Music : House, Electro, Breaks, Techno, Funk, Disco and Indie
AUDIOJAK’S FIRST BIRTHDAY!
Friday 30th November
The Cell, Mint St, Lincoln LN1 1UB
Erol Alkan
Mistress de Funk (BBC Radio One, Sankeys) TBC
Karpet Kritterz (Dan Travis, Adi Dales, Rob Cole)
General Jimmy (Plastic Soup)
Superfly Soundsystem (Liverpool)
PLUS MORE TBA
01522 541677
9pm-6am
£7 NUS or Snifty/£8 all others
A year remains an eternity within clubland, a halcyon landmark that so many nights fail to reach. It’s one target that Lincoln’s bustling electronic metropolis Audiojak has reached with a significant degree of gusto, 365 days of swaggering beyond the norm, reigning in the finer guests and educating a city all too obsessed with carpet floors and kebabs. So far Ivan Smagghe, Lee Burridge, Paul Woolford and Leeds bleep merchants (and namesakes, nonetheless) Audiojack have come down to party, all impressed with the up for it crowd, unique intimacy and hedonistic charm possessed by The Cell, a rave bastion tucked away amongst the supposed clubbing backwater that is Lincoln. But now it’s time for the big one, the appearance of a man chased and fettered since Audiojak begun, a man that has only been delivered after endless phone calls, emails and even cases stuffed with used twenties delivered in illicit service stations. And finally, it’s been confirmed.
November 30th 2007 is the date. The day Erol comes to Lincoln.
Erol Alkan really is an enigma, and a man who continues to affirm his place in the rave elite, a lofty height held since he first crashed into contention back in 2001. Then he was welding Vitalic to air guitar moments from Guns n Roses, unthinkable at a time when clubland was dominated by twelve minute prog tracks in faceless corporate clubs. His Monday clubnight Trash reinvigorated clubland with him leading the charge; in a world where inflated DJ fees were paid to dour faced middle aged men Alkan combined a mercurial flair for showmanship with an unsurpassed ear shattering musical ability, proving the real deal in terms of what a superstar DJ should be. Then he made the step-up to producer, edits and reconstructions of Alter Ego, Digitalism, Hot Chip and Franz Ferdinand proving he was just as capable translating his keen ear for the dancefloor in the studio. But inside the booth is where he comes alive, a man so infused with bravado and performance ethic that he remains peerless in this game and the true link between jock and rock star. He’s been putting alternative rock n roll side by side with alternative dance music for aeons, slapping in the recognisable, forgotten and obscure to create one huge amalgamation of good music that excites, educates, and, most importantly, entertains. The t-shirt says it all, Erol keeps kids dancing. And grown-ups, toddlers, rodents and whatever else ends up on the dancefloor. And by god is he good at it.
Support on the night comes in the shape of Mistress de Funk, the ever rising star of other worldly techno who continues to stratospherically step up her game. Since being made Sankeys resident she’s gone on to host the famed ‘In New Music We Trust’ show on Radio One, bringing her irrepressible blend of wonky grooves, pulsating minimal techno, and strutting house to the masses. She’s continuing to wow crowds wherever her talent is booked in and remains one of the fastest rising stars on the scene. Oh and did we mention that part of her set is to be broadcast on Radio One on her show? Well, the cat’s out the bag now.
Alongside this combination of the now and the future of clubbing are a sterling cast of co-stars that cement the party atmosphere at the event. Audiojak’s in-house DJ and production team the Karpet Kritterz are in full attendance once more, bringing their dynamic understanding of the local clientele to the forefront. A strong Liverpool presence is bolstered with the usual appearance of Plastic Soup and Audiojak resident General Jimmy alongside the Superfly Soundsystem, the resident cartel of the city’s biggest breaks night. And this is not to mention a bevy of as yet unannounced local superstars to augment the evening.
Audiojak, Lincoln. One year, one serious rave.