Who was billed10 artists
In the order the promoter listed them.
- 8ULENTINA
- Sekucci
- next: H0L0, Sat 24 OctSterling Juan Diaz
- next: RSO.BERLIN in Berlin, Fri 20 NovSepehr
- Sandwell District
- next: Berghain in Berlin, Sat 31 OctAurora Halal
- next: Dead Letter No. 9, Fri 30 OctRon Like Hell
- next: Nowadays, Fri 6 NovBinh
- next: Nowadays, Fri 20 NovLaurel Halo
- close
Set times were not published.
Most of these pairings were meeting for the first time that night.
the pairs that have met
25 of the 45 pairings on this bill were first meetings.
- Sekucci and Sterling Juan Diaz — 13 shared bills before that night, first on Fri 9 Feb 2024.
- Sterling Juan Diaz and Ron Like Hell — 5 shared bills before that night, first on Sat 1 Mar 2025.
- Aurora Halal and Binh — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Sat 1 Mar 2025.
- Sterling Juan Diaz and Aurora Halal — 2 shared bills before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- Aurora Halal and Ron Like Hell — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Sat 1 Mar 2025.
- Sekucci and Ron Like Hell — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Sat 1 Mar 2025.
- Sekucci and Sepehr — 2 shared bills before that night, first on Fri 22 Mar 2024.
- Aurora Halal and Laurel Halo — 2 shared bills before that night, first on Sat 10 Feb 2024.
- Aurora Halal and close — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Sat 1 Mar 2025.
- Sekucci and Aurora Halal — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- Sekucci and Laurel Halo — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- Sepehr and Aurora Halal — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- Sepehr and Laurel Halo — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- 8ULENTINA and Sekucci — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- 8ULENTINA and Aurora Halal — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- 8ULENTINA and Sepehr — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- 8ULENTINA and Sterling Juan Diaz — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- 8ULENTINA and Laurel Halo — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- Sterling Juan Diaz and Sepehr — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
- Sterling Juan Diaz and Laurel Halo — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Thu 12 Sep 2024.
Who they are
- Techno on 8, Experimental on 6, Tribal on 4 and UK Funky on 4. styles on their catalogued releasesReleased on Club Chai (1), Lower Grand Tapes (1) and Sillage (1). labels on their catalogued releases
Recently at Earthly Delights, H0L0, Bossa Nova Civic Club · often with Nana XOXO, Doula, ROHANA, none of them here that night
- House on 2, Tech House on 1 and Tribal House on 1. styles on their catalogued releases
Recently at H0L0, BASEMENT, Elsewhere · often with Concrete Husband, ANTOJITO, Shyboi, none of them here that night
“Sterling Juan Diaz has an instinctive feel for groove.”
their own biography
the whole biography
Sterling Juan Diaz has an instinctive feel for groove. Born in New York City & raised between there & the Dominican Republic, he was captivated by the percussive rhythms of hip-hop & latin music from a young age, fostering a diverse musical passion. Once he taught himself to DJ, his eclectic taste & skill quickly gained attention in New York City's queer nightlife, becoming a staple at parties like Nowadays Nonstop, Papi Juice, & BASEMENT’s resident party FIST. Diaz's insatiable appetite for music, discerning taste, & impressive mixing skills have solidified his reputation for delivering electrifying, sets consistently. His innovative, captivating style has earned him spots at festivals such as Honcho Campout, DWELLER, & Wire Festival, & has taken him to parties across the nation, including Atlanta’s Back Room & Washington D.C.’s Flower Factory. Internationally, Diaz has performed at The MECA Art Fair in the Dominican Republic, as well as at Buttons & Sysiphos in Berlin, Germany. In July 2023, Diaz was chosen as an opening DJ for Beyoncé’s New York City show during her record-breaking Renaissance World Tour, joining a distinguished roster of DJs celebrating the album’s tribute to Black queer & trans history. From his curatorial work as a resident DJ of Playground Radio & their annual Block Party to his recurring club night SIMPULSO at Bossa Nova Civic Club, Diaz has established himself as an unmissable voice in Brooklyn's new generation of young selectors. His sets range from chest-rumbling bass wubs to euphoric house keys, showcasing the rich heritage of the underground while exploring the depths of sound through the rhythmic threads of his Dominican roots. Sterling Juan Diaz has not only crafted a unique musical identity but also stands as a beacon of collaboration & community building.Recently at BASEMENT, Paragon, Bossa Nova Civic Club · often with Makadsi, ALEXIS DE LA ROSA, friedplatano, none of them here that night
“The Bay area native is an electronic music pariah who enjoys disintegrating and destroying dance music tropes through bizarre and wonderful sound potions.”
their own biography
the whole biography
The Bay area native is an electronic music pariah who enjoys disintegrating and destroying dance music tropes through bizarre and wonderful sound potions. Frequent collaborator of Dark Entries records, he released his debut LP “Shaytoon” through their imprint in 2020. His DJ sets can range from off-kilter house and psychedelic techno, to haute electro, aphrodisiac acid and freaky jakbeat music. In late 2017 he began performing live PA sets, sonically ranging from potent drum cocktails to psychedelic and oxygenated soundscapes. Sepehr is the label head of Shaytoon Records, an imprint focused on Middle Eastern underground electronic music.Techno on 26, Electro on 24, Experimental on 12 and House on 9. styles on their catalogued releasesReleased on Dekmantel (1), Delicate Records (2) (1) and Shaytoon Records (1); their RA profile also lists Klakson, Dark Entries, Black Catalogue, Residual Recordings and 4 more. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profileRecently at H0L0, Night Club 101, Earthly Delights · often with GLOBUS, TRESOR, ROBUS, none of them here that night
““We don’t write music, we make it.””
their own biography
the whole biography
“We don’t write music, we make it.” As befits someone who has never been shy of proffering an opinion or three, Karl (Regis) O’Connor has some thoughts about the state of today’s electronic music scene. Particularly when it comes to the overly commercial attitudes associated with what passes for most of modern-day dance music. “If you make something, it’s your dinner date with eternity,” he rails when discussing Sandwell District’s new album, End Beginnings. “That’s what you should be doing, you’re making a record. It’s not about making a track to fulfil something. No, that’s the difference between people who are in it for the music and the art and those who are just in it for the sesh.” Make no mistake, Sandwell District, the shadowy techno collective, of which O’Connor is the lynchpin alongside Dave (Function) Sumner, have always been about the art. If they hadn’t parted in such bitter circumstances, one would describe End Beginnings as a hotly-anticipated comeback. But, quite simply, no-one ever expected their return. “I was always really averse to it,” he reflects. “It was always a very fractious relationship between me and Dave in particular. It was this rock’n’roll escapade, it wasn’t really dance music. Everyone left on bad terms, everyone walked out. I was left on the decks at Fabric. Dave didn’t turn up and that was that. There was all this hyperdrama nonsense. We didn’t speak for 10 years.” They are, then, the real deal. In truth, they always were. They were the genuine article back in the early-00s, when Regis and his long-time confidant Peter (Female) Sutton established the artistic co-operative, first as an offshoot label to O’Connor’s influential Downwards imprint to release sonic missives by themselves, and then Function and Juan (Silent Servant) Mendez among others. Unsurprisingly, Sandwell District remain true originals today. Over a decade since their last acrimonious blow out – Sumner not turning up to DJ alongside O’Connor at Fabric might have been the final straw, but in reality, it was death by a thousand cuts – Sandwell District are back. Older? Certainly. Wiser? Arguably. Still outspoken?Absolutely. “To get beyond the spectacle you remain silent,” O’Connor avows. “You do nothing. And that’s effectively what we did. We didn’t release records. You’ve got to get beyond the spectacle, once you get dragged down into the whole messy soup…” The result is End Beginnings, a majestic coming together of cinematic techno and mind-bending dancefloor dynamism; an album that marries Drexciya’s idea of techno being an act of seditionary innovation to a sense of unbridled fun, an imperative that means an awful lot to O’Connor. “Having a good time is pretty much why you get into it in the first place,” he notes wisely. “And it is fun. I think we feel a lot more fortunate now, especially with what happened with Juan. We’re grateful.” End Beginnings then is also a moving requiem to a fallen soldier – Juan Mendez. At the beginning of 2024, Mendez tragically died just as things were moving in the right direction for the collective. Mendez’s stunning artwork and visuals were always a central pillar of Sandwell District; indeed, he was working on a piece of art entitled ‘End Beginnings’ that was mooted to be the album cover. That work was never finished, but O’Connor and Sumner took the title to honour their friend’s contribution. It remains a fitting tribute to the stop-start nature of this rebel alliance. “We were a real gang,” O’Connor reminisces. “We used to come into town, tear it up and go home. We got banned from about three airlines for fighting with each other. We used to turn up at the airport, get hammered and it would go downhill from there.” No wonder they were described as techno’s answer to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young by online music organ, The Quietus. O’Connor laughs when that interpretation is put to him. “That’s brilliant,” he says. “It’s probably very accurate. As long as I can be Nash.” Back in the early 2000s, this gang, fuelled by the spirit of unfettered collaboration had become a transatlantic clandestine super group comprised of Regis, Function, Silent Servant and Female centred around the techno mecca of Berlin and culminating in the release of 2010’s revered Feed-Forward album. The album sold out immediately (as did 2023’s long awaited box set reissue), but by then, the tumultuous alliance had come apart at the seams. The kinetic energy at the heart of the Sandwell District project couldn’t hold. Theirs was no post-acid house loved-up dynamic – this was pure, reckless rock’n’roll abandon. Something was bound to give. The time to remain silent is now over. The catalyst for their reunion might come as a shock to some, mind. “I struck up a really close friendship with Mark Lanegan before he died,” explains O’Connor. “Which was weird. Mark Lanegan, king of grunge, friend of Kurt Cobain. He told me to keep going, to revisit Sandwell District.” Even though O’Connor and Sumner had been blood brothers – metaphorically and literally at times – Karl couldn’t envisage working with his old sparring partner again; couldn’t see past the drama that had come to define their relationship. Lanegan had other ideas. “He said ‘it’s more than the sum of its parts and it’s important’. I began to think maybe it was a good idea.” He continues: “The last time I saw Lanegan was at the Roundhouse. As I was going into the dressing room to meet him John Paul Jones from Zeppelin was coming out the other way. I remember thinking this is certainly something. I knew then it was something special and I had to listen to him because it’s good to listen to people and get over yourself sometimes. That’s what it was – getting over yourself.” Even then it took time for relations to thaw. Mendez was the conduit between the friends-turned-adversaries. After much umming and ahhing on both sides a plan was set in motion to re-release the collective’s Feed-Forward album. The limited nature of its initial release, the mythology that had built up around it in the intervening years and its importance and influence upon everyone from Mute’s Daniel Miller to techno poster boy Daniel Avery meant their reformation was no exercise in nostalgia. “You have to decentralise the ego for the good of the project,” O’Connor says. “And then it’s about reframing it in some way. You are going back to rebuild something, but the way things are now and people’s attention spans are so short in general, that it’s almost like it’s new again.” The new album itself has its roots in underground techno - long-time connoisseurs will recognise Motor City impulses and 80s European industrial electro, while recent disciples will appreciate the post-Berghain rush – but it’s also a considered, dare-you-say, mature home listening experience. It verges from the ethereal psychedelia of ‘Citrinitas Acid’ to the hypnotic tribal drums of ‘Dreaming’, by way of the propulsive futurism of ‘Hidden’ and the widescreen electronica of ‘Least Travelled’. With the lessons of the past learned, Karl and Dave worked on the album remotely – in London and Berlin respectively. A buffer was also put in place in the shape of Simon Shreeve, formerly of the dubstep outfit Kryptic Minds. When the final hurdle just couldn’t be surpassed and before stasis set in, mixing was handed over to Mika Hallbäck (Rivet). Seth Horvitz (Rrose) and Sarah Kranz (Sarah Wreath) were also enlisted to add to the collaborative spirit the collective has always benefited from. Welcome back, Sandwell District, we have missed you. Your time is now…Their RA profile lists Sandwell District, Surface Records and Balans.often with Shaleen, Henry Chow, Agonis, none of them here that night
“Shadowy and psychedelic, her hardware live & DJ sets have a hazy sensuality and metallic dance floor intensity that's at turns playful, dark, euphoric and emotionally vulnerable.”
their own biography
the whole biography
Shadowy and psychedelic, her hardware live & DJ sets have a hazy sensuality and metallic dance floor intensity that's at turns playful, dark, euphoric and emotionally vulnerable. In all her projects, she treats dance music as an arena for transformation and since 2010, her events have been rooted in an underground, DIY approach that pushes forward-thinking sounds, production, and ideas. She’s spent the last 10 years touring like-minded clubs, raves, and festivals worldwide and gained a reputation for powerful, unique performances that work both the body and mind. She’s 4 years into a residency at NYC’s Nowadays, is a regular at Berghain and previously De School.Techno on 28, House on 14, Electro on 11 and Experimental on 9. styles on their catalogued releasesReleased on BAKK (2), Dekmantel (1) and Mister Saturday Night Records (1); their RA profile also lists Mutual Dreaming Recordings. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profileRecently at Paragon, Nowadays, Elsewhere · often with Berghain, deep creep, Gerd Janson, none of them here that night
“Approaching a dj mix as assemblages, Ron Like Hell aligns sound with emotion, focusing on texture to create psychedelic soundscapes, imaginative spaces for comfort and surprise spectators with an unexpected crafty transition.”
their own biography
the whole biography
Approaching a dj mix as assemblages, Ron Like Hell aligns sound with emotion, focusing on texture to create psychedelic soundscapes, imaginative spaces for comfort and surprise spectators with an unexpected crafty transition. With 26+ years of making people dance in numerous countries along with years of vinyl shop experience and music promotion, his/their role in the industry is unique and influential. Their latest production, EXALT is their dream come true where Ron selects a personally beloved dj to play solo then close out the night together with a b2b set. EXALT's first guest was Matrixxman in April 2022 at Basement in Ridgewood-Queens, NY. Ron also djs as Wrecked, a music first queer dance party which recently turned 14.House on 1, Alternative Rock on 1 and Indie Rock on 1. styles on their catalogued releasesReleased on Heavenly (1) and Mister Saturday Night Records (1). labels on their catalogued releasesRecently at BASEMENT, public records, H0L0 · often with Ryan Smith, Ne/Re/A, Kilopatrah Jones, none of them here that night
- Techno on 14, Minimal on 8, House on 7 and Electro on 4. styles on their catalogued releasesReleased on CABARET Recordings (2), PARTOUT (1) and Time Passages (1); their RA profile also lists Perlon, Concrete Music, Treatment, My Own Jupiter and 1 more. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profile
Recently at public records, BASEMENT, Camp Kennybrook · often with Berghain, Blasha & Allatt, Rødhåd, none of them here that night
“Laurel Halo is an American composer, producer, musician and DJ, born in Detroit and based in Los Angeles.”
their own biography
the whole biography
Laurel Halo is an American composer, producer, musician and DJ, born in Detroit and based in Los Angeles. Her music melds the materiality and spirituality of sound to focus on concepts of transmission and impermanence. Drawing influence from Detroit techno, musique concrète, film score and jazz, she uses both organic and inorganic sound materials, an extensive studio-as-instrument practice, and a deep appreciation for harmony. She has presented work around the world at places including the Barbican Centre, Ina-GRM, the Sydney Opera House, Kölner Philharmonie, and the Julia Stoschek Foundation. She has collaborated with musicians, artists and designers including Moritz von Oswald, Metahaven, Kevin Beasley, Julia Holter, Hanne Lippard, John Cale, Hodge and the London Contemporary Orchestra. She released her latest album Atlas (LP, 2023) on her own imprint, Awe, and Octavia (12”, 2024) on Éditions Grm.Their RA profile lists Hyperdub, Honest Jon's Records, Livity Sound, Latency and 1 more.Recently at BASEMENT, Camp Kennybrook, public records · often with Nick León, Tomás Urquieta, LLinh, none of them here that night
Last at Nowadays in Feb · often with Eamon Harkin, Leonce, MORENXXX, none of them here that night
names these artists often play with — not that night
- MORENXXX7 with Sterling Juan Diaz, 4 with Aurora Halal and 2 with close
- Leonce6 with Sterling Juan Diaz, 4 with Ron Like Hell and 2 with close
- Kilopatrah Jones8 with Ron Like Hell and 6 with Sterling Juan Diaz
- Makadsi9 with Sterling Juan Diaz and 3 with Sekucci
- Juliana Huxtable6 with Sterling Juan Diaz and 5 with Ron Like Hell
- Concrete Husband5 with Ron Like Hell and 5 with Sekucci
- Ne/Re/A8 with Ron Like Hell and 1 with Sandwell District
- Amelia Holt5 with Sepehr and 3 with Aurora Halal
Sound
Techno and Electro.
styles on the acts’ catalogued releases1,917 said they were going — busier than a usual Saturday at Nowadays.
how this compares
- Median final count, Saturdays at Nowadays1,183
- Middle half finished between554 and 1,707
- Past Saturdays at this venue counted185
The room
Nowadays — 804 events and 1,369 distinct artists since Aug 2023.
Most-tagged here: Techno (22), Bass (21), House (15), Club (6) and Electro (6). genre tags on this room’s listings
Who put it on
Sustain-Release — 5 events and 131 artists since Sep 2023.