After Michael Fossati & Olivier Velay, now is the turn of DJ/Producer, Claude Monnet to deliver his conclusions as far as Miami 2006 is concerned…
MIAMI 2006 : A LITTLE TASTE OF NEVER SHOW UP AGAIN !
Don’t ever see anything bitter or a sort of sensationalism effect in order to catch the readers attention in the choice of this title. Nope, as what comes thereafter has to been seen as the objective feedback of what the entire house community has lived and how it has felt during those 8 days spent in Miami.
For the first time after many years attending the event, we’ve all had got this feeling that a page was on its way to be turned, leading us closer to the end than the beginning…
Despite a city of Miami full of crowd - Spring Break, Global Gathering (festival electro/rock), M3, et WMC – whereas the fact of finding a hotel room was to be compared to some olympic performance, how come haven’t we managed to feel THE vibe or simply had some pleasure like the previous years, apart from tanning ???
What might be the reasons ?
- An organization more than unacurate. As a matter of fact, the battle between M3 and WMC has reached new steps this year, creating a real confusion while having some events scheduled at a precise date being reported at another one on certain dedicated mags such as The List. For instance, the Peppermint Jam which was scheduled to happen on March 27 has been reported everywhere as due to happen the day after…
- The local clubs which used to honour the official badges while allowing the attendees to get in for free some 3 years ago don’t do it anymore while charging entry fees up to $20 for the pools &afternoon parties and $80 for the Space club whereas DJ stars such as Eric Morillo, Deep Dish, Roger Sanchez who also happen to be Ibiza summer residents where to be found…
- The local hotels and restaurants which have doubled their prices during this period within the last years…
- Let’s also mention the fact that the true clubbers – I mean the die hard fans, the connoisseurs and those who’ve got this culture in their blood – have disappeared to be replaced by a whole bunch of people who don’t give a sh.. as far as music is concerned and are much more interested in this strass & carnival effect that some promoters try to give to their events in order to hide their musical poverty !!!
This may be will explain why the mythic MAW party has taken place in front of a little 200 persons this year, meanwhile everyone was fighting at the door the years before in order to get the famous pass allowing you to get in and be given the promo bag.
Alas, the latest would be far from the exception confirming the rule, as we tend to say in France. Lots of other events have scored little success despite a hi level in terms of musical quality and line ups aptly to satisfy a lot of European promoters: Cielo (Willie Graff, Dixon, Charles Webster, Kevin Hedge, Louie Vega, DJ Pippi, Tedd Patterson, Nicolas Matar), Def Mix (David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, Larry Tee, the Misshapes Shannon, Ani Phearce, Gregg Foreman), Peppermint Jam (Mousse T, Shakedown, Matthias "Matty" Heilbronn, Syke N Sugarstarr, Ralf Gum, Mark Robinson, Virginia, Cess, Emma Lanford et Dacia Bridges), Roots (the weekly NYC residency of Louie Vega et Kevin Hedge) etc…
This said, some rendez-vous have been successful, like Club Shelter (Timmy Regisford, Quentin Harris, Sting International, Tyrone Francis, Lil Ray and Mia Friday. Byron Stingily, Monique Bingham, Colton Ford, and Ambrosia.), King Street (Doc Martin, Sunshine Jones, Dennis Ferrer, Julius Papp, Joi Cardwell, Mink, Deli G, DJ Oji, Victor Rosado, WIl Johnny Dangerous, GTS, DJ Pierre, Roy Davis Jr., Steve "Silk" Hurley, Johnny Fiasco, Lady D etc.). Or Defected at Nikki Beach which has attracted over 3,000 people from 4.00 pm til 5.00 am despite some bad forecast conditions (4 hours of non stop tropical heavy rain!!!), with an incredible line up on 3 floors (Danny Krivit, Dimitri From Paris, Martin Solveig, Bob Sinclar, Jamie Lewis, Dixon, Copyright, Simon Dunmore, Jay-J & Latrice, Andy Daniell, Sandy Rivera, Aaron Ross, Blaze, Kevin Hedge, DJ Spen, Marc Evans, Dennis Ferrer, Mr V & Alix Alvarez, Andy Ward, Barbara Tucker, Shovell, Monique Bingham and yours truly). A success then for the British label but also as sort of tree hiding the forest (if you allow me the expression), judging by the words of CEO Simon Dunmore. WMC 2006 was another year where everybody continually complained that the conference was losing its focus and was becoming diluted by the Spring Break fraternity. The traffic and problems you had getting to meetings has made business more difficult as many meetings were missed. Sure there were some good parties….sure I heard a few new tracks and saw some old friends, but it was always so much more than that…
To conclude on a more positive note, we’d say that this year has seen a Mr V in top form, armed with a solid album made of hip hop and house awaited this Summer and sacred German twosome AME with their ‘Rej’ single but also a couple of worth the listen remixes for both Rodamaal and Derrick Carter respectively with ‘Insomnia’ and ‘Where You At’.
Claude Monnet
MIAMI 2006 TOP 10
TORRE - Baleora - SSOH
Mr V & ALIX ALVAREZ - Da Bump - Vega Records
DJAMIN - Give You - Purple Music
SUMO - Nini (Claude Monnet Mix) - Heya Hifi
GREG KOZO - What And Where - Place Blanche Records
SON OF RAW - Drumstick And Light Fixture - promo
LENNY FONTANA & JOI CARDWELL - Make It Alright – Stalwart
BOB SINCLAR featuring The Hard Boys - Hard - Africanism
GEORGES KRANTZ - Din Dada (Francky Boissy Mix)- Chez
DJ GREGORY - And - Faya Combo
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