SIREN guest dj MADSCIENCE

Guest DJ MADSCIENCE

I'm sorry Miss Jackson, but Jesse - aka MADSCIENCE - is the reverend of sass on the dance floor. If he doesn’t get you dancing, no one will.  Jesse and I have been working together for years and playing off one another’s vibe with absolute ease.  Jesse brings a production background - producing for multiple pop artists - and has catapulted to the top of the most-sought list of DC DJs over the last few years.  And it’s no wonder - he simply kills it every time, mixing the perfect blend of pop, hip-hop and guilty pleasures so well it makes my heart smile and floors erupt.  I have no qualms in saying he’s one of the most talented DJs on the east coast and he will prove it to you in his second SIREN gig.  Here are some of his favorite Girl Group tracks:  

MADSCIENCE'S FAVORITE GIRL GROUP JAMS

BrownStone -  "If You Love Me

3LW - "Baby Ima Do You Right"

Cherish - " Do It To IT"

Total -  "What About Us"

SWV - "Anything",  "I'm so into you"

TLC - "Scrubs",  "What About Your Friends"

En vogue - "En Vogue", "Never Gonna Get It"

Salt N Pepa - "Push it"

Mary Mary - "Praise Him"

Blaque - "Bring IT All To ME", "808"

24K -  "Don't Go There"

Little Mix - "Salute"

Fifth Harmony -  "Bo$$"

SIREN guest dj DELLA VOLLA

Wesley Dolla Volla (DJ Della Volla)

Della Volla and I go way back to ’06 and if anyone loves girl groups more than I do - it’s definitely him.  He has always been had a phenomenal ear for pop music  - whether it’s rounding up new sounds for KickKickSnare or helping spearhead parties like Pop Goes the World and DJing at events with me since ’10.  To say I’m comfortable with him in the DJ booth is beyond an understatement.  Expect his set to be UK GURL GROUPS galore, as there is no bigger fan of acts like the Sugababes, the Saturdays or Girls Aloud.

DELLA VOLLA’s TOP 10 GURL GROUPS

1. Sugababes

2. Destiny's Chid

3. Spice Girls

4. TLC

5. En Vogue

6. Girls Aloud

7. Saturdays

8. 2NE1

9. Danity Kane

10. Little mix

DELLA VOLLA’s TOP 10 GURL GROUP SONGS

1 Sugababes "Push The Button"

2 Destiny's Child "Jumpin' Jumpin'"

3 Spice Girls "Say You'll be There"

4 TLC "Silly Ho"

5 Girls Aloud "Something Kinda Ooh"

6 The Saturdays "If This Is Love"

7 En Vogue: "Never Gonna Get It"

8 All Saints "Never Ever"

9 Little Mix "Wings"

10 Danity Kane "Bad Girl"

SIREN guest DJ JACK RAYBURN

SIREN Guest DJ Jack Rayburn 

Jack’s ear for the eclectic was one of the things that drew me to him when I originally asked him to be a part of a SIREN back in the spring of 2011.  He knows how to decipher what good pop music is and always comes with his A-Game when he DJs at SIREN and other parties.  A must-experience is his periodic VIDEO TIME MACHINE night at NUMBER 9 (this Saturday, invite), where all of these things are on vivid display as he takes us through the decades of quality pop and makes you want to create a bar-side dance floor.  He’s absolutely a doll to work with and is sure to kill it on the downstairs.  Expect a good mix of girl groups from all over the world during his two hours of making you shake it in tight spaces.  

Don’t miss his set from 11:00p - 1:00a in the downstairs bar!

JACK RAYBURN’s TOP 10 GURL GROUPS

1. Bananarama
2. Destiny's Child
3. Dream
4. Eden's Crush
5. M2M
6. Pussycat Dolls
7. The Spice Girls
8. TLC
9. Sugababes
10. The Veronicas

JACK RAYBURN’s TOP 10 GURL GROUP SONGS

1. C'est La Vie (B*Witched)

2. Damaged (Danity Kane)

3. This is Me (Dream)

4. My Lovin' (En Vogue)

5. Hold On (Wilson Phillips)

6. Not Gonna Get Us (t.A.T.u)

7. Saturday Night Divas (Spice Girls)

8. Red Dress (Sugababes)

9. Shoop (Salt-n-Pepa)

10. Louder (Parade)

SIREN welcomes guest dj SAM BLODGETT

SIREN celebrates the old and the new this Friday at its flagship party, the 4th Annual ROBYN RIOT at one of DC's gems of a venue, the Green Lantern.  We celebrate for the fourth time the leading lady in our dancing lives, Robyn, and also welcome a new DJ to the fore - Sam Blodgett.  

A DC resident, Sam has surfaced with a great new party in the District called BUTCH QUEEN that basically focuses on shaking your ass non-stop for hours - and that's just what the doctor ordered for SIREN.  Additionally, his skills are beyond his experience and he brings his A-Game every time he plays.  This boy is definitely one to watch in the scene and worth every sweat stain on the dance floor.

Sam is a welcome addition to the plethora of amazing DJs that've graced the stages of SIREN and MAJRmusic events, including Nacey, Wesley Della Volla (who returns this week), Aaron Riggins, Cale, Vanniety Kills, Matt Bailer, Ca$$idy, Shea Van Horn, Charlie Kordes, The PocketGays and countless others.

He had a few words to say about what Robyn means to him, his favorite Robyn tracks and his own party: 

Robyn is probably my favorite pop star ever. I first heard her on Z95.7, the Bay Area's finest radio station in the 90s -- they had Robyn's early singles on heavy rotation. I have distinct memories of singing along to Show Me Love and Do You Know (What It Takes) with my mom in the car when I was 8. Robyn Is Here was one of my favorite albums growing up. If it were a record, it would be worn through.

Yes, she's great because writes fantastic songs and is an extraordinary performer but (maybe this is my fantasy) she also seems like a top quality human. I'm very drawn to her story: she walked away from a huge record deal after Robyn Is Here's success because she didn't want to compromise her artistic integrity. It took her years to recover that success, but she did it on her own terms, with her own record label. And now she's a household name, at least for the gays. Talk about the power of perseverance.

And then 2012 came along and I found myself front and center at the infamously sweaty U Street Music Hall show. She came on for her encore, and it was Show Me Love (of course). I was blissing out. And then, while she's mid-chorus, she reaches out, touches my hand, and sings the damn song straight into my eyes. After 18 years of living with her music, that was pure magic.

TOP 10

1. Girl and the Robot (Robyn/Royksopp)

2. Hang With Me

3. Show Me Love

4. Dancing On My Own

5. Time Machine

6. None of Dem

7. Do You Know (What It Takes)

8. Indestructible

9. Just Another Girlfriend

10. Konichiwa Bitches

About Butch Queen

Butch Queen started as three friends fooling around with DJ equipment in my living room. The three of us (Kris Sutton, Dioni Rey, and me) share a love for hip hop, house, 90s RnB, Baltimore and Jersey club music, and more, and we weren't hearing a lot of those jams out at bars. Eventually our impromptu in-house dance parties grew big enough that our apartments were too small and we kept running out of booze. So Butch Queen was born.

We're also hoping to create a diverse, inclusive party -- one that is mixed gender and mixed ethnicity (like the three of us). DC's scene lacks that sometimes. But above all else, our top three priorities are loud bass, strong drinks, and low booties. Everything else is just gravy. Really awesome gravy.

SIREN Guest DJ CHORD Talks Beyoncé

DJ CHORD BEZERRA joins us for a very special Mrs. Carter Christmas tomorrow night at SIREN.  Chord and I go back to the days, years ago, when I was running and DJing my first party - SHIFT - at local watering hole Cobalt and he was bartending.  Soon after such, he began DJing there as well and his career has really taken off thanks to his own talent and ingenuity.  Now a resident at Cobalt for years and a new monthly resident at Bar-tini in NYC's Hell's Kitchen, Chord has definitely made quite the impression on the east coast.   

Always a warm soul to be around - full of positive energy - Chord will bring that vibrance to the Green Lantern for what is sure to be an epic yuletide celebration of the one and only Beyoncé Knowles.  He was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions and give us his TOP 10 BEYONCÉ tracks: 

1.) Why do you love Beyoncé?
There ain’t nothing that can keep that woman down. Weave on fire? B’ keeps singing. Busted heal on stage? B’ keeps singing. Internet tells you that you are phony for lip syncing at inauguration? B’ holds a televised press conference, sings flawless rendition of the Star Spangled Banner completely a capella, drops mic and walks out. Well, ok… she didn’t walk out. B’ strutted out.

2.) What are your TOP 10 Beyonce/DChild songs? 
01. Video Phone 
02. Survivor
03. Crazy in Love
04. Bootylicious
05. Check On It
06. Beautiful Liar
07. Lose My Breath
08. Telephone
09. Countdown
10. Run the World

3.) Anything else you feel like adding, feel free... 
I'm looking forward to putting a ring on it and having a blast this Friday! No not that ring…. The other one .

PU$$Y NOIR returns to SIREN for the BRITNEY BASH

 MAJRmusic's flagship event, SIREN, is pleased to bring back its resident KWEEN, Ms. PU$$Y NOIR this evening for SIREN: The BRITNEY Bash 2.0.

What can we say about Pu$$y?  Well, she isn't your typical pussy.  She loves to get wet, scratches before she hisses and tears down the curtains out of principle - not fun.  

She's superb.  Easily our favorite performer in the city and BRINGS IT every time she's there.  She has been with SIREN since the beginning - WAY BACK in June 2010 - and is a delight with which to work.  She is daring and epitomizes fierce in all she does.  In the first BRITNEY BASH (March 2011) she put on a tittie gun and did "Toy Soldier" ... a jaw-dropping performance.  It will be difficult to top such a performance, but if anyone can do so, it's the brilliant Pu$$y.

Don't like Pu$$y yet?  Well, get on it... I know you'll lap it up:

PU$$Y on Facebook

SIREN guest dj DELLA VOLLA serves up some Spears-ness

To say that Wesley Della Volla is a friend to good music is an understatement.  He's more a liaison to all things sonorous.  He's also a brilliant DJ I've seen develop over the years and I'm really happy to be associated with him, as a whole.  Definitely check out his KickKickSnare - an amazing music blog/page that has helped expose some of the best of modern pop.  

Also, his overweight cats are fabulous. 

DELLA VOLLA took the time to give us his top 10 BRITNEY tracks:

1. Toxic

2. Overprotected

3. Stronger

4. Kill The Lights

5. Born To Make You Happy

6. I Wanna Go

7. Boys

8. Radar

9. Piece Of Me

10. Work Bitch

[What are yours?]:

SIREN presents: dj ADAM KOUSSARI-AMIN

Back in the days of my first (and dearest) party, SHIFT, there was always an attendee who would lose his mind in all the right ways to all the best songs – and that was Adam Koussari-Amin.  

After my promoting partner and I chose to end SHIFT at its peak (because God knows I have no idea how it could get any better), Adam came up to me and expressed how upset he was that there would be nothing like it to go out and dance.  Then, Adam took the kind of initiative I adore and kicked that void right in the balls.

In conjunction others (previous SIREN and SHIFT guest DJs The PocketGays and Jeff Prior), Adam helped spearhead CTRL, which is now arguably DC’s most popular monthly dance party - recently celebrating its 1-year anniversary with much hoopla.  I am proud to say that it if SHIFT inspired it, this party has done it justice and then some.  

  

Adam is a brilliant musical mind with a wonderful sense of dance.  His ability to find joy in so many genres resonates to the dance floor and will be on display when he pays homage to the Doyenne of Dance – Ms. Robyn Carlsson – on Friday. 

I recently asked him what he loved about Robyn and what his 10 favorite songs are.  

In his own words:

01. Time Machine

02. Criminal Intent

03. Bum Like You

04. Love Kills

05. Who's That Girl?

06. Cobrastyle

07. Dancing on My Own

08. Fembot

09. Crash and Burn Girl

10. Get Myself Together

Why do I love Robyn?  One word: talent.  Ever since I randomly heard Cobrastyle on that new fangled music service Pandora years ago, I've been entranced by her ability as an artist to produce original and unique music that's consumable for all tastes.  Amazing electropop beats, fantastic vocals, and one of the best, larger than life presences I've had the chance to see perform live add up to some of the best dance music and music period in the past few years.  I couldn't be happier to be paying respect to the best alternative pop star in the industry...and so, we dance to the beat!

I cannot wait to welcome Adam to the party which has paid host to so many superb DJs who were their way to or already at the top over the last 3 years:  Aaron Riggins, Shea Van Horn, The PocketGays (Devon and Brett), Wesley Della Volla, LEMZ, MadScience, Charlie Kordes, Jeff Prior and many others.  

Cheers and welcome, Adam.  You rock.

 May the spirits of SHIFT and CTRL work together to COMMAND the ALT. 

Charlie Kordes returns to kick some DJ ass for Madonna

"Madonna. How can you not love a woman who constantly reinvents herself and drives so much of music culture? But... when I really fell in love with Madonna was in a cabin next to the Allegheny River. I was seven years old and I vividly remember making up my very first dance routine to "Open Your Heart" which was playing on repeat from a radio recording on my tape deck. It was the first time a song just made me want to dance. I felt free and not like the little kid from middle of nowhere Ohio. Through the year Madonna continued to impress, reinvent, and be a constant part of my music rotation. So yes, I love Madonna. Bitch helped be grow up and taught me if something wasn't working to just reinvent it."

These words are from guest DJ (for Friday/tomorrow's SIREN: 10 Hail Marys - A True Blue Madonna Tribute), and one of my favorite people, DJ Kordes.  DJ Kordes got his big club debut right here at SIREN.  A favorite of mine, and any people in DC, Kordes (or simply Charlie to everyone else) has been a regular DJ at Duplex Diner, as well as many-a-house party.  After hearing him the first time, I was not only impressed, I was quite floored by his sense of danceable music.  He has that x-factor/intuition required to mold his own dance floor loves with those his audience would enjoy; to play from the proverbial venn diagram.  And, this is quite honestly why it will be his third run as a DJ @ SIREN (he also did the Beyoncé Ball and 2nd Annual Robyn Riot), and I could not be happier with the choice.  I want him to keep coming back and making me dance.  

Kordes will be taking up the 'vital hour' from 11-12:00 on Friday.  He is the perfect kind of DJ for the job, as he is skilled beyond his experience at building a crowd.  And, he also plays just prior to my first set (12:00-1:00)- which should speak volumes (if you know me) on how much I trust his skills.  Kordes' favorite three Madonna tracks are definitely interesting, as well:

1. Human Nature

2. Express Yourself

3. Vogue

The attitude of Human Nature + the uplifting honesty of Express Yourself + the daring sass of Vogue basically sum up Charlie as a person and a performer.   When asked to be a part of 10 HAIL MARYS, Charlie was excited and ready to pounce on the opportunity.  He transfers this same enthusiasm to the booth, and people relish in his energy.  I cannot wait to hear what he plays on Friday, as he honors the queen.

 Nature - Madonna from sueños de seda on Vimeo.

So, DON'T MISS IT:

11:00-12:00 SET (right after the 10:00-11:00 open vodka hour) 

Tomorrow's SIREN Guest DJ RAD Gives Us Madge Realness

SIREN is elated to welcome DJ RAD to the booth for 10 HAIL MARYS, on Friday.  The only other DJ I know whose stage moniker is also his initials, Ryan Adam Duncan has been a friend and fellow music-obsessed DJ/promoter colleague for almost 5 years.  Soon after I produced SHIFT, he developed the monthly party Pink Sock at Wonderland in Columbia Heights, at which I was able to guest DJ (March 2010).  

Here's an example of his style (aside from Madonna): 


One of my favorite parties, Pink Sock went into hibernation for a couple years until recently rewoven into the programming of Number 9 - one of the best bars in DC.  Ryan has also guest DJ'd with me on multiple occasions for (a party which shall never be replaced) SHIFT, which still owns many records for attendance, liquor sales, questionable makeout dancing, and confetti-stained footwear - especially when he was able to share the stage.

To say RAD is a massive fan of Madonna is a gargantuan understatement.  When pondering who I wanted to have guest DJ, it was easy (in addition to SIREN favorite Charlie Kordes).  The first time I met him, he was wearing a torn Like a Virgin-era t-shirt, True Blue-era top hat, and an array of her signature necklaces/rosaries.  He almost always drops an old school Madge track in his sets, with flawless execution.  His adoration for the Queen of Pop, especially her Bedtime Stories/Erotica era, will be a perfect balance to my True Blue/Ray of Light, as we destroy the floor Friday night.  

It also helps that he's a hell of a fucking human being and one of the nice, most genuine people you'll ever meet.  

RAD's TOP 10 MADONNA VIDEOS

1. Express Yourself "Blonde Ambition Tour"

2. Vogue - MTV Awards 1990

3. Hung Up

4. Open Your Heart

5. Everybody

6. Lucky Star

7. Papa Don't Preach

8. Fever, Girlie Show Tour

9. Beautiful Stranger

10. Human Nature

In his own words:

"Madonna is my biggest role model. Hands down. Her entire life has basically been a text book documentary on how to be a flawless human being. The first time I remember hearing Madonna on the radio, I was driving in a car with my Mom...

...and "Erotica" started to play. It was so different than anything else I'd ever heard at the time. I was like, WHAT IS THIS?! My Mom's reaction was, "Turn this filth off! That slut!"...

...which only made me more intrigued. I figured out who she was and was immediately obsessed. She was perfect. I did some research. Became even more obsessed with earlier Madonna. I feel like I've been studying everything Madonna since then. I'm basically like Maureen McFarland. Her best friend from her youth. I taught Madonna how to insert a tampon! I couldn't have asked for a better role model. She moved to NYC with nothing but her ambitions, her talent, her beauty, and $20 in her pocket and became MADONNA. She is also the ULTIMATE shameless slut $ucce$$ story (wear a condom)!!! She broke through societal barriers, social norms, and confronted sexism and homophobia, all while looking flawless, grabbing her crotch, and giving anyone who had a problem with it the middle finger. And she's still making us dance! And I hope she never stops."

Additionally, for your enjoyment, here's a video of the two of us (along with many others) dancing on a booze bus on the way to see Robyn.

Madonna MAJRmix - 37 songs | 57 mins

One of the most tedious mixes I've made.  So difficult to piece together some of Madonna these tracks- especially with production qualities varying from 1983-2006.  It was worth it, and then some.  I CANNOT WAIT for Friday's Madonna party: http://www.facebook.com/events/490789950983345/

DOWNLOAD

[Intro: A Tale to Tell]

Impressive Instant

Get Together

Express Yourself

Hollywood

Hung Up

Don't Cry for Me Argentina

Into the Groove

Celebration

Ray of Light

Material Girl

Dress You Up

Burning Up

[Interlude: The World]

Open Your Heart

Vogue

Where's the Party

Forbidden Love

Deeper and Deeper

Lucky Star

Jump

Like a Virgin

Borderline

How High

Die Another Day

Holiday

Everybody

Music

Papa Don't Preach

Beautiful Stranger

[Interlude: Abandonment]

The Power of Goodbye

Human Nature

Candy Perfume Girl

La Isla Bonita

Secret

Erotica

Who's that Girl

Like a Prayer

[Interlude: Vulnerable]

True Blue

41 MINS | 31 SONGS | NON-STOP KYLIE MAJRmix

Kylie, as many know, is my #2.  She is second only by inches to the great ROBYN, and I will adore Kylie and her influence for years to come (into my world).  She is simply the Empress of Electro, Queen of Club, Down Under Doyenne of Dance, International Sovereign of Synthpop, Prima Donna of Provocative, and our very own Aphrodite.  Here are 41 minutes of 31 songs in a non-stop homage mix to the one and only KYLIE MINOGUE!

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SEE YOU THERE?

RSVP to A VERY KYLIE KRISTMAS (DC)

Intro: Dead Procession
Illusion
Aphrodite
Slow
I Should Be So Lucky
Like a Drug
Better the Devil You Know
The One
In Your Eyes
Spinning Around
Speakerphone (Steve Anderson re-work)
More, More, More
Come Into My World
Cupid Boy
Love at First Sight
Can't Get You Out of My Head
I Believe in You
Better than Today (Bills & Hurr remix)
Put Your Hands Up (Bimbo Jones remix)
In My Arms
Wow
Get Outta My Way
Your Disco Needs You (Casino Radio remix)
Can't Beat the Feeling (Toy Armada remix)
The Loco-Motion
On a Night Like This
Timebomb
Higher (Wideboys remix)
Boombox (L.A. Riots remix)
Magnetic Electric
Outro-lude: Human
All the Lovers
Santa Baby

My Summer Vacation | MAJR's Top 10 Beyoncé Songs

 

I won't explain how much I adore Beyoncé any more than I have through the invite copy, promoting, and general tomfoolery I've committed throughout the process.. What I can say is that tonight is going to be a glorious shitshow.

Well, that and this:

Beyoncé is one of the biggest stars on the planet, but she has street cred.  She can back up her talk with an elegant walk and one hell of a raucous performance that is anything but the synthetic, derived output of her contemporaries.  The bitch has my respect, and (like a proper trollop) she relentlessly puts out.

TONIGHT @ SIREN, we celebrate.

My TOP-10 (definitely in order...)

10. Lose My Breath

09. Love on Top

08. Jumpin' Jumpin'

07. End of Time

06. Why Don't You Love Me

05. Bootylicious

04. Ring the Alarm

03. Freakum Dress

02. If I Were a Boy

01. Crazy in Love

SIREN's Top 10 Beyoncé Videos

FORWARD

Now, these are not necessarily our favorite songs, per sé, but the videos that we find absolutely influential in our vision of Beyoncé on screen.  

Elegance. 

Poise. 

Sensuality. 

Hoe-Tendencies. 

Sass.  

Beyoncé.

GET EXCITED FOR TOMORROW!

10. Bug a Boo

9. No No No Pt. 2 (ft. Wyclef Jean)

8. Countdown

7. Love on Top

6. If I Were a Boy

5. Crazy in Love

4. Independent Women Pt. 1

3. Naughty Girl

2. Freakum Dress

1. Why Don't You Love Me