Limp To The Drizzle
Hello, am listening again to the Rainbow show.. loving Nuyorican Soul, will never tire of that track.I had an adventurous weekend. Was due to play the Run To The Sun festival in Newquay on Sunday night. I set off with three friends and a white volkswagon camper van at 10am on Saturday morning. Just outside Exeter we noticed some heavy smoke coming out of the exhaust. We pulled into a laybay and called our insurance people who sent a local pick up to come and have a look. He looked at the engine and uttered the dreaded word... 'terminal'. So we all piled into the back of the pick up and got a lift back to the garage where we picked up a hire car and eventually got to Newquay at 8pm.
One portion of greasy fish and chips later we got to the festival site. The main arena was a massive recreation centre, which had been converted from a swimming pool to a rave. After a dance we went back to Dr Mark Hamilton's (of Sunday Surgery fame) pimped out VW camper van, complete with huge soundsystem and disco ball. The night ended with a walk down to the beach at 6am. I wish you could do that in London.
Sunday was spent playing snooker and drinking cider and after a disco nap I was due to be on stage at midnight. It didn't start well. I went into the booth to say hello to the DJs were on before me and proceeded to fall down the steps out of the booth and smack myself against a pole.
The gig was good though.. I don't think I've ever played such a large scale gig in England, there was a huge laser show and a whole troupe of dancers who were doing mock s&m routines behind me at one point. That was a first for me. I was also being projected onto some very large screens so had to monitor my facial expressions for 2 hours.. it was alright until I had an argument with my boyfriend over a spilt drink and realised that everyone was watching us on the big screen. Nice..
a colourful evening..
Thanks so much for all your input to last night's show. It seemed to last about half an hour in the studio which is always a good sign. The more fun it is, the faster it goes! Sorry we didn't get to play all your suggestions.. maybe we'll do a Rainbow Show Mark 2 later on in the year.Round of applause to Anti Chris for an out of this world minimix. Check out the post below for a message and more info from the man himself..if you're a promoter, book him! I love the fact that the listeners minimixes are totally on a par to the established DJs and producers minimixes.
Right this weekend I am off to Run To The Sun in Newquay to DJ and have some fun. As far as I can gather, this festival is about showing off your VW, surfing and raving into the night. I am going down with some friends in a real VW campervan and am partying on Saturday and DJing on Sunday. Its quite a strange line up, am playing before Marco V who is hard dance DJ! Will take some pictures and keep the blog updated...
About the rainbow show.. we really like doing theme shows every once in a while, so if you have any suggestions for another one down the line let us know. I thought of doing a show called 'One More Tune!' where every song that we play is something that has been played by a DJ as the last song of their set. I think it's a bit vague though.. what do you reckon? any other ideas?
Somewhere over a rainbow...
Just getting all our stuff tonight to go down to the studio.. very excited. Rachel has been hard at work cutting up old rainbow related tracks and I've been raiding my record collection furiously scanning the tracklists for any mentions of colour ... please let us know your thoughts... and it's not too late to make requests!
GRRRRT LUSH
Aaah Bristol. Grrrt Lush is slang for 'great'. It's very hard to say correctly but I tried my damnedest on saturday night. It was my first Bristol gig. I have a selection of people that come along to my gigs with me, producer rachel comes to most as she DJs with me alot, my man-friend comes to some and my friends come to some. J-mo came on Saturday night..The last gig she came to was in Stealth in Nottingham and it was amazing so I call her my good luck charm.Bouyancy is held at a bar called Timbuk2. For some reason with that name I was expecting a trendy bar but Timbuk2 is actually 3 long cavernous tunnels sitting side by side. The first tunnel is seated, the second tunnel has a bar and a pool table and the third tunnel is the dancefloor. The roof is so low you could jump up and touch it and the DJ booth is a converted bar right in the middle of the tunnel. I knew as soon as I saw it that i was going to love it. And I did. I played for 2 and a half hours to one of the most up for it crowds I've experienced in ages. It was dark grimey and all about the music, in otherwards, heaven. Tune highlights for me were Solid Groove And Sindon's Red Hot, Adam-Sky's new one on Kitsune and the Radioslave mix into the Edison mix of Justice Vs Simian. Check out the photos taken by good luck charm J-mo.
And as for the rainbow show.. your suggestions are brilliant! keep them coming in! let me know any weekend adventures too? any good nights out?
RAINBOWS...
It's friday afternoon and i'm listening again to last night's show (I always listen again). Thanks for all your comments on the tunes, it looks like that Edison remix of justice Vs Simian is very popular indeed. How big does that new Subfocus track 'Aeroplane' sound?So next weeks show is called THE RAINBOW SHOW. Every single track we play has to have a colour in the title of artist name. Here's some examples from Andy from the post below..
Felix Da Housecat - 'SILVER Screen Shower scene'
New Order - 'BLUE Monday'
GREEN Velvet - 'La La Land'
Laurent Garnier - 'The Man With The RED Face'
GOLDEN Girls - 'Kinetic'(Orbital Mix)It's an excuse for us to play lots of big classic tunes, or tunes you haven't heard in years that you love. So far i've thought of
High Contrast - Racing Green
Basement Jaxx - Red Alert
Al Green - Here I Am
Nathan Fake - The Sky is Pink (James holden Mix)
Metro Area - Orange Alert (DFA Mix)We had loads of suggestions on the text last night but if you have a spare moment to think, please leave your suggestion here on the blog. Remember there's no musical boundaries..
This Saturday I'm off to Bristol to play at a little club called Bouyancy. I've no idea what it's going to be like..
TONIGHT TONIGHT, WON'T BE JUST ANY NIGHT!
am very excited about the show tonight...
Following the news that Justice Vs Simian 'Never Be Alone' has made it onto the Radio 1 playlist, we play a world exclusive of the new Edison mix of Justice Vs Simian featuring a children's choir..
dubby disco HEAVEN from Lindstrom
also hear what music Dangermouse made before he met Cee Lo or Damon Albarn..
and the heaviest of heavy tunes from Subfocus. Brand New.
Let me know what you think please....
the show...
It's been a long day.. starting with early breakfast which was much better today.. am slowly starting to feel better after the weekend. i've been getting 4 hours sleep before the early show and 4 hours after.. so it's disjointed but it's enough. Sorted out todays show with Rachel, it's looking great. Then went to see the new 9/11 film, United 93, and then caught a band called Two Gallants. They are a 2 man band, guitarist and drummer and make country punky music.. They remind me of Ireland for some reason, even though they're from San Fransisco.I know tonight was a big night for tv, big brother and the champions league final..hard luck to you gunners fans, and hard luck to you who have got sucked in to Big Brother...
So tomorrow's show is looking cool as always...Brace yourselves for new remixes of classic Fatboy Slim, a lovely Summery Ashley Beadle production, the new Simian Mobile disco single, spaced out disco from Dorfmeister and a minimix from up and coming D&B producers Chase and Status.
must sleep have to be up in 4 hours. ouch
My name is Annie Mac and i'm a gambling addict.
That's better. Three hours sleep later. So what a weekend. I worked across both days of Radio 1's big weekend filming for the red button coverage and I djed both Friday and Saturday nights. Fridays gig was at the Dundee Contemporary Arts centre. When I got there, there were tables and chairs across this vast room packed with people. i wasn't sure how I'd get anyone dancing, but after the first few records a few of the tables were moved and a dancefloor was created. I loved the gig and it was a great start to the weekend.
Saturday after doing TV all day I was scheduled to do a three hour live radio show with Judge Jules in the broadcasting truck. I've never worked with Jules before and it was such a laugh. He made up a new 'Julesism' just for our situation; we were 'winging it like migratory birds'. Brilliant. You can listen to it again all week if you like.
Then there was the dance party. I had practised my set a few times beforehand and was feeling really good about it all until i went to put my first piece of vinyl on and realised the decks weren't plugged in. 20 minutes of sheer panic, an engineer and a torch later there was one of the two record players working. I ended up playing a completely skewiff set and needed a stiff drink afterwards but apart from one wonky segueway i think it was alright. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was great to see Mylo, who was equally as nervous as me.
Later that night I discovered gambling. I was dragged reluctantly to a casino across from the hotel by some friends at about 2am. An hour later I'm hunched over a blackjack table, furiously betting my chips away, giving the croupier dirty looks and generally feeling like I was born to gamble.
Sunday was equally busy and loads of fun, I interviewed the Zutons and the Ordinary Boys and djed between bands on the In New Music We Trust stage and got in a car to Glasgow in the evening so I could broadcast the early breakfast show from there this morning. When I arrived at BBC Glasgow at 3.15am there were two security guards fast asleep in the foyet sitting in front of a huge telly with the film Braveheart on. Maybe they'd seen in too many times...
It really was a special weekend, Dundee doesn't normally get alot of media attention and to bring 28 world class bands and create a festival there for free makes you realise why the BBC exists. So what did you all think? did you like listening to the dance party? what did you think about everyone's sets?
sleeeeeeeeeeeep
Have just got in from glasgow..have uploaded my photos from the weekend.. am too tired to write. must sleep..will write later...
friday
Woke up this morning with a well sore throat. I reckon if I don't say anything today and just eat lockets all day I'll hopefully be ok for Saturday. Have been practising my set for Saturday night.. it's really annoying as I only have one CDJ and more and more of my music is on CD nowadays. I know what I'm playing though and if it all goes to plan it should sound good. i am Djing tonight at the contemporary arts centre in Dundee so I'm going to use that as a practise run. The only good thing about Saturday is there'll be no time to get nervous as I'm on air beforehand.
so if you're bored over the weekend, you can press the red button on Radio 1 on your telly and I'll be there across the weekend, interviewing the bands and bringing you through the different sets. I'm going to bring my camera and take as many pics as i can and put them up on Monday...
the weather is supposed to be really cold up there all weekend. It feels wrong packing wellies when it's so hot in London!
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER...
HOT CHIP are our first band EVER in the minimix! hear their 5 minute effort tonight on the show, along with huge carnivalesque d&B from Wickaman, blissed out summer tune from Max Sedgely, the Similou, the tocadisco mix of Mylo, brand new hip hop from US3 and many many more.It's so hot in london today..it's like July. Its amazing.
Today has been spent running around having last minute meetings about Radio 1's big weekend in Dundee. Am gonna be well busy but am very excited as I'll be interviewing everyone from Mike Skinner to bobby Gilliespie to Jonny Borell...
Breakdancing to minimal house??!?!
Well hello there, I've been away for a few days, back home in Dublin seeing family so only got back last night.. I've come back to a beautifully sunny london which is a nice surprise and this week I'm mainly sorting out my timetable for Radio 1's Big Weekend, which is looking busier and busier. I'm Djing at the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre on Friday with Boogie Corporation and then doing my first live set on Radio 1 on Saturday night at 11pm just before Mylo. Must not mess up, must not mess up. In fact I should be downstairs now, furiously practising. I'm also doing a three hour show with Judge Jules on Saturday night and will be fronting all the interactive TV stuff, which means if you have Radio 1 on the telly then you can press the red button and watch the festival... pretty amazing eh?So I had a great Saturday night out in London. One of my favourite things is going out to a few different clubs in one night and Saturday we managed three. I was DJing at the first birthday of a night called LMP in Shoreditch that a colleague of mine promotes. We got there early and then nipped around to Bodyclap at T Bar to see DJ Touche and to say hello, then we came back to LMP where I was DJing with Deepgroove... I really enjoyed DJing until Grayson from Deepgroove told me that i was going to go deaf if I didn't turn the monitor down. Then I turned down the monitor and got abit paranoid. After I finished a group of us headed to The Key in Kings Cross to see Kris Menace and Alan Braxe. Between them, they have created some of the biggest French house tunes of the last few years, and it was Alan Braxes first UK gig. There wasn't as many people there as I thought there'd be but it was fun and we saw Willie from Mylo's band who is now producing and Djing in his own right under the name Williams. He was playing minimal house in the next room and there were 2 breakdancers going for it on a raised platform in the middle of the dancefloor. It's the first time I've ever seen breakdancing to minimal house and Willie looked slightly bewildered. It was funny.
After an hour or two at the Key we headed back to LMP which was opened till 10am! 20 20 soundsystem were having an afterparty there after doing a gig up the road at Ryhthm Factory and I met Ralph Lawson and Silver City. It was a great night..
The good news is regarding the whole Middlesborough incident (look at entry called 'Sorry' below) , I have written to DJ mag and they have promised to print my letter in the May 24rth issue. Am glad that I will be able to shout about what happened as I think the more people that see this the more people will be aware that it still happens.
I haven't even talked about this weeks show yet! it's looking brilliant..
RECORD SHOPPING - what are you loving?
So today I bought a stack of records..Johnny Dangerous - Beat That Bitch (Mr V 2006 Remix) - a lovely housey mix of the original 'i'll beat that bitch' vox by johnny dangerous.
Betty Botox Presents.... - a double vinyl pack with lots of silly disco covers.. my favourite is 'Music Is Music', a bootie of Sister Sledge ... good for parties..
Templeton Peck - Glory Hole/Lawless too blissed out twisted disco epics..with loads of beautiful bass and strings..
Beatconductor - 'Somthin Betta' - this is big silly cheesy gospel music. It immediately put a smile on my face..am playing it tonight. It's on the G.A.M.M label which I always look out for when I'm looking for something quirky and soulful..
Justice - Waters Of Nazereth EP - I have it on CD but the 12" looks soooo good I coudn't help myself..
so let me know what you've bought recently that you're really feeling....
JUSTICE
JUSTICE ARE IN THE MINIMIX TONIGHT... I CAN'T WAIT.
SORRY
So I received a nightmare e-mail last night. The girl who mailed went to The Basement Club in Middlesbrough on Saturday night after seeing posters advertising myself as DJing at the all new Filthy Gorgeous club night there. Her friends came down from Newcastle and paid 8 pounds a ticket to come and see me. When they got there this is what happened to the girl in question..
'I thought that it was a bit dodgy when on the night in question we all piled in the club at 11.15pm and noticed that those without tickets were only being charged a fiver to get in (the usual door price). Over the next three hours my friends and i were given different stories as to why you weren't there yet and what time you would be coming on. Eventually, at 2am we collared the manager and were told that you had just phoned from Manchester airport and that he told you 'not to bother showing up'. He made out that you had messed them all around and refused to give us any money back there and then saying that if we called into a certain bar at a specific time the following week with our stubs we could get the £3 difference back.'
I was appalled when I read this and after some investigation, the promoter in question was sent an e-mail saying that I would not be able to play his club night on March 14th as I would be at Coachella festival. Before this, there was nothing confirmed. I had never said yes to doing it in the first place, he had simply asked my agent whether I was available and was told no. He then consciously printed up flyers and posters which lead the above girl and hundreds of others into thinking I was playing. When pressures as to where I was he lied through his teeth saying that I was at manchester airport?!?!?! and I was late.
It really scares me that this kind of stuff happens. I've never not showed up and never been even 5 minutes late for a gig. We've written to the promoter and asked him to find a way to let everyone that went to the club know the truth. I'm so sorry to anyone who went to The Basement Club on Saturday night.....
sausages and kabobs.
Here is just one of the many things that you wouldn't find at a European festival. Kabobs. I don't know what they are but they were the source of alot of amusement throughout my weekend in Palm springs California for the Coachella Festival.It was more of a V Festival than your Glastonbury. Quite regimented and clinical; Beer must only be drunk in the beer tent. You can't take it onto the festival ground. You must go through an ID check on arrival to show you are of age to drink. There were no crusties, or dogs on strings, no campfires, or people with silly hats falling about. It was very civilised, I saw alot of girls in high heels with pristine hair. You wouldn't get that over here but then again you wouldn't get 2 days in a row with 80 degree heat. Oh the heat! So intense. Every shadow was precious and packed with bodies. Check out the pictures, you can see the palm trees and mountains surrounding the whole site.
The best part was the music. I saw Phoenix, Sigor Ros, Daft Punk, Gnarls Barkely, Madonna, Damian Marley, Franz Ferdinand, Matisyahu, Scissor Sisters, Massive Attack, Kanye West and many more. Daft Punk and Gnarls Barkely stood out. Daft Punk hadn't played a gig in 8 years. They came on, in the most dramatic, out of this world way you could ever hope for. Dressed as robots, they stood in a huge metal pyramid, looking like they'd just beamed in from out of space. The whole hour was crammed full of the hits, and they had the most spectacular light show I've ever seen. It was the talk of the festival. They were better than I ever could have imagined.
Gnarls Barkely haven't broken America yet. They had a big crowd, but when they played 'Crazy' there were no massive cheers. Just about 20 sunburnt Brits screeching loudly. They came on dressed up as something straight out of Alice in wopnderland, the musicians were wizards, Dangermouse was the tinman, and lead singer Cee-Lo was the Mean Old Lion. Cee-Lo is the most charismatic frontman I've seen in a long time, quite James Brown-esque, like an exciteable preacher. Their songs worked so well on a live tip..Radio 1's Big Weekend is gonna be brilliant.
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