The Old Berlin (Alt Berlin) school of synths!

D*ruffalo loves the recently launched German issue of ye olde DJ Mag.  A top 100 of international clubs for a readership that is most likely to skip any information about any club that is not German or at least within measurable reach, or in Spain (BUT we get to know that Hamburg’s Baalsaal is now located above Neidklub, and that Solomun rates Ego among his personal top three clubs)? A guide to UK festivals that includes several German festivals, followed by festivals in “the rest of the world”? Several photos of Chris Liebing not grinning from ear to ear? A cover story about a performer from Naples, who looks like someone only very outsourced agencies would invent for the really “freaky” ads? Announcing an exhausting review section, painstakingly balanced on UK-based market research, and then reviewing maybe one third of any competitor in the land (including Vice), and only records likely to be sold out by publishing date? The “performings arts” special about Cocoon’s dancing girls? A feature about the hottest topic ever, vinyl or digital, followed by several features about digital mixing devices, totally not sponsored? A feature about a trend back to vinyl that only comes up with seven international record stores (BUT we get to know that Hard Wax has a pressing plant)? Giving the mysterious DJ Mocca (aka Puresque, if this is of any help) not only the chance to heat up the above mentioned hottest topic ever by being controversially pro-vinyl, but also to come up with the definite 24 hours Berlin travel guide that is buzzing with info that is strictly druid’s mouth to druid’s ear (Trabisafari! Space Hall has the nicest staff in town! Kreuzberg has cheap food! Ricardo plays at Club der Visionäre, always! Trabisafari!!)? DJ charts by hardcore cognoscenti DJs (apart from, yes, DJ Mocca)? A several pages feature about Lux 11, totally not sponsored, for a readership more likely to put their vomit in hostels?

Seriously, if D*ruffalo ever makes it to print, we would be proud if it would even barely scratch the surface of this. Bring on the next issue!

Ah, the memories! Taking the best clues from Jazzanova Optimo Soul II Soul, the D.H.S. dealt with the hectic gig requests and split up the collective, sending Editor 1 and 4 to the Ruhrpott to deliver the sound of D*ruffalo. Warming up took place in Cologne last Friday, where the boys hosted a soirée drinking session at the mighty lovely Holunder, greeting some local deep house hopefuls superstars and the ever wonderful Groover Klein. Editor 4 gently shrugged off advice on where the gourmets wine and dine in town, and instead kept a steady supply of Kölsch and Holunder shots rolling. In fact the steady supply rolled so well that a visit to a house party Losoul played later that night became all dazed and confused.
On showtime day the next morning early noon, Editor 4 and 1 went straight to where the gourmets wine and dine, Puszta-Hütte, and had Gulasch for breakfast, in a champions stylee. Then dizzy record shopping was on, with Editor 1 totally failing the point at A-Musik by buying a Dance Mania, a Nu Groove and an Aaron-Carl record, then going on to blag a Groove Attack bag from the Worgulator with his Coati Mundi and I-F purchase. Kompakt was wise enough to close down their store 15 minutes before the top old boys arrived, and a closing time of four in the afternoon was generally considered to be extremely laisser-faire. By then Editor 4 had spent an amount worth the forthcoming night’s pay on records so obscure that nobody could remember what was purchased, not even him.
Then off to Bochum by car, which was reached almost exactly at the time Foffie’s mobile navigation finally found its satellite, just by sheer disco magnetism. The location of Funkloch in an old train station was visited and deemed post-industrial and rugged enough to meet the expectations. The lovely host Guy and his lovely crew supplied so much overall loveliness, that it was agreed upon to give back love and nothing less. First to receive was the bar staff, which proved to be perfectly cooperative, quick and unscrupulous. The hotel was fine as well, so rooms had only to be swapped once.
Back to the venue, people were flooding in and Editor 1 satisfied met the eager anticipation of the audience with his lecture on all things D-I-S-C-O, lecturing equally romantic and confusing antique anecdotes and what-to-do-lists from Anthony Haden-Guest, Andrew Holleran, Kitty Hanson and Michael Musto, and modestly neglecting all the own writings he brought along. Following up was the gig by the Homewreckers, who made everybody wiggle and shake with sophisticated deep beat science and the effortlessly cool presence of the singer Dennis Legree. Then the D*ruffalo Hit Squad took over, embarking on a wild back to back ride that was to last for six hours, without any of them breaking up the schedule just once. This surprising determined level of discipline and the typical varied non-stop supply of deadly dancefloor weapons took over the whole room and was given back in an impressive manner from the crowd, not letting up with cheers, disco clapping, drink supply, and relentless body moving. Ah, the love! The troopers did their very best, in fact everybody attending did so, and the boys could not only make Tobias Koth dance, they even made him take his top off.
When not dancing menacingly near the mixer, our correspondent Foffie took some video footage from various stages of the night (note that the boys managed to surpass the massive loudness of the p.a. with a distortion extravaganza to reduce Editor 2, the D.H.S. main sonic destroyer, to tears of pride and joy), so see yourself:

D*ruffalo Hit Squad @ Funkloch, Bochum, April 30 2011 Part 1 from D*ruffalo on Vimeo.

D*ruffalo Hit Squad @ Funkloch, Bochum, April 30 2011 Part 2 from D*ruffalo on Vimeo.

D*ruffalo Hit Squad @ Funkloch, Bochum, April 30 2011 Part 3 from D*ruffalo on Vimeo.

The D*ruffalo massive would like to thank all the wonderful people who made and did it, you rock!

Now, here’s to the next mission!

Props to Hops!

Clouds in our coffee…unfortunately – as it appears – US only.

Press Release on Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo!, Debuts New Content Providers: The Economist, ESPN Insider and Mediabistro with Marvel Digital Comics Coming Soon

“SEATTLE–Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) introduced the newest additions to the Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO), as The Economist, ESPN Insider Rumor Central, Marvel Digital Comics and Mediabistro were revealed on stage at the company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Building on the Oct. 2010 launch, the network continues to serve up a collection of hand-picked premium news, entertainment and lifestyle content along with local insights and events. Powered by free Wi-Fi, it’s accessible via laptops, tablets and smartphones in nearly 6800 U.S. company-operated Starbucks stores. Today’s line-up gives free access to premium content covering global news, sports, comics and careers…..

ENTERTAINMENT CHANNEL

On the Entertainment Channel, watch for the upcoming arrival of the Marvel Universe as Super Heroes, mutants, aliens, armor-clad super-geniuses and thunder gods join forces with the Starbucks Digital Network on Apr. 23, 2011. Known for engrossing stories and a library of more than 8,000 characters, Marvel Comics gives Starbucks customers unlimited, free access to its full library of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine and others await to captivate as customers explore the comic realm and imagine fighting villains with a cup of coffee in hand.”