their citrus juice before Christmas on the same day. “Naked Zoo” returns to London at Egg for a Christmas special on Sun 27th Dec and “Royal House” also makes a welcome return to Heaven on Mon 28th Dec. With so much happening on New Year’s Eve, we will be issuing an extra post, but quick mentions go to Gutterslut, who hold their “Superslut” NYE party at The Dalston Superstore & Shadow Lounge’s “Showgirls & Showponnies” NYE bash. Check the popular press (excepting Vlad’s & Disco Matt’s b/day parties) for more details of these and watch for our “watered down” weekend recommendations posts, coming up over the festive period.

As for us, well it looks like a non-stop period of activity, with reviews a plenty and we have already chalked the following events in our diary

Industri – Thurs 17th Dec - from 9 p.m.
Gravity – Thurs 17th/Fri 18th – from 1 a.m. (review)
Onyx – Fri 18th – from 11 p.m. (review)
Profile/Lo-Profile – Sat 19th – from 9 p.m. (review)
Discomatt.com weekend birthday soiree @ Rupert St – Sun 20th – from 6 p.m.
Trade/Orange – Xmas Day – from 11 p.m. (review)
Hard On! – Boxing Day – from 11.30 p.m. (review)
Rupert St – NYE – from 8 p.m.
Matinee “Afterhours” – New Year’s Day – from 5 a.m.
SuperMartXe “Alice In Wonderland” – New Year’s Day – from 5 p.m. (review)
As One – New Year’s Day – from 11.30 p.m. (review)

Now, don’t forget to visit http://seenqueen.com, which has a special feature section, covering the best gAylisting events for the Christmas season & more. Plus, why not let people know where you are going, by entering the “fun poll”, as well as voting for your fave club, event, bar, etc, of the year, in the “seenqueen 2009 poll”.

So, if you see us out over the festive period, come say hi and as we always say.....Go There! Be There!

xDM