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After a spectacular three events, the Cream Reunion is back for 2012. Catapulting us back to the best days of our lives, 2011 recreated a lust for clubbing that many of us never thought wed get again. Now were back for an even bigger but still intimate gathering in the Annexe with three Cream legends Dave Seaman, Justin Robertson & Phat Phil Cooper, alongside resident Samuel Lamont.
Tickets: £12/£14/£16
31/03/12
22:00-05:00
Annexe:
DAVE SEAMAN (3HR SET)
JUSTIN ROBERTSON
PHAT PHIL COOPER
SAMUEL LAMONT
Dave Seaman
There arent many artists whove sound tracked the birth of dance music and are still leading its development more than two decades later. There are even less who have gifted both the club and pop scenes with unforgettable musical moments that get talked about in hushed tones years after their creation. Dave Seaman is one of a select few.
Whether its one of his spine-tingling Global Underground or Renaissance CDs thats still burning a hole in your stereo years after its purchase, or the perfect pop of Kylies Confide In Me that he co wrote, produced and remixed, theres very few with their heart in electronic music who havent had a Dave Seaman moment.
Its a commonality that everyone from clubbers at Creamfields, to the biggest recording artists on the planet share. Having devoted almost every weekend over the last 15 years to moving dancefloors from Ibiza to Iceland, Seaman has played the worlds most recognised festivals and clubs in more than 70 countries throughout his career, while still lending his production nous to the music industrys A List. Along with crafting beats for Ms Minogue, Take That and Pet Shop Boys have enlisted his studio expertise, with everyone from U2, to Michael Jackson, Alanis Morissette, David Bowie and New Order having received a Seaman re-rub.
Make no mistake, his talents are unique. Few artists are able harness the creative complexity of an underground club burner and interchange it with the hook-driven dynamics of a pop cut, but Seaman has managed to do it time and time again. With massive discography of more than 60 releases and 30 remixes, his productions have gone on to feature on more than 80 other titles, released all over the globe.
Wind the clock back to when Seaman was eight years old and its difficult to imagine anyone wanting to devote their life to music quite as much as the Leeds-born lad. While others indulged in pipe dreams of becoming an English Premier League star or following Neil Armstrong into space, Seaman much to his career councilors disapproval knew he was destined for a life full of beats and rhythm.
By the early 80s, the music obsessive was spinning records at his high school disco and earning his pocket money playing weddings and birthday parties. He knew how to talk-the-talk, too. In 1987 the still-amateur DJ and DMC member won a trip to New York to attend the New Music Seminar the industrys most important event at that time. The trip ultimately led him to land the editors role at Mixmag, a position hed hold for the next three years as he shaped the magazine into being the undisputed clubbers bible it is today.
Seaman played his first bona-fide professional DJ gig at the legendary Shellys in Stoke in 1990, stroking vinyl alongside a couple of emerging talents by the name of Sasha and Laurent Garnier. Acid house was blooming and Seamans boundless enthusiasm and creative spirit was petrol in its tank.
Teaming up with producer and friend Steve Anderson, the duo recorded as Brothers In Rhythm, birthing the seminal rave anthem Such A Good Feeling which became a UK Top 20 hit, while also issuing the landmark Mixmag Live Volume 1 with Carl Cox in 1991 a release that stands as one of the first ever commercially available mix compilations.
Seamans unrelenting desire to propel music at all levels saw him kickstart the Stress Records imprint through DMC, showcasing tunes by some of the finest talent in dance music for more than a decade. Artists including Sasha, Danny Tenaglia, John Digweed and Groove Armadas Andy Cato all released smoking club cuts on the label, with many crediting it as acting as a global launching pad for their careers.
Today, Seamans passion to exhibit boundary-breaking talent is as strong as ever. Via his independent label Audio Therapy, his inspired A&R has helped nurture some of the finest groove-merchants in dance music. The labels roster speaks for itself, with Popof, Timo Mass, Pig & Dan, Wally Lopez, Mihalis Safras, Pirupa & Pigi and Robert Babicz all contributing tracks and remixes recently.
Without a doubt, his relationship with Renaissance is one of the most renowned in dance music, with Seaman having contributed 10 mixes to the revered series. Global Underground view the Brit in a similarly lofty light, having secured his services to mix their Melbourne, Buenos Aires and Cape Town volumes.
Justin Robertson
Justin Robertson's tastes have always been catholic though in 2011 you would be hard pushed to find a musician working successfully in areas as diverse as dancehall, house and art pop. Justin is a true modernist: he excels as a DJ of international repute; is a creator of bespoke acid house; a remixer for the likes of Steve Mason, The Mystery Jets, Radio 4, Bjork,The Whip ,Cherry Ghost and Felix Da... Housecat and, has co-written an album with studio boffin Gez Dewar under the name Thee Earls,and most recently is enjoying great success and a new generation of admirers with his latest moniker The Deadstock 33s. Forthcoming releases include an exciting collaboration with Stopmakingme coming out on Fatboy Slim's Southern Fried , a series of eps including some for Justin's new label ''solitary cyclist'' an ep for 'is it Balearic' and an album in the offing its going to be a big year!
Justins lineage through music has taken many twists and turns. He began as a DJ in Manchester and his early 90s clubs - Spice and Most Excellent - were hugely influential and cornerstones of the burgeoning dance movement. The Chemical Brothers, then students in the city, cited him as their mentor. His Rebellious Jukebox club - also in Manchester - pre-empted the Heavenly Social and the mid 90s trend for mish-mashing musical styles. In the 90s Justin generally operated under various nom de stages, the most renowned being Lionrock with whom he scored several Top 40s hits - 'Rudeboy Rock' and 'Packet Of Peace' among them - and appeared on Top Of The Pops in a dashing purple suit opting for gramophones over Technics. Songs were plucked from the albums Instinct For Detection and City Delirious for the films Go and City Of Industry and Lionrock shared the stage with acts as diverse as Death In Vegas, The Chemical Brothers and the Cocteau Twins.
It wasn't until 2001 that Justin stepped out under his own name releasing house and techno like 'Have Mercy' for the Bugged Out imprint. In 2001 he recorded his most critically acclaimed project to date Justin Robertson presents Revtone which brought primitive house and new wave disco into the digital age. Originally on Nuphonic the best tracks came out through Bugged Out, with 'Love Movement' - remixed by Ulrich Schnauss who cited Justin's early work as an influence - being placed second best single of 2003 by Jockey Slut magazine. Contemporaries Black Strobe, Chicken Lips and Kiki also remixed Revtone tracks.
As a DJ Justin plays a mix of techno and electronic house at clubs such as The Loft in Barcelona, Pacha in Buenos Aires, Bugged Out in Manchester, Roxy in Prague, Chibuku in Liverpool, Fabric in London, and at various clubs all over Europe and the rest of the world. He also plays more eclectic sets featuring his love of reggae, northern soul and pop at nights like Sunday Best.
Phat Phil Cooper
Where do I begin? If you don't already know the man or his music let me explain. As hip hop lead him to house music Phil became one of the most respected British jocks during the superclub era of the 1990's. Holding residencies at Cream and the Ministry of Sound Phil travelled the world from Ibiza to Australia playing in some of the planet's most incredible venues along the way. While a lot of his sets were driven by his love of real underground house music, in the more modest setting of a pub in Chester he forged ahead with his NuNorthern Soul concept. An anything goes approach to his music was established and is now his trademark, with NuNorthern Soul slowly building a wider and wider following, leading to a residency in Space in Ibiza over the summer. Today as a resident at Liverpool's top club night Chibuku Shake Shake he continues to gig all over the globe, his reputation carrying him on adventures far away from his Liverpool base.
Phil's talents aren't confined to the decks, he is well known for his music business acumen, having owned a record promotion service based in Ibiza and also a record shop in Britain. His larger than life character has won him friends all over the place. Everyone seems to know Phil Cooper! Recently Sick Trumpet has provided Phil with a new outlet for his musical energies. He has utilised his vast knowledge of the scene and its music to help create parties that focus on diverse quality sounds and a welcoming, energetic vibe.
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