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The three-DJ phenomenon that is X-Press 2 is back to rock the Scottish crowds once again.
Words: Johnny Regan
nyone who‘s heard X—l’ress 2 playing out will
teslil'y to the liael that three house-heads are
helter than one. 'l‘heir set at (‘olotlt‘slesl eame on like the heasl with three haeks: iaekin‘. housin‘ and generally leeli-poundin‘. Seldom are six deeks‘n‘l‘X pill to sueh el‘l'eeliy'e use. .'\ll (ii that and a reworking of Sweet l))'(’(llll.\' hy liuryllimies. 'l‘he erow d were in rapture for the duration ol' their set.
And yet. in the et'a/iness surrounding X—l’ress sinee the release ol‘ single '|.a/y' earlier this year. many may haye got the wrong idea ahout the eolleetiy'e. .'\t a time when eluh atlendanees are dropping through the daneel'loor and when eynieism is at an all time high. the last thing many people wanted to hear was another ultra—trendy danee eolleetiye going top 40. But this was eommereial danee done properly suhdued and sexy while still heats-hased enough to work on the floor. And with a gluest \‘oeal l‘rom none other than hona— lide new—way'e legend David Byrne oli'l‘alking lleads. \‘y’here hands eomprised ol lesser minds would haye employed the llay'our ol‘ the month to help sell their sound. Ashley Beedle. Roeky and l)iesel stayed true to what they loye: the spirit ol' house musie. in all its silly. liearthreaking. oy‘erpowering good—lime glory.
Roeky says of the aural assault that is their l).ling extray'agan/a: “It’s like a jam really. It’s not rehearsed. we‘re inspired eontinually' hy the shenanigans on the tlzllleellool'. We play lyyo reeords eaelt and w e go round like a lag thing. When ones
playing the tune eoming otil the speakers. the other
[\Vt) etttl eut in l".\. heats. aeeapellas illltl so (ill. ll
74 THE LIST '
Three man, six deck DJ display team
heeomes like a wall ol' sound." It‘s rare that the DJ is the hest one to arlieulate what’s hest ahout a set. hut this eomes \ery elose. X-l’ress 2 liy'e is a powerful speetaele. and there's enough shenanigans going on lielillltl the deeks ll) inspire those (in llle liltltll'. \Vllll
the look of three misehieyous hoys play ing with their
toys. X—l’ress 2 eony'ey a sense ol' humour that
translates as joy in the audienee. 'l‘hey‘re loying il. we‘re loy‘ing it. and hel'ore you know it. the night‘s disappeared and all that‘s lel't is a dumh smile and y'ague (leilllless.
.\ major reason lor their sueeess would haye to he the hands stature as a supergroup. Any one ol‘ the lriumy'irate is a hig name draw. and together that‘s
tripled. Ashley Beedle was a hero to many as manager
ol‘ Sollo I'eeol'd More Black \ltlt'kel (ineidentally where Roeky and l)iesel used lo huy their reeords) and as the main protagonist heltind Blaek Seienee
()rehestra. Roeky impressed
‘we’re many under his l’rohlem Kids continually by the shenanigans on the dancefloor.’
moniker. and l)iesel has heen known l'or some years as a spinner ol no mean quality. ‘We'ye heen around l‘or ten years now. and the reason we got into
this is simple: we‘re lans ol'
lnusief l)iesel explains. ‘Roeky layouts darker grooyes. and Uses a eyelie sampler and IN liye. .'\shley eame out ol a reggae haekground. Using a soundsyslem. and liy'e. does the .\l(‘ thingf l-‘ew hands ean llozlsl ll tlttlsiezll seope ilS wide.
'l‘hey played the lirst eyer ('olours in lidinhurgh. so there‘s a history there. .r\nd X—l’ress 2 are eoming to roek Slreetraye‘s l3th Birthday party at the .’\rehes. along with the mighty l)anny Rampling and .\l l’eople‘s llealher Small. So no one is hetler equipped to lead this institution into its dodgy teenage years.
X-Press 2 provide their usual three man DJ set at Colours Live!, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Sep and Street Rave, the Arches, Glasgow, Sun 29 Sep.
Word Up
The latest club news
VEGAS IN NEW YORK seems to be closer to reality than at first thought. Now confirmed as Saturday 23 November at Jack’s Joint, 771 Eighth Avenue. Full details need to be confirmed but it looks like a 9.30pm--4am show with the usual DJ crew and a selection of live acts. Contact frankie@ren-com with the subject ‘Vegas New York’ for more info.
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GLASGOW’S FAVE ONLINE radio station, Radio Magnetic, will be hitting the airwaves on the old wireless from 7 October—3 November, so you can catch all the action on 106.6FM. Check out the launch party at Glasnost (Alaska) with special guest Thomas Brinkmann, 4 October. ll-lllfll (‘n'\ll ll lllNlB. ll ll
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THE A-LIST CARD IS STILL in full effect, giving you discount entry to number of Glasgow and Edinburgh clubs — check the listings for more details.