(Disclaimer: This article is written from my experience during the week. Even having gone to 4-5 parties every night, I could not be everywhere to see everything. We are very blessed to have three other writers covering events as well. If I missed your event, party, or performance - I sincerely apologize, I will do my best to make it next year. It's all in love).
After a few weeks, the experience that was Winter Music Conference is not much more than a memory. The good times that were shared, the great music we danced to, and the fun people we hung out is what I aim to write about. I've already blogged the day-to-day experiences, so now, with hindsight, it's time to summarize it into a brief synopsis. Last year, I did my own set of awards - which seemed to work really well - so let's stick with that. And with the International Dance Music Awards, Club World Awards, Freestyle Music Awards, etc - there simply weren't enough...
Song of the conference:
The days of a song of the conference are behind us. Just as the world
of dance music has splintered into a plethora of subgenres, so has the
audience. To find one song that united everyone is a fruitless
search. Instead, here are songs that I heard numerous times during
the week, new and old, which defined the week for me.
(This list will grow as I figure out the songs I heard.)
Jamie Lewis - "Be Thankful"
Sydney Blue - "Give It Up for Me"
Anane - "Shake"
Cato K featuring Kelly D - "Feel Better"
Inaya Day - "Say You Will"
Sanchez and the Shockers - "Tonight"
Danny Tenaglia - "The Space Dance"
Josh Wink - "Stay Out All Night"
Eric Prydz - "Pjanoo"
Lady Gaga - "Just Dance"
Louie Vega featuring Julie McKnight - "Diamond Life" (Dirty South Remix)
Pepper Mashay - "Does Your Mama Know (You're a Freak)"
Sander Van Doorn - "Riff"
Joe Claussel - "Spiritual Life"
Alex Gold - "Give It Up"
Dave Dresden - "Hole Wide"
Filo & Peri - "Anthem"
Fans of Jimmy Century - "Hot Sahara"
Chaka Khan - "Disrespectful" (heard different remixes all week)
Joi Cardwell - "People Make the World Go Round"
Bodyrox featuring Luciana - "Planet"
Kristine W - "The Boss"
DJ Rap - "Good to Be Alive" (Remix)
Best White Labels/Bootlegs/Mashups:
These deserve their own category because they are a genre unto themselves.
Funkagenda - "What the Fuck" (A cheeky version of Fat Boy Slim's "Star 69")
Robyn S - "Show Me Love" (white label heard all week)
Black Box - "Everybody" (Midnight Society remix) - Kudos to Curtis
Atchison for going old school with the promotion, going up to every DJ
spinning and personally delivering a CD-R for them to play
Abba - "Voulez Vous" (a really sick electro mix that Angello & Ingrosso played)
Michael Jackson - "Thriller"
Vanilla Ice - "Ice Ice Baby" (only the sexy Benny Benassi could drop
this one and get away with it)
Biggest stories of the week:
1. The future of Gabriel and Dresden
2. Don Diablo signing global 360 deal with Sony/BMG
3. Ministry of Sound coming to US with Global Underground
Biggest gossip of the week:
Tiesto getting married
(Close second) A new romance between Crystal Waters and Freedom Williams (unsubstantiated)
