Optimo

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
Not the song, the club (http://www.optimo.co.uk/). I spend an unhealthy amount of time daydreaming about this club and how much I want to go - see the playlists on the site, it looks awesome. I downloaded one of the Optimo mix cds (the one which opens with 'Some people live all their lives without knowing which path is right....') and it blew me away. Hopefully, I should be heading up to Glasgow in a couple of months to check it out so I just want anyone who's been to tell me what it's like, spill any anecdotes and prattle on about anything else Optimo'y.

It astounds me that a club playing no wave, girl group, classical, punk, soul, krautrock, etc etc etc etc etc can be a huge success but by all accounts it is. Could this happen in Manchester/Liverpool/Kent/Cardiff or is is a Scot thang? Mr Optimo should franchise out the Optimo brandname and become a 21st century Zilkha, or all clubnight-running guys should just rip him off wholesale (I know I intend to).

If Stirmonster is reading, how did you set the whole thing up? Was it a blazing success from the off or did you have to build it up?

Also, if anyone has the mix cd as teasingly described on http://www.optimo.co.uk/download.htm then please please let me get a copy of it somehow (soulseek? cd-r tradey stuff?)

Ian SPACK (Ian SPACK), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 17:48 (10 years ago) Permalink

do you mean the Frenchbloke & Sonof mix?

it does sound great, i wonder if i can obtain a copy from the chaps - will investigate

stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:13 (10 years ago) Permalink

one of the bands i work played a night at optimo, and it was insanity. the place was rammed with kids dancing literally all night and drinking and doing god knows what else to excess. i was told that some employers make people sign waivers that they won't attend, and that as it's on a sunday the party is the city's leading cause of absenteeism. that sounds like an urban legend, but i'd be inclined to believe the latter as one of the afterparties was carrying on into the next afternoon. definitely make the trip up.

lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:03 (10 years ago) Permalink

what a fantastic club! how is the new subby, stirry?

Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:08 (10 years ago) Permalink

Steve, yeah that's exactly the one. Do your damndest to grab a copy. You should get this other Optimo mix off me, I reckon you'll love it. I can send it over MSN while Ssk is down.

I can't believe that a club with *that* music policy is so popular, how on earth has it worked so well? Lauren, what's their secret? And why haven't clubs all over Britain followed suit?

The first I heard of it was in the business pages of The Sun (!) where they mentioned how the djs hung a mic over the crowd dancing, sampled them, made a song out of the noise and played it back out minutes later. Unreal.

Also, is it always on a Sunday? I thought it was a Friday night thing.

Ian SPACK (Ian SPACK), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:34 (10 years ago) Permalink

Those scots must be real crazy (and arty) party animals. Always thought scotland was just full of kids with Ocean Colour Scene/Cast/Oasis or Byrds/Big Star/Pavement/Sonic Youth/Neil Young/Pixies/Nirvana albums.

Had that impression the 2 years i spent in Glasgow. The rest of scotland was full of hardcore rave/gabber kids.

Billy, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 20:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

how on earth has it worked so well - i honestly have no idea. i had been playing straight(ish) 4/4 music for ten years and was chomping at the bit to do something a bit different. the oppurtunity to do a sunday night came up and it seemed the ideal night to plunge into the depths of my record collection. really, the intention was to do something for a lot of people i knew who were a bit older and wanted to hear music that doesn't normally get played in a club. for about the first 18 months, we were lucky to get 100 people in but as it was a sunday and we had no expectations, that was great.

then one week three hundred people turned up which we thought was a fluke, but the next week even more turned up and it continued to grow from there. our home, the sub club burned down and we were in temporary homes for three years but returned back 'home' a few months ago. since then it has gone even more ballistic. last sunday there was a blizzard going on outside and we expected it to be really quiet but we had the biggest crowd we have ever had and had to turn a couple of hundred away. it's insane, i tell ya!

the really strange thing for me is that we have a really young crowd who will freak to records they don't know from before they were born! i guess people are bored and want more from their night out. people in scotland also party like their lives depend on it!

we have been lumped in with electroc(l)a$h, post punk, bootlegs, too many djs etc but really, we are none of these things. i follow music, not what anyone else does and doing this in relative isolation up in scotland has been great for us. it means we don't belong to any scene and will always operate outside what is happening in the media. as fads come and go, we will still be here just playing music.

one of the reasons it might have worked is that after ten years of being techno djs, myself and my partner really know how to work a crowd so even though we play all types of music, we put it together in quite an energetic way and mix records that should never work together. i mean who'd have thought mo tucker kept such good time but it's possible to mix live the whole of 'waiting for my man' over some slamming techno track . likewise johnny cash's 'personal jesus' or a whole multitude of other songs. also, using a powerbook live lets me do things that leave people wondering 'how did he do that?'. but most importantly, it's fun - i might play reallly obscure records from the sun city girls, billy childish, the ze or 99 label or whatever but i always know when it is time to give the crowd a dose of fun.

i hope i don't come across all arrogant here. i'm not but i truly love what i do and it is the most enjoyable thing i have ever done in my whole life.

and finally, it CAN work elsewhere - we have taken optimo to new york, paris, helsinki, belfast, munich and stockholm and it worked every time.

if any ILM'ers ever come and don't enjoy themselves i will personally refund their costs for getting here.

stirmonster, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 21:35 (10 years ago) Permalink

My sister lives in Glasgow so I'm sure I'll make it sometime, I had planned to go anyway, though admittedly that was after I'd read the articles which said it was electroclash and post punk. I did look at the setlists linked to ages ago on that other thread and I would definitely go if I was around judging from those.

Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:17 (10 years ago) Permalink

look for maybe possibly some stir dates in some clubs in the NYC roundabout time for the Liquid Liquid show on March 7th.

presumptuous? never

mosurock (mosurock), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

likewise johnny cash's 'personal jesus'

What is it about this song? Erol Alkan (of Trash) namechecks it in this month's Jockey Slut. I really must try to make it sometime. I missed thema at Auto too, despite being there. I was probably stuck in the murderous beer queue. Unfortunately whenever I'm up in Glasgow I'm usually travelling back down south on a Sunday. I will get there though.

Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 22:42 (10 years ago) Permalink

"the really strange thing for me is that we have a really young crowd who will freak to records they don't know from before they were born!"

that's what really struck me about the night. the crowd went mad whether they knew a track or not. there is no way to manufacture that kind of enthusiasm, and it's really exciting to see.

lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 6 February 2003 15:54 (10 years ago) Permalink

i'd love to head over as well,i've been listening to that cd a lot recently...
any plans to put on a show in dublin?

robin (robin), Thursday, 6 February 2003 16:36 (10 years ago) Permalink

Ronan if you go, can I come with you?

Cozen (Cozen), Thursday, 6 February 2003 18:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

9 months pass...
what's new in the zoo?

gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 01:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

same old same old - 'it's not as good as it used to be'™

stirmonster, Wednesday, 26 November 2003 01:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

some of the best nights of my life. Thats it. So when Cozen?

jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 01:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

i met you once didn't i jed? at the opening of some bar where we were prostituting ourselves and playing to a disinterested audience. i am really bad at remembering faces so if yr ever at the 'mo, do come and say hello.

gygax, how's the old fmbb doing?

stirmonster, Wednesday, 26 November 2003 02:16 (9 years ago) Permalink

stirmo:
it died about 06/2002, or when jon left... take your pick.

i was in thinking today of crazy things: optimo global tastemaker early 2000s nostalgia. but in a very chris marker exotica way. crazy things.

gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 02:27 (9 years ago) Permalink

yes i met you at a silly bar opening when i'd stood someone up, shameful! ive been down twice in the last month or so - its been nice to make friends with the other S****ers but im ususally too busy dancing. and yer busy!

jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 02:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

are you and your lovely lady paying us a visit anytime soon, mr.stir?

lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 05:29 (9 years ago) Permalink

i am coming over to play APT on january 6th but i don't think the lovely lady can afford to join me. let's meet up!

stirmonster, Wednesday, 26 November 2003 11:11 (9 years ago) Permalink

yay!

lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 12:24 (9 years ago) Permalink

I nearly went again on Sunday but err.. didn't. Some leather-clad homo-electro act from San Francisco seemed quite a draw.

N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 12:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

i don't want to look up, bt ws this the thread i ws a dick abt optimo on w.out really knowing anything abt it on? oh dear. yeh, optimo! glasgow's lucky. still haven't been but i definitely shd. best club night in town?

raphael diligent (Cozen), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 12:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

...nah theres that really good microhouse night at jumpin jacks.

yes it is.

jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 13:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

that would be zeigenbock kopf, n., and i don't think they actually made it up. one of them injured himself terribly in london the day before.

lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 22:28 (9 years ago) Permalink

from rolling about on stage on top of bottles of jd they had smashed, no less!

jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 26 November 2003 22:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

is optimo weekly then? i am in glasgow over the weekend and this sounds grinchy. any other heads up on what to do in glasgow would be grate too.

nebbesh (nebbesh), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 11:30 (9 years ago) Permalink

weekly, sundays, subclub, details: www.optimo.co.uk

jed (jed_e_3), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 12:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

what can anyone tell me abt lucy m4ckenzie's 'flourish', if anything?

(i thk i know wht she looks like, really pretty, bowl cut, i thk i saw her at the latest 'mars hotel' gig.)

raphael diligent (Cozen), Thursday, 4 December 2003 22:38 (9 years ago) Permalink

11 months pass...
did Ronan ever make it to Optimo?

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 04:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

No. I keep telling him to come. Also, what happened to the brwh scheduled for the 5th? Did it get rescheduled?

Next Optimo for me: The Go! Team one, I think. Would like to do Clinic too but don't think I will.

New Year too.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 09:02 (8 years ago) Permalink

I am stuck as to whether I can do new year this year. I love new year optimo, but I have a potential (as in nearly confirmed) start date on a new job, in London, on 4th Jan.

So, when they confirm I have to find somewhere to live and move. And do NYE Optimo. I am sure it is possible somehow...

3underscore (___), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 09:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

It surely is. When I moved up here I sorted out a place to live in advance and moved my stuff a week before, because I had Glastonbury in the way.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 09:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

But the week before is Christmas Alba! These christian festivals are going to ruin my hogmanay!

3underscore (___), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 09:39 (8 years ago) Permalink

ronan should come to aberdeen optimo.

take the megabus, ronan.

cºzen (Cozen), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 10:58 (8 years ago) Permalink

i would like to go to optimo

charltonlido (gareth), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 11:04 (8 years ago) Permalink

wouldn't it be fun, if we could all be at optimo together?

lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 12:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

shall we go in december. perhaps the 17th?

*@*.* (gareth), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 12:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

i mean, that weekend. a christmassy thing

*@*.* (gareth), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 12:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

can i come?

Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 12:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

no.

lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 12:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

lauren van pelt

Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 12:37 (8 years ago) Permalink

I think there's a London crew heading up to Optimo for Hogmanay and renting rooms / crashing somewhere the day after, not too sure yet - and depends what the Bugged Out lineup is like, but personally I'd prefer Glasgow...

MattR (MattR), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 13:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

YAY! come to Optimo!

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 15:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

Sort it out the week before Christmas, ___. You don't want to be desparately looking for a place in a few days once you arrive in London, surely? You often can't move in straight away anyway. London accommodation is crappy and it takes a while to find something good unless you hear about something ON THE GRAPEVINE.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 15:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

:( knoxville is a long way away.

i attended the 1999/2000 hogmanay optimo at the art school..... i don't remember a single thing except a friend of mine stealing an entire case of mini tonic bottles.

You've Got to Pick Up Every Stitch (tracerhand), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 15:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

That is unacceptable behaviour. It's people like your friend that make it cost £25.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 15:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

Stevem, never mind those bullies!

jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 15:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

I'm not going if he goes.

Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 16 November 2004 15:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

Playing at Trouw in Amsterdam on the Saturday, which'll be a bit easier to reach for me. Where's the Glasgow return at - Sub Club, or a different/new venue? Might have to make a pilgrimage before I have to return to Australasia, hmmn.

etc, Friday, 6 April 2012 15:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

killed it at corsica studios last night (what a surprise)

jabba hands, Friday, 6 April 2012 15:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

etc, sub on fridays but only once every two months.

jed_, Friday, 6 April 2012 15:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

In all honesty I think I might actually go to Glasgow for one this summer.

EDB, Friday, 6 April 2012 17:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

well, *shameless spam* alert. my friend, Guy, and I made a video for stirnonster's new track and i hope you all like it!

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:08 (7 months ago) Permalink

yay!

geeta, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:12 (7 months ago) Permalink

i'm the one dancing in the video so please be kind!

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:14 (7 months ago) Permalink

in fact, don't be kind just enjoy it or be honest if you didn't .

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:22 (7 months ago) Permalink

I was going to post this here w/o yr permission but I didn't but I'm glad you did bcz it's p f rad

bell biv devo (Stevie D(eux)), Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:23 (7 months ago) Permalink

<3 to you, stevie.

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:26 (7 months ago) Permalink

This is gorgeous.

etc, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:32 (7 months ago) Permalink

i love it. jed, you're a great dancer.

THEE-AH-TER (Matt P), Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:34 (7 months ago) Permalink

thanks! that track was stirmonster's homage to arthur russell and that video was my homage to optimo.... it kinda flows like an optimo condensed into 4 minutes (with two people, obviously) although that's the director/editor's skill that it moves like that.

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:46 (7 months ago) Permalink

this is great!

these wilburys taste like wilburys (donna rouge), Thursday, 4 October 2012 01:53 (7 months ago) Permalink

thanks donna, good times! x

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:17 (7 months ago) Permalink

(i mean that time we went to optimo together).

jed_, Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:17 (7 months ago) Permalink

thanks jed. x

stirmonster, Thursday, 4 October 2012 18:32 (7 months ago) Permalink

love it

andrew m., Thursday, 4 October 2012 21:07 (7 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

in the immortal words of george takei
oh my

Move D B2B Optimo 180 Min Mix - BOILER ROOM

Thee Macallan 18 Year, Thursday, 3 January 2013 22:45 (4 months ago) Permalink

tim kay 23 hours ago

Respect for the 25+ years of djing. But you would of thought in this time they would learn how to mix on vinyl. Almost every mix drifts. Not really acceptable if u ask me
·

stirmonster23 16 hours ago

not really acceptable - what a dick thing to say. it's live. maybe the monitors aren't perfect? maybe flawless mixing isn't so important? maybe they are deaf? who cares? what do you do?

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 4 January 2013 00:02 (4 months ago) Permalink

i forgot about that post on youtube. drunken scorn is never good. :-)

stirmonster, Friday, 4 January 2013 00:09 (4 months ago) Permalink

naw dude, perfect response to such twattery.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 4 January 2013 00:15 (4 months ago) Permalink

That garage tune at 47 to 50 mins-ish is insane in that boiler room vid. Wish I knew what it was.

Optimo playin Fabric weekend after next too: http://www.fabriclondon.com/club/listing/665

Big night: Hessel, Optimo, MMM, Kuedo, DVA, Altered Natives, Peverelist, Joe, fuck.

If I've got the cash to get from up north I'm off.

jimitheexploder, Friday, 4 January 2013 02:10 (4 months ago) Permalink

MMM Live

! ! !

jed_, Friday, 4 January 2013 02:18 (4 months ago) Permalink

RE: that YT comment: Nothing worse than chinscratching arbiters of dj technique/taste. Those are probably the ones who don't dance and just stand around getting butthurt. Long Live Optimo!

That elusive North American wood-ape (Capitaine Jay Vee), Friday, 4 January 2013 03:11 (4 months ago) Permalink

That garage tune at 47 to 50 mins-ish is insane in that boiler room vid. Wish I knew what it was.

yeah that's amazing. i think at the end someone's yelling close to the mic what the track is? also lol @ twitch looking just a liiiittle agitated because of the guy with the hat dancing/getting into his space (i think there's even an unintended elbow knock)

willem, Friday, 4 January 2013 10:46 (4 months ago) Permalink

"talking to the DJ when he's trying to mix / and you fuck it up good and proper"

TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 4 January 2013 10:58 (4 months ago) Permalink

Track at 47 - 50 mins is 'Tunsten" by Barnt. Out soon on Comeme.

stirmonster, Friday, 4 January 2013 14:35 (4 months ago) Permalink

Not long finished listening to this. It was great. Guy from YouTube moaning about the mixing sounds like a fud. Who cares if the mixing isn't perfect, to be perfectly honest I probably couldn't tell anyway, as long as the crowd are into it. Never got the chance to attend an Optimo live 'cause of the Sunday thing but this was a very nice second price.

TheScienceLaw, Friday, 4 January 2013 15:12 (4 months ago) Permalink

most of these whingers who moan about dj mixing have prob never even played live, let alone recorded one of their own live sets.

Heterocyclic ring ring (LocalGarda), Friday, 4 January 2013 15:26 (4 months ago) Permalink

Listening to this now, it's just ridiculously great! It must have been fun to do.

TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 4 January 2013 16:22 (4 months ago) Permalink

02:21:00 St. Germain - Thank U Mum (4 Everything You Did)

everything about this track. yes.

Thee Macallan 18 Year, Friday, 4 January 2013 17:56 (4 months ago) Permalink

does anyone have any ideas what the horny acid greatness is around the 1.07 mark? had a blast at the glue factory on hogmanay as well!

Baruffati, Friday, 4 January 2013 22:10 (4 months ago) Permalink

JD, I tried to say hello outside Q but you were clearly pre-occupied. Glad you enjoyed the night there!

ma ck ro ma ck ro (mackro mackro), Saturday, 5 January 2013 07:46 (4 months ago) Permalink

also someone needs to link the 6-hour set here!

ma ck ro ma ck ro (mackro mackro), Saturday, 5 January 2013 07:47 (4 months ago) Permalink

pre-occupied?? maybe it was jet lag?

stirmonster, Saturday, 5 January 2013 11:13 (4 months ago) Permalink

http://www.discogs.com/Like-A-Tim-Wonderline/release/583931

― stirmonster, Friday, January 4, 2013 10:39 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

much appreciated!

Baruffati, Saturday, 5 January 2013 13:58 (4 months ago) Permalink

xp stir, no you were talking with (i think) the folks who made Q and/or booked you(?), either way, it would have been rude to interrupt.

ma ck ro ma ck ro (mackro mackro), Sunday, 6 January 2013 09:26 (4 months ago) Permalink

Boiler Room mix is a fun listen. hearing the way the Andres track sounds after an hour of other tunes gave me a better idea of why people like it so much. before I thought it was just ok, now I kinda get how you'd hear it in a mix and go "ahhhhhhh yeah." (never heard it out.)

agree with everyone that the Barnt track is crazy. loved the Bill Withers too.

dmr, Monday, 7 January 2013 22:38 (4 months ago) Permalink

who gets invited to these Boiler Room things? crowd in this one seems pretty ok, at least people are dancing. in some of them it looks like mostly corny camera mugging and looking over the DJ's shoulders.

dmr, Monday, 7 January 2013 22:40 (4 months ago) Permalink

Mix of friends and people who apply for tickets I believe. Usually looks like the kind of crowd I try to avoid at parties TBH.

Chewshabadoo, Monday, 7 January 2013 22:45 (4 months ago) Permalink

'Track at 47 - 50 mins is 'Tunsten" by Barnt. Out soon on Comeme.

― stirmonster, Friday, 4 January 2013 14:35 (6 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink'

big will have to keep an eye for that one cheers.

jimitheexploder, Thursday, 10 January 2013 18:36 (4 months ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?exchange=129
(thanks, Severed Heads thread!)

etc, Friday, 25 January 2013 22:08 (3 months ago) Permalink

Monthly show starting on Rinse FM from February 11th

Gukbe, Tuesday, 29 January 2013 21:53 (3 months ago) Permalink

Nice.

Chewshabadoo, Wednesday, 30 January 2013 08:25 (3 months ago) Permalink

SR Mix #151: Doubleheart [High Sheen]

http://www.sonicrouter.com/2013/02/sr-mix-151-doubleheart-high-sheen/

JD Twitch and Neil Landstrumm's Doubleheart project.

jimitheexploder, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:09 (3 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

that barnt track is a monster

I only get 7 per cent of display names (cozen), Sunday, 24 March 2013 21:29 (1 month ago) Permalink

up on spotify now

I only get 7 per cent of display names (cozen), Sunday, 24 March 2013 21:29 (1 month ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Liking this: http://nocturnetapes.com/post/47614176527/nt1-jd-twitch

Into the interzone with JD Twitch

First in a series of mixes and compilations from various DJs, producers and taste-makers that have been inspired by, and made to be listened to in, the small hours of the night. Curated by Vitamins, the Tapes will allow listeners a glimpse into the personal nighttime listening habits and the lesser-heard regions of the record collections of their creators.

Full interview and download:
http://www.nocturnetapes.com

NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Thursday, 11 April 2013 22:16 (1 month ago) Permalink


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.