The Pondering Blonde

Save it til the Morning Afters

The morning after the night before has never been this cool. Previously associated with hangovers from hell and waking up next to something chortling and hairy-my horrifying experience anyway- the Afterparty is now officially the crescendo of your big night out. Yep that’s right; carbo-load and pace yourself; just because the sun is up doesn’t mean the party’s over!

Research into ‘Afterparty’ culture revealed these seemingly last-thought soirees actually go way back. To go totally nerd on you- and I probably won’t be invited to any more after this- the Latin word repotia is the heyday ‘afterparty’ equivalent which literally translates to ‘a second round of drinks’- which meant ‘the party that follows the original entertainment’. HA! And I’ve been trying to tell people there’s theory to this for years!

See, it occurred to me a while ago that going into a big dark room to dance for 9 hours and then heading home is actually not the most social thing in the world to do. You may think you’re bonding over shared bottles of water and tag-teaming into the loo’s, but when it dawns on you that all you really know about your Party Pal is their disturbing fascination with Steve Lawler and a penchant for shouting ‘VIVA!’ anytime anyone drops a half-decent tune, you might need to rethink how you spend your time. You might need to go to a few Afterparties!

Previously regarded as quite an elitist activity- by those not invited I’m sure- the key to Afterparty access is quite simple: make your own one! Briefly- spread the word, deny it until 10 minutes before the club closes so the lightweights and safety-hazards have gone home or passed out (Do not stop, do not wake them, do not help them into a cab- they will come alive, follow you home and vomit on your carpet!). Arrange some afterhours tune deliverance, a few cold ones and you’re pretty set!

Actually- it might even be worth a shot to try lure the headlining act back with you too- after all, it’s only decent to offer your hosting services to guests in the city and give them a truly memorable experience, right? An Afterparty I found myself at in Hackney saw D. Ramirez rock up with an awesome entourage- a gay Capetonian and two chicks from Pretoria- I kid you not! We all ended up donning someone’s neon pink lipstick, threw shapes in front of a camera I’d come across and later shared the fallacies of life on someone’s four poster bed. Brilliant, bizarre and the best of all- he didn’t play and no-one asked him to.

The homes, rooftops and back-gardens of the clubbing community around the world serve as the perfect time-continuum for when you’ve had the night of your life and you’re not quite ready to let it go. The decks are set, the crew are draped appropriately around the room and a few vodka-coffee’s are doing the rounds… you can scrape your hair back after letting it down and watch as people become human- and highly entertaining- making real connections away from the dancefloor and in ways you couldn’t possibly do in the club.

So as it turns out; Party Pal has a dog called Gadget and a theory on what we’re all dancing for but I think moments like these may very well be it! Oh and the moment you realise you don’t know where the hell you are and have work on Monday morning- but the Afterparty walk of shame is usually totally worth it!

Pure Pacha with D Ramirez

Those cheeky red cherries have been at it again- lining up an artist ensemble set to revolutionise your Saturday Night out. Pure Pacha is all about the dancing itch, musical glitch, glamour, aspiration and escapism, defining an unprecedented quality club night. This July 18^th, Pure Pacha steals a moment away from the White Isle to present a sexy smattering of the world’s best bring-bringers for one extravagant night of sultry summer bliss in London.

Never one to shy away from making a noise, Pure Pacha presents D. Ramirez, The Hoxton Whores , I:AM DJ’s and a special reunion set from the Ninja Cowboys; an unquestionable bevy of the electronic artists catching ears and moving feet around the world with slick live sets and sound productions.

D. Ramirez
D. Ramirez is one of those artists truly wired to the machine. His presence in the dance music industry has seen him become the iconic silver soldier of electronic music, exploding onto the scene and taking clubland by storm many moons ago. Ramirez is known for his penchant for firey electro and razor sharp productions, which when unleashed on unassuming dancefloors around the world, causes body riots that fill the D with glee. His slick deliverance and precision mixing give him an entertainer’s licence behind the decks and make him one to check on the live experience list of discerning clubbers and music lovers.

Ramirez was awarded Best Remix and Best Producer in DJ Magazine’s 2007 awards and 2006 saw him knighted as a Player Of The Year in iDJ. Tracks like Columbian Soul’, ‘Time Fades Away’, ‘Pleasure Me’ and ‘La Discotek’ reached top chart spots and have been championed by the biggest dj’s in the game. A new chapter in his sound assault, Ramirez’s recent studio move has inspired an audio rejuvenation. His latest sets have seen him chunk up his soundscape with the tough-talking, deep house and techno sounds currently shaking the shingles of the dance music industry. You haven’t done it until you’ve done it with D.

The Hoxton Whores
The Hoxton Whores are Britain’s electronic- musical equivalent to the Union Jack. Having toured extensively through the UK, Europe and the borders beyond, they unequivocally boast an energetic, positive and responsive progressive dance sound, which has seen them collaborate and remix with some of the best including Deep Dish, Faithless, Moloko and Todd Terry. Over the past decade they’ve owned the Beatport charts and embarked on a round trip to stamp the world with their Whore House sound. They always bring it back home and give their Big Smoke audience a solid dose of the Hoxton spirit they set them off in the first place.

I:AM DJ’s
The I:AM Dj’s  burst onto the London scene in 2007 and have been making worthy soundwaves both behind the decks and in studio. Pledging a fresh breed of electronic artistry, their silky production skills and uplifting dj sets have put them front and centre as one of the most exciting acts in electronic music right now. Their music is being played as far afield as LA, France, Germany and Portugal, and receiving a double thumbs up from the likes of Miky Slim, D. Ramirez and Seamus Haji. I:AM DJ’s made their Miami WMC debut earlier this year and seriously set the stage for things to come.

Ninja Cowboys
The Ninja Cowboys are the powerful merger of Cozzie D, Johnny Mikes and Mark Storie, and came to life through a long term residency at the Kidology club nights at Aka. The trio set up Dirtbag Records and flung out a host of too hot for words tracks that set them on worldwide adventures into the electronic abyss and playing alongside the cream of the underground electronic crop. All three rock incredibly sound solo careers and reform the faction now and then when planets collide. The Ninja Cowboys get on their horses and come together again for another loud thrashing and a whole lot of Yee-ha especially for Pure Pacha this July!

This is set to be an indulgent aural assault- Pure Pacha style- you don’t want to miss it!