Last night I went out to the “Block” in Tel Aviv to hear Jake Fairley, AKA Fairmont, play at a party organized by my friends from N-Factorial and Pacotek.

Fairmont was HUGE, and judging by the standing ovation he received when it was finally time for him to leave the DJ’s stand, I’m far from being the only person who feels that way. Except for a slightly disappointing set by Move D, yesterday was a great display of electronic music at it’s finest with Pacotek’s Anna doing a great job on the pick up after Jake.

I’m not as young as I used to be and I can no longer do the things I used to do to keep myself alert and awake at parties. My priorities now in my mid 30’s are very different from the ones I had in my mid 20’s. The drugs and hype are for me a thing of the past, and have been for many a year, so when I find myself hopping about at night for 5 hours straight and leaving a party in the full light of day I’m pretty sure that I must have a had a really grand time and that the music must have been fucking great.

Another indicator for me that last night was something special were some of the faces I caught in the crowd. I bumped into Yiftach and Rei, who together with Pacotek’s Tsachi, and a whole bunch of other fine souls led by Danny Zarzewski, pretty much kicked off the Israeli Techno scene about a decade ago. They launched the party producing cooperative “100 Meter’s Underground” that has the distinction of being the only one, out of a bunch of similar operations here in Israel, whose activities received academic recognition.

It feels like only yesterday we were all raving in the caves outside Jerusalem, listening to Danny spinning vinyl 100 meters underground, but as the years go by less and less of “the tribe” show up at the parties. People get old, tired, boring, married and dead…

Pactoek to me are “the new kid on the block” but they’ll be celebrating their 5th birthday next week (with Carsten Jost, Yay!). Fact is they’ve already lasted much longer than “100 meter’s”, “Hazofe”, and all the other techno coops that I have seen come and go, ever did.

I was a club owner for four and a half years.
I’ve heard electronic music on four continents.
I’ve been to the full moon and half moon on Koh Phangan and heard Trance played in the mountains around the Kullu valley. I heard Dimitri at the Escape and was selector at the gate when Digweed and Oakenfold played in Jerusalem.

I don’t go to parties far away from home anymore because I’m no longer willing to take the long drives there and back. If I can’t take a taxi to a venue I ain’t going (I’ve become way too lazy…). My days eating dust and dancing on uneven surfaces at underground parties located in godforsaken locations are probably over. I no longer go to parties hoping to get laid because I’m happy with what I’ve got waiting for me at home…

I still love the scene, the music and the few people I still recognize at the clubs. I’m 34 years old and I’ve never felt more committed to the music I love. I wonder how old I’ll be when I go to my last party…

My 2nd day in Boston was spent at the Institute of Contemporary Art, where photos are not allowed “…to protect the art”.

I walked around Quincy Market where I learned to appreciate lobster rolls - in a word YUM! : )

My day ended with a 50 minute wait for a 50 minute party in the Middlesex Lounge at a Hearthrob event that I had read about in Boston’s Weekly Dig. It was pretty cool for a Tuesday night I guess.

Shame that the lights went on at 1:00 AM though.

What’s wrong with this country?!?

To enjoy the full experience I suggest you click on the slide-show and visit the Picasa album because half the experience is the captions…

As always, if you want to download a photo you can click on the slide-show and that will lead you to the Picasa album where they are all stored. You can use the photos in any way you desire, I only ask that you give me credit and provide a link to my website or blog - MikeDarnell.name.

I’m wondering what music to play at the opening night of Digital Zion @404B.

These are the kinds of ideas i had:
something electronically peaceful and melancholy,
something gritty,
something dark and mystical,
even darker places,
visit electronica and
maybe pick it up some,
we could visit the middle east…
there are so many options,
classical music is great too…

Whaddya think? Your suggestions are welcome : )

A quick collection of links to Techno artists sent to me by the good people at Pacotek.
I hope you enjoy them:

• Vermont / Exercise, Spekk
  www.myspace.com/vermontsyrup
  
• STEPHAN BODZIN / Herzblut, Germany
  www.myspace.com/stephanbodzin
  
• Clown Down / Break it
  www.myspace.com/clowndown
  
• Oded Adam / Legotek
  www.myspace.com/odedadam

Recently I’ve noticed that I’m beginning to accumulate a fair amount of links to pretty funky music in my Google favorites. Mostly they are on Myspace, but not exclusively.

I thought I’d share them with the world…
: )

The order of display has no meaning or relevance whatsoever…

First comes Carsten Yost with “Make Pigs Pay” - on youtube…

Next up is DJ Yoav B. - One of Israel’s Techno pioneers.

Pacotek are probably my favorite Techno venue. There parties are like a like a pair of funky old slippers : )

Oded Zukerman doesn’t deal strictly in Techno - Ambient, Electro, IDM are probably a better description of what he does…

Rei Elbuzz is another pioneer of the Israeli Techno scene. Together with Yiftach Giladi he has been involved in every major development in the scene since the “100 meters beneath the ground” collective was busy throwing the biggest and wildest raves Israel has ever seen…
: )

Tsachi Sousanna of Pacotek was also involved in those magnificent events.

Monika Kruse is one of a the fine ladies of Techno. Recently the scene is seeing more and more female DJs on the decks - the more the merrier I say.

Guy Freedom is another Israeli DJ who has been involved in the scene for quite a while. Guy was also active in running the Israeli underground music community online and was one of the first people to realize the potential the web holds for electronic music and digital art in general.

Another lady to listen for is Tama Sumo, whom I heard recently in Jerusalem. she blew me away, and I’ve heard a thing or two…

Nadav Agami is not really a Techno DJ - His style is a more commercial progressive/trance type vibe. I include him here because he’s bloody good at it.

Dj Rollo is another Israeli DJ who’s career started in Jerusalem, the undeclared Techno capital of the Middle East. I saw Rollo when he just started playing to 20 people in the long defunct and murkily legendary “Q” club.

Have a great time listening to the people listed here and when you’re done come and visit my print “You Spin Me Right Round” - my tribute to the Techno culture I love so much.

Well enough for now - gotta go…
Mike