Disco Circus
Yaaaaaaaaa ya ya ya yaaaaaaa. Doon doonn doondodoon......Ahhh well, I'm a cute pup but I can't sing! But I do know a fierce groove when I hear one! We're a DJ household here. Mommy & Daddy met while they both DJ'd their own radio shows. How romantic. Now back to ME. How could I not troll through these records and not share the goods with my fans? How could I, as a dj-pup not share the richness of underground dance music's history? Especially, since I'm smack dab in the middle of it!
You may not recognize the subtle thumpthumpthumpthump whilst shopping for all things overpriced, but th
ose of us in the know, know we're treading amongst the hallowed ground of underground dance music history right here in SoHo. You may nor hear that 4 on the floor, that soul, that funk, that disco, but it's there. Listen quietly after the sun goes down, it's the heartbeat of downtown NYC, and ultimately of all dance music as we know it. I know, I know ....Just in case you're wondering, "Is this pit for real?" Well, I may only be 2, but check out my collection of vinyl that would make any DJ worth their salt drool uncontrollably. And check out some of Daddy's mixes here: www.drrtynewyork.com. I'm learning from the best!
Come my children and let me Take You To Heaven. I'm lucky enough to live right smack dab in the middle of all this glorious history. Check me out here at the Paradise Garage. The DJ of all DJ's Larry Levan, gave a generation of people a reason to raise their hands up, let their inhibitions down and gave themselves hope and freedom through the music, sweating out their pain on the dance floor. This was before bottle service, doormen, velvet ropes and corporate sponsorship. This was an organic and raw movement bred from the beat and the heat coming off Mr. Levans turntables.
Here, at 647 Broadway is where another famous party got off the ground. The Loft was run by audiophile David Mancuso and was just that, a house party. All about the vibe of music, lights, sound quality and dancer - it was known for sound so pure some say it still has not been rivaled today. Many of the worlds top DJs credit David Mancuso as being 'the one' for them. The DJ that made them experience music in such a way that careers have been made chasing that dream to create that VIBE, that FLOW, and that feeling...when the track, time, space and movement line up in Gods eye and booom...you've seen heaven, and it feels MIGHTY REAL. It can't be explained, but if you've felt it, you know it.
This party then moved - to 99 Prince St. Again, it's in the middle of a swanky, touristy and overpriced neighborhood now, but back in the day the streets were crawling with the likes of JeanMichel Basquiat, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. SoHo used to be about ART (before that, manufacturing) Now it's about ::sigh:: shopping. You can still find artists on the street - but for some odd reason, alot of them are selling finger puppets. Some galleries still exist here, but you can just tell they're waiting for that 25 yr lease to expire so they can put up another H&M or something. Pffft. Ahhh well, before I get too annoyed let's move on to some other spots that tourists blythly walk by....
Check out VinylMania - it's still on Carmine St. and it's still a NYC staple for dance music vinyl. Stewart is still there, and Daddy has been shopping there since 1989! Look in the window and you can see primo pics of Larry Levan, and even an autographed picture of Martha Wash herself. Woof baby. Woooooof.
While NYC is fun, it's not THAT exciting all the time. Daddy's a pretty simple guy, and I like our weekly routine! We usually shop for records and then we get so excited that we rush right home to play them. I've become quite the selectress, if I do say so myself. I can smell a good beat and I let Daddy know which tracks get my paw-approval. We can't have any wack mixes coming outta here you know. I have a reputation!
Recently Mommy's favorite party Shelter has moved here, to Varick & Spring. She missed the old Hubert St. spot, Vinyl...and never made it uptown that often while it was there...but now that it's within walking distance Mommy is back on her 'sunday church' schedule....which means she gets up and walks me at 4am and then goes dancing till noon! I get to sleep in though....unless she's in the mood for a 'fitness walk' when she gets back. While the owners are out dancing, I usually sneak in a few practice mixes, you know...just to keep my skills sharp...ya never know when a girl-pup has to show up as a celebrity DJ. Drop it on the woofwoof! Sommmmmmmebody scream! 
posted by Phee-Phee @ 8:48 PM
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