Befitting clubland’s increasingly elevated global status New Year’s Eve is set to absolutely smash it later this month – boasting a wide range of hot-to-trot parties in all manner of locations. So where to start? Defected’s Ben Lovett’s talks us through some of the hottest parties in London and beyond.
It’s probably best that we kick off in Blighty and capital city London. Levon Vincent is in town to play Secretsundaze’s seriously tasteful shindig at the Electric Brixton, joined by Point G, Tim Sweeney, DJ TLR, enigmatic Ostgut Ton favourite Shed and, of course, Secretsundaze residents Giles Smith and James Priestley. Close by, Sasha (with a midnight set), Guy Gerber, Deetron, Ellen Allien, Hot Since 82 and Laura Jones all hit Last Night On Earth NYE at the Brixton Academy - this one kicks off at 9pm and signs off at 6am the following morning – and Derrick Carter drops disco at The Prince Of Wales.
In Wapping’s Studio Spaces fast-rising promoter The Hydra tag-teams with Bugged Out! for an end-of-December extravaganza headlined by Erol Alkan, Daniel Avery and Ivan Smagghe – expect plenty of eclectic, highly charged 4-4. The Hydra team aren’t stopping there, hosting a New Year’s Day party with Innervisions titans Ame and Dixon, as well as Move D, Marcus Worgull, Mano Le Tough and, representing Aus Music, Glimpse. The venue here is Fire in Vauxhall.
We’re still south of the Thames, which means deep Detroit head Theo Parrish, Maurice Fulton and Anthony Naples at Corsica Studios’ Trouble Vi5ion party and, also in Elephant & Castle, Defected’s own year-shifting celebration at Ministry Of Sound. Defected promise sizzling house fireworks from a dream-team DJ line-up of MK, Nick Curly, Copyright, Andy Daniell, Sam Divine and label head Simon Dunmore; alas, the event sold out ages ago.
There’s yet another Elephant & Castle treat the following day – Circo Loco’s vast Coronet affair featuring Davide Squillace, Tale Of Us, Infinity Ink, Lee Foss, Richy Ahmed and PBR Streetgang. Back to December 31, however (and in east London now), seasonal revellers can expect to see Ben UFO, Jackmaster, Paul Woolford and Joy Orbison bringing bottom-end sass to Dollop NYE at the Tower Hamlets-based Troxy; Fabric hosts Dyed Soundorom, The Martinez Brothers, Waif & Strays, Craig Richards and Subb-an ‘back to back’ with Adam Shelton; and Mario Basanov hits Ketoloco’s Basing House blowout.
What else? Berghain mastermind Nick Hoppner plays for just a handful of people at Plastic People, Krankbrother deliver Scuba, Shonky, Matt Tolfrey and Guti at Park Royal Studios in Harlesden, and Miguel Campbell, Cassy, Pirupa and Tania Vulcano play The One at EGG London. The trend for New Year’s Day frivolity – on the promoter’s side, cheaper booking fees and lower operation costs; on the clubber’s side, less over-hyping but same ‘holiday’ spirit and no rip-off cab fares home – is also snowballing, with several other gatherings beyond those aforementioned Circo Loco and Hydra parties. Notably, London Warehouse Events’ (LWE) 1-11pm fest (alongside Desolat) at Tobacco Docks featuring Seth Troxler, Maceo Plex, Martin Buttrich, Heidi and a ‘very special guest’ as yet unannounced; not to mention Francesca Lombardo, Matthew Styles and Midland at Nofitstate (venue under wraps); Todd Terje at Tief’s Corsica Studios jam; Huxley at XOYO; and, excitingly, L.I.E.S’ Ron Morelli – and friends Kowton, Joe Hart and Svengalisghost – at Hackney Wick’s Bloc-endorsed Autumn Street Studio.
It’s not all London. There’s plenty of NYE bliss scheduled right across the UK. Manchester’s The Warehouse Project promises Sasha (also at the Brixton Academy in London remember), James Zabiela, Tensnake and Tiga, rounding off its expectedly epic 2013 season (there’s also a NYD party featuring ‘back to back’ mayhem with the likes of Ame, Dixon, Paul Woolford and Midland); Yank house legends Frankie Knuckles, Todd Terry and Marshall Jefferson play The Hacienda’s Albert Hall bash (also in Manchester); and Liverpool’s Chibuku and Abandon Silence present Dense & Pika at the East Village Arts Club.
Leeds welcomes Disclosure to Canal Mills on NYE and, the following day, Breach and Levon Vincent hit the same venue for mono_cult’s own sprawling event. Disclosure are also at Gatecrasher Birmingham on NYE, whilst emergent underground houser Leif hits the city’s Spotlight venue. In Scotland, Andrew Weatherall joins residents Harri and Domenic at the Sub Club’s December 31 do, and Slam visits Aberdeen for Snafu. Back down in Bristol, In:Motion (at Motion) delivers Zed Bias and T Williams for NYE and Seth Troxler for NYD (Troxler juggling this with London’s Tobacco Docks), alongside Leftfield (a DJ set). Meanwhile, in Portsmouth, Defected In The House commandeers The Astoria with Derrick Carter, Nick Curly, Sonny Fodera and Andy Daniell.
Over to Europe and Berlin, where Berghain and Panoramabar’s Silvester (Klubnacht Total) NYE bash welcomes Marcel Dettman, Ben Klock, Luke Slater, Steffi, Ryan Elliott and Tama Sumo. The German capital also boasts Terrence Fixmer, DJ Deep and Patrice Scott at Tresor; Luke Solomon plays Chalet; and Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts, Tobi Neumann and Ruede Hagelstein play Watergate. Down in Frankfurt, Robert-Johnson’s ritual New Year’s Eve party is built around sterling residents Gerd Janson, Ata and Roman Flugel; and, in Wuppertal, the large-scale Hyte Electronic Music Festival is helmed by Richie Hawtin, Chris Liebing and Tommy Four Seven.
Neighbouring France next, where the world famous Rex Club, in Paris, introduces residents Seuil, Jef K and Le Loup, whilst La Bellevilloise hosts The Dancing Machine, a classy soiree fronted by Real Tone’s Franck Roger and the ever versatile, ever soulful Gilles Peterson. Over in the Netherlands, Amsterdam follows its successful exploits at ADE with a mega-NYE celebration at Trouw, featuring Tom Trago and Todd Terje; and, the following day, Melkweg serves up Breakfast Club with a stellar line-up including Luke Slater (as LB Dub Corp), Chicago deep house pioneers Virgo Four (live), Ron Morelli, and San Soda (playing techno).
Italy has tonnes going on for December 31, not least Paul Kalkbrenner, Troxler (again!) and Maceo Plex at Palazzo dei Congressi; and the likes of Sven Vath, Marcel Dettman, Ricardo Villalobos and Function at Nuova Fiera Di Roma for the Amore Music Experience – both in Rome. Elsewhere, Loco Dice and Chris Liebing play Cocorico’s NYE special in Riccione; Showroom, near Padua, offers the combined girl power of Nina Kraviz and Magda; and Jeff Mills plays Link in Bologna. Further, Davide Squillace heads Palermo’s Mob Discotheatre gathering, and Richie Hawtin squeezes in Milan’s East End Studios Milano – a M_nus party also featuring fellow cohorts Gaiser and Hobo.
In terms of Spain? Michael Mayer plays Madrid’s Mondo on NYE, whilst Kerri Chandler visits Barcelona’s KER club. On January 1, the Madrid Winter Festival features Hawtin, Kalkbrenner and Dice as part of a 15-hour escapade whilst, over in Ibiza, Circoloco’s DC-10 bash sees Cassy, Dyed Soundorom, Dan Ghenacia and Shonky rubbing shoulders with Tania Vulcano, Sven Vath and Jamie Jones – a parallel bash to Circoloco’s NYD rendez-vous at London’s Coronet space. Jones also plays the White Isle the night before, hitting Amnesia with Pan-Pot and Marco Carola.
A quick stop off in Moscow, Russia, where recent Fabric compilation pin-up Rhadoo joins Regis at ARMA17’s NYE event, before we hit Tokyo – the Japanese capital’s renowned Womb club presents equally renowned techno-head Daniel Bell, and Air hosts Ken Ishii. Down to Australia and Sydney’s NYE round-up features Danny Tenaglia and Bicep at The Ivy’s Lost & Found soiree. Come NYD, revellers can rock up to the seventh annual Field Day, with Julio Bashmore and Dusky; there’s also Space Ibiza at The Greenwood Hotel with Yousef, Crazy P and Audiojack, and an amazing Ivy Pool party – dubbed Lost Disco - headed by Soul Clap, Wolf + Lamb and DJ Koze. Over in Melbourne, look out for Let Them Eat Cake 2014 (January) at Werribee Park with names including Bashmore, Dusky, Koze, Soul Clap, Wolf + Lamb and Floating Points.
Just enough space to cover off highlights in Canada, the US and South America.... Stereo, in Montreal, serves Detroit grandee Stacey Pullen for NYE (and Chus & Ceballos the following day), whilst Arrival’s event at Vancouver’s Fairmont Hotel includes Kyle Hall and veteran hip-hopper Egyptian Lover. In the US, Moby DJs at the Streets Of San Francisco NYE showcase (in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Festival Pavilion), and Boys Noize plays the Shrine Expo Hall in LA. Across to NYC, Maya Jane Coles, Eats Everything and Lee Burridge are at Verboten; Damian Lazarus attends BangOn!NYC’s secret rave; and Cielo corals Spen & Karizma. On January 1, Steve Lawler helms Sankeys NYC.
Finally, then, South America – a couple of things to mention.... Of particular note is Brazil’s infamous D-Edge club in Sao Paulo which welcomes Crosstown Rebel Amirali on NYE; elsewhere, the similarly prominent Warung Beach Club (along Brazil’s Praia Brava) gathers Green Velvet, Catz ‘N Dogz and Barem – that one should be suitably hot!
So there you have it! A quick whistle-stop tour of clubland’s year-turning highlights, covering all shades of the electronic music spectrum.... New Year’s Eve and Day, such key moments in the club calendar from the very beginning of time, can only continue to dominate in years to come as the influence of electronic music around the world extends further. But back to the here and now – there’s absolutely no way you can avoid a quality dancefloor at the end of this month. Time to go with the flow – happy New Year!
Words: Ben Lovett
Defected's NYE party at Ministry of Sound is now SOLD OUT! Tickets are still available for the Defected In The House party at The Astoria, Portstmouth.
