Off The Record

For fuck’s sake.Our absolutely idiotic and completely backwards lockout laws have claimed another victim: the local dance institution that is The Spice Cellar, which joins the ever-growing list of venues that have closed in recent times, including Backroom, The Exchange, The Flinders, La Cita, Trademark Hotel and Soho. The Spice organisers took to Facebook on Friday night to announce their closure, just weeks after their venue the Imperial Hotel was first shut down for a weekend due to a drug bust, and only four months after Spice relocated from the CBD to Erskineville.

Coinciding with the closure of Spice, a communal group called Stop The Music has been formed in an attempt to create a space to give these owners a voice, and to try and save the music, freedom, art and culture in Sydney before it’s too late. Join them at facebook.com/stopthemusicdotorg. The fact the New South Wales State Government is so blatantly ignoring the evidence that these types of laws do not deter violence is becoming critically dangerous for our city. It’s now or never.

Y’know how last week I mentioned murmurs of a tour from Ejeca? Lock that shit in, son! It’s been confirmed that the Belfast lad is returning Down Under. The DJ and producer has released on the likes of Last Night On Earth, Tusk Wax, 2020 Vision, Needwant and even our own Future Classic. A definitive DJ’s DJ, Erol Alkan, Jackmaster, Will Saul and Sasha all list Ejeca in their favourites list. And yeah, as I mentioned last week, his track ‘X Girl’ from the 2012 EP Tusk Wax Five is all-time. Give it a rinse before you get down with the man himself on Saturday August 15 at Chinese Laundry.

I wouldn’t usually talk about an overseas festival, but the exception to that rule is the goddamn Amsterdam Dance Event. The world’s leading electronic event will celebrate its 20th anniversary with 2,200 artists at 300 events spread over 100 venues and five days. The biggest club festival in the world has just announced its first round lineup and it features just about every damn DJ and producer on the planet. No exaggeration. Alongside performances, the festival also features exhibitions, in-store showcases, tech workshops, pop-up stores and film screenings. Basically, it’s heaven for electronic music lovers. Get looking at flights and make the pilgrimage that more than 350,000 others will – it’s going down from Wednesday October 14 – Sunday October 18.

Tour rumours: we’ll be getting a visit from goddamn Four Tet [picutred] within the next six months. Oh, same goes for Thundercat. You best believe it.

Best releases this week: it’s a bit of a slow release week with Acre & Filter Dread’s Interference (on Pan x Codes [Visionist]) really being the only record piquing my interest. I’ve also just discovered Dennis Bovell & Golden Teacher’s Golden Teacher Meets Dennis Bovell At The Green Door (Optimo Music) and it is straight-up fire. I absolutely have no idea what the hell is happening with Donato Dozzy’s mind but something is definitely up because his latest album Cassandra was recorded using mouth harps and the samples are impossible to take seriously. Can someone please confiscate that man’s equipment?

Recommended:

SATURDAY AUGUST 1

Moopie @ The Sly Fox

SATURDAY AUGUST 8

The Black Madonna @ Marrickville Bowling Club

Dean Benson @ Oxford Hotel

SATURDAY AUGUST 15

Ejeca @ Chinese Laundry

SATURDAY AUGUST 22

Borrowed Identity @ Bridge Hotel

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12

Pan-Pot @ TBA