Rhythmism.com
Monday, Mar 23rd 2009, 02:41 PM
#1
The Good, The Bad, The Messy: MERRY CONFERENCE!
Is it really almost WMC Season? It stopped being offensively freezing outside, the clubs here have begun announcing a glut of big names to appear in the next couple months (pre- & post-WMC), and people have begun shopping for cool sunglasses again. I must say, it’s beginning to look a lot like Conference! Which also means it is time for The Good, The Bad, The Messy to tell everyone how to properly enjoy the week of debauchery in the sun.
THE GOOD – RELIABILTY
The great thing about Conference is the reliability of the parties that have been happening year after year combined with the originality of the fresh settings they are always in. The top parties consistently involve many of the same folks but they keep it interesting by moving to new spots every couple years. As clubs come and go and names change, the good DJs keep their sounds fresh with the hot new jams while not neglecting the classic bombs that always deliver.
Back in the day at the very beginning it was simply a bunch of DJs around the pools at a few hotels and not much else. For a while it was the Terrace of the original Space where the best action was. The past few years it has moved to Nocturnal, Pawn Shop and now one of top spots is Karu & Y. There are also newer places like PS14 and older places with new parties like the Ice Palace and of course many of the old spots have new names, designs and feel fresh by the time you hit them again.
For those of you looking for the parties you’ve always loved and know will deliver again this year, these are the best spots to find them.
Kruder & Dorfmeister
The decks at Mac's Club Deuce
Of course all the great parties aren’t that old. The past few years have delivered a classic batch of new annual shindigs that can’t be missed.
Finally everyone wants to know what is the new shit. Well here are the events that have not been going on for 5, 10 or 15 years but could last that long if they keep bringing the quality they have been:
THE BAD – TOO MANY DJs
One thing about Miami that seems good but is actually BAD is that every party has 1000 awesome DJs who you really want to hear. But it always seems to be that when you go, the one you want to hear either plays in 4 hours or played 3 hours ago. Or if they are playing now they are in some horrible dark room while it is sunny and beautiful outside or they are outside in some crappy hotel courtyard that is 1000 degrees with no breeze anywhere. One of the most important things to know about conference is exactly when and where you will see the DJs you want to see in their most ideal setting. Now everyone feels a little differently but in general you want to catch your faves at prime time, or sunset, or at an afterhours.
With so many parties every year The Good The Bad The Messy has a few useful rule of thumbs for when to see who, where:
THE MESSY
In preparation for WMC, New York of course starts getting a little more heated in the runup to Conference. In the last month or so the hot spots to engage in "Miami Practice" have been Save The Cannibals at Rebel, Blk|Market membership at Bar 13 and Love, with the highlights coming for Cari Lekebusch at Bar 13, and Lee Burridge at Cannibals.
For those of us who are unable to attend WMC this year, thankfully the city continues to deliver top flight goods including countless DJs who come to town just before or just after. The best substitute for WMC can be found at Save the Cannibals at Rebel with Joris Voorn on March 28th, Howells & Stadenco at Love on April 3rd, Giant Step brings Ben Watt to Cielo on March 27th, and ReSolute brings Peter Kruder of K&D to town on March 21st with Selway, DJ Hell and Anja Schneider.
Looking a bit further ahead Tiga visits Webster Hall on May 22nd, Sleepy & Boo’s 5 year anniversary of Basic NYC welcomes Tom Middleton on April 25th, Santos Party House has Marques Wyatt on April 11th and of course for those who know, Dancing Rams on April 18th will be absolute Animal Crackers.
THE GOOD – RELIABILTY
The great thing about Conference is the reliability of the parties that have been happening year after year combined with the originality of the fresh settings they are always in. The top parties consistently involve many of the same folks but they keep it interesting by moving to new spots every couple years. As clubs come and go and names change, the good DJs keep their sounds fresh with the hot new jams while not neglecting the classic bombs that always deliver.
Back in the day at the very beginning it was simply a bunch of DJs around the pools at a few hotels and not much else. For a while it was the Terrace of the original Space where the best action was. The past few years it has moved to Nocturnal, Pawn Shop and now one of top spots is Karu & Y. There are also newer places like PS14 and older places with new parties like the Ice Palace and of course many of the old spots have new names, designs and feel fresh by the time you hit them again.
For those of you looking for the parties you’ve always loved and know will deliver again this year, these are the best spots to find them.
Kruder & Dorfmeister
- Om at Karu & Y on Saturday, March 28th with Kruder & Dorfmeister as well as the whole OM gang we all know and love, and those we don’t know yet but are sure to love soon. (15 years for OM!)
- Ovum at the Shelbourne on Wednesday, March 25th with Josh Wink (13 years!)
- Giant Step Sunset Soiree at the Delano Hotel on Friday, March 27th & Saturday, March 28th. (Lucky 13!)
- DEEP LA with Marques Wyatt at Heathrow Lounge on Friday, March 27th. (9th Annual!)
- Hallucination Limited on the roof at The Vue on Friday, March 27th with Three, Lee Burridge, Mr C & Adultnapper and more. (Twice as long as THREE years!)
- Sasha & Digweed at Mansion on Thursday, March 26th and if you can find an invite, their annual Boat Party is always unforgettable, even when you can barely remember it. (Who knows how many!)
- Danny Tenaglia’s annual marathon bash welcomes The Martinez Brothers with him to Park West Nightclub on Wednesday night, March 25th. (I think DT has been doing this for at least as long as the Martinez Brothers have been alive!)
- Mac's Club Deuce Bar. Any Hour. Any Day. Any Drink. Any Song you want from the Jukebox. (Going strong for over 80 Years!)
The decks at Mac's Club Deuce
Of course all the great parties aren’t that old. The past few years have delivered a classic batch of new annual shindigs that can’t be missed.
- Sunday School for Degenerates at Ice Palace where nobody cares who is playing because the music will be on and the crowd will be off their rockers. Starts 10PM on Saturday night, March 28th ends... Whenever you fall over on Sunday night.
Sunday School for Degenerates (at Pawn Shop R.I.P.) - [URL=#]Dig Deeper[/U] at BED on Wednesday night, March 25th brings Danny Howells where he has been involved in some of the best parties anyone has ever been to.
- Am Only’s One Night Only at Karu & Y is legendary for its out of control chaos and potential for brawling DJs. This year it starts Friday night, March 27th, just don’t fall in the moat on the Terrace!
AMOnly One Night Only at Karu & Y
Photo by Bennet Sell-Klein - Porterhouse at BED with Steve Porter and his Beantown cohorts is always a smashing good time and should deliver this year with DJ Dan as a special guest on Saturday night, March 28th.
- Basic NYC at the Beach Plaza Hotel has been holding it down all week long for a few years now. Expect a great combo of NYC and Chicago flavor on a daily basis.
- Circo Loco at Nocturnal on Saturday night, March 28th. Circo Loco has migrated from Ibiza to WMC for the past few years and takes over with Tiefschwartz, Luciano, Lee Burridge and a whole lot more troublemakers.
Finally everyone wants to know what is the new shit. Well here are the events that have not been going on for 5, 10 or 15 years but could last that long if they keep bringing the quality they have been:
- Flawless Sound House: A week worth of day party madness by the pool is highlighted by Dig Deeper with Danny Howells & Stadenco on Wednesday, March 25th, François K with some sunset techno on Thursday, March 26th and of course Loser Lunch with Pjay dopping the 80s bombs on Wednesday, March 25th.
The pool at flawlessSound House - The Family at PS14 brings in a million and one techno siblings putting the FUN back in dysFUNctional Family.
- Blk|Market Membership and RA welcome secretsundaze to Miami on Friday night, March 27th with Dixon and Charles Webster.
- Freaky Tikki Beach Boat brings high people to the high seas all week with Lee Burridge on Thursday, March 26th, Steve Bug Friday, March 27th at 5AM and the SOS boys Friday evening, March 27th
- Resolute & RA at The White Room with Alexi Delano, Derek Plaslaiko, Andrew Grant and more on Thursday, March 26th.
- Cheap Sunglasses bring it twice with Cheaper Sunglasses: Moon Harbour showcase featuring Mathias Tanzman, Cassy, Luna City Express, Tobias Becker, Crazy Larry, and Taimur agha at Electric Pickle on Friday, March 27th and Cheap Sunglasses Yarr You A Pirate Boat Party on Saturday afternoon, March 28th.
THE BAD – TOO MANY DJs
One thing about Miami that seems good but is actually BAD is that every party has 1000 awesome DJs who you really want to hear. But it always seems to be that when you go, the one you want to hear either plays in 4 hours or played 3 hours ago. Or if they are playing now they are in some horrible dark room while it is sunny and beautiful outside or they are outside in some crappy hotel courtyard that is 1000 degrees with no breeze anywhere. One of the most important things to know about conference is exactly when and where you will see the DJs you want to see in their most ideal setting. Now everyone feels a little differently but in general you want to catch your faves at prime time, or sunset, or at an afterhours.
With so many parties every year The Good The Bad The Messy has a few useful rule of thumbs for when to see who, where:
- Check out a DJ at his or her own party. The one they are the resident at in whatever city they are from, the party for their own personal label that they run, or otherwise some party where they are the main and hopefully only DJ playing. They save their best stuff for these parties and usually play the best time slot.
- The biggest parties are NOT the best. Sorry guys that ticket to Ultra just isn’t worth it. Smaller is better. Fewer DJs, more time for each of them to get rolling, and they aren’t just looking to get in, get out, get paid, and move on.
- Inside parties at night, Outside parties during the Day. That is generally where you want to be. But that can be broken down further. Morning is definitely for outside, but when afternoon comes think about getting out of the sun. Early evening after sunset is great for a rooftop or deck but after 11 it is time to hide in a dark room somewhere.
- Private unannounced sets. These are usually intimate, in an amazing setting (roof, private pool or beach, somebody’s mansion), and the ones nobody knows about until the last minute and end up being the hottest things at Conference. The “I was there” stories you are hoping to acquire to tell all your friends.
| A basic schedule | |
|---|---|
| Noon-4PM | Wake up, arrive, and return to the world of the living so you can find a beach, find a pool, find some food and try to ride out that hangover. This is the time to recharge. Try not to get too crazy now or you may not make it through the long week. |
| 4PM-Sunset | You did a little detox now it’s time to start your retox. Find a pool party with some good summertime style music to enjoy the sunset. Rock the Vans in the sand and don’t forget the redbull and vodka up in your hand. |
| Sunset-11PM | Time for some R&R. In Miami it is not Rest & Relaxation, it is Rejuvenate and Rehabilitate. Get yourself a little recharge, get some food, and please, catch a shower (you stink). |
| 11PM-3AM | Prime Time. Holla! You drank all day, now it’s time to play. Get your hands up, put that ass up and do whatever else you have to do. It is time to party. |
| 3AM-5AM | Bar time. The bars and some clubs are starting to close, it is time to get weird. Kidnap DJs, go to random strangers hotels and drink their booze, try to get a hold of your friends who you lost 6 hours ago, and borrow someone’s charger so you can recharge your phone and find the details on that super secret afterhours that is about to start. Or maybe play some naked twister back in your hotel. |
| 6AM-Noon | Afterhours. Think Sunday School for Degenerates, AM Only on the Terrace at Karu & Y or the Nocturnal Terrace for anything. This is when the party people take it to the next level and then jump off that level headfirst into the ground. Basically, it’s time to get it poppin’ because... “You’re In Miami, Bitch!” |
THE MESSY
In preparation for WMC, New York of course starts getting a little more heated in the runup to Conference. In the last month or so the hot spots to engage in "Miami Practice" have been Save The Cannibals at Rebel, Blk|Market membership at Bar 13 and Love, with the highlights coming for Cari Lekebusch at Bar 13, and Lee Burridge at Cannibals.
For those of us who are unable to attend WMC this year, thankfully the city continues to deliver top flight goods including countless DJs who come to town just before or just after. The best substitute for WMC can be found at Save the Cannibals at Rebel with Joris Voorn on March 28th, Howells & Stadenco at Love on April 3rd, Giant Step brings Ben Watt to Cielo on March 27th, and ReSolute brings Peter Kruder of K&D to town on March 21st with Selway, DJ Hell and Anja Schneider.
Looking a bit further ahead Tiga visits Webster Hall on May 22nd, Sleepy & Boo’s 5 year anniversary of Basic NYC welcomes Tom Middleton on April 25th, Santos Party House has Marques Wyatt on April 11th and of course for those who know, Dancing Rams on April 18th will be absolute Animal Crackers.
