LATIN FIESTA LATINA
Teviot Row Union, Edinburgh, Sat 16 Mar
The Salsa Angels
Ten years ago, Edinburgh University student Anna Taylor conceived the
idea for a Latin night that would replicate the energetic vitality of parties she’d witnessed while living in Mexico. Working on a shoestring budget, she hand-painted over 100 posters to help publicise the event and after
weeks of work hard, her labours paid off when an overwhelming 700
people attended the first fiesta.
The success of Fiesta Latina is a marvel even to Taylor and this month she’s amazed to be celebrating the tenth anniversary of Edinburgh’s longest running Latin club event. ‘I am surprised that it’s lasted ten years,’ she says. ‘lt’s due to it being a social event and that we get a lot of people who are really into the music because it’s their own music: a lot of Latin Americans and people who have lived in Latin America. They’re the ones that encourage all the new people to come to the club.’
Held on a monthly basis at Teviot Row Union in Bristo Square in association with the university’s Hispanic Society, the fiestas have a music policy that is, by necessity, broad-ranging. ‘We play a mixture,’ says Taylor. ‘We have such a wide range of people, it’s quite hard to please everybody. We get a lot of people who go to salsa classes so at points in the night, we’ll play more traditional salsa that they’re used to hearing. But we also play some Latin chart for the younger crowd because there are a lot of Latin American students that come along. There’s usually a bit of conflict of interests so we try to play a little bit of everything: basically a mix of
salsa and contemporary Latin.’
Each night begins with a dance class from the Salsa Angels and to help celebrate the tenth anniversary Taylor and DJ Pancho’s Latin mix will be augmented by additional dance performances, drinks promotions, birthday gifts and prizes. ‘Lots of reminiscing’ will also figure highly as Taylor herself confesses to being ‘as passionate about Latin music as I was twelve years ago when I first discovered it and became totally hooked’.
(Catherine Bromley)
I Digital at the Venue (top lloor). 10.30pm 3am. £6 (£5). 23 Mar only. (’hunky house through to funky techno with residents Pat ('anny. Biscuit 1) and J(' pltis a live set from lilcctric Blue.
I Disco Inferno at ligo. 10.30pm 3am. £7 (£5 in fancy dress). 23 Mar. Monthly. Burn baby burn at this long-standing disco inferno. stoked in the rrtain room by the masterful M(' ()tis and DJ Nick Silver and lired-up with funk by Fryer (Motherfunk) and DJ ('asanova in the ('octeau Lounge. I The Egg at the Wee Red Bar.
llprn 3am. £4 (£3.50). Weekly. Still the best mix of indie. 60s garage. northern soul. ska and soundtracks you‘re likely to stagger across. A w ell-lot ed institution that stauncth defies change of arty kind.
I Essential at the Liquid Room. Monthly. Next date 6 Apr.
I Eye Candy at (‘Iuh Mercado.
1 1pm late. £10 (£8); £6 ifoutrageously attired. 16 Mar. Fortnightly. Residents (iracme Popstar. Nejat Barton and Neil ('rookston host their infamous. glam house party where mainstream house reigns supreme. Remember to dress glam or serum.
0 Fiesta Latina at 'l'ex int Row l'nion. 9.30pm 2am. £4.50 (£3.50/£2.50). 16 Mar. Monthly. 1)Js
Anna and Pancho celebrate the tenth anniversary of the city's longest running l.atin night. Salsa classes. dance performance and a dedicated crowd intent on hav ing a damn fine licsta will all gttarantee a libidinous Latin soiree that’s not to be missed. See preview and llitlist. I Get Together at the Beat Jan Basement. 10pm 3am. £4 before 1 lpm: £7 alter. 23 Mar. Monthly. (ilasgow l'nderground’s acclaimed nu-jaz/ combo Jersey Street perform a highly anticipated live show. Promoting their new albtnn release with a nine piece hand. Jersey Street get soulful house support from Dom Flangan. Je/ Hill and lirik Da Viking.
I Got The Bug the Beat Ja/l Basement. 10pm 3am. £4 before 1 1pm: £7 alter. 16 Mar. Monthly. Bug/ in The Attic. London’s nu-ja/l. soul and afrobeat imprint. launches a monthly Scottish sL‘ssiUlt at this tidy new venue. lidinburgh nu-ja/l bol'lins Bob Cairns and Scott Rapson are joined by label drone Mikey Stirton and a selection of live players.
I Greazed Up at the Spider‘s Web. Spm 2am. £4. 30 Mar. Monthly. Slick daddies and real gone chicks cttt a rug to a wild and wanton tnix of rockabilly. swing. Rth. ('aiun. (loo-wop, surf and garage punk.
I Headspin at the Bongo Club. l().30pm-—3am. £7. 23 Mar. Monthly. The best in hip hop. funk. soul. house and brcakbeat from the resident DJ display team featuring Allan. The Resonance (Dava and Colin Millar) and Steve Spin. For this date only. ‘A-Ust' (‘tlt‘d holders gel [2 ()[fdoor prit‘e all night lone.
I Jack Your Boots Up at the Beat Jazz. Basement. Monthly. Next date 13 Apr with guest DJ. Charlie Dark (Attica Blues).
0 Joseph Malik Album Launch Party at the Venue. 10.30pm—3am. £10. 16 Mar only. Diverse. the long awaited debut album from soulful hep cat Jo Malik is at last upon us. The release date has been put back to 15 April btit Mr Malik will be teasing trs tonight with an exclusive DJ set featuring tracks from the album. Support comes frotn producer David Donnelly aka Demusphere. Professor Plastic and Paul 16K. See llitlist.
I Joy at ligo. 10.30pm—3am. £10 (£8 members). 16 Mar. l-‘ortnightly. With Alan away at a Pipe Smokers‘ Convention. DJ Brett King steps in to
join Maggie at the decks in the main
arena for some tip-front. dirty house action. Downstairs. guest DJ Sirnrnone Black joins Trendy Wendy and Sally Finlay in their sotrl. fttnk and chart escapade. Note that Joy is a club for gay people and their friends.
I Last Night A DJ Stole My Wife at Po Na Na. 1 lpm—-3am. £3. Weekly. DJ 4th Varmint. keeping it real with the old school to new school beats 'n‘ breaks forrnttla.
I Lick Shot at the Venue (top floor). I lpm --3am. £5. 16 Mar. Monthly. A nascent night of hip hop. ragga and R& B hosted by the resident b-boys A Proffcsse. Ambassador. Nasty P and lixtra.
I Luscious at Cltrb Java. l()pm—late. £7. 16 Mar. l-‘ortnightly. The funky US hottse night hosts an Urbana Records special. with resident DJ Neil (‘rookston joined by not one btrt two (count ‘em) guest DJs — namely John Tomkinson (Miss Moneypenny"s) and David MacFayden (Colours). If you catch a cab from the city centre straight to this simply stunning venue. you can reclaim your taxi fare (with receipt) from the l.ttsciotts door staff. Maxirntnn claims are £7. so don't take the piss.
I Luvely at the Liquid Room. Monthly. Next date 13 Apr.
I The Mambo Club at the Mambo Club. l()pm -3am. £4 (£3 with (lyer) before midnight; £5 after. Weekly. Sir ()ssie takes his ragga. hip hop and reggae showcase on an African tip. mixing it tip with socca and other indigenous llavas. I Messenger Sound System at the Bongo Club. 1 lpm ~3am. £7. 16 Mar. Fortnightly. Righteous roots and dub reggae showcase. this fortnight featuring a tribute to Lee Scratch Perry.
I Mingin at Studio 24 (upstairs). 10.30pm 3am. £6. 23 Mar. Fortnightly. With Alan Joy. one half of the resident duo. off fishing. Brian Dempster invites guest DJ David Myers tojoin him in a spot of filthy house and twisted trance. (ieared towards a predominantly gay crowd.
I Mischief at the Venue. Monthly. Next date 27 Apr with Jumping Jack Frost.
I The Mission at Studio 24.
l lpm 3am. £5 (£4). Weekly. The astoundineg popular haunt for the alternateens is now a weekly affair. occupying the whole building with three rooms of up-to-date darkness on 16 Mar and hosting a rock and industrial night in the downstairs room on 23 Mar.
0 Nameless presents Marshall Jefferson at La Belle Angele. 10.30pm» 3am. £10 (£8). 23 Mar only.
An evening of classic house music with scene legend Marshall Jefferson. See llitlist.
I Opium at ()pium. l()pm—3am. Free. Weekly. Rock. nu metal and alternative/ indie from rotational resident DJs.
I Oxygen at Club Java. Monthly. Next date 6 Apr.
I Phosphoresence at the Venue (lower two floors). Monthly. Next date 6 Apr.
I Progression at the Liquid Room. l()pm—3am. £12 (£10). 16 Mar. Monthly. Another scoop for the Progression crew as London-based DJ/production duo Circulation make a rare visit to Auld Reekie. Expect the best in tribal. progressive house.
I Radio at the Clarernont Hotel. Monthly. Next date 13 Apr.
I Scratch at La Belle Angele. Monthly. Next date 13 Apr. See Thu listings for full details on the Scratch one-off special feat. DJ Rectangle.
I Soul Boys Promo: Bumpin’ 8: Stompin’ at Cafe Royal. 9pm~3am. £7. 30 Mar only. A two room soul affair that and ballroom) where ‘Martin' Haughton. Tam Hall. Alan McKenzie play Northern and Keith Whitson and Anthony Hall play modern.
I Tease Age at the Citrus Club.
1 lpm—3am. £5. Weekly. Now going into its tenth year. this indie stalwart featuring everything from swinging 60s hits to baggy Manchester tttnes continues to draw a packed and sweaty crowd week in. week out. Tltis‘fin'tnigltl. 'A-IJs‘t ' card holders get [3 ()[fdoor price before midnight.
I Ultragroove at La Belle Angele. 10.30pm --3am. £10. 16 Mar. Fortnightly. Following a steady slew of guest DJs. residents (iareth Sommcrville. Colin Cook and Mikey Stirton take control of the decks once again to unleash their quality mix of soulful house. jazzy grooves and afro beats. For this date only. “xi-List ' card holders get [2 off door price until 11.30pm.
I Vegas at Iigo. Monthly. Next date 6 Apr.
I XtraLive (XL) at the Bongo Club. Monthly. Next date 6 Apr.
Chart & Party
I Escape To Time at Time.
1 lpm—3am. £5 with flyer; £6 without. Weekly. A vertically challenged man plays commercial chart and dance. Over 21s only.
I Fiesta at [£1 Barrio. ‘)pm- 3am. Free. Weekly. A modest mix of Latin. Spanish and l.'K chart fare with DJ Hector and his Latin posse.
I Kick at l.oca. l()pm—3am. £2 before midnight; £4 after. Weekly. See Fri.
I Luscious at the Ark. l()pm—3am. £4 (£2). Weekly. Smooth and juicy as a peach. this pulsating night of mainstream pleasure will more than service simple needs.
I Saturday Sensation at the Cavendish. l()pm-3am. £6 (free membership and discounted tickets available). Weekly. 70s. 80s and 90s tttnes for the sensible adults who refuse to have their evenings spoilt by irritating teenage beer monsters. Over 25s only.
I Subway Lottery at the Sttbway West Iind. 7pm—3am. Free before
1 lpm; £3 (£1) after. Weekly. Clubbing's often like a lottery. in that you‘re never quite sure if you‘ll get a winner or a shit night otrt. This club features a lottery numbers game with big. big prizes tip for grabs.
I The Subway at the Subway. 9pm--3am. Free before I lpm; £3 (£1 ) after. Weekly. See Thu.
I Supernova at Revolution. 10.30pm--3am. £5 before midnight: £7 after. Weekly. A brightly btrrning mix of chart and party fare explodes on the Saturday scene.
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