Mad Donna - Lashed 1st Anniversary preview with Ms. Donna Birt
Reported by benz
/
Submitted 02-12-04 20:45
Having left her home country of New Zealand in 2000 for the sunnier  pastures of the grand old United Kingdom, Donna Birt took part in the exodus to this country that so many Antipodeans experience. However, her story was not be your typical Kiwi comes to London yarn – after only 6 months of mixing, she had managed to land herself a residency for Endorphin, thanks to her chunky, uplifting, and driving hard house and techno stylings. She kept at the Djing lark, and soon found herself in high demand throughout the hard dance scene, putting in regular appearances for large scale events such as Frantic, as well as plenty of small scale ones to boot. I caught up with the lovely Ms. Birt in preparation for her appearance at the sure-to-be-awesome Lashed 1st Anniversary at The SeOne Complex on December 18th…
You have been making regular appearances at Frantic’s various events over the last couple of years – when and where was your first set with Frantic, how did it go, and how did you get it?
My first set for Frantic was in January 2003 at Camden Palace. It was in the top room and I was tres nervous!!!! The whole set I was absolutely terrified and completely relieved when it was over.
I had Lisa from Nukleuz contact me saying she and Will (Frantic) had heard about me and would like me to do a demo cd. After 2 hard weeks of trying to get a demo together (no such thing as a computer to edit out the galloping horses) I had to hand it in. From that Will came to watch me play the Endorphin Christmas Party at the Fridge and the rest is history. He offered me a set based on this and here we are…
How much more confident do you feel as a DJ now compared to when you played your first Frantic set? Have you always been one to get nervous or not really?
TBH I still get nervous before some big sets and have been known to be running off to the little girl’s room every five minutes… not knowing what the equipment set-up is like, hoping the monitors are not similar to pillows ;-) etc can be a little nerve racking – also playing in front of crowds that you haven’t before can be a little daunting. I have chilled a lot though compared to my first set at Frantic, I laugh about it now but at the time I felt like hiding under a rock I was so scared.
You moved over here from New Zealand – where do you see your future? Would you like to stay in the UK long term or do you miss home too much?
I love NZ… my family is there and I love the life style. I miss not being able to pop to the beach! In saying that, I’m loving London, its busy, always lots to do and I also have opportunities here that I don’t in NZ. I do feel I will go home one day… not till I’m ready to hang up my headphones though.
Your DJing career is going pretty successfully – but how far would you like to take it? What is your ultimate DJing goal?
Well besides having fun, my dream would be to play at some of those huge outdoor festivals please… I would like to get to a level where I can write and play music full time and generally have a laugh niiiice
I see from your DJ profile page that you are a resident at a night in San Francisco called D and A – how did this all come about, and how does a US Hard Dance party compare to a UK one?
A promoter from San Francisco saw me play in London and offered me a set, after my first SF set they offered me a quarterly residency. The parties I have played at have been on a smaller scale than London but in regards to atmosphere they are keen as ever! SF is also a relatively fresh hard dance scene so needs time to grow, there is not the variety or frequency of promotions that there is in London to push promoters.
How’s things going for you production wise? I hear you have completed a few tracks already?
I have been fortunate to work with 2 very talented producers. First off was with Ali Wilson for our tune ‘Ruthless’ and secondly with Greg Brookman on two tunes ‘Groove Junkie’ (Nukleuz CDR) and ‘Rhythm Detox’… legends! I have production dates lined up for next year, which is exciting and am also in the process of funding my own in-house studio (donations accepted!) so watch this space…
Would you describe yourself as a musical person? Do you feel as though it has always been in your blood so to speak?
I took piano lessons for quite a few years and used to play the violin (badly!) so have always been involved in music, in saying that I studied International Business at University so wasn’t planning on a career in this industry. I definitely know what I like and don’t like, as far as production is concerned I am enjoying learning the ropes and looking forward to doing my own production one day.
You were recently added to the line-up for the massive Lashed 1st Anniversary at SeOne on December 18th – who are you going to try and see in this gargantuan line-up? There are lots of absolute legends playing, not just in the hard dance room…
Decisions decisions… well I’m a filthy girl at heart and can’t wait to see BK’s techno set niiiiice I also haven’t seen Jay Pidgeon play for a while so will be there if I manage to leave the techno room ;-) The line-up is wicked, pity Farley’s omnipresence isn’t universal!
How does a Lashed party compare to other Frantic associated events - Hard House Academy for example – in terms of atmosphere and party spirit and so on…?
Each of the promotions differ and are unique in there own way. Hard House Academy is the pride of London; people travel from all over the UK to see Brixton Academy at its best. Lashed has an international fan base with parties all over the world. Besides the dancing moves which change ;-) the atmosphere at both has always been amazing! Love it.
Lashed will be the first time in London that world class line-ups in hard dance, techno, and breakbeat are brought together – do you think that this is the way forward? Do you think that hard dance clubbers are becoming a bit more open-minded?
I feel that variety is the spice of life… I like to hear new things and sometimes at the end of a big weekend Hard Dance isn’t always the answer. People are becoming more open-minded and receptive to new ideas, if you have the best Dj’s across different genres playing at the same time then that’s got to be a good thing.
2004 has been a fairly turbulent year for dance music, with promotions, magazines, and record labels folding left right and centre. Do you think that there is anything positive about these less commercial and lucrative state of affairs?
Well being frank what doesn’t break us makes us stronger… I do feel the industry is really tough right now, it’s been an interesting year but I suppose all we can do is try to learn from the mistakes that are made by others. As long as people want to dance there will always be music.
Your perfect night out – how would it go? Be as unrealistic as you want…!
It would definitely involve all of my friends, a deserted beach, free-flowing drinks and a seriously phat sound system!! DJ’s on rotation, Mauro Picotto, Carl Cox thumping techno set, Farley, Sentience, Glazby, Anne Savage and that’s just the warm up… have it!!!
[b]OK – here’s your chance to big someone up in the hard dance scene. Which DJs really inspire you? And who of the ‘up and coming’ DJs do you think deserves success?
I have always been a Farley fan… besides his technical ability he’s not afraid to experiment or push the limits, also being a techno lover I can get my fix. As far as the girls are concerned Anne Savage is up there on my list. Caroline and Amber are doing well, lovely girls that can really mix (better than most of the boys ) With regards to Up and Coming Dj's – Craig Paxton – his enthusiasm and energy is infectious – and Richard Launch aka Tinkerbell (‘Tinks’) - is also a right laugh and quite versatile.
Thanks Donna! 
LASHED: The Anniversary
|
|
On:
|
Saturday 18th December 2004
|
|
At:
|
S.E.One [map]
|
|
From:
|
8:00pm - 06:00am
|
|
Cost:
|
£13 Early Bird Tickets, £16 SuperSaver, £19 Saver, £22 Standard
|
|
Website:
|
www.lashedworld.com
|
|
Ticket Info:
|
ADVANCED TICKETS:
THE EARLY BIRD TICKETS: £13.00 +bf
SUPERSAVER TICKETS: £16.00 + bf
SAVER TICKETS: £19.00 + bf
STANDARD: £22.00 +bf
The Six ways to get your tickets:
1. Frantic Office
Credit / Debit & Cash Sales
Call 07949 618035
2. Ticketweb
Credit/Debit Card Sales // 24hr Hotline & Online Sales
Call 08700 600 100 or logon to www.ticketweb.co.uk
3. ClubConnexion
Credit / Debit Card & Cash Sales
0870 246 2050 or logon to www.clubtickets.com
4. Cyberdog Stores (London)
Camden: 0207 4822 842
5. E-listlondon.com
Online ticket purchase and advance guest list booking: 07908 809 077
6. Maria
Cash sales, will meet clubbers in North or Central London.
07813 684 399
|
|
Buy Online:
|
Click here to buy tickets
|
|
More:
|
After our sold-out Lashed events saw thousands of avid clubbers take by storm SeOne in London, Scotland, Russia, Finland, the infamous Hell’s Angels Bulldog Bash and six exclusive parties in Ibiza, we decided to hit, not only the capital, but the whole country with an armament of roof raising parties. The mythical club full of nostalgia, Heaven in London, will declare the festivities open on November 5th with five rooms of musical excellence, crossing over all different styles from hard dance to trance to house to electro and breaks so that no one is spared. The exuberance will then spread across the UK and Ireland with its second victim being The exuberance will then spread across the UK and Ireland - The Arches in Glasgow, Revolution in Ireland, Coach in Northern Ireland, Air in Birmingham, Evolution in Cardiff, SeOne in London
and The Works in Nottingham.
Our annual Christmas bash, that attracted more than 2,500 clubbers last year, The Anniversary, will be held at SeOne in London with an array of top international DJs that will break
all the rules of music policies.
Be reassured, this won’t be the end; Lashed will be celebrating with the release of a CD in January 2005 that will reflect the frantic vibe of the parties and the best dance music around. And if this wasn’t enough, you will be able to satisfy your need of Lisa Lashes’ furious brand of music with a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix on 5th December 1-3am, after three years of absence on the airwaves… it will rock!
Room One - Hard Dance – Lisa Lashes, BK, Tidy Boys, Lisa Pin-Up, NuEnergy Collective, Paul Glazby, A-Star, Andy Whitby, Ed Real.
The line-up of this room is the absolute reference to the quality of our parties. Once again, we have pushed the envelope to create the ultimate show! You can’t go wrong with these DJs who will make your heart beat at its maximum and blow your mind off with their hard, fast and dirty tracks. This is going to be bigger and better than any other party you have ever experienced.
Room Two - Lashed Breaks Session – Freq Nasty, The Freestylers DJs, Matt Canton, Lashes Breaks, Max Cooper - 3 decks, Steelo
This room will dedicate its sound to those dirty basslines, fat beats, pumping rhythms and frenetic scratching. Due to the success of our irreplaceable breaks sessions, we try to set our standards even higher after each party. This time, we have indisputably managed to reunite THE best artists and talent of the genre for you under the same roof. This is the biggest breaks line up of the autumn anywhere, anytime!
Room Three - Hard Dance - Internationally Lashed - Rob Tissera (Italy), Proteus (Finland), Karim (France), Tara Reynolds (Australia), Eduardo Herrera (Brazil), Jay Pidgeon (Ireland), Paul Henry (South Africa), Donna Birt (New Zealand)
How to go round the world in 10 hours without leaving one room or how to be hit by some of the finest sounds from outside the UK. This room will be dedicated to top international DJs that have made it big in their respective countries and that will literally explode our dancefloor. Be ready to give them a warm welcome!
Room Four - Balearic Lashed – Griff – Manumission, Savers, Bass Spankers, Filthy Rich.
Maximum dirty dancing is required with these funky vibes. Our DJs will give you a reminder of your summer holidays in Ibiza, and for those who have never been there, you’ll find out what all the hype is all about right here. Our DJs are regulars at the Devil’s Island and know exactly what tunes will set the room on fire.
Room Five - Lashed-techno – Dave Angel, Filterheadz (Live), BK (Techno set), Dave Randall, Paul Christian.
This room is solely dedicated to the genre that has had the most influence on dance music over the past decade. It has never gone out of fashion and actually keeps getting better. Its incessant quality means that it is still perceived as the edgiest sound of electronic music. Whether it’s a DJ set or live performance, our tremendous line-up will only confirm this.
|
|
Flyer:
|
|
|
|
Pictures by Daf and supplied by Donna 
Share this ::  :  :  : 
Follow HarderFaster :: 
Other Features By benz:
Introducing: Salerno - part of Chemistry's NuWave selection
Eat Static return for Lost In Space
Coburn bring their live show to UP^^
The return of The Colosseum
Modernism, Politburo and Sedition: Matthew Duffield’s manifesto
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
|
|
![[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!](/images/mainbanner_top1.gif)
You've survived the snipers and are now proving to everyone that you are more than capable of taking the opportunities that have been sent your way, well deserved and it coulnd't happen to a nicer person. 