Ferry Corsten is a man of many names. The Dutch DJ, producer and remixer is one of the top trance DJs on the global circuit, and has released records as System F, Cyber F, Funk Einsatz, Kinky Toys, Pulp Victim, Bypass, Dance Therapy, Digital Control, The Nutter, Zenithal and many more. So what’s up with all the aliases?
“At one point I was producing way too much music for one label to release,” he says. “So I started producing under all these different names to get more music out. But then eventually I was producing, DJing, and remixing under all these different names, and I thought, ‘Why am I doing this?’ So now it’s just Ferry Corsten, the artist.”
Corsten’s latest release is a mix compilation titled “Passport: United States of America,” due Tuesday. It’s the second in his “Passport” series; the first mix, “Passport Netherlands,” showcased the sounds of his hometown of Rotterdam, and the new mix highlights the U.S. club scene.
“Rotterdam is a bit more edgy, and the scenes are very pure there, with hard techno versus minimal techno, for instance,” Corsten said. “But it’s a bit too much for me, really. I’ve been touring the U.S. for the last year and a half, so the new mix is like a tribute album.”
The album kicks off with the moody and minimalist “Say Hello,” by Poison Pro, and gradually ramps up the BPM as it progresses. The mix includes Forsten’s own “Beautiful” and “Insolation” (as System F) which add a touch of electro flavor, and wraps up with the hard-hitting “Hope” from Lemon and Einar K. “I know it sounds cliché, but I try to look for tracks that tell a story,” Corsten said. “It starts slowly then picks up the pace and explodes at the end.”
Corsten’s “Passport” tour brings him to Vinyl tomorrow night; tickets $15 in advance through
Pillow Fight Club
Just when a longtime night-owl might think she’s seen it all, along comes Kevin Larson with a brand-new, slightly kinky twist to liven up the ol’ nightlife scene. His latest obsession? Pillowfights. Larson has cooked up a scheme to take this feather-tickling, pajama-clad tradition out of the realm of junior high sleepovers and into the adult world of strip clubs and cocktail lounges.
“We’re just finishing up the specifics,” Larson said. “But watching girls beat each other up with deadly pillows is going to be really funny. It’s a chance to return to childhood stupidity.”
Larson is organizing two leagues. One league offers costume-clad individual and team bouts at downtown nightclubs (Rise, DC10, and Martini Ranch are among possible venues), and the other league will tour Denver’s strip clubs for a topless version of the same. So far, teams from 106.7 KBPI, Hooters, and the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls are in the making, and anyone who wants to get involved can contact Larson directly (Kevin@kevinlarsonpresents.com) for details. “You can join as a single or a team, and all you need is a mouth guard, a costume and a willingness to add some theatrics to it,” he said. The first exhibition bout is scheduled for next week – details TBA – with five weekly rounds leading up to the finals later this summer.
Friday Night Lights
Southsiders looking for a new hip-hop scene can now hit the Robusto Room each Friday night. Sip on half-price snifters of Courvoisier, stick a stogie in your cheek in the cigar lounge, and watch the booties shake as DJ Quote mans the decks during “Friday Night Lights,” a new weekly event by JFly Presents. “It’s going to be focused on hip-hop, and we’ve got DJ Quote, who’s a hip-hop DJ with a little mash-up flavor,” said promoter JJ Walker. “Each Friday there’s a different theme and a different special on top-shelf liquor.” Each night kicks off at 9 and there’s never a cover at the door.
Kat Valentine writes about nightlife Fridays in 7days. Reach her at kat@kingproduction.com or 303-954-1568.
