Tag Archives: Public House

A Chrome Gnome Fiasco

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The boys of Public House have been busy recently and we thought it was about time we caught up with them again, especially with some extra special treats on the horizon. Here’s resident Sidd on finding Aladdin’s cave, avoiding East London’s gurning perma-tans, the rise of the Chrome Gnome and their love of a good Fiasco…

Last time we spoke to you, back in February last year, you were gearing up to welcome Parisian DJ Yakine. There’s been a lot happening since then. How was that party and what have you been up to since then?

That party seems so long ago! It was a great party in one of our favourite locations under a noodle bar, it was perfect sized and had a great vibe. Joss and Craig absolutely drilled it out that night, great memories. What have we been up to since then? Eerrm, where do I start, since then we have given debuts to Dario Zenker, Waifs & Strays, Terje Bakke, Dana Ruh and brought Jef K back to London after a long absence. We did our first party in Berlin which was incredible, in a brilliant little club called Kleine Reise, the residents there also played a party with us over here and brought over Mathew Jonson‘s brother Hrdvsion which was great. We have started a side project called ‘The Fiasco’ which is a series of more intimate events that showcase our residents and allow us to bring in some of our friends to play. We did a great launch party at Vogue Fabrics in Dalston, a quirky basement owned by an amazing guy who is probably the most flamboyant character we have ever met. Since then we celebrated our second birthday in the cellar of a pub, did a Fiasco in an art studio in Aldgate on August Bank Holiday and we have a party on the 26th in a venue so weird we can’t really describe it, I think I called it Aladdin’s cave-meets-brothel, but that doesn’t do it justice. We really like doing these super intimate parties as it goes back to the start when we threw parties for our mates. They are always really special and lots of fun.

We have big things planned for the rest of the year a NYD party and an amazing booking for February, keep your eyes locked on our Facebook page for news on that. It’s been a mental few years but really great times, great people and great music.

We’ve always loved the distinctive Public House party spirit and its innovative venue choices. Since we last spoke to you, London has seen a huge increase in Warehouse venues and ‘TBAs’ on Resident Advisor. How are you guys making sure Public House still holds the key when it comes to throwing bloody good parties?

Well, I have always bitched about this (probably with a touch sour grapes), but it seems that everyone in East London runs a party! I’m not saying that we have the best DJ’s and promote the best parties in the world but I think that when we started Public House small parties were not so common place, we came into the scene with a fresh ethos and a concept which was unique at the time. Unique spaces, small capacity and bringing in artists for debuts, we build a trust and a reputation from nothing. With the close of many larger clubs (RIP The END) and also the mass popularity of house and techno in London it seems that there are so, so many nights on these days, you only have to look on RA on an average Saturday to see the volume of events on at a time.

The pond is only so big so we started doing parties less often and put more thought into the makeup of each one. I think people will put more effort in to work with you if they know there is something unique there, I mean who wants to go to a bar-cum-club, pay £10 entry to hear a guy with one signed track on a cool label who can’t string a DJ set together? Especially when you are surrounded by a crowd that resembles a greased up, gurning, perma-tanned mess! We now search, really search, for the perfect venue that provides the atmosphere which our crowd demand, and so they should, if they have to travel a bit farther so be it. It’s a labour of love so you really do get what you put into a party

Chrome Gnome is a production collaboration between two of the Public House residents – Finn Casey and yourself. How did this come about?

Finn had been producing for a few years on and off, but took the plunge to quit his job and go full time about a year ago. I had been tinkering on Ableton and we had spoken about joining forces so we decided to give it a go together. Finn is really the brains behind the operation, and he produces loads of different styles of electronic music with a few different people. I’m more the drunk guy in the background making stupid suggestions. We are still finding our style but in the last few months it has started to come together a bit more and we are starting to see the fruits of our labour.

The Chrome Gnome tracks we’ve heard so far breathe that cheeky kind of energy and bouncy fun that we relish. Can you tell us a bit about the Chrome Gnome sound, District Raw and what’s next up for you and Finn?

The Chrome Gnome sound, hmmm, so far it’s been a real smorgasbord, the track released on District Raw was called The Fiasco and tried to capture the energy of a Public House residents night. It’s normally pretty raucous! That worked really well but then currently we have been into a deeper and spacier style. So I’m struggling to really say that we have one particular sound. I think we will probably always change it up because, that’s what keeps the ideas flowing.

As for the District Raw connection, Fabio Giannelli who runs the label was our first guest, Public House was his UK debut and we have always stayed in touch. so when Finn and i felt we had something worthy of his ears we sent him a couple of tracks! Things kind of fell into place from there really, we are really proud to be on his label is it has a seriously solid back catalogue and he is a good guy to know! I won’t reveal give to many details but there are some more things in the pipeline with him, all of which are really exciting!

Next for me and Finn, probably polishing off a few tunes. Then we’ll focus on world peace, solving Finns debt crisis and ensuring we qualify for next year’s X-Factor.

Finally, give us the big sell for 26th November…

Our next event is on the 26th of November and promises to be a cracker, we have found a seriously weapons grade venue and I’m sure it’s gonna get wild!

Also, I have just done a Public House podcast to get your ears round…

And ‘like’ us on Facebook cos we have just secured another crazy space for February, with another UK debut lined up too!

Woody’s Roundup

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Friday has arrived! After an eventful week where Coogan fought Clarkson and we had our first glimpse of real sun, I’m ready for a party, are you?

While Minnie is up in the mountains, clubland, believe it or not, must go on… Tonight, another sterling line-up graces The Nest, with Julio Bashmore, Riva Starr, Oli D.A.B. & Robin, Rachel Barton & Nockall, but it is Saturday that has all the fun this week. Floating Points and Ramadanman are at Cable, Plumps DJs are back with Herve and Mumdance at XOYO, and the mysterious Love Fever returns to another secret Dalston venue. Last but not least, our favourites Public House have the next in their series of special guests and UK debuts; Norwegian Terje Bakke takes to the decks at Nomad, Old Street. Right then, let’s party!

Today’s tracks are a mixed bag, but it’s been that sort of a week…

Canblaster – Clockworks
Darabi – Truckin (The Love Supreme Reversion)
Detroit Grand Pubahs – Sandwiches (Danny Daze Soughdough Jack Mix) – Danny’s been getting some love on the airwaves this week with his track Fall Away From Love.
Golden Bug & Rodion ft. Lavinia Claws – Washing Machine (Bottin’s Spin Cycle)
Gucci Mane – Brand New (Rustie Remix)
Metronomy – She Wants

One for good luck ahead of tonight: Hey Love (Rachel Barton & Nockall re-edit)  – Dennis Ferrer vs. Riva Starr vs. Donna Summer

All zipped up – Woody39

Woody’s Roundup

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It’s that first-of-the-month syndrome where everyone decides to put on a night, and when you combine that with the back-to-school, freezing-cold, if-we-keep-dancing-maybe-winter-will-go-away feeling, the results are pretty explosive.

Sooo, tonight is that Mixmag Thing #6, with The 2 Bears and James Priestley all for free at the Queen of Hoxton, and tomorrow there’s about ten things to go to, including Neon Noise Project at XOYO with We Have Band, Surkin, Feadz, Tronik Youth, Punks Jump Up and The C90s. Annie Mac Presents sees Fake Blood, Monarchy and Aeroplane at Koko, but this is sold out so watch out if you’re just planning on turning up. At Corsica Studios we have Phonica’s 7th Birthday, featuring Virgo, Four Tet and Henrik Schwarz, and last but not least, our Eastside favourites Public House, bring Jef K to Drop East in Commercial Street. It’s hard to describe the energy at these parties, so you should really experience it for yourselves.

Lots of notable tracks floating around this week, not to mention new albums, so this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Bot ‘Ox – Blue Steel (Still Going remix)
Barclay James Harvest – Love on The Line (Mustang Re-Dit)
Pleasurekraft – Tarantula
Yelle – La Musique (Lorenz Rhode Remix) – released on Kitsuné on Monday.
Crookers feat. Roisin Murphy – Royal T (Blamma! Blamma! Remix)
Boys Noize – Yeah
Caribou – Sun (Bowski remix) – another great remix from Bowski, just adding the little bit of oomph that this track needed.
OR: WoodyXXVI

Bonus (go BUY the Aeroplane album, it sounds like this):
Aeroplane feat. Jonathan Jeremiah – Good Riddance

Also worth your pennies: the excellent self-titled Bag Raiders album is out today on Modular, and over on Eskimo Recordings, Bottin‘s new Democracy/August EP is out on Monday. Treat yourselves.

Hakazou!

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This weekend was supposed to host a German musical invasion across the capital with Made to Play talent Oliver $, Get Physical’s M.A.N.D.Y. and Harry Klein girls Ana & Julietta playing at The Legion, Fabric and Cosmo Bar. However, the ongoing saga of volcanic ash lingering in the UK skies prevented many DJs leaving their home town forcing, perhaps healthily in some respects, promoters to look elsewhere and make the most of homegrown talent still residing in their respective nations. Fortunately, the power of the internet and digital music means that we can still get our fix from abroad, and for the purpose of this post, a taste of the generous array of electronic exports pouring out of Germany.

Today marks the release of Hickup Theme from new up and coming producers / DJs Hickup (or HCKP) on the ‘Future’ chapter of the Five years of Dirty Bird compilation. Dirty Bird is certainly a label known for supporting the brilliant artists coming out of Germany, and more specifically the sounds ruling the Berlin clubbing scene.

Hickup are a duo from North Germany who like their music ‘electronic and ethnic’ and Hickup Theme represents just that. Its core make-up comprises of tribal beats and ethnic melodies. They refer to it as an ‘energentic tribe dance’, and it fits perfectly with the Dirty Bird mentality and other tracks within the release. Hickup Theme has been available as single download since the end of March, but to take it away as part of the compilation, you’ll need to get yourself over to Beatport. The full tracklist looks fantastic including new and old tracks from the likes of Claude Von Stroke, Justin Martin, Style of Eye, Tim Green, Sascha Braemer and The Martin Brothers and it came out today!

Hickup also saw Hickup Theme enter in Thomas Schumacher’s RA chart this month and second track Hakazou! has been gaining support from not only Heidi on her Radio 1 show, but also Jesse Rose, who apparently dropped it recently at Panorama Bar with great success.

Hickup – Hickup Theme by HICKUP

They don’t stop at great production either, Hickup are playing in Hamburg, Kiel and Hannover over the next few months (including an evening in June with the UK’s Zombie Disco Squad at the Luna Club, Kiel) and you can find more from HCKP on their Soundcloud page. The boys are currently working on new mixes to further showcase their DJing talent.

So whilst we await some new mixes from Hickup, we’ve found a mix from the main man himself. A man responsible for the signing of so many incredibly influential tracks over the past 5 years of Dirty Bird. Enjoy:
Claude Von Stroke – Dance Under the Blue Moon – 17th April 2010

My House is Your House

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Starting in the depths of Dalston back in April 2009, Public House feels like a house party but it’s not in anyone’s house; it feels like all your best friends, yet you’ve never met them before. Often based in disused shops (complete with till-bars and fitting room-toilets) or abandoned courtyards, it houses fresh driving tech, minimal, Latin and tribal house, as well as early Detroit techno and cult Chicago classics, but, you’re not in a club…

This environment is unique to Public House and exactly what they set out to create: ‘…the hedonistic party atmosphere which is often forgotten in favour of pretentious elitism. Public House is for everyone who wants to leave their ego at the door and listen to excellent dance music. The music will be pumping, the mood upbeat and the atmosphere stimulating… Expect the unexpected, as long as it makes your feet dance, your ass shake and your mouth smile it will be out of the box and on the decks… The Public House residents have one policy: if it sounds good and feels good, it is good. Done.’

Public House are Simon Shreeve, Matt Hannigan, Tom Traves, Finnian Casey and Sean Robinson. The boys are now on their 6th party, where they will showcase Parisian house and tech DJ Yakine and Scotsman Craig Torrance.


Matt Hannigan tells us a little bit about how it all began, the best bits and what we can expect in 2010.

How did you all meet?
We all know each other via mutual friends through university/school etc, but we became friends from going out to the same nights. Fabric, The End and warehouses were the places where we realised that we had an affinity for the same music and the love of a great party.

Where did the Public House dream begin?
I think Public House spawned from the passion we all have for quality house and techno and the desire to provide an arena for people to get into a real party vibe. We have been to so many parties where the music has been top notch but the crowd has been really tame.

Public House started as an opportunity for us to DJ for our friends and build up a reputation for intimate, raucous and hedonistic parties that seem to have faded away recently. Basically we want people to have fun, and dance their asses off to the best music in with the best atmosphere!

Can you tell us a little bit about your parties to date?
Well our first party really took us by surprise… it was a launch party at the eccentric Shacklewell Arms in Dalston and we were fully resigned to have our friends turn up and no-one else, but it was absolutely rammed and we all knew we were onto a good thing!

After careful planning and a few more successful events, we decided to invite our first guest DJ. Our policy is to book up-and-coming DJ’s who haven’t really played in the UK before. We gave the UK debut to Italy’s Fabio Giannelli. His productions had the support of all the big names and we risked a lot as we had only heard a few of his sets. But it paid off and he took the house down.

Our next party is with Parisian Yakine, and we are all very excited about Saturday. We have some amazing bookings for 2010 and our birthday event in April looks like its going to be really special!

What has been your Public House highlight since it all began?
There have been so many special moments, but I would have to say that the last 30 minutes of our first party will stay with me forever. Everybody was so pumped and didn’t want to leave and when the last song played the crowd were screaming for more. The atmosphere was everything that we had hoped for, and it felt we had delivered on the promises we had made about starting Public House.

You’re starting to attract not only great UK DJs but also talented internationals. Who would be your ultimate Public House headliner?
Ricardo Villalobos playing to 300 people – that’s what dreams are made of.

Moving around and trying out new and unusual venues has become a Public House staple. If you could run a night anywhere, where would it be?
Oddly we’ve always wanted to have a night in a deserted bowling alley for some reason, we are keeping an eye out…

Public House breathes quality dance music new and old, has there been a defining track or ‘moment’ that has simply torn up the dance floor for you?
The final tune of our first party, when Ralphi Rosario – You Used To Hold Me was dropped, links in with my earlier point, the track, the reaction, the hysteria that followed…. so epic.

Any hot tips or tracks for 2010?
Keep an eye out Ana and Julietta, these Harry Klein girls are nothing short of incredible, and we think it’s gonna be a big year for Varoslav, in ’09 we just got a taster of what he is capable of.

What’s next for Public House?
The freshest talent, the same cutting edge music, the most interesting venues and the same ‘anything goes’ party vibe…. fueled by plenty of Jager and opera shoes x



The next Public House event is this Saturday 6th February at The Cosmo Bar, EC1.

Information about upcoming events, mixes and podcasts can be found at www.tinyurl.com/publichouse and www.myspace.com/publichouselondon.