It’s Junior’s World
And we are all just living in it. Or at least we were last month when DJ Junior Vasquez headlined a very successful night at Circuit Nightclub (view photos). Unlike most DJs who spin a Saturday night peak hours set within widely accepted parameters - mixing smoothly while sequentially journeying through various styles - Junior gives you his personality and feelings as they exists at that very moment. And so at Circuit when Junior seemingly grew tired of a song he was playing, smack in the middle of it he just slammed another track on. Or when he was doling out moderately paced runway house music that didn’t seem to connect with a majority of the dance floor, out of nowhere he pulled out Deborah Cox’s classic big room anthem “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” that electrified the crowd. While the night was a bit jarring and annoying for some, to others of us willing to abide by Junior’s rules it was quite exciting and provided great theater on the dance floor. I thought it was a super fun night overall and was excited that Junior finally got a chance to dazzle a Boystown dance floor.

Related: Plez's Jr. Top 10 (blog)

Compilation CD Round-Up

New York Club Anthems Volume 1 (Star 69) – This new CD from Peter Rauhofer’s label includes the biggest tracks rocking Gotham’s nightclubs including "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp, "Diskotecka" by Starkillers, and "Perfect Love" by Offer Nissim. Most of the various remixes – from Rauhofer, Hector Fonseca, Dope Boyz, and 15 South - have that funky electro vibe that has characterized Star 69’s recent sound and delighted cutting-edge dance music fans.
(Buy CD: shop.chicagopride.com)

Audacious (Koch Records) – This is a continuously mixed offering by one of the hottest remixers on the global dance music scene today, DJ Dave Aude. He's had huge success and Billboard topping remixes for the likes of Coldplay, Pussycat Dolls, Gorilaaz, Sting, and Britney Spears and brings his wide ranging talents and abilities together smartly for this mix. The CD has a bit of a hard-house sensibility with lots of energy and interesting vocals. Not really Hydrate, but more like Crobar on a Saturday night.
(Buy CD: shop.chicagopride.com)

The Beat Technique (Koch Records) – England’s Tall Paul has been dazzling dance floors for many years and he has mixed some of the most successful compilations in history, including Dance Nation, The Annual, and The Clubber's Guide. The Beat Technique, which he programmed and mixed, is a testament to his creative abilities, producing a sophisticated mix that pulsates with proggy ethereal electro-house tracks. Good stuff indeed.
(Buy CD: shop.chicagopride.com)

Lately I’ve been GROOVIN' on...

...the new Scissor Sisters’s CD, Ta-Dah (Universal Records). It is already the number 1 selling record in the U.K.- those blokes just love them – and is fast rising up the chart here on this side of the pond. The first single, "I Don’t Feel Like Dancin'" has been in heavy rotation on radio and is exciting nightclubs all over in dance remix form. This new full-length effort is sure to excite as well.

...the solo debut album by Fergie, of The Black Eyed Peas, called The Dutchess (A&M Records). Fergie is way cool and this new CD of hers sounds fantastic, proving that she can indeed go it alone. The Dutchess was produced by fellow Black Eyed Peaean will.i.am and features guests artist such as Ludacris and Rita Marley. The first single "London Bridge" is irresistible, a harbinger for the rest of the CD.