Marco V @ Forum De Beyrouth (6-6-2008)

[DIONYSOS]

It’s never easy for me to write a review for an event I took part of as a DJ, but last night was too damn good for me to resist working those fingers across the keyboard buttons.

Q Entertainment did it again. After multiple successes in previous events during the past few years, last night was yet another success story to add to Q’s portfolio.

Being the opening DJ, I was among the first people to get to the venue. The speakers and lights were distributed strategically, the stage was at perfect height relatively to the dance floor, display screens lined up on each side of the DJ booth, VIP section on one side with comfy couches, bar on the other side, random artistic decorations here and there, and a space well designed to fit the thousands of ravers expected to attend. The DJs’ toys comprise of a pair of MKIIIs, a pair of MKIIs, and a sexy DJM800 in between, in addition to 4 JBL monitors, 2 on each side. Oh, and the usual Red Bull fridge… what would we do without that!

I can’t really “review” my own set, so you’ll just have to settle for my “objective” description, and I’ll just have to settle with your feedback! I started out at around 11 when the organizers began letting the people in. My set was predominately Melodic Techno – my favorite sound at the moment – and I really enjoyed every single bit of it! The venue was filling up much faster than I had expected, so I had the chance to raise the energy bar as I progressed from 126 BPM to 128 BPM. The crowd was absolutely fantastic, totally digging my melodies and beats, and their interaction was very rewarding, motivating me to play even better music. I handed the decks to my NRJ Mastermix partners RoNiN & Nesta at around 12 and joined the crowd to enjoy the boys’ set the hardcore way!

RoNiN & Nesta picked up from where I left off and began building, and building, and building, while the venue was filling up at an exponential rate. Alternating between sheer darkness and melodic twilights, the boys were reading the crowd like a 5th grade story, understanding what the people needed by intuition. Progressive sounds were dominating the airwaves, heart throbbing bass lines were vibrating the concrete floor, and trippy melodies were moving a starving crowd that never seemed to get enough of the boys. RoNiN & Nesta are also known for their mad interaction, and this was again apparent last night. They have a way of making you feel as if they’re one DJ up there, but one DJ that’s as good as two DJs put together. I will repeat publicly what I told each of the guys in private: this was, by far, the best set that RoNiN & Nesta have dished out so far. Chapeau les boys!

Then it was time for the main act of the night. Marco V took over at roughly 1:30, opening with his world-famous robotic male vocal track More Than A Life Away. I didn’t really know what to expect of Marco, for every time I heard him live he played something different, perhaps not entirely different, but always offering something unexpected. Last night was no exception, and no negative exception I might add. The first hour of Marco’s set was mainly characterized with a heavy deal of musical experimentation, whereby he was alternating not from subgenre to subgenre, but from genre to genre. Jumping from Trance to House to Techno, the one common element in Marco’s first hour was filth. Marco is know for his dirty touch, be it in his DJ sets or his studio productions, and dirt was pretty pervasive during last night’s performance. After getting a feel of what works best on the crowd, Marco moved on to play predominately Tech Trance throughout the rest of his set, with occasional Techno fillers. The amount of energy Marco was pumping out of those unparalleled Studio Vision speakers was sensational to say the least. The crowd was raving mad relentlessly, singing along the familiar anthems, then raving some more on all the fresh records that were being pounded. A breathtaking set by all means, not breathtaking in the sense of watching a dramatic movie that steals your breath away, but breathtaking because Marco left us without a single grain of energy in our systems to even activate the simple mechanism of breathing!

Wrapping up his performance with the usual “turn music off / crowd screams for more / play grande finale”, Marco bid the crowd farewell and headed straight to the airport to catch his early flight. Maximal was in charge now, and mayhem was unleashed upon the poor ravers. To all the Trance heads: if a set starts with Simon Patterson – Smack, what does that tell you? Maximal was all about energy, daring to go beyond the BPM range that most clubbers here are used to. Tech Trance was on the menu, with a melodic touch here and there, played in a very freestyle-like technique that not many DJs still adhere to nowadays. This is the way to end a high BPM main set – with a higher BPM afterhours! It certainly makes much more sense than taking the BPM down at the end of the night as the trend in Lebanon is. Good job Maximal!

Overall, Q Entertainment managed to deliver what was promised. It was yet another highly successful night by Q, with a full house attendance, great music all around, and impeccable organization standards. Q Entertainment has proved its worth once more, asserting itself among the local scene’s finest class of event organizers. Q opened the summer season with Marco V, and my inside advice to you is to keep an open eye for what Q has in store in the near, very near future.

[RoNiN]

@ Dio: PIMP MY BOOTH! haha Ze T'aime As Well! very nice review as usual!

Had a gr8 time warming up for this event! Till the next one guys..

[crow]

Great review Dio!
a 126-128 BPM set surely was great. Has it been recorded?

[nabzkay]

Event Organization: ZERO!

Being that I was on the guest list (and was getting a lot of free tickets from here and there ) and honestly wasn't planning to spend a dime or penny on Marco V, i had to wait roughly 30mins outside Forum among the pushing and shoving crowd to tell Ms. Know It All my name.. After losing my temper I finally got the chance to yell out loud "yo, I'm on the guest list.." and she was like "go in, go in" without even asking for my name.

Once I went in and headed to the main doors, the security wouldn't let me in cause i had no wrist band on, so I had to go back to Ms. Know It All and ask for my wrist band.. she was like "no, no you don't need wrist band.. please, go in."

So back to the security dude standing amongst a raging crowd trying to go in through one tiny opening door.. explaining to him that Ms. Know It All said "no need for wrist band" - After a lot of "rja3o la wara" and pushing and shoving I was finally in somehow. Halleuliah!

Set up? the set up last night was less than acceptable considering the amount of sponsorship on the poster/artwork.

Sound? What the fuck???? The worst and cheapest sound system ever!! It seemed like there was a screw unscrewed in one of the back speakers that made everyone in the back wonder where that "water running/buzzing/tik tik tik" sound was coming from.

Drinks? Redbull for $10? Why??????

Marco V .. no comment. I lost interest in him last year and although I tried to give him a second chance this year... simply fugly and cheesy! I didn't enjoy his music at all and I doubt I will ever attend any future gigs organized by people who are seeking cash after a recycled "has-been" who got a large crowd in previous local events.

There goes my weekend!

[M&R]

^we got ur point, it seems u really enjoyd ur night

[tareknaj]

heheheh yea it was a night to remember for Kaleido-Graphics hehe anw good luck with the next event

[Sin]

Sorry your night didnt go so well Kaleido ...
But one thing i know, your talking from your ass when you speak of the goal of the organisers. Get your facts straight =)

In every gig, there are those who come out unhappy... and i mean in every gig, so i hope next time, we minimize it even more.

And Mr. Kaleido thank you for your comments regarding the International Dj "Recycled Has been" as im sure your knowlege in music and your status internationaly is very highly regarded

[Nesta]

dIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
i enjoyed every f*ken second of your melodic opening bro (oh and btw thx for the track), pure QUALITY and CLASSY! la creme de la techno!!!!
Had an amazing night with all of you guys, dio, ronin, maximal..
Till the next oneeeee!!

[nabzkay]

Mr. Singer.. I was telling my side of the story and I have a right to state my opinion. I didn't offend you nor HousePlanet. - And I know how Q-Entertainment books DJ's and what websites he goes on asking to throw an event.. lets not get into that please.

And about Marco V in Lebanon.. Well, compare the number of attendees that came to Peppermint summer 2006 with Frenchy B's winter 2007 and Q's 2008 and you'll get your answer. Lebanese ears are maturing - that's a fact.

And concerning Ronin & Nesta.. first time i hear u 2 play live.. finally.. It was great! =) That's when i was actually dancing and not roaming around

[Raneem]

^ maturing to listen to David Guetta and Bob Sinclair..that's the same fact..but c'td !

Dunno if the night went good or bad, but i'm happy for my friends (dio, nesta, ronin, and maximal) to get this opportunity
all the best for u guys

[nabzkay]

[TranceFusion]

Redbull for 10$? Are you serious?

[mzy]

I didn't make it ... I was very tired and I wasn't in the mood to listen to Marco V's music ...
Sorry for not making it Dio , Ronin & Nesta ...
I was expecting cheap music from Marco V and it seems I got it right , I fully agree with Kaleido by saying that Marco V is a recycled "has-been" , he's done nothing special these last 2 years (his last remix is very cheap/electro-ish) ! marco v's days were in 2005 and before ...

[Laith&Arwa]

So i didnt miss out on anything!?

[A-Cube]