James Lavelle at System

[Vote Quimby]

One word: borrrrrrrrrrrring.

I thought I would give him a second chance. Hoping that he would play more eclectic , Unkle type stuff. But that was not to be. Breaks it was. And not even good breaks.

He opened nicely with the Kill Bill soundtrack. But quickly followed that with...Queens of the Stone Age. Which was the same track he opened with at Lotus last time in town. At least it was a different version, I do believe. I think, anyway. But when he dropped 7 Nation Army by the White Stripes, I knew this was not going to be a good night. The fact that every DJ and his cousin was playing this track not 6 months ago, would lead you to believe that this track would not see the light of day for a few years. Oops. I guess Lavelle didn't get the message. After that, it was just break track after break track. I'm sorry, but as I said last time, our locals are better. I wish it had been Red Turtle or Big League Chu up there instead of this over priced hack.

The people out tonight made it a worthwhile night. The music was disappointing to say the least.

 

[MoFo]

I was really impressed with Lee's set. It was electro-y enough but had some attitude to it as well. By the end, the 4/4 was dragging on though. But totally wasn't boring me at all. Lee, ya did a good job hyping up the crowd. Some really good mixing and some really great tracks selected.

James Lavelle was indeed a snooze. Maybe I'm just old but I totally was bored out of my mind. It was definitely a set I'd play in my car or at a bbq. Or even sitting around with friends chilling. But it was totally nothing new in terms of track selection. There were some really big tunes but sometimes I wanna hear some obscure material especially coming from a renown remixer and producer such as him.

I wasn't impressed. It was mediocre for what he is capable of. Fuck, why doesn't Lavelle do a LIVE PA? I mean, he's known for his UNKLE stuff. DJing should come second.

The Kill Bill was nice and the Queens of the Stone Age was a good touch. But it totally lacked any kind of flow and he really needed to change up the tracks a bit more. I think I was frustrated because often these guys who have crates and crates of the best records drag shit out. I mean, if I were Fatboy or Lavelle or Danny Howells, I would just wreck that muthafucka and show the people what I got. It was like he was playing a radio show when he should've been playing for a crowd pumped up to dance.

Anyway, it was a fun night regardless. Parking in downtown Toronto is hell on earth.
Thanks to Zee, Hoa, Adam, Andrew and the rest of the wonderful people there for making it worthwhile.

 

[318]

I was very disappointed as well.I liked his set at Lotus. It was a lot funkier and eclectic. He even played Sex Pistol's version of My Way. This time, I thought the first hour or so was interesting with some dance mix of alternative stuff, like Nirvana and PJ Harvey. However, I waited and waited for him to pick things up but he never did.

 

[kmac]

Yeah, I tend to agree but the shit he played from about 3 am to 4:20 (exactly when I looked at my watch) made up for it. Slutty New York Dirty Outerspace Tribal Funk! Made it worth it for me. I still love him and his camo hat and his GU CDs and his production work.

Anyway, never wear flip flops to System.

 

[Psyrel]

^^ exactly, from 3am onwards I was glued to the dance floor, front + centre!!!

Also really loved the first 1/2 hr he did..... tracks that everyone knows but that fact that he's got the balls to play them, slamming one into the other..... it's just another reason I like this dude.

 

[Jonesy]

lee osborne played a wicked set, just like I said he would!
he opened and closed the night with a lot of style.

aw yeah!

 

[Black_Bull]

The music from beginning to end was awsome, and quite consistent...It is too bad that the turn-tables didn' always work, which i can imagine could be frustrating, but all in all, it was a good nite to party and to dance

 

[jasonchaos]

Originally posted by Vote Quimby
One word: borrrrrrrrrrrring.

I could not agree more, sorry i missed Lee's set sounds like he did a good job! First time seeing Lavelle, wish i had saved my $20! Could not stand it for more than 30 minutes.

Chu in the Back room was tearing things up! Helped salvage the night somewhat!

What is with paying $$$$ to see quality dj's on big systems if they aren't getting the job done! The guys in the back room maybe should have been in the main room!

As far as i am concerned the local talent in this city needs a little more press! They are stealing the show when big guys are in town, and the sad thing is we are paying to support everyone but them! Truly a sad thing!

Jason

 

[kmac]

Originally posted by Psyrel
^^ exactly, from 3am onwards I was glued to the dance floor, front + centre!!!

Do you know what any of those tracks were? Sooo dirty and dark and tripped out -- felt like I ate a pill, which I did not. But I couldn't stop dancing and going "oooooooh" whenever I heard a fat bassline.

It's actually quite funny walking into System at 2 am sober and almost everyone else is fuuuuuuucked up.

 

[Vote Quimby]

Damn, I missed the kmac.

Just to add, Lee's set was really good. Totally enjoyed it. Too bad he couldn't stay on the decks all night.

 

[MoFo]

Re: Re: James Lavelle at System

Originally posted by jasonchaos


What is with paying $$$$ to see quality dj's on big systems if they aren't getting the job done! The guys in the back room maybe should have been in the main room!

At least they had the decency to skip the White Stripes and Nirvana. How many fucking times do I have to hear those two remixes?

The Hives remix was MUCH appreciated. THAT'S the shit I was expecting someone like Lavelle to play.

 

[kmac]

Originally posted by Vote Quimby
Damn, I missed the kmac.

Hey babe... no one recognized me anyway. I would go up to someone and say hi and get this "who the fuck are you" look, then they'd realize. It's a combination of hibernating and a new hairdo.

 

[litespeed]

Lee was great!

I only stayed for the first few tracks of Lavelle's. My freinds had already left and all of a sudden I couldn't find anyone I knew. I was bored as it was, so no sense in being alone.

Originally posted by kmac
Hey babe... no one recognized me anyway. I would go up to someone and say hi and get this "who the fuck are you" look, then they'd realize. It's a combination of hibernating and a new hairdo.

hey I recognized you... although you're smaller then then I remember

 

[MoFo]

Originally posted by ev
Lee was great!

I only stayed for the first few tracks of Lavelle's. My freinds had already left and all of a sudden I couldn't find anyone I knew. I was bored as it was, so no sense in being alone.

Yah, seriously! People seemed to just file out. Very rare for System especially with a big Tribe crowd. I didn't want to leave Hoa there but I was literally falling asleep and had to drive people home.

Crazy night. Evan, you're hilarious btw. You should host the Polka Dot Door or something.

 

[litespeed]

Originally posted by MoFo
Crazy night. Evan, you're hilarious btw. You should host the Polka Dot Door or something.

Hilarious? how so? I thought I'm always very serious

 

[juice]

Yeah Lavelle was just so very average which sucks because I've really been into his past performances. He had his moments but would usually lose me quite quickly after. Lee's opening set was very decent I wonder what he was like closing out the party as well? I had a very long day and was way too tired to stick it out, I don't think the copious amounts of beer and bad Tortilla Flats food helped ... plus Sunny was driving us all home ... thanks Sunny Can we finally put Seven Nation Army to rest please? The night was saved because it was spent with some very good people Adam, Zee, Sunny, Hoa hopefully you enjoyed the dildos and She Male porn my friends provided at Tortilla Flats earlier on in the night ... they are an interesting bunch to say the least

 

[kmac]

I'm glad I got to System late, made it easier to stick it out through the meh part of his set into the good shit later on. I noticed a ton of people leaving so early. I try to stick it out when I can to see where the set goes.

How late did he play?

 

[ian]

Lee opened up with a great set that suited the night perfectly. I wasn't feeling James Lavelle, but at least it wasn't as proggy as I thought it would be. . . I'm not much of a judge on how he was though as his music isn't my thing really. He was a technically decent mixer though. . . .

We stayed until about 3:00 I think, and then we jetted. . .

 

[vinder]

i dunno, i liked the first hour of his set a lot. exactly what i wanted to hear. i've always been big into the rock breaks sound so it was right up my alley. sure it's a bit slower paced, but it's got a lot more musical quality then typical electronic fare. i liked it alot and it got me moving.

lee's set was nice and stompy, i always enjoy hearing him play!

 

[2 The Beat]

Though I do not like to compliment Lee Osborne in public, I have to say that it is fucking great to hear music like that played loud to a crowd of people who were down. I hope this residency lasts a long time and I hope other people are as down with the sound as I am.

James Lavelle indeed appeared to have some issues, but he won my heart by playing the PJ Harvey boot. She has had a stranglehold on my soul for several years and this is the first time i have heard her played loud in public in 3 years. Though next time he plays it, it would be nicer if he were to mix out of it.

HIghlight of the night was a very cool crowd that all just seemed to appear at 1am. Good people all over in addition to random crazy people who did not know where they were and like hugging pillars on the dancefloor.

Bo!

Bobby Thrust

 

[Spinsah]

Originally posted by vinder
i dunno, i liked the first hour of his set a lot. exactly what i wanted to hear. i've always been big into the rock breaks sound so it was right up my alley. sure it's a bit slower paced, but it's got a lot more musical quality then typical electronic fare.

i'm not so sure what you mean, most 'rock breaks' are well within conventional breaks tempo, in fact the recent hives bootleg is a lot faster and needs to be pitched way the fuck down to be integrated into a breaks set. i like the sound but it really has to be used sparingly.

as for having 'a lot more musical quality', i realize that's entirely subjective but i would suggest that a lot of the 'rock breaks' sound has a lot less 'musical' complexity than other releases, such is the nature of most bootlegs. for example take freeland's rubs of 'teen spirit', 'seven nation army' and even s.o.t. reworking of the beasties 'fight for your right', which are quite straight forward. personally i've found the lack of 'musical' quality in the 'rock breaks' subgenre to be a major detractor.

it sounds like lavelle played a similar set to the one i caught at fabric a month or so back. he was really all over the place programing wise and infact infused a very fluffy set with some out-of-place rock breaks. thankfully, the plump dj's followed him up and destroyed a dancefloor in a manner i had only imagined breaks was capable of doing.

(plus lavelle was wearing a zebra print von dutch hat, no wonder shadow ditched him)

 

[Big League Chu]

no, l know what Vinder is taking about. He started at a hip hop tempo dropping the original Kill Bill at the original tempo with the GDMFSOB vocals on top. then Queens of the stoneage which was also at a hip hop pace.

 

[Spinsah]

the original kill bill? you're surely not speaking of the marscruiser bootleg. do you mean the original issac hayes 'run fay run'?

 

[Big League Chu]

it was a booty for sure, but not the uptempo breaks one cause it was mos def at hip hop speed somewhere around 90-105 bpm range.

 

[Spinsah]

hmmm sounds cool. maybe it's a lavelle edit.