(l-f) ROSIN & CAMERON PHOTO BY HICHAElIACHQWSKI
Danee It Around:
DJ Cameron 6
DJ Robin Return
T_^. what some skeptics might call a sort of Mission:
XI1 Impossible, local DJs Robin Blanchard and Cameron
Brooks—performing under the guise "Centripetal Force"—want to
revitalize the downtown progressive dance music scene and get
people out on the dance floors again.
"There's a lot of dance events that draw very large crowds, yet
there is no consistent club event where people know they can go
to blow off some steam and dance," says Blanchard. "It has hap
pened in the past, but for some reason, it died off in 1597,"
One needn't look far for the answer. The Athens dance scene
was significantly hindered when Athens passed a law requiring
clubs to close their doors by 2:45 a,m. Traditionally, dandng was
the last stop of the evening for much of the Athens late night
crowd, so attendance at various "dance nights" dropped signifi
cantly,
"It used to be bands early and DJs until 4 a,m.," Blanchard
remembers, "The lines used to wrap around the comer. It could
happen again, People love to dance."
Robin Blanchard and Cameron Brooks hope to rekindle the fun
of the Athens dance scene by holding bi-weekly Wednesday night
gigs at one of their old dancing venues during tire days of local
disco: the 40 Watt Club, The duo calls its current dance setup
"Oasis" and likens it to a bombastic watering hole where they
pound out sizzling, percussive vibes for those wishing to quench
their thirst with dance. Overall, DJs Cameron and Robin strive to
hold a regularly scheduled time, spot geared toward any apprecia
tive audience that loves to get its collective ass in motion.
"I want to pound people into the floor whether they like it or
not. I want to hold on to their energy. For me, it's about
momentum and keeping it going," says Brooks.
"We're trying to re-igrate the idea that it's fun to go out to
dance," adds Blanchard. "It doesn't have to be non-existent
because the clubs dose early. We're not showcasing ourselves, but
modern dance music in a format all can understand and hopefully
appreciate. We think doing it at the 40 Watt Club provides a
means to do this. We could capture a wide audience, be it college
students or post-college students."
The two BJ's used to dance regularly at the Monday and
Saturday Night Disco at the 40 Watt Club {circa 1995) and met
officially at the now defunct O'Malley's club back in 1996, a venue
where they would later spin during the club's regular "Beat Bar"
for Wonderland Productions. They were both members of the mid-
9P's DJ-collective/ promotions company Phungus, which held
events at Boneshakers. Their styles—inspired by artists such as
Sasha, Guiwer, Union Jack, Timo Maas, Leftfield and U2—range
from deep, tribal, progressive and dub house, to minimal techno
and trance.
"Techno is a universal sound that hasn't caught on over here,"
says Brooks.
"Techno has pop appeal over in Europe, but not here," adds
Blanchard. "We want to show people that techno music is not
some dark underworld music. It's a replacement of disco. It's a
natural progression using the available technology. It's not a verse
and a chord telling you a story. It's what you make of it."
The pair have just released a debut hull-length mix CD,
Centripttal force, a compilation of slightly deeper and darker pro
gressive styles ranging from deep tribal house music to trance. The
two "hope to recapture the spirit of that period in Athens music."
Geoff Ccrr
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Quarter Night
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_ MAY 31, 2000 FLAGPOLE ffl
