Circus – Sat 26th February @ The Masque John Digweed, Yousef, Seth Troxler, Riva Starr, Guti, Liverpool
aaamusic | On 04, Feb 2011
2011 is all about conitinuing Circus’ relentless surge into electronic music folklore. If a Garnier’s live LBS debut in January indicated the direction, Feb’s offering is equally as impressive, and with Planet E’s 20th anniversary in March too, it’s hard to recall when things have been this good. The Theatre enlists the talents of John Digweed and his Bedrock imprint, Seth Troxler and Riva Starr return in The Loft alongside a debut showing from production wunderkind GUTI, whilst INK features the famous return of the Circus DJ Competition. And just to remind you, there’s another 44 weeks in the year left yet to be further dazzled by Yousef and co’s dazzling work.
Up first, Bedrock in the Theatre. Helmed by the man who defines the record label, production outfit and club, Digweed remains one of the globe’s most iconic DJs. Tremendously talented across house music of every genre, he was one of the first to break through the age of the Superstar DJ, his sets with Sasha in the early nineties establishing the blueprint for dance music at its most epic. Capable of commanding stadiums with his intricately mixed sound, he returns to take centre stage for a three hour set. Expect mesmerising house and techno of peerless quality.
Joining him will be the Circus’ founder and resident, Yousef. Like the club he defines, Yousef’s 2011 has continued at breakneck pace, dropping a superlative remix of Kaiserdisco on German label du jour MBF whilst he has been applying the finishing flourishes to his second artist album. Yousef’s incredible work ethic shows no signs of abating. Alex Wolfenden remains the club night’s secret weapon, a tremendously eclectic DJ who can mix genres with deft ease and counts Balearic institution Cafe Mambo as his other residency, testament to his beguiling versatility.
Next, we transport upstairs to the enclave of the Loft. Troxler is one of dance music’s most sanguine and charismatic hopes for the future. With youth resplendently on his side, there’s a gleeful mixture of hype surrounding his music which is equal parts mythical sexual prowess, off kilter fashion sense and a manner which borders on the faintly ridiculous. Things which would of course all be desperately banal had he not the musical genius to go with it.
Part of the US’s new wave of house and techno artists, he has the modern European heartbeat seduced just as readily as the old Detroit aesthetic; both Damian Lazarus and Carl Craig are big fans of his beats from their respective labels (Crosstown Rebels and Planet E). A DJ constantly asked for by the Circus’ dancefloor, he’s a man who transcends the mystique to create an aura more musically potent than any of his rumour led hyperbole, and a cat destined to become one of dance music’s biggest draws in future years.
Riva Starr shuffles up alongside Seth, and there are few producers with such an ambiguous set of fans. Having created music that has been played and lusted over by the likes of Tiesto, Ricardo Vilalobos, Pete Tong, Sven Vath and Annie Mac, he’s also released music on mainstay crossover labels such as Positiva and Defected whilst catering for underground DJ led imprints such as Made 2 Play and Dirtybird.
Live sensation GUTI, the jazz musician turned nightclub maestro who has lit up Loco Dice’s Desolat imprint, flies over for his native Argentina for a very special debut of his gorgeously intricate sound. Lewis Boardman, Circus’s continually evolving resident, who can now count a burgeoning production career on NRK among his many talents, rounds off the bill.
And Ink showcases the third instalment of Circus’ DJ competition. An overwhelming response saw submissions from as far and wide as Ohio and Portugal, after Yousef threw down the gauntlet on a variety of internet sources; Twitter, Facebook and of course the club’s indefatigable message board among them. After a tremendously high standard of entries he finally whittled it down to five winners, each one musically emblematic of the club. Alex Angus, Mattis Austin, Luke Bennett, Simon G and Simon Keat will each get one hour to prove their Circus worth. It’s testament to Yousef and the time he spends unearthing local talent and further credit to the brilliance of the five established here, each showing a tantalising glimpse of the future of modern club land.
Circus Saturday 26th February @ The Masque, 90 Seel Street, Liverpool, L1 4BH Theatre – Bedrock John Digweed – 3 hour set Yousef Alex Wolfenden Loft Seth Troxler Riva Starr GUTI Live Lewis Boardman Ink – Circus DJ Competition Alex Angus Mattis Austin Luke Bennett Simon G Simon Keat 10pm – 4am Price £16 / £18 Info – 0151 706 8045
Tickets:
www.chibuku.com/shop
www.skiddle.com
www.datatransmission.co.uk/circus
TicketWeb: 08444 771 000
Ticketline: 0161 832 1111
3Beat: 0151 353 7027
Circus
Saturday 19th March
@ The Masque, 90 Seel Street, Liverpool, L1 4BH
Planet E Tour
Luciano v Carl Craig (4 hour set)
Yousef
Dennis Ferrer
Heidi
Lewis Boardman v Alex Wolfenden (5hr set)
10pm – 3am
Price £13 / £15
Info – 0151 706 8045
Tickets:
www.chibuku.com/shop
www.skiddle.com
www.datatransmission.co.uk/circus
TicketWeb: 08444 771 000
Ticketline: 0161 832 1111
3Beat: 0151 353 7027
