BIKES MUSIC

SUNDAY: A DEEP HOUSE MIX

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:46:00 -0800

Although still a relatively new genre to me, I’ve found that I really resonate with a lot of the sensibilities of deep house. Long, slow progressions, deep bass lines and great use of percussive elements combine to make tracks equally suited for chilling out or loosing one’s self on the dance floor. This mix is a collections of songs I’ve been digging as of late. Thanks to Ensoe for hooking up the cover art for this mix!

STAY CLOSE MIXTAPE VOL. 2

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:31:00 -0800

Vol. 2 of the Stay Close series. Some new tracks, favorites from the last 8 months and a couple classics.

Big thanks to Kodi Piirto & Kristian Bauthus for the respective design and illustration of both Stay Close mixtapes and the original poster. Hire these dudes!

A - Z LETTER SHOW: OPENING TOMORROW NIGHT

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:32:00 -0800

A-Z: A Screenprinted Alphabet Edition | E by Ensoe from Acme Studios on Vimeo.

Always up to something, Andrew Young has put together a really cool show opening tomorrow night at The Cobalt. He got 26 local artists to design/draw/create a letterform which were then screen printed in limited runs of 10 by Ben Knight.

Andrew put this promo video together featuring Ensoe doing up his letter E. Drew asked me if I had a dirty slapper I could lend to the video and I figured this beat Hyphy Shit would do the job. Peep the vid then check out the show!

NEW YEAR'S RECAP & PHOTOS

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:38:00 -0800

I’m a little late on this one, but I wanted to do a quick recap of New Years. Always a gamble with so many other things happening on this night, our efforts to transform the Korean Community Centre were well worth it. The party was a complete success and I had an absolute blast playing till the wee hours with so many great friends and good people in attendance.

Thanks to Colin Moore (for drafting up the plans for the stage), JPOD, That African, Michael, Matt, Mark & Eileen, everyone who helped out & of course everyone who came out and enjoyed themselves.

Also thanks to Sam Mason who provided all of these great photos from the night (after a couple of my cellphone pics).

KAPUT X SUEME INSTALL

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:13:33 -0800

Kaput X Sueme Gallery Install (Teaser) from Acme Studios on Vimeo.

Still fresh from my exploits with the gang in Miami, Sueme asked me to film a little promo for his install with Kaput as part of the Day of the Dedos show at Ayden Gallery. The video is edited by Andrew Young and features an untitled track of mine. Closing party for the show is this Saturday, February 4th.

ADVENTURES IN MIAMI...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:38:00 -0800

Ensoe | Andrew Young | Scott Sueme, Art Basel 2011. from Catalog Creative on Vimeo.

Back in the beginning of December I traveled with Ensoe, Andrew Young & Scott Sueme to Miami to document their work during Art Basel. Not only was it a blast to get away somewhere warm with 3 great friends, but it also gave me a chance to delve back into the world of filming. The guys produced some incredible pieces and I’m really happy with how the footage came out. Big thanks to Rob from Catalog Creative for editing the video and supplying an exclusive Garde & Eames track.

NEW YEARS 2011/12

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:13:00 -0800

If you haven’t got new years plans yet, then this will be the place to be. Ive teamed up with some rad people to throw a super fun new years party in the heart of East Van. 5 DJ’s, top notch sound/visuals and cheap drinks all night long. Tickets are on sale now for $25 at Beatstreet and clubzone, or visit the FB event page to purchase directly from one of the organizers.

SEASONS CHANGE MIX

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:08:00 -0800

I created this mix to indulge in the annual feelings of heartbreak and despair that seem to resurface during the transition into the dark, wet days of fall in the Pacific Northwest where the loss of the sun can be likened to the loss of a loved one. The mix spans multiple genres and tempos and serves as a soundtrack for anyone wishing to indulge in those feelings.

Stream here: http://www.mixcrate.com/mix/95029/Seasons-Change

Direct download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?2meaj1pogjtavap

Also big thanks to my brutha from anotha SUEME for helping me with the photos and design of the cover artwork.

ART + FRIENDS + DRANKS

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:50:26 -0700

Playing a coupla tunes tonight at The Cobalt for ART ART vol 1. Curated by Mr. Andrew Young, there is a huge line up of local talent. Should be good times with good peeps.

MONDAY MUSIC

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:03:00 -0700

Michael Gray - The Weekend

TANGLED YACHTS

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:16:00 -0700

I had a blast playing for all my friends last weekend at both the Tangled Wires opening and the Yacht Rock party at The Cobalt. The art show had a huge turn out with lots of familiar faces and the dancing shoes were on late Saturday night. Here are a few flicks I manged to snag from Brent Clowater, Paul Chun & Scott Sueme. Thanks to everyone who came out!

HERE FOR A GOOD TIME, NOT A LONG TIME: BASSCOAST 2011

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:24:00 -0700

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the final day/night of the Basscoast music festival located in beautiful Squamish, BC. I wasn’t able to make the entire weekend, so I was absolutely thrilled when I got a call Sunday morning from a friend working the event informing me that a guest pass was available to me. I rallied the troops, gathered up the necessary supplies and we hit the Sea to Sky for a much needed adventure outside of the city.

The beauty that lies just beyond Horseshoe Bay never ceases to amaze me (not that there isn’t beauty this side of the Bay!). It’s a great reminder of how quickly you can escape the city and indulge in the epic landscapes that BC has to offer. And that’s exactly what we would be doing at the Basscoast festival site. Located on the very edge of the glacier fed Squamish River, you could not ask for a more perfect setting for an outdoor festival. White sand beaches, mountains towering above you and more stars then I’ve ever seen in my life!

We arrived at the site around 7 and managed to find a spot to set up camp amongst all the festival goers who had been there all weekend. We finished just in time to catch Ali B mash up all sorts of funky tracks at the Slay Bay stage. He came recommended from my friend Indigo who caught his performance at Africa Burn this year. He did not disappoint and it was perfect way to kick off the night. After his set we caught a bit of the video competition, then went on to explore the rest of the festival site.

Coming across the main Basscoast stage was quite a surprise. It resembled a Scooby Doo-like haunted house with all sorts of crazy images being projected onto it and a window which opened up to the DJ booth. Always a fan of taking the live musical experience to the next level, I was super impressed with the work that had been done at the site.

We caught some of the deep sounds of The Librarian’s set which was cool to see since she is one of the founders/organizers of the festival. Sorry to hear she messed her ankle up, but she looked to be all smiles and enjoying herself. The rest of our night was primarily focused around the Slay Bay stage where we enjoyed the likes of Neighbour, Max Ulis and Isis Graham. However it was Mr. Jacques Greene’s set that really did it for me. Seamlessly blending house with sultry R&B, his whole vibe and sound was distinctly his own.

Come sunrise around 6am we decided to call it a night. However, once we got back to the camp site it seemed futile to go to sleep, so we had a quick bite, packed up our tent that(we never set foot in) and decided to hit the road to avoid the inevitable bottleneck of people leaving on Monday. It was somewhat surreal as we rolled out of the site having only arrived 12 hours earlier. The ultimate “swoop in, swoop out”.

I want to thank all of the organizers of this event for having the vision to cultivate a festival like this and extra thanks for the day pass! It was a great showcase of Canadian talent in an absolutely beautiful setting. I will for sure be returning next year and cannot wait to spend the whole weekend up there! Chalk up another wrist band and another incredible musical experience in 2011.

SAHARA SATURDAYS: ROUND 2

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:11:35 -0700

This post is a little late, but a few weekends ago the second round of Sahara Saturdays went down, and as promised, it was bigger and better then the first. Wanting to expand the space this time, the Universe answered in the form of a friends’ warehouse/rehearsal space that was due for demolition the following week. The timing was perfect, so we cleared out the spot, brought in the gear and set up the lazers.

This space was considerably bigger then the first, so it was nice to get a proper system in there with a 1500W sub so you could really feel the music. We also took advantage of the high ceilings and brought back the Jellyfish, but super sized this time (Construction credit to Colin Moore). There was a great turn out of 100+ people and as usual, everyone loved playing in the tentacles as illustrated by the above photo (unfortunately one of the few from the night).

There was a bit of a hiccup in the night when a shortage of beverages caused somewhat of a momentary exodus outside, but ultimately those who were there to dance and have a good time stuck around and we partied well into the night. I’d like to thank my friends in Said The Whale for providing the space and everyone who came out and had a good time. Can’t wait to see where round 3 takes us!

ART, FRIENDS & SAILOR HATS

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:54:19 -0700

This coming weekend I’ve got a couple of gigs that I’m stoked to be a part of. On Friday i’ll be spinning at the opening of the Tangled Wires art show at Ayden Gallery. Several of the artists in the show are close friends of mine, so it’s a pleasure to play at their opening. Check out their sites for a taste of their artwork, but more importantly come check out the show!

Scott Sueme - Brent Clowater - Ensoe - Colin Moore - Indigo - Andrew Young

On Saturday i’ll be playing Yacht Rock, a nautical themed fundraiser for a super cool project Andrew Young is curating. This November he’ll be putting together an artist created, mini golf course in a pop up space and is throwing a dance party at The Cobalt where I’ll be playing along side DJ Goldentouch. $8 cover and $6 doubles. Get your boat shoes cleaned up and come shake your booty for a good cause.

STAY CLOSE MIXTAPE

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:08:00 -0700

I put this mix together to offer a sampling of what you can expect to hear at Stay Close Thursdays with myself and bradenjonestown at Cinema. Classy and sassy, nu-disco dance tunes. Enjoy! (download by clicking on that little down arrow under info yo!)

Stay Close Mixtape by BIKES

STAY CLOSE THURSDAYS

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:58:00 -0700

I’m happy to announce my new night, Stay Close Thursdays, that I’ll be sharing with bradenjonestown at Cinema. Hoping this will turn into the weekend jump-off this summer, we’ll be spinning an eclectic mix of nu disco, electro-funk and soul. The place to get your post-beach party on!

SAHARA SATURDAYS: ROUND 1

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:59:00 -0700

This past April I attended the Coachella music festival for the first time and was absolutely blown away by not only the music, but also the incredible lights/visuals that accompanied many of the performances. In particular, it was the Sahara tent that really impressed me. Not only did it feature a lot of great EDM artists like Afrojack, Laidback Luke, A-Trak and many more, but it also had visual displays unlike anything I had ever seen. Rather then try to explain, check out this video from The Creators Project who were responsible for many of the visual aspects of Coachella.

Upon returning home to Vancouver, I couldn’t help but simultaneously feel over-whelmed, a little sad that it was over, but more importantly, incredibly inspired by what I had experienced. Knowing it would be a long 365 days until the next Coachella, I felt like I needed to do something to try to re-live that experience, if only in the most modest of efforts. And so the idea for Sahara Saturdays was born.

After marinating on the idea for a bit, then brainstorming with friends about venues, visuals and so forth, it was decided that we were more then capable of throwing a party of our own. Fortunately, some very good friends of mine rent a large art studio in Chinatown that, with a little rearranging, could be turned into the perfect venue for this first venture. A date was set and the wheels were put in motion.

Like I mentioned before, modesty was the name of the game when it came to trying to recreate any sort of visuals like that of Coachella. However, considering we were working with a very small budget, it turned out pretty damn cool. A few loaned light sculptures (including a sweet electric jellyfish), a small investment in a laser rig and some rented speakers and we had ourselves an art studio turned laser-light dance club. It’s fair to say that everyone who walked through that door was pretty surprised by what was inside.

What made the night extra special was the level of energy and positivity that existed inside that room. Everyone who was there wanted to be there and it was really incredible to see so many people dancing, having a good time and sharing in such a unique moment. I’d like to thank everyone who came out and had a good time and also extra thanks to all my friends who provided the venue and helped get things organized. I couldn’t have done it with out you! Here’s to round 2, which promises to be bigger, better and of course, more lasers!!!

The following are some photos from the night shot by Jason Hargrove except for the last, which we took post party. Thanks Jason!

THE SHOW MUST GO ON....

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:13:00 -0700

So if you’ve seen the news, you’ll know that upon the loss of game 7 of the Stanley Cup final, the downtown core of Vancouver became a total war zone. Before the Boston Bruins had even left the ice, cars had been overturned and set a blaze on the streets surrounding Rogers arena as ignorant rioters began destroying everything in their path.

I had been scheduled to play at Cinema for what was to be a victory celebration. Although the desired outcome wasn’t achieved, there was still a tonne of people downtown so I came in to spin anyway. I was already downtown watching the game at a friends apartment, so I made my way on foot from the West End to Granville St. As I arrived at Granville, it was pretty clear that things were about to get as bad there as they were over on Georgia with fights beginning to break out all over.

Fortunately I got inside Cinema unharmed just before things really started to heat up, literally. After playing for about 40 minutes, I noticed everyone rushing to the windows. The street had gone from full of rowdy people to a full blown battle between rioters and police. A dumpster was on fire outside of the bar, people were getting slammed up against the windows, it was complete and utter chaos. And then came the tear gas…

I guess someone had opened the front door because all of sudden everyone in the bar was covering there face as the burning sensation of tear gas took effect. I had an extra shirt, so I quickly covered up my face, got some water and kept the music going. Fortunately the air cleared after about 10 or 15 minutes and things returned to normal in the bar with only a slight hint of the gas remaining.

What happened next was something I didn’t expect. Not having the option to leave due to the turmoil directly outside, everyone inside chose to make the best of the situation and we got a full blown dance party started. It was really cool because it actually aided in putting some of the more concerned staff/patrons at ease. We had food, drinks and were safe with no place to go so why not enjoy ourselves? I wish I had a photo to capture the surreal scene as people inside danced their hearts out while on the other side of the glass police clashed with rioters and attempted to put out fires amidst clouds of tear gas.

All in all, its pretty sad that this kind of chaos can erupt from a sporting event. However, politics aside, I have to say that is was a pretty special moment to see people enjoying themselves while in the middle of such madness. I am happy to know that I was able to contribute something positive in a night filled with so much negativity. Party on!

Next Friday June 17th I will be playing at Ayden Gallery for the...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 22:55:00 -0700

Next Friday June 17th I will be playing at Ayden Gallery for the opening of their new show featuring artists Lani Imre, Taka Sudo & Dave Barnes. The party is from 7pm till 11pm, so pop by for a drink and some culture before going out on the town. And if you need somewhere to party after, I’ll be at Cinema from midnight till 3am.

My buddy Chad Jones of Growth Creative used an older track of...

Mon, 30 May 2011 14:53:19 -0700

My buddy Chad Jones of Growth Creative used an older track of mine ‘Magic’ for his animation/motion design demo reel. He’s a talented man so holler at him if you need some work.