Green Velvet - Jack Friday Zentra Chicago 5.5.2006

Green Velvet, Live at Jack Friday at Zentra in Chicago May 5, 2006 (YSI link)

I've been wanting to discuss the live DJ set Green Velvet, a.k.a. Cajmere, threw down at Studio B two Saturdays ago. He headlined the most recent Cut night as part of their Throw Your Hands Up NY and it was one of the best parties I've been to in New York City in the past year (up there with the DFA and Dirty Bird stuff). My girl AS and I got there right at the beginning of Velvet's set around 1:30 and the room was packed and ready to explode. Over the next 2 hours, Mr. Curtis Alan Jones killed it with a set of house and techno, lots of his own productions, an amazing audience sing-along to "La La Land," dudes jumping up onto the front of the DJ booth just to speak or yell or high-five with Velvet. It was an epic night, one that I won't forget (hearing Cajmere play "Percolator"!), thanks to the Cut guys for putting it together, Green Velvet, my girl AS and my bike for getting me there.

This set above is a good approximation of that night, a 2 hour set of non-stop house and tech-house music mixed impeccably. This one seems extra-special, as it's a hometown set in Chicago at a party called Jack Fridays at Zentra. Can I just say that this can't be a coincidence that my name happens to be the name that the city and its acid housers chose to define their music? No, this was a call to me, the creation of a bond between Pound for Pound, Chicago, acid house, The Music Box, Trax Records, etc. Anyway, this is a real live mix, you get to hear the crowd at times, people getting on the mic and best of all a live set by long-time Cajmere collaborator Dajae for a few songs. I'm gonna try to come up with a setlist but if anyone out there has it, please post it up, it would be greatly appreciated. We're gonna be wrapping up this look at acid house in the next day or two, hope that you've enjoyed it!