Beats + Pieces: Bodytonic for the troops

A decade of body rockin’ beats.
words Mark Kavanagh
It’s hard to believe it is a half a decade since an aspiring, house-loving Dublin DJ called Tayor founded the Bodytonic crew which with the help of Eoin Cregan, Jon Averill and dozens of other ’Tonic troops has grown into the clubland empire we all know and love today.
These hedonistic wheeler-dealers are behind some of the capital’s most consistently good nights out: Stereotonic (house music), Backlash (electro-disco-punk), POGO (all sorts), Scribble (hip-hop and nu-soul), Global (world beats) and 12 (Latin, Samba and nu-disco).
They host the dance arenas at the Electric Picnic and Garden Party festivals and on an annual basis remind everyone at Sonar in Barcelona how much the Irish love to party. And let’s not forget that they also run a pub, the Bernard Shaw in Dublin city centre.
The entire posse celebrates half a decade at the top of its tree with a FIVE-DAY birthday weekender. Time will tell if any of our party-loving readers have got the stamina required for such enviable shenanigans.
It all kicks off on Wednesday September 19, with FrAntics at the aforementioned Bernard Shaw, where you will find the Antics DJs flanked by The Mighty Stef, Warlords of Pez and David Kitt.
On Thursday, the early Neon Love session at Bernard Shaw (which kicks off at 6pm) is followed by a Backlash bonanza at PoD, with JD Wilkes of Optimo DJs and Who Made Who live.
Things step up a gear on Friday, with lovable Hacienda disco-funkster Greg Wilson and the Scribble crew’s Bernard Shaw bash warming things up for Stereotonics triple-room extravaganza at PoD and Crawdaddy. DJs include the legendary F:Comm star, Jori Hulkkonen, and deep house don Charles Webster.
Saturday sees the inimitable Andrew Weatherall, Redsettaz and Donal Dineen among the superb POGO line-up at another PoD party, and then on Sunday it gets really messy with an ALL-DAY session (from noon until midnight) at the Bernard Shaw revolving around an eclectic three-hour set from Cork’s Fish Go Deep.
Tickets for all of the main events are on sale now from usual outlets.
Cork-born techno conqueror Edwin James has teamed up with California-raised vocalist and producer Chelonis R Jones on the deep techno workout, ‘Beautifully Lost’.
The single, which includes a radio edit and two dreamy Mark O’Sullivan remixes, has been signed to Oliver Huntemann’s German label Dance Electric. Edwin has also produced a couple of tunes on the forthcoming second album from Chelonis.
Wicklow-based rocktonica outfit Hybrasil deliver their superb debut album, The Monkey Pole, this fortnight.
The eclectic set features the singles ‘God Bless The Devil’, ‘When I’m Yawning’ and ‘We Got Music’ and will be swiftly followed by a new single ‘San Francisco’ and a tour. Check out the good vibes at myspace.com/hybrasil
Dublin electronica producer Daragh Dukes (aka Headgear) releases a new single from his Flight Cases album later this month. ‘Harry Truman’ is out on September 28 on Martha Digs with a remix from Ali Staton.
Techno’s shining star Chymera has just signed a track called ‘Hundulu’ to the Dutch stamp, Delsin Records. Lined up to hit the shops in October, it includes a remix from Soul Designer (aka Fabrice Lig). There are some fresh Chymera tunes newly added to his MySpace page too.
The aforementioned Cork ex-pat Mark O’Sullivan and Swede Jesper Dahlback will be wearing their DK7 hat again next month, with the release of ‘Process’, the first single from their eagerly-anticipated second album.
In the meantime, there’s an incredible three-track DK7 remix package out this month on their own label. Slam remixed ‘Heart Like A Demon’, while Steve Rachmad and Belfast’s Phil Kieran have gone to work on ‘Life is Everywhere’. The Kieran mix, in particular, is superb.
Trim-based DJ and producer Johnny Pluse has just dropped a new single on his own Bulabeats imprint. ‘THW’ is a jaunty ska/hip-hop fusion featuring the talents of Muzzy G and Fayray.
Dance giants Fatboy Slim and Daft Punk are unleashing new compilations in time for Christmas. The Brighton DJ has a double-CD compilation of his The Greatest Hits Remixed by the likes of Daft Punk, while the Gallic groovers deliver a live album Alive 2007 which comes in a two-disc case-bound book version featuring the show’s encore, ‘Harder Better Faster Stronger (live)’ video and about 50 pages of photos.
The live version of ‘Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger’ – which is sampled on rapper Kanye West’s current pop smash ‘Stronger’ – is also being released a single.
Founded in Dublin in October 1994, the nation’s longest-running club night Strictly Handbag – currently running in Dublin and Sligo – launches its third weekly event this month in Limerick. The ’80s-themed bash will run at Dolan’s every Friday night.
The next Heineken Green Spheres party takes place at Dinn Ri in Carlow on September 20, headlined by visionary French electronic artist, Vitalic.
Hot Chip follow their Electric Picnic appearance with a DJ set at The Fold at GPO in Galway on September 15. It promises to be a lively night, as DJs from Shake and SiSi are also joined by The Disconauts and Crazy P.
The Dublin Fringe Festival throws up a number of intriguing prospects this month, not least the exclusive collaboration of Marlena Shaw and Mad Professor on September 11 at Spiegeltent.
At the same venue on September 16, Nightmares on Wax and WAXON Records present Wax the Jam Live, a hotly-tipped party hosted by DJ Ease and his retroactive funksters. Booking for both shows at www.fringefest.com
This year’s Amsterdam Dance Event features more than 450 international DJs and artists performing in 40 of the Dutch city’s finest venues. Among those dropping by between October 18 and 20 are Arthur Baker, Dave Clarke, David Guetta, Fedde Le Grand, Groove Armada, John Askew, Miss Kittin and The Hacker and Roisín Murphy. For tickets and registration details, log on to www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl/festival
As I write, the final preparations are being made for the first ever Irish-owned dance festival in the state, which will run on Saturday September 8 at Fairyhouse Racecourse, Ratoath, Co Meath. I can confirm that preparations have already been made for the follow-up in 2008… THE BEAT GOES ON!