#the vibe is that he was investing so much time into djing that it was almost distracting him from driving

[papayafiles]

today i learned that lando could’ve DJed new year’s in dubai last year?? like he was offered a decent bit of money to do it and everything but he got too nervous 😭 and now he’s retired 😔 (but he did say he might make a grand comeback to the dj world once he’s won a couple of championships! all for the story, he says (it’s the way drivers KNOW how batshit insane f1 fans go over Narratives))

[danetobelieve]

It’s Party Time || Megan, Todd and Winston

When: before Megan Ariana got her name back. Who: @letsbenditlikebennett, @itsyaboytodd​ & @danetobelieve​ Where: an undisclosed college frat party Summary: Winston takes Megan (aka Ariana) to a frat party that Todd is playing at, everyone has a good wholesome time. Warnings: N/A

Nodding along to the beat, Todd pressed his fingers to the headphones around his ears, his other hand working the turntable. He could feel the beat pulsing through his shoes, the thrum of the party people getting more and more pumped with every song he dropped. It was fucking awesome. This was the shit he lived for. Sure, it was just a party for one of his old frat brothers, a party thrown because the local college students were bored and restless. But, it was still fun, just like all his other sets were fun. As the song began to end, he worked the soundboard, letting the mix come to an end to some cheers from the people who had gathered in the backyard where a dancefloor had been set up. “Alright, DJ DAYZE is stepping off for the night-- up next, RedStormz.” He said into the mic before setting about disconnecting his things and getting it all stowed away.

 Once he was all packed up, Todd pulled his sweat soaked shirt over his head and grabbed a couple of beers from the cooler outside before he wandered off to find Winston and the friend they’d brought with them. Catching sight of Winston, he grinned and hurried over. “Winston! Bud, I feel like it’s been fucking years since I’ve seen you!” Todd grinned cracking open a beer and taking a drink before looking at the small girl next to them. “You’re Winston’s friend…. Uhhhh, sorry, I’m totally blanking on your name. I’m Todd, aka,” He pointed at the bucket hat on his head and the logo emblazoned on it, “DJ DAYZE!”

If there was something Megan could always count on, it was Winston doing the most to try and cheer her up. With the amount of stress she was currently under, they had the right idea when they invited her to join them at a party. After all, they could both use a little bit of fun in their lives. As per usual, she had texted Blanche a picture of her outfit to make sure it matched. Apparently, she looked cute and so did Winston. While Winston’s friend had been DJing, the pair had grabbed some drinks and Ariana all but insisted they made their way to the dancefloor. As always, she was filled with energy and the booming of the bass compelled her feet to move. She’d been thoroughly enjoying the experience and was only slightly bummed a new DJ was taking over. Still, it meant she could meet another one of Winston’s friends. She waved as Todd approached and laughed. He was blanking on her name which was fitting because so was she right now. “You’re all good, dude. I’m Megan. I don’t have an AKA, but if you call me any variation of short, I will have to kick your ass.” 

It had been quite the month already. Winston hadn’t loved watching Blanche and Rio get love potioned, but that was done and now it was time for Winston to blow off a little steam. Ariana clearly needed it too, although they hadn’t been able to work out why she couldn’t remember her name. They were convinced it was fae related but these things took time to work out and for now she seemed like she needed the time off of the real world to just focus on how everything was working in her head. “Todd! Buddy it’s been literally forever.” They pulled their sweaty DJ friend into a tight hug and swallowed some of their own drink. They weren’t too drunk … yet. There was still time. But they were trying to keep on their best behaviour just in case they needed to step up to the proverbial plate. “Please no ass kickings tonight, let’s just all get a drink and have a good time.” Todd was a good DJ, apparently so was RedStormz. The bass thrummed and the room heaved to the beat of the music. Winston couldn’t help grinning. “Do we need more drinks? I can do drinks for everyone?” 

Face all smiles, Todd gave Winston a few good natured slaps on the back as he hugged them. It was so good to be hanging with one of their best buds! He hadn’t seen Ricky around town at all and with most of his old brothers having moved out of White Crest. They were all headed down their new career paths at “investment firms” and “law offices” and “medical school.” Meanwhile, Todd was still here, still DJing, still hoping for his big break. But, it’d come! Lots of people thought his music was great! Like the girl he’d met at that party, she thought his music was amazing! Oh-- he’d have to tell Winston all about this chick he’d been talking to. She was so cool.  “Nice to meetya, Megan. And hey, no ass-kickings needed. I’m a lover not a fighter. Gotta keep all this,” He gestured to his face, “Fresh for the ladies.” With a laugh, he held up his own beer. “I’m all good, thanks though.” Looking at Megan, he cast an easy going grin, “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. You going to UMaine in the fall?” He asked. 

Already, this was turning out to be exactly what she needed. Between the upbeat music filling the space around them and being around good people, Megan was already letting go of some of the worries that had been plaguing her. “No worries, I was only joking about the ass-kicking,” she responded with a laugh. At the mention of more drinks, she perked up. The drinks they had started with had already left her face feeling a little flushed, but she was feeling more relaxed than she had in weeks. “That sounds like a great idea, Win. I’m good with anything citrus-y.” Even though they were standing and chatting, she was swaying a bit to the music. It was a little bit loud given her sensitive hearing, but her hearing had the added bonus of still being able to hear what else was going on around her. If she paid attention, that was. She couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh yeah, wouldn’t want to ruin all of that, Ladies Man” She gestured to his face with a smirk present on her own. She nodded along with the mention of school, “Oh! So like, kind of? The trade school is attached to campus, but I’ll be doing a carpentry program there. What about you?” 

Winston grabbed everyone more drinks as Ariana AKA Megan discussed their various studying prospects. They weren’t really sure that they had the heart to tell Megan that Todd wasn’t technically a student anymore, he would be able to explain that on his own. It wasn’t that Winston was worried about Todd, it was more that Winston was worried for Todd. They knew that everyone had to work out their own way and how things worked for them individually, but Winston wasn’t sure what Todd was going to do if the DJ thing didn’t work out. “She’s really good too,” Winston replied, “like a DJ equivalent of a carpenter, whilst you’re realising bop after bop, Ari- I mean Megan is releasing various intricately carved pieces of furniture.” 

With an enthusiastic nod of his head, Todd smiled as he listened to Winston and Megan explain what she was going to be doing. Carpentry, making furniture and stuff like that. “That’s pretty dope, dude! You gonna be out here making like… the Mona Lisa of dressers or something? That’s lit!” At her question, he took a long drink from his can of Coors and shrugged. “I graduated two years ago, did a degree in music production.” He said and gestured to his packed up gear that was chilling off to the side while Redstormz did their thing. “I’m just kicking it here in White Crest til I get my big break-- if you liked my set, you should def check out my SoundCloud.” Todd said eagerly, pointing again to his bucket hat. “It’s just my name, there are a bunch of tracks I didn’t play tonight on there.” Todd gave a thumbs up. Never hurt to plug his music, but it did feel a little weird trying to market his stuff. He wasn’t good at the whole “selling yourself” side of music. He just wanted to make some jams that people liked, and fuel parties around the world. Or at least, around the state.

“Thanks,” Megan said cheerfully as Winston handed her a drink. She had to respect Todd really going after his music dreams. It wasn’t the easiest field to make it in, but she knew it was important to pursue something fulfilling. As much was why she opted for trade school over university. “I appreciate nature motifs a lot, so more like the Bob Ross of carpentry. Keep the whole happy little trees vibe,” she responded with a smile as she took a sip of her drink. “That’s totally cool that you’re in the music game for the long haul. Hope that big break comes soon. I’ll definitely be listening to your SoundCloud. I’m always looking for good stuff to add to my running playlists.” 

Grinning, Winston nodded, “No problem.” Everything that had gone on recently was getting to Winston, so they needed to blow off some steam and to Todd’s credit they always went to the best parties with him. He seemed to have a knack for it. So Winston was hoping that this would be a night to remember and in a good way. “It’s actually really good, I listen to a lot of Todd’s stuff at work, really good for like getting in the right headspace I guess.” Winston wasn’t lying either. Todd wasn’t bad at this by any stretch of the imagination. “I don’t run, because, asthma, but I imagine they’d be pretty good for that.” They turned and looked at Todd, pushing their glasses up their nose from where they’d slipped down. “You playing any more venues soon?”   

“Happy little trees, I dig it, I dig it.” Todd laughed and nodded at Megan. That was pretty dope though. The most he’d ever done was make the stickers and logos for his merch, and that was pretty basic stuff. A small rush of pride washed over him at Winston’s words. He had no idea that Winston listened to his stuff that consistently, but it felt good to hear that other people appreciated his stuff. Especially someone like Winston, who always seemed super on top of their stuff. “Yeah! My stuff is all about pumping people up. High energy, high intensity. A couple of my bros who work at the gym love listening to it, I’m really hoping they can convince their boss to let them play a song or two.” He said. Nodding sympathetically at Winston’s condition, Todd made a slight grimacing face. “That sucks, dude. But hey, like, as long as you’ve got your inhaler, you’re in the clear most days, right?” At the question, Todd balked and rubbed the back of his head. “Uh, not yet. Just playing at Friction, usual gig. But! The Todd Man’s had some luck in other departments.” He said, practically bouncing up and down on his heels. “I met this awesome chick. She’s so cool, dude, she totally supports my music career!”

Megan nodded along as Winston spoke and noted she’d definitely need to download his songs off soundcloud. Supporting a friend was always nice, but a good playlist could really help her zone out during a run. Lately, zoning out seemed to be more and more necessary. She threw back another swig of her drink before responding, “Between Winston’s rec and how much I enjoyed that set, I’m pretty sure my running playlist is about to get even more dope.” She shrugged slightly and added, “Running isn’t for everyone. I’ve just got too much energy for my own good like 90% of the time.” Todd had a good energy about him. He was very upbeat and seemed to be a genuinely good dude. She considered any friend of Winston’s a friend to her, even Rio, though right now she’d very much like to smack Rio. Nope, tonight was supposed to be a good night. No thinking about Rio. “Pumping people up, that’s pretty awesome of you. I like that. Right up my alley.” Megan noticed the slight change in demeanor, but for once, decided not to point it out. The alcohol was definitely starting to have its effect as she nodded along. With a wide grin, she assured, “Well, I’ll definitely be hitting up any future sets you do. I’ll be the one rallying everyone to the dancefloor.” At the mention of meeting an awesome woman, she smiled. While her own love life was an actual disaster, it was refreshing to hear someone was having luck out there. “A dope chick? Good for you, man. My luck in that department is not a lot so do dish.” 

Ariana had a way of making everything sound better, happy little trees being just a single example of it. “Oh dude, that would be some dope exposure.” Winston was thrilled that things were apparently going so well for Todd. They felt kind of guilty that they had neglected their ‘normal’ friend. But when you’re constantly trying not to die because of supernatural bullshit, when you’re constantly trying to work to stop White Crest from imploding and everything else that had happened in the past few months. From witches to vampires to zombies to werewolves. Well remembering to pay your friends who have no idea about any of it attention is always difficult. It’s difficult to prioritise them in the same way and Winston felt like Todd was owed better then that. But they could always make up for that, right? “Oh yeah, I’ve always got my inhaler with me,” Winston replied patting their jacket pocket where it was indeed kept. “Oh hell yeah dude, I’m so pleased that you’ve got a girl who’s interested in the T-man. She obviously got good taste, especially if she supports the music!!”  Winston’s mind flashed to Rio and to their brief engagement to Blanche. Not their favourite memory ever but they pushed it away. “You comfortable telling us more about this woman of mystery or are you keeping it on the D.L for now?” 

This Megan chick was cool. Like, super cool! How’d Winston meet someone this dope? Not that Todd didn’t think Winston was cool in their own way-- they were so fricking baller with their coding stuff and explaining math to him back in their tutoring days. But, Megan seemed athletic, more of a people person, which was a different kinda cool from Winston. “Yeah! You’ll definitely have to let me know how you like it.” He said with an enthusiastic grin and a wave of the hang loose gesture at her. At Winston’s wholehearted support, Todd’s face almost hurt he was smiling so much. But, he waved their words away. “We’re trying to like keep it chill right now, just because like, she’s kind of a cougar? So like… we’re just on the DL. But, damn, she’s so cool. Like, seriously, she’s amazing.” At Megan’s words, he offered a sympathetic nod before tilting his head back to chug his beer. “That sucks, dude. I get what that’s like though. Dating is hard. Like, sometimes people are just too busy for it, ya know?” He chattered as he took another sip of beer. “One time, there was this super hot chick I chatted up at a bar. And like, we went back to my place and I totally thought we were gonna hook up. But, when we got inside, she was like “oh no, I’ve gotta go!” and had to leave to take care of some stuff.” Todd shrugged. “So, like, I feel you bro. Seriously.” 

It was comforting for Megan to know that Winston always had their inhaler on hand. Given they were pretty damn responsible so it made sense. She and Winston both eagerly listened along as Todd told them about the dope new chick he started seeing. While the cougar thing was a little odd to Ariana, especially given how young and full of energy Todd seemed to be, it was awesome he had someone who was supporting his passion for music. Dating wasn’t necessarily her arena just yet, but she knew it was important to have someone who supported who you were and your dreams. There was something almost familiar in the way Todd spoke, but as she took another sip of her drink, she gave up on trying to place it. “That’s awesome, dude. She sounds hella cool and supportive. I hope you two continue being happy together,” she responded with a wide grin. She shrugged at the brief focus on her own love life. “Yeah, I’m not too worried about it. I’ll eventually find someone that’s right for me.” It was hard to shake the feeling that she already had but he was in grave danger. The thought was enough to make her finish off her drink. “Damn, that’s a buzzkill, but sounds like you found someone better anyway,” she added with a loopy grin. 

Winston wasn’t sure that any women older then the age of 25 years old would particularly like being called a cougar, they also seriously questioned whether Todd being with a cougar was a smart idea. But in this they had to trust their friend. Even if his judgement hadn’t been entirely perfect in the past. “Oh that is  ….” Winston tried to think of the right word, failing that they went with the easiest, “really cool. I’m super happy for you. Dating is always kinda shitty if you’re not with the right person, I’m glad it’s going so well.” Winston wondered if this super cool chick would’ve bounced so quickly if they’d gone back to her place, Todd’s place was incredibly … frat. “It’s a harsh world out there, you’ve got to protect your heart.” Literally apparently. Metaphorically too. It was, well White Crest seemed to be getting more and more complicated by the day. Winston was starting to really struggle to keep up with it all. “And, you know that there’s no rush right, sometimes spending time on your own helps you realise what you really want from something or someone or whatever,” Winston was sure that being single for 24 years must have done some good for them. Though they weren’t entirely certain what that was.

Grin still plastered on his face, Todd could barely contain how pleased he was. Winston was in their corner on this, which was like, one of the big seals of approval in Todd’s book. He really wanted to introduce her to his friends one day, but she’d been really like, insistent that they keep things chill and under the radar. And he could totally do that! But, still, he wanted to make sure his buds knew. And that included Megan now! She was a super dope chick, with her cool furniture Bob Ross gig lined up. “Thanks, forreal!” He beamed, though the expression faltered slightly at Winston’s words. Spending time on his own? Nah… No, he didn’t dig that. Like, outside of when he was working on his new tracks, being on his own-- that wasn’t something he wanted. He wanted to be where the people were, putting his fingers on the pulse of what was going on around him. Draining the last of his beer, Todd flattened the empty can against his head before chucking it into the overflowing trash can nearby with a cry of, “Kobe!” Looking at Megan, he offered two thumbs up, “You’ve got time, dude. Like Winston said, nothing wrong with being on your own for a little, ya know?” He said before tilting his head at Winson, “What about you, how’s things been going for you?”

Tonight had turned out to be exactly what Megan had needed. Between the loud music, her friends, and the fuzzy feeling the alcohol left her with, all of her stress seemed far away from her now. It was nice to hear that Todd’s love life seemed to be treating him well. She hoped the same was true for Winston and Rio now that the love potion was no longer a thing. With Ace in the back of her mind, she refused to truly contemplate her own love life. “You got the harsh part right on that one,” she said with a laugh. “Everyone has their own timeline though,” she added with a shrug. Her own timeline was a little behind most, but she spent so much time moving around it had been hard to form close bonds. Things were different now. She still wanted someone who could accept her fully-- wolf and all. Anything else seemed not worth it. As Todd threw his beer into a trash can and yelled out Kobe. She followed up with her own drink, “This bitch empty. YEET!” Her empty cup was now on top of the trash can and she turned to Winston so she could listen as they answered Todd’s question. She was curious for the answer as well. She hadn’t been over the house as much since she’d been mad at Rio. 

Whatever happened in their life, Winston had to admit that they would be grateful to have Rio in it for just as long as he stayed in their life. The potential loss of Rio was not something that they wanted to discuss, but it wasn’t a thought that they relished. “Uh, yeah, i’ve got a boyfriend right now, my friend, well I guess boyfriend Rio, or Orion, I don’t know if he introduces himself to everyone as Rio but…” Winston couldn’t help but smile, Rio was the best, “he’s great, he really makes me feel … I don’t know, what I assume that you’re meant to feel when you’re in a relationship but yeah he’s special to me.” Winston grinned at Megan or Ariana or whatever they were calling her. “I guess I’m just really lucky.” 

[hookysblog]

Isreal, Australia and New Zealand.

BARBY CLUB, TEL AVIV, ISRAEl!

MERCH SITES...PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSICIAN

https://the-hacienda-uk.myshopify.com/

 https://peter-hook-uk.myshopify.com/

Our second trip to Israel!

Complete with me nursing a really bad sore throat and chest;(

Not too many death threats this time I believe, what a world eh! Quite a long flight, but flies by with the boys. Immigration is easy until our sound guy gets dragged off for questioning about his granddad (who he never knew?).

He is kept for a long time, which is a little worrying, but is eventually let in and never really found out what it was all about?

His Big Bad Grandad sounds interesting!

The road works (in the centre of Tel Aviv at midnight???)  hold up our arrival at the hotel for a couple of hours, with all the roads leading to it closed. What a mess! We end up walking, which with the equipment isn’t easy;(

A lovely day dawns and our wacky little hotel called Hotel Cinema, has film posters and projectors everywhere. I am in the actual projection room at the top of the old theatre, complete with hole for the lens to poke through, really weird. I grab a haircut by the Mighty Zohan and a lovely pizza. The area we are in is very vibrant, in other words …..Rocking! The gig looms and we being joined today by Hadar Goldman, an Israeli violinist from the punk band Ciam, whose other claim to fame is the purchase of Ian Curtis’s old house, 77, Barton Street, Macclesfield. Hadar wanted to open it up as a museum but has not been successful so far, sadly. Could be a job for me in my dotage as a curator, like Night at The Museum eh?;)

Anyway, he is very nervous but the lads are on top form and the gig goes great from start to finish. Hadar is great on Atmosphere and Autosuggestion, and the three hours fly by! The lads are off early the next day to OZ but I don’t follow until the night of the day after, so have a bit of time to kill.

It is Yom Kippur here and everyone seems really worried I will starve to death. So like a real student, I invest in two Pot Noodle’s and a load of chocolate and after raiding the breakfast buffet, I think I will survive;) I sleep again after brekkie and wake and walk down to the beach. Spending the whole afternoon just watching the world go by.

Yom Kippur lasts from dusk until dusk the next day and as the sun goes down the noise levels decrease, until the only sounds you can hear are the children playing in the deserted streets. Breakfast is provided on Sunday for us and my wonderful hosts have hired me a mountain bike for what is called ‘Childrens Day’ here.

I have not cycled for years so am a little apprehensive to say the least. I get the bike on the street and it is really strange…..There are no cars at all! The whole place is deserted with every shop closed. The only problem is my chest….I am like puffin’ Billy.

In the old days there would be no power or phones in the city I am told. The leaves soon settle in the road and it gives a post apocalyptic feel as I cycle along topless the leaves blowing round me. I go down through the deserted market to the beachfront, and there the place is completely alive, with thousands of kids on every size and kind of bike, motorised skateboards and tons of electric scooters everywhere. It is completely magical, it really is.

I AM SPELLBOUND;)

 I love the bike and watching the kids in huge groups cycling along the freeways and empty streets is heart warming, it really is and I only give up because I am worried about getting sunburnt, heading back to the hotel for a hat and a T-shirt and a Pot Noodle. I go back in the afternoon suitably attired and ride and ride, until I have to give up because my arse is so sore (no 50p jokes please!). As the sun sets the city gets back to normal all too soon with the noise level rising to it’s usual roar by 7p.m. On the way to the airport for my flight to Oz the busy, noisy streets seem so coarse compared to how they were a few hours before, what a shame. I sail through Immigration/Customs, my granddad must have been ok? (Didn’t know him either;(

I begin a to long trip to Australia, one of my favourite places on earth.

 METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Throat and chest still bad but we persevere;)

I arrive the day of the gig so by the time gig time comes I am completely addled. It reminds me of being drunk, it really does. This Joy Division ‘2 album’ night was added at short notice after our Japanese gigs fell through, but is very well attended. Great to play Closer again, wonderful. Martin our new keyboard player is top from start to finish, a great response. I crawl off to bed exhausted. Not much time to relax because we are off the next day for a gig at….

 CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

 Lovely to be back, a beautiful city, very Parisien. It was here that I wrote most of The Hacienda Book funnily enough, when I was Djing at Parklife in 2008, you got the week off in-between so I thought it was a great time to start. Australia looms large in my books lives, as you will see later;)

The on stage sound is tough at this place, which I remember all too well from last time, but the gig goes great and is Sold Out! Too. Great reception for both Unknown Pleasures and Closer, yet again! An almost humane leave sees us off to……

 THE STUDIO, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

 Another beautiful country and now we have a lot of English friends living here now. Hi Carol;) Back to Substance tonight, which is nice.

I have to give in here, I am finding it hard to sleep my chest is crackling that much, so a trip to the Doctor’s beckons. Strangely both me and Pottsy have the same problem???

The Doctor says I am ‘crackly’ and he is ‘wheezy’,

 ‘Where’s Grumpy?’ I ask?

 He doesn’t laugh;(

 $350 Dollars light and we are both Amoxcycillined up and off we go.

Gig goes great from start to finish. Still struggling with my throat which is really annoying Grrrrr! I am waiting for the Biotics still to kick in. But I take it easy by cycling all over the place puffing gently. It’s my new thang!

It’s wonderful how both countries are completely suited, and go out of their way to encourage cycling. I follow the river past the Zoo all the way down to the centre of the city. Then get embarrassed because I am the only one topless? So head back. Hard on the chest again but well worth it! Grab a Kebab before the gig and I am ready!

The place is packed and gig goes great. The lads are on fire.

Ecstatic reception to both records!

Catch up with a few old mates, lovely to see you again Platty;) Next stop…

  THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

 Back to Substance and another Sold Out gig. This getting boring….only joking, after all our hard work it is the best compliment ever, thank you all.

Nice venue and everything goes well, recovering nicely;) Off early tomorrow so after more smashed Avacado we are off to…

 THE GOV, ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

 Another beautiful place.

Nice, quiet and very suburban. Lovely old theatre venue that is packed and of course….Sold Out! Bit of an altercation with some fans at the front, but it is soon sorted and the bouncer tells me it’s the same guys he threw out last time we were here….go figure? Very cold here at night in spring, so wrap up if you are visting. Up earlish to hop over to …….

 CORNER HOTEL, Concert’s 1, 2, AND 3, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

1.I feel marginally better today, thank god!

So have a lovely first day here, visit the Dior exhibition at the Museum along with The Great Wave exhibition by the Japanese Ukiyo-e artist Hokusa

.

  A very cultural day indeed! Enjoy a lovely stroll back to the Hotel and struggle through a short gym session, which does make me feel better.

It’s gig time before I know it and it’s back to The Metro for the struggle with the foldback.

Gig is a struggle and I cannot get the vibe, but it goes down well I must admit. Nice early night.

 2.Have a lovely Big Morning out for breakfast/Brunch with Viv (Big Day Out owner and very old friend) and one Zombie film later am ready for round two.

DING DING! Better gig tonight, great audience, sound still shit. The only place that sounds worse than this place is our very own Fac251 The Factory, where there is nothing you can do to combat it, believe me we have tried everything.

Lovely to see Viv Lees, with his son at the concert too. God we are getting old!

 3.Last night and we turn down a bit onstage and magically it sounds better for it. Play really well and great reaction gives us heart for our long trek to…….

 THE ASTOR THEATRE, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

 This is one of my favourite places on earth. It really has to be seen to be believed, and that’s despite nearly dying from food poisoning here once see Inside New Order for details;) I am so happy we are finishing here. Stay in a wonderful Casino Hotel that is HUGE! Great pools inside and out, huge gym and as I am feeling a lot better I get in there and have a great workout, so good to be back to normal. Finish off the day sunbathing with a Virgin Mary and with dinner at their very own NOBU, am ready for whatever the concert brings.

Tonight we are back at one of my favourite venues. It’s an old Cinema complex transformed into a great gig. The dressing room used to be one of the smaller theatre’s but they have normal dressing rooms now….Boo Hoo! Do the meet and greet like a Old Mancunian Santa Claus then it’s the show, Sold Out show did I say? Hee Hee!

The sound is great, the audience is great, band is great!

What a wonderful end. I thank everyone and we are done ready for home, but Oops…… I forget to thank Phil Murphy and Steve Jones and they will not let me forget it either, sorry boys;(

Nice to see Brian Jary (I used to sit next to him at Salford Grammar in 1967) and his wife, along with Ken and Georgina our old friends too;) Wake to a huge storm, which is beautiful to watch.

After a fantastic breakfast with the biggest Las Vegas style buffet I have ever seen, Dan our Tour Manager takes us to the airport for the first of our three planes home.

 Thank you for such a fantastic time…..EVERYONE!

 Cheers Hooky, ’17.

[partymedia]

Dimension of Martinkus by DIMENSIONS

Martinkus (@tmartinkus)is a music producer/DJ from Vilnius, who is really into programming and music. Martinkus spent most of his summers in the nature, so that's an inseparable part of him as well. Music has been a huge part of his life as long as he can remember. As he got older he started investing more of himself into music and various fields related to it. Not only looking for new artists and tracks he like, but he also started djing a couple years back, organising parties on and off. He has grown to the point where last year he played at 8 different festivals all around Lithuania. Also had the chance to become one of the organisers of his favourite festival, Supynes Festival, he also has been working with @palanga_street_radio, building their management platform and the website bit by bit, trying to realise every improvement they can think of. "Know your dimension" interview: 1.What can you tell us about this mix? Was it inspired by anything? Basically I tried to recreate my listening habits with this mix, not really sticking to a certain genre, just a lil' bit of everything I like. Also, I guess, last years summer had a huge impact on my current music taste, going to various festivals every weekend with friends, tripping in the nature and just enjoying life in general. Not thinking about anything too much. Also, a huge inspiration for this was my hometown, Vilnius. For quite some time now, I've grown the habit of going for walks around the city. After recording the mix I first listened to it properly during one of these walks and I found that most of the tracks in the mix are the same ones that I listen to when I go for a walk and the rest of the tracks just suit the vibe of Vilnius in my eyes. 2.Are you producing music? If yes, what is your latest release? I do produce music, I haven't released anything and I'm not planning to either, at least for the time being. I enjoy the process, but don't have enough time lately to do anything related to production. I do play the tracks I've made in the past in my dj mixes, though, which is hella fun 🙂 3.Which track in the mix is your favourite right now? It has to be either Same Old Place by Genius Of Time (link: https://tinyurl.com/she67mw) or Adrift by Octa (link: https://tinyurl.com/qnv9mon). Too hard to pick one of them, both of them have been on my heavy rotation playlists for quite some time now and I love 'em both equally. 4.What is your favourite track of the last 12 months? This is a bit different, in the past half a year I've started to move further and further from electronic music. I barely listen to any electronic genres now. Well, except for jungle and various avant-garde takes on different electronic genres, I guess. But yeah, back to the question, my favourite track from the past 12 months is probably Anemone by The Brian Jonestown Massacre (link: https://tinyurl.com/tssu8md). Too good. 🙂 5.Who or what are your biggest musical influences? I suppose it has to be nature, Vilnius and my friends. Huge shout out to @ntrofimov ❤ Visit & follow Dimensions: www.facebook.com/ourdimensions www.instagram.com/our_dimensions

[rbeatz]

DeModa – Lucid Dreams EP & Exclusive Interview

One of rBeatz favorite artists right now, DeModa, recently put out his new EP, Lucid Dreams, and I’m really feeling these unique elements from the New York City based-producer and performer. His fluttering ambiance, unique synthscapes, guitar focused and choppy/glitchy vibe create an uplifting feel that fit nicely around the vocals.

DeModa has a live show that he does all himself. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the guitar, keys, drums, and sample pads throughout his show. Think Youngr and Mura Masa. These are the artists that I’m most impressed with these days. The process of creating and playing all instruments by yourself is the true testament of a producer, and to put that on stage, live, is next-level. We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing DeModa below.

You know the drill, play the Lucid Dreams EP and read the interview below for the FULL DeModa experience.

INTERVIEW:

Where does the name DeModa come from and why did you pick it?

Glad you’ve asked! It comes from the Spanish phrase “de moda” which means in-style, tasteful, or trendy. It felt fitting for the music I was making because, although I try to create a unique style, I also incorporate some of the tasteful elements from genres I love.

Where are you from and how has that shaped the musician you are today?

I was born and raised in NYC, and have been here my whole life. Being such a competitive city that is so focused on what’s “cool,” and what is going to be “cool” 5 minutes from now, it sort of influenced me to ride my own wave. My belief is that you won’t get very far chasing trends and doing something that has already been done a million and a half times. However, I do like to tip my hat to the popular trends from time to time. For the most part I pressure myself to bring something new to the table.

You are a one man show, so what playing elements are most challenging for you? Did you play any instruments when you were younger?

Playing guitar is probably the most natural for me, since I’ve been playing for about 13 years. The keys and percussion I tend to struggle with the more, but the most challenging aspect of my live performance is crowd-engagement and stage fright. Most performing artists probably look out into the crowd and see an ocean of happy, dancing, music-lovers, however, my brain usually tells me there is an angry mob with pitchforks and torches just waiting to tar and feather me for missing that D#.

Is there an instrument that you currently wish you COULD play?

Oh yeah, the drums for sure. Drummers get all the girls.

Tell us the story of how you got started creating music on your computer?

Funny story actually. When I had started getting into electronic music, I told a friend, “you know, I think I could make something like that,” and my lovely, supportive friend replied “Yeah. Better leave that to the people who actually have talent.” I clearly took that as a challenge and started making electronic music. Now, a bunch of songs and a-whole-lot-of-money-invested later, I’m trapped

Kidding. Making electronic music is fun.

What has been your favorite moment when creating your 2017 EP, Lucid Dreams?

That’s a tough one, because there were so many favorite moments. I’d have to say my favorites were the times when each featured singer sent me their vocal stems. Watching all the songs come together with the vocals was so fulfilling.

What do you like to do when you’re simply hanging out – aside from music?

Hanging with my old friends, probably. All of our lives have taken us to very different places, and I find myself missing them a lot of the time. Nobody can make me laugh as hard as they can.

Do you participate in any extracurricular activities?  

Yes! I’ve been DJing for a charity called Emily’s Entourage, which is about raising funds for cystic fibrosis and nonsense mutations research. They’ve raised enough money recently to fund the research without any grants from the government. It’s truly an amazing experience.

Also, before the DeModa project, I used to be a competitive Muay Thai kickboxer. I have a few fights under my belt but I’ve found that writing music involves my face getting punched a little bit less, so I’ve decided to go with that instead.

Who has been one of your favorite acts to collab with?

All of them! And I don’t say that to be sensitive to anyone’s feelings. Each collaboration I’ve had, everyone has truly brought something new and unique and special to the table.

Who are your musical influences?

There are so many, but to name a few:

The Beatles. They were able to achieve a unique, psychedelic euphoria that was also so catchy and universally loved. Even now with all of the technology we have that would still be an amazing feat.

Hendrix. His guitar riffs were so mind-blowingly complex and smooth that I imagine he slept with his guitar and maybe even had sexual encounters with it.

Freddy Mercury. Self-explanatory.

Porter Robinson. The worlds album/live tour still brings tears to my eyes when I hear/watch it.

Flume. Another artist who is so psychedelic and complex, there is just no one else like him. People can try to emulate him but by the time they even marginally come close, he’s already updated and reinvented his sound.

What DAW do you use and why?

Logic X, because it was an easy transition from the broke days of GarageBand.

Maschine 2, for live performance and production, because Native Instruments makes the best everything.

What is your favorite MIDI Controller right now?

I’m biased because I just picked up the Komplete Kontrol S49 keyboard the other day and I’m still not over the mini light show you get when you turn it on. I have 5 midi controllers at the moment and 3 of them are Native Instruments brand. One could say I’m a fanboy.

What is one of your favorite or go-to VST Plugin?

Depends what I’m using it for.

  Synth: Massive

  Drum machines: Izotope’s Breaktweaker is probably the most underrated drum machine of all time.

  Pitch automation: Waves’ Soundshifter Pitch

  Compression: Native Instruments Supercharger GT

  EQ: I love Logic X’s stock EQ, but I also love the Izotope Ozone EQ, because of the way you can option-click and single out small increments to find those muddy frequencies.

What is your biggest accomplishment to date? 

This one time Nora En Pure made eye contact with me for about .73 seconds, so that was pretty cool ~

Other than that probably the success of Downtown Glow on Spotify.

Do you have a key production tip for our young producers out there?

Yes. If you’re not willing to sacrifice losing your friends, most of your social life, money; if you’re not willing to take the time to research, learn, practice, and perfect your craft; if you can’t take rejection, constructive criticism, destructive criticism, naysayers; if you cannot bring something new to the table, or otherwise do something much better than the person who originated it; if you’re not ready to work 2 full-time jobs and strategically invest most of that earned money into your music career; if you’re not ready to go all in, it’s probably not worth the time to learn any production tips. That’s probably the most fundamental production tip out there.

What has been your top favorite venue to play and why?

The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn with Gibbz was fun, and hopefully after this summer tour I’ll have a new one!

What is your favorite color?

Purple.

What food do you eat the most?

Pizza, before it was cool.

What is your favorite social media platform and why?

I mostly dislike social media but lurking in the weird, dark corners of Facebook is always fun.

What is next for DeModa?

Some music videos, collaborations, and remixes are on the way, as well as a remix EP for Downtown Glow and then hopefully a debut album!

from rBeatz.com http://ift.tt/2riw7kI