9.20.2004

I *heart* NY



Now is the time for New York. Autumn is my favorite season in New York - the bright sunshine, vivid colors and brisk air mix to form the perfect climate before the air chills and mire of coat check lines form. Autumn also marks a cultural rebirth in New York as museums, theater & music istitutions of the city begin new seasons, school is back in session, and of course the clubbing season kicks back into gear after the summer lull. Since 9-1-1, I've used this time to measure the electronic dance music and clubbing barometer of New York City. Over the last three years dance music pundits have declared the demise of dance music and naysayers bemoan the degradation of Gotham clubbing but I've been witness to a dozen rebirths, reincarnations and progression of the scene to believe in Autumn in New York's night-life rennaissance.



Made Events has been a stalwart in all this. First, ARC and then a series of one-offs at the Roxy including Paul van Dyk, Tiesto, Armin van Buren and last weekend?s massive "Danny vs. Danny" with Tenaglia and Howells for those who have been living under a rock. Made Events ups the ante again this week with Made in Central Park presents Tiesto (9/22/04). Love him or hate him, please recognize. Tiesto was recently the first DJ ever to helm the decks at the Olympics. This year in Athens, he provided the soundtrack to the parade of athletes during the opening ceremony. I always dismiss the naysayers sipping their bitter haterade; every DJ serves a purpose and Tiesto is a "gateway DJ" akin to the original stepping stone to better music: Paul Oakenfold . To follow-up this heady week, we have nu-breaks King Adam Freeland at meatpacking district's current hot boite-du-jour Cielo.



Last Saturday, another heavyweight duo tag-teamed it at club IKON - two of the biggest figures in the global deep house scene Derrick Carter & Mark Farina came in to mark the release of their double-album "Live at Om". The cavernous club itself has gone through several incarnations over the years. Since my first foray in 1997 it has morphed from Mirage, to Carbon, to Exit, to the short-lived Black NYC and now IKON. The UK global clubbing brand Godskitchen have taken over the Saturday nights and they've already started an onslaught of talented DJs and live acts. This Saturday, September 25th :: be sure to catch the debut of Hope Recording artists GRAYAREA, a reportedly stunning live act from Chicago. After a lot of industry buzz and on high recommendation from James Zabiela, I'm looking forward to seeing them perform for the first time. After working with various live acts like Underworld, Orbital, and The Orb and now currently with Australia's INFUSION, I really want to see how GRAYAREA measure up.



Finally to celebrate this all, Crobar is hosting a watershed event Tuesday, September 21st ; BPM Magazine & The Recording Academy Celebrate the Addition of the
Best Electronic/Dance Album Category
. The addition of this event to the GRAMMY® awards is a significant step forward in recognizing this music we love as a legitimate artistic and commercial artform and not just fodder for video-games and commercials. In the larger context of the music industry and mainstream culture it is a win-win for the mainstream, and underground artists who've been supporting this culture with sweat and love. One of the organizers of this massive event, BPM magazine's Matt Colon says, "the Grammy's were the final obstacle that needed to be overcome to legitimate this genre in most people's eyes. We've gotten platinum albums (Fatboy Slim, Moby, etc), and Billboard coverage of our weekly charts, but this Grammy category was the final piece in that puzzle. It's the next step in the natural progression of the music."

One small step for artists, one giant leap for electronic dance music...

Made Events :: www.made-events.com
Godskitchen :: www.godskitchen.com
GrayArea :: www.graylabel.net
INFUSION :: www.infusion.net.au
Crobar :: www.crobar.com
BPM Culture Magazine :: www.djmixed.com


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