Gimmick Music
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Walking into the club when the Kerri Chandler Dark Mix of Lea Lisa’s “Something for the Dancers” is playing means this is money well spent. In the era of inflation, when the DJ drops your favorite from KemiticJust featuring Terrance Down’s “I’m Here For It” you totally agree, you came here just for this moment. To dance. To smile. To laugh with friends. Life only gets better. When the percussions of Afro beats that drives young feet to stomp and the sneakers of the middle-age to shuffle around steel columns to Detroit Swindle, oops Dam Swindle featuring Jungle by Night’s “Call of the Wild,” is the most excitement of the party thus far.
Whiff the warmth. Grapefruit. Bergamot. Vanilla. Pepper. These kids walking by really bathe in cologne. And the award for best smelling party people in the city goes to District. Until later, enter Offset, Quavo, and Takeoff, RIP, the impersonators smelling like skunk strong enough that gives guests contact highs.
The thought of a music selector seeing their name splashed across not one, but seven monitors from the bar to upstairs to a theatre-sized monitor front view the club must feel surreal. But seeing the incorrect DJ’s name flash across monitors feels well…wrong.
“Kai Alce is no longer playing,” reads the screen on a reveler’s smartphone held into the air.
Dennis Ferrer
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In the vast DJ platform that resembles the control center of a starship, Dennis Ferrer’s six-foot athletic frame pushes Kai Alcé aside. And there goes Kai Alcé shoving him in return. Later, the two toast. Holding glasses in the air. The crowd cheers.
“You’re only as good as your last damn record.” Once proclaimed the Objektivity recording label boss at his peek. When his last chart-topper “Red Room” was released eons ago in 2010.
Back then, when Dennis Ferrer dropped new music there was excitement. Press releases, deejay buzz and hardcore fans listened. Today, the question begs, in this digital streaming age is Dennis Ferrer relevant?
A glance within the four brick walls reveals the “Hey Hey” producer still draws a multi-faced crowd. Perhaps, not at sell-out capacity, evidenced by the free ticket offered via text earlier that day. But yes, a moderate-size gathering on the first Friday of November in the Amour community at District.
Where the second floor is a VIP wasteland of emptiness. The first floor, aswarm with standees, drinkers, spectators and yes-the aged 45 and over who are ordained to keep the deep/soulful/afro house music spirit alive by breathing life into the culture, financially and creatively are scattered amongst bubbly blondes and brunettes wearing high-waisted granny pants, who sway left to right, intermingling with groups of broskies head-bopping underneath collegiate caps. And who said 45 year olds partying with the aged 18-30 is “creepy?”
All are waiting for the beat to drop. The visual excitement in the world of technology at an EDM focused event space.
But hey hey, this is a real niteclub. With brilliant descending orbs. A captivating laser show that makes you want to jump up and slice your hands through beams of magenta. And the acoustics, high resolution sounds that rattles the wooden floor when the ontz, ontz, ontz thumps. District is top notch.
Where arguably top-notch DJs play. Take Ferrer, the tech-head. Listen to the music the fifty-something year old plays: Barry Obzee’s “Oldskool Vibe” to &ME’s “Garden” to DJ NICO MAIDANA that has several kids who wear shades indoors, singing “Me Porto Sweet.” Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” (a ccapella) floats over programmed pads, software induced beeps, low driving pads and turntable scratches. Tech house at its prime in the aughts. But the WTF of the night comes courtesy playing the a cappella of “Be Grateful” by the late Walter Hawkins.
Thereafter, the clock reads time to leave. The New York native’s playlist is chocked full of gimmicks. Bells and whistles. The build ups. The beat drops. Frantic beats per minute. Stuttering loops. That keeps nanosecond attention spans entertained. The music kids love to hear.
Whereas earlier, Kai, Mr. Kaiwear, Alcé journeyed into deep house music that was appreciatively straightforward. The NDATL founder’s playlist was one of varied narratives. 90’s underground house intersects Detroit Techno with a touch of Afro. Barely there vocals scattered amongst a bevy of dubs playing at 125 beats per minute. Kai showed off his musical acuity. Curve-throwing beats. Jazzy instruments. Dated vocals. But never boring music.
Respectfully. Just like drinking a martini straight-up or with a twist, there was no wrong way to enjoy the music played at the uneventful get-down. As some people liked their music straight-up, others liked their music with gimmicks.
wrds: aj dance
Dennis Ferrer and Kai Alcé grphics: aj art
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Tags: Atlanta Georgia, dancing, deep house music, DENNIS FERRER, District Atlanta, EDM, house music, house music dancing, Kai Alce, NDATL, Objektivity