Sometimes you just need some woodchips

This past weekend, in the name of checking out something new (and because I was off work and wanted to hang out with some friends), I went to Magazine Open Air, the new outdoor venue from Broadwick Live, the guys behind Drumsheds, Printworks and regular old Magazine.

My first impression was that it was a giant open space full of bars, with woodchips strewn everywhere and an astounding view of London's financial district. It turns out that this is basically enough to propel Magazine Open Air into being one of the premier outdoor venues in London.

The thing is, none of it feels particularly revolutionary. It's just a collection of small decisions that have a surprisingly big impact on how enjoyable the place is.

Take the bars. They're lined up along the side and back of the crowd, meaning you're never too far from being able to get a drink, while the queues remain fairly manageable. More importantly, it stops the bar becoming this giant obstacle at the back of the dancefloor, and it keeps the sides From my admittedly limited experience of having been there once, the edges of the crowd felt remarkably fluid. You could move around without constantly getting trapped behind someone, or having to embark on an expedition every time you fancied a drink.

Then there are the woodchips. I'm not usually in the habit of praising inanimate chunks of wood, but they've solved one of the most irritating problems with outdoor events: dust. There was basically none. This is a genuine revelation in a summer where so many outdoor venues have turned into something resembling the set of The Mummy, with every passing gust sending a cloud of dust into your face.

And then there's the view. There's something about standing on a dancefloor, looking across at the gleaming towers of Canary Wharf. It's a proper sense of place, rather than the increasingly common experience of being in a temporary festival site that could, with enough imagination, be anywhere. I was there to see James Hype and can confidently say James Hype isn't my music, but seeing him performing against the lights of skyscrapers behind was visually a real treat.

I've talked a lot recently about feeling worn down by bigger, more expensive events, and that's still true. The best partying I did this weekend was at Eclectic Zoo, where a crowd of around 100 people danced until the sun came up on the outer edges of the DLR line. There's something about small, slightly scrappy parties that continues to feel more exciting than being processed through the machinery of a major festival.

But Magazine Open Air reminded me that bigger doesn't automatically have to mean worse.

You don't need to reinvent the wheel to make a good outdoor venue. Give people enough space. Put the bars somewhere sensible. Don't make them inhale a lungful of dust every time the wind changes direction. Give them a decent view. Make it easy to move around. Then put some good music on.

Magazine Open Air gets a surprising amount right simply by making the experience of being there feel easy. And perhaps that's the most underrated quality an outdoor venue can have.

You can spend an awful lot of money trying to create a spectacular festival experience. Sometimes, it turns out you just need some woodchips.

This week's mix is from Emilia G, this week's In The Booth superstar. If you made it to Houghton, or if you wished you had, this is probably the mix for you. Here's Emilia, to describe it in her own words.

I recorded this mix the weekend after Houghton, which was, as always, just above and beyond the best weekend of the most incredible music. It’s made up entirely of IDs from the festival, expect a somewhat chaotic journey between thumping electro, sassy house, ethereal floatiness, minimal techno and beyond. The mix goes a bit all over the shop with genres, I wanted to make it feel like you’re in the thick of the dust running around every corner of the site between all the stages that all have their unique sound and feel.

Emilia G has been bouncing around the scene for a few years and has developed a reputation for being kind and supportive, even in a scene that's known for people being, by and large, decent to each other. Combine this with her high-energy sets, and it's easy to see why she should feature in the newsletter.

When she's not behind the decks, she organises Pherotone, a "female-led party that combines sparkles and positive feminine energy with deeper darker house and techno."

Want to see her play? She'll play on August 29 at Rancho Relaxo, October 3 at the Hare & Hound in Birmingham and then on October 16 she'll play at Pherotone, the next installment of the party she runs, taking place at Vespers in Peckham.

What’s the first track that made you understand what a dancefloor could do? 

I put this track on my Instagram story a while back, and some people reacted by saying it’s a really bait tune as it was everywhere at the time, so maybe this will get some pushback, but I stand by it! Julio Bashmore - Battle For The Middle You. I remember back when it was released in 2011 and hearing it for the first time so clearly, being stopped in my tracks and feeling it deep in my soul. I was at university in Leeds, which had an absolutely incredible electronic music scene, and it was there that my complete obsession with dance music really came into full force. If I wasn’t studying, I was looking up tunes, researching labels, which came in very handy when I started DJing a couple years ago, geeking out over Kompakt and Hessle Audio, and bugging my mates to go and see all the DJs and producers I’d been getting hyped about. My favourite clubnight was mono_cult, and they used to do parties at a secret warehouse called Fullcircle, which was also my favourite venue as it had a real rough-and-ready intimate feel about it and an enchanting spiral staircase leading up to the dancefloor. A night I remember so clearly was Julio Bashmore and Floating Points playing there in late 2011, and feeling complete joy deep in the dance head to toe the whole night. When Bashmore played Battle For The Middle You, it felt like SUCH a moment, and everyone in the crowd went wild, and it felt even more powerful being played by the artist himself. He closed with Fleetwood Mac - Dreams which was very special.

What is your earliest memory of dance music?

My dad is a musician and music-obsessive who has been a really big influence on me. I remember being six or seven and dancing around the living room to Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ album that my dad had on CD, produced by legend William Orbit who very sadly passed away recently. The title track is electronic music PERFECTION, and I remember prancing around throwing myself all over the place, obviously having no idea then about all the dance music genres that it blends. Little did I know that this track would continue to be one of my favourites and a very special one for me and my dearest friends that we still dance to decades later, and will for decades more I have no doubt!

Dad also used to play Ibiza compilation albums and one I remember in particular with a sunset over the sea on the cover which was Ministry of Sound’s The Chillout Session: Ibiza Sunsets, ‘the very best of balearic classics’ released in 2003. I must have been about 11 or 12, again prancing around the living room to the tunes. When I look at the tracklist now it blows my mind that one compilation could have artists like Mr Fingers, Andrew Weatherall, Frankie Knuckles, Groove Armada, you can’t really ask for a better education than that!

What do you notice from the booth that no one else sees? 

I’m a particularly sensitive person and really feel it when people around me are feeling certain emotions, and this has really helped my ability to read the crowd from the booth. Sometimes I’ll play a track that I adore but it doesn’t resonate in the same way with the dancers, or I’ll play one I’ve listened to a gazillion times and slightly bored of, but it really hits for the crowd hearing it for the first time. It’s a reminder that when I’m DJing, it’s not for me. It’s important to stay true to yourself and your sound, and not play tracks that don’t feel right, but noticing those little movements in the dancers’ body language and facial expressions is like its own secret language that only makes sense from behind the decks. You’re there for the dancers, to make them move and feel something.

Also, seeing my friends in the front row, who are always the most amazing cheerleaders, is such a special feeling. Catching their eye when they give me a smile saying ‘you got this’, always helps the nerves feel at ease, especially as they bring the most amazing energy on the dancefloor any DJ could ask for.

When was the last time a crowd surprised you?

I played a three-hour set at All My Friends in Hackney for the wonderful XOXA collective, and as its more of a bar setting I wasn’t expecting the crowd to be SO up for it so early doors! I was on from 8pm, and at 10pm the bar turn the lights down and the music up, but some 30-45 minutes earlier than that, multiple people kept coming up to me from different groups asking for the music to be louder so they could dance harder! The vibe shifted quite quickly from people bopping along to the tunes eating pizza at tables to wanting a proper boogie, which I wasn’t expecting but was so fun to match that energy, especially as I’d never played for that long before. I think in the end the staff may have turned the volume up earlier than usual which was a great feeling!

What part of you only exists on a dancefloor?

The happiest, silliest, most carefree part. No overthinking, an escape from reality, feeling all kinds of emotions through the journey of the tunes. For real, I’m happiest with my best mates being silly on a dancefloor, there’s no better feeling.

What song do you keep in your back pocket to cause trouble? 

There’s a Melbourne-based producer called D.Tyrone who I am completely obsessed with. They truly have a unique sound and every track of theirs just really gets me going so much. Any time I play one of their tracks out or in a mix, it gets by far the most ID requests than all the rest combined. I feel very lucky to have stumbled upon them while digging a while back, we’ve also chatted quite a bit on DM and they are such a lovely person, who doesn’t realise how talented they are! It’s hard to pick from all their tracks, but their edit of the Madonna classic ‘Music’ causes a LOT of trouble on the dancefloor. It’s such a classy version with a fun 4x4 garage beat, overlaid with contrasting quintessential D.Tyrone pretty melodies on top, and a humongous wobbler of a bassline that stops all the dancefloor in their tracks, plus the killer Madonna vocals. I had the CD single of the original aged 9!! And just like in my previous answer, I’d dance like crazy all around the living room to it. Playing this one out feels like another full circle nostalgic moment, and it brings me a lot of happiness that the crowd resonates with D.Tyrone’s tracks as much as I do.

How do you describe your sound? 

I always struggle with this question for some reason, I guess because my sound can be quite varied and dependent on my mood and current inspiration. I’d say it definitely is house at its core - I’m very influenced by 90s and 00s progressive, tech and deep house and if you see me play, there will always be a healthy dose of this at the heart of any set. I’m currently in a bit of a wonky electro phase, really feeling robotic acidy wobbly vibes. Crucial to my sound is definitely a bit of poppy sass n sleaze, I love playing tunes that make you wanna have a sexy wiggle with a sultry vocal, I’m a pop girlie at heart and not ashamed of it! I love playing high energy too, a friend with impeccable taste told me once he didn’t understand how I could play such high energy without a super high BPM! I’d love the opportunity to play some heavier sets and lean into my techno side, recent sets by Rhyw and Aurora Halal at Houghton blew my mind and were so inspiring.

Who's your partner in crime? 

I’m blessed to have many partners in crime on the dancefloor, but a special shout out though for my Aimie. We first met at a Secretsundaze club night in London in 2013, bonding in the smoking area over our mutual love of mono_cult after realising we were both at Leeds uni, and spending most of the night yapping outside and listening to the Garden State movie soundtrack. We’ve been best mates ever since, partying all over from Colombian jungles, Croatian amphitheatres, Houghton, Glasto, Gala, her spirit animal Unfold, living room and too many more to mention! We have so many happy, special and silly memories that have stemmed from dancing, Aimie has THE best dance moves and I could watch her moving and grooving forever.

I also have her to thank for helping me set up our clubnight Pherotone, she’s a creative genius and came up with the name (a pun on pheromones) and artistic vision and I honestly couldn’t have done it without her. Since the start of this year she’s taken a step back but is always there to offer the most incredible support from the sidelines, help with setting up, and make the dancefloor light up as soon as she steps foot in it. Love you Aims!

Why do you dance?

It’s that feeling of being so happy and so carefree, not thinking about anything else, an escape from reality, feeling so connected with everyone around you. I just love dance music so, so, deeply and have done for decades by this point, it feels like a part of me, to quote Madonna, “dancing is in my DNA”.

I’ve met some of my best best friends on the dancefloor at clubnights and festivals, who I know I’ll be dancing with until we are grey and old. I love that it creates special unforgettable moments that take you back to the exact time and place you heard a tune. One recent memory was hearing Leon Vynehall b2b Batu at Waterworks 2024 play ‘Aril Brikha - Winter’, a deep, emotive track released on Kompakt in 2007 that I’d never heard before. I was in a fairly big group but it really got me and my friend Maya, who DJs as Shamaya Twain, deep in our souls. I’ve listened to it on repeat many times since, and always think of holding hands with Maya, totally hypnotised with our eyes closed and noses scrunched in adoration repeatedly saying ‘oh my godddd what is this!’. It’s hard to put the feeling into words as no words will do it justice, but I have so many tunes with special memories like this one.

How did you get your DJ name? 

My name is actually Emily, but I lived in Italy for three years from 2019-2022 where all Italians called me Emilia, I loved it, it felt like I was properly part of la famiglia italiana, and found it really sweet and endearing. When I was trying to think of a DJ name, it just felt right to go with that. My middle name is Grace, so I joined the Sally C/Ariane V one initial crew and became Emilia G. Apologies to anyone I’ve confused by introducing myself as Emily!! You can call me either name haha.

You're a journalist in your day job - does this translate to your DJing?

There are actually so many parallels! Storytelling is at the absolute heart of both journalism and DJing, and for me the two feel very connected. As a journalist I'm constantly doing deep-dive research, going down rabbit holes, building a picture of a subject from multiple angles. I do exactly the same with music, researching producers, labels, finding out the story behind a track or where an artist came from. It's the same curious, obsessive energy just directed at different subjects!

I'm also very mindful as a journalist of having a beginning, middle and end to a piece - taking the reader on a journey that makes sense. I think subconsciously I build my sets in exactly the same way, my journalism brain always there in the background making sure that story lands.

Thanks to the wonderful radio station Love Will Save The Day FM, I’ve been able to combine my two loves in some of my earlier shows. I did a special episode on DNR Vinyl, the legendary UKG record shop which happens to be 5 minutes walk from where I grew up in Croydon, where I interviewed owner Dan and chopped up clips from the interview, interweaving them with an entirely UKG mix, and also got some of the biggest names in the UK garage game to send me voicenotes about Dan and the shop. It was a huge amount of work and took a lot of hours but it filled me with so much joy to get to bring the two things I’m most passionate about together whilst getting to tell the story of a true unsung hero of the underground scene.

What inspired you to start organising Pherotone? 

When I started playing out I kept noticing how many line-ups were dominated by straight men and really noticed a difference on the rare occasion of being booked by a female or queer promoter, there was a warmth and genuine encouragement that I hadn't always experienced elsewhere, a feeling of being truly supported rather than just left to figure it out on your own. I wanted to start a clubnight that prioritised booking up-and-coming FLINTAQ artists and make them feel as supported and encouraged as possible from a promoter’s perspective, as well as a dancefloor where people can really let go and be carefree. Aimie was on board and came up with the name, a pun on pheromones, as we ourselves met on a dancefloor - so the heart of Pherotone is that it’s all about connection, to the music, to the DJs and to everyone on the dancefloor.

What do you think makes a good club night?

For me it’s when there’s no pressure to look or behave a certain way. You can dance like crazy and feel no judgment from anyone else on the dancefloor, even better when everyone else is deep in the dance too. I think back to SubDub in the West Indian Centre in Leeds, this was a proper escape from getting dolled up for other club nights at university. I had a special affinity with the early days of dubstep, growing up in Croydon and turning 18 during its heyday, getting to experience it in tiny grimey clubs before it became what it became. I didn't realise until much later how significant that was, both culturally and for shaping who I am musically. This type of night is just the best - when it doesn’t matter how you look or how you dance, when you feel so connected to all the dancers around you, and leave feeling so much joy and elation which carries you through the rest of the week and brings some light for a moment among all the darkness that’s hard to deal with in the world at the moment.

Summer has flown by, and it seems after just a few weeks of day parties and a seemingly constant heatwave that has sapped all the life out of me and we're already getting season-closing parties.

This weekend offers up a good chance to check out Magazine Open-Air between the techno stylings of Amelie Lens and Sara Landry and Purple Disco Machine. Elsewhere, Fabric has a nice double act between Sven on the Friday and Fort Romeau on the Saturday.

Friday

• Amelie Lens b2b Sara Landry with SPFDJ, DAX J, Grace Dahl, DJ Hyperdrive Magazine Open-Air
• Sven Väth, Ben Sterling, Ms Mada, Dale Mussington, DELASFLORES, Regan Funk & Oma Fabric
• KOKO Electronic: Summer Closing - House & Disco Koko

Saturday

• Purple Disco Machine with Flight Facilities, Jayda G, david bay Magazine Open-Air
• Chaos In The CBD: All Day Long Hackney Bridge
• Broadwick Live presents: Flight Facilities, Kirollus, Jennifer Loveless, Fort Romeau + more Fabric

Sunday

• White Peach: Day Party The Carpet Shop
• Kings Turntable: Paul Day Kings Arms E2

• Demi Riquísimo has released a remix of Groove Armada's Superstylin'. It's one of my favourite tracks, and the remix is a good one.
• Beatport has banned all AI tracks from the platform. I thought this was already the case, but a good move nonetheless.
• Dutch DJ Chris Stussy is now Chris Stassy. There's no reason given for the change, but fans have suggested it might be beef with the American streetwear brand Stüssy, which feels ridiculous enough to be true.
• Overheard at Eclectic Zoo: "New rule: if there's no toilet, I'm not paying for alcohol. You give me a toilet? I'll buy drinks."