Beats: Rauhofer Live

This weekend finds me back home in Chicago, with family, friends...and snow. Naturally, I have to whine like any other self-respecting New Yorker who leaves the dirt noise crowds comfort of the five boroughs. So, the top five things that I miss about New York City over the weekend:

5. 20-something Dominican muscleboy who delivers for Pastis
4. Magnolia Bakery
3. The warning bell on the subway
2. Canal Street
1. PETER RAUHOFER's Live @ Roxy 4 Party Tonight!

Rauhofer is a phenomenal DJ. He is impressive live and in the studio, unlike Junior Vasquez other overrated big names. I've had a serious love jones for the music of the Grammy Award-winning producer-slash-DJ ever since he debuted Style by Club 69. Remixes and reissues followed on his *69 label. The Club 69 Future Mix: The Collected Remixes of Peter Rauhofer series was especially notable.

The Austrian-born producer effortlessly blends anthems like Ultra Nate's Found A Cure and dark tribal beats such as Until the Day. I don't know about you, but every time I hear that last track, it's like time stood still under the disco ball, and I've been transported back to the old Palace in downtown Atlanta.

Peter Rauhofer is the only reason—well, besides certain go-go boy BFs—to go to Roxy on a Saturday night. Look at my pics: I'm not a Chelsea poster boy. The Roxy crowd can be a yawn; the tourist quotient is high, and the early hours are perfect for the B&T crowd. Besides, the overabundance of aging circuit boys and overwhelmingly vanilla crowd does not capture my interest. (Back in the day, I always preferred Twilo and Sound Factory before they closed, or the old Vinyl.) But Rauhofer's music does, so I've followed him around NYC, and have loved his residencies at Roxy and at Avalon/Limelight.

Plus: Peter was introduced to me through a mutual friend who works at the club, and he's always been super-friendly and has allowed me in the booth several times. So you can imagine my frustration at not being in the city when Peter debuts his newest CD, Live @ Roxy 4. Coincidentally, he won't be playing at the super-club on 18th Street. In case you haven't heard, Peter stormed out of the Roxy on February 19th, turning off the music after feuding by the promoter.

Rauhofer debuts his newest compilation at his newest residency: Work @ Spirit. This is how he describes the monthly party:

I want all types of scenes represented at my party-the freaks, the black community, Latin people, Chelsea and the East Village. This is going to be a 'dress-and-impress' kind of party-I really want people to bring it!

Trust me, if anyone can work a crowd, it's the DJ from Vienna. With Peter it really is all about the music; he's tribal, he's dark, he's hi-NRG...it's all there.

The great New York parties were about all types of people creating the scene. That's what I'm trying to bring back, because it's missing in this city. It's a challenge, but I think I have a lot of support, and there are a lot of people who would really love to have a party like this.

Peter Rauhofer: Official Site
Star 69 Records
Live @ Roxy 4
Spirit