It seemed like a mega-club line-up more worthy of London than Los Angeles. But recent LA transplant Damian Lazarus brough half a dozen headliners together to celebrate the release of his first album, Smoke the Monster Out. The evening started and ended with local techno heros The Droog crew, who took their regular residency on the mainstage.
Next came Lazarus’ live set, which found the one time music journalist decked out in a pork pie hat and poncho, tweeking a table of effect pedals and transforming his rather moody album into more club friendly fair (custom composed for this night only). Lazarus was joined onstage by Swedish twins vocalist Taxi Taxi who appear throughout the album while friends in animal masks stalked the stage. The live set was inspired, but Lazarus wasn’t finished yet…
Following the live set Global Underground star Nic Fanciulli laid down a fast set. In the meantime, we ducked into the Honey Lounge to catch UK house gure Luke Solomon laying down some great records in the smallest room you’ll likely find the DJ playing this year.
Back in Avalon’s 3000+ capacity main room, it had past 3AM, but the main event was just starting. Billed as a six-turntable set by Lazarus, Matthew Dear and Philip Jung from M.A.N.D.Y., this potential catastrophe went of without a hitch, the three jocks rotating in and out of their respective set-ups, never overloading the soundsystem with too much music being played at once. As the hours grew later, unlikely techno vocalist Dear and Lazarus both took to the mic.
Triumphant at 6AM, it was out of the club and back to the Droog house, where Dear took up residence in the fully-functional DJ booth built in the living room. No more proof needed the LA is slowly taking the crown as America’s techno mecca.
[photos by NightMoves]
Leave A Comment!