Hey, I'll add a little to the review as well...
backstory: I was in town and happened to check my email earlier that
day @ the public library to find out the three chairs were playing only
four or five hours later downtown. My source of into? The 313 list!
keepin on yo!
My friend and i got their early, almost the first people down there @
10:30 or so. Marcellus Pitmann was spinning, I guess he must have been
standing in for Malik Pittmann who was a no show?? haha..just kidding
matt.. Anyway, Marcellus was playing nice groovy midtempo house stuff.
I didnt recognize the tracks, but I liked them a they were certainly
proper tracks to be opening the night with. Seemed like a nice guy too,
but we didn't talk long.
Rick Wilhite is a great Dj as well. As he played the place was slowly
filling up. He played more mid tempo house as well, but also dropped in
some other great stuff. He did a couple of very tight mixes from house
into broken beat detroit, and right back again in an interesting
manner. It can get kind of sticky some times if a DJ cant make their
transitions in a manner that makes sense for both the mind and the
feet, but he did it. I had the pleasure of meeting both him too, he is
a hell of a nice guy.
I wasnt sure if it was ricks last record, or theo's first but somebody
dropped fix-flash...thats a good way to become my friend if anyone is
interested. One part voorn, one part beer... and mix yep :)
I think Matts description of the rest of the night is accurate enough
so I'll leave it at that. We left around 3:30 just to beat the rush. I
cant believe how late chicago bars stay open... or how crazy the
streets are at that hour.
later yo
On Monday, August 9, 2004, at 12:01 PM, Matt MacQueen wrote:
Detroit imports 3 Chairs destroyed Smartbar on saturday. Got there I
guess after midnight and Theo Parrish was playing when i got there
really pounding disco and jack-y raw classic chicago trax and heavy
percussive disco and as usual EQ boosting and killing every track to
within an inch of it's life. This can sound silly when you hear his
mixes at home, but on a packed sweaty dancefloor people were going
ballistic for it, and I was lapping it up. At times looked like he
was having a seizure behind the decks and the energy was emanating
outwards... the floor was full early.
Then Moodymann took his turn sporting a freaky halloween mask, his
afro all blowed out huge, and it was a Rick James (R.I.P.) love fest..
he started with 'You and I' and played it start to finish, then later
'Cold Blooded' (god i love that percussion on a big system) and lots
of cool disco, also Moscow Discow, rolling stones 'Miss You' (!), the
3-Chairs 'Theme' (also featured on their new 3xLP which is great,
BTW)... prince - controversy (w/ everyone singing the "people call me
rude, i wish we all were nude" part, hah), anyway if you like dirty
disco and detroit house and occasional italo and dusty dance oddities,
these guys deliver. Though I usually have no idea what these guys are
playing, KDJ seemed to stick to some of the more recognizable cuts but
this was fine with the crowd to be sure. The crowd was whooping big,
etc. when new tracks where dropped and it was fun to have that kind of
a basement house party atmosphere, oozing sweat and spilled drinks
everywhere, haa. Unfortunately i had to leave before Rick Wilhite
and Malik Pittman got on the decks. I have heard sometimes these guy
just play slower dusties and downtempo soul/funk stuff all night, but
on saturday it was all about he energetic dance cuts and that was
great to see.
Also i think the fact that The Reader FINALLY game someone decent the
'critics choice' regarding dance music didn't hurt attendance
http://www.chicagoreader.com/music/critic.html#FDIXON
peace
--
Matt MacQueen
http://SonicSunset.com
