For the electronica team, there is only one route to Sunday morning in Taipei this weekend, with very little time for sleep. And for the serious party animals, a Vinyl Word challenge.
Tonight sees the second installment of Freakout, a “straight night” at Jump nightclub, which boasts a fabulous sound system and recently refurbished interior and is usually frequented by an eclectic gay crowd.
A fortnight ago was the big opening, but many prospective punters were put off by the six-day workweek. “It wasn’t as busy as we would have wanted it,” said Esteban “Mr Positive” Carballo, one of the promoters alongside Shaun Kidd, Andrew Gilberds and Jimmy Chen, “but it still had a really nice vibe and as the first installment of this new night gave us the chance to check details again.”
With the gay and straight party crowd only overlapping slightly, throwing a night aimed at the latter at Jump is a calculated risk. To get a mix of all persuasions, “would be ideal,” said Carballo, “however, Freakout is an open-minded, gay-friendly straight night at what is usually a gay venue. Our first initiative to promote a night at Jump was because of the great space and the crispy clear loud sound of the club, not its sexual orientation.”
Carballo said since he last threw a party a year ago, “the scene has slowed down ... maybe because many of its members have grown up or because people are investing their money differently … We want to bring that excitement back and make Taipei’s club scene into what it was only one year ago and create a new scene.”
To launch yourself into this weekend at Jump prepare for some top-class DJs. F Dragon, Deborah and Wendy, Tiger, Stone, Jimmy Chen, vDub and 006 will play a mix of tribal, minimal, dance rock and progressive.
Freakout is tonight at Jump, B1, 8, Keelung Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市基隆路一段8號B1) from 10pm until late. NT$500 with a drink. Ladies get in free before midnight (members of the deadlier sex usually pay twice the
door damage for men to get into Jump). On the Net:
www.club-jump.com.
Oasis was first last week; now it’s Havana’s turn, and with that the pool party season has kicked off once again at Taipei Country Club. Matt Barker, chief promoter for Havana, formerly Summer Swank, begins his quest for the perfect pool party tomorrow, this spot being the second venue to dive into this weekend after tonight’s do at Jump.
Barker now has bragging rights for being the first Taipei promoter to sign up 3b and Miamla (formerly Kriz).
A huge welcome back, by the way, to these two who left Taiwan almost a year ago and recently returned to Taipei.
Following 3b and Miamla will be Jimmy Chen — getting all horny (wait and see) after his set tonight — and finishing off hard is SL (劉軒), the connoisseur of deep house.
Havana Pool Party, tomorrow from noon until 9:30pm at Taipei Country Club, (台北鄉村俱樂部), 1 Qingyun Rd, Taipei City (台北市青雲街1號). Entry is NT$250 for the ladies and NT$350 for the boys.
The third stage of the weekend is a classic. After a day of schmoozing with stunning, shaven beauties with perfectly buff bodies, and their beautiful girlfriends, by the pool, it’s off to the sweat-dripping-off-the-walls basement at Roxy Vibe for the venue’s last ever night. No pressure on Marcus Aurelius as Vibe’s final deejay. What Aurelius will choose for the last track is a closely guarded secret. How will he capture Vibe’s essence in one set. Is it possible? Again, no pressure.
Roxy Vibe Farewell Party: The Last Stand tomorrow from 9pm until 7:30am at Vibe, B1, 155, Jinshan S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市金山南路一段155號B1). Entry is NT$400.
The Vinyl Word challenge has been set. A three-party weekend beginning at 10pm today, finishing at 7:30am Sunday morning, and taking in the old and new along the way. If by that time, you can answer these three questions, then you’ll be up there with the party legends: Was it possible to catch the best bits of Jimmy Chen and vDub’s sets (both clash at 12:30am)? Why was Jimmy Chen so “horny” at the pool party? And what was Aurelius’ last track at Vibe? If you find out the answers but forget them by Sunday night, however, you rank a little higher.
Vinyl Word takes no responsibility for sunburn, liver damage or beer-goggle shame come Sunday afternoon.
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