"Saving The Best Till Last" - August Bank Holday Weekend Best Bites Pt 2

“SAVING THE BEST TILL LAST”
WEEKEND RECOMMENDATIONS – BEST BITES – PART TWO
SUNDAY 29TH – MONDAY 30TH AUGUST


Having been distracted as we have been for the last few days we are now firmly back on track with our writing in advance of the last Bank Holiday weekend of the year, which looks like being an incredibly busy affair. We have already looked at Friday & Saturday, pointing you to relevant reports & links and now it’s time to look at the “fat” end of the weekend, when much of the activity will be taking place. As with part one of these special “best bites” we have needed to be a little ruthless in picking out our tip top choices, although such is the extent of choice that there will be a couple of specific “Weekend Focus” reports as well as some “Extra Bites” post coming up over the next 24 hours or so.

In the meantime lets crack on with looking at Sunday first and unlike Friday & Saturday our best bite focussing looks very much away from Soho, as much of the activity centres around Vauxhall, although central London certainly gets it’s say with our first reported collaboration, as Jodie Harsh’s “Circus” join forces with Friday night East Ender “Caligula”, combining to present “Paradise” at Cafe De Paris no less. Not only will they be making the most of this amazing venue, but the joint team will be welcoming the legendary Rosin Murphy to the decks, who will be combining spinning discs with live vocals, which should prove both an aural & visual feast. The 2nd special guest D.J. will be Kim Ann Foxman of “Hercules” & “Love Affair” fame, who will be joining the team of Jodie, Warboy, Kris Di Angelis, Robert Outch & Erol Sabodash on the decks. With the party theme based on the concept of iconic New York disco’s & Chicago house clubs but with elements of “... balmy summer evenings on an exotic beach, imaginary worlds..” which should create an enticing concoction with the ornate style theatre that is Cafe de Paris. Now, doors to his amazing party open at 10 p.m. with “Paradise” running through till 4 a.m. Advance tickets at £15 are still available online at http://ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=404327 but with more available on the door. Further details can be found by going to http://thisiscircus.com/ or http://caligulauk.com/.

Now, before we move south of the river, just time to quickly mention D.T.P.M. which returns to the lofty venue, Paramount, for its “Summer Shindig” from 10.30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Such is the attraction of this event, we have devoted a “Weekend Focus” slot to it, which will be out a little later, but in the meantime wanted to bring you the online link to ticket purchases which is http://ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=402222, the team having advised us that the last remaining earlybird tickets have been released at just £15 and are available only online. But, if like us, you prefer to grab yours in your hand, pop into either The Edge on Soho Square or to The Store Rooms on Old Street where general release tickets are available now.

O.K., now still focussing on Sunday (29th Aug), we move south of the river and our first big choice goes to As One’s “Massive Funfair Garden Party”, which has already received our full focus in a special preview. This looks like being THE choice of many for the weekend, as it sits perfectly in the middle of Bank Holiday proceedings & boasts an incredible D.J. Line up. So, for full details of this “amazing amalgamation” check out our report at direct link http://discomattpreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/amazing-amalgamation-as-one-sunday-29th.html. Preceding As One in Vauxhall will, of course, be Beyond and we have already issued a “Hot Dates” report on their “Super Size” party although we will be bringing you some exclusive news & interviews with Beyond’s promoter Steven Sharp & room two host Oliver Mohns in our new style post “Disco Matters”, which will be out a little later. Following that, we will be recapping on the party in full which already looks like being a roadblock event as tickets sales have literally gone through the roof, so we recommend grabbing one now at http://clubtickets.com/ as we are not sure how the allocation to the Soho outlets is being managed. What we will also say is that, if this is your choice and you haven’t got a ticket, make sure you get there super early to avoid the disappointment of not getting in.

However, our Sunday morning choice here goes to M.O.S.T., the new afterhours concept brought to you by the Logan Presents team, which he explains as “...an opportunity to shed more light on London daytime clubbing...” but will also crucially “...offer a unique carry on experience, a non-stop party fusion with Hype which, as The Cornet lets out, MOS will draw in...”, “Hype” being the teams Saturday night offering. Now, we have been asked the question, why two new brands on a Bank Holiday weekend? But having reflected on it all, we have concluded WHY NOT!, as M.O.S.T. will most definitely be serving up some choice in the much dominated afterhours market and will surely attract a SuperMartXe & Matinee like crowd, a much more gAylist affair akin to private party “UP”, so should represent a refreshing change to the Sunday morning norm. Now full details of M.O.S.T. can be found both in our special preview at http://discomattpreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-grown-hybrids-la-schmitz-style.html as well as in part one of this post series, although to recap M.O.S.T. tickets available online at http://clubtickets.com/ at £15 each, as well as at outlets Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8, Solarstation, The Box, with more available on the doors which open at 6 a.m. with M.O.S.T. running through until 2 p.m. Further info on both events can be found at http://loganpresents.com/.

Our final couple (well three actually) of Sunday mentions goes first to Onyx, which returns to Area for the second time this weekend, “Neon” sandwiching the gap between As One & the third collaboration in our choices, Orange Trade, which takes place at superclub Colosseum. Now, we will be bringing you a full “Weekend Focus” on Orange Trade, so keep your eyes peeled for that, while we can run down some of the details of Onyx’s outing right here right now, and what a party it looks like being, with Seamus Haji headlining a sparkling D.J. line up that includes other special guests Oliver M, Terry Vietheer and Gaydar Radio’s Alex Baker, joining residents Lee Harris, Ariel, Lisa German & more, Onyx “Neon” kicking off at 7 p.m. running through until 5 a.m. But for a superb alternative choice out east, “Pooldisco” gets our vote, this final party in their 2010 calendar looking very special indeed, as not only will promoter Kris D Angelis be spinning the sounds, his set featuring live performances from Karen David & Sunday Girl, but the superb Severino will be strutting his stuff too. Add to that a trio of Secret garden D.J.’s as well as fab Pooldisco giveaways and this will be THE place to be for your fashion conscious, artistic & downright debaucherous lot (us included) from the 6 p.m. start through till the midnight finish. Watch this space for an “Extra Bites” post out on this one.

Turning to Monday (30th Aug) and, naturally, Orange Trade will be featuring large in the early part of the day, this special “You Know What We Did Last Summer” kicking off at 4.30 a.m. & running through until 2 p.m., wow! However, when you spill out of Colosseum, why not continue the partying at Later in Fire with regulars Paul Martin The Oli & Terry Bryan which kicks off at midday & runs through to its usual finish time of 8 p.m., but remember it’s a Monday not a Sunday! Then, as if you may be partied out enough, Booster rounds off The Orange group weekend with a Bank Holiday “Battle Of The D.J’s”, when Sharon O Love goes up against Miswhite, while Miss Crazy D squares up with Alan K, but with much much more & a superlate finish of 4 a.m. However, if that’s all a little too much for you, then why not choose the “grassy knoll” and take in “The RVT Sports Day”, which is followed by a special “S.LA.G.S./Chill Out” session with The DE Experience & the regular D.J. line up taking you up till a midnight finish, just in time for a snooze before work the following day.

Further details of all these best picks for Sunday & Monday can be found in the popular press or by going to the events pages on social networking site Facebook.

Now, just a reminder that you should also be checking out favourite clubbing website SeenQueen, which has a comprehensive August Bank Holiday guide to the hottest tickets in town, listings, directories & information available at http://seenqueen.com/clubs/index.htm with a special hot list section that includes free ticket offers available on their home page, not to mention dates stretching right through till the end of September.

Right, well that’s kind of it for now, although remember to watch out for our special “Weekend Focus” reports on DTPM & Orange/Trade, our “Extra Bites” shout on Pooldisco, not to mention our first “Disco Matters” report, covering Beyond followed by a special update on the “Super Size” party. As for our Sunday & Monday, well it starts with M.O.S.T. at MOS, followed by As One, then a jaunt across town to Pooldisco. We then head back through town, stopping off for DTPM and hopefully make it to Orange/Trade before collapsing in a heap. So, if you see us out, come say hi, but whatever you are up to this weekend, have a brilliant one and as we always say....”Go There! Be There!”.

xDM

"Saving The Best Till Last" - August Bank Holday Weekend Best Bites Pt 1

“SAVING THE BEST TILL LAST”
WEEKEND RECOMMENDATIONS – BEST BITES – PART ONE
FRIDAY 27TH – SATURDAY 28TH AUGUST


Having been ravaged by technology challenges & other issues, our minds have be diverted from our duties somewhat over the last 10 days or so, but as the title suggests, in bringing you this special recommendations post looking at the range offerings across London over the last bank Holiday of the year, we have very much saved the best till last. So, in a one-off change to our usual format we will be running down our “best bites” of the weekend, pointing you to various other reports already issued &/or in the making, in an effort to serve up the broadest spectrum of choices you will find within this most diverse scene of ours. But such is the scale of offerings out there that we have had to be a little harsh in our picks, which are very much our best choices & have split our post and the weekend in two, looking here at Friday & Saturday first.

So without further ado lets crack on and to Friday (27th Aug – tonight) first, which sees the action start early in Soho with Lo-Profile headlining proceedings with Jamie Head & Nathan Six spinning the sounds from 10 p.m. through till 4 p.m., which should prove a great way to start your weekend in style, Phil Marriot easing you into proceedings with an upbeat collection of tunes upstairs in profile from 7 p.m. Our other Soho highlight is Barcode, which will be the place to be as Logan & his team present their Hype & MOST pre-party on the ground floor from 8 p.m., with all the razzmatazz that goes with their infamous warm up shindigs, while its another “Cave” outing downstairs, guest D.J. Hifi Sean returning to the decks for another full on session from 10 p.m.. Down in Vauxhall and “Tonker” continues the bear theme with a Bank Holiday special, welcoming Micky Galliano to the guest slot, he having returned fresh faced & ice creamed out from a restful holiday in his homeland Italy, with Tim Jones joining him to stir up the sounds, this Friday frolic at The Eagle kicking off at 10 p.m. But if you are into your ladz, why not check out “Rudeboiz” at Fire which have all the joys of the Eurocrème boys showing their wares & bare essentials with equally rauchy music to match, the club running through until 4.30 a.m. Over in Shoreditch, The Dalston Superstore gets our alternative vote, with the return of the brilliant “Techno In My Fridge”, D.J’s downstairs including Matt Walsh & Mikki Most, while upstairs “Carpet Burn” host with prince Nelly & guests. As always with The DSS, get there early to avoid disappointment as its gets jam rammed and will surely be packed not long after the 10 p.m. start

However our Friday best pick goes to Onyx which has its first of two outings this August Bank Holiday, this party, “Digital” , heralding a special five hour (yes you heard us right) set from Pagano, who will be celebrating the launch of his first ever compilation mix entitled “Digital generation”, which is due for full release on 2nd September. But for you luck first 250 through the door, you will receive a special limited edition sampler of his mix on CD. But it doesn’t stop there as not only will there be a special surprise P.A., but you will get the chance to see the new look main room as well as the much talked about LED installation. But while the main room will be all about Pagano, don’t forget that the supporting cast of Lisa German, Ariel, Tuomo Fox, James St James & special guest Tasty Tim will be on hand in the other rooms to delight, while special dance performances choreographed by Thiagio Drewery will compliment the main room activity. Area’s doors open on this Digital extravaganza at 10 p.m, with the club running through until 5 p.m. with tickets available still in advance at http://clubticket.com/ at just £5, although keep your eyes peeled for the Onyx flyer boys with special discount passes

Onto Saturday (28th Aug) and Lo-Profile is top of our Soho list again and for good reason, as the team now welcome a regular feature that will be Beyond pre-parties, this special evening kicking off upstairs in Profile bar at 8 p.m. with Rob Sykes on the decks and then downstairs Beyond resident Gonzalo starts the pre “Super Size” bash, suitably tanned & fresh from his trip home to Seville, while Rupert St resident Alessandro flies the beyond flag for the third time from 1 a.m. Expect this to be a “Super Size” party with Elektra’s boys up on the podiums plus Tom’s team dishing out the remaining hot ticket offers for the main event down in Vauxhall. Talking of which our shout down in the capitals second gay village goes to The Eagle again and an extra special “Carpet Burn” as none other than hi-nrg diva, Hazel Dean guests, adding to the sounds from Jim Stanton & Luke Howard and the floor shows from Simon Kilner, this expected to be a packed out affair, so get there early as doors open at 9 p.m. But for the leather, rubber & uniform inspired, then “Hard On!” at Hidden gets our vote, Suzi Krueger & her team serve up another sleazy session with D.J.’s Hugo'sland Halo-is & Brent Nicholls serving up the sounds with doors opening at 10 p.m., although remember it’s a members only club & has a strict dress code. But if its alternative you want, then alternative you will get, as The Dalston Superstore do it again with East End institution “Say Yes” hosting plenty of punk disco & italo house with Rory Phillips & Nadia Ksabia churning out the tunes, the club running through until 4 a.m.

That said, Saturday will be very much all about the hype, as Logan Schmitz & his team bring you their home-grown brand “Hype” to the Coronet in Elephant & Castle from 10.30 p.m. until 7 a.m. Now, regardless of all you lot that keep saying “...why no SuperMartXe?...”, we have little doubt that this party will pack just as big a pinch & attract SMX’ers in their droves, as plenty is on offer, not least from the D.J. line up that includes London based Tony English & Paul Heron, both who play for either SuperMartXe or Matinee for Logan, the duo being joined by guest D.J. Carlos Gallardo. Add to that the PA performance planned from The Free Radicals, this looks like being a stunner of a spectacle. Then, as if you thought it was just about the “Hype”, Logan follows it up with his new afterhours affair, “M.O.S.T.” at Ministry of Sound, where Carlos Gallardo will be doing it all again, although will have the most amazing supporting cast, mega stars in their own right, Italian’s Francesco Pagano & Danny Verde (yeah Mr Danny is here!), all three playing out on the MOS terrace, while inside Leandro Koppel & Michel Mizrahi spin the euro beat sounds. We featured both parties in a special preview which you can check out via our preview pages or by going to direct link http://discomattpreview.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-grown-hybrids-la-schmitz-style.html but here’s the deal in the much needed info, both Hype & M.O.S.T. tickets available online at http://clubtickets.com/ at £15 each, although it would make sense to grab a joint affair for just £22 which you can also grab in person at Soho outlets Prowler, Clone Zone, DV8 & Solarstation, as well as at The Box in Covent Garden. Now, we have already mentioned Hype’s opening hours, M.O.S.T. swinging into action at 6 a.m. & running through until 2 p.m. Further info on both events can be found at http://loganpresents.com/.

Further details of all our best picks for Friday & Saturday can be found in the popular press or by going to the events pages on social networking site Facebook.

Now don’t forget to have a look at favourite clubbing website SeenQueen, which has a comprensive August Bank Holiday guide to the hottest tickets in town, listings, directories & information available at http://seenqueen.com/clubs/index.htm with a special hot list section that includes free ticket offers available on their home page.

As for our Friday & Saturday, well it’s the start of a long leg of engagements, as we swing by the Hype & M.O.S.T. pre-party at Barcode Soho tonight, followed by Onyx “Digital” (how could we miss Mr Pagano?!), and then on Saturday its very much all about the Hype for us which can only be followed by M.O.S.T., as we cannot wait to hook up with pal Danny Verde again. So, if you see us out come say hi and as we always say....”Go There! Be There!”

xDM

Weekend - 13th to 16th August

Hey Folks,

It’s been all go in Disco Matt land this week following our full-on Gay Brighton Dance Weekend and then with floods of news hitting our desk of some massive events coming up over the Bank Holiday weekend. So it’s a relief to focus our minds on this coming weekend for a while as we give you our rundown of where to be & be seen in Soho, Vauxhall & elsewhere which we are now calling our “Best Bites”.

But before we do, here’s just a reminder that our “Weekend Focus” posts are where we detail the big events on your doorstep, while our “Extra Bites” editions bring you that all important last minute info on our pick of parties & hot happenings.

Right onward and first to Soho with Lo-Profile once again in the limelight, which should be a much busier one this weekend after the exodus to the south coast last, the team pulling out the big guns on Friday (13th Aug) as Beyond residents & Lo-Profile favourites Jamie Head & Steve Pitron come out to play, Jamie taking the honours first, followed by Steve, both surely a massive pull & well worth the fiver entry charge. Then on Saturday it’s the turn of Nick Evans & Alessandro Londra to strut their stuff & pack the place with their pumping & uplifting house heaven, while Profile upstairs will be warming you up in usual style, Friday favourite Phil Marriot back in the driving seat following his foray down to Brighton last week, while the rotational arrangements on Saturday sees Rob Sykes swapping places with Craig Daniels for another smooth session to glide you into the club shenanigans downstairs. Over at The Shadow Lounge, the team are well into their stride with their “Feel Like A Member” August promotion (more details via Shadow Lounge’s Facebook group) which means if you get into gear & mail your details across to the lovely Filipe Bourne, you plus one other get complimentary entry all night, faaabulous. So get mailing as tonight sees another “Therapy” session with our very own foxy ladies Minx & Miswhite in charge of the tunes, while the team have a special night planned on behalf of the London Pride Run, although “Inferno’s” Andrew Elmore will be spinning his usual dance cocktail of tunes throughout the night This is a guest only event, so even more of a reason to mail Mr Filipe. Our other big shout goes to Barcode this week, as The Cave returns there on Friday for another hairy beary session with special guest Hifi Sean on the decks, this massive talent smarting from an amazing weekend down Brighton way when he took DTPM then Wild Fruit’s “Kings & Queen’s” party by storm & will surely be warming the Barcode boys up for his RAW session at Orange on Monday. Then Saturday, which has been struggling of late, sees scene favourite & the man with all the “nu-funk” answers hit the decks & really inject some punch into proceedings with a disco & funk combination knockout, Brent Nicholls taking the helm to headlong you happily into Sunday morning.

Down in Vauxhall and Craig Elder’s Orange Group are once again steeling much of the headlines with their flagship club brand celebrating its 12th birthday (see our Weekend Focus post for full details) although it’s, what we love to call, another “BOOB” weekend, as Beyond, Orange, Onyx & Booster dominate their schedule once again. Onyx played its party in the gay Brighton Dance Festival last Friday beautifully, so returns to its usual format at Area this, Messrs Hammond & Marriot mashing up the main room while residents Lisa German & Ariel sort out the tech from the trash in The Terrace, the poptastic tunes in the Blackbox coming from the usual gang as well as superb guest, the iconic Tasty Tim, yum yum. Beyond should prove another hit this weekend even after their huge “Midnight” affair last when the place was pumping, even though it seemed the world & his wife were in The Honeyclub for Beyond Fruit. But with both Steve Pitron & Alan K back in pole position this week & in their usual slots of 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. respectively, we can’t think of a better way to spend your Sunday morning. Then, we are sure Booster will provide the ideal warm up to Orange’s birthday bash, master of ceremonies Romain Lopez smiling from ear to ear following the launch of Queer Cyber (gay networking site) this week, this Sunday evening club gaining popularity week on week & crushing the competition next door. Talking of which, those naughty boys & girls at Barcode seem to have dried up their info on their weekly D.J. rosters & gigs, so we sadly can’t bring you any info on that. So instead The Eagle gets our other big shout, Tim Jones’ “Tonker” taking you into the weekend with a truck load of tough house for tough boys on Friday, while the more fun-filled & frivolous “Carpet Burn” sparkles your Saturday (12th Aug) with legendary dance D.J. Mark Moore taking his turn on the decks, joined by Time Out’s very own Paul Burston, while no Sunday is ever the same without some horsing around, with Jim Stanton & James Hillier’s “Horse Meat Disco”. Now jus a quick mention to Jay Harp Vokins’ “Gravity”, which moves to Area for a special on-off party next Thursday called, Hookers Hangout, which says it all really, the place being transformed into a house of ill repute (no change there then!) with the sexed up sounds coming from residents Alan K, The Oli & Terry Bryan, but with Area doing it much more for many than Fire, it should prove a big hit.

Right what alternatives are out there this weekend? Well it seems that The Dalston Superstore (DSS) are once again paving the way to alternative excellence, although the now accustomed Friday slot for “Eurotrash” has been given up to a “Do It - Midsummer Work Out” and while we are moving towards the end of summer (yes those night are beginning to draw in folks), the feel will be similar to Per QX’s usual mash-up, with turbo bass in the basement to add to the electro & tech servings from D.J.’s We’re Not Cool & Not Shy (where do they get these names?!) while Eurotrash regular Allesandro Asencio will headline the more classic & nu-disco house upstairs. Saturday sees another special session as “Bodytalk” matches up to “Hot Mess”, both being DSS regulars and big draws, so this will be a packed out affair, especially as another house legend makes a London appearance this weekend, Jon Pleased Wimmin joining the likes of D.J.’s Rokk, Fil OK, Holestarr & Marky Mark on the decks across the two floors, while on Sunday (14th Aug) new(ish) night “Rhythm Boy” slides you into the new week with two guests this time round, both Caracara & Andy Thomson sharing the plaudits behind the decks. Our other big shout goes to Friday nighter “Caligula” which, as you know had its residential home at The Bathhouse in Bishopsgate, although has now found a new one much closer to all the alternative action further up on Kingsland Road, Basing House the host from now on. And this should be quite a special night, as the team have flown in much respected Brazilian D.J. & producer, Renato Cohen, who is known best for his 2002 smash “Pontape”, although is carving a real niche back home with a unique blend of techno & disco which should go down a treat with Caligula’s discerning party heads. Joining Mr Cohen will be Paradise 45’s, Black Rabbit’s etc, etc, etc, Guy Williams along with Caligula resident & Pooldisco queen Kris Di Angelis, all making for one very special “burning down the house” session. Plus, keep your eyes peeled for a very special Bank Holiday combo bash at Cafe De Paris, when Caligula will join forces with Circus for a spectacular Saturday soiree cum jim jam session.

Okey dokey, just time to fit in a mention for our favourite clubbing website Seen Queen, which yet again featured some of our work this week, a blog entry of theirs given away to our new post “Disco Matt Does The News”, although it’s their club diary that gets our attention here, as they have just added lots more dates for the Bank Holiday, although their dates stretch right till the end of September, including some very special parties. So go take a look at http://seenqueen.com/clubs and why not have a butchers at their blog while you’re at it.

Right, that’s it for another weekend and our Best Bites edition, so whatever you are up to have a great one. As for us, it’s a relatively quiet affair as we gear up for the coming Bank Holiday, but a trip to Barcode Soho on Saturday is on the cards, as long as those horrid door staff give us a smile, then on Sunday (well Monday morning actually) we go all Orange for their 12th birthday bash. So, if you see us out come say hi, but as we always say.....”Go There!, Be There!”.

xDM

Weekend Focus - Orange's 12th Birthday

"BURNING THE MIDNIGHT ORANGE”
ORANGE 12TH BIRTHDAY – MONDAY 16TH AUGUST
WEEKEND FOCUS


When we talk about afterhours clubbing, we all too often cast our eye on Sunday mornings and sometimes forget that there are six other mornings in any given one week, so six other opportunities for after hours’ events to shine. Whilst, at the very mention of that word beginning with A, names like Beyond & Trade immediately spring to mind, there is another club which has been cutting its own afterhours stride for some time now, twelve years in fact and when it launched back in 1998 was nothing short of a revolutionary tide in Monday, rather than Sunday morning clubbing. Yes, Orange has been in existence for all that time, the club night (or is that morning) which is more than just the cornerstone of Craig Elder’s empire of brands, but is the name of his organisation, the Orange Group, as it was this citric styled event that launched the awesome animal that is Fire, not just Vauxhall’s most well known club, but also its most controversial.

Love it or hate it, Fire has transformed the clubbing landscape in Vauxhall & beyond, developing its own brands like Gravity, A.M., Later, Open & Horizon, while also supporting a wealth of others, Juicy, Lovechild & As One, being notable feathers in the longstanding Fire cap. Whist some have fallen by the wayside and others struggle to hold their own, Orange seems to have not just re-captured the imagination of clubbers, but is going from strength to strength under the steer-ship of promoter Steven Sharp, one half of The Sharp Boys, Steven’s commitment to the promotions game evident in the enthusiasm & exuberance he displays whenever on duty at either his beloved citric splendour. And for us, Orange couldn’t be in better hands, as not only does Mr Sharp continue to evolve the club to meet the changing trends in the scene, musically & otherwise, but he is the epitomy of what Orange means to us, the never-ending energy that, like a Duracell battery, goes on & on.

So, this weekend marks a momentous occasion in Orange’s history, as it is the last year before it reaches its teens, which in the human male form generally signals puberty, voice breaking, acne and the urge to indulge in the vices of life, although in Orange, we have been sharing plenty of the latter since its launch back in 1998 at its first home in Rotherhithe. Yes, here is the history lesson, Orange started life over in SE16 rather than SW8 and in those days the night was named Chiller, whereas the club was called Orange. However it was in 2001 that Orange, as an event, stepped out of the shadow of the club and a move across to a disused arch in Vauxhall was the beginning of something quite special. We remember our first visit to that infamous arch, with little or no seating, a make-shift bar & D.J. booth and just three screens separating the front door from the dancefloor. But Fire as a venue & institution was soon to materialise and whilst nine years on the place is entirely unrecognisable from its original self, Orange has retained much of that characterful decadence that made it so popular back then.

But that was then and this is now and Monday morning will signal a very special celebratory Orange event, which the team having called it “Midnight Orange”. Why?, well because it starts at midnight of course and boy have they got a prolific party planned or what! With 9 D.J.’s on duty and the club running till 10 a.m., you can be home just in time for your 11’s, while for 12 minutes after midnight, £12 bottles of champagne will be on sale at the main bar, although you better get in quick as Steven tells us that “...last year there was a queue round the block...”. But fear not, as entry to the club will be nothing near £12 if you get there early enough, as the special birthday price will be just £5 (accompanied with an advert or flyer - that’s easy) or £10 without, although after 1 a.m. the price will be, yes you guessed it, £12. Both the citric fruity feme that is Glendora & Steven himself will be on hand to grace your welcome to this special birthday bash and will then party with the best of us way past dawn & deep into Monday morning, Steven possibly diving behind the decks too.

So, who else will be selecting those superb citric sounds? Well the D.J. compliment will be a colossal citric cocktail of old & new, main room residents The Oli, Fat Tony Paul Martin & Sharp Boy George, being joined by Brighton’s best Jon Byrne, who travels up to the capital to grace Orange’s decks once again. Having been a recent addition to the outrageous Orange Bank Holiday parties, Jon’s injection of energetic, funky & uplifting house should go down a storm on the main floor. Over in the Mirrorarch room it’s going to be very much an Orange segment squeeze, the result being RAW and the juice being longstanding residents & Orange’s own Spanish mafia, Gonzalo Rivas & David Jimenez, being joined by new boy Hifi Sean who has been really enjoying his new found residency at this Monday morning madness of a mash-up. But expect the unexpected as we are told that the trio will mixing it up together, so with new decor, visuals and plenty of futuristic beats but with some classic thrown in for good measure, this space should be simply sensational.

Now, we will be bringing you a special Music Is The Answer post this weekend, in celebration of Orange’s 12th, giving you a taster of the sounds on offer at this birthday bash, also focussing on The Sharp Boys & original resident Fat Tony, then shouting for latest works from new citric boys Hifi Sean & Nick Tcherniak and with a couple of other surprises, watch out for that. However, with all the detail on the this crammed full citric celebration done here, we conclude by concurring with Steven’s words when he say’s “...we have our D.J.’s, we have our disco & we have our decor, so all we need is YOU!...” and that means us too as we will, along with a plethora of press, be reporting on this extra special event. So, “Midnight Orange” will be the place to be, therefore, make sure you book Monday off and then come "burn the midnight orange" and party in prolific citrus style. (DISCO MATT)

Extra Bites - "Brighton Pride"

Hey Folks,

Well, despite scaremongering from certain quarters in the capital, the weather looks set fair for London by the sea as Brighton Pride swings into full-on action a little later this morning, although as usual much of the activity will centre on the park festivities which will get under way from around 2 p.m.

Now, it is clear that the financial & other issues that have plagued what has, in recent years, been considered as the UK’s most popular Pride parties, has left deep scares & divisions within the LGBT community in Brighton, so the feel & thrust of this year’s celebrations may well be a little different, although what we can say with authority is, you will not be getting the soaking you did last year and the sun will be making an appearance later this afternoon as the park gets into full swing. To check the forecast for yourselves go direct to the Met offices link http://metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/se/brighton_forecast_weather.html and, for the brave, it will be shorts & t-shirts, while others may wish to cover up a bit more.

Kicking the day off will be Brighton Pride’s parade, which starts in less than 3 hours at 11 a.m. from Marine Parade, taking its slow snake around the city, first moving along the seafront to West Street, turning past the clock tower into North Street and then takes a direct route north past the famous Pavilion and aims for Preston Park, advancing up London Road, arriving at the park around 3 p.m. The theme of this year’s parade celebration is “Pride & (No) Prejudice, very much with the aim of shouting out proud for the LGBT community within the city, so expect all the usual whistles (we hope no vuvuzela’s!) bright colours, drag queens, muscled men & everything in between, but moreover, if you are lining the route, make sure you dig deep into your pockets to support the various charities including, of course, the Brighton Pride Charity Trust, who need your help & support to keep Pride free in the city.

Without doubt Preston Park will be the main attraction for many, although as we made clear in our Weekend Focus post “The Wild Fruit Way”, the usual promoters & supporters of the massive dance tent will be absent, although Brighton’s Revenge club have stepped into the breach & will be, with the support of Gaydar, hosting both the pop tent/bar and the dance, D.J.’s on duty at the former including Boogaloo Stu & Alex Baker, while over in the dance tent, The Freemasons headline along with none other than Steve Pitron, whom we are told hits the decks around 5 p.m. The cabaret tent has also had its fair share of controversy in amongst the issues that have faced the Pride committee this year, although it will be going ahead, with a host of local stars performing from the 2 p.m. start, right through to the finale around 7.20 p.m. Highlights will no doubt be Miss Jason & Maisie Trollette (due around 4 p.m.), the Hampstead whore Sandra (6 p.m.) and Dave Lynn (7 p.m.) with other artists include Rose Garden, Jamie Watson & Drag With No Name. Other park highlights include The Women’s tent, The Camelford Arms & Star Inn Bears tent, the extensive market areas and, of course, the fairground. Further details of park festivities can be found at http://brightonpride.org/mainparkevent.php.

Then, as the park dies down, all focus will point towards the gay village around St James’s street and plenty of pubs & bars will be throwing their own parties to tempt you in, although alfresco terrace style celebrations will be the way to go for many, although without doubt THE place to be will be Audio for Wild Fruit’s very special celebration (check our “The Wild Fruit Way” post for full details), the best of the rest being “Sundance” at The Terraces on Marine Parade, Legend’s own offering and Dirty Sunset Disco’s outing at Ohso Social. Further details of these parties and indeed plenty of other “officially” linked parties to Brighton Pride, both on Saturday & Sunday, go to http://brightonpride.org/calendar.php with plenty of other information available, including information on visiting Brighton & latest news, via http://brightonpride.org/.
xDM

Weekend - 6th to 8th August

Hey Folks,

Well, it’s go go go this weekend, although much of the action seems to be away from the capital as not only is it pride in Amsterdam and the gay games in Cologne, but the massive Circuit Festival in Barcelona is reaching its climax and whilst we continue to agonise over our absence from this Spanish smash, we hear that the temperatures are hot in this Catalonian city & the men are even hotter, so we wish all you boys & girls in Barca a brilliant time.

Closer to home and is celebration time for London by the sea as Brighton Pride is upon us again, although after all the controversy that this has attracted in recent months, the emergence of the Gay Brighton Dance Weekend is grabbing much of the attention, including ours, we having devoted a special focus post to this 29 event strong dance gathering, entitled “The Wild Fruit Way”, highlighting our best picks. Naturally however, Brighton pride itself will attract its own following and we will be issuing an Extra bites post covering the park proceedings and associated happenings, see keep your eyes peeled for that.

But with one eye on London by the sea, we take you through what’s happening this weekend up here in the capital, especially for those who will be avoiding the madcap dash to the coast & the crammed trains. So, as usual, we cover off offerings across Soho, Vauxhall & elsewhere, before running down our best of the Brighton best.

Right, to Soho and the pick of our more slimline selection is Profile & Lo-Profile on Wardour Street, who look like showing the rest just how it is done, with another superb line up of D.J.’s playing out across the weekend. Lo-Profile funk up your Friday (6th Aug) with SperMartXe & Lovechild resident Tony English taking to the decks who will no doubt treat you to a veritable feast of the latest hot tracks hitting the dancefloors of Europe at the moment and judging by his performance at Lovechild last week, you will be in for a real treat. Then, Nick Evans takes charge, trouncing the turntables with his signature dish of delightful dance tunes that will surely have this sumptuous space full of sophisticates singing his praises. Saturday sees jetsetter D’Johnny land in on Lo-Profile and line up some terrific tech inspired tracks to thrill, while nu-funk exponent & scene favourite Brent Nicholls shows his worth & packs a punch with funky, chunky tunes. Upstairs in Profile, regular Friday man Phil Marriot is hired out by Onyx for on the coast duty at Wild Fruit’s weekend opener at Audio, so Nick Evans fills his boots, before fulfilling his slot downstairs, while Saturday sees Jamie Head jam pack the place with a stylish soundtrack to match the surroundings. Our other best pick goes to Rupert Street who have favourite resident Alessandro Londra back behind the decks on Saturday and this Sicilian smoulderer has been busy making plans for something really special coming up in Soho during September, so watch this space for news on that.

Down in Vauxhall and its certainly the Beyond & Megawoof show this weekend, as not only does our favourite afterhours extend itself to offer over 12 hours of audacious action in what promoter Steven Sharp (welcome back by the way) calls “Beyond Midnight”, but Megawoof has another muscle-bound workout over at Hidden on Saturday before joining forces with Beyond, hosting its very own new “Den” area with Daz Saund & his boys running riot for sure. As for Megawoof, well they will still be full of Circuit Festival fever following their showing in Barcelona, so their theme of “BBQ & Beach” will fit in nicely with the mood and tempt plenty of those testosterone toned hairy hunks out onto Hidden’s terrace to savour a bit of saucy sausage this Saturday (7th Aug), while inside the sounds will be just as hot of the BBQ coals, with residents in action that will include Leonardo Glovibes, Diddy, David Eph & Louis Lennon, all making sure that the three dancefloors are drenched with beefy beats. But Beyond will be creating its own heat further down Vauxhall at Area with the likes of Terry Bryan, The Sharp Boys (or at least singular boy, George) as well as The Oli in the main room, Mr Oli having hot footed it back from his showing at “Beyond Fruit” in Brighton just in time to take over the reins from, wait for it, Steve Pitron, who is back, back, back, for his well deserved three week holiday that felt like at least six, although his mere presence should see the best Beyond believers flock to Vauxhall to soak up his scintillating sounds. With Steven Sharp establishing the permanent fixture of the RAW room, Messrs Paul Christian & David Jimenez will take charge, while the Terrace will have the trio of D’Johnny, Jamie Head & Fat Tony to tantalise & tease and don’t forget that Megawoof Den to add some extra bulk to proceedings. Expect both parties to be sure-fire winners, especially if the forecast rain drives people back from Brighton, while other highlights of the Vauxhall weekend include Matador at Barcode on Friday, Booster at Area on Sunday evening, all polished off with another citric stormer at Fire, as Orange goes from strength to strength & sees you well into Monday morning.

Away from the two capital gay villages, out east is the place to be and The Dalston Superstore to be exact, as they have yet another fun-filled weekend to tickle your taste buds. Friday night sees the return of The Stores’ most popular event by far, as the Guy Williams promotions machine rolls back into town with “Paradise 45”, on the back of yet another successful stint in Ibiza. Joining Guy on the decks this time will be guest Dave Kendrick who is standing in for the advertised Serge Santiago who has had a little mishap this week (ask no questions!), Dave adding his own flavour to the nu disco & light hearted tech sounds that have becomes Paradise’s trademark. But a warning folks, this party gets packed, so make sure you arrive early to avoid disappointment. Then on Saturday the team warm up for this year’s “Offset” festival with a teaser of a taster of the big event in September, with Ali Love and the Trailer Trash team of D.J.’s who will be taking over the dance tent at this East End music festival next month, all serving up what they prefer to call modern disco but with the added insatiable Trailer Trash element of dirty electro house. Then on Sunday (8th Aug), new night “Rhythm Box” launches for a barnstorming basement session introducing special guest D.J’s to round off your weekend in fine fettle, this launch week seeing Nathan G Wilkins steal the show and provide the much needed fill to the gap in Sunday night partying this side of town. Our other alternative top tip this weekend goes to Disco Bloodbath which has another monthly session on Saturday up at Bar A Bar on Stoke Newington Road, with residents Dan Beaumont & Ben Pistor being joined by special guests Tom & Benjamin who make up breakthrough dance label Permanent Vacation and should be another brilliant bash.

So, in forgiving us for our slimline choices, this has allowed us to fit in the best of our rest options down in Brighton for their special Pride weekend and just a reminder that we have already served up “The Wild Fruit” way with our special focus post. However, there are a host of other happenings both for Pride itself and for the Gay Brighton Dance Weekend of events and first off is our alfresco activity tip that will be the two day party in St James’s Street, right in the heart of Brighton’s own gay village. With all the local bars & pubs that spill onto this thoroughfare getting involved, if the weather holds, it should prove just as popular as ever and a magnet for those spilling off from proceedings in Preston Park on the Saturday and then continuing the revelry on Sunday. As for the Dance Weekend, if you are not lucky enough to get entry into the exclusive Wild Fruit “Terrace Party” at Audio on Saturday afternoon/evening, you can always turn to “Sundance”, which is brought to you by Brighton’s Revenge & London’s Salvation club brands, serving up an open-air sunset party at The Terraces on Marine Parade (in front of Legends) Salvation resident jocks Oliver M, Mis-White & Paul Coals spinning the sounds, while Raul Gonzalez provides the sexy go-go’s & the Terrace team the BBQ & cocktails. Then if either Dance Nation or DTPM are not on your choice list, “Cirque Du Salvation” surely must be, as the party that packed a punch at Lovebox, gives the south coast a taste of this Salvation spectacle, which takes place at Concorde 2, with those Salvation jocks fresh from their Sundance soiree ready to hit you with some heavenly house, the trio of Oliver, Emma & Paul being joined on the decks by The Dirty Sunset Disco Crew or Jon Byrne, Smithy, King K & Mister Baker, with plenty of stilt walkers, fire eaters, clowns & campery to cut any comparison with other parties within Brighton’s borders this weekend.

Details of all these Soho, Vauxhall, alternative & Brighton choices can be found in the popular weekly press and via the events pages on social networking site, Facebook.

Right, that’s it for this weekend, although do watch this space for our extra bites post on Brighton pride itself, as well as any last minute news we have on happenings across the capital, as info hits our desks.

In terms of our weekend, well it’s a Brighton trip for us, although we will be giving the park a wide berth, rather heading for Wild Fruit’s “Terrace Party”, followed by a right royal rumpus at Dance Nation, followed by a fruity south coast styled Beyond at Honeyclub. So, if you’re down on the coast & see us out, come say hi, but whatever you do and wherever you are this weekend, have a good one, but as we always say.....”Go There! Be There!”

xDM

Weekend Focus Special - Gay Brighton Dance Weekend - "The Wild Fruit Way"

WEEKEND FOCUS SPECIAL
GAY BRIGHTON DANCE WEEKEND
THRUSDAY 5TH TO MONDAY 9TH AUGUST
“THE WILD FRUIT WAY”


The last few months in the life of Brighton Pride has certainly been interesting to say the least and whislt they are a few camps in this relatively tight knit scene that have conflicting views over what was right or wrong about the way certain key decisions, both financially & otherwise, have been handled, the fact remains that one of the city’s biggest players was forced to step back from being involved in the park proceedings this year. As if the loss of such an organisation was bad enough, when you consider that this business had been one of the most longstanding supporters of what has become the UK’s most popular pride weekends, such a loss was shocking to say the least Their eventual withdrawal back in May certainly had the domino effect, a handful of other key players/individuals also pulling out of pride, although the rumblings of financial instability of this essentially free event in its old form stretch back much further, to August 2009 to be precise, meaning that the catalogue of failings and precarious decision making by the Brighton Pride committee have left considerable scares across the LGBT community that still run deep in certain quarters.

However, like many things in life, through adversity comes opportunity and the organisation that had fallen foul to the muddled financial makings of Brighton Pride and had lost its prestigeous postion within pride park proceedings, rather than lying down dead, picked itself up, dusted itself off and came up with a solution that immediately looked like not only stealing much of the thunder of the park celebrations, but was hailed a new dawn in clubbing collaboration in Brighton. So what organisation are we talking about andwhat is this new dawn we are deluding to? Well, the organisation is Aeon Events, the business behind probably the biggest gay club brands in Brighton, but also a company that held and was responsible for the bar contract for Brighton Pride in Preston Park, also staging the incredibly popular dance tent that has always been an intrinsic part or proceedings, their club brand being Wild Fruit, two words that for many Londoners at least are synonymous with Brighton Pride and the dance tent. But you can probably guess by now that Wild Fruit will not be represented in the park this year, although the proverbial phoenix from the ashes is Gay Brighton Dance Weekend, very much the new dawn dream turned reality, which both Wild Fruit and its trading company are spearheading.

In creating Gay Brighton Dance Weekend, the team behind Wild Fruit have not only pulled together 15 of the city’s best known dance bars & clubs, but have attracted brands both from within Brighton and back here in the capital, greats such as Beyond, DTPM, Lovechild, Onyx, Queer Nation & Salvation, all travelling to the south coast for this amazing clubbing celebration of a weekend. Indeed this incredible gathering of brands & minds from both Brighton & London has resulted in 29 events stretching from tomorrow (Thursday 5th August) through till Monday (9th August) and drawing in the a veritable who’s who list of D.J.’s from both cities, names such as Guy Williams, Fat Tony, Steve Pitron, Paul Heron, Alan X, Oliver M, Mis-White, Mikey D, The Oli, Tasty Tim, Dusty O, Jon Byrne Kate Wildblood, Verity Mayes & many more, all combining with those 15 venues & 25 club brands to produce “...a massive, diverse, colourful and proud clubbing weekend featuring the cream clubland parties & events..”. So what’s the deal? Well, picking through those 29 events, we have taken “The Wild Fruit Way” here which spans from Friday through Monday.

So, what does this, “The Wild Fruit Way” consist of? Well, it all kicks off on Friday (6th Aug) at Audio on Marine Parade with Brighton’s biggest club “Pride Welcome Party”, although this will be no ordinary gathering, as Wild Fruit joins forces with London’s largest Friday nighter, Onyx, spreading this opulent opener to the weekend over Audio’s two floors, which not only offer incredible views of the seafront outside but serve up ultra smart & sophisticated surroundings inside. The party kicks off at 6 p.m. on Audio’s first floor, where Kate Wildblood & Hollie will spin a combo of club anthems & dance pop classics then giving way to a London by the sea session from Onyx downstairs, where resident & Gaydar’s Clubnation star Phil Marriot will be joined by the south coast’s Mike Mikalis, both serving up a superb selection of upfront funky & sexy house, this Dance Weekend opener running through until 3 a.m and entry free till 11 p.m.

Saturday (7th Aug) sees the Wild Fruit machine kick start the day with their “Terrace Party” back above Audio and will be swinging the doors open nice & early at 3 p.m., and this is going to be a really special party that we are sure will eclipse Preston Park in the D.J. stakes at least. Why? well not only have they scooped local boys turned international superstars Prok & Fitch, but the one & only Seamus Haji will be gracing the Audio decks too, joining regular D.J’s Jonny M, Kate Wildblood & Neil Duffy, for what will prove to be THE place to be both during the afternoon & as the sun sets over Brighton, with party goers in pole position for a magnificent view of the Pride fireworks display. This extra special pride party is the official warm up for both “Dance Nation” & DTPM and runs through until 10 p.m. with entry free until 6 p.m., although as this the numbers are strictly limited & priority will be given to Dance Nation & DTPM ticket holders, make sure you get there early to avoid disappointment.

Then as that clock strikes 10, the Audio’s terrace & the space below gives way to inbound London brand DTPM, who will run riot from across both floors till 5 a.m., with longstanding DT’ers Guy Williams & Fat Tony spearheading the terrific tunes, while newbie’s The House Husbands & Hifi Sean will complete the fantastic foursome (or is that fivesome) landing from London, with Brighton based Mike Mikalis adding the local touch. This credible combo is sure to pack a pulsating punch and give a whole new meaning to Brighton rock, not only rocking Audio but leaving its mark across the weekend, so if DTPM is your bag, this is a must with a limited amount of advance tickets still available £15.

But the biggie on Saturday will be the massive “Dance Nation” which will take place at huge venue Tru, this Gaydar sponsored event bringing together club brands Wild Fruit (of course), Alex Erfan's London smash Lovechild, Tim Jones's Tonker & Macho City, this huge dance party spread across three rooms of action and sporting D.J’s Steve Pitron, Tony English, The Hoxton Whores, Neil Duffie & Leroy Tayler in the main “Wild Fruit loves Lovechild” room, while space no2 will be handed over to Tonker, where Alan X & Tim Jones will rule the beartastic roost. The third room is given away to London east end based Chicago house club night Macho City, with residents Dave Kendrick & Charlie Porter taking charge & joined by Chris Barker. Add to that a superb PA show from Krysten Cummings in the main room and ostentatious hosts Chrissy Darling & Twiggy steering thi superb ship of a shindig and this looks like being an absolute riot. Tru’s doors open at 10 p.m., this “Dance Nation” smash running through until 5 a.m., with advance tickets available at £15.

Sunday (7th Aug) hardly dawns before the afterhours club extraordinaire, Beyond, trips south to Brighton to take over the fantastic Honeyclub, sending revellers deep into the morning and possibly the afternoon, this outstanding London brand combining with Wild Fruit to offer event “Beyond Fruit”, importing the might of Mikey D & The Oli from the capital, who will fly this brilliant afterhours' flag in the "Beyond" room with local boy Jonny M, while the “Funky Fruit” room will sport Jeffrey Hinton Kate Wildblood, Devilish & Riano. Honeyclub fires up this Beyond special outing on the sea at 4 a.m., running through till an advertised late (you know what that means!) with advance tickets selling like hot cakes at £15.

Then, just as you have drawn breath, it’s time for a return to Audio’s terrace, this time for favourite, Sunday Sundae, who will be holding a “Mirror Ball Double Floor” special, D.J.’s Kate Wildblood, Jeffrey Hinton, Chris Barker, Mike Mikalis, Monsieur Dimanche & Dave Kendrick, playing out to the extended hours of 3 p.m. till 11 p.m., a soundtrack of chilled our beach vibes through plenty of disco tinged classic house & dance with a touch of funk & uplifting tunes for good measure. This summer smash has attracted a very loyal following and this pride special Sunday undae serving will no doubt be plu-populaire, so make sure you get there nice & early.

But this will be somewhat of a curtain raiser to Sunday’s & probably the Dance Weekend’s biggest event, Wild Fruit’s “Kings & Queen’s” barnstorming bash, this huge affair spread over seven rooms at the incredible 3000 capacity super club Oceana, with an equally impressive line up of D.J.’s to delight. From the main “Ice” room where The Freemasons, Pete Hayward & Jon Byrne will hold court, through to the “Studio 54” space with Trannyshack’s Tasty Tim & Dusty O gender bending behind the decks, the choice continues with the “Bears Log Cabin”, where Hifi Sean & Dave Kendrick will be beefing up the beats, through to the “Drag Queen Boudoir” with queen of the drag D.J. crown Lady Lloyd spinning the sounds, while the girls on girls action spreads across both the “Deep” & “Tahiti” bars with Kate Wildblood, Hollie & Queen Jo choosing the tunes. The final space is “The Monte Carlo Bar” which is set aside for everyone, who in the organisors words "...can be their own VIP for the night..."., Oceania & Wild Fruit's "Kings & Queens" spectacular opens its doors at 10 p.m. with the extrovert event running through until 3.am. and with £10 in advance being the more than reasonable charge, this proves as the bargain deal of the weekend for sure.

But if you thought that was it, this incredible Gay Dance Weekend takes you into Monday morning with Brighton’s version of our own Orange, as “Rebel Afterhours” rounds off the four days of Wild Fruit inspired action at cool venue Digital, with international mega star D.J. Paul Heron taking to the decks and joined by Onyx’s Jonny M & Lee Harris, the trio no doubt treating you to a tremendous tech inspired, funky & chunky set of tunes to take you from the 3 a.m. start to the 8 a.m. finish, the £8 advance ticket charge worth every penny in our book.

Now, the best way to check out further full details of the amazing outings that make up this our choice of “The Wild Fruit Way” from the huge selection of events that make up the Gay Dance Weekend down in Brighton, is to go direct to http://aeonevents.co.uk, which not only has special sections for each of the parties we have picked out, but give links to those all important advance tickets for each event, which you can also purchase either online via http://clubtickets.com or at participating venues in Brighton , as well as on the doors of the events proper.

So, if you are heading to Brighton Pride, we cannot recommend enough that you savour some if not all of what looks like being an awesome Gay Dance Weekend in the hands of the city’s premier club brand Wild Fruit and its associates, both from London & London by the sea. And words of Paul Kemp, the man behind this immense festival of dance, sum up the aims of this incredible gathering of minds, when he says “...the city’s best loved venues & LGBT businesses, along with those big names from London, are pulling together this year to make sure that the genuine essence of Brighton Pride is showcased in the best possible way...”. Now, if you were in any doubt about Aeon Events & Wild Fruit’s intentions with this mega dance weekend, their comments should seal the deal and make for one of the biggest clubbing celebrations we have seen in years. (DISCO MATT)