Who was billed5 artists
In the order the promoter listed them.
- next: Nowadays, Sat 24 OctDonis
- LADYMONIX
- next: House of Yes, Fri 11 DecInner City
- Kevin Saunderson
- The Level Party
Set times were not published.
Most of these pairings were meeting for the first time that night.
the pairs that have met
9 of the 10 pairings on this bill were first meetings.
- Donis and Inner City — 1 shared bill before that night, first on Fri 25 Jul 2025.
Who they are
“DONIS is a Dominican American DJ/Producer from Brooklyn, NY.”
their own biography
the whole biography
DONIS is a Dominican American DJ/Producer from Brooklyn, NY. His style embodies both tradition and innovation. Firmly rooted in NYC’s Dance Music history while tastefully pushing the envelope, he masterfully explores the intersections between Soulful House, Afro House, Techno and Disco. In the DJ booth, he combines excellent mixing skills with an innate ability to read the crowd, both responding to their desires while setting his sonic agenda. He’s become well known in the New York underground scene for playing parties and clubs such as Soul In The Horn, Papi Juice, Dweller Festival, Lebain, Basement among many others. He has most recently self released their second EP Metamorphosis02 and currently holds residencies at renowned club Nowadays, and The Lot Radio.Their RA profile lists Toucan Sounds.Recently at Public Roof, H0L0, Le Bain · often with Bendito, Jeremy Giros, JADALAREIGN, none of them here that night
“LADYMONIX Baltimore | Detroit”
their own biography
Their RA profile lists Freerange Records, Ostgut Ton, Planet E, NDATL Muzik and 5 more.Recently at Signal, public records, Xanadu · often with Lovie, Waajeed, Quelza, none of them here that night
“The story of Inner City is intractably linked with its founder Kevin Saunderson, widely created as one of the progenitors of techno and a landmark figure in dance music.”
their own biography
the whole biography
The story of Inner City is intractably linked with its founder Kevin Saunderson, widely created as one of the progenitors of techno and a landmark figure in dance music. But while it intertwines with his own career, the group’s longevity – spanning wildfire success, indelible club classics, a handful of full-length albums, and sales of over six million worldwide – is a result of multiple independent chapters over a remarkable 30 year run time. In 2017, with Kevin’s son and creative protégé Danitez as a new addition to the group, a new one is unfolding. The beginning of Inner City as a project came in 1987, one of many creative outlets that could be traced back to Saunderson. The music he was playing and producing in Detroit at the time, alongside fellow The Belleville Three members Juan Atkins and Derrick May, laid the path for what came to be known as Techno, and birthed an entire global culture to follow. Inspired by marathon sets by pioneering DJs Ron Hardy and Larry Levan, Saunderson set out to break from the strictures of Detroit techno’s tracky, dark machine funk by adding vocals to his productions. Work with contemporaries at the time had led to a unique sound based on colourful keyboard chords and snappy drums – and, crucially, a chance collaboration with Chicago vocalist Paris Grey (née Shanna Jackson). With Paris Grey’s soaring vocals atop the catchy tracks, a winning combination was found for Inner City. The marriage of Detroit techno’s propulsive, insistent rhythms and pop’s vibrant, melodic uplift proved a winner; it was neither too positive for the underground, nor too gritty for commercial success. With a defining sound in place, Inner City songs began to spring up on influential compilations chronicling early Detroit techno music and the material was heavily bootlegged, before seeing official release in 1988. What followed was a whirlwind: “Big Fun” and “Good Life” dominated not only clubs but the charts, sweeping top 10s all across Europe, and starting a run of four consecutive No1s on the US Billboard Dance Chart. Their enduring popularity in club and radio rotation continues to this day, standing out as top-tier classics in the pantheon of modern music. The act arrived just at the right time, with the door wide open for dancefloor-ready anthems – especially in the UK, where a new culture based around free-spirited dance music and warehouse parties was developing rapidly. Paradise, their debut album, went Platinum in the UK, setting in motion years of high demand on the live touring circuit, and spawning further hit singles such as “Ain’t Nobody Better,” “Do You Love What You Feel”, and 1992’s “Pennies From Heaven” – featuring Kevin’s wife at the time and musical partner throughout, Ann Saunderson. Standalone releases split between Saunderson’s own KMS and Virgin’s 10 Records imprint continued through the 90s, and a greatest hits collection followed in 2003, but through the 2000s the Inner City project largely lay dormant. Paused out of respect for Grey’s desire to raise a family, the Saundersons continued their careers elsewhere: in Kevin’s case, as a popular producer, DJ, promoter and label runner; in Ann’s, as a fêted vocalist, most notably on Octave One’s “Blackwater” smash. To the delight of fans, Inner City was revived in the early 2010s with gigs at key clubs and festivals worldwide, with both Paris Grey and Ann Saunderson taking dual vocal roles. New material was forthcoming, too: 2011’s “Fantasy”, 2014’s “Bad Girl” – featuring remixes from a then 21-year-old and fast rising Danitez Saunderson – and, most recently, “Good Luck” in 2017, with Danitez integrated as a full member of the group. And so to the present day, with over three decades in the game under their collective wing: with a renewed commitment to live performances featuring a strong family core, and two generations of Saunderson men in the studio, Inner City look set to enjoy the good life as much in 2017 as they did in 1987.Their RA profile lists KMS.often with boyyyish, Sevyn, EDEN BEKELE, none of them here that night
“His influence runs deep, through both adopted hometown of Detroit, and music culture as a whole: as one of the Belleville Three, the high school trio which also includes Juan Atkins and Derrick May, he irreparably changed the face of electronic music; with Inner City, he gave it some of its most memorable tunes.”
their own biography
the whole biography
His influence runs deep, through both adopted hometown of Detroit, and music culture as a whole: as one of the Belleville Three, the high school trio which also includes Juan Atkins and Derrick May, he irreparably changed the face of electronic music; with Inner City, he gave it some of its most memorable tunes. The genesis of today’s enormous techno scene can be retraced straight to Kevin, Derrick and Juan, as their formative experiments on rudimentary hardware sketched a blueprint for a genre that was yet to exist. By absorbing Kraftwerk, cutting-edge funk, local radio stalwart The Electrifying Mojo’s electicism, and all manner of new synthesiser and drum machine-led pop music, the Belleville Three broke new ground as musicians and DJs in the 80s. Saunderson’s comparatively late start as a producer – kicking off in ’87 under the moniker of Kreem, with E-Dancer and Reese two of the more well-known names to follow – inadvertently gifted him a headstart. With the eruption of house music a few hours down the I-94 in Chicago, Saunderson married Detroit’s raw sound to more tactile, pop-leaning sensibilities. Inner City was born, and global success followed. Between “Big Fun”, “Good Life”, debut album Paradise and a number of follow-up singles, Inner City (Saunderson and vocalist Paris Grey) amassed 12 UK top 40 hits and over six million records sold worldwide during their peak. A dancefloor-dominating remix by Luciano in 2008, and a globetrotting reunion tour in 2012, underscores the longevity of Inner City’s classic sound. His nickname of ‘The Elevator’ is apt: for his role in transporting Detroit’s new sound to a wider audience; as anyone who has seen him perform live can attest, his high-energy, high-spirit and high-impact DJ sets; and for spending the past 35 years of his life progressing the culture he helped create. Operating in tandem to his golden run as a producer in the late 80s and early 90s, Saunderson’s own KMS record label – a remarkable 30 years strong in 2017 – has chronicled the early footsteps of R-Tyme, Blake Baxter, MK, Chez Damier, Derrick Carter, Bicep and even Saunderson’s son and regular DJ partner Dantiez more recently. A special 12” series in 2008 called History Elevate, released in tandem with fellow polymath Carl Craig’s Planet E label, brought contemporary names like Mathew Jonson, Simian Mobile Disco and Loco Dice into the fold, proving his nous for fostering relationships with each new wave to come through techno’s gates. 25th anniversary compilations and numerous reissues have followed suit. Saunderson has a behind-the-scenes role to play, too: he is intertwined with the history of Detroit’s flagship Movement (formerly Detroit Electronic Music Festival / Fuse-In). Having produced the event in the mid-2000s, the last handful of years have seen repeated invites from Movement to display his ORIGINS showcase at the festival, bringing acts like Delano Smith, Phuture and DJ Minx under his curatorial umbrella. And of course, with a stacked international touring schedule over the decades, playing in nearly every country and at nearly every festival or club worth mention, he has not stopped pushing the feeling of techno on and on. The Groove That Won’t Stop, indeed.Their RA profile lists TrustTheDJ, fabric Records, Planet E, KMS and 3 more.Recently at Paragon, Nowadays · often with KXAH, Kweku Saunderson, Ne/Re/A, none of them here that night
Recently at Good Room · often with Alien D, No Sir, NIGELTHREETIMES, none of them here that night
names these artists often play with — not that night
- Cosmo7 with Donis and 2 with LADYMONIX
- k.tea9 with Donis
- JADALAREIGN8 with Donis
- Bendito7 with Donis
- Total XTC7 with Donis
- Jeremy Giros6 with Donis
- Puro Sonido5 with Donis
- Sterling Juan Diaz5 with Donis
86 said they were going — much busier than a usual Friday at Xanadu.
how this compares
- Median final count, Fridays at Xanadu5
- Middle half finished between3 and 30
- Past Fridays at this venue counted30
The room
Xanadu — 188 events and 509 distinct artists since Jun 2024.
Most-tagged here: House (11) and Hip-Hop (3). genre tags on this room’s listings