Beats + Pieces: Dance news with Mark Kavanagh

Phil Kieran and Alloy Mental look set to score a massive hit with their new double a-side single, ‘We Have Control’/’Liar Face’, if the massive reactions at the recent Winter Music Conference are anything to go by. The single was deemed by many key figures to be one of the tunes of the conference, and it’s due soon on Skint. Alloy Mental have now recorded a staggering 35 tracks from which they will choose about a dozen for their debut album.
Meanwhile, Phil Kieran has been busy producing thumping techno and electro records for the clubs again following last year’s self-imposed hiatus (to concentrate on the Alloy Mental album). Phil also has singles lined up on Felix da Housecat’s Rude Photo imprint and Scottish label, Soma – the latter another collaboration with Soma act Funk d’Void. And he’s just remixed Motor for Novamute.
Now living in Glasgow, Larne lad Fergie has confirmed to B&P that he has already signed two more singles to hot English label, Punchfunk, following the huge success of first outing on it, ‘Ken The Men’, which hit the shops at the end of last month.
Another Northern ex-pat, Derry-born Stephen React, returns to the fray along with his Sharp Boys partner, George Mitchell, this month. Their ‘Dancefloor’ single is doing a lot of damage in London on white label.
Two nostalgia-fuelled singles currently causing a huge stir are Beatfreakz’ ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’ (due in May on Data), which samples Rockwell’s ’80s hit of the same name, which incidentally featured Michael Jackson as guest vocalist, and Supermode’s ‘Tell Me Why’ (also on Data), which samples another ‘80s act, Bronski Beat.
Meanwhile, a clubland outfit who scored their first hit in the ‘80s (with ‘Doctorin’ The House’) are tipped to land their biggest hit in many years. Coldcut’s ‘Walk A Mile’ features a soaring vocal from Robert Owens, and has just surfaced in a Tiga remix that will boost its strong chances of top ten success considerably.
Northern trance duo Agnelli & Nelson are on the stellar line-up for this year’s Dance Valley festival, which takes place in Holland on Friday and Saturday, July 14th and 15th. Others on the bill include The Prodigy, Mauro Picotto, Marco V, Armin van Buuren, Erick Morillo, Ferry Corsten and Juan Atkins. There are four main stages and ten arenas, and weekend tickets (including camping) are now on sale. See www.dancevalley.com for full details, but move quickly as Dance Valley usually sells out well in advance.
Transport packages to and from The Beach Party 2006 at East Strand in Portrush on June 17th – headlined by Fatboy Slim – are now available from Ticketmaster. Buses will depart on the day from Belfast, Derry, Enniskillen, Newcastle, Newtownards, Newry, Armagh, and Portadown, and will be picking up and dropping off at various other points across the North en route. Industry insiders are already talking about this turning into the biggest dance event the island has ever witnessed. Event tickets are Stg£33.00 (including booking fee) from all Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.
Following the huge success of the first Revolution party at The Vaults in Dublin on St Patrick’s Eve, the techno, trance and hard dance festival returns to the venue on May 12th. Revolution 2 will feature Lisa Lashes and yours truly to name but two. Tickets go on sale this coming fortnight from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. Full line-up details to follow in the next issue.
‘Gangster’s Paradise’ rapper Coolio will play Trinity Rooms on May 6th. Reputed Chilean-born producer/DJ Ricardo Villalobos plays Electric City in Dublin on April 27th. Navan-based Irish trance whiz John O’Callaghan makes a rare appearance in Dublin on April 22nd, at Tranceformers at The Legal Eagle. While OK Cowboy creator Vitalic’s appearance at TBMC on April 29th is sure to result in the messiest Mash-Up yet, not least thanks to supporting DJ, Scott MacNaughton.
Three Red Bull Music Academy info sessions will take place in Dublin, Derry and Belfast between April 27th and 29th. These info sessions are open to anyone interested in applying for this year’s Red Bull Music Academy which will run in Melbourne, Australia next autumn. For more information, email [email protected].
The DJ and Digital Music Academy (DDMA) will be turning the tables again on Saturday April 29th and Sunday April 30th at The Digital Hub. This intense and informative two-day course covers all aspects of the profession, from where to buy records and how to mix them, to producing your own. To find out more, email Chris at [email protected].
Ahead of all of that, we have the always busy Easter bank holiday weekend to look forward to this fortnight. Apart from the many BudRising club nights detailed elsewhere in April's Hot Press issue, BEATS & PIECES recommends Reckya at The Limelight in Belfast on Easter Monday (with Doves, James Lavelle and Roni Size all DJing) and the free party hosted by Collective Music at The Vaults in Dublin on Easter Sunday, featuring Fade’s Steve Porter and Richard Brophy from this parish.
The biggest event of the fortnight is the 8,000-capacity Planet Love Spring event at the King’s Hall in Belfast on Easter Monday. DJs include Ferry Corsten, Eddie Halliwell, Judge Jules and Tidy Boys and tickets are priced Stg£27.50 (plus fees). It runs from 7pm until 3am … THE BEAT GOES ON!