June 25th, 2008 inmacau
There’s a new DJ at the the Venetian Macao’s Bellini Lounge, DJ Kamikaze
Catch DJ Kamikaze at the Bellini Lounge at The Venetian Macao, from 10pm most nights until late.
Read on to find out how he got his name, and why you should check him out behind the turntables, but steer clear if you ever see him behind a scooter.
Stefan Hensel, 28 aka DJ Kamikaze
How did you get your DJ Name?
DJ Kamikaze: In Germany the word for cat is “Katze,” I was 16 and had a scooter and accidentally
hit a cat, which caused a bad accident. So my friends started to call me “Kami-Katze,”
because I was driving like a kamikaze.
How and when did you start DJ-ing?
DJ Kamikaze: I started buying records when I was maybe 14 or even a bit earlier.
One Saturday a few years later when I was around 17, I think, a friend dragged me to replace a DJ who called in sick for the night. The club owner straight away booked me for the whole summer….
What made you leave Germany and where else have you worked?
DJ Kamikaze: I left Germany because of a nice girl, but travel back at least 3-5 times a year.
I have played all over the world, actually. Apart from Germany, of course, and the rest of Europe, I hold a regular DJ residency in Moscow. I also created my own DJ party events called “Just Bananas” in Shanghai and I get booked all over Asia and parts of the United States and Australia as well. Expect for Africa and South-America, I guess I played all over the world.
What’s your first impression of Macau?
DJ Kamikaze: I like it. Compared to Shanghai it’s small but much friendlier and more relaxed. The Food is very good and I love to wake up and have a dive in the pool.
Have you played in a casino before?
DJ Kamikaze: Actually yes, I’m from Germany’s most famous Casino-Town, Baden-Baden and was once invited to play there for a corporate event.
Describe your DJ-ing style?
DJ Kamikaze: I grew up listening to all kinds of music; Rock, Pop, Techno, Grunge, also Reggae and Classical Music. Now I try to mix and blend all the music-knowledge in the HipHop-DJ mxing style and drop in unexpected songs or songs you haven’t heard for a long time. Just playing the hits is too easy.
What are your musical influences?
DJ Kamikaze: My sister, she bought a lot of CD’s when I was younger. But of course nowadays other DJs, my girlfriend, just people around me showing me stuff on their iPod.
What are your proudest musical achievements?
DJ Kamikaze: Hmm, back in I won Germany the JUICE Magazine Mixtape award 3 times in a row
(http://www.juicemagazine.com).
I was also the first one to do a Mash-Up* CD back in 2000 when no one did that kind of style.
For me it’s more the small things. Like when I play at an empty club and after I finish the place is pumping. As I said, it’s more the small things….
* (“Mash-up” defintition from Wikepedia: A mash-up is a song created out of pieces of two or more songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the music track of another…Mash-ups are incredible fun and a fascinating way to reexperience some of your favorite tunes.)
March 24th, 2008 inmacau
This comes courtesy of Jiji:
Starting with a sexy number - I Drove All Night - Celine the sellout crowd on their feet straight away.
Although she had a slight mishap - stumbling slightly when she first appeared - probably due to the fact that the fact the stairs were black and the lights were dim - ever the true performer, she recovered well.
It helped that she looked every inch the star in a short sparkling mini-dress which showed off her long divine legs.
Celine sang about 20 songs over 1 1/2 hours, with limited interaction with her fans - a Diva is a Diva after all. Not that her fans minded.
The crowd of 15,000 people included a wide range of ages - a tribute to the French-Canadian singer’s universal appeal.
Her 5 years of almost nightly performances in Vegas at Caesers Palace have sharpened her live performance skills to a deadly point. She is a formidable force to be reckoned with and had the adoring crowd eating out of her hands for the entire night.
When she thanked them using a Chinese phrase ”Xiexie” - there was a raucous cheer of approval.
Her fantastic dancers were a multicultural mix and included an even mix of males and females.
Celine ended the concert with her Titanic hit, My Heart Will Go On, in an encore that got the whole arena on their feet cheering.
Following the concert, there were after concert parties at Mcsorley’s Ale House and Cafe Deco at The Venetian.
But THE party to be seen at was the after concert party at The View - a newly opened ultra exclusive swanky VIP club on top of Sands - The Venetian’s sister casino.
Here invited, guests sipped on flutes of Moet and nibbled on canapes while enjoying models sashaying down a catwalk, as well as the amazing view.
It really was an experience not to be missed.
March 21st, 2007 Lee
Well, almost…
Think of Macau as a “work-in-progress”. That being said Macau’s a good time even now and the vision for Macau as Asia’s number one entertainment spot is not unrealistic. At the moment, there are cranes and bamboo scaffolding aplenty. (Bamboo? Yes, even atop skyscrapers. This region even has a bamboo scaffold workers’ union.)
There are a few hurdles to overcome however. If you’re not from Asia or Portugal, there’s a good chance you didn’t hear much of Macau before a few years ago. If you are from one of those two places, you’ll know that Macau had a bit of a dodgy reputation as a gambling den and a seedy, x-rated, entertainment spot. If you’re still looking for a trip to the underbelly (pun?!?), there’s a sauna (or two) my friend the Baron could recommend, but nowadays you’ll also find mega-trendy clubs and bars in the initial stages of launching Macau to the global entertainment forefront. The best nights are the ones that are widely promoted and attract the Hong Kong crowd and international jetsetters from Vegas and the region.
To highlight:
Steve Wynn brought Vegas’ highly touted Tryst to Macau when Wynn Macau opened in September. Okay not 1300 capacity like in Vegas, but Macau’s best party nights have arguably been here.
Sky 21, newly opened in the AIA Tower on the edge of Nam Van Lake, have not yet opened their doors full-time, but the events they have thrown are killer.
StarWorld Hotel has opened a bar on its 16th floor and I was there on Friday - packed house: No seats. Drinks are really reasonable too; a guy from the Crown property who was sitting at the bar solo said that bottle prices had been creeping upwards the past months though. He also told me that it’s possible to buy a bottle, put your name on it and keep it behind the bar.
Big news to hit the wire this week was that the Venetian Macao and LifeBrandz are bringing world famous Buddha-Bar to their soon-to-open property. The Venetian will also host internationally acclaimed Cirque du Soleil as a permanent show.
Entertainment in Macau is a big topic. If you’re coming into town and want to know what’s up, check the website (www.gomacau.com) or leave a comment to this post and I’ll get on the horn with you and let you know if there’s something big on the go.
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