Tuesday 31 August 2010

When you Discover the Warmth of Music...



So After what was one of the best bank holidays i care to remember, myself and 'Life through a Latex Window' and Disco compadrae Tommy Armstrong have put together a light hearted write up of what was a superb affair consisting of some of the best underground, upfront and classic sounding Disco and house around.

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The Paper Mill, terrace pre party - Tommy Armstrong.

We met Sunday afternoon with heavy heads and high hopes. Still bearing the emotional scars of the eventful Saturday nights we’d all had, Sinister Delicious’ own Saul Wilks, our mutual friend and king of the gurn Ben, and yours truly congregated on the corner of Old Street like the three musketeers ready to take on the world once more. Our destination, The Paper Mill on Curtain Road, for the first half of a Discovery & Warm double headed monster of a party spread across 16 hours and two venues. A terrace party/BBQ during the day and a Jamie Jones Hot Natured set after dark - magical.



A brief rainstorm had passed and the clouds broke leaving the August sun to shine down on the small courtyard at the back of the Paper Mill where we plotted up, ready to ease ourselves back into a partying vibe. The atmosphere was small and cosy and the small early crowd was friendly, more family BBQ than pre-party, as if we had all been invited into someone’s back garden - exactly what we wanted for a chilled out catching up session before the real fun and games began. We sat down, spread out with shades on and Sol in hand sharing tales of weekend debauchery - what bank holiday BBQs are all about.

As the afternoon went on the tables filled up with an older crowd of disco and house heads, the chattering got louder and the laid back afternoon grooves were becoming disco fused early evening toe tappers. A few burgers and some class A’s later and the hangovers had lifted, replaced with the buzz of anticipation which filled the early evening summer air.

Sometime around mid afternoon the daytime headliner Pete Herbert appeared behind the decks, sending a ripple out across the floor which got the now bustling crowd up moving. Heads bopped from the tables and the minglers strutted through the crowds in time to Kasso’s Italo classic ‘Walkman’. The music seemed to seep physically out of the speakers across the floor, creeping up into my ears and down through my entire body. I started to notice rhythm in peoples chattering on the next table, the music had engulfed every inch of the terrace and entranced all that were stood in it.

Herbert teased the crowd by tossing up the first few bars of Grace Jones’ anthem ‘Pull up to the Bumper’ before volleying it straight onto the dancefloor for the crowd to get down to. Sharon Brown followed with the anthem ‘Specialize in Love’, a favourite of the Corrupted Disco boys. We were fully warmed up for the Technicolor adventures in disco which would take place after dark.
As the sun went down it was time to kick off the second half of the event, a Jamie Jones Hot Natured set at the Horse n Groom. The crowd brought the sunshine vibes along and embarked on a mass exodus next door to continue what was fast becoming the party of the summer.
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Horse and Groom, Night party - Saul Wilks.

With the evident feeling of some good quality Mandy making its way around my body, we made haste the Horse and Groom to continue the party indoors with the building anticipation, that we would soon be regaled by fast becoming soul knight Jamie Jones. When entering the hassle free venue, the party vibe was strong with the two floors containing each respective party with ease. Down stairs the Discovery banner was proudly donned behind the decks, where Warm took the upstairs residence making for two floors of quality, feet moving Discofied grooves and stompers.

As the night progressed and the vodka lemonades were dispatched with ease, the two rooms started to fill up with a happy, loved up crowd all baying for the sounds that had tempted them to this Small pub in the heart of London’s Shoreditch.

As the time fast approached when Jamie Jones would be gracing the upstairs room, a shuffle of the stairs commenced and the warmth could be felt from the throbbing deep sounds being served up, including the magical Lee Foss track - 'u got me'. When the record reached its pinnacle the roof took off and all but to a man and women, the packed crowd exploded into a sea of Smiling faces and body moves.

As Ruckus hailed the entrance of Hot Creations king pin and man of the moment Jamie Jones, with his familiar fuzzy afro clearly visible, dropping some electronic boogie to make the now fever pitch crowd have it out on the hallowed floor, joy echoed around the building as everyone had a collective rush.

Jamie Jones’ set was one that would take some beating, fusing deep soulful house with vintage electronic tones and back through to vocal disco spirit lifters. When the crush got too much in the top room, a venture down stairs was met by Azari & iii proclaiming that I was being reckless with my love. A classic sounding vocal House stormer that takes no prisoners. Once again the scene was one of people going at it with Cheshire cat grins that were seemingly moulded into shape.

After no let up with the great sounds that were being served up, a surprise set from Pete Herbert greeted the crowd at around 3am when my record of the minute, the unreleased Hot Toddy Remix of Love Birds came cascading through the speakers with such a demanding force I thought I was going to take off. The place went off, and off and off.

As the daylight started to creep through the front windows, with Jacques Renaults - 'My Baby Loves me' working its way through a thinning crowd, it was time to bid fair well to one of the best parties I have ever had the privilege of attending. Every DJ that played done their respective nights proud and I’m sure every soul that was packed into the Horse and Groom that night wont forget what was undoubtedly, the party of the summer.
Saul Wilks.

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