// The Talented Mr Zabiela. . . a word from SCM Agent Jefford //
Over excited, (as usual) this time at the prospect of seeing James Zabiela this 9th October at the Millennium Music Hall, Cardiff, Sound Canvas special agent Jody Van Jefford has a word to say on one of electronic music's most influencial DJ's. .
I'll start if I may by setting the scene. Sunday 5th September around 12am or maybe closer to 1am I can't be sure. The venue was Space and the location was Ibiza which we all know is the actual place where Jesus was born. I was there to see my personal favourites Simian Mobile Disco in which I had seen the double act perform on a good few occasions. I was sure nothing would come close to seeing them in the motherland. The night began frantic as usual, some of the likely lads flying off in different directions like an SAS task force. Some quick to grab a beverage or two leaving the last few, without naming any names to scarper straight upstairs to the Burlington Project in the mighty Red Box. . .
As for me, I was already removing my vest like I always do like some sort of party hooker, it's been that way for the past few years and I have no control over it. It's as though Paul McKenna himself snuck into my room one night, like a tiny squirrel and whilst I was sleeping, hypnotized me to remove such garments when I hear good music. He then scuttled back off into the night with the words "your back in the room"!
Indeed I was 'back in the main room' and all on my lonesome. Like a kid in a sweet shop I was drawn to the atmosphere and summoned to the dance floor. There is not an iron in the world that could remove the crease of excitement in my trousers, as I listened to what I thought was SMD smashing the granny out of the main room. I was soon to realise that the magician standing behind the wheels of steel on stage wasn't the two figures I was expecting but none other than James Zabiela, who was tearing up the dance floor playing filthy tech-house. He was relentless in dropping some big bass with punchy hard beats, which were followed by short and sweet breaks. The breaks themselves were like tiny pieces of electro wrapped in acid, just long enough for your hands to reach the air so you'd forget how heavy hard and majestic the beat was from before. As soon as it dropped back in, it was fresh, new, like you had heard it for the first time. The beats themselves drop kicked you back into sheer wonderment. James from Southampton hit you with banging track after banging track which filled the main room with a sea of smiles and delight.
Shortly afterwards I was joined by the rest of the boys who had the exact same reaction. The kind of reaction where we all needed to join into what I can only describe, as a “raver’s hug”. A raver’s hug consists of us all joining together in some sort of group hug grinning like old World War Two bombers who had taken more than there fair share of the German refinement Pervitin. This was where we all realize at that exact moment, none of us would rather be anywhere or be doing anything else in the world. At that precise moment we were at 'We love Space' and having a good old fashioned tear up, listening to James Zabiela cracking out a set which we later found out got him voted best set of the season at 'We Love Space 2010'. An award well earned and all the Sound Canvas crew were glad we got to experience it.
I have two metaphoric pockets which I have developed over that past few years, one is for DJ's I have seen that I can't wait to hear again and again. The other is for DJ's that I look forward to seeing. Sadly James Zabiela wasn't in either of those pockets but now, I can without a doubt, say he's definitely is now.
Join Jody and fellow house and techno heads 9th Oct at Millennium Music Hall - Cardiff for what is sure to be an epic affair. . .
For tickets check >>> http://millenniummusichall.fatsoma.com/home.php
To check the movements of Mr Zabiela >>> http://www.myspace.com/jameszabiela
Words by Jody Jefford >>> jody@soundcanvasmusic.co.uk