Electronic Music Events And Me in 2009

Year 2009 is coming to an end, and it's a good time to sum up the events I have visited this year. This year I made my first ever visit to a foreign club, Cocoon in Frankfurt. Here are my top 5 events for this year with some notes, they are in no particular order excluding the best event :)

Tahko-klubi w/ Tom Middleton @ Ahjo, Helsinki

This event grabs the number one spot, Tom Middleton's eclectic DJing style is something everyone should experience. Happy music, some funny tricks (like using Finnish language course samples "Mitä kuuluu? Hauska tavata") and overall cunning planning make Tom Middleton a DJ to see. The last track (before three encore tunes!) sums it up: Cosmos - Take Me With You. Someone bring this man back to Finland ASAP!

Sven Väth World Tour Opening @ Cocoon Club, Frankfurt, Germany

This was the first time I saw Papa Sven live, and I must say he has the certain charm. However, I spent most of the night in lounge area, which was set for a Thinner Label Night (Marko Führstenberg, Sensual Physics & Gabriel Le Mar). The main room was so crowded one couldn't really dance there, the downside of a popular artist. The lounge room had enough space, and the deep hypnotic dub techno kept rolling and rolling until there was no space and time, only the bass. These Thinner guys would make a blast in Finland too, I guess.

Music Got Me! - Jazz Edition @ Out Of Juice, Tampere

This was the surprise event of the year for me. Sampsa Vilhunen owns a wicked collection of old soul/jazz/disco/anything that grooves like Jack records and this was my first proper encounter with this kind of music. Dance music of the gods and something very different, indeed.

Romance w/ Mr.A & DJ Flight @ Laterna, Tampere

Didn't surprise me, Flight is an excellent organizer of events and this was yet another very well managed event. I have grown to a fan of Romance concept, this old Slavic restaurant Laterna gives certain flair. Both Flight and Mr.A played very groovy music, showing once again that a good club night doesn't need big foreign headliners. "Finns do it better!" :)

Cosmic City w/ Ben Klock @ Redrum, Helsinki

A night filled with groovy techno. Lil Tony warmed up the floor with a good selection of tracks. Although the intensity drop between the end of Tony's set and start of Ben's was drastic, the German's selection grew to biblical dimensions, especially the last 45 minutes. One of those precious moments where world around disappears leaving you with bare music.

A few honourable mention to events that just didn't make it to the list:
One w/ Orkidea's 6h set - Wealthy selection of quality prog and trance, iLikes!
AfterFlight Mash-Up - This is just huge!
Danny Howells and the first time hearing "Rushin' To Paradise" on a proper volume pressure level (played by Mr.A)
Kraftwerk - This was my second meeting with these gentlemen from Düsseldorf, so not that extraordinary. Still, a Kraftwerk concert is always a great experience. Wir sind die Roboter…