First off, this is less a review and more of a rant – so if you don't want to hear me complain, read this first paragraph or two and then move on.
As usual WMC was a great time. Weather was a bit rainy at times, but sunny for long bits everyday and warm – with no humidity. Truly the prefect break from the cold, unpredictable weather up north. We stayed in THE NICEST room I have ever seen in ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Miami – on the 18th floor of the Loews. It was overpriced, the staff sucked (and always had their hand out looking for something), but the views from our room were unstoppable. Best view on South Beach by a long shot and the after parties there were priceless.
I had the privilege of eating dinner at Emeril's, riding around Miami Harbor on an private yacht, and playing the closing set at a BRILLIANT "Sullivan Room WMC 2007" party at SIN.
But my review this year is more of a rant, a rant about technology…and how forward is only forward, when you are actually improving on what has come before you.
Case in point. Friday night at BED featured Martin Buttrich, Locodice and Steve Bug…a trio that I was stoked to see for months. We reserved a "bed" many months ago – and were ready to drop some serious bank to be in the club that has consistently produced my best WMC experiences over the years.
We got in at 12:45 and were told that even though we were about to spend $1000+ between 3 people, we would still have to pay a cover charge. I told them I was a writer and was on the list…they still would only comp me, and my friends had to pay. Now I understand that MADE Events make no money off the bar…and BED makes no money off the door…but work shit out people. It is BS to pay so much money to party some place and still be expected to pay cover. Completely unrelated to the rest of this post, but still Strike Number One.
Go in get settled and get down to getting our buzz on. Locodice is playing and the beats are deep and funky. The vibe is building very slowly, but everyone is smiling and having fun. As his set ends – the music stops for 30 seconds or so and the lights go up – signifying he is done. Ok..fine. Killing the vibe at 2 a.m. is completely offensive, but whatever – get back to it.
Martin Buttrich jumps on – except for one problem – he is playing a 100% Abelton set – WITH HIS BACK TO THE CROWD. The volume is too low and since he has he back to the monitors – he doesn't realize this for 10 minutes. The vibe is sucked out of the room and everyone is just looking at each other…asking who the fuck is DJing? We finally realize it is the guy in the back with his back to us all…which is fine, but his set goes no where and sounds like a guy who isn't watching his crowd. GO FIGURE. Strike Number Two.
One uneventful hour later, Steve Bug steps up – but his lap top isn't hooked up properly. This is probably due to the fact that he played multiple sets that same night and just showed up 10 minutes beforehand. He has no clue what the vibe was for the last 5 hours – and has no one helping him get set up. We get 5 minutes of very low volume – 20 seconds of NO VOLUME – 20 seconds of feedback hum – and no explanation of what is going on. Half the crowd and all of the vibe leaves the room, and we are left to look on in utter disbelief.
Finally, Steve gets shit worked out – and starts his set – a set that begins with less energy than Locodice left us with more than an hour ago. He finally is able to resurrect the vibe by around 4 and the last hour is on point for the most part. But unfortunately at this point, the damage has been done. Strike Three.
There are two different issues at work here – and both, unfortunately, are a reflection of where things are at WMC – circa 2007.
POINT #1 – Parties are Disposable Commodities
DJs playing multiple events during WMC isn't something new, but people playing 2 or 3 shows EVERY DAY – is just overdone and uncalled for. It means you are only in the room for 10 minutes (if you are lucky) before you play – and you have no clue what happened before you. I went to several parties and heard the same record twice in an hour – from a new DJ, that just walked in 2 minutes before his set.
So we pay $30 to $80 dollars to get into a party – and then get to hear disparate, unrelated, individualistic DJ sets that last 1 hour and then STOP COLD…leaving the DJ time to feel important and get the accolades he thinks he deserves. Every hour or two, the vibe is destroyed and it takes ¾ of the next set to get it back…only to have it destroyed again, shortly thereafter. For the amount it costs to go to a party in Miami – this is wrong.
Next year, give me Danny Tenaglia or Carl Cox for 5 hours – over 5 shit heads doing 5 one hour sets.
POINT #2 – Technology Only Makes Sense If It Improves Things
Using programs like Abelton, Scratch Live and Final Scratch only make sense if THEY WORK. If we need to endure 2 minutes of DEAD AIR every time a new DJ steps up – then something is wrong. Sure vinyl is old technology – but when one vinyl DJs plays after another, there is NO STOPPAGE and the vibe continues. I don't know who sets this shit up from a technical stand point – but if your playback devise requires you to STOP THE MUISC every time a new DJs starts – then you need to examine how you are doing things.
Buy an extra scratch amp and have a sound man hook it up ahead of time or book just one event a night so you know the booth is ready to go. Whatever you have to do, DO IT - because when you have 500 people spending $500 each (with cover, drinks, favors etc) to hear you – THEY SHOULD NOT GET DEAD FUCKING AIR in the middle of the night. That is unprofessional and total BS – and something that wouldn't even happen at a local bar or karaoke lounge. Inexcusable for WMC.
In spite of this rant - I will be back. I love Miami, love seeing my friends from all over the world that I ONLY see once a year at WMC, and I love playing at events in front of uber educated people.
But when I am not working, I want to be entertained – not aggravated.