Carl Craig // The Ocean Rooms

Suicide Saloon present: Carl Craig, Steve Bicknell (Lost), Anwar (Covert), Alex (Covert), Jamie Wadman (Junkbox), JFB, Statikedge (the breakdown), Arone, Vincologgia, Lucas, Just Gazing (live), Ali Broadcast, Harvey Bailey (Mud Club), Magnus (Positive)

As December stands, it’s a break on the quiet season and we are taking deserved rests between reviews. Tonight was meant to be a pure social evening; it has changed due to raw entertainment… something special that should at least be spread. Let’s get on with it.

Drinks, music etc… (killing time)

We arrive at the Ocean Rooms just after 12 to find what can only be described as bland emptiness. Oh no another night of blandness to come we fear. But damn, you are clearly an idiot if you arrive at a night that kicks off at 6am and expect it to be rammed. The title “Suicide Session” should be a clear indication of what kind of sordid affair is laid out in front of you. A room full of people, stocked up with enough cyanide to take down the place tenfold.

As the place fills up its good to hear the sound system giving a bit more punch… fantastic to coincide with the fact the guys have heavily booked Tiefschwartz for NYE – a night sure to go off. Tonight however was different from the outset.

Having planned to go out on a tad bender and not usually being too fucked in other clubs, this was set to be different. One thing that can stand in the Ocean Room’s praise is its down-and-out urban feel. Somehow dancing around like a narcked up bibble just doesn’t seem to work in Audio – it’s almost like taking a shit on your own living room floor because the toilets too far away. You know your gonna wake up in the morning and realise what the fuck you’ve done.

With the Ocean Room’s that’s not so. You might as well tear your pants down and start to recite your own version of the Aristocrat’s joke. You’re sucking off your brother while your father fucks you in the arse… you’re mum’s going down on your 12-year-old sister when the dog walks in. Hold that thought!! That’s the feeling we get from a night like this… and frankly… it has to be felt.

We received the usual Anwar warm up session. It’s great to see him play to a crowd… only wish it be more of that. Anwar shows a real touch of quality that many other acts miss when doing a warm-up set. How many nights do you go to when some cunt of a warm-up decides to play all his biggest records even before the night has really begun? Is that what DJing is all about… we got a well structured night this time, it has to be said.

Carl turns up, and in true techno style, yawns and eats a sandwich. It’s clear the life of an international artist can be a bit of a killer. Often same tracks, random clubs and masses of drug-induced bibles who A) probably don’t even know your music and B) couldn’t tell the difference between techno and the Toto’s greatest hits. Alas it pays the bills – take that last bite and get set.

The funny thing when seeing Carl Craig DJ is… you have to remember that’s probably not where the man’s heart lies. You can’t imagine him producing, pushing boundaries and hoping that one fine day he can wake up and play the Ocean Rooms. Pushing the DJ aspect aside ,the man has made a massive stamp on the techno scene and just like other main players – Garnier, May, Saunderson and the like – it’s not really from the tunes they play.

Carl Craig is a man who looks upon music from different angles and isn’t tied down to one certain genre as such. Pick up one of his many alias releases and you’ll see that he’s more of a musician then a DJ. His sound can be deep (as we probably expect it), but his talents stretch to a far funkier, varied side, also taking in influences from all round Detroit and further.

In some way, I feel embarrassed to dance around in front of him like a twat. A good night for the Ocean Rooms…a good night to keep on going till late…

Now go listen to Carl Craig… compare… think… realise. Not every wank stain DJ on the scene can say they have made truly inspiring music: something more important, more current and long standing then any DJ set ever will.

Words: Marek the Czech