Occupy The Disco

Hot Natured, Lee Foss, Jamie Jones & Infinity Ink @Terminal 5, 7.6.13

Occupy The Disco — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:22:26 +0000

Hot Natured is perhaps one of the most exciting acts to pop up on the music scene in the past year. Comprised of all stars Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Luca C and Ali Love, the group has been churning out critically acclaimed singles including their most recent, ‘Reverse Skydiving,’ and the slow house hit ‘Benediction.’ Hot Natured’s first live US show will be at Terminal 5, with members Lee Foss, Jamie Jones and Infinity Ink (Ali Love & Luca C’s duo) opening with DJ sets culminating with a full live performance by the group.

Hot Natured evokes a time of dance music before dubstep and EDM was a widely used phrase. Often compared to the likes of legends Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle, the group pulls classic drums, soulful vocals and italo-disco-inspired synths into their repertoire to create a sound that is as classic as it is unique. With each member having a certain level of fame of their own, the combined effort of Hot Natured creates a “supergroup” where the sum is truly greater than the individual parts. Their live show will hopefiully prove to be just as spectacular as their recordings and we’re looking forward to being one of the first stateside to see them in full force.

Honey Dijon & Tom Peters @Cielo, 5.30.31

Occupy The Disco — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:17:42 +0000

At the end of this month, OXD is hosting Kontrapunkt (Counterpoint) at the legendary club Cielo featuring the esteemed talents of NYC’s Honey Dijon and Berlin’s Tom Peters. This is a special night for house, tech house and house-curious fans as these two friends give us a taste of the best New York and Berlin has to offer.

Honey Dijon is quite well known amongst OXD followers. Between her residencies at NYC’s much lauded Clubber Down Disco, Haus, and most recently 11:11, this Chicago native has proven time and time again that she is a force to be reckoned with on the Big Apple’s music scene. We’ve had the pleasure of having her at our One Year Anniversary Party (along with close friend Derrick Carter) and she turned it out like no other at our very own party, Paradisco. Her knowledge of music is impressive and has brought her to venues worldwide. Honey recently spent a summer in Berlin and has frequently referred to it as her home away from home. Miss Honey will be playing a special “all vinyl” set and is ready to deliver a sound we have not heard from her in the past. There are very few sound systems in NYC that can handle such an analog feat and Cielo is certainly one of them.

Born in the suburbs of Berlin, Tom Peters (also known as Kevinfunkt) first started experimenting with electronic music in his early teens. It was his move to Berlin that pushed him towards the experimental, industrial music he was hearing in the city’s legendary nightclubs. He sees himself as a master of texture–sonic and otherwise. His T-Shirt line, Save Fashion, is almost controversial in its frankness despite being unapologetically stylish. The passion he pours into his musical and fashion endeavors is fueled by his unwavering creative spirt. With a musical policy of emotion first, Peter’s style is boundless, tracking from Bjork to Get Physical to techno minimalism. Tom is slowly gaining notoriety in New York and we’re looking forward to catching this rising star on the house and techno scene.

You can purchase tickets below, or enter for free before 11pm if you RSVP.

Escort @Music Hall of Williamsburg, 5.24.13

Occupy The Disco — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:33:31 +0000

Escort is a seventeen-member disco orchestra that features an incredible cast of musicians including founders/producers Eugene Cho and Dan Balis, and lead singer Adeline Michele. The band emerged on the scene in 2006 with a string of critically acclaimed EPs that included songs such as ‘Starlight’ and ‘All Through the Night.’ Escort stood out amongst the many popular records of the time by creating dance music the old fashioned way – with impeccable production, musicianship, and songwriting. Escort’s sprawling ensemble has a stage presence like no other, and it has frequently been billed as one of New York’s most compelling live acts. Even Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears recently described Escort as the “best disco you’ve ever heard.”

Escort’s debut LP released in 2011 to rave reviews from the likes of Pitchfork (“Escort isn’t just the pinnacle of 21st- century of disco fetishism. It’s a great pop album.”), Spin (“Best Disco Album of 2011… disco at it’s urbane, hedonistic best.”), and Rolling Stone (“a wickedly catchy, note-perfect return to the heyday of disco.”) We’ve been huge fans of the album since its release, and are looking forward to finally seeing this much hyped band perform live. This Friday they will be at Music Hall of Williamsburg and we expect it to be quite the dance party. We encourage you to bring a few friends and join us on the dancefloor. Afterwards, we plan to head to George FitzGerald’s NYC debut at Cameo Gallery.

George FitzGerald @Cameo Gallery, 5.24.13

Occupy The Disco — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:33:28 +0000

London-based producer George FitzGerald straddles the lines between house, garage and bass, masterfully marrying contrasting styles together to create a sound that is distinct to his style. The genre-defying FitzGerald built his name on the scene as a co-promoter of Man Make Music, the London party that has been showcasing a little bit of everything since its inception back in 2007. With releases on Hotflush, Aus, and his own imprint, ManMakeMusic, his productions combine both the warmer, melodic sides of house and garage with the more heated, pounding drum patterns of dubstep and techno, all with exceptional style and grace. FitzGerald’s hallmarks are evident in his measurement, his unmatched awareness of light and space and his use of searing chord lines.

FitzGerald was recently featured on BBC Radio One’s Future Stars of 2013 Essential Mix series, amongst the likes of Perseus and Jonas Rathsman, Duke Dumont, which is included above. Towards the end of the mix you can hear some of his productions that made him a well known name here at OXD such as the massive hit ‘Child,’ and his glittery remix of Jessie Ware’s ‘No To Love.’

Earlier in the evening we’ll be at Escort’s live show at Music Hall of Williamsburg. After an evening of classic and modern disco, FitzGerald’s blend of house, garage and bass will keep us dancing through the night.

Carlos Jadraque @Paradisco, 5.26.13

Occupy The Disco — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:08:36 +0000

This Sunday we are looking forward to showcasing a new name that has slowly been gaining notoriety in the Big Apple. A Madrid native, Carlos Jadraque began his career as a DJ in 2003 while living in Rome. His absolute passion for music brought him to acquire his first piece of DJ equipment in 2003 ultimately led to his debut at Rome’s SupperClub. With a steady rising career since then, Jadraque has played at venues such as Le Baron NYC and Club Marquee, and has had weekly residencies at Roommate Hotels Madrid, PhD at Dream Downtown Hotel NY, The Park and Hotel Americano NY. Leveraging his contacts as a creative director and designer, Jadraque has also DJ’ed events for DSquared2, Custo Barcelona, Kenneth Cole, Interview Magazine, New Museum NYC, and many other well known brands. A true Jack of all trades, Jadraque’s musical knowledge, along with his talent and flawless taste has helped him creating long-lasting relationships worldwide with renowned clubs, fashion and design houses.

We’ve heard Carlos on many occasions and his sets are very distinct in their elegance and, most notably, are always incredibly fun. While he’s known more for his deep house cuts (as can be heard above), Carlos will be flexing his daytime musical muscles at Paradisco for all of us to enjoy. With supplemental beats by the boys of OXD, we have Memorial Day plans covered for those that want to hear the best in disco and house music. RSVP here.

Dylan Drazen at Paradisco

Occupy The Disco — Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:17 +0000

Sun May 19
3-8pm
No Cover
THE OUT NYC

Midnight Magic, Slow Knights & Spank DJs

Occupy The Disco — Sun, 19 May 2013 03:59:20 +0000

Sat May 18
10pm
$15 (adv)
Music Hall of Williamsburg

Dylan Drazen

Occupy The Disco — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:53:31 +0000

Dylan Drazen’s soulful, uplifting house and disco style has granted him a lot of recognition, especially through his mixtapes like the Barbecue series. Originally from NYC and now based in Miami, we are fortunate enough to be featuring his first appearance in NYC in a while with a special daytime set at Paradisco on May 19th. Check out our exclusive interview with Dylan and join us Sunday.

OXD: What inspired you to become a DJ?

DD: I was instantly drawn to electronic music when I first heart it at the age of 10 in 1985 when I saw an Art of Noise video on MTV. Then I discovered more music through NYC radio, such as WNYU and when Hot 97 was a dance station. I grew up in an affluent white suburban neighborhood on Long Island and had zero outside influences when it came to soulful music, but for whatever reason I knew that I loved R&B and rap as a teenager, and that naturally progressed into a love for deep, emotional and uplifting house music. I have always told my friends that I believe I was a large black woman in a previous life.

Even though through my name I became known primarily as a hard techno DJ, my inner soul and roots definitely were and still are house music in its purest form. My Barbecue mix from 2001 is the best example of this. It is unfortunate that it’s difficult to find a large market for this kind of music, and that is why it has been on the back burner throughout my career. But be sure that on every plane ride to Spain for a techno gig, I would secretly be listening to soulful house music on my iPod. :)

OXD: What’s your favorite venue in NYC currently?

DD: My favorite venues in NYC are all closed. The Limelight was my first true love. I discovered the NYC scene in the early 90s by sneaking in as a teenager. The club kids loved me because I was a twink, but I loved going there for the music. But for current venues I’d say my favorite is the basement at Greenhouse. It really captures that small, intense sweatbox feeling that underground house craves. I also have a very specific memory of going to the original Sound Factory Bar to hear Frankie Knuckles back in 1993. In the side room there was a DJ playing a new track by a little known band called Black Science Orchestra. I was instantly keyed into the feeling of an underground, inclusive vibe. I knew that this was for me.

“Homosexuality is becoming so accepted in our culture recently, almost on an exponential level, to the point where there might not be “gay” or “straight” venues anymore.”

OXD: Who is the DJ you admire the most?

DD: The DJ I admire the most is Derrick Carter. I learned to mix by watching him. When I decided to learn how to DJ, my first goal was to learn how to make a technically sound mix. He is able to fit two tracks together like they were made for each other, like a hand in a glove. Before the age of the computer and all of these tricky tools we have now, he did it the old fashioned way, using his hands and his ears, all the while swigging a beer like it was nothing. It’s because of him I learned how to match beats and program a long set. But now that we have these high tech tools, I do not shun them because “I can get by without them.” I use them to further express myself.

OXD: We live in a time where gay house and disco fans like ourselves are going to non gay venues to discover fresh and new music. What do you think this means for the future of NYC’s nightlife?

DD: I am just old enough to have experienced the NYC scene when the gay clubs had it right, when straight people would come to our nights to hear what was really going on – but young enough to have been a teenager when all this was still going on, so it had a profound impact on me. With the sad passing of one of my NYC heroes Peter Rauhofer, I am reminded of those final years when the gay scene was at the forefront of club music. But slowly as the 2000s progressed, the scene flip flopped, and gay clubs were infested with pop music and the gays had to resort to going to straight parties to hear good music. One the one hand it does not bode well for the future of NYC’s nightlife, but I truly feel that the purpose of going out is not to be segregated or only feel welcome because you are gay, or straight, or black, or whatever. We don’t go out because we have a specific, hedonistic agenda. We go out to have fun, to enjoy ourselves, the music, and celebrate life. And if there’s a party that gives us that, then we go. Homosexuality is becoming so accepted in our culture recently, almost on an exponential level, to the point where there might not be “gay” or “straight” venues anymore. Maybe we are in the process of getting it right, where inclusiveness and equality really does mean that. Everyone.

That said, I really applaud Occupy The Disco for trying to “reverse the score” and promote quality music back to the gay scene, to guys who might be too young to remember when we had taste. I’ll bet it’s an uphill battle. On the set I’ll do for you on May 19, I plan on championing the history of all this music I speak of, during those years that meant so much to me. It will be a combination of timeless classics, “Barbecue” favorites, and current jams. There is so much music out there that I hold dear on a very personal level, and I plan on conveying that to the audience on that Sunday afternoon.

OXD: Finally, What are your top 5 tracks at the moment?

Shadow Child – ‘String Thing’

Chris Malinchak – ‘Beside Me’

Incognito – ‘Freedom To Love (Atjazz Remix)’

Tommyboy – ‘Can You Feel It (Pavel Petrov Remix)’

DJ W!ld – ‘All I Want Is U’

Horse Meat Disco & Sean B @Cielo, 6.28.13

Occupy The Disco — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:58:14 +0000

Horse Meat Disco is an acclaimed London DJ collective comprised of residents James Hillard, Jim Stanton, Severino Panzetta and Luke Howard (aka Filthy Luka) that continues to lead the way with packed residencies at their HQ at The Eagle in London, Lux in Lisbon and with the Tape organization in Berlin. Inspired by the music and inclusive ethos of New York City’s club scene during the ‘70s and ‘80s, the collective has garnered a unique reputation for amazing parties and unmatchable sets, with the quartet of DJs mixing their individual quality blend of disco with all manner of dancefloor fillers: be it classics, italo, house, oddities and funk. Horse Meat Disco is dedicated to the industry of human happiness – it’s the queer party for everyone; gays, straights, club kids, bears, fashionistas, naturists, drag queens and the fabulous ladies that join them.

New York’s Josh Wood Productions has been bringing the team to the Big Apple for the past few years now and whether it be at Fire Island’s Pines Party, Cielo, Stage 48 or their upcoming gig at Output, the OXD team has never missed their appearance. Horse Meat Disco’s curating skill is incomparable and we’re looking forward to hosting Severino’s return on New York at Cielo on June 28th for NYC’s Gay Pride weekend. Through our various parties and occupy events, we have established a unique following of friendly, music loving gay people, alongside their friends, and we’re happy to be celebrating Gay Pride weekend together while listening to some of the best talent the world of disco and house music has to offer. We recommend getting tickets early to ensure a comfortable and worry-free entry at the venue. Let us know if you’ll be joining us by RSVP’ing on our event page. We can’t wait to share a smile and a dance with everyone as we celebrate our freedom to be true to ourselves and live life at its fullest.

Severino Horse Meat Disco

Severino Panzetta began his DJ career in Mantova, Northern Italy. At the age of 26, he made the move to London to work as a record buyer for Italian disco label Disco Inn. Severino met his Horse Meat Disco colleague Jim Stanton after starting his own party, Happy Families, and created a name for himself in London’s gay scene. While all of the Horse Meat Disco DJs are incredibly talented, Severino’s unique mix of house, disco, electro and especially soulful vocal music makes his particular return to NY a “can’t miss” event. It’s clear Severino is a hard working DJ and his taste never fails to create a joyful experience to all who have the pleasure to hear him spin.

Opening for Severino will be Spank’s Sean B, whom we recently featured at Paradisco to everyone’s delight.

Dylan Drazen @Paradisco, 5.19.13

Occupy The Disco — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:47:50 +0000

We are currently experiencing a time in NYC where great music is once again becoming the focus of gay nightlife events and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Over the past decade, as pop music took over the majority of the gay scene, some of the best talent in the city either adapted their musical approach to nightlife in order to survive or simply moved away from the Big Apple. One person who took the latter path is NYC-born Dylan Drazen, and it’s about time to bring this incredible DJ back to his hometown for an afternoon of beautiful disco and house music at Paradisco. Make sure to RSVP on our event page and invite your favorite music-loving friends.

Originally from Manhattan and later raised on Long Island, Drazen discovered his love for music at an early age as he quickly immersed himself into the R&B and rap world, only to transition to disco, house and deep house in the 90′s. Even though he established his career over the years as a renowned techno DJ, with regular gigs in Spain, Japan and several countries in South America, Drazen’s heart still lives in soulful, uplifting house music. While in NYC, Drazen played at several legendary clubs, including Limelight, Tunnel, Twilo, Vinyl and Love. His masterfully curated Barbecue mixtape series showcases his tasteful New York-inspired house aesthetic at its best, and although it was released over 10 years ago, it never fails to make us feel happy and in the mood for dancing.

Drazen currently lives in Florida and has recently made his Miami debut at Spazio, where he has had the opportunity to showcase his more modern house sound. Expect a brand new atmosphere at Paradisco as Dylan Drazen spins his special selection of current tracks and all-time house classics for an afternoon of dancing under the sun.