DJ Lee Burridge has Denver on his shortlist for the city’s “amazing club scene”
Lee Burridge takes his job as a globe-trotting DJ very seriously. A native of Dorset, England, he has traveled extensively during his 20-year career, and his current “365 Tour” is taking him to musical hot spots around the world this year.
But rather than cram it all into 80 days, he plans to spend the entire year settling into a handful of select cities, holding down two-month residencies in each place so he can fully experience the local scene at each stop. Burridge will play Saturday night at Vinyl nightclub as a warm-up date for his planned spring residency in Denver.
“One thing I’ve learned about living away from home and DJing is that if you take the time to get to know the crowd and the music, it affects people differently than the usual hit-and-run style of a typical DJ tour,” Burridge said, adding that the longer residencies allow him to really acknowledge and appreciate the differing tastes and cultures of each city.
“I play a lot of different musical styles anyway, but this way I can adapt while I’m there, week by week.”
His residency tour kicked off in June with a two-month stay in Hong Kong. He spent the rest of the summer on the European party island of Ibiza.
He’s moved on to New York City, where he plans to stay focused for the next few months, with occasional weekend stints like Saturday’s gig at Vinyl. Denver’s on the short list for his world tour; after NYC, he’ll hit Florence, Italy, in November; Melbourne, Australia, in January; and Buenos Aires, Argentina, before returning to Denver in April or May.
Our little town might seem like an anomaly among such cosmopolitan stops, but Burridge counts Denver among his top five favorite cities to visit. “Denver has an amazing club scene,” he said. “I love the people and the vibe there.”
Staying in each spot for several weeks along the way will also enable Burridge to work with local producers during his residencies. He’s collaborating with Steve Porter in New York, and when Burridge comes to Denver next year, he plans to work with Little Mike and the Casa Del Sol DJ collective. At the end of the tour next summer, Burridge hopes to have enough material from his travels to produce a globally influenced double CD.
Want to help him find the pulse of the Denver groove? Hit Vinyl this Saturday night to set the scene before he settles in next year.
Lee Burridge, Saturday at Vinyl nightclub, 1082 Broadway, 9 p.m., 18 +, $10., 303-860-8469.
Tuaca the town
Seems that Coloradans have developed a serious taste for Tuaca. The vanilla-citrus- flavored liqueur is a huge hit here, according to Sean Wachsman of the Brown-Forman Corp., which markets the drink in the U.S. “Colorado is our biggest state for Tuaca,” he said, particularly in the ski resorts where it has caught on in a big way in the past few years.
To thank the people who have helped along the way – namely, Colorado bartenders – Brown-Forman is hosting the Tuaca Body Art Ball this Sunday at the Gothic Theatre (3263 S. Broadway).
Last year’s event drew hundreds. This year’s ball should make an even bigger splash, with visual artists and performing artists teaming up to create human canvases. The audience gets to judge the winner for the night, and based on last year’s event, the sky’s the limit in terms of creativity.
Want to see for yourself? Better buddy up to your favorite bartender. This year’s event is invite-only, with the state’s most talented drink slingers making up the bulk of the guest list.
Kat Valentine writes about nightlife Fridays in 7Days. Reach her at kat@kingproduction.com or call 303-820-1568.
