The Bird House

Category: Concert

  • July Biznizz…

    As usual in July, the weather got hotter and the tourism got more intense…
    For me, personally, I played some great gigs–Mon Ami Barcelona last Friday and the weekend before that I played a Saturday/Sunday double-header at Marula Cafe. Saturday DJ & impresario Joao put on his Organikka event at Marula featuring live band Vinocio. Some solid playing was going on with them! My set above (Part one) started JUST after the band. They caught me off guard because they ended a bit early–normally I begin at midnight and they finished about 10 minutes before that. Unlike my previous date at this venue, I didn\’t manage to keep as many of the attendees from the show. Initially I took it as my fault, but I realized about 30 minutes later when the club began to fill up again that it was just the normal ebb & flow–the time before was an exception.
    Sunday was considerably slower, but the crowd was no less enthusiastic! Following a major sporting event loads of people weren\’t really in a position to go clubbing after–but the ones who were definitely came to party… Many thanks to the bar staff who made the night just as much fun, even with fewer people.
    Mon Ami, the following Friday was a slightly different vibe–being a lounge, rather than dancing space. I played far more laid back and even got into some classic soul on more of a listening tip… I recorded the session and will upload for listening in a while.

    …Keep cool and enjoy your summer!

  • Upcoming…

    There\’s some events coming up REAL SOON that I\’m excited about!

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    The first is this Saturday 25 May in Sant Pere de Ribes – Artistes x Palestina (Artists for Palestine) presented by La Alfombra Voladora (The Flying Carpet) – a benefit featuring music, dance, theater, poetry & live painting! A few of the performers are former members of legendary local group Ojos de Brujo, vocalist Dani \”Macaco\” Carbonell & bassist Juanlu LePrevost. I\’ve been hearing great things for years about the venue, Bar Social Ger (c/ del Pi, 25, Sant Pere de Ribes) and I\’m stoked to check it out.

    The second is my return to Marula Cafe (c/ Escudellers, 49, Barcelona), Friday 31 May!
    I\’ll be following local live act OyeSebas, on at 22h, whose music seems to be rooted in Colombian elements. I\’m warming up from 00h for Blanquito DJ who comes on at 03h.
    While the set will be eclectic, you can expect to hear classic and deep cuts from the legacy of Music of Black Origin. I\’m sure a few newer tracks will be played too, but things that call back to classic sounds will be the focus. To dispel any confusion about the venue, Marula does NOT serve food–just hot beats (it\’s a discotheque!) See you there?

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  • That George Benson gig…

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    We\’ve all been locked down (except for New Zealand–good on yous!) and trolling through our online worlds, right? Well, my wife managed to find a GEM online… That time I played after the legend that is George Benson! It was here in Sitges at the Jardins Terramar Festival, thanks to some lovely people who are also fans, Oriol Borr

  • The hits keep coming…

    I want to make it clear I am NOT complaining!  …But I\’ve got another whopper weekend coming up…

    As I do normally, I\’m at Dos Trece for the Brunch Sessions this Saturday (if you haven\’t tried the food there, you\’re missing out!)  That will be from 1pm-5pm.  If you can\’t make it, listen live here: http://mixlr.com/dostrece/


    Later on, I\’m going to check out my Sitges homie, Tom Warburton\’s new live project TKWJR & Lion Sound at Absenta del Raval!  I saw their first gig at La Cava Club in Sitges and it will be interesting to see how they\’ve tweaked the show for the big city…
    TKWJR – Production
    ANDREW LEEK – Programming & projections
    MARC AYZA – Drums


    After that I\’m headed down the street for the inaugural gig of DJ AndyLoop\’s Bombo Club in Barcelona!  He\’s had many successful nights in Vienna with Bombo Club and now he\’s letting Barcelona in on the fun.  The venue is Barts in Parallel.  Highly recommended–I\’ve had a great time at every gig I\’ve gone to in that venue.

    I may finally make it to Barcelona\’s daytime electronic event this Sunday, Brunch Electronik!  If I go, I will be with friends Marina & Dima Studitsky.  They are both super-nice people and quite funny.  Moodymann & the Discos Paradiso DJs are playing, plus Jacques Greene (who Dima is looking forward to hearing.)

    ….But to wrap up the weekend, I\’ll be returning to Breaking Sundays at La Cava Club in Sitges again this week!

    For the observant among you, I have not changed my name to \”DJ Loopnavarro\” – I\’m filling in for him.  Not sure that we\’ll have the guest star-power of last week, but who knows?

  • Whoa!!

    The last few months I\’ve been invited to be a part of Breaking Sundays an \”electro-jam\” featuring a DJ, bassist (Juanlu of Calima/Ojos de Brujo,) vocalist (Ramon Mirabet,) and guest musicians, such as Cameron Moore, Jordi Mestres, Darryl Clark and others.

    This Sunday for most of the night it was like the video below–Juanlu had another commitment…

    Later, Juanlu came by and brought a friend.  Initially, I thought \”Hey this guy is pretty good…\”  and even by the time the next video was shot, I\’m not sure I knew who was on stage with me…

    …But it didn\’t stop me from dropping the classic Stalag riddim–basis of such dancehall hits as \”Ring the Alarm\” by Tenor Saw,  \”When A Man\’s In Love\” by Yami Bolo and the massive \”Bam Bam\” by Sister Nancy. 

    Ladies and gentlemen, I was honored to be sharing the stage with MACACO!  Former member of Ojos de Brujo (like Juanlu) collaborator with Michael Franti of Spearhead and international star in his own right… 

    He was really fun onstage, captivated the crowd and seemed to be enjoying himself.  Here\’s the funny part: about two weeks ago he was playing in Sitges and I wanted to go to the show, but I couldn\’t as it was sold out.  I knew some of his music and that he was \”big,\” but I had NO idea how he looked…

    I\’m sure there was more video taken last night–as I find it, I will post it!

    I mentioned Michael Franti earlier, so here\’s a video that he did with Macaco that was shot (partly) in Sitges!

  • Heavy Weekend!!

    Like Busta Rhymes w/A Tribe Called Quest, I\’m sayin\’ \”Oh my God, yes OMG…\”  My weekend starts off with the one & only Mr.\”Hit Me Fred\” Wesley on Friday at Marula Cafe Barcelona!  This guy is all sorts of music legend—Count Basie, Ike & Tina Turner, Parliament-Funkadelic and most famously, James Brown are some of the people he\’s worked with.  The night is a tribute to Jimmy Smith, jazz organist extraordinaire and the trio consists of Fred on trombone, Leonardo Corradi on organ (Hammond B3–Jimmy\’s signature instrument) and Tony Match on drums.

    Then I\’m headed to the next neighborhood over where my favorite jazz bar is, Guzzo!

    Nickodemus is in town again!  Looks like he\’s got another record out…  This event at Guzzo is one of his stops on the world tour in support of the new album. WONDERWORLD Official digital, CD, cassette release is available at http://wonderwheelrecordings.bandcamp.com/


    Saturday there\’s no letting up…  Brunch Session at Dos Trece from 1-5pm and then  later that night…

    I have wanted to play Macarena Club since the first time I set foot in there several years ago!  I was with my friend (and former boss) DJ DePaco to see Freerange label head, Jimpster.  It\’s considered a \”micro-club\” and the name is appropriate as I can\’t imagine more than 100 fitting in there.  However, the sound is amazing. It\’s gonna be a night of music ranging from deep house to techno and I am really looking forward to opening up (12 midnight – 2am) for headliners Teysel (EUN Records) and Playane (CatsLoveBass.) Facebook event here.

    Come out, dance, eat or just say \”Hello!\”  But don\’t call me on Sunday, I\’ll be out of comission…

    P.S. Check out the review I wrote for Vursatyl\’s (Lifesavas) \”Super\” on You and the Music…