Vegas, baby, Vegas - part I

After promoting & DJ'ing at Exposé on Thursday night, I headed home to pack my bags and close my eyes for a quick nap until Liz picked me up at 4am. But I can never sleep when I'm about to travel. There's something horrible and lovely about driving to the airport at 4 in the morning. The pain of exhaustion mixes with the excitement of a new adventure & the anxiety of flight. Shame the bar isn't open at 6am for Bloody's. Those always calm my nerves before take-off.

We arrived in Vegas at 9am and rented a van for the rest of our party (who had arrived the night before) to take a day trip to Zion . The weekend was a birthday celebration for Momo , 26. I had been hoping some friends would be up for a trip to Vegas because of a High School acquaintence that had I found on Myspace that happened to be a DJ at Jet Nightclub in the Mirage Hotel and Casino. We kept in touch and as soon as I had the opportunity, I told FunkyBadChad that I'd be in town. A graduate two years before me, I remember him very little and never spoke to him. He majored in drinking (according to his myspace). At that time, I had never even tasted a sip. Despite my band geek status, he was stoked for me to be in town and offered for me to spin with him during his residency set at Jet (voted recently as the best nightclub in Vegas and also visited recently by Leonardo DiCaprio according the the People Magazine I was reading on the airplane). I thankfully obliged.

As Liz and I rolled the van into the MGM Grand hotel where we stayed, the girls awaited our arrival with hugs and hangovers. Liz, a true Rockstar, accompanied the rest of the party to Zion, happy to sleep in the back of the van. I, however, decided to forgo the breathtaking scenery for the comforts of the hotel room. Nowhere else can you find the thick curtains that allow you to sleep the day away than in a hotel room, especially a Vegas hotel room. I had plans to visit the pools, but never left the luxurious hotel bed complete with 6 pillows and one long body cushion, only a slight representation of Be, who was probably arriving at her own adventure in Chicago at that very moment.

After everyone returned from their desert excursion and rested, we hit the casinos. Liz and I spotted a sushi restaurant in MGM Grand whose Rainbow rolls were de-fish-a-lish. We walked later to Bellagio to catch the water & light show (which of course we missed) but caught the amazing structures and artistic displays of the Bellagio otherwise. There we met up with Mel & Momo as well as a few of the Salt Lake Party Posse, Emily & Deuce. Emily and I watched Momo at the Roulette table, but after loosing $20 and then 7 hands of Black Jack in a row, I decided my luck was only to be found behind the decks, not in front of them. I retired to bed around 5am down $80, but a bunch of good times ahead.

The next day Liz and I found a nice breakfast cafe and then hit the pools. Yes, I say pools, plural, because there are 5 pools, 3 whirlpools a river and waterfalls amidst the complex's 'lush, tropical landscape'. This is why I love Vegas. Its so outrageous. One pool is a lazy river where you can rent innertubes for $16 a day and pretend you are floating downstream on the Yakima. Luckily, we were gifted some tubes from our neighbors and set out on the rafts to be drifted under fountains and in between splashing children. Strangely enough, I ran into a distant cousin that I see once a year at our family reunion (and who coincidentally happened to be Roseann's high school math teacher). This world is far too small.

That night we all met up in Mel & Momo's room to gather for the evening festivities. There we caught up with our other Seattle traveller, Mahogany and Night Queen, who brought all 4 of her recently single Salt Lake City girlfriends for a weekend of big city mahem.

Later that night, a few of us headed to the Grand Theatre to see Cirque Du Soleil's KA , the epic journey for which the entire theatre at the MGM Grand had been rebuilt. We were seated by characters, inhabitants of the village where the story takes place. I can't even explain how this production took my breath away. The scenes themselves were characters, the stage was dynamic and the heights that the actors went to in order to tell this story were incredible.

After being blown away by this bedazling performance, we had a mere 25 minutes to get across 'The Strip' to the Mirage and get into Jet before the guest list closed. While that seems like plenty of time to travel the length of about 2 miles, add such obstacles as two hundred people fresh from the production of KA standing in line for taxis, bumper to bumper traffic on the 8-lane highway itself, a monorail whose enterance can only be located through the jungles of Casinos built to keep you inside and thousands of tourists strolling the sidewalks with cameras in one hand and bottles of beer, cocktail glasses or bong-shaped margaritas in the other. In the end, the only way to get there in time was to run, weaving in and out of the crowds and cars. We made it at 12:08.

A little tip about clubbing in Vegas: It is SO not like Seattle. People actually go to clubs in Vegas. Thousands of people. So many people that you could stand in line for hours and not get in at all. There are three main ways to get into a Vegas club without waiting in line. First, find the short line. Next, you can 1) slip the door person some big bills to let your party in 2) buy table service, otherwise known as 'buying a bottle' (this is the recommended option) or 3) go to high school with the DJ. We chose #2 & #3 but pulled another $20 from the ATM just in case. 'Buying a bottle' means calling in a reservation earlier in the week to purchase a 5th of liquor for $400. To Seattle-ites that scoff at a $10 door fee and complain when there are no drink specials, $400 for a 5th of liquor seems like an outrageous amount of money. However, this includes mixers (not water or red bull -- be careful!), your own server, and -- this is the most important part -- a table. So, to recap: VIP entrance to big club in Vegas $35-$50, buying a bottle $400, having a place to sit down after dancing for 5-8 hours, priceless.

Before the show, we had met a few of our party for dinner at Dan Marino's Steakhouse in the Hooters Casino Hotel (why not?). But I have to admit, I could hardly eat because I was so nervous. Momo kept leaning over her ribs to laugh at me. She's seen me at many many shows and very rarely gets to enjoy how quiet I get when my stomach is all knotted up. 'Its good for you,' she said, giggling. I swallowed my lobster ravioli hard and tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a little choking squeek. But after a 25-minute run to the end of the strip, walking to the front of the line of a few hundred party goers to enter the intimate house room with 21 of my friends all dressed up in their club clothes and warm smiles, my nervousness drifted away, and I was excited for my first opportunity to play at one of the biggest clubs in the city where I was born -- Las Vegas.

stay tuned for part Deuce!

NEXT GIG: Tue Apr 17 @ Vibrator

Jen Woolfe, Luying & DJ Schlagre
and featuring the Tatoo Artist Yushi Takei @ The Eagle for Vibrator

The Eagle
314 E Pike St (Cross Street: Melrose Avenue)
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 621-7591

9pm-2am
No Cover. Yes Leather.

An 18 and Over Club Night is Finally Here

After being unable for years, the 18+ crowd is invited into the Chop for Broken Disco on Friday.

Thu Apr 12
NovaTron, Ben Shelton, Danger @ Contour
Jacob London @ Nijo
Colin, Blu, Wasabi & Julia @ Mercury (+Afterhours!)

Fri Apr 13
Johnny Monsoon, Scott Keith, Chronus & more @ Little Red Studio
BT, Junkie XL, Eva, Jason LeMaitre & Johnny Fever @ Heavens

BROKEN DISCO @ Chop Suey!
idol stage – 18+
JOHN TEJADA, LUSINE, Jerry Abstract vs. Nordic Soul
Visuals by PIXELFLIP
cozy make-out room – 21+
KOI Vanessa Nova & Noriko Kaji, GREG SKIDMORE, M'CHATEAU, INTROCUT
afterhours – 18+
DJ RECESS, SONNY CHIBA

Sat Apr 14
Head to Portland for NovaTron @ the Fez and Spektrum @ Pi-Rem

Sun Apr 15
Bryian Gorr, DJ Kyler, LadyJane DJ & Austin Payne play Revival @ Level 5 (Formerly Element)
Zen Circus @ Buddha Bar

Tue Apr 17
Jen Woolfe @ The Eagle for Vibrator
DJ Fuel @ Trinity

In Training

I've been travelling at least once a month since last June. Its fantastic, but it is wearing on me. Some of them are DJ related, some just great opportunities that I can't pass up. Its so great to have friends in different cities that I can call up for a spare couch, to show me around town, or throw me a dj bone. I've been blessed with Be as a travel buddy for most of them.

Lets map it:

2006
June-July: Europe. Berlin - Amsterdam - London - Milan - Cinque Terra Florence - Rome - Ischia - Mykonos - Ibiza (vacation of a lifetime)
Aug-Sept: Burning Man - Black Rock Desert, NV (dj gigs/spiritual growth)
Sept: 30 Miles outside Portland for Earthdance (dj)
Oct: Afterparty for Halloween in Boise, ID (dj)
Nov: Bambudda Lounge - San Francisco (dj)
Dec: Luftansia Holiday Party - Boston (dj) with a brief day in New York.

2007
Jan: Adlib's Bday Bash/Zoe's homecoming in Hawaii (vacation)
Feb: Urban Revival in Portland (dj)
Pi-Rem in Portland (dj)
1 additional weekend in Portland for a 'Romantic Getaway' thanks to Flexcar's member's benefits. (relationship growth)
Mar: Whistler (vacation)
Apr: Jet Nightclub at Mirage Casino in Vegas (dj)
Quincy's in Grand Junction, CO (dj)
May: Perhaps Vancouver. Perhaps not.
June: Esthetic Evolution, Twin Falls ID (dj)
July: Sun Lakes - Eastern Washington (family reunion)
Aug-Sept: Burning Man (dj/spiritual growth)

Sometimes I think the Universe has me 'in training'.

NEXT GIGs: Rebar - Seattle & Jet - Las Vegas

Thur April 5th @ Rebar

DJ Kyler (Sugar/C-89.5)
Wasabi (Cherry)
DJ Fuel (http://www.myspace.com/djfuelusa)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge)

live performances by Retro Vivas & Rough Riders
live art by Night Queen

$5
1114 Howell St.

Sat April 7 @ Jet in Las Vegas!

FunkyBadChad (JET)
Jen Woolfe (Seattle/Dreemworld)

JET Nightclub
Mirage Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, NV

This Weekend is No Joke

FRI MAR 30
Mark Farina @ Neumos
Benny Bennasi @ LSC

SAT MAR 31
Spy vs Spy @ Little Red Studio
HeavyLIght, Theory in Motion, novaTRON, Mendicants, Jacob London, Ramiro,
Ben Shelton, NoiseMaker, Von Dewey, Psyop, DANGER, WOnderbugg, TM Anderson,
Jisaan, OMG, Love Virus, DJ Krass, etc.

Le Freak @ Wild Rose
Julia, Blu, Amateur Youth, Teenbuger

Go Go Bang Bang @ Baltic Room
LA Kendall, Freddie King of Pants, DJ Glitterpants, Hotplay

SUN APR 1
Banco De Gaia @ Chop Suey
Flammable @ Re-bar

NEXT GIG: New Burner Night @ Waids

There's a new restaurant in town and the burner community is taking over its Tuesday night entertainment. If you haven't seen Waid's on 12th & Jackson yet, stop by tonight for singer/songwriter Jen Wagner (who also opened for us at Des Amis), myself & some fantastic Haitian cuisine.

Jen Wagner 7:30-9:30
Jen Woolfe 9:30-?

No Cover tonight. Donations only
1212 E. Jefferson near 12th St.

The Grass is Always Greener

How to Play Records and Get Paid
http://thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=171594

FRI MAR 16 -
Scott Binder, LA Kendall, Carl Thompson, Norm Stradley ~ Rebirth @ Heavens
Jimmy Hoffa, Scratchmaster Joe, Bo ~ Electric Avenue @ Lower Level
Rich Carrick, Gabriel Alexander, Ramiro & Mark F-R @ SeeSound Lounge

SAT MAR 17 -
Jacob London, Uniting Souls & 4th City ~ Safari @ Baltic Room
Girl4Girl @ Neumos ~ New Venue!

TUE MAR 20 -
New Burner Night!
Jen Wagner (singer/songwriter) & Jen Woolfe @ Waids

NEW MIX: Transcend

I finally got a new iRiver so you'll start to see new mixes more often again. This one is a lot of my new Progressive Electro tracks and even some Progressive Breaks. The theme depicts reaching, enjoying, then surpassing new levels.

New Mix: Transcend


Title-Artist-Label

01. Transcend Carole Pope feat. Hatrias Bug Eyed
02. Thunsird Bjoern Stolpmann Tongut
03. Space Force Horse (dub) Rmx by Rickey Ryan Blendbrank Bug Eyed
04. What You Mean Santori & Jack in the City Loud Bit
05. Metro Kiev Blendbrank Bug Eyed
06. Back to New York Twin Pitch Black Jack
07. Hitgirl Sebastian Leger Black Jack
08. Its Too Late (Rmx by Dirty South) Evermore vs Dirty South Superstar
09. Seven Oxia vs Gino's and Snake Notorius Elektro
10. Winter of our Discoteque xVectors Oscarr
11. You're my Kind Elektrochemie Unknown
12. The Ride Digitalis Sinister
13. Plague Locust Cyberfunk
14. Come Closer Digital Breaks Foundation Boombox
15. Reloaded Alex P. Red Hammer
16. Pull Up Your Pants Rmx by DJ Fuel Maxi White
17. Beach Power Ante Perry Moonbootique

Weekend Wonders

Fri March 9 ~

Innerflight Presents...
HIPP-E @ Tost
w/ J-Sun, Packy & Trevor
Tost in Fremont
513 N 36th Street

UHF/Shameless Presents...
Electric Avenue @ CHAC Lower Level
Adlib, Jen Woolfe & Eric Miller
1621 12th Ave in Capital Hill

Sat March 10 ~

Jen Woolfe and the Rockstar Orphan Crew takes Portland!
Bump us on nwtekno!

Spektrum Saturdays @ Pi-Rem
w/ DJ Messiah & Infinikid
433 NW 4th Ave Portland
FREE!

In Seattle, don't miss

Uniting Souls & Chop Suey present...
OM WINTER SESSIONS TOUR
Johnny Fiasco, Justin Martin, Dj Bryce and Trevor!

And.... that very night Jen Woolfe's favorite
Breaks DJ (yes, she's sad to miss him)

Lee Coombs @ Neumos

Social Living Productions Presents
4 Seasons

w/ Lee Coombs, The Seedling Escape
Neumos: Saturday March 10th 9pm-2am
925 East Pike St. $10 (21+)

http://www.socialliving.com/4seasons


Now that's and exciting weekend...

NEXT GIGs: Sushi 'Tric Pi

Three Great FREE Nights to see me this week!

Thu Mar 8 @ Hot Saki
w/ J-Sun, Kadeejah Streets, Packy and raw fish
Nijo Sushi
83 Spring St (Cross Street: Post Avenue)
FREE! Happy Hour at 10pm

Fri Mar 9 @ Electric Avenue
w/ Adlib & Eric Miller
C.H.A.C. Lower Level
1621 12th Ave in Capital Hill
FREE!

Sat Mar 10 @ Pi-Rem in Portland!
Spektrum Saturdays
w/ DJ Messiah & Infinikid
433 NW 4th Ave
FREE!

This Weekend Feels the March Chill

Fri Mar 2
Jen Woolfe @ ToST 6:30 - 8:30 before Free First Fridays w/ Naha Army!
AUNT JAMAMAS BIG BAND VIGILANTES @ Blue Moon Tavern

Sat Mar 3
Menami's Bday Celebration @ Nijo ~ Shameless
Shringar @ CHAC ~ Infinite Connections

Sun Mar 4
Soul Food Sundays @ The Satellite

NEXT GIG: Fri Mar 2 ~ Happy Hour @ Tost

I'll be at Tost tonight. Perfect place for Friday chillin'.

Jen Woolfe @ ToST 6:30 - 8:30
before Free First Fridays w/ Naha Army!
Bump This - http://nwtekno.org/vb/showthread.php?threadid=110575&eventid=28075
Tost is 513 N 36th Street in Fremont and its Free

After that, I'll also head down to Seattle's Historic Hippy Hangout the Blue Moon Tavern to check out Sklobot's sax-a-licious sounds as he plays with AUNT JAMAMAS BIG BAND VIGILANTES. A very strange brew indeed.

Aunt Jamamas B. B. V...
http://www.myspace.com/ajbbv

Blue Moon Tavern
http://www.speakeasy.org/~priapus/bluemoon.htm

NEXT GIG: Thur March 1 @ Rebar

Leschi Lounge Productions Presents...

Exposé @ Rebar

DJ Harmonix our Guest DJ from Portland and a resident at The Cuff
DJ Fuel whose luscious new tracks can be heard on C-89.5
Jen Woolfe co-founder of the legendary Leschi Lounge & Diva of delicious Dance/House Pop

and Live Performance by the former Trax Troop
The Rough Riders (www.theroughridersonline.com)

Live Art by the beautiful Night Queen(Leschi Lounge)

Don't miss this Extravagant
Grand Opening of Exposé!

Live Show 10:15-11
House Beats 11-2am
1114 Howell St.
$5

Eliminate Competition. Embrace Community.

Thu Feb 22
Innerflight @ Nijo
Levi, DJ Venus & DJ Keoki @ LSC

Fri Feb 22
Naha, Justin Byrnes, Travis Baron, Jizosh,
M'chatea & MC Aton Bomb ~ Knight Riders Inc @ CHAC Lower Level

Karl Kamakahi, Trevor Vichas, Zacharia &
Jason Curtis @ SeeSound Lounge

Sat Feb 23
Rootabreaka DJs, NovaTron, Mychosis ~ Bronze Bagel @ Fenix

Sun Feb 25
Zen Circus @ Buddah Bar
Flammable @ Rebar

All In Due Time

I broke my sobriety yesterday, and no, it wasn't the first time. I'd been doing pretty well at 1 drink a week since New Years until last night. Even though I'd already had a Christalline Cosmopolitan last Friday at the Tamarind Tree (great spot - Thanks Jeremy!), I talked myself into the 'Sunday starts a new week' line and ordered a Red Bull & Jager in a tall glass with ice, using my free drink ticket. I managed to give the other free drink ticket away before I used it on myself. I sipped on this along with the Kombucha Tea I snuck into the bar. Some substitute that is working out to be. I bet it tastes really good with vodka.

I felt perfect until I was playing my set and some very lovely nice enablers kept coming back to the dj booth with shots of something-or-other. I took the apple ciddery one. I think later I took the lemon drop. So three drinks down, but I have to admit my set was pretty bangin'. The monitors were really crappy and I couldn't hear anything unless I used the headphones. So I know some of the beat matching was pretty off, but the dance floor never fully cleared, so everyone was having a great time. Nobody cared. Least of all, me.

So this morning I felt pretty oogly as 3 drinks is now, at 31, the equivalent of 6 at 21. But I cooked a big pancake and some yummy Morning Star Sausage Patties and now I'm feeling pretty good. I could use a nap. I was supposed to go up to the Summit today with some new friends Be met at Sugar last night. There's 6 inches of new snow, which is phenominal since we haven't had any new for like 3 1/2 weeks. But its a holiday so I decided to wait the day out and go up tomorrow when everyone is at school or work. Snow all week, they say!

Seems like the life, eh? It is.

But its not all parties and snowboarding. Well, it kind of is, but its still work, too. Since I got laid off my job 3 weeks ago, I've been busier than ever. I wake up every day by 8:30 and do a little Yoga. Then onto the computer until Be walks in the door by 5. Sometimes I even have lunch. Most of it is keeping up relationships. Promoting shows, sending emails, keeping my web site up-to-date. Managing details of coming events. Flyers, business cards, invitations, myspace messages. Evites. Phone calls. My new title should be 'Event Planner'. Occationally I clean the bathroom. Very occationally I vacuum the floors. Or write. At night I go to support other artists or have a gig myself. Once a week I pick away learning the guitar. I've played a few sets at home when the kitties aren't having a nap on the turntables. Sklobot came by once for a practice session. I haven't even touched the music software that I want to learn.

But flyers are off to the press for our new night at Rebar, March 1st.

And I am going snowboarding Tuesday and Thurdsay.

6 new inches!

All in due time.

Monumental Weekend Ahead

Fri 16
Plane Site @ Mr. Spots Chai House
ARTIFACT Art Show @ F-Stop Studios
DJ DAb, Manos, Recess @ Electric Avenue

Sat 17
Kinetic II @ Pacific Science Center
SunTzu Sound 4 Year Anniv Party @ Baltic Room

Sun 18
Jen Woolfe, Mary Jane DJ, Dj*JOY @ Sugar
Fundraiser for Domestic Violence

NEXT GIG: Sunday Feb 18 @ Sugar

Its a 3-day weekend!

Girls like it Dirty
A very special benefit to Help Stop Domestic Violence

Tag Team Hip Hop/Dance set by
Mary Jane DJ * Dj*JOY
Dance & House by Jen Woolfe

Club Sugar
916 E Pike
8pm - 2am
21+

Suggested donation $5
Raffle
Free Massages

NEXT GIG: Tue Feb 13 @ Baltic Room

Oscillate @ Baltic Room
a special benefit for Kadeejah Streets

Ramiro (uniting souls)
DJ Collage (masse one)
J-SUN (innerflight)
Jen Woolfe (leschi lounge)
Teknosis (Numeriklab)

9pm, 21+, $5
//electro//breaks//techno//glitch

A ToST to Bloody Mr. Green

Every Wed at Merchants - Skobot doing live sax w/ Jason Curtis

Thu 8
Robb Green, Colby B, Luying, not you @ Mercury

Fri 9
Cherry's last night at War Room
Innerflight @ ToST
Shameless Presents My Bloody Valentine @ Rebar

Sat 10
Kris Moon, The Googly & Kristina Childs @ Rebar

Sun 11
Miles Maeda plays Flammable @ Rebar

Electric Urban Allure

Fri Feb 2 - Adlib, Shameless w/ Electric Avenue @ CHAC

Sat Feb 3rd - Allure Salon Grand Opening
4pm - 7pm
2915 1st Ave
Seattle Wa 98121

If you are up for a Road Trip, check THIS out. My first Portland gig!

NEXT GIG: Sat Feb 3 in Portland

Urban Revival

12 Seattle Performers and 6 Portland All-Stars
@ Velvet Music Box - Portland
415 SW 13th Ave
18+ Event
$10 Presale, $5 after 3am
www.brownpapertickets.com

Artists:
SEA: Thery in Motion, Jen Woolfe, Mendicants, Von Dewey, Ben Shelton, DJ Sonny Chiba, Novatron, Trevor, Mark F-R, Adlib, Blue PDX: Submarine, Little Terror, Deaf Child, The Bassist, Sence, A*O

nwtekno thread is outta control!

Tea is the New Whine

I had the most wonderful breakfast this morning. 1 apple & 1 pear chopped and mixed with plain yogurt topped with strawberries and assorted nuts. Love to your digestive track! Yum! This year has marked the beginning of many changes, and one of those changes is... Hold, on, I have to go to the bathroom. Okay, I'm back. One of those changes is my focus on health and nutrition. I have to say this change actually started with Be. After Burning Man, as a gift to herself, she decided to go sober for a year. Her sobriety also encompassed a change in eating & sleeping habits. More sleep and Organic foods. More vegetables, fruits and grains. After gorging on chocolate and candy during Halloween, she decided to turn her 7-year vegetarianism into vegan. And after visiting a magnificently delicious all Raw foods restaurant in San Francisco called Gratitide, she almost went all raw. Luckily, she decided against completely raw when her resources mentioned that changing to raw too quickly could cause a person to form allergies to regular vegetables.

I watched her transformation closely, impressed with her determination (which I generally refer to as 'stubbornness'). Her skin cleared up and her eyes brightened. Sometimes her pupils were so big, I would secretly smell her breath for herb. There was none. Her health was truly vibrant. I began to wonder exactly what 13 years of nearly daily alcohol intake actually does to ones liver. I thought about how it would be nice to not have to overdose on vitamins in order to help my body recover from the weekend. And, most importantly, the current treatment of my body was causing me to get fat. Ok, so that was the real reason.

After New Years Eve, I decided to make the plunge, if only for a while.

Its amazing what one can learn when they deprive themselves of that which they are so accustomed. I'm not quite as extreme as Be is. I'll probably never give up caffeine (the tech geek's cocaine!) and my current favorite snack is still pickles with cheese. (Don't forget to drink the pickle juice. Very good for you). And while I haven't cut out alcohol completely, I have cut down to less than 1 a week. I knew that alcohol would be my biggest challenge, and it is. Hard liqueur has not been a big deal, though I did indulge in a Kahlua and Cream in Hawaii, but I do believe that is the opposite of 'hard liqueur'. Oh yeah, and I did have 1 sake during a group sushi dinner which I attribute to peer pressure.

One thing I've learned, among the many, is that I love the taste of beer and wine. Seattle is a metropolis for Microbrews and our wineries are globally known. The second thing I learned is the sheer availability of alcohol. I could drink for free on most days. Our break room at work always had good beer in the fridge and wine in the cupboards. As a DJ, I could definitely drink for free during nights I was playing and many other nights from friends who wanted to give back some love for my never-ending plight to produce parties with great vibes. And wine with dinner is truly a taste of heaven.

Most of it is just changing your habits. And let me tell you, it is not easy. Last night I tried a non-alcohlic beer, Erdinger Non-alcoholic Weiss (that was surprisingly good) to indulge my fancy for the taste. I sneak bottles of Kumbucha, which I found is also a favorite among DJ's Packy & Kadeejah Streets, into clubs to fulfill the need to hide my social nervousness behind my glass. They are easy to sip on and even have a bit of an alcohol taste to them due to the fermentation process (but beware of the 'worms'). Thrown into a large glass with ice, they look like a double Red Bull & vodka (and often have a similar effect). I no longer work at my daytime job, so the temptation during the end of work day has been tucked away nicely. I completely avoid the wine section of Trader Joes altogether. And at home, we have every tea imaginable and some that are illegal in most states.

Its been hard, really hard. I don't know if this is a complete lifestyle change or just an dry run in discipline. Be says she thought it would be hard at first then get easier, but its quite the opposite. I agree. Spending 2-3 nights a week in bars and clubs and NOT drinking is hard. But the keys to success, at least for me, are letting go of each desire as it tugs at my shirt tails and the support of my friends. And knowing that tomorrow I will feel so much better, about myself and my body, when I wake up.

NEXT GIG: Thur Feb 1st @ Club Lagoon

Thur Feb 1, 2007
DJ Fuel, Vudu, Jen Woolfe @ More
No Cover!

This club has a Speed Boat inside of it and a Race Car on top. Seriously.

Club Lagoon
210 Broadway Ave East
Seattle, WA 98108

Things that go Bump in the Night

Fri Jan 26
ToST Fridays w NAHA & Aurora Queen
Honey @ Sugar w/ Lady Jane DJ and Dj*JOY
Electric Avenue @ CHAC w/ Innerflight & Shameless
Rebirth @ Heavens w/ Scott Binder, Jen Woolfe, Quinn & La Mode

Sat Jan 27
Bronze Bagel @ Fenix w/ Innerflight, Manos, Nordic Soul, Michael Manahan & more

community cash flow

The morning I arrived back to work from Hawaii last week, my C.E.O. asked me to accompany him and the HR rep to a private meeting where they announced that I was to be laid off. Its not too surprising -- the company itself is struggling, which is part of the reason I decided to work there in the first place. Seems strange to say that I was hoping for a layoff, but I was. Except for taking a few long-term trips this last year (Europe and Buring Man), this has been the most overworked year I've ever had. Working full time in the day and maintaining a 4-6 gig a month average as a DJ was no easy task. I was seriously burning out.

My story is no different from many DJ's in Seattle. We are all often struggling to work in the off-hours to pay for our passion. It is extremely difficult, given the city's current political & social climate, to allow for the passion to pay for itself. Every DJ is a promoter. Every promoter is a patron. Our fight is not for fame, but for the freedom to play, to dance, and to live.

So I am blessed once again with the financial freedom, if only for a short while, to figure out how to bring more quality music to YOU, my friends and family in the community, and bring back enough to pay my artists and my bills. So if you ask to be put on the list and I say I cannot, please don't be upset. Remember that you are helping myself and the community grow. And if you really can't pay and want to see the show, I will never turn you away. Please chat with me. There's plenty more the community can use than cash.

What comes up must Get Down!

Fri Jan 19

7-9 - Uniting Souls happy hour @ SeeSound w/ Manos
9-10:30 - Rat City Rollergirls Fundraiser @ Elletee
10:30-12 - Honey @ Sugar w/ Dj*JOY
12-2 - Electric Avenue feat. Jacob London, Shameless, & More
2-4 - Nobel - Posh Afterhours @ Contour

Sat Jan 20 -
Seattle-lites invate PDX ...
Erin O'Connor & Hyasynth @ Lovely/Saucebox w/Derek & Cyn
Manos, Deafchild & Jeremy Nail @ Pi-rem
After Dark w/Jeromy Nail, Matt e Starr & more @ Ararat

... & and Oregonians invate Seattle!
Andrew Mataus (Gaia Tribe, Eugene) @ Merchants - FREE

the first weekend of Oh Seven

is chill...

Thur Jan 4
Adlib & Love Virus @ at Contour

Fri Jan 5
DJ Eddie @ Tost - Free!
Naha, Fortune Kiki, DJ N8 @ War Room

Sat Jan 6
DJ Fucking in the Streets @ Chapel
Disuko! W/ Menami & Recess @ Nijo

new mix for the new year

Before the clock turned zero-seven, I was granted the honor of recording another set on Oseao.com's Jon Lemmon Presents. Please check it out and let me know what you think!
Jen Woolfe live on OseaO.com

More info about Jon Lemmon Presents & Viva Recordings:
Wednesdays 6 - 8pm PST
Jon Lemmon Presents is Jon's showcase to offer new sounds from his label, Viva Recordings and just generally showcase the sounds that he is feeling. This show ranges from House to Downtempo but always keeping it deep. Check out what is going on with his label, Viva.

More info about OseaO Internet Radio:
Our main studio in Seattle and our ever growing satelite studios (presently in Brooklyn NY, LA LA land and San Francisco) help us search the planet for the very best in electronic underground music. From the artists that create the tracks to the DJ's that create the sets that create the playlists of the tracks we offer a high fidelity view of the ever changing front line of beat oriented audio. Not sure what dubstep sounds like or where it fits in the history of music? Our Genre section caters to the music Professor in you. For more in depth studies our affiliations with digital download services allow you to own the sounds that you find. Find it, Spin it, Crunch it, Share it. OseaO, the sea between the oceans of sound.

Catlick Guilt

I was feeling guilty for not getting my cat a Christmas gift. But then I remembered that he's Jewish.

Happy New Year!!!
Friday - Colby B – Comeback @ Chop Suey

Saturday - BassNectar, Michael Manahan, Naha - Chrome Toast @ Fenix (formerly Premier)

Sunday - The New Years Eve Capital Hill Crawl
Start at Chapel with Kadeejah Streets, Walk to C.H.A.C. to catch Patrick Turner at the IOSIS/Uniting Souls party, then run down to Lo-Fi at 2am to catch my set with Shameless Afterhours!

NEXT GIG: New Years Eve @ Lo-Fi

Fourthcity, Shameless and SunTzu Sound are proud to present

/// MAIN ROOM

JACOB LONDON - Exclusive Live Set
[Classic Music Company - Doubledown - UFreqs]
www.jacoblondon.com

KID HOPS vs. SUNTZU SOUND - DJ Set
[Kexp 90.3 / Kbcs 91.3]
www.kidhops.com - www.suntzusound.com

TRUCKASAURAS - Live Set
www.fourthcity.net

+ an exclusive afterhours party presented by
SHAMELESS
www.simplyshameless

DJ Sets from
RECESS & JEN WOOLFE
along with MC ANTON BOMB
Visuals by PIXELFLIP

/// FRONT ROOM
FOURTHCITY DJs
www.fourthcity.net

>Great View of the Space Needle<
>Free Champagne Toast at Midnight<

$15 Limited Advance Tickets!
$20 at the Door
$5 After 2am

Lo Fi Performance Space
429B Eastlake Ave. East
9pm Doors - Afterhours until 4am
http://www.lofiseattle.org

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays to everyone! A little audio story from NPR to remind us that we are loving, giving, adaptable creatures and we control our own destiny.

Mixed Families Set to Celebrate 'Chrismukkah'

what, no power?

Fri Dec 15 – Scott Binder, Jen Woolfe, La Mode & Quinn @ Heavens

Sat Dec 16
Prefunk at the Chapel w/ Dj Julia & Josh Roberts
then...
Packy, J-Sun, Ramiro & Jen Woolfe @ Merchants Café – FREE
Inertia Labs Buckaroo Blowout @ C.H.A.C.
Chloe, Chronus, Carl Thompson & DJ13 @ SeeSound Lounge

Wed Dec 20
Meditation @ Toi w Residents Nth, Ronin, Bishop & Miss Korin

NEXT GIGs: A Rebirth & A Reincarnate

Friday, Dec 15 @ Heavens

Rebirth

Scott Binder (SF House Music/Hitgirls.net)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge, Session)
La Mode (Seattle)
Quinn (Seattle)
FREE Until 11pm

Saturday, Dec 16 @ Merchants


Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge, Session)
Ramiro (Uniting Souls)
Packy (Uniting Souls)
FREE all NIGHT!

All You Holiday Party Whores

Ditch your holiday party... or better yet, bring the office peeps out with you!

Fri Dec 8
Kadeejah Streets, J-Sun and a Packy @ ToST

Sat Dec 9
Go to Portland for the Om Winter Sessions
Johnny Fiasco, Justin Martin, Adam Wolfe, Alden Brown, Andrew Matteus, Indigo Montoya, Trevor, Lance Conner, Loki, Mirror

Tue Dec 12
Roger O'Donnel of the Cure @ Baltic Room
Dieselboy @ War Room

NEXT GIG: Artreach @ SeeSound Lounge

Artreach is a non-profit arts organization that aims to increase demand for art among young professionals in King County by promoting approachable art.

Date: Tuesday, December 5th at 7pm

Venue: SeeSound Lounge
115 Blanchard

Participating artists: Bret Dedman, Darren Drew, Twozdai Hulse, Pham Quoc Hung, Aaron Jasinski, Todd Karam, Chris Sheridan, Kate Wesselman

Hosts: Samantha, Steve, Jason, Natala, Ruthie, and Phil.

Music: Vudu, Jeremy Ball, Jen Woolfe

More info: www.artreachseattle.org

control

Sometimes, when one has not
complete control a thought,
the implementation of the idea can go awry
and follow a path that was not mapped.

Yet to hold unto control takes such that
the Life intend for the creative path is spent.

And so you release the rope
that hold unto the Starboard side,
in hopes that it shall not sink the ship
but instead, sail silently to the tide.

--- for the weekend
Fri Dec 1
novaTRON vs Shapeshifter @ the last Polyphonic!
Sandra Collins, Vello VirKhaus & Eva @ Element

Sat Dec 2
Sheiny, Dj*JOY, JW @ Double Header
CLEAR - a benefit @ Capitol Hill Arts Center
continuing with Shringara @ Lower Level (18+)

NEXT GIG: Boobs & Beers IV

Its another rendition of Boobs & Beers for M to Tha's birthday!!

Sat Dec 2nd @ Double Header
Help us take over Seattle's oldest Gay Bar

Featuring Seattle DJ's:
DJ Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge)
DJ Sheiny (Heisham)
Dj*JOY (Seattle)

Featuring special guest:
Skobot playing live Sax!

THE SHOW STARTS AT 10 PM!
Drag Kings - Go-Go Dancers
Burlesque - Drag Queens

NO COVER for this night!! Donation only
407 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 464-9918

Release the Funk

Our trip to San Francisco was amazing! Be and I flew in Thursday night. Steph picked us up from the Oakland airport and we caught up with each other's lives quickly on our way into the city. There, we met up with Chrissy, a friend I'd met during college when I was studying abroad in Ireland. We hadn't seen each other in 10 years!! In fact, we'd last seen each other in San Francisco. She had flown over from Queens, NY to visit her sisters for New Years and I headed down to tear up the town. Almost exactly 10 years ago. So strange how life is syncronous.

Robb Green & Mugs met up with us as well. They gave us the royal treatment all weekend, offering up Robb's bachelor pad in the Mission district and pointing us towards all the best places in town. We spent Friday at the thrift stores finding old threads. That night Be went to visit her friend Jake from high school and I went to a club in the SOMISSPO district called Mighty. It was a large brick building with an outside smoking area. Inside was a long bar and a medium-sized dance floor with a stage up front. The entire dancefloor was surrounded in 4 corners with 12-foot tall speakers that vibrated bass throughout your body. The floor was just poplated enough with smiles and people already into the vibe. There was another small room with local DJ's on the side for a different atmosphere playing minimal house and breaks. I ran into an old acquaintance from EWU. I swear the Eagles are everywhere! I can't believe people even remember me half the time.

The opening DJs were Murphstar from SEISMIC and Mancub, a member of the Space Cowboys, an SF-based burning man/entertainment group. The headliner was Krafty Kutz on his Freakshow album tour. I'm not generally into Breakbeats, but there's something about Krafty Kutz' electro funk style that made a House head like me boogie big time. Krafty Kutz reached deep into my consciousness with each breakdown and pulled up thoughts, emotions that I'd been wrestling with all week. They entered into my head and left my body as I worked out my inhibitions to dance, my discomfort with the new space and of the intensity of the city's electricity. They take their music quite seriously in SF, and Krafty Kutz was all business. The business of healing. The release of all that weights us down. And after the release of the funk that lies within, the celebration of the freedom of our souls through dance. Through rhythm. Moving our bodies in sync with the vibration of the earth, of the city, of our brothers and sisters dancing it off besides. We live the next day in peace. Until it builds again.

I have yet to learn that skill as a DJ. I can smooth people out and get them going again, build them up from the ground to the roof. But I have yet to practice the programing it takes to drop deep into a soul, pull from within the things that hold them back and release all that is held up through the sky. I want to do that. I want to heal.

After the Krafty Kutz show, we headed to a small studio space. There we met up with about 8 more people and chilled for the rest of the night. They had turntables set up in the corner, so Robb and I had to show off our tag team skills. Its so incredible how our musical tastes mesh, like PB & J. It was only our 4th time playing together. The night was a catalyst for his DJ presence in SF and I was happy to light the match. He, of course, is holding the cigar.

I didn't sleep well the next day. In fact, I didn't sleep well the night before, either. Something about the sounds of the city streets or the excitement of the weekend. When Be arrived from seeing Jake, I was really tired but ready for my first gig in the SF. Robb and Mugs drove us to Bumbuddha Lounge, a bar in the Tenderloin area where I was to play. We sat down at a table in the restaurant area to grab a bite first. I mentioned to the hostess that we had to eat quickly because I was playing in the bar at 9. She must have told the server because when he brought out our food he said it was on the house since I was playing. That's a nice change from Seattle where some bars have a difficult enough time paying for your services much less your meal. It was nice to be so well-recieved. The restaurant-bar was set adjacent to the cities' legendary Phoenix Hotel where Mugs's friends coincidentally were having a birthday party. Apparently the Hotel is known as a party spot and on Sunday nights in the Summer it hosts pool parties.

I finished up my soup and took up the spot behind the decks in the bar. The mixer was not a mixer that I'd had any previous experience with. Since I've been hosting my own parties for a while, I haven't had the pleasure of learning brand new eqiupment in the fly in quite a while. Its both a frustrating and invigorating experience. It took me about 40 mintues to figure out how to work with it and get used to the sound, because I could only hear one channel at a time instead of both channels. Quite a challenge! But after that first 40 minutes, I had a great time and was even more stoked when I found that my set was a half-hour longer than I thought.

Scott Binder, another Seattle-lite transplanted to SF, had booked me for the gig. He showed up not long after I started, in time to clear the restaurant area into his own private dance floor. While the bar area was the perfect pre-funk, the restaurant was turned into a nicely filled-out dance floor. It was a great place to spend a Saturday evening if you were in the mood for some great tunes and good drinks without the spendy door fee. The DJ after me was a woman from Spain called Nono. Our styles blended spendidly as she pulled more than a few records from her bag that I also keep tucked away in mine. She was extremely nice and a very smooth DJ. She'd just been in Seattle to play at Trinity's Card Room, the same location where Adlib, Vudu and I just finished our first monthly.

Be headed home shortly after 1am and I bid goodbye to Robb and Mugs. I headed with Scott to Supper Club to catch the end of DJ Heather's Chicago fusion of funk. She was there with Seattle-lites Carlos Mendoza & Peter Christianson, aka Lawnchair Generals. It was fantastic to see a crowd still kickin' it long after the liquer sales stopped. Makes more sense to me to let a crowd dance off their liquer until the wee hours of the night instead of having them down their drinks at 2am and kick them out to drive home, cause fights and make noise on the streets. For the kids at Supper Club at 4am, going home was the last thing on their mind. And Heather was happy to help them shake off the Funk.

The club itself was set up very differently. There was a bar and dance floor in the middle of the room, surrounded by stairs that met up on both sides to a second floor. Large king beds, used for dining in the day, surrounded the entire perimeter of the space. The lights were pretty bright, though there was also a red and blue neon light that broke up the white.

We finally left at around 4:30 am. I chatted with Scott about our new Seattle monthly starting Dec 15th @ Heavens. I'm quite sure the vibe I caught last weekend in SF will be fundamental in the city's Rebirth. We, like many others building nights in the coming year, have every intention of reminding this city how important it is to release that which weighs heavy on your soul. The funk that fills your mind must find a way to leave your body. We know just what ails you. And how to let it go.

shake off that turkey tonight

Fri Nov 24
Tryptophunk @ ToST for FREE
Naha, Recess, Justin Byrns, Teknosis & MC Atom Bomb

Gettin' Jacob London @ The War Room
w/ Kadeejah Streets & Wesley Holmes

Nick Warren w/ Eva @ Element

Sat Nov 25
Eddie @ ToST - 4-hr set

The Glitch Mob @ Fenix (formerly Premier)
w/ Sporoque, Break Beat Buddah, Arc Project & more

Nu Bass @ Dantes
KJ Sawka, Dig Dug, and more...

jenny.fm

Last night I attended a Legislative Reception for the Seattle Nightlife and Music Association. The organization is a coalition of bar, night club, restaurant and music interests formed to educate elected officials, civic and community leaders, and the media on the serious issues facing the music and nightlife industry in Seattle. It was formed as a reaction to the Major's Proposed Nightlife Ordinanace, whose laws such as the new Sprinkler Requirements has caused such beloved clubs as the Rebar to go up for sale or close down completely. But the organization will serve many other issues as well. I strongly urge you to check out this organization and to join. Here's why.

During the reception last night, I was speaking City Council President, Nick Licata. He asked what bar I was from and I said, 'Actually, I'm a dj'. And then he said, 'Oh, from what Radio Station?'. The SeattleNMA was formed to educate elected officials, community leaders and the media. But before we can educate them about serious issues, we must first educate them about us! We need your voice, your email, your face, your issues. The bars in the city are coming together to create that voice. The musicians in the city must, too.

NEXT GIGs: Trinity & Rebar

Thur Nov 9
Its the Last night of Jacks, Queens & Kings!
combined with birthdays for Masil, Eddie & Dirty
start off in the Trinity Card Room at 7pm for DJ's Elletee & Sheiny
then at 10pm we head to Nijo for happy hour sushi
& beats by J-SUN, Kadeejah Streets & Jen Woolfe

Fri Nov 10
Mike Grant @ Rebar
local support by AC Lewis, (SunTzu),
Trevor (Abstract Earth Project) and
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge)

Trinity Nightclub
111 Yesler
7pm-10
No Cover

Rebar
1114 Howe St (boren & howell)
$10 if you give them my name

Take Back the House!

'Take Back the House!' ... cries my neighbor this morning, in his red robe and slippers. He burst out of his door as he heard me leaving ours. 'Got your registration card? id?' I was slightly annoyed, but also very glad! No, I didn't have those things. But now I do. I can vote today.

You should too.

Not sure how? Read this.

Not registered? Do so for next time.

get the massage

Fri Nov 03
POLYPHONIC w/ Mr Leisure, Justin Byrnes, dj Saigon & Manos

On Saturday, call Rachael for a massage
http://www.skalamassage.com/

Then Saturday night the Rockstar Orphans reUNITE, bigger and less compressed
Burning Man Seattle, decompression party featuring our very own Adlib and ESNCE.

NEXT GIG: Day of the Dead

or in proper spanish, El Dia de los Muertos

Wed Nov 1st
Celebrate the Mexican All Saints Day and Rochelle & Heidi's birthday!!

Squid Leader (Shameless/Numeriklab)
Kadeejah Streets w/ NightTrain (Innerflight)
Manos (Sub-merge/Uniting Souls)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge)
and surprise guest appearance

@ Dantes
5300 Roosevelt Way
$5 donation

Remember the Druids

20th Oracle Gathering: The Other Side @ CHAC

On October 28th at the Capitol Hill Arts Center, wander through a visual and auditory kaleidoscope that will alter your senses and burn limitations. Travel through a labyrinth that will take you down into the creepy depths of the shadows and up through the bright, expansive light.

Take ritualistic journey through the density of cultural dissonance at the midnight prayerformance. As we release the chains of fear and attachment we herald the collapsing of duality. Suspended in the void of possibility together we will carve a new dimension of earthly experience birthing our community to whole new spiral of our cultural evolution.�

In this world, you will have an opportunity to step through the veil, another side of perception, or perhaps to realize you have been on the other side the entire time.

The Oracle Gatherings beckons you to join us on our 20th journey as we explore The Other Side.


Learn about your community with:
* Daniel Pinchbeck - Author of the brilliant new book titled: 2012 The Return of Quezecoat
* Lorenzo Hagerty
For more information about these workshops and a full evening of programs on Friday, October 27th, please visit Exploring the Global Consciousness Shift

Experience the musical soundscapes of:
* Ghreg on Earth (SF) Fast Paced, Futuristic Soundscapes and Sonic Mythologies
* Danny (Moontribe, Symbiosis, Glitch Mob - CA)
* Osiris Indriya (Iboga Records, IOSIS Art Party, Oracle Gatherings � SEA) From progressive to psytrance through breaks and hard techno
* Michael Manahan (Oracle Gatherings - SEA)
* Taal Mala (SUB OSC, Lighta! Sound, deadbydawn Soundsystem - East Vancouver, BC) Soundbwoy slewin' dubplate mashup
* Arc, with Michael Manahan, Traeger Evans, and Michael Miracle
* Kevin Hills (Oracle Gatherings - LA)
* DJ Tusk (Dead By Dawn Soundystem, Lighta Sound, Royal Platoon, SubOsc Crew, The Fam VAN) Combining dark mysticism, Ragga & Industrial with the Dubstep axioms of Pace, Space and Bass
* phowa (BC)
* Sweet Anomaly with the Ancient Rugged Revival (BC)
* Rob Noble (WA)
* Terminus (Somatic Revolution - SEA)
* Michael Miracle (SEA)

Enjoy performances by:
* Funginears

Healing Sanctuary with:
* Dana Stream, LMP, Ritual Master
* Candace McNaughton, ND
* Jonathan Brant, LMP
* Vila Loukas, LMP
* Suzanne Friedman, LMP

Spiritual Readings by:
* Nikki Ross
* Spookee
* Falana
* Samantha Fox
* Colin Leetham

Witness the Prayerformance,
* Written by: Isis Indriya and Joanna Welfley
* Directed by: Joanna Welfley

Video Projections & Visuals by:
* Jacobeye
* Phong

** Music Ritual Performance Communiversity - Art **

Tickets are $25 at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/7075
$30 at the door; Find the Tarot card for $5 off the presale price

Tickets also available at:
On Capitol Hill - Travelers Shop 502 E. Pine St. 206.329.6260
and Vajra 518 Broadway E (206) 323-7846
In the U-District - Gargoyles Statuary 4550 University Way N.E. 206.632.4940

Saturday, October 28, 2006
Capitol Hill Arts Center
1621 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

come out, come out whoever you are...

I came out at a work meeting yesterday. It was more like a training than a meeting and its not any big secret or anything. But it was still difficult to say it in such a formal way. We were learning about how best to interract with different cultures in a work environment. We all introduced our cultures and, I dunno, I felt like if I didn't mention the gay culture that I wouldn't be representing myself properly. I also came out as an artist and a hippie. One small step...

Friday Oct 20 –
Breaks & Freaks @ Nectar
POLYPHONIC w/ Mr Leisure, Justin Byrnes, Saigon
Masterkraft w/ Kadeejah Streets & Recess @ Chop Suey
Shameless afterhours at the egg
HOT MESS presents Avenue D, along with special guest DJ Wasabi
DJ Moses w/ Uniting Souls @ SeeSound Lounge

Saturday Oct 21
Melange @ Des Amis - our NEW night!!
Spinderella @ Girl4Girl

Sunday Oct 22
Peanut Butter Wolf @ Neumos

NEXT GIG: Mélange @ Des Amis

Saturday, Oct 21

Mélange @ Des Amis
DJ Eddie (Decibel)
Saigon (Lab-77)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge/Session)
w/ LIVE SAX by Sklobot (Leschi Lounge)


Come by early for Comedians starting out at 8pm
Lizzy Pilcher
Doug Gale
Rosalie Gale
Blaine Reeder
Paul Currington

21+ , 8pm - 2am, $5
Des Amis (in the cozy basement)
1013 E Pike St. Seattle

NEXT GIG: Club Lagoon tonight!

Thursday, Oct 19 @ Club Lagoon
with DJ Fuel!

spinning House, electro, Retro & Dance Hits
210 Broadway
No Cover!
10pm - 2

NEXT GIGs: Trinity, War Room & LSC

What a big weekend for me!!

Thu Oct 12 - Jacks, Queens & Kings @ Trinity Card Room
w/ Adlib & Vudu & Fishlure & Fuel
Fri Oct 13 - Cherry @ the War Room w/ Mathematix, Amateur Youth and Texas Justice
Sat Oct 14 - Last Supper Club w/ LA Kendall and DJ Fuel

Trinity Nightclub - 111 Yesler Way
The War Room - 722 E Pike
Last Supper Club - 124 S Washington St

A Playa Magic Part III - A Birthplace of Art

Out of the 7 nights that I was at the burning man event, I DJ'd 4 of them. That may not seem like a lot until you take into account the moving of gear and records back and forth, stopping by the day before to check-in and back the next day to pick up items forgotten. Headphones, mixers and records smeared with dust, put back into wrong envelopes, CDs momentarily misplaced. I was so busy with DJ tasks that I missed The Man burning and the Seattle Memorial Temple burn. I didn't ride on an art car or take a swim on the deep playa looking for ladders that touched the sky. I didn't see Alex Gray's camp with his amazing works or Bassnectar pumpin' beats into burner's hearts. I missed so much, sacrificed so much.

And yet, I gained.

On Tuesday night I DJ'd at Camp Lemeria, thanks to Jeremy Ball. That DJ capsule was amazing! It was in the shape of a spaceship. They even had air conditioning. Then on Wednesday night, I played for the BRC Zu kidz . Their cozy camp and great sound setup rocked my night.

On Friday night, Robb Green , the SF from Seattle transplant who had last DJ’d with me at Playa-go-Round the year before, joined me once again for our BRC ‘residency’. We'd each left the playa the year before with a specific sound in our minds, a sound that Robb had berthed at the Leschi Lounge only weeks before. A year later, we'd both brought that sound together as if we'd been playing it in accompaniment for years, even though we'd last played together 1 year before in that very same spot. Funk Rock Disco, a fusion of Funky Tech House and Electro Clash. We started off playing 5 records a piece, then three's. Soon we realized that our record bags were identical twins in terms of sound. We fed off each other with each new track, tantalized the progression of the set, played with each others' smiles. And we laughed like two kids who'd ingested mushroom-laced rice krispy treats. Pure playa magic. A birthplace of Art. Esnce blended brilliantly as he rode our wave, spinning the merry-go-round slightly deeper yet retaining all the ticklishness of Tech. J-SUN completed the circle, diving into his own devilish deviance, sending a crowd of clubbers deeper into the dusty sand, a true Seattle House legend in the making. Then on Saturday I received an amazing gift from Damian & Ryan. Esnce and I were asked to play from the time the man burned till dawn on the Esplanade at Idaho-built Blunderland. And what an amazing feeling that was, touching so many with our heart beats.

By DJ'ing at all the camps that I did, I spoke my Art to so many. I was asked to play at some of the most amazing spots on the playa, places where my music and melodies could be heard 1/2 mile out. I drew in crowds, even for a few moments, where around them are hundreds of clubs and art installations doing the same. I amused the attention of hundreds of burners who may never have blessed with my words had I decided to take the night out to fulfill my own intentions.

And so in Truth, I was blessed to play this year with friends, old and new. What a treat. What a true playa gift. Thank you, friends. Thank you, playa.

... one more installment! Stay tuned for part IV ... the Journey Home.

like a villian

(Fri Oct 6)
Polyphonic @ CHAC Lower Level
Jon Lemmon @ SeeSound Lounge

(Sat Oct 7)
Princess Superstar w/ Hot Mess & Cherry Residents @ Chop Suey
Shringara & Asian Underground -- Infinite Connections @ CHAC Lower Level

NEXT GIG: Faux Disco @ SeeSound

Wednesday Oct 4

Faux Disco @ SeeSound Lounge
Residents Colby b and LA Kendall of Hitgirl!
It's Electro-licious

SeeSound Lounge
happy hour 8-10
$3 wells & $5 menu

115 Blanchard St.
10pm - 2am
No Cover

Simply the way to do Business

I made some big mistakes last weekend. Fundamental mistakes. I’ve been avoiding the business aspect of DJ’ing because I hate dealing with money (though, I do like dealing black jack). I don’t count well beyond 16 and whenever anyone mentions the flimsy green stacks of paper that we put value into, my eyes gloss over and my ears create a tunnel from one to the other through my brain. I just don’t pay enough attention. But now is the time for me to start paying … attention. That was one mistake.

The second mistake was the opposite of fundamental. I trusted someone that I didn’t know. You may think that trusting a stranger is a mistake, but I disagree. I choose not to believe that. I will protect myself from it in the future, but I refuse to believe that the fundamental nature of the human being is to wrong his brothers and sisters. I think due to the environment surrounding us, this behavior is learned.

Which means it can be unlearned.

A freak thing happened to me on the 4th of July this year. I was sitting in a camping chair at the top of Liz & Lauri’s driveway, watching our friends shoot off fireworks to celebrate our great nation’s “independence”. Momo lit one – a big one! – that went off on the ground instead of in the air. Sitting in the front row about 10 yards away, I saw a bright green ember coming at me. It bounced off the ground twice and fell right into my V-cut t-shirt, dove down my blouse and bounced between my boobs. I jumped up and pulled the shirt away from me to get the flaming glow out from burning my skin, but it bit me pretty hard. I had a few burn scars and an awful lot of pain that night. It was such a freak thing… the chances of that piece of firework going right down my blouse. I compare it to Luke Skywalker shooting down the Death Star. Too weird to be an accident. There must be a message. – use the Force!

I came out of that experience thinking that I need to harden my heart, thicken my skin. I was really down on my self esteem Sunday morning. My bad decisions brought up feelings of guilt and hopelessness, exhaustion and self-doubt. I am pushed to my limits. It took me a few days after my experience this weekend to pull myself back into myself (with the help of many beautiful friends) and realize that what I feel inside is stronger than the forces that push against me. I relieve myself of my errors, learn and continue to fight. One step back to take two steps forward. Actually, fuck two steps. I’m taking a giant leap.

Sea-town is throwin' down this Weekend!

----- Thu Sep 28
Ramiro @ LSC
----- Fri Sep 29
Ramiro, Jen Woolfe @ SeeSound Lounge
Felix Da Housecat @ LSC
----- Sat Sep 30
Leschi Lounge @ Des Amis - Manos, DJ Fuel, Jen Woolfe
Uniting Souls Music Record-Release @ Baltic
3rd Annual Breast Fest fundraiser at Smarty Pants
Click here for more info!
----- Mon Oct 2
LTJ Bukem @ Element
----- Tue Oct 3
Scissor Sisters @ Showbox

NEXT GIGs: See'ing Sounds with My Friends!

Friday Sept 29
Uniting Souls Night w/
Ramiro & Jen Woolfe

Saturday Sept 30
Leschi Lounge @ Des Amis w/
Manos, DJ Fuel, Jen Woolfe &
live music by Jen Wagner & Sklobot

See Sound Lounge
115 Blanchard (bet. 1st & 2nd), Seattle
Free before 10pm

Des Amis
21+ , 8pm - 2am, $5
Des Amis (in the cozy basement)
1013 E Pike St. Seattle

enjoy a mellow weekend

Thu Sep 21
dj set by James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), Juan Maclean, Colby B @ Chop Suey
Fri Sep 22
Justin Harris, Sean Majors @ War Room
Tue Sep 26
DJ Krush @ Neumos (http://nwtekno.org/vb/showthread.php?threadid=103816&eventid=25978)

A Playa Magic Part II - They Our Love

We napped for a few hours before the heat of the sun. What a great feeling to be ready to expore the playa early Monday. After completing camp set up and proper rest (well, mostly) we had our usual first-day 3-bean salad for dinner and left on our bikes to watch the newbie's eyes' bulge at the grandeur of all that is in, on and around them. We followed Momo for a while, then Becka, who kept us pedalling from structural giant to structural giant, not able to find any words to describe our own amazement. The topper of the night -- perhaps of the whole week -- was what was to be known in Black Rock City as the 'Belgian Waffle', a giant structure made entirely of 2 x 4's splashed up the sides into two tunnels. Green lights sprayed on the outside and multi-colored lights danced on the inside among shadows of playans swaying to the DJ beats.

The rest of the week is pretty much a blur, best to be told linked by experience rather than linked by days. I spent much of my time at BRC Zu (located at 3:00 & Brave), a very tight-knit Seattle Theme Camp with a reputation for monkey business. I DJ'ed there on Wednesday and ate dinner there on Thursday evening. The dinner was a true playa gift. It was a 5-coarse meal. The Zu animals were out playing and serving, keeping our wine glasses full and our bellies laughing. It was a full dinner show and fun as well. Tuesday night for me was another playa gift. Jeremy Ball was filling some slots for friends at Camp Lemuria (2:00 & Fate). The camp was beautifully lit with El Wire Art and a DJ booth that looked like a spaceship. The sound system was fantastic. On that Tuesday night, unfortunately, there wasn't much foot traffic. But the Rockstar Orphans & the BRC Zu kidz, as always, were there to dance and cheer me on.

The most special gift in playing at Lemuria was that in the distance, I could see the Seattle Memorial Temple, the Temple of Light. This project was important to me, not only because I related to the kids in my communities who were killed, but also because many chances I'd had to help with the Temple were lost by something else going on in my life. Either I was working or DJ'ing or involved in family events. I've had one of the busiest summers of my entire life and I didn't find time to help on this amazing project. Yet by the luck of the playa, I was able to sing to those whose lives are celebrated within it's Light. I'd dedicated a mix to their struggle and was able to play it to them. I was gifted the opportunity to show them that even though I hadn't known them personally and wasn't able to help with their Memorial that I was still in debted to their sacrifice and am dedicated to bringing those in our community (and those who do not feel they have a community) together. I'd seen the Temple the night before, wrote on it and spoke to them. Their true sacrifice of life will not be lost. Their memories, burnt on Sunday night, were scattered into the air and breathed in by friends, neighbors & strangers -- family. They live on through our breath and through our lives. I sang to them. And they smiled.

part III, coming soon!

you lucky bitches

Thu-Sun Decibel Festival (see Jdub’s guide below) http://www.dbfestival.com/2006
Fri-Sun Earthdance NW (directions) http://www.earthdance.org/portland/

Sat Sep 15 Trevor, Ramiro, Sol Coldron, Joey @ Des Amis – FREE!
Mon Sep 18 Suicide Girls Burlesque Show

Jdub’s guide to Decibel
Get your all access pass http://www.dbfestival.com/2006/?q=InWindow/tickets

Friday:
8:00p Eddie @ Barca Lounge*
9:00p Jeromy Nail @ Chop Suey
9:30p Mister leisure @ Chop Suey
10:30p Brett Johnson @ Chop Suey
12:00a Jacob London @ Chop Suey
1:15a Alex Smoke @ Neumos
2:00a Claude Vonstroke @ Chop Suey*
3:00a Shameless Afterhours* – call 778.5822 for deets

Saturday:
1:00p Reason 3 clinic @ Broadway Performance Hall
5:00p Abelton Live clinic@ Broadway Performance Hall
6:00p Derek Fisher @ Barca Lounge
8:00p The Perfect Cyn @ Barca Lounge
9:00p Suntzu Sound @ Baltic Room
10:30p Jerry Abstract @ Neumos
11:15p Plan B @ Chop Suey
12:15a Green Velvet @ Neumos*
2:00a Kristina Childs @ Neumos

Sunday:
8:00p Manos @ Barca Lounge
9:00p Greg Skidmore @ Barca Lounge
10:00p J-Sun @ Barca Lounge
12:00p Kadeejah Streets@ Barca Lounge*
12:45p Paul Edwards @ Bad Juju
1:00a Electrosect @ Bad Juju

*don’t miss

A Playa Magic Part I -- Starlala-lala-la-la

Of course, the best year (as is every year) of Burning Man is THIS year. But this one for me was certainly different than the last 4. It’s so hard to remember exactly the events of this yearly event each time. Even though I spent more time on the playa this year than all the others, I felt like the time passed quickest of all. Maybe it had to do with arriving and leaving at night. Maybe it was because of the 12 amazing first-year burners we were introducing to this crazy event. Or maybe it had to do with me DJ’ing 4 out of the 7 days I was there. Whatever the reasons, it was no less challenging than the others. And no less beautiful.

Part I - Starlala-lala-la-la

The first challenge was storage - how to move 17 campers' food, water, shelter, bikes & playa supplies to a remote desert location. Momo Swells solved this issue the most sensible way - by buying an RV! Even though it seems like a risky move to buy a 1971 ford RV just 3 days before we leave for a 1200 mile trip to the dry desert, it still felt right. We knew the previous owners of the RV & the history. Still, introducing anything new into any mix can bring about more challenges that one realizes. This was also true for our borrowed Van, the newly-purchased Rockstar Orphan trailer, and our camp’s main Shade Structure, which Pink (and ultimately many of the other members of our camp) spent 3 back-breaking weeks working on just before the burn. Still, despite the challenging learning experiences, we all pulled thru and at 5pm on Friday night 2 cars, 1 RV, 1 van and trailer (holding the completed shade structure) were on their long trek down to the playa.

The trailer made it as far as Tacoma.
The RV, Portland.
But our minds and hearts were set on making it to Reno on Sunday.

We picked up our 4 Portland companions at 10pm, but were still waiting on the van and trailer to make it thru traffic. They’d had a blow-out in Tacoma and then were stuck in the usual Friday South I-5 lull. Even though the PDX crew was excited to hit the road, the thought of 1 more night in their own beds after a long day of packing and preparation was comforting. The rest of us slept on the Portland boys' living room futon like sardines while ESNCE played slow breaks melodies and Liz sang us to sleep with Jack Daniels.

We woke early the next day, showered (not together … well, mostly), enjoyed some Portland coffee and hit the road! We made it as far as --- the next street. Seems our new and much-loved RV (who we’d named Starlala-lala-la-la while Becka and M to Tha lovingly laid fur all over her insides on the ride into town the day before) was having trouble starting, despite her brand-new battery. To our luck, a few streets up from the boys’ apartment was a battery/alternator specialty store. So we took her there and enjoyed a big breakfast while the expert had a look-see. Halfway thru my toast & egg, we received the condition - a bad alternator, possibly destroyed during a recent check-up. He would have to operate, and there was a 50/50 chance she would live. ‘Go for it!’, Momo said. ‘We need her to live.’

The operation was a success! And 2 hours later, we were on the road again. Our next stop - Mt. Shasta.

When we arrived into the small town in the shadow of Mt. Shasta, we found the tiny 1-room cottage of a new-found friend and sprawled again like sardines on our air mattresses. But we didn’t mind the close-knit quarters. We were excited and exhausted. We awoke only once during the night to the sound of Liz’s car alarm waking up the entire town to an intruder - herself. The next morning, we found the only happening coffee shop, full of locals and traveling bikers. We loaded up on coffee and gooey snacks and made our way thru the mountains of Northern California and toward the flat and burned out desert of Nevada. I rode with Harinama in the van. It was a pleasant time to learn about his life. Nothing like a road trip to turn a stranger into a friend. We had lovely chats and he shared the peace pipe that he had received from a Native American friend almost 20 years before. No coincidence that Burning Man itself was also celebrating its 20 year anniversary. It began in 1986 with a few friends burning some wood on a beach in San Francisco. They let go of a memory to build a dream.

And we were there - almost. In Reno, we stocked up on water and supplies. By 10pm we were on our way to our usual pre-burn stop, Pyramid Lake. But it was almost midnight, and we were too tired and ansy to set up camp just to break it down again four hours later. Why not wait out the moments until the opening of the pearly gates with a car nap and roll onto the playa at midnight?

Starlala-lala-la-la gave us one more small scare in the town of Gerlach (population 500, whose numbers includes the neighboring town, Empire) to remind us that technology still lays in the path to control of our own destiny. The small Shell station was out of gas and Starlala was 8 gallons short. To make matters more difficult, the remote area did not have cell phone reception (much less a Hotel or a Bar). Not being able to hold out any longer, I parked the van in a dark corner (actually, it wasn't that dark -- there was a motion-sensored street lamp that kept flashing on & off) to catch a few Zzzz's, pulled the bill of my hat over my eyes and let the chips fall as they may.

"THUD, THUD, THUD!!" I awoke with a start to Momo rapping on the window.
'C'mon! We're headin!' Within the hour, Momo had found the solution -- a pay phone sitting idly nearby. She called our late traveller Zoe to have Moriah & Da Man pick up what we needed when they headed in on Wednesday. Both stumped and then saved by Technology! Alas, some early technological genius was still sound...

We rolled towards the playa not long past midnight, behind a long line of red lights doing the same. I amused myself from the jabberings of some burners on the walkie-talkie, Channel 5. By the time we found our camp spot and began setup, the sun was rising over the horizon. Our first sunrise in its glorious beauty. We'd beat the odds on our 3-day journey down. And were bringing 12 playa virgins Home.

go to Part II...

NEXT GIG: Jacks, Queens & Kings

Kind werds from Harinama, after spending a week with my & my wax in the desert: 'Jen: OMG, your sweet music removed all the crap in my mind and heart. It is a powerful, transforming tool.' --- thank you, Harinama!

Thur Sept 14
Jacks, Queens & Kings
This month we have VERY SPECIAL GUESTS Pete Spinning and Derek Andrew from Monkey Do! Productions in Los Angeles. Pete and Derek are visitng us on their way to headlining Earthdance NW this year!

View Vudu's flyer

Trinity Nightclub
111 Yesler Way
7pm - Close
No cover

back from the burn

I’m back from Burning Man and burnt as ever! A few exciting things for the weekend ~

On Sunday come by Golden Gardens early afternoon for a Burning Man Decompression with Manos, J-SUN, myself and more of the BURNED!

Also check THIS out! I’m now officially a DJ and Writer… shejay.net published one of my blogs! http://www.shejay.net/articleDetail.php?articleID=436

I also found some great videos of burning man 2006!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmv-wAxQ6Rw

Start Burn

Where you can find me in Black Rock City. All times are 'playa-time', so they may or may not be correct. But what is time, anyway?

Tue Aug 29 11p-1a Lemuria Sound Camp 2:00 & Fate
Wed Aug 30 12a-1a Black Rock City Zu 3:00 & Chance
Fri Sept 1 12a-1:20 Playa-go-Round 2:30 & Esplanade

And if you are in Seattle, go to Bumbershoot and see Zero 7, Blondie & Tribe Called Quest

NEXT GIG: Leschi Lounge @ Des Amis

Colby B (Re:Launch-Hitgirl, KMA, Wooord)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge, Session)
Jay Anderson (Deep Chicago)

21+ , 8pm - 2am, $5
Des Amis (in the cozy basement)
1013 E Pike St. Seattle

This weekend: go see the Temple of Light

Fri & Sat - Free Camping Party w/ Adlib, Jen Woolfe, Manos, Gel-Sol, Recess, William Mempa, Trevor & more

Fri Aug 11 – Innerflight @ ToST (free)
Sat Aug 12 - DJ Kutz @ Tost (free)
Sat Aug 12 - Revival Afterhours w/ Chronus & Eva @ Trinity
Tue Aug 15 - Plane Site @ Nectar

This week, visit the Temple of Light before it leaves for the desert --
The Temple of Light is the result of several months of volunteer
effort to create a public, healing space for to grieve, reflect,
connect with others and celebrate life. The seven-sided Temple of
Light will be installed on Seattle Center's Fisher Pavilion rooftop on
July 27th and will stand until August 18th.
All are invited to visit the Temple and leave messages or memorabilia
related to any personal loss they may have suffered.
The design, construction and adornment of the Temple of Light results
from the volunteer efforts of dozens of community members and has been
funded entirely through small donations. The Shunpike has generously
provided sponsorship of this arts project so that donations are tax
deductible. Seattle Center has generously extended their sponsorship
as host of the Temple, providing a stunning, centrally-located home
for this art.

On August 18th, 2006 the Temple of Light will be dismantled and
components of the Temple will be given as gifts to the victims'
families. The primary structure will then be transported to the
Burning Man Festival in Nevada where it will be erected as a gift from
Seattle to Black Rock City, the temporary city of 30,000 people that
forms annualty for this arts festival. On September 3rd, 2006 the
Temple of Light will disappear in a cathartic, ceremonial burn.

NEXT GIG: Jacks, Queens & Kings

NEXT GIG: Thur Aug 10th

Jacks, Queens & Kings in the Card Room

The lineup for this month:
Jen Woolfe 7 - 8:15
VuDu 8:15 - 9:30
Fishlure 9:30 - 10:45
Adlib 10:45 - close

Seattle's Best Thur Night for Electro, House and Breaks
Visit our Nwtekno Thread!

NEXT GIGs: Mascara & Natural Mystic

Mascara - Wed Aug 2nd
@ Columbia City Theatre
Jen Woolfe, Julia & Naha

Natural Mystic - Sat Aug 5
@ Camping spot only 1 hour from Seattle
only $10 for camping & over 14 hours of music
visit this link for directions:
For directions, visit:
http://nwtekno.org/vb/showthread.php?threadid=102572

featuring dj's
Love Virus, Bumble Bee, Jen Woolfe, Sun Tzu, Tekgnosis,
Ramiro & Jeromy Nail, J-Sun & Kadeejah Streets,
Nordic Soul & Kristina Childs, Manos, Mark F-R...

Send a Kid to Bumbershoot

There’s certain tastes that remind you of childhood… and boogers are definitely one of them.
Lets teach kids good tastes early... send a kid to Bumbershoot!

Thu Jul 27 - Osiris Indriya, Nick Tornetta w/ Residents @ Contour
Fri Jul 28 - Plane Site @ Rendevous, Justin Martin, Sol Caldreon, Eric Allen @ War Room, Space Virgin Burning Man Party @ ConWorks
Sat Jul 29 - Uniting Souls reunion @ Baltic

NEXT GIG: Tue July 25 @ SeeSound Lounge

NEXT GIG: Tue July 25th @ SeeSound Lounge

Event for ArtReach Seattle!
w/ Vudu & Jeromy
See Sound Lounge
115 Blanchard St
7pm

Hot Weekend

It's one of those weekends where every corner of Seattle is hosting incredible house music. Get out your tanning lotion and sun shades... this weekend's gunna be HOT!

Fri Jul 21 - Warm up with a high of 94°F
The Femurs @ The Comet
LA Kendall's bday w/ Dickey Doo, Chocha Fresca @ War Room
Recess & Sensory Effect @ Tost
Lu Rob, Karl Kamakahi & Ramiro @ SeeSound Lounge
And one of my FAVORITE DJ's of ALL TIME...
James Zabiela w/ Miguel Alvarado & Colby B @ Chop Suey

This is James' first appearance in Seattle. I saw him up in Vancouver BC a few years ago where he blew my mind with a pair of CD-J's and an effects processor. I missed him by only hours when I left Ibiza ... he was playing the day I was set to leave the island... and I will miss this appearance, too, as I will be in Eastern Washington for a family gathering, frying in a sweltering 106°F. Please see James Zabiela for me at Chop Suey. He is indeed a genius. This show might sell out, but you can purchase tix here.

Sat Jul 22 - Get set to sizzle with a high of 92°F
Pre-funk with Vudu @ The Chapel
Miles Maeda @ Des Amis
Jacob London, Colby B, Lu Rob & Innerflight @ Lo-Fi
Hybrid & Eva @ Element
Revival Afterhours w/ Chronus & Scott Keith @ Trinity

Unleash the House

The Leschi House loves to party. I don’t mean the residents of the house or the friends of the residents, tho, they DO love to party. I mean the House itself. The House at Leschi loves to party. We aren’t the first inhabitants to realize this fact. Before us, University residents brought the wildness of campus parties to the front porch. Our neighbors have told us about their rambunctious brew ha-ha’s that left pee stains on their fences and beer cans on roof tops. When they saw that 4 career-oriented musician/artists were taking up the Rent in the home, I think they were relieved. But we produce a different kind of party line.

Our finding the House was fate. After realizing that 4 of us needed a place to live at the same time, Mel Sky and I had searched north and south for the perfect pad. Exhausted, we found a few places that were tempting, but didn’t completely fit. A few days later, she and Fishlure set out again. They were excited to check out the new places, but decided they wouldn’t get too excited about the first one if it was good. However, the House, built in the early 1900's, had its own agenda, and once the girls stepped through the front door, it had already pulled them in.

Sixteen months later, the living room would be one of the most delightful dance floors in the city.

I guess I never really thought about the differences between a House party and a Club party. Tho, I did notice the few times where I had entered a club and felt like I was walking into someone’s home. Something about the vibration of the air, the softness of people’s smiles. The idea that even if they didn’t know you at that moment, by the end of the night they would. It’s few and far between that club nights are found like that in Seattle. And yet, I know that it’s an energy that promoters throughout the city are trying to achieve. We leap between liquor laws and strict permits, noise ordinances and neighbor’s complaints. They make it just so damn hard to have a party.

But the force of the Leschi House is hard to resist. It knows nothing of laws. It thrives on people’s conversations and countenance, joining citizens of different cultures to share thoughts on politics, love and art. And the arms of the home at Leschi are reaching further than this beautiful city, drawing artists from the city’s sister on the Bay, San Francisco.

I blame Robb Green.

He moved to the Bay area last year. But before he left, behind the decks on the dance floor of the Leschi Lounge, he named genre that is composed from the core Seattle's character. We call it, Punk Rock Disco. A fusion of rock and dance. What better blend to bring together a city that grew up on Grunge? It has woken up, stretched it’s arms, smoked a bowl, and knocked on our neighbor’s door. And the neighbor has come over to our house to play.

Early Saturday afternoon, I received a text message that I could hardly believe. DJ Garth, a San Franciso House music legend, was staying in town after his previous gig at Trinity Nightclub, and wanted to come to our 13 month-old afterparty to play. I texted back Ramiro, promter and DJ for Uniting Souls, ‘hell yes!’.

It is no coincidence that this happened on exactly the 6-year anniversary weekend of one of the most monumental organizations for House music in Seattle. Uniting Souls has been doing just that for six long years. They have consistently created the energy of a house party and implanted it into clubs throughout the city. Despite all the difficulties of business and bars, they have always been able to bring the love of the music called House into a room and made it thrive. And at 5 o’clock in the morning on Sunday, they were uniting souls in the House in Leschi. And DJ Garth was the glue.

I got pretty bitched out from our neighbor that morning. He and his (pregnant) wife were sleeping soundly on a Saturday night until they were awoken at 2am to the sounds of people walking to and fro a line of cars filling up our street and the next. We’ve reinforced the sound proofing of our windows. You can’t hear the thump of the bass from the street. And we try our best to keep people from talking on their way up the road, but we can only do so much. Those particular neighbors hadn’t complained until they recently cut the hedges in their front yard. I suspect they were wanting to improve their amazing view of Lake Washington & Mount Raineer, but (I) got an earful instead. He spoke with me early the next morning and encouraged us to ‘become part of the community’ if we want to stay in the area and ‘go back to Capital Hill’ if we want to party. I understood his position and listened intently. But all I could think about was, ‘DJ Garth is in my living room’.

And our fair neighbor has no understanding of the implications of this. He has no knowledge of the House music community or the force that the uniting of such an artistic community creates. They want social change and yet they vote time and again on things that keep those that consummate the change apart. I suppose that’s why it’s called an ‘Underground’ community. Maybe he should learn about us and what we stand for and why we open up our home and spend our evenings and weekends creating a space for people who care about our country and our future and the human race as a global community that encompasses every human being on Earth. Maybe we, through voice and art and music, should encourage him and all of our neighbors to ‘become part of the community’ if they want peace and ‘go back to the suburbs’ if they want quiet. Let’s dig ourselves up from the ‘Underground’ and allow each and every person who enters our domain, wherever that may be, feel welcome to join in on what we love – each other.

The House at Leschi has been around longer than any of our neighbors or their homes. It has breathed the air of the Lake where Garth and our guests swam in the early warmth of the sun that morning, waited for Mount Raineer to peak now-and-again above the clouds, and watched families move their lives in and out of our neighborhood for over 100 years. The House brought us here to build our community. And the House, like its inhabitants, has a very strong will.

Long live the House party, my friends. And long live the House.

NEXT GIG: Sat July 14

The walls at the Leschi Lounge afterparty have been
bumpin' every 3rd Saturday for over a year
and we've decided after this weekend
to take a 2 month hiatus.
So THIS MONTH ...
WE'RE STARTING THE PARTY EARLY!

L'Shy Productions, Viva Recordings team up for --
~Leschi Lounge's Creme @ Des Amis Saturdays~

Trevor (Abstract Earth Project)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge, Session)
Akoma (Our dj and drummer now based in SF!)

21+ , 10pm - 2am, $5
Des Amis (in the cozy basement)
1013 E Pike St. Seattle

Also this weekend!
Fri Jul 14 – DJ Garth w/ Jon Lemmon, Jeromy Nail, Ramiro @ Trinity
Innerflight Music @ Tost
Cherry @ War Room
Sat Jul 15 – Tyler Stadius @ SeeSound Lounge
Sun Jul 16 – Submerge & Innerflight @ Golden Gardens 1p

NEXT GIG: Jacks, Queens & Kings

What I do at a job during the hours of 9-5 doesn't do anything to change people's lives. But what I do after 5pm every day does.

Come see why.

Thursday, July 13
Jacks, Queens & Kings
in the Card Room @ Trinity
DJs Adlib, Vudu & Jen Woolfe

No Cover. Only Cards

See what other people have to say about
us up on nwtekno!

vote 4 me on nwsource

Vote for me on the NWSource People's Choice awards for best blog (or best DJ if you like). There's lots of other great choices to vote on. You can vote one a day till the end of July!
NW Source Best Blog

9 out of 10 doctors agree...

In the last few days I’ve noticed a lot of ads for local Hospitals on billboards and busses. My question, though, is why would a Hospital have to spend money on Advertising?

Fri Jul 7
Polyphonic w/ Squid Leader, dj Eddie, Manos @ CHAC
The Femurs & DJ Fishlure @ Skylark Club in West Seattle
Sat Jul 8
Red Dress Extravaganza Burlesque @ Noc Noc
Gene Hunt(Chicago) Loki, DJ Cass (PDX) @ Des Amis

Two NEW Saturday events start this weekend!
- FREE Electronic Saturdays @ ToST ... Seattle & NW Talent
- Afterhours @ Trinity every Saturday ...
Residents Chronus, Eva, Scott Keith, Bryce

Let's Celebrate the American Revolution ...

... by starting a new one
Be the Revolution!

Please check out my blog from last year, Independance Day is Wack. Story still applies.

And this weekend between bbq's also check out:
Fri Jun 30 Johnny Fiasco & Jon Lemmon @ Trinity
Sat Jul 1 Flea Market w/ J-Sun, Joshuua, Greg Skidmore @ Chapel
Mon Jul 3 Rebecca West, Aaron Lewis, Kid Hops @ Baltic

Also take a quick peak at some historical info related to the American Revolution. How far have we come?