1.5.07

London Metro Clubs column- Thursday May 3rd




Today's London Metro Clubs Column looking at what's on this May Bank Holiday weekend. Kid Koala is a genius. truly. a storytelling scratch DJ. Personally speaking I will be going to epic dubsdtep dance, DMZ and if I'm still able on Sunday, I'll be checking out the big sunglasses at Secretsundaze, the very anti-thesis of corporate/superclub exeperience. It's different, exciting, has an X factor and until now has laregly been marketed virally (by word of mouth, email, or posters).


CLUBS

Secretsundaze
Kitsune versus Trailer Trash
Slaang
Kid Koala

Until recently the words 'outdoor summer clubbing in London’ would have either drawn bemused looks and guffaws or interpreted as a reference to either Egg's or The Cross's open air spaces. However over the last few years Secretsundaze has changed that through organising al fresco raves on summer Sundays, and in the process has become London’s premier destination club. James Priestley and Giles Smith Mediterranean-approach has put large slices of mystery and excitement, back into capital clubbing: and it’s proved so popular that this Sunday's first Secretsundaze of the season (it's like being in Ibiza) is the huge roof of Canvas (with a capacity nearing 1,000) which will host electro and house from Andre Galluzi (from Berlin's hip Panorama Bar), Samin (Get Physical) performing live and residents Priestley and Smith. And the beauty of this weekend… is no work on Monday.

The Slaang and Issst crew is rapidly establishing a reputation for wild warehouse parties soundtracked by cutting edge, underground electro, minimal house and noisy indie-dance. This Saturday's epic Slaang (the second of four) features Para One reprising his tough electro live and Berlin darling Jesse Rose showcasing his busy, restless brand of electronic music, dubbed ‘fidget house’. The line up’s completed by young pretenders including Bethnal Green's quirky electro act Kissy Sell Out and Mock & Toof (DFA Records) and promoters/curators/residents, Bobby M and Kevin Griffiths. Naturally there's an after party too.

First it was Ed Banger Records now fellow hipster French label Kitsune makes its London warehouse debut, at Kitsune vs Trailer Trash. Kitsune's up there with Modular as the label that's brought punk rock style and attitude into dance music through their Maison compilations featuring The Gossip, Simian, Digitalism and Klaxons. And it’s fitting that Kitsune has teamed up with stylish yet inclusive Trailer Trash night that has been championing the forward looking urban-edged electro of Sinden and Switch, Bmore gutter, baile funk, electro, house and rock you can rave to. Kitsune label heads, Gildaes Loac and Masaya Kuroki headline with support from Fox n Wolf's with bass heavy Italo-disco (live), bastard pop producer Freelance Hellraiser and residents Mikki Most and Hannah Holland.

Former primary school teacher Canadian Eric San, aka Kid Koala, is the most entertaining, accessible and fun scratch DJ you will see. A Kid Koala show incorporates storytelling, drawing, audience involvement and San sitting with a turntable on his lap, jamming. Sesame Street-obsessed Kid Koala uses four decks to work up a sweat, furiously manipulating samples, scratching and beat jugging to create weird and wonderful sounds (for example a drunken horn sample becomes a clarinet-playing mosquito), to narrate his equally cute and quirky sketches.

Tonight, Kid Koala, Koko, Camden High Street NW1, 7.30pm 'til late, £13.50. Tel: 0870 145 1115. Tube: Mornington Crescent
Sat, Slaang, 68-74 Tooley Street SE1, 10pm to 7am, £17. Tel: 0870 060 0100. Tube: London Bridge
Sat, Kitsune vs Trailer Trash, Hearn Street Car Park EC2, 11pm to 7am, £10 in adv. Tel: 0870 2462050. Tube: Old Street
Sun, Secretsundaze, Canvas, York Way N1, 2pm 'til late, £8 to £18. Tel: 0870 060 0100. Tube: Kings Cross