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Raves The other musical experience worthy of note was delivered by NYC DJ Billy Steele at the most recent Nitro party at Circuit Night Club. It's been a while since I was really impressed with what a big room DJ served up, but Steele demonstrated a combination of talent, imagination, creativity, and guts yes, guts not to yield endlessly to the lowest musical common denominator of one pop remix after another grabbed my attention and earned my respect. Made all the more special with the inclusion of the killer "Mr. Man" track by Jonathan Peters, his set was on par with some of the best ones I've heard from the likes of Calderone, Tenaglia, Vasquez, and Rauhofer. Steele has been in regular rotation at the Nitro parties and one can only hope to see and hear more of him in Chicago. Escapism |
Two very different
musical performances left me smiling quite widely and brightly
recently. First was the Lady Gaga concert at the House of Blues
on Tuesday, March 24. I went to the early "all-ages"
show and was pleasantly surprised not to be surrounded by screaming
teenage girls. Instead I was up in the "adult" section
surrounded by a bunch of screaming gay men. Lady Gaga is only
the most recent common pop musical interest of the two groups
of screamers and she lived up to expectations with a rousing
show that was entertaining from beginning to end. Flanked onstage
by DJ Space Cowboy and backed by three handsome dancers, the
Lady's show included a beautifully sung slow version of "Poker
Face," a marvelous bubble dress, quirky and at times R-rated
dialogue between songs, and a spectacularly performed "Just
Dance" closer that sent everyone home happy. 
Centaur is back with
another Global Groove compilation CD called Dance, and this time
around DJ Escape bangs it with fierceness aplenty. Featuring
two of his own original productions and several strong remixes
with with his various partners Capello, Vicious, and Coluccio
this latest Centaur release is a "must have"
principally because of two tracks. Smack in the middle of CD
Escape programs his 2009 mix of "Skin" by Charlotte
and is it completely "on point." Then just before Dance
closes out, the marriage of deep house with tribal, as done to
absolute perfection and presented on the CD with the Soulstice
Mix of "Glad I Found You" by DJ Gomi featuring Yasmeen,
will leave listeners tingling in pleasure, some even creating
creamy puddles on the spot. OMG! 