music & me

Max Graham at Output

A surreal bomb diggity experience

From MIA to NYC for an OTC. Part II What traveling alone to the city that never sleeps to catch your favorite DJ in action is all about

Who: Max Graham

What: OTC debut on THE bomb as diggity funktion one

When: Thursday, April 13

Where: a magical place on earth- Output

Why: why not, very deserving milestone

Output got me real good, add to that Max Graham and I was crumbles… Ongoing tingling goosebumps straight from the speakers onto my lady parts all night long. The sweet love they made to my body. A crisp energy, no words would ever come close to describe. Hot and bothered and weak don’t do it justice. Once again I reinforce the fact, I am that fangirl swaying the night away around the dance floor.

Now for the parts where I screamed like a little girl (you’ll be able to hear my screams on the 6 hour recording very clearly).

Airtight- gosh the Tim Penner remix sounded so delicious 

Guiding Light- my soul left my body, wtf happened 

Oh Max played Michael Jackson, yes he did. No big deal just some Michael Jackson at Output

Not Enough- tissue please, I cried

and the dude closed with Rise of Angel... I was split in half and might’ve sworn a little or a lot. I couldn’t contain myself, but what’s new?!

I cried and smiled at the same time, tears of joy. 

A truly magical family affair.

Life. Love. Moments like this always in my heart. ❤

Ps- you know I'm not a behind the booth type of gal but being behind the booth watching Max do his thing is pure magic. Max never ceases to amaze me.

Percussion was king-pre wmc, which in really was my wmc

btw my new fav t-shirt <3 

3/15 Boiler Room Miami at Electric Pickle- I still can’t believe I attended Boiler Room. I was one of the lucky ones able to witness la sabrosura. The energy in the room was palpable, from beginning to end. Only thing that needs to be said is: “Oscar fucking G, Josh fucking Wink and Danny fucking Tenaglia.”

3/17 Brian Cid at Do Not Sit- was an intimate affair of deep prog and infatuating melodies. He played Mona, I couldn't contain myself.

https://soundcloud.com/briancid/mona-original-mix-extinct-records

3/18 Âme (live), Marcus Worgull and Moscoman at Electric Pickle **celebrating PL0T’s 10th year anniversary and my bday - that was THE party. What a sunset, what a sunrise. Truly blessed for the friends, music and love I got to share. I was high on happiness. Keeping this memory close to heart for a lifetime.

25 second video below basically describes me- because who has time for videos when you’re dancing feeling the tingles inside. Dark, with glimpses of light, and all the percussion... did I say percussion?! 

3/23 Lost & Found at Treehouse with my fav Israelis - ** me entering Treehouse: hi honey I'm home and the music replied welcome honey. I sat down with my vodka getting warmed up to some Sahar Z vibes. Minute by minute the place got fuller and fuller and I was already Lost. Guy Mantzur and Guy J made sure I was never Found because my soul, brain and feet where deep into the prog rabbit hole. The way it should always be.

3/25 Anjunadeep at Gramps- When different styles of the music spectrum collide into one seamless story, a magical combustion happens. Highlight of the night was the unexpected Yotto b2b Kidnap Kid. Always a pleasure to keep the tradition going in the deep.

Who: Some guys turning knobs What: Miami Music Week When: March 14 - 20, 2016 Where: Sunny Miami Beach & adjacent areas Why: Holy week in music, that’s why  

The best week of the year took place a bit over a month ago. Just now I’m able to sit in front of the computer and so much as try to put into words yet another whirlwind of feelings and things about Miami Music Week (MMW). Because it is beyond hard to describe a week of such magnitude, words don’t even come close to the feeling but I sure as hell will try.

These are the bits and pieces compiled throughout the week.

I’m probably still floating in a parallel universe breathing some other air and on another gravity level with euphoric tickles passing through me...

Monday Wasn't going to party but peer pressure and the power of techno made me do it. Marco Bailey played at one of my favorite spots or as I like to call it my second home, Treehouse. So glad I went. Marco Bailey made the room tremble.

Tuesday Sometimes last minute decisions turn out to be the best. Mind Against b2b DJ Tennis at Electric Pickle was flawless. A crispy hypnotic night that got me enchanted in more ways than one- The sound system, the disco ball, the vibes.

Wednesday Haven became Cycles central, or as I like to describe it, a dark room with intimate vibes. Two of my favorites were there, of course I’m talking about Max Graham and Solid Stone…and I became shambles, as simple as that. This pic is all I’m going say about that night, the rest I will keep near and dear to my heart. Oh one more thing, Max dropped the Tim Penner remix of Airtight, you guess the rest…

Thursday PLAYdifferently presents PROTOTYPES TOUR with Richie Hawtin & special guests. Those ten words above made me tremble, or so I thought... At 3:40pm that day PLAYdifferently announced half of the lineup, I was more than fucking fine with it because CHRIS LIEBING was on it… (not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical about the b2b as it was my first time witnessing Liebing).

At around a quarter to midnight, I arrived at Basement Miami greeted by a happy face design carpet (understatement of a feeling) and some smooth tech house courtesy of mister Joris Voorn. Fangirl moment #1. I was swaying away with eyes closed swirling around the room. All of a sudden I looked at the booth about to explode with talent and fangirl moment #2 happened. Dubfire, Guy Gerber, Oscar G, *gasp for air*, the Martinez Brothers and Loco Dice made their way to the front in the sea of talent because they were the surprise b2b!!!

Reminiscing about the following moment makes my heart pound as if I was there all over again. It went something like this:

I made my way to the restroom through a sea of sweaty bodies, immersed in goodness, when I got out I nearly died of sheer something. For a second I thought I was at the wrong party. The groovy techno was flooding out of the speakers when all of a sudden I hear the queen Celia Cruz’s voice “ eh mama, eh, eh, eh mama”

I WAS DONE. Salsa and techno at once, my senses were ripped off me while being aroused by the music. That b2b worked. From then on I was a big chunk of nothing, or so I thought. My eyes saw the angel of death, CHRIS LIEBING. Fangirl moment #4. Then Richie Hawtin stepped in and the b2b began. My heart melted to the underground, I was salivating like a dog in Pavlov’s experiment but it didn’t end there, no. These two masters made me lose a screw in my brain while in the dungeon depths of the underground playing one of my favorite techno bombs // Pig & Dan- Lizard King (Julian Jeweil remix) <3

Outer body experience because inside my mind I was jumping euphorically but my body was paralyzed and yes I shed a tear. To top that off Chris Liebing shook my hand. <3

What happened was beyond my comprehension. To this day I’m still questioning it.

Saturday Truly, a special day with the Anjunadeep family. Mostly because it was my birthday but also because Anjunadeep sweetness under the cloudless sky. Just minutes after arriving to Cafeina, Martin Roth played Luciano- Rise of Angel (Andrea Olivia remix). Cry #1 of the day. The anjuna sounds were getting stronger by the minute. I found myself wandering around (as it always happens) getting absorbed by the rhythms and love. Come 8:00 p.m. the sunlight began to fade and I was front and center for Cubicolor. The vibe during his set made me feel all warm and fuzzy to the point I thought my soul was going to explode. Well that didn’t happen until Yotto stepped in. **The transition between Cubicolor and Yotto jesussssssss have mercy** Not even five minutes into Yotto’s set, I cried like a newborn baby gasping for air (see top photo, I’m the one in all denim; thanks to the Anjunadeep crew for capturing the moment). Needless to say, I fell in love with Anjunadeep all over again.

Sunday The final untz of March madness was upon me. Back to Treehouse for some mau5trap. I got there around 11:30pm to catch Attlas. He totally blew me away. With each passing minute the room got tighter and tighter. I have never seen Treehouse that packed. Sweat, darkness and hold on tight because Attlas and Deadmau5 went back to back. I had an inch of space to dance in but it was enough. Everyone was grooving in unison then Deadmau5 took over and all hell broke, pandemonium.

Another Miami Music Week for the books. I am one lucky gal to have witnessed such amazingness. Old friends, new friends and memories I will cherish forever.

Who: Thugfucker, Mind Against, Tale of Us and special guest Richie Hawtin What: Life & Death // Art Basel Edition by PL0T & iii Points When: Thursday, December 5 Where: Mana Wynwood Why: did you see the who

If the universe had a heaven, then Life & Death would be it. The melodic galore combined with the dark and groovy sounds made for a fairytale night in heaven.

The Life and Death special for Art Basel got announced and without hesitation I bought my ticket and no, I had no idea about the lineup. But then again it’s Life & Death so it’s bound to be “good” (understatement). I might’ve just peed a little when the line-up was announced. Thugfucker, Mind Against, Tale of Us and special guest Richie Hawtin.

As per usual, December 5 was approaching and my Event Anxiety Disorder (EAD) was at an all-time high. Mind that the week before I was in Lala- Nyland with Max Graham. I might’ve been in need of some calming infused, decreasing anxiety shot or something. Fast-forward to Thursday, December 5…

The morning went by slow, my EAD was increasing by the minute. Come 5pm and the sun started to set and I was ready to play. At around 9pm the rain, thunder and lightning came because Life & Death was about to start.

I got to Mana at around 11pm. The EAD was still there until I saw the lovely techno bird welcoming us. I think the bird was saying- “you guys have no idea what awaits on the other side.”

Enter the black room with background music just at the right level to lure you in. Disco balls and birdcages with candles adorned the ceiling. The little bits of light looked like stars in Life & Death heaven. Towards the back of the room, carpets and pillows made out for a cozy resting area. A/C was working full force (huge plus as in prior events it had been an issue). Overall top notch production.

Now, to the part where I of course lost it. THE MUSIC. Keep in mind this was my first time seeing any of these DJs. Should I mention yet again how ecstatic and thrilled I was.

• Thugfucker- the perfection of a warm-up set. The volume was at its perfect point to start warming your ears and feet, what a delight that set was • Mind Against- what kind of shit was that, playing games with my heart. Oh and highlight** they played The Howling - Signs (Rødhåd remix)**. That’s it, I have nothing to add • Richie Hawtin- in total honesty I wished for his set not to bore me to death and boy it didn’t. He played some sweet, dark techno and I was more than pleasantly surprised. To say that Richie knows what he’s doing is not even fair. It was flawless, what a maestro • Now for the two guys who made my heart skipped multiple beats, stopped and came back to heaven, Tale of Us. This set was a tale of music & me for sure. The beautifulness they threw at me was straight out of the techno fairytale passing through the speakers straight on to my lady parts. ****When they played Alex Niggemann’s Divergent I was going to split in half*****

This 41 seconds shaky video was all I could do, did I say shaky? It was impossible to stand still. No, the video is not of Divergent. If that were the case my phone would’ve been on the ground well before I could ever hit record 

For most of the night my back was to the stage expect when I turned to take a few pictures and video above to try and capture the feels. And when I say try, I failed miserably. No camera can capture the close your eyes and pull your hair back feeling because you don’t know where to go or what to do. Them sounds made me move my hips and feet and head even in a paralyzed hypnotic state. Yeah, that was possible, brought to me by Life & Death.  

From MIA to NYC for an OTC. A Maxgiving tale

What traveling alone to the city that never sleeps to catch your favorite DJ in action is all about

Here’s a little something I wrote Sunday on my way back home

I'm on the plane back to Miami reminiscing or rather trying to digest what Friday night was all about. Earplugs are in. It’s cycles radio 229 and me; pretty much the perfect closing to one of the best weekends ever. But I digress, back to Friday.

The sun rose and I couldn’t believe it. The day I had been waiting for was here. As soon as I opened my eyes I prayed for it not to end. The day mostly consisted of me thinking, saying and repeating, "Tonight is the night, tonight is the open to close (OTC). I'm literally going to touch the sky, please let me hit the pause button for this night not to end.”

The day went something like this: Breakfast, think about the OTC, Central Park, pictures, beautiful weather, omg it's the afternoon already, I will be at Cielo so soon. Lunch, some more walking and enjoying the city... As the day passed by my nervousness increased. I went back to my uncle's place, which is only a ten-minute walk away from Cielo... Ok. Around 7, I was kind of losing it. 8:55pm and I was ready to go. 9 o’clock came around and my heart was beating out of my chest.

Meet-up time it was. I think I walked as fast I have walked in a very long time because the rush of adrenaline was well, rushing all through my body. I arrived at Brass Monkey, walked in the door, took a deep breath, walked a few more steps, blinked twice and yep, Max was there. ** Fan girl moment #1 of the night*** followed by countless fan girl moments. I showed him my shirt and ** fan girl moment*** (top picture <3)

Got to meet what I like to call the #CyclesSquad. Some familiar faces, some new faces and good vibes all around.  Between the chatting and laughing I warned the #CyclesSquad about me screaming like a little girl, but more on this later. 10pm and off to Cielo we went. Cross the street and the doors to the sky opened up.

Inside Cielo I was and I couldn't believe it. As soon as I walked through the door I felt right at home, even though it was my first time there. Comfortable and at ease, cozy, dark and small just the way I like it. It was 10:10pm. The OTC just started and I already got the feels starting with my ears thanks to the badass sound system aka funktion1 aka sex to my ears. The groove was building, the energy was flowing and I was well, ecstatic to say the least.

Now for the parts where I screamed like a little girl, or the ones I’m going to mention anyway.

1. Get Ready- Tommy DeClerque remix. On the plane to NYC I hoped Max would play it and when he did, oh hell I was not ready for that at all. The way he read my mind, fuck! 2. Solid Stone- Evolution. Them drums, so damn infectious and the way they made me dance 3. Airtight- Tim Penner remix. I don’t know what to say, but I was overwhelmed with so much emotion. I only wished Tim could’ve seen my reaction (below find a little 30 sec video, that’s all I could record I was way too into the moment)  4. Guy J- Nirvana. More of this one below. Holy feels on this one too

More than a few times I caught Max feeling the vibe with a happy smirk on his face. Something similar happened to me, several times. I caught my reflection on the side mirror of the DJ booth. The reflection radiated happiness and so much joy, especially when he played Nirvana. The one thing I will say is this: I was in a paralyzed euphoria. The rest, I will keep to myself.

The lasting effect of the music was like an echo vibrating through the walls of my heart. I drowned in the layers of the sound. My heart was dancing, getting deeply lost in the sky. Little bits of magic filled every square inch of my body.

Damn, that room has a piece of my heart. So much love in there. Memories I will never forget. It was pretty incredible having one of those “scream like a little girl” moments and not feel like an outsider but rather understood by the people in that room. Some musical click and connections happened.

Huge thanks to Max and the Esscala team. You guys rock.

Who: The Drifter and Mano Le Tough What: Maeve Showcase When: Saturday, May 30 Where: The Garret at Grand Central Why: because you never say no to Maeve music

This post goes by the name of: “The Drifter and Mano Le Tough Orchestrated Some Brain Melting Voodoo on Me”

When I saw the announcement that a Maeve showcase was happening once again, I was ecstatic. I bought the ticket without hesitation, refusing to miss it this time around. Actually, I bought two. The second ticket was a birthday gift for one of my dearest friends. He had no choice but to join in on the action. Also, I persuaded another friend to buy the ticket and join us. Neither of them had any idea who The Drifter or Mano Le Tough were (big no, no), but they sure do now.

Saturday afternoon came around and my stomach was a knot, why? Well, it was a symptom of what I like to call Event Anxiety Disorder or EAD. A few hours later and it was time to get ready, grab a bite to eat and be on the way to witness something special.

The Garret sits on the upper level of Grand Central, so up I go. As I was climbing the stairs, the knot in my stomach started to fade. And there we were, entering the dark room about to have our senses ripped apart (I know I can speak on my behalf of my friends on this one).

The room was getting fuller by the minute, just in time for the first Irish phenomenon to grace the decks, The Drifter. But wait, just a few minutes before this as I was wandering through the room, I see a tall Mano Le Tough look alike. Yes it was him, and of course I cautiously approached to say hi. I might’ve stuttered a bit because I was not able to keep my composure, obviously.

Now, The Drifter was playing and I was already lost in the music. No thoughts invaded my mind. Again it was music and me. Here’s a little video of one of my favorite moments, which of course involved the delicious sound of drums, my screams and some dancing, brought to you by The Drifter.

***Lets face it. The sound of drums is infectious. No one is immune*** 

Fast-forward a few hours and it was Mano Le Tough’s time. I remember one moment of the night when Mano played some dark, hard-hitting techno bomb that resonated through my heart like an electric shock and I screamed like a baby coming out of the womb.  

And just when I thought Mano Le Tough was done around 5:00 am, he kept going and going. By this point the only thing left to do was to call the firefighters and have them hose the floor because it was hot, burning music. My mind was on a trip back from Maeve music galore. So nasty. No apologies needed and I wouldn't have it any other way. I got beats embedded in my soul, forever.

Here is the very long, overdue, third and final WMC review. This time is all about Anjuna.

WMC 2015 Review Part 3

Who: Dom, Donnelly, Cubicolor, James Grant, Jonas Rathsman, Lane 8 and Jody Wisternoff What: Anjunadeep in Miami When: Saturday, March 28 Where: Cafeina, Wynwood Why: Because my heart melts in Anjunadeep

It was Saturday afternoon around 2, sun shining bright, cloudless sky, slight breeze and zero humidity accompanied by deep, timeless Anjunadeep music. I was so into it. The afternoon went something like this. Step into Cafeina where the air was so fresh and the vibe so relaxing you couldn’t help but be all peace and love. James Grant was behind the decks already making my ears melt of happiness. I turned to the left only to see Daniel aka Lane 8 dancing the day away. Later on that day, I got to chat with Daniel a bit as I was trying to keep my composure. Let’s face it, I am never composed when having a conversation with a DJ I admire.

As if my ears weren’t melted already, the set I was most excited about was upon me. The very special guest DJ Jonas Rathsman got me feeling some kind of way through the sweet groovy vibes. And yes, I was front and center to witness the greatest wizardry of the day. To top it all off, I had the chance to chat a bit with him and James Grant afterwards. I only have one word for that: respect with exclamation points.

By nightfall I was covered in Anjunadeep bliss that pretty much overflowed because I met Dave Dresden… need I say more?! Also I met Arnej again, and by that point the only thing left to do was to be part of an A&D Sandwich.

Lane 8 and Jody Wisternoff brought two dynamite sets. You could actually touch the happiness and love. I can conclude that Anjunadeep in Miami was a family terrace house party with love all around.

Who: Judah, Pierce Fulton, Jason Ross, Tom Staar, Jerome Isma-ae, Ilan Bluestone b2b Maor Levi, Audien and Gabriel & Dresden What: Anjuabeats Pool Party When: Sunday, March 29 Where: Raleigh Hotel, South Beach Why: Because Gabriel & Dresden classic set

Breeze beachy vibes with change of Anjuna beats. Another perfect day to get immersed in some more Anjuna goodness and boy was it goodness and beyond. I have so little to write because there’s nothing left to say other than a month and a half has gone by and I still feel the music high. If you were wondering, I’m not replaying the Gabriel and Dresden set. That would be the ultimate form of masochism. Anyway, I will link it below just in case you want to lose your senses like I did.

http://bit.ly/1GMw5md

The highlights went something like this: • Forever grateful to Jason Ross for playing Alone Tonight, my all time favorite Above & Beyond song. As expected, I was singing it from the top of my lungs • Chef Tom Staar presents: all you can eat groove, again. He dropped Paper Aeroplane again and I was so happy • I was sitting down poolside with the sun shining bright on my face taking in all the feels from the last WMC event of the year. That didn’t last long, the sitting down part. Jerome Isma-ae dropped Fade Into You, as soon as I heard it I jumped up and well you guessed it goosebumps took control

Now for the part I had been waiting for and just writing about it, my heart skips a beat. Vulnerability at its finest. I got my soul stripped naked in Gabriel & Dresden classics.   As the rush comes, holy rush. People around asked if I was ok, they probably noticed I started having an outer body experience. I was so still, trying to pause the moment and capture it forever. It didn’t end there, oh no. Then they dropped Zocalo. I was embraced and surrounded by the love of the classics. The night was almost coming to an end but the last 15 minutes or so my body couldn’t take any more emotion. My knees were weak, literally. The icing on the cake was seeing Max Graham minutes before the night ended and that was not it… the cherry on top of the icing- I heard through the microphone, one more song and my heart dropped. No One on Earth and I died. No One on Earth will ever know the abounding sentiment I still have for that. If during the live recording of the set Gabriel and Dresden wouldn’t have filtered out the screams, I for sure know mine would be heard loud and clear. It was all too perfect, and I am blessed for that. Thank you Gabriel and Dresden for the best closing of closings I could’ve asked for.

Here’s a video my friend Isabella took of that moment <3

The sorcery my body was under is unexplainable. I wanted to cry and laugh all at the same time. I was just standing there lost while Gabriel & Dresden ripped my soul and put it back together.

WMC 2015 Review

Part 2

An Enchanting Journey: A Lost & Found Dream

Who: Guy J, Max Graham, Guy Mantzur, Eelke Kleijn and Brian Cid What: Lost & Found showcase When: Tuesday, March 24 Where: Dream Nightclub, South Beach Why: do I even have to answer?

The night went something like this:

A progressive conscious dream where I lost and found myself countless of times. I took a journey beyond heaven, millions of galaxies away and landed in Lost & Found Land.  

February 10, 2015 Esscala (NYC Music Entertainment Company) announced the Lost & Found showcase, which I’ve been excitedly waiting for. Excited?! What an understatement. February 11, 2015 tickets went on sale. I think I was the first one to buy the ticket. Fast-forward a month and Tuesday, March 24, the big day, was here.

Tuesday night around 9, it was time to get physically ready and physically ready only, since nothing could’ve mentally prepared me for what I was about to experience. To calm my frantic self down, I decided to play Guy J March “Welcome the Sun” Mix. Well, that kind of worked out. As I was putting on my “Trust the DJ” shirt, my heart was racing like I had just finished running a marathon.

Deep breaths, deep breaths is what I kept saying to myself until around 11:30 pm or so (not really sure, I lost track of time) as I arrived at Dream… Enter the nightclub. Me, myself and & a smile that said it all. I was meeting my friends there; however, if that wasn’t the case, I would’ve gone alone. Most of the night I was wandering and dancing around by myself anyway, which sometimes makes the journey that much better. The inside of the club was just as I remembered. A cozy living room vibe kind of room; not too big, not to small, rather perfect for one to wander around and feel at home.

While Guy Mantzur played a lovely progressive set I saw a few familiar faces and of course I went to say hi. Got the chance to meet the lovely Mike Saint- Jules, Jeremy Olander and Fehrplay again and obviously got photo-bombed, again, with the one and only Max Graham.

By then, the progressive vibes were mad real, like everything was happening at the same time. In a split second Guy J took control of the decks, I spoke some Hebrew with Guy Mantzur, got carried away by the beats of the master himself Guy J and pause, I met Hernan Cattaneo, what a lovely man. Fangirling at its finest. 

Here’s a little taste of mister Guy J in action. Only 21 seconds, I know, but I was way too into the night to take a longer video or even have my phone out. By the way, all the pictures were taken by friends, thanks guys!

Track: Dj Nukem & Chab – Shavia (Guy J Remix)

There was some more progressive goodness, dancing and not thinking at all, rather just feeling. Max Graham took control of the decks and I was enchanted. If I said the night was flawless, I would be lying. It was far beyond that. As in let’s end the night with more than icing on the cake when Eelke Kleijn closed down with some delicious techno bombs.

Biggest thanks are in order to the Esscala Team for making the event happen and giving me one absolutely stunning night to remember.

WMC 2015 Review

Part 1

--Disclaimer: last week occurred as fast as a lighting strike in the everglades--

Now that I’ve had a minute to kind of digest all the emotion, I'll attempt to share it all through here. Maybe you'll get a few goosebumps, smile, cry of joy, burst out in laughter or all of the above just like I did during Sabina's Music Week.

The one word I will use to encapsulate last week is “Sabrosura”. For those of you that don’t know the meaning, it’s tastiness, delightfulness, enjoyment all wrapped into a magical delicious box.

Without further ado, the highlights

• Tuesday, March 24: I’m still under sorcery from that. Post will follow.

• Thursday, March 26:

Who: One night only in Miami with Above & Beyond

What: “We Are All We Need”  

Where: Mana Wynwood

Why: Need I say more than A&B with a warm-up b2b set from Lane 8 and 16 Bit Lolitas

I had no plans to go out but that changed rather quickly. I ended up in a “We Are All We Need” state of mind with Above & Beyond and 7000 others in a sweet, sweaty night full of feelings. The Lane 8 and 16 Bit Lolitas b2b set was warm-up perfection… a few hours and countless drops of sweat later A&B emerged from backstage and Mana was about to drown in bits of excitement. Track after track, all sounded so familiar and comfortable, yet so new and fresh. It went something like this:       *** Sabina loses her shit (nope, don’t pardon my French) *** ***That moment A&B played Strobe, satellite, alone tonight (my all time A&B favorite. When I heard that slight transition into it, I wasn’t sure what my body would do. I went into shock mode, forgot where, what, who or what was going on, it was only me, the lyrics to the song and the one image of a lit candle in the LED screen, everything else was nonexistent) to top it all off they played silence… and I was done.

• Friday, March 27:

Who: Kryder b2b Tom Staar and a whole lot of groove and then some

What: Redlight Miami

Where: Steam

Why: because I’m in love with the groove

In my last post I said the following: “Mark my word; the energy Steam is going to produce will be enough to idk send a rocket into space without lighting it hahahha”

Well, that is exactly what happened. As I entered Steam with a bit of nostalgia from the good old Vagabond days internal dancing was already going on. A night based on a perfect marriage between a crisp sound system and a groove that exploded into an outer air of bombastic energy. To that, add a CO2 machine that propelled you even higher (if that makes any sense lol, and I say- you- because I can speak for everyone in that room).

About the actual music and talent in the room: • Shoutout to Marcus Schossow whose set I missed ☹ but at least I had the chance to say hi. Then, I was dancing my ass off as usual and to my left I see Marcus stopped before leaving the club and said goodbye ☺ • Micheal Calfran’s set was so bombastic and tropical. Just imagine this bootleg times a million: Bob Sinclair vs Ninetoes - See Lion vs Finder (Michael Calfan Bootleg). When he played it, well you can imagine how tropical I got haha • About that b2b between Kryder and Tom Staar, I have two words: fucking seamless. It was purely filthy and I was already inside that rocket full of energy in direction to another galaxy… and the moment Tom Staar dropped his remix of Paper Aeroplane, oh hell I couldn’t even (I can’t believe I just said that). And to top it all off Totem was dropped, I could live in that baseline for days! After all that, I saw Sebjak and of course went over to say hi, and he said, “I recognize that face” ;) I was hyperventilating haha  

• Sebjak played a surprise b2b with Michael Brun. To be honest I had no idea how it would go, but once they started playing I knew it was going to  be something special… that opener though, I have no freaking idea what it was, what I do know is that the freaking drums hit my soul so beautifully and I reiterated I HAVE A WEAKNESS FOR DRUMS

                Sabina’s Holy Week

OMG! Divine death for wmc. Music god help me. Because idk how I'm going to survive. Just thinking about it shitballs....

PSA. My holy week aka Miami Music Week or as my friends call it Sabina Music Week is here, almost… so without further ado, here I present my schedule

• Friday, March 20: Julian Jeweil and Daniel Sabb at Steam (old Vagabond) Wanna join. Sign up here for Free, yes free entry      → https://www.eventbrite.com/e/julian-jeweil-daniel-dubb-free-passes-tickets-16036640022

• Sunday, March 22: Yoshitoshi Pool Party at The National Hotel with Sharam, EDX, PLEASUREKRAFT, Anthony Antalla and Trent Cantrelle Wanna join. Buy tickets here and use promo code: shades for $5 discount        → http://bit.ly/1AwI3rA

• Tuesday, March 24: Lost & Found showcase at Dream with Guy J, Max Graham, Guy Mantzur, Eelke Kleijn and Sahar Z Wanna join. Buy tickets here, no promo code      → http://bit.ly/18HSKAU

• Friday, March 27: Redlight Miami at Steam (old Vagabond) with Kryder b2b Tom Staar, Marcus Schossow, Sebjack and a bunch more. Click the link below to see the bombastic lineup Wanna join. Buy tickets here and use promo code: giancarlo for $5 discount      → http://bit.ly/1veS6pF

• Saturday, March 28: Anjunadeep at Cafeina Wynwood with special guest Jonas Rathsman. Again lineup is bombastic, check the link below Wanna join. Buy tickets here, promo code      → http://bit.ly/1CEKo7Q

• Sunday, March 29: Anjunabeat Pool Party at The Raleigh Hotel with special guest freaking Gabriel & Dresden and again a bombastic lineup, check the link below Wanna join. Buy tickets here and use promo code: shades for $5 discount      → http://bit.ly/1x2qNjc

Any question, concerns, wanna join but don’t know where call me, txt me , get a hold of me and I will gladly help :p 

I am beyond excited for these events, did I say beyond excited?!?!?!?! So sharing specifically why will take forever and I’m beyond excited that my fingers can’t quite catch up with my brain to go through each event. But well … let me make an attempt at making a long, passionate story, short. Julian Jeweil is coming to Miami the day after my bday and I’m not about to miss his techno bombs for nothing; it’s rare that Miami is graced with his presence so yeah I’m going. PLEASUREKRAFT and Trent Cantrelle are playing poolside with the sun shining on my face, hey sign me up! Ok now Tuesday well, I’ll just show you what I twitted when I found out.

Not only am I gonna see my favorite Max Graham, but I will also be bless with my fav Israelis, I will for sure be Lost & Found (Guy J’s label) that night ☺. Friday is going be a grooving marathon. Mark my word; the energy Steam is going to produce will be enough to idk send a rocket into space without lighting it hahahha. Saturday belongs to Lane 8 <3 and Jody Wisternoff and James and to that deep house sound only Anjuna knows how to produce. Finally ☺ ☹ noo -this week needs to go on forever- Sunday, as it is a tradition now, it belongs to Anjunabeats for the third year in a row. I mean Gabriel & Dresden will play. I know, when I found out I was screaming like a crazy person my mom was about to kick me out of the house. Jerome Isma-ae, sweet Ilan Bluestone and another Israeli favorite of mine, Maor Levi will play too and yes a million times yes.  That’s it. So much for my “short” story.

Need some music to get through the day, then press play. A two hour mix by the music scientist- Max Cooper- A blend on sounds, somewhere between classicland, weird samples and electronic elements that might take you to another atmosphere aka where I am atm

Enjoy :)

http://bit.ly/1CqTqYI

Left so inspired that when I got home at 4 am I needed to write down the flow of emotions

Who: Simon Green aka Bonobo What: DJ set When: October 4th 2014 Where: Grand Central Why: because you got me at Bonobo

Enter the Bonobo Forest where magical beats and enchanting vibes conquered the night. Kastle was warming up the room and yes I was already dancing (as always) ... Very good opening act.

I situated myself to the right of the stage; it’s become a habit by now. In one of those looking around moments out of the corner of my eye, I see a tall, blondish, bearded handsome man, Simon look alike. I looked at him but wasn’t sure if he was Simon because this man was walking around the venue like any one of us (well he was going to the restroom). Turns out this happened twice, until I asked my friend Andres and soon to be personal photographer to confirm the identity of this man. Indeed, it was Mr. Simon Green. We made our way to the backstage entrance, which was located a few feet to the right of where we stood. Long story short we had the chance to say hi to Simon and express our gratitude for his inspirational music throughout the years and I got a picture. <3

Andres aka my personal photographer- thank you a million!

Continuation from last post- March 27th

The above video does NO justice to what the night was all about

I got the Pop Up Arena around 12am, my right foot wasn’t inside the arena and yes I was already dancing. Jeremy Olander was gracing the deck with his progressive touch. Shortly after Fehrplay joined and the b2b madness began. At that point I was well into what would become one of the highlights of my life….

Not everyday goes like this. Where Deadmau5 and Eric Prydz go back2back so seamlessly they blew my mind and the sound system. In short they brought the house down because it was that absurdly perfect. The dirtiest, darkest, most delicious techno I've ever heard. Such flawless transitions. Even if I wanted to stop dancing it was impossible. A show of that caliber should be a milestone for an electronic music aficionado. I can gladly say I've checked that off my list. World. Class. Act.

At around 4am, I thought the party was over, music was coming to a halt. Little did I know Pig & Dan picked it right up again and yes I was still dancing.

March aka the best month of the year is fast approaching so why not reminisce to last year’s musical madness.

I present to you the high points

March 19: Unexpected but much wanted visit to Treehouse for Cocorico Showcase with Andrea Olivia, Hugo Bianco, Ralf and Hardline. I danced till 5am and yes it was just a warm-up for what would come next.

March 22: The hype was real and yes it got to my head; vodka filled gummy bears was to blame, kinda. Good thing the Wisdom of the Glove captured me. Guy Gerber, Martin Buttrich and Davide Squillace brought the house down and I went down with them.

March 25: From this day forward I felt like a freshman waking up for the first day of class… My stomach was a knot. At around 11:45pm I was entering Mansion- not walking but dancing already, yes dancing- to the smooth, housey vibes from Beckwith. The place got hotter and tighter by the minute; luckily I had a fantastic spot. Around 1:30 or so Above & Beyond appeared from behind the decks and every person in the room was ready for the Anjunabeats to drop. Alchemy, Satellite and Sun & Moon, yes I triple lost it. Then Norin and Rad kept the crowd going till 5:30 or so when we decided it was time to leave and grab some pizza (right next to Mansion, recommended for anytime of the day pizza craving).

March 26:   One week since my birthday and I was already having the time of my life, or so I thought because I had no idea what was coming my way. The night at Nikki Beach didn’t turn out as planned but sometimes that’s a good thing. I meet Arnej, one of my all time favorite DJ’s and let me add what a nice, humbled guy. I also saw Luciano for the first time and Josh Wink for a second time and what a delight that was.

March 27: I was not going to this event but thank G-d I did because it was absurdly perfect. Best 60 bucks ever spent to witness a milestone as an electronic music aficionado. Mua5trap vs Pryda was legendary to the point of inspiration overflow and I had to write about it (post to follow). I got to the Pop Arena around midnight with butterflies in my stomach; as soon as I heard the progressive beats everything went away. Jeremy Olander and Fehrplay were to say the least, a class act. Then, Eric Prydz took control of the decks and omg did that snare almost blow my mind and the speakers shortly after when deadmau5 joined to start the b2b. No description will ever compare to the feeling, the emotion that night gave me. And lets not talk about the closing set by Pig & Dan. It was nothing short of the perfect ending to much more than a perfect night.

March 28: I had no idea this day would be another highlight and boy, was I starstruck, not once or twice but more like six times… Enter Cameo nightclub for Bedrocks Showcase: Guy J- he threw down a set of beautiful rhythms, he is a genius John Digweed- well he’s a master. Nothing else to say other than I danced for him. The dude doesn’t move other than his hands Carlo Lio- played techno bombs Much to my luck Jeremy Olander and Fehrplay were added to the lineup and yes I saw them again and took a few pictures, super nice guys. Ended up behind the Dj booth (idk how) for Guy J and John Digweed. Also, I got to meet Will Holland (Enhanced Music boss), who was surprised I recognized him, well duh! I will forever remember that night. The talent inside that room was above A+ and the sound system surprisingly good. The exit is another story. We got out through a back alley because we followed the exit sign! Kids: leave through the entrance unless otherwise directed. Finally walking to the car we randomly passed by the EC Twins and of course I said hi. Gotta love Miami during WMC. You never know who’s out there!

Sunday 30: Again I had to set my alarm to wake up for the final and closing party of the week. Anjunabeats pool party was more than I could’ve ever wished for. During the week I was already over the moon, but this pool party sent me to another galaxy. My spot was to the right of the stage; right next to the VIP were all the DJ would come through. Yes, that’s how I could stop them and take pictures, and that’s what I call strategically placing oneself in a pool party. Mat Zo- musical genius, thanks you for playing Rebound Audien- energy infused with melody, and how awesome to see the DJ enjoy his set as much as the fans do  Ilan Bluestone- highlight of the day. That set was the definition of trance 2.0 Jerome Isma-ae – last time I saw him was Ultra 2009, and omg the wait was so worth it. He made the Raleigh tremble; the bass was so freaking good Last but not least Arty- each year you get better and better. 

Everyone was dancing even the security guard. I left the pool party with the biggest smile on my face and the warmest feeling of love and bliss.

I can for sure say these last few weeks have been a world win. An epic, real, beautiful, magical, inspiring, out of this world musical journey.

A glimpse of what seeing your favorite DJ is like.

So hard to put into words an experience so great that left me floating in another universe but I will try.

Epic. Wonderful. Lovely. Out of the world. Breathtaking. I have no words for what I witnessed.

From Miami to Tampa my excitement was building with each passing second. At dinnertime I was shivering from emotion. Come 9:30, enter District 3.... And you could hear Max was already warming the room. A few steps forward enter the cool room. There he was - jeans, black shirt and the always essential black hat. I had to blink twice and take a few deep breaths because I already couldn't believe he was standing right before my eyes. My cheeks were on fire. I felt the adrenaline rush. Yes, fangirling at its finest. By the first hour I already wanted to take my clothes off. My body was covered with goosebumps and I already was drifting to musical heaven.

The facility with which Max transitions and delivers tracks is so seamless. Few have been the times I’ve seen such flawless beautiful and effortless of a delivery.

For more than a few moments I was paralyzed, and yes I shed a tear or two.

It went something like this:

Jewel kid- 2005 --> holy goodness. Only Max knows my reaction to that one.

Hellopendra --> Max’s divine re-edit. I think I sat down because my body couldn’t handle it.

Guy Mantzur --> Sofia remix. I was well into a deep progressive state of mind if that makes any sense.

Not enough --> Max’s remix. Is there anything left to say? I don’t think so, the tears were mad real. <3

And for the track I hoped Max would close with Guy J --> Dizzy Moments. Best closing ever.

Without a question in my mind this will remain as one of my top five musical journeys. The smiles. The cries. The screams. The goosebumps. The overall excitement. The Joy. 

A big pile of love. Max Graham thank you.

A very genuine moment in one picture <3