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Ricardo Villalobos To Play At Circus Easter Special
Such has been the success of Circus and its sister soiree Chibuku in re-modifying Liverpool’s blustering nightlife, few artists have managed to remain elusive to the city.
Pretty much everyone has touched down and laid their sonic imprint, gifting one of the UK's most responsive crowds the chance to see the music’s heavyweights. There are still a small cluster of DJs though that have somehow slipped through the net, but that list has just been lessened.
Finally, Ricardo Vilalobos is coming to town…
Few modern DJs inspire the adulation and widespread reverence quite like this enigma. Supplanted from his native Chile to Germany at an early age, Vilalobos’ musical DNA seems perfectly crafted from this juxtaposition of nations, combining the Teutonic precision of German techno with the off kilter rhythms of Latin America. Only that tells a mere fragment of the story, Ricardo manages to suffuse his grooves with influences that span electronic music’s legacy in New York, Chicago and Detroit just as readily as the places of his environments, imbuing an ethereal and ethnic edge.
No-one has a control over dancefloor quite like this guy, the way he works crowds drawing comparisons with all the true masters from Larry Levan to Junior Vasquez, a young Sasha to Frankie Knuckles laying down the blueprint for house music in the early eighties. The Robert Johnson in Frankfurt, PanoramaBar in Berlin, Circo Loco in Ibiza or anywhere in any continent across the globe, Ricardo is a god.
He’s a phenomenon, and despite being a big enough name to headline a show in Nation, he’s being encased in the riotous surroundings of the Masque’s Theatre, a fitting thank you from Circus to the venue which has re-invested with such brilliance in the last few months. He is also guaranteed to be Djing for at least three hours, with the end point not likely to be confirmed to the early hours of the Sunday itself. This is a DJ who has built his following through sets at Fabric which have lasted deep into the following day’s afternoon…
Of course Ricardo in the Theatre is enough to tantalise beyond any average, but Circus don't scrimp on their lustre. Instead they've gone all out to get another world beater DJ, a legend who has been plying his craft for three decades and remains at the pinnacle of his powers, John Digweed. Alongside Sasha Digweed was one of the original DJs to grab the 'superstar' tag, rising to the top of the pile in the mid nineties. The pair also made the first widely produced mix compilation with the Renaissance Collection, rightfully held as one of the most important mix compilations of all time.
He then went to headline the world's best clubs, festivals and parties with frequent alacrity, although arguably his best achievement lies in him staying at the top of the pile year after year when many of his peers have fell by the wayside. We're talking about a seriously high profile and talented jock in full effect. Oh and did we mention he was in the Loft? And for three hours? The shock just keeps on coming. Digweed will be supported with an ensemble of razor edged grooves and bass heavy beats from Lewis Boardman.
Surely these revelations can't get any better? But they can. We haven't got to the residents yet. Six paragraphs in and there's still no mention of Yousef himself. Yos will be setting the tone in the theatre prior to Ricardo with three hours of bliss drenched house and angular grooves. Not that it needed any, but spending time on the Amnesia Terrace dancefloor whilst Vilalobos has held court at Cocoon reinvigorated the big man's love of house, a DJ who was having just as huge an impact on his style and mandate as the likes of Roger Sanchez and 'Little' Louie Vega had in the early days of Cream. That’s’ the charm of Ricardo, he’s even inspiring seasoned veterans to step up their game. It's going to be a special atmosphere in that room.
Greg Wilson is also bringing the funk, another chance for him to show his thirty year honed craft to the Circus regular. A genuine architect of our culture and dance music pioneer, Greg's residency has been the chance for him to have a stage in his home-town to educate clubbers and fill floors with his collection, spanning each facet and era of dance music. He'll be in the bar, joined by after party mogul turned warm-up extraordinaire Scott Lewis.
The Full Line-Up
Circus Easter Sunday Special
Sunday 4th April
@ Barfly, 90 Seel Street, Liverpool, L1 4BH
John Digweed (3 hour set)
Ricardo Villalobos (3 hour set)
Yousef (3 hour set)
Greg Wilson (3 hour set)
Lewis Boardman
Scott Lewis
10pm – 3am