This Halloween, Verboten descends upon the Big Easy for a long weekend of music, art and debauchery at The Voodoo Experience Presented by Stephen Rehage in New Orleans. Based on the overwhelming response to its dedicated electronic dance music area Le Plur, the festival continues the dance marathon with DeJa Voodoo is Verboten after parties from electronic artists who are appearing as part of the Voodoo line-up.

Throughout Voodoo’s Halloween weekend celebration (Friday, October 28, Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30), some of world’s top underground talent will perform at the fan favorite Le Plur area including Cassy, Claude VonStroke, Craig Richards, Danny Howells, Deniz Kurtel, Lee Burridge, Maya Jane Coles, Soul Clap, Tanner Ross, Three, Voices of Black, and Wolf+Lamb.  As the Voodoo Experience wraps every night, these acts will then appear at historic New Orleans venues on Friday at The Howlin’ Wolf, and Saturday and Sunday at Republic, as part of DeJa Voodoo is Verboten, a three-night series of official Voodoo After-Dark Parties with world-renowned DJ’s performing sets from midnight-6:00am.

2011’s The Voodoo Experience Presented by Stephen Rehage in New Orleans’ City Park will feature its traditionally eclectic line-up including a variety of exclusive U.S. festival appearances from Soundgarden and Blink-182; performances from the recently reunited Raconteurs, Steve Angello, the original members of X, plus Snoop Dogg, TV On The Radio, Fatboy Slim, Girl Talk and many more.

Tickets for the 2011 Voodoo Experience are available HERE. Tickets for the DeJa Voodoo is Verboten official Voodoo After-Dark Parties are available HERE. Tickets inclusive of entry to the Voodoo Experience and the After Dark parties are available for $250 (General Admission) and $290 (VIP). To attend the DeJa Voodoo by Verboten parties only, 3 Night Party Passes are available for $80 (General Admission) and $99 (VIP).

In addition, Voodoo has again partnered with the Marriott New Orleans in the Historic French Quarter offering concert-goers a special $149 per night Voodoo rate. Other special hotel rates at a variety of Marriott locations throughout New Orleans are available on Voodoo’s travel page.

At this point, I’m fairly certain it’s no big secret that I’m a bit of a fangirl when it comes to Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, and the rest of the Dirtybird gang. After all, I’m a California girl at heart so it’s only natural that the concoction of brilliant tech house with a splash of west coast flavor hits the spot. Add to that the fact that I’ve never been to a Verboten party that I didn’t love, and you can imagine my excitement building as last Saturday night drew ever closer.

Justin Martin’s BBC Essential Mix from July of last year still remains the most played mix of all time on any of my many applications and devices, and to this day I return to it from time to time when I need a cheerful pick me up, or in times of celebration. As I was getting ready to depart for Good Units, I pressed play for the umpteenth time on that trusty mix, trying to understand what exactly it is about the sound that speaks to me so. I did not fully comprehend it until I was standing before him in the subterranean space, uncontrollably grooving and smiling widely to all who glanced at me. The magnetic draw in that Essential Mix is the same as the element that makes listening to him (and all the Dirtybirders) in a club such an incredible experience; it’s that his driving force is FUN.

True to his style, his set at Good Units did not take itself too seriously, creating a strong foundation of tech house and then overlaying playful dashes of hip-hop and pop, only to suddenly toss a heavy techno sound to the crowd. He integrated many favorite tracks off the Dirtybird label, keeping his entire set playful and surprising yet maintaining a beautifully melodic flow. The playfulness of his sound and the lightheartedness that emanated from behind the decks while he played was truly infectious, creating a delightful playground for adults.

Aside from his incredible talent as a producer, VonStroke’s command as a DJ stems not so much from his ability to select the most crowd pleasing track or break new sounds (although he does both of those extremely well), but rather his profound understanding of how to take his audience on a journey without every allowing them to fall behind. His set began with a heavy, soul shaking rhythm, immediately drawing the crowd in, as everyone on the floor moved physically closer to the DJ booth, faces upturned in bliss and bodies shaking. He did not relent for the next 15 minutes or so, and movement away from the dancefloor nearly ceased completely, as desire for a drink or need for the restroom was lost in tech house only fit for the wickedest of dancefloors. And then, just when the novelty of the beat started to wear off, he took it down a notch, releasing everyone for a few minutes, allowing them to remember where they were and grab a friends hand in reassurance that this was in fact still planet Earth. Then up, up, up again, just as the more melodic interlude started to verge on threatening a slight loss of interest. And so it went, until the end of his set approached, and the grand finale began, wrapping up his set with a final punch of old VonStroke favorites.

I look forward to the next time I’m fortunate enough to find myself in the same city as the Dirtybird crew. Until then, have a listen to Justin Martin’s Essential Mix from 2010 after the jump.

CHECK OUT THE FULL PHOTO GALLERY HERE
Continue Reading

This weekend is a big one for NYC’s musically inclined, with events packed in from Thursday through Sunday. Whether you favor progressive, bass driven beats in a small, dark venue or tend to be drawn to tech house and a huge dancefloor, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. I hope you all worked hard this week, so you can play harder this weekend…

☞ Thursday, electro master Calvin Harris hits hotspot LAVO, which is sure to bring out all the beautiful people of New York club life.

☞ Friday, XXXY makes his NYC debut at Tammany Hall along with Laurel Halo, Shlohmo, Braille and a special guest. Advanced tickets can be purchased HERE.

You Gotta Do You by xxxy

☞ Friday, Meanred brings Dark Disco to Le Bain, featuring Jacques Greene, Falty DL, and Dan Wender. Be sure to get there early as the space has a tendency to fill up quickly.

LM007 – THE LOOK by Jacques Greene

☞ Friday, Fixed with special guests The Miracles Club (Portland) Live + Midnight Magic (NYC) Live + Trap.Avoid (Dither Down, NYC). Open vodka bar 10-11. Tickets are $10 at the door.

☞ Saturday, PS1′s Warm Up returns with Prince Language &  Stretch Armstrong, Das Racist, Vockah Redu, Ital, and XXXY. Tickets are $15 at the door.

☞ Saturday, Verboten brings Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, Christian Martin, and John Dill to Good Units. Advanced tickets can be purchased HERE.

Crack DJ Mix – 01.06.2011 by Claude VonStroke

☞ Sunday, Verboten presents Justin Martin, Christian Martin, Gina Turner, and Mikey G. & Gil K. on the XVI Roof Deck. Admission is free for ticket holders from Saturday’s event at Good Units, or you can purchase advanced tickets HERE.

Funky tech house pioneer Claude VonStroke is taking control of Good Units Saturday July 30, in celebration of the imminent release of his “Makeover” compilation. He’s joined by labelmates Justin and Christian Martin, keeping the groove going on GU’s Dynacord system, as well as John Dill (Found Love), who will be starting the night off. These three Dirtybird mainstays are personal favorites of hours, and it’s therefore a huge treat to have them all together for one night of beat bliss.

Dirtybird released its first record in Janaury 2005, but the idea began in 2002 during the production of “Intellect,” one of the most intensive studies on DJs and producers of house and techno music ever filmed. The Intellect DVD featured over 40 interviews with legendary producers from Juan Atkins, to Swayzak. Director Barclay Crenshaw (aka Claude VonStroke) created the concept of the label in order to supply tracks for the DVD soundtrack. In 2003, Barclay’s friend Christian Martin purchased a massive portable sound system and began throwing outdoor parties in San Francisco called “Dirtybird.” The bird logo was derived from a sketch cartoon character Barclay had been drawing since he was 10 years old.

In 2005, “Dirtybird,” the record label began releasing vinyl. At the same time, Barclay created the DJ alias “Claude VonStroke” as a joke, but the name stuck forever after the debut record “Deep Throat” sold through more than 11,000 vinyl copies worldwide.

Since that time both the label and the dirtybird party have enjoyed great success. Some classic records released by Dirtybird include “Deep Throat,” “Stoopit,” “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?,” and “The Whistler.” Artists on the label are mostly from San Francisco (like Justin Martin, Worthy, and Claude VonStroke) but recently some internationals have been popping up as well (like Catz n Dogz and Style of Eye.)

Tickets close at 6 pm day of event, but prices will go up before then, so don’t delay! Advanced tickets can be purchased HERE, or you can shoot an email HERE to be put on the reduced admission guestlist.

I often find myself backed into a corner, feebly attempting to explain to those who don’t have firsthand experience what it’s like being young in New York City. You can try to describe the energy, the people, the lifestyle, but the truth of the matter is it is in many ways incommunicable because it is something you feel in your very bones. Suffice to say, we simply function at a different caliber than the rest of the people in the world, mostly, and living here is therefore simultaneously the most rewarding and most trying thing that you will ever do. The city will give you anything and everything you could ever ask for, but as much as it gives it demands in return. It is possible to lose sight of aspirations, to forget to be thankful, and to maintain outstandingly high expectations because we have experienced highs that only very few people in the world will ever get to. But then, just as you can feel the cold edge of jaded reaction slip into your manner, an event like this comes along to punch you in the stomach, jolting you awake and suddenly reminding you why every drop of sweat, vibration of stress and pang of heartache is worth it.

Perhaps it was the experience of a shiny new club – speakers I’d never heard, a floor I’d never stomped on, dark corners as yet unexplored. Perhaps it was Claude Vonstroke, a man whose talents I have long worshipped along with the rest of the artists on his dirtybird label. Perhaps it was the company, the dress, and the vibe from the crowd. Whatever it was, it all came together to create one of those perfect nights; the kind you pray for every night as you’re getting dressed, checking for keys, and wandering your way to the train. District 36 itself is an incredible space, with the perfect sort of New York City vibe to it – big, but still intimate; cool, but not swanky; edgy, but not dirty. The former clothing factory is located in the Garment District and was designed to be entirely centered around the sound, which appears in the form of massive speakers reaching from the dancefloor to the balcony and strategically placed to surround the dancefloor, hitting the audience with soundwaves from every side. The holiday decorations didn’t hurt either, with giant snowflakes and icicles hanging far down from the roof, reflecting light from the giant discoball and sophisticated lighting design already present.

With Basic NYC to thank for organization, Fahad, Tanner Ross and Christian Martin got the night going, each delivering killer sets, with tech house being the primary focus of the night. And as for Claude himself, well, what can really be said? The man is an electronic god among men. Although I had the pleasure of seeing him before, first as Sonar in Barcelona and then at Electric Zoo Festival, this time was an entirely unique experience as the indoor environment, more manageable crowd, and impecable sound created an immaculate element. Tech house, and particularly Claude’s particular brand of it, is quite simply made to be heard on a giant, expensive system that can truly handle the bass. And man, did District 36′s system deliver. With every transition and drop, looks of disbelieve were exchanged and exclamations of “Oh yeah!” heard everywhere, quickly followed by some serious hands-in-the-air grooving and complete abandon. Many dirtybird favorites were heard throughout the night, including Riva Starr’s remix of the Martin Brother’s “Steel Drums”, and Claude Vonstroke’s “Big N Round” and “Beat That Bird”. Just when I thought the night was over and had started to contemplate finding the train, Claude stepped back behind the DJ booth to chants of “One more track!”, and dropped “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?”, a favorite track for anyone who’s ever even heard the name Claude Vonstroke.

So, it is with renewed strength and joy that I look forward to following the progression of District 36 as a venue, with the hope that it can perhaps fill that venue void that New York seems to be experiencing – I for one think it has great potential. As always, dirtybird remains at the top of my personal roster of labels to track closely, with my obsession only being further intensified by the brilliance experienced this night. And above all, I can go forth remembering that when the parties start to blend together, the people start becoming faceless, and dreams turn grey, “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” will always be there in my headphones, just one click away.

Check out the complete photo gallery HERE.

How do we even begin to describe the magical technoverse that was Electric Zoo’s take over of Randall’s Island this past weekend? How do we communicate the incredible vibe of unity, spirits so high everyone seemed to be floating, and the general sensation that the 50,000 or so people who flocked to the festival grounds were part of one big organism bonded by their common mission to dance and laugh and then dance some more? I suppose we should start at the beginning, when both Saturday and Sunday dawned warm and clear, and thousands of brightly colored revelers donned their face paint, grabbed their dancing shoes, and boarded the bus or ferry to the island, which had been transformed throughout the past week into something akin to Alice’s Wonderland – had she been a raver child. Four massive tents were strategically placed across a field of lush grass, making up the four different stages of the festival: the Main Stage, Redbull Music Academy Riverside Stage, Hilltop Arena, and Sunday School Grove.  In addition to these were the VIP and Media tent, as well as multiple bars, food outlets, and art installations, all set against the magnificent backdrop of the skyline in the distance. Over the span of two days, the festival featured over 60 DJs and producers from all corners of the globe, each of whom brought something unique and extraordinary when they stepped behind the DJ booth. Due to this overabundance of talent, we’ve pulled out our favorites from the bunch, as well as provided you with a glimpse into the minds of a few select artists that The HiFi Cartel was lucky enough to chat with during the course of the festival.

Continue Reading

With Electric Zoo Festival only a few days away, we over at The HiFi Cartel are prepping ourselves in every way possible for what promises to be a truly epic weekend brimming with colorful adventures into the world of electronic music – our favorite kind. While constructing outrageous outfits and buying lot’s of sunscreen are definitely high on our list of to-dos, there is nothing more important than ensuring that the most is made of the incredible array of talent that the good people over at Made Event have blessed us with. With the festival featuring two full days of the best DJs and producers from around the world, navigating your way through this delightful beat driven wonderland can be a bit daunting to say the least, and if you’re anything like us, fear of missing out can quickly become crippling paranoia without a little organization. With that in mind, we’ve put together a brief guide featuring our favorite must-see artists to help you maneuver through the madness. Take a deep breath, here we go…

Continue Reading

According to his own description, Claude VonStroke does not scowl and look mean while he DJs. He does not pretend to know everything and he will be nice to you and your friends. He is grateful to be doing music for a living and he knows that the reason people go to parties is to have fun. If you want to act cool and not have any fun then please do not book him.

It’s probably due to this attitude that dirtybird has always been synonymous with sweaty bass-lines, quirky ideas, bumpin’ funk, and most importantly, FUN. It is therefore only fitting that a label based on a philosophy of bringing smiles to the dance-floor was created by a party. Claude VonStroke’s enigmatic tech funk label released its first record in Janaury 2005, but the idea actually began in 2002 during the production of “Intellect,” one of the most intensive studies on DJs and producers of house and techno music ever filmed. Director Claude VonStroke (aka Barclay Crenshaw) created the concept of the label in order to supply tracks for the DVD soundtrack, and in 2003 his friend Christian Martin purchased a massive portable sound system and began throwing outdoor parties in San Francisco called “dirtybird” with the grand idea of changing the landscape of San Francisco house music by throwing an epic free party in the park based on a new sound.

In 2005, “dirtybird” the record label began releasing vinyl. At the same time, the DJ alias “Claude VonStroke” was created as a joke, but the name stuck forever after the debut record “Deep Throat” sold through more than 11,000 vinyl copies worldwide. Since then, both the label and the dirtybird party have enjoyed great success, particularly through the release of classic dirtybird records such as “Deep Throat,” “Stoopit,” “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?,” and “The Whistler.” Artists on the label are mostly from San Francisco (like Justin Martin, Worthy, and Claude VonStroke), but the label has recently been expanding beyond its West Coast home base to include a more diverse roster of talent.

As for the man himself, since 2005, VonStroke has released two artist albums as well as a Fabric mix and over 25 remixes for a wide range of commercial and underground artists from Indy rock group “The Rapture” to Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson. Tour wise, Claude has headlined almost every major club, festival and basement after-party in the world. He will be appearing Saturday, September 4th on the Sunday School Grove stage at Electric Zoo Festival, an opportunity to experience the tech house master for yourself that you definitely do not want to miss.

To celebrate the five year anniversary of one of America’s quirkiest labels, a 3 CD package with over 50 tracks has been put together representing the past, present, and future of the label.

Disc One – The Past: Includes all the greatest hits and most loved dirtybird tracks including everthing from Claude VonStroke’s classic “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” to the Martin Brothers hyphy-house anthem, “Stoopit.”

Disc Two – The Present: Justin Martin, the man behind DB001, one half of the Martin Brothers, and one of the original founders of the dirtybird party represents the full catalog with a superb DJ mix using bit, pieces, and parts from over 30 dirtybird classic and future tracks.

Disc Three – The Future: Claude VonStroke spent almost a full year A&R-ing this cd filled with new classics and crazy cuts representing the future of the dirtybird sound, further expanding the label from SF to Europe, Canada and beyond.

Visit the dirtybird WEBSITE to pick up a copy of Five Years of dirtybird, as well as other releases from the label’s impressive array of talent, and to see what else the dirtybird gang is up to.

Just remember, Claude VonStroke is only coming to see you if you want to enjoy yourself and get sweaty and nasty. If you want to wear a sweater and frown in the VIP section, he is not the right DJ for you. With that in mind, we’ll see you Saturday at Electric Zoo, stage front and center.

You have roughly six hours left to purchase discounted Electric Zoo tickets at $107, and given the most recent additions to the line-up, you’d have to be out of town, out of cash, or out of your mind to miss New York City’s biggest annual music event.

While last year’s line-up was almost all house, this year, Made Event is expanding the festival to include more sectors of electronic music, adding dubstep, electro, experimental, and more. In addition to the previously announced headliners, Flying Lotus, Bassnectar, Boys Noize, A-Trak, Major Lazer, Rusko, Wolfgang Gartner, Diplo, Steve Aoki, Aeroplane and Afrojack are among those that will grace Randall’s Island with their musical touch this Labor Day Weekend. Keep checking the official website (and The HiFi Cartel, of course) for the latest updates on the line-up – and trust us, there is plenty more to come.

CLICK HERE to purchase your early bird passes, and don’t forget, the prices will go up TONIGHT at midnight. Check out photos of Day 1 and Day 2 of the inaugural Electric Zoo by Oliver Correa and Kenroy George, and check in with us later this summer for your chance to win tickets to this massive blow-out.