Friday was once the new Saturday and now, it seems, Saturday is back to being the new Friday: When will promoters learn to spread the love across the weekend? Last Saturday, a slew of soirees went off, meaning that while everyone who was anyone was out, door takings for individual gigs were less than they could have been. While the Wall's excellent hip-hop night Bling Dynasty catered to a slightly different crowd to United Nations of Funk's equally fun Vice, there was some overlap (as anyone who hiked back and forth between the two would understand.) Indeed, Vice was also competing with Luxy's consistently strong House Biaaatch for a very similar clientele.
Surely it can't take too much coordinating of diaries to ensure that, over four weekends, the various nights can be spaced out over the month? Then, punters get the chance to enjoy different events, and door receipts are healthy enough to pay for future gigs. Competition is healthy, and it keeps people on their toes: but you don't have to win The Apprentice to grasp that, business-wise, it's better to have 400 people at your bash than 100.
Sound Minds new weekly night launched last Saturday, offering something different from the usual fare. The crew takes over the open-air terrace of the AM:PM Gallery in Ximending from the late afternoon until the early evening, so you can listen to some phat tunes with a cold beer and watch the sun go down.
In Taipei, tonight sees the welcome return of Citrus — one of the longest running nights in the country — to Luxy. SL, Saucey, Hooker and David S spin house to a bunch of pimps and hoes — no, that doesn't mean they're playing in the main room, it means sleazy fancy dress. More house tonight at MoS from Taiwan's ADSCription duo Stanley and Dan T, whose love of 4/4 started while studying in London.
Tomorrow, Luxy hosts superb West Coast house from Dan, a repeat visitor to the club who never disappoints. Germany's Ronski Speed heads to MoS; Taipei lads Yoshi and Code, and Swank's Gareth Jones also play on the 2nd Floor courtesy of www.taiwannights.com.
Staying in the capital, there's reggae and dancehall from the O-Brothaz Sound System at Hips, while FiFi/Sofa's resident funkster KJK joins Kaoru and friends at Champagne 3. Down south, they go mad as a box of frogs for Club Cube's Hat Party in Kaohsiung, and there's more hip-hop courtesy of Kool Kazz at Tainan's Fusion Lounge.
Gigs, and questionable marketing strategy, of the week come courtesy of Sound Minds, who will ferry DMC contender Craze around Taipei: tonight he'll be spinning hip-hop at Plush with MC Armani; tomorrow, it's drum'n'bass, at Party Room. But, a warning for those who enjoy mega-mixes and Beyonce on repeat: sophisticated decksmithery is promised on both nights. Interestingly, Sound Minds are not content to go head to head with other promoters — tomorrow at Plush, they actually compete with their own gig at Party Room by also hosting the highly talented JRFlo, who'll be beat juggling and throwing around reggae, Motown and R&B. Confused? So are we. Spoilt for choice, again.
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