DJs in Paradise
OAHU WILL live up to its name as "The Gathering Place" this week when deejays, producers, record labels and other music industry types from around the world arrive for the first Electronic Music Expo.
"We decided that we really wanted to get everybody together in one place ... where they can come and relax and have a nice vacation," says DJ Scottie Soul, who is organizing the five-day event along with James Tennant and veteran deejay and party promoter Daniel J. "We do have an amazing scene here, but the amount that the artists get paid and the kind of exposure that we get out here being on an island ... there are a lot of things that I really want to change."
Electronic Music Expo Hawaii
When: Tomorrow to Saturday
Call: 591-7770 or 529-1082
Information: www.emehawaii.com
Modeled after the annual Winter Music Conference that takes place in Miami, the EME presents an opportunity for attendees to network, discover new talent and (hopefully) sign deals that otherwise wouldn't happen when potential business partners live on opposite sides of the globe.
"It's crazy," Daniel J says of the convention in Miami, which he and Scottie Soul have attended in the past. "It really helps the club scene down there. It brings a lot of people down there to party and actually get some business done."
The festivities start tomorrow at the Ohana East Hotel, which serves as home base for the expo and its out-of-town guests. A VIP party is scheduled early in the evening, followed by an official kickoff at Wave Waikiki that begins at 10 p.m. The rest of the week consists of panel discussions and networking opportunities for delegates during the day and showcases for the different artists each night at various nightspots in town.
"Everything from hip-hop to ... all different forms of dance, from harder techno stuff to Latin stuff to house" will be featured, according to Daniel J. "There's going to be something for everybody at one of these parties. You'll be able to ... enjoy something you know and something you don't know and maybe open your ears."
Also in the works are a pair of closing events on Saturday: an outdoor shindig during the day and an anything-goes party at Nick's Fishmarket and All Star Hawaii in Waikiki that night. Details for the final day of the expo are hard to come by, mainly because the promoters themselves aren't exactly sure yet about what's going to happen.
"It's crazy ... because we're still trying to get stuff negotiated," said Scottie Soul. "It's all last minute, pretty much."
TICKET PRICES will range between $10 and $20 at each of the venues, so be sure to hit an ATM before heading out to the club this week. The only event offering pre-sale tickets is Wednesday's performance by the Living Legends; stop by TooGruvz Records on South King Street to purchase yours. A free trolley, courtesy of Roberts Hawaii, will also be available to shuttle folks between each of the EME venues from Wednesday through Saturday night.
Here's the latest listing of events for the Electronic Music Expo; call 591-7770 for updates or visit www.emehawaii.com.
Schedule of events
TOMORROW
>> 6 to 9 p.m. at the Ohana East Hotel, poolside: "EME Hawaii VIP Party"
>> 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at Wave Waikiki (21 and over): "EME Hawaii Official Kickoff Party" with Triple Threat's DJ Vinroc, San Francisco's DJ m3 and DJ Iz, and local DJs KSM, Scottie Soul, Daniel J, G-Spot, Dreamer, SovernT, Jrama and Sub-ZeroWEDNESDAY
>> 2 to 8 p.m. at the Ohana East Hotel, poolside: "Tech Lounge/Pau Hana Panel and Discussion"
>> 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at Wave Waikiki (18 and over): "The Return of the Living Legends" with DJs PSC, CMA, Grouch, Eligh, Scarub and the LA Symphony
>> 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Nick's Fishmarket (21 and over): "A Night of House" with DJs Jon Lemmon, Ramiro, Marc George, Reid and EugeneTHURSDAY
>> 2 to 8 p.m. at the Ohana East Hotel, poolside: "Tech Lounge/Pau Hana Panel and Discussion"
>> 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at Wave Waikiki (21 and over): "Trance Nation" with DJs Iz and Diz, Dee, Mike Frugalettie, Scottie Soul and JoneneFRIDAY
>> 2 to 8 p.m. at the Ohana East Hotel, poolside: "Tech Lounge/Pau Hana Panel and Discussion"
>> 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. at Galaxy Nightclub (all ages): "Dragon's Breath" with DJs Thylan, Filippo and Rossi, Ananda, Anneli, Solar, JJVaas, Gabriel Black and Aradia; also live performances by Neuromotor, Hyper Frequencies, E.S.X.S. and Crazy Lion's Cult
>> 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Nick's Fishmarket (21 and over): Marques Wyatt and the Latin Project
>> 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. at Studio One (21 and over): "Mothership Arena" and "Intoxication Lounge" with DJs Taj, Mark Lewis, Von Shock, Mark F-R, Scottie Soul, Dreamer, Necron 99 and Defiant; MCs Trace and Kimo James; and live entertainment by QuadraphonixSATURDAY
>> Noon to 8 p.m.: "EME's Main Event"
>> 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. at Nick's Fishmarket and All Star Hawaii: "EME Presents"
Click for online
calendars and events.
