Shake It!

Elizabeth Marchetti
22.02.2010

Shake It! is a bimonthly occurrence. The exclusivity of this event is part of what makes it so sought after. In fact, there are people like my group of party-goer friends and I, who literally tingle in excitement at the thought of every upcoming one and prepare ourselves accordingly before hand: we religiously avoid other club nights in proximity to the event, say at least a week previous to it, and we shun long and sleepless alcohol-fuelled nights during the week (well, most times), simply because we already know it’s going to be a hard and loud night of mayhem and we want to be ready. This past one was no exception.

Opening the 2010 season, Layo and Bushwacka! obviously had some trick up their sleeve. Just when you think they can’t possibly top November’s Shake It, here comes Omri H to the rescue. Not that they need any, mind you. These guys always manage to surpass any expectation.

For those who aren’t following, Shake It! is a party organized by the duo behind legendary club The End, Layo Paskin and Mathew Benjamin. After pulling the plug in January 2009, the duo started throwing warehouse raves in seedy London venues, club nights with an edge. And thanks to their loyal fan base who owes them some of the best nights of their lives, they instantly attracted a religious following of aficionados of filthy and groovy tech-house sounds. It’s been a year of success for the two producers, who celebrated with a tour in South America and came back to their London home with a vengeance.

On the thirteenth night of February, we found ourselves in an East London venue off Great Eastern Street, the Village Underground, a few minutes from Liverpool Street Station. The venue is an industrial space with 10 foot high glass ceilings and plenty of room to dance in. This was a change from their usual choice of a grittier and dirtier warehouse at Southwark arches. The change was more than welcome, with proper ventilation available and the chance to still look presentable after an eight-hour long set.

The only draw back of the night was the horrific cloakroom. Standing in a queue for half and hour and be pushed by all sides can kindly be described as dreadful. And going through the same pain at the end of the night, only to find items lost or misplaced, along with tickets certainly wipes Christmas-like smiles off the children’s faces. Staff didn’t deal with the pressure very well as space started lacking and protestors got meaner, confusion filled the air. It was a nightmare and I genuinely hope it will be taken into account for next time (ahem!), but we still forgave them because the music was absolutely kickin’ spot-on.

Layo and Bushwacka! balanced each other out perfectly, with Layo being more on the dreamy, vocal and synth led sounds and Bushwacka! favoring warm wobbles and hard drum beats with loud bass. Though they break the mold in terms of throwing parties and entertaining the crowds, they stick to the familiar sounds we love to hear. The two played a selection of dirty house beats with classics that our ears never complain about, time after time, for example Bushwacka!’s ‘Beastman’, Tim Green’s “Mr Dry” and Luca Bacchetti’s “What's your soul sings”. A bit of Brasil may have rubbed on them, as the grooves sometimes leaned on the samba rhythmical side. Old pal and The End regular Omri H added a nice touch to the cheeky ensemble.

The DJs feed off the crowd’s inexhaustible energy. It’s hard to not get carried away, when the whole vibe of the place is one of a big and happy family. You are bound to bump into the familiar faces who may have become your friends or lovers along the way and a smile or mindless conversation amplifies the communal feel. Learning how to tease a crowd, pull them on a high and keep them there for a while before swooping into unexpected techno variations comes with talent and experience. Forgive me for sounding so emotional, but this is more than just a side project: it’s something rather special. The next one on April 1 will see one of the world’s top English DJs taking on the decks, who goes by the name Carl Cox. Expect to be shaken.