Mark Farina gets funky at the Fox Theatre with DJ Rootz and Pillowfight
By Amber Taufen
There's a covenant involved when listening to live music: You give your attention and energy to the musician, and in exchange, they provide you with some kind of experience that (IMO) should be crafted to capture that attention and suspend time. Mark Farina never disappoints in this arena, and his supporting acts last night are well on their way to learning this particular brand of magic.
I missed AA but made it to the Fox in time to hear the end of Boulder's DJ Rootz set; he was playing with Sublime's "Summertime," mixing in the lyrics with heavy, distorted bass fluctuating up and down. Although he described himself as an electro/trip-hop DJ, he's has clearly been experimenting with dubstep lately, blending in a relatively slow, intelligent beat with deep, dirty, vibrating basslines and unusual vocal combos (DJ Assault's "Sex on the Beach" remix came into the equation).
It made for an interesting blend, offering up these nearly-R&B ballads with quick, tight synthetic drumlines straight from the opening credits of an '80s movie. On this night, Rootz would build up the energy, frantic and speedy -- reminiscent of happy hardcore, one genre of electronic music I'm glad we don't hear much of these days -- before dropping into slick, dark and dirty tracks to keep the crowd dancing.
Rootz was using a computer and a sampler to create his live PA, which I always find interesting to watch, but I thought he took his build-ups too far to the lighter end of distortion, using noises that reached cartoon-like proportions before returning to his slower, syncopated basslines and beat. He dropped in the opening riffs of the Beastie Boys's "Sabotage," and then mixed it with their later hit, "Intergalactic."
The choice of track was interesting, but Rootz's transitions are not always smooth -- and the problem with using long samples from a well-known song like "Sabotage" is that people begin to want to hear the rest of the song instead of wondering where you'll go next with your sampling. Overall, it was a solid set, but with a little tweaking and improvements here and there, DJ Rootz could turn the solid set into a stellar one.
Colorado dubstep duo Pillowfight took the stage next, trading off at the turntables to throw down crashing, dirty bass and spooky melodies, with ray-gun noises and synthetic, meandering beeps and blips. My favorite track involved a screechy piano line blended with deep, mumbling bass (like a deep-voiced Cookie Monster, trying to communicate from the bottom of a K-hole) and a female vocalist crooning "You got to go" repeatedly.
Pillowfight moved from the darker end of the dubstep spectrum into disco diva mode with even tapping and deep, plodding bass, before dropping into a new track reminiscent of pure hardcore -- not as fast or as hard, but with the same energy and intensity.
The pair picked it up and slowed it down, continuing to play with the first three notes of House of Pain's "Jump Around" before moving into a track with more of a techno feel, squeaky sirens and a slightly steadier beat mixed with shrill, distorted melodies and severe bass. The dance floor was slowly filling up, but Pillowfight was only on for a short half-hour set before it was time for the main event.
Mark Farina didn't waste any time getting on-stage and starting to mix his magic. He's got this penchant for old-school educational speeches, and he opened with one on American waltz, followed by a basic one-two cymbal beat, then dropping in some popping noises before bringing on the deep, driving bass.
The components of his tracks are always deceptively simple; he turns each effect on and off, bringing the noises in and out of the soundscape while the speech continues and a gentle piano line begins describing carefree notes in the air. And then the jazz component enters: The wailing saxophone is insistent on getting people dancing, and it does just that as the clean bell of a xylophone enters the mix.
Farina never disappoints in his buildups and breakdowns, whether he's using a soft voice spewing nonsense jazz or dramatic drums and horns returning to their place in the mix. You don't even miss one of the elements he removes until he brings it back to up the energy a notch, using crashing cymbals and clean basslines, seamlessly blending from one track to the next.
As soon as he hit the decks (so to speak; Farina uses CDs and modern technology instead of sticking to strictly vinyl), the dancefloor filled, and he kept it packed and engaged. When he removed various effects to build up the energy, the audience responded with clapping and noise to encourage him to drop the drumline back into the mix. He loves the uplifted, jazzy saxophone, and I even recognized a track from his famed Mushroom Jazz downtempo/trip-hop series of albums, appropriately sped-up for the audience.
Farina's pounding drum, with its steady rat-a-tats, and wailing sax are an intoxicating combination, and he uses a lot of the aforementioned '50s-style educational speeches or hip-hop or another contribution of some vocal element to tie his style together. The Beastie Boys' "Shake Your Rump" from Paul's Boutique was sampled in this set, as was Gang Starr's "DWYCK" and even some orgasmic moans and wails from a female (Farina's probably the only DJ who can get away with that particular sample without sounding hopelessly cheesy).
Farina wanders all over the place within his own particular style, sometimes choosing blissed-out pure house tracks and sometimes moving toward eerier, spookier, more experimental tracks that he pulls into his jazzy, funky sound. He might mix a high, ululating cry with '80s-style MC samples before bringing in some groovy guitar lines and James Brown crying "Hey hey!" and "Oh hell yeah!" the way only James Brown can. You might hear the Eagles' "Hotel California" (and we did) followed by an authoritative man asking, "What do you know about the piano? Is it difficult to play? Let's find the answer to these and some other questions."
Farina never fails to disappoint when it comes to the covenant of live music, and he likes to wind down his sets by slowing them into the funky, jazzy downtempo/trip-hop of his Mushroom Jazz fame, sending the crowd off riding a warm wave of high that will break gently instead of intensely after all that blissful Chicago-style house. I'm always a bit nervous going to see him, afraid my expectations for his set are perhaps too high this time, but he always manages to meet them.
CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK
Personal Bias: I like 75 percent of what dubstep has to offer and loathe the other 25 percent (why should you ruin a perfectly good, dark, syncopated track with the happy-hardcore-style buildups?). And although I am not a fan of progressive house, which seems to dominate the house realm these days, I cut my electronic-music teeth on Chicago house in the midwest. Farina's Chicago roots are refreshingly far from the cheesy, tranced-out progressive house that's so popular today. I heart him.
Random Detail: Despite some technical difficulties -- at least twice, Farina's CDs began skipping on him unexpectedly -- the man never lost the crowd's attention; they just waited (impatiently), hooting and hollering for more while he worked the kinks out of his equipment. The man can hold a crowd rapt, that is for certain.
By the Way: Last week, in my Global Dance Festival review, I noted Savoy was sampling the Beastie Boys -- and both DJ Rootz and Farina did so again last night. Is this a new trend?
Mark Farina | Great Lakes Audio | Mushroom Jazz
Mark Farina Japan Tour 2010 at eleven
DJ: Mark Farina(Great Lakes Audio/Mushroom Jazz/OM/San Francisco), REMI(R20)
Bridge Lounge: SMS&MIGHT;-Z8(AfroTwinZ/Bridge), KEN(Chilled Sessions), RON(SIDE SHOW/JET WORKS), EDDY(Hello Freaks/JET WORKS), At8(manitou/In lak' ech)
VJ: LA-COSMOS(R20)
Time Out Chicago | Five things to do today: July 4
MUSIC - Eric Boeren 4tet
Brilliant drummer Han Bennink joins the Dutch cornetist for a patriotic weekend of postbop. Hungry Brain.
GAY & LESBIAN - Big Chick’s Buffet
It’s all-you-can-eat burgers and bites coupled with head-spinning vodka lemonades at this post-beach breadline and summer ritual. Perfect for the 4th of July holiday. Big Chicks 5024 N Sheridan Rd 773-728-5511 El: Red to Argyle. Bus: 92, 151. 4pm. Free.
CLUBS - Cherry Bomb
There’s a suprising lack of enticing fourth of July parties, but Green Dolphin has put together an all-buliding bash that’ll put whatever you have planned for your backyard to shame. Chicago/San Francisco heavyweight Mark Farina camps out for the duration, spinning an exclusive Mushroom Jazz set early and headlining later in the night. Audiofly is also on hand doing two sets. Local DJ talent consists of Gene Farris, Nathan Scott, Dino G, Lego, Alex Peace, Kalendr, Julius the Mad Thinker, Bam Bam Buddha and, believer it or not, more. Green Dolphin Street. 4pm; $20, in advance $12 through clubtix.net.
THEATER - GL 2010 (Not Your Generic Latina)
Six pointedly nongeneric women take the stage in this tenth-anniversary revisitation of Teatro Luna’s inaugural show, Generic Latina, and there’s not a weak link in the bunch. Chicago Dramatists, 3pm + 6pm. $15—$20.
COMEDY - Entertaining Julia
Beth Stelling and the Puterbaugh Sisters host this packed night of comedy mayhem aimed at entertaining Town Hall Pub bartender Julia. Town Hall Pub, 9pm. Free.
Put the Needle on the Record 2004 Hollywood Movie Watch Online
Put the Needle on the Record 2004 Hollywood Movie Watch Online Informations :
Director : Jason Rem
Genre : Documentary, History, Music
Cast : Jason Bentley, Colette, The Crystal Method, Deepsky, Dieselboy, Dirty Vegas, Deep Dish, Mark Farina, Charles Feelgood, Donald Glaude, Christopher Lawrence, Mark Lewis, Mea, Nigel Richards
Put the Needle on the Record 2004 Hollywood Movie Watch Online Full Movie
Sacred Grounds turns 15
Teaming up with Martin brings together two figureheads of the California house scene for the first time. With previous parties hosting the likes of Mark Farina and DJ Sneak in rammed lofts, galleries and warehouses expect a guaranteed roadblock. We caught up with one of the Sacred Ground founders and resident DJs, Carlos Baruch, AKA G-Dubbs, to tell us more.
Can you tell us a little bit about how you guys got together and decided to start doing Sacred Grounds?
Sacred Grounds was originally conceived by myself and Ruben Medellin. I was 19 years old, Ruben was 14 years old and Lou was 17 years old. It all started one day when Ruben and I were at his house spinning records in his garage talking about all the awesome DJs that we'd heard that year. That's when we decided to create an opportunity to give ourselves a place to spin and bring in talent we wanted to hear and share with the rest of the Los Angeles underground scene.
What were some of the parties which influenced you early on?
We were inspired by parties such as Unlock the House, Parliament, King Afterhours, What Afterhours, and the original Melodic. We used to always fantasize about throwing parties for thousands of people with our favorite DJs at the helm. Little did we know that our dreams would some day come true.
Tell us about some of the first parties you threw.
The very first Sacred Grounds in 1995 was totally different from how it is now. Chris Brownie stole the show that night and rocked our worlds. In 1999 Brett from B3 Cande asked me to host his birthday party which was supposed to be private and exclusive. We had Doc Martin, DJ Sneak, Ruben Medellin and DJ Lou on the bill. The space was a loft that could hold about 300 people which was supposed to be the amount of invitees that were invited. Next thing you know there is about 500 people in the loft, another 50 in the hallway, and about 500 more people outside the building trying to get in! We had no idea the word would spread as fast as it did to so many people. Sneak was rocking it when the 5-0 showed up and shut us down due to capacity. I remember the look on Doc's face when I told him we had to shut it down. He was so disappointed that he wasn't able to play because the party was going off!
How have you seen the West Coast scene change over time?
It has evolved and dissolved at the same time. Nowadays due to technological advances anyone and everyone can be a DJ. Before, you had to either be part of a record pool, know the right stores to go buy the music or know the right producers and label owners to get the music. Now it's as easy as logging onto a website and buying music there. Before it was more precious and pure. Now you have pop-star-deejays all over MTV, and playing at "mega raves" to 12 & 13 year old kids. Don't get me wrong there are a few choice deejays that actually have talent that are taking the music, sound and scene to the next level which is good over all. So, I commend the new deejays who are doing things in the right manner and not trying to be the "cool guy", but rather dropping amazing sets whether it be via laptop, vinyl or digital. That is why when I get a chance to speak to a deejay that has recently started playing out or is looking to play out I give them a little history on what they are part of, where it came from and where it is going. So they can have a better understanding and respect for the music and the scene.
Vote for Mark Farina for America's Best DJ
The staff of DJ Times has chosen the 100 DJ/NOMINEES, using their career accomplishments & current drawing power as basic criteria for inclusion.
ONLY ONE VOTE PER EMAIL ACCOUNT WILL BE TABULATED! You must fill out the voting ballot entirely in order to cast your vote. Each tabulated ballot will be given a chance to WIN VALUABLE PRIZES — trips to Las Vegas, DJ equipment & more. When you vote, you are automatically eligible to win.
Again, vote only once, but you are allowed to CHOOSE UP TO 5 of your favorite U.S.-based DJs in your one voting session. Total points will be spread out evenly—so if you wish to support only one DJ, for example, then simply vote for one. But you may vote for UP TO 5 DJs. It's up to you.
Thank you, enjoy & good luck!
