Yeah, it was a hell of a party. A little too short maybe, because the Militia ended it at 1:30 AM. We’ll look for another location now, but let me assure you Labelfucker continues. Check the Labelfucker.ru site for more (photos) about this party…
Oct
19
2007
19
2007
Trainrider
After a long week of work we decided to take a few days off and party in Miami South Beach. We were supposed to fly into Ft.Lauderdale, but we missed our flight, so we take the next flight to Orlando and rent a car. It’s after midnight when we arrive in Orlando. The rental car company has a Ford Mustang convertible for us. Just what we needed. We drive down south with the open roof. It’s nice and warm. Sometimes we have quick showers, but we don’t bother closing the roof. The highway is empty and the night is ours. We listen to some local stations with Rock or Hip Hop drive. It’s just a wonderful night and we are speeding to get to South Beach by sunrise. At one point one of us stands up. Later we switch and its my turn. We are doing about 70 mph and it just feels great to feel the air in your face. It feels adventures.
It must be a similar feeling for the German “Trainrider”, just that he hangs on to a 330 km/h fast speed train in Germany. I just found an article about him on Germanys Sueddeutsche Zeitung, but the writer didn’t do his job well, because the story is partly a fake. In the original video the makers claim the “Trainrider” was diagnosed with leukemia and died a year later (which is not true). It didn’t take much to find the real story. Its in German, but with ENG subs (see below). Nevertheless the fake is a nice story. Not well made, but nice. It makes you think. Should I ride a train or do something crazy before I die? Who knows when I will die? Do I appreciate life and live it to the fullest?
Regardless of these philosophical thoughts about life, excitement and death, I respect the guy for doing what he is doing. I think it takes some courage and you need to be smart to calculate the risk and get the setup done alright. As we did it so often in extreme snowboarding, this is all about calculated risk and you can use your brain, your skills and your intuition to minimize the risk … only then you can enjoy the ride. Use your brain.
Links
More about German train riding… http://www.youtube.com/user/misanthropie
Oct
18
2007
18
2007
DJ Baku in the house
Being a former New Yorker I have a lot of Japanese friends. These guys run the coolest design stores in SoHo and one of my friends is a killer Drum & Bass DJ, a friend of Makoto and now a famous Tokyo club promoter. Takeya used to rock our NYC parties. I always wanted to go see Tokyo, but never made it so far. I guess its just too far away from my regular travelling routes to Europe and the US. Damn, probably I should take a vacation and the time to see and experience it. Especially the Tokyo club scene.
For all of you who feel like me, but are stuck in Moscow (with this terrible weather), there is a chance to see one of Japans most famous Hip Hop acts next Thursday (Oct. 25th) at Solyanka and Friday (Oct. 26th) at Simachevs. Of course DJ Baku wouldn’t call himself like that, since the Japanese are world champions in understatement. What a contrast to Moscow. Alone for that reason I will go see the guy :-)
Well, I am not a promoter and I am not just copying a press release (as other sites), stating what kind of things Baku has done and achieved in the past years. If you are into Hip Hop and Drum n Bass, go see DJ Baku. Take my word for it, its going to be good. On top of it DJ Baku is playing in my 2 most favorite hangouts: Solyanka (No1. in my Club Listing) and Simachevs (No.1 in my bar listing).
Dates:
Thursday Oct. 25th @ Solyanka
DJ Baku Live Show within the regular Flammable Beats night
300 Rub Cover
Ul. Solyanka 11
Metro: Kitai Gorod
www.s-11.ru
Friday Oct 26th @ Simachevs Bar
DJ Baku Dj Set in the bar Denis Simachev (Stoleshnikov per, 12/2). Face Control
www.denissimachev.com
Metro: Teatralnaya or Tverskaya
I think you can also listen to it Friday Oct 26th on Next FM 105,2 … but nothing is as good as the real deal. This event is brought to you by the Flammable Beats guys and Fujibeats. While I am at it. Check DJ Sestra’s Live Set this Friday after 10 PM on Next FM 105,2 (straight out of Simachevs) … or go see the Low Budget Family live at Simachevs.
Oct
14
2007
14
2007
Still alive (to see the next Winter)
Yes, Winter has arrived in Moscow. A bit early this year, but I am actually grateful. One reason is that I really don’t like this rainy wet weather and I prefer the snow and cold. Another is, that I am still alive and able to see this year’s first snow. Sounds a bit dramatic you say, but I have my reasons to say what I say. No, I didn’t piss off some Mafia Boss or Oligarch (again). And nope, I didn’t almost die on alcohol poisoning or some other effect, after another night of heavy drinking and way too much Vodka at one of my favorite clubs. It was as simple as walking down the street and being hit by some falling wall from a building last night.
Yes right, just like that. Imagine how fast it can go. I have met some friends to discuss our upcoming Halloween party (Oct 27th) and I was supposed to meet another friend Zak right after. Zak has run behind schedule, so I decided to walk a little, just to get a free head, use the extra time for some thinking and feel the cold wind in my face. The wind was promising snow and I just love this kind of wind. After all I am from Bavaria. So I cross Maykovskaya, walk down Sadove. I have to make it to Pokrovka at one point and when its time I will just get a taxi. Not far from Mayakovskaya I cross the street where the famous strip club 911 used to be. I am thinking about the people who died there not so long ago, when the club started to catch fire. What a terrible death.
Its loud in that area. Sadove is loud in general. I remember the last few nights at a temp flat on Prospect Mira, where I stayed in August. It was loud there as well and I wonder how people can live so close to these streets. Its then, when a woman tumbles towards me with a bleeding head. Her son running near her, pulling on her coat, trying to stop her. She seems to want to get moving. Then there is a body guard or some sort of big guy running after her and trying to stop her as well. She seems to need medical attention, but she is in shock and seems to like to just run away from the scene. She is Asian. The blood is running from her head. I am still trying to understand what happened when I pass them and only now I see some large piece of wall laying on the sidewalk and some more pieces on the garden ring street.
The building nearby has a scaffold and it seems its being renovated. This piece of wall is huge. Its after 9 PM on Saturday night. Raining and a little windy. Nobody is working on the building that night. Probably the wind loosened some old structure and it fell. It must have just happened. The woman was lucky. I was lucky. We could have been hit by the wall. I am checking the woman, but the guard is helping her. Probably they are waiting for the ambulance. I am taking a few steps away from the scene. Who know if not more comes down from above. When I look up to check where it came from I am seeing a guy on top, trying to find out what happened and to secure whatever is left. I take a last look and move on. Nobody needs me here and I have my meeting with Zak. I walk a little more, before I take a gipsy taxi. The wind is cold tonight. Raindrops are falling on my head. It smells like snow Bavarian people in the mountains used to say. Yes, its wonderful. I like it. Its fresh. Its like a cleaning of the head. Its good to be alive. Looking forward to the next winter and some more snow.
Moscows first snow in the winter 07/08:
Oct
11
2007
11
2007
Moscow Club Misery
Last Thursday night. Chris Lowe, one of the Petshop Boys is celebrating his birthday at Skylounge. After extensive partying Anton Antonov, the manager of the elite club Krisha Mir, invites the bands assistant/manager Dainton Connell to have a look at his club Krisha Mir. Both ride along the Moskva River embankment with Antonovs 525 BMW with high speed (app.180 km/h). Then the driver (Antonov) loses control on the wet street. The car hits a tree with full force, bounces of and skids into the Moskva River, where it sinks. Nearby road workers witness the crash and call the police, but they can only retrieve the dead bodies of both.
The crash site and the tree which was cut by the BMW (Photo: Basil)
Krisha was closed last weekend, but it will probably open soon again. A few other clubs have troubles as well. Gazgolder is said to be temporarily closed. Apparently they didn’t pay any taxes for the past 3 years and the government closed Gazgolder, Moscow’s best club, for that reason. Gazgolder is open for private parties. The famous Expat bar 30/7, owned by Victor Konokov’s (the owner of Krisha) wife is also closed. Apparently for the same tax reasons (seems like the so called “technical companies” only work, if you pay at least some taxes). Nearby TUNDRA Bar is also closed. Some older women upstairs complained about the noise. Tundra is trying to find a solution or an agreement with that resident.
So where to go in the meantime? Try Solyanka. Its probably (anyway) the best address in town these days. Zak and Jab’ agh from Brainstorm Management are also putting a new weekly gig together. I’ll let you know when I have the details. BTW: For all of you Garage fans. Its still open. The club was supposed to close and its owners are tyring to start a new club, but as of now you can still enjoy yourself past 3 AM in some wild environment.
Links
Article in Russia Blog
http://www.russiablog.org/2007/09/summer_in_moscow.php
Vesti News (Video)
http://www.vesti-moscow.ru/video.html?id=9944&type=r
Rambler (with a different version)
http://www.rambler.ru/news/0/0/11329485.html