Judging from my previous posts, Thailand has been quite the place to be if you're a music fan and last night was no exception. Hearing the speakers blast out Want You In My Soul by Lovebirds ft. Stee Downes (an all-time fave of mine) amidst the exotic and tropical hills of Northern Thailand made me feel oh so gooooooood!! This special moment was at Overheard's warehouse themed party in Thailand's picture-perfect land of Pai.
I've loved every minute being in this cute, little town as there's heaps to do. From visiting surreal waterfalls, hot springs, giant Buddhas and motorbiking to viewpoints high above the clouds; Pai may be one of my favourite places in Thailand so far. There's also a vibrant, hippie art and music scene, that made Pai just that little bit more special to me.
As soon as I saw a flyer for the party hanging at my hostel I thought it would be rude not to attend - a warehouse party in Pai just sounded awesome and a lil bit rebellious! It was the talk of the town - every traveller gossiped excitedly about an 'illegal' rave set on the hills of Pai. However soon enough we realised we had become victims of false advertising as we walked into the party realising that it was a warehouse THEMED party and not an actual rave in a warehouse. But that didn't bother me at all, it's the music and atmospheres at parties that really hold my attention.
It was cool what they did with the place - using metal gates for the entrance doors, different level floors for party-goers to oversee their fellow ravers and some comfy, worn in couches for those that just wanted to unwind. Adding these little parts to the party injected an authentic warehouse feel and the whole crowd embraced the effort the organisers had put into the venue. The place was heaving with westerners and locals alike all facing the DJ booth and rocking out to the funky, uplifting sounds gracefully being spun by the resident DJ's. Feeding off the audiences infectious joy, the two DJ's enthusiastically dug out more and more gems for us music heads to groove to.
As the party drew to a close, spirits in the venue sky-rocketed as the DJ's scrapped the deep, techno slammers and turned the notch down smoothly by playing blissful House classics. Bouncing and singing along to the finale song (Want You In My Soul), I left the venue with a massive, satisfactory grin on my face. Considering that this was the first ever House music party thrown in Pai, the music and vibe was a great success. Although we were all a tiny bit misled by it being a warehouse party, the night's atmosphere quickly made us all forget about it. Both resident DJ's had the majority up on the d.floor all night and I left the party with happy ear drums. Yipeeeee!
My travel gang and I were lucky enough to reach Chiang Mai just in time for some festival fun at Loy Krathong, (an annual Buddhist celebration of the water goddess at Thailand's Lantern Festival). After being in the crazy capital (Bangkok) for two days, I was ready to explore further north of Thailand and especially with the lantern festival approaching, it was the perfect time to get to Chiang Mai. I've loved it here so far, it's like a hip version of Bangkok with less crowds and the mad hustle and bustle. Every full moon in November, locals and tourists alike get together and take on a spiritual cleanse to clear out all of their bad luck, whilst sending the adored Buddha their love. However in recent times it's just become a bit of fun for any tourists passing through Chiang Mai and since we were, I definitely had to get involved!
We grabbed our Krathongs (made from banana leaves, lotus flowers, candles and incense), made a wish and sent our floating rafts flaming down the Mae Ping river; this carries away the owners bad luck and insures a refreshing start in life. Fully immersing ourselves along with the locals in their cultural celebration, we then bought lanterns and set them free along with a sea of others. Looking up at the night sky was truly magical (and a lil bit emotional) with thousands of drifting lanterns and glowing fireworks taking over the atmosphere.
After releasing our lanterns, participating in a street party with the Thai locals and eating the best street food in the world, the evening drew to a close and we started to head back to our hostel...until we met some friendly Americans that kindly invited us along with them to Mojo Bar. The night was still young, so we chanced it and joined them. As we walked closer to the venue I could hear drum and bass blasting through the windows and was immediately bursting to get in. The room was dimly lit, with one DJ and another musician simultaneously rocking out to his sax and would then occasionally alternate to his electric guitar. It was so surreal walking in to that, I didn't think I would have been able to find anything packaged with a heavy-weighted bass-line in Chiang Mai - I had just been spending my evenings in chilled, live jazz bars. However out of pure fate, here I was, thrown into a club playing beastly drum and bass, where I could fully let myself go once again.
I just couldn't resist diving right in, as the DJ blew the place apart, dropping old school classics such as Shy FX's Feelings and an upbeat remixed pounder of The Fugees Ooh La La La. The atmosphere was fantastic, with travellers from all around the world skanking hard in unison. The club wasn't packed at all, which made us revellers take full advantage of the empty space. As one of the lovely Americans walked past me, I stopped and thanked her for randomly inviting me to join them. It's always great to stumble across hidden gems like these in foreign places!
After the early start at the festival and prancing around the club for a mighty long time, we decided to call it a night when the DJ dropped Tidal Wave by Sub Focus. Pretty shocking last song to end the night with, but nonetheless I was grateful for an evening with electronic music in South East Asia. Mojo Bar was a unique night - so intimate with just one DJ and musician playing live over drum and bass.
Chiang Mai has been a wicked place for music and if drum and bass isn't really your thing, then this city has other music styles on offer, especially an incredible Jazz scene. If you ever happen to visit Chiang Mai, make sure to check out The North Gate for some live Jazz played by a bunch of very gifted Thai musicians and of course Mojo Bar every Wednesday for your weekly dose of Drum and Bass. Looks like Chiang Mai City really knows how to party!
After living it up in Dubai for a week, my travelling journey started to really begin when I arrived in Thailand. Since then I've ventured out exploring the stunning Koh islands which are located on the southern part of the country. Each scenic island has been charming in their own ways and this place is pure paradise! However I'm not here to bore you with a classic description of how great the islands are, I'm sure you know about Thailand and all its beauty. Instead, I'm here to tell you about the best little party I discovered in Koh Phangan...
Throughout the past few days, I've been staying at The Sanctuary, a yoga, healing and detox resort based deep in the jungle on Haad Tien Bay. Tucked away far from all the main avenues on the busy infamous Full Moon party beach, Haad Tien bay is the perfect little island getaway and can only be accessed by a 10 minute long tail boat ride from Had Rin Bay. Once you are sucked into the tropical jungle scenery it's hard to leave this peaceful bubble at the sanctuary; where yoga lovers and peace seekers enjoy the atmosphere of like-mindedness, health, wealth and all-round happiness.
In the midst of my yoga and meditation sessions and relaxing hammock days, I felt the need to let myself go at Guys Bar (a party commencing every Friday night with decent music - FINALLY!) As Guys Bar was situated a 5 minute walk from my bungalow I thought it would have been rude not to attend. Guys Bar has been labelled as the best party in Koh Phangan - for those House music lovers that have had enough of trashy remixed chart hits, overly drunk travellers and not forgetting those deadly alcohol-fuelled buckets. Underground and little known by the mainstream, I really felt at home as soon as I walked into the party.
DJ's spun out revellers into a magical trip of psychedelic trance, House and Electro until the sunny morning with the party ending at 10am. The party was mostly filled by The Sanctuary guests and yogi's, together dancing all in their own cosmic worlds. Those that were tired from their days full of yoga, simply sat on cushioned sofas and observed the hippies of all ages being taken on a hypnotic journey. The place was intimate, with about 150 guests making the party come alive. The music had been the best I've heard in Thailand, with unknown beats embracing each party-goer, carrying them away into a jungle land fantasy.
The groove had me totally captivated and I'm so glad to have found a rave in Thailand away from the stereotypical, full moon party. After a couple of weeks with no decent music, I needed my Techno fix and I finally found it at Guy's Bar!
Before my Asian adventure officially begins, I've stopped off to stay with my sister in Dubai and explore what the glittering city has to offer. That of course includes the night-life scene, so on Friday my sister took me to Eden beach club where Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Karmon and Thyladomid were invited to play a musical feast of all things House and Techno.
German producer and DJ, Thyladomid greeted the strong, ever-lasting crowd by feeding the heady night with snippets of fist-pumping rhythms, whilst teasing in fun vocals, retaining a lively quality to the evening. Next up the headliners of the night - Kollektiv Turmstrasse - commenced as the floor notably began to fill up with fans of the duo. Under an explosion of trippy lasers, they weaved melodic tunes with subtle bass-lines encouraging a rave twist to such a cosmopolitan gathering. The duo then familiarised us all with a floor-filler remix of The Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition - a blissed-out and contrasting moment to the pairs futuristic techno set.
Having never heard of the artists playing at Eden and not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised with the music. However the night was a little too pretentious for my liking - most of Eden is filled with extremely over-priced tables, with only a tiny dance floor for those that can't afford a table to dance on. The beach club looked great, however I felt the 'glow in the dark' theme seemed a little too childlike; they could have done with just using their visionary decor and laser lights. But nonetheless the night was great, I couldn't complain with such fantastic music and picturesque settings. Those of you that are visiting Eden, I would highly recommend getting there early doors and spend the day at the beach, pool and restaurant before starting with the party antics! Eden have stellar line ups coming up this month with the Apollonia crew, Nina Kraviz, Ame and more! If you happen to be in Dubai this month, these parties are not to be missed!
Hey gang! I would like to start by saying that I am extremely SORRY for this late post. I hope I can make it up to you guys with a review of not one, but three parties I attended the other weekend :)
As we were hit with yet another bank holiday, my girls and I wanted to start the party early doors on the Sunday morning. As I drove to my bestie's house I was greeted at the door with a Bloody Mary - the only way to begin a May Day fiesta! Once we drank our fair share of cocktails we slipped on our dancing shoes and made our way to the first party!
We chose to warm up close to home with a party hosted by Strictly House. Usually based on the outskirts of London, this time, Strictly House spread their wings and tested the central London waters...on a boat on the Thames! I was so looking forward to spending my day in the sun on what seemed like the hottest day of the year - and what better way to do it than on a boat with great music, drinks and stunning views of the city? To be totally honest, I was a bit sceptical at the beginning as I had only been to boat parties at festivals abroad. I mean how could a boat in England match up to that? However, I was pleasantly surprised...
Once we collected our wristbands and walked onto the boat, we made straight for the bar to kick things off. The party started off on a good note as drinks were cheap and cheerful, which is definitely a steal in the centre of London. As we walked up the top deck, summery House tunes were thumping through the speakers, such as Kaytranada's remix of Missy Elliott's I'm Really Hot to get the crowd going before we even set sail.
Strictly House had something for everyone with their resident DJs taking to the decks playing underground House and old school crowd-pleasers. In particular, when Gypsy Woman and Space Cowboy dropped, it made the whole boat break out with cheers and every party-goer two-stepped to the dance floor, arms swooshing in the air. The vibe was perfect with such a nice group of people and upbeat music. At some points I felt like I was on holiday!
As the pre-boat party drew to a close and we reached safe grounds (the boat was making me feel a little woozy) a couple of buses were parked outside the decking. Strictly House smashed it with their event organisation - the buses took everyone that attended the boat party on to the main event at the McQueen in Shoreditch. Lovely touch to keep the whole crowd together!
At this point of the day my girls and I were STARVING, so before we carried on boogying we stopped off at Shoreditch's infamous Meat Mission. If you haven't been before, you've got to go - the food is incredible. We grabbed a selection of Chilli Cheese Fries, Bingo Chicken Wings, and Hippie Burgers all rough and ready, finger-licking grub! The restaurant's decor is synonymous to its East London location - all laid-back and cool with a grungy vibe.
Meat Mission thumbs
After our victorious munching sesh, we headed back down to McQueens to pick up where we left off. The place was heaving, this time with new faces as well as us boat party-goers.
McQueen's is a lavish lounge bar based on two floors. The basement is a sophisticated, dark-lit space whilst the top floor has a large dance area with trendy sofas - ideal for those lagging from the boat party. Although sophisticated, this didn't stop the party from popping off with the music progressing into groovy tunes such as Jamie Trench's Velvet Curtains as night fell.
Whilst we were having a great time at Strictly House, we felt that we needed to take our raving adventure somewhere else. Luckily, one of my friends had three spare tickets for Half Baked so me and the girls took the opportunity as soon as it arose....it was fate!
Feeling sophisticated
Yes we ended up at Half Baked AGAIN but we had a bluddy brilliant time! It almost felt like it was a completely different party, with a Techno focused line up rather than the last Disco shindig!
HB also hosted a day & night bank hols special split across two venues. The outdoor day party had food stalls, live art performances and glitter stalls which we sadly missed (booooo). But the evening party was impressive in its own right, with the most eclectic range of music I had heard that whole day. Big names on the bill included Appollonia's Shonky and Half Baked resident's Julietta and Greg Brockmann that took to the stage for our one last dance for MAY DAY!
Half Baked Bike...We meet again!
The simple, underground venue (Autumn Street Studios - also known as Bloc) was the perfect environment for its crowd - dark and subversive. As we excitedly walked into a change of scenery, the main room was in full swing thanks to Shonky's talent on the turntables. Revellers were sent into a funk-fuelled frenzy when he dropped MK's 1995 remix of Jodeci - Freakin You, all singing along at the top of their lungs. Shonky brought his undeniable sense of tough House grooves along with smooth, dance vocals that rocked the whole space.
Next up, was Half Baked resident Julietta. Never having heard of Julietta before, I was eager to see what kind of set she would play. Whether she played House or Techno, she never failed to get the crowd moving. Plus she had me as soon as she played Acid House! After Shonky and Julietta's sets the night turned into a blur of my girls and I dancing, socialising and treating the space as one massive playground.
Making my stamp at the Autumn Street toilets!
Overall, this May Day bank hols had been one random adventure! It goes to show that the best nights are usually unplanned, random and spontaneous. oooooo yeah!!
Easter celebrations were in full swing last weekend as the first bank holiday of 2015 had finally crept upon us. Whilst others may have opted for gluttonising eggs, soaking up the sun or spending quality time with the fam, I saw Easter Sunday as the perfect excuse to go out raving!
Half Baked (HB) at Studio 338 was the party of choice amongst my gang of friends – there is no denyingthat the Half Baked Records crew really know how to throw a celebration. Sunday was no exception. A 15 hour mystical marathon full of love, glitter and amazing Disco music surrounding the venue of 3,000 revellers.
Studio 338 is a slick super-club; its massive outside heated terrace in the main roomcreatesan Ibiza-esque vibe. However, when you reach upstairs into the hidden loftthe venue contrasts completely, hitting the grit of south-east London's clubbing scene to its very core. Dark, with low ceilings, it's like visiting two venues at once!
Photobooth fun
The party was decorated true Half Baked style.The labels iconic bicycle hung from the main room ceiling outlined with flashing fairy lights and flowers to really get the celebratory mood going. They even added a photo booth, glitter bath and glitter stall so that we could get our SPARKLE ON whilst raving thanks to Starlight Boutique Facepaint! If you think that was enough glamour for the night, Half Baked added some extra surprises - including a fashion stall by Tallulah Minxy.
My best friend and I arrived at around 8pm where we were greeted with - "Just A Little Disco..." at the entrance. It was as if I had entered Narnia; beautiful people wearing feather headdresses brushed passed me, whilstunicorns circled the room singing and cheering. As I walked insideit was already heaving with friendly facesall dancing to up-beat House music - an immense vibe that always makes me keep going back to HB.
After we covered ourselves in glitter and took to the dancefloor, it was time for Motor City Drum Ensemble (MCDE) to take to the stage. My anticipation grew for MCDE's set all night; since I saw him at Dimensions Festival last year my love for him has always remained! His ability to mix Soul music into House and Techno is one of a kind and he is undeniably one of the most talented artists around at the moment (in my opinion).
As he jumped on the decks to take the party to a whole new level of music pleasure, my friends and I moved straight to the front to get the perfect view of our favourite DJ.
He did not disappoint! His setkept getting better and better as he mixed massive tunes all the way from Bileo's You Can Win, Jamie3:26 & Cratebug's Hit It N Quit It and Syclop's Jump Bug. Characterised by sassy vocals and classic Disco bangers, everyone erupted as each record dropped. He even concluded his set with Ain't NoMountain High Enough - tell me that ain't brave to finish to a crowd of Techno ravers!? As glitter fell down from the ceiling, the crowd sang along, hugged and kissed each other sending a loving, atmospheric vibe all around.
Motor City Drum Ensemble
I floated around most of the night after MCDE's set - mostly staying in the loft room, lounging on sofas and catching up with friends. I didn't want to feel as if I had wasted the last couple of hours of the night, so I headed down towards the main room again into daytime (when all the weird and wonderfulstarts to happen).
Resident DJ's, Hold Youth were smashing it out with increasingly sleek, bass-led Techno to keep the party going. I've got to end this post with this video...cracks me every time! GO ON JAMIE.
Last Sunday offered a music spectacle full of flawless mixing of feel-good trackslaced with beaut House and Techno beats. Half Baked worked really hard to create the ultimate raving experience with so many extra special features. This makes HB a party like no other. So thank you HB....until next time!
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