10/06: EMPRESS, DJ STRIFE, KATALYST B @ Direct Drive

[nycpromo]

Direct Drive presents…

Saturday :: October 6, 2007

LADIES NIGHT!!!

EMPRESS
(Royale | Contagious Musiq | New Identity)

With all the djs that are out there today, Empress` pure talent and passion shines like a light through the bleek haze of egos and mediocrity. Something of a prodigy, Empress graduated college at the age of 17. She was the first American to be invited to play at V Recording`s prestigious party --- Movement in 1999. Her collaboration with Djs Ufo! and Sage spawned "Hydroxy", which was released on Skunkrock Recordings with a Digital and Spirit Rmx on the flip. Following the release she completed a monstrocity of a tour in Europe and the continental US. In between her hectic dj schedule, she managed to work full time at Satellite Records for 2 years, as the head buyer of drum n bass for the stores 3 locations-- New York, Boston and Atlanta --resulting in the quadrupling of the sales. Believe it or not, these feats were accomplished before she was even 20! In 1993, Empress started attending clubs and raves in NYC. "From the first time I ever stepped into a club and felt that free, passionate energy, I knew I had to be involved. I loved all of it, the intense music, the passionate dancing, the outrageous costumes and attire. I felt like I belonged in the alternative reality of being truly free and accepted." In 1994, Empress started working her first record store job; managing shop, taking orders and buying at Joey D`s Records. She sought out the job because of her absolute obsession for the underground dance music. "I needed to learn as much as I could about the music and the store was a great catalyst for that." While at work, Empress practiced mixing religiously and made tons of contacts with all the promoters and djs in the area. This later proved beneficial to her career. At Simon`s Rock College of Bard she studied psychology with the hopes of helping troubled individuals. "On weekends, I would perform at clubs and raves in the New England area. Back then there were very few female djs. I was warmly welcomed as a dj by all and I soon came to realize I was reaching more people through my dj sets than I was working in institutions." The art of playing music and entertainment is actually in her DNA. Her father, New York City`s Disc Jockey Icon, Dan Ingram, recently retired from CBS FM for almost 50 years of rocking the American airwaves. He is featured in Radio and Television museums all over the world for his perserverance and dedication to the artform. His father, Jonny Ingram was a bigband conductor who conducted world famous musicians. December 17th, 1999 marked a milestone for Empress and the entire US drum and bass community as she made history by being the first American invited to play at V Recording`s renowned weekly, "Movement" in London. The Movement crew and crowd liked her set so much they`ve her back many times through out the years. Empress` talent is known worldwide and on her first visit to San Francisco in 99; the revered phunckateck collective found her a welcome addition to the Bay Area scene. She was invited to team up with icons Sage and UFO! to form Triadd and the quickly slammed out their first single, "Hydroxy", which was released on Skunkrock Recordings UK, in august 2000. From 2000-2002, Empress threw Ignite, at New York City`s Liquids, with Dj`s 101 and Krunchy. Ignite was one of the most influencial dnb parties in NYC--featuring prestigious DJs and producers such as Jumpin Jack Frost, Dom and Roland, Bad Company, Future Cut, Ink, Fierce and John Selway.

In 2003, Empress released "Stateside Sessions Vol. 2" on Topaz Records. The sequential tour following the release was a 40 city date US tour which was highly praised. Over the years, Empress has toured Japan, Germany, Macedonia, England, Canada, Puerto Rico, almost the entire continental US. With a current intense touring schedule, she is still finding time to work on her own tunes in NYC.

Empress and her production partner, Jinsoo, have finished many tunes, including a remix for the band Sonny Boy and a reworking of the tune "We live in Brooklyn", by Roy Ayers. They also produced songs for the infamous band Blondie for their next album, "the Curse of Blondie" on Sony UK. Sought after by promoters, artists, bands and fans worldwide, Empress continues to move crowds, grace studios and stereos across the globe every day.

DJ STRIFE
(DJ-Strife.com | Sister NYC | Driven AM)

Music is her life. Drum and Bass is her passion. Erica Munday, A.K.A. DJ Strife, has had a love for music for as long as she can remember. It’s that feeling that when you close your eyes and simply listen…the whole world disappears. Strife’s involvement in the U.S. underground music scene started back in 1994 when she was only 14 and attended her first rave. After this one night she knew right then that this music was something that truly touched her soul and would be a part of her life forever. She soon thereafter was going to every event on the east coast that she could, which eventually lead her to her next natural step…promoting. She started promoting for one of the largest event companies on the east coast, Park Rave Maddness. And by the time she was 16 she had made enough contacts in the scene and wanted to continue going forward by learning how to DJ – to be that person that controlled the crowd’s inner feelings by taking you on a journey with the music they wove together. At first by playing fast-paced Hard Trance and Hard Acid music that got the crowd going, but eventually at 19 while in college in New York for Audio Recording, switched to her growing love for Drum and Bass. 2003 brought the way of House DJ, Fame and his Simply Bangin’ Productions which merged Strife and Fame together for combined efforts in weekly events in NYC. By joining a night of House and Drum and Bass music this allowed them to bring both styles of music together in one place. Also in 2003 Strife got linked up with all female crew Sister NYC (the NYC chapter of successful San Francisco group). Right away this combination of all genre woman DJ’s and MC’s connected with her, and knew together they could really make a dent in furthering woman and their place in Electronic music. Being interviewed for Los Angeles collective Technotreff’s nationally distributed “Girls of Techno” DVD also gave her a chance to speak her mind on the empowerment on being a female DJ. Hosting and playing at events all the way from New York to Miami to Brazil to Germany to London and back again, Strife continues to push the Drum and Bass sound that she strives for everyone to hear and feel. Strife's flow of Liquid Drum and Bass sounds infused with Brazillian flavor and vocal tunes make her track selection stream together with each blended mix. As well as being endorsed by keyboard company Korg, Strife has performed all over nationally and internationally at such events as the DEMF, Detroit Electronic Music Festival, at renowned UK monthlies "Therapy Sessions" & “Metric”, and touring in Brazil and Germany alongside heavyweights such as High Contrast, Bad Company, Dylan, Loxy, & B Key, Patife, Andy, Drumagick, and Mickey Finn. In addition, she has taken part at conventions in Nashville, TN for the NAMM show, at Madison Square Garden in her residence of NY for product demos, and in Miami for the WMC, Winter Music Conference, with Sister USA.

KATALYST B

Brianna Upton, under the moniker Katalyst B, has been following a musical path since she was young. After deciding not to pursue a career in dance, she started going to raves in New York, Boston, and all points between. It was love at first listen; drum and bass music would shape her journey for years to come. Now living in Brooklyn, Katalyst B is here to help motivate a new generation to push this music to its full potential. She has brought the noise to Threshold, Direct Drive, Camoflauge and Fluid spanning from NY to Mass. Playing an energetic blend that spans the full range from soulful and vocal funk to hard and vicious beats, she keeps the crowd dancing as they follow along on the ride.


Location:
Club Midway
25 Avenue B (btw. 2nd and 3rd St.)
New York, NY

All Styles Upstairs: FREE
DnB Downstairs: 12pm – 4am, $10, 21+ w/ ID

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]