Nick Vidal - SHE - Aug 2007

Biography of Nick Vidal

Real Name : Nick Prendergast

Location : Australia

Latin American born Nick Vidal is a hard DJ to categorise, playing a diverse and eclectic range of house music. His music ranges from touches of disco and soul, new york style deep driving soulful house, to vocal house and everything in between. Nick began djing rather traditionally in 2000 at house parties, playing a broader often harder variety of music than what he is now known for. He soon developed a name for himself amongst his peers, and bigger things came his way, including a 3 year residency which saw him play at venues such as the legendary Home Sydney, Gas and The Globe, alongside top Sydney Djs Kid Kenobi, Illya, Husky & Mark Dynamix. This residency saw Nick focus on the more soulful side of house music, as well as enabling him to constantly perfect his craft to become one of Australia?s most technically skilled house Djs, often playing many of his own re-edits and mash ups across three and up to four decks at a time.

In 2003 Nick won the national Noise Magazine festival Dj competition, which featured him in Noise magazine, and his sets played around Australia on Triple J radio. Nick has also featured several times on Pulse radio and has done a number of live sets on Fbi 94.5fm Radio. Nick soon was playing once a month with popular night Art, which saw him play at Le Panic and then Yu as the night outgrew its Le Panic home. From his Art residency Nick became a regular at the sell out Aloof Parties at Le Panic & Soho.

His technical ability and fun nature whilst playing have seen him grace the decks all over Sydney, at venues as varied as Home, Industrie, The Argyle, Space, Mars Lounge, The Civic, Sapphire Suite, Yu, Soho, The Cross, Le Panic, Kinselas, Candy?s Apartment and The World Bar as well as several venues across the east coast of Australia including Melbourne?s home of house Yum Yum at Motel. He has appeared on line ups alongside some of Australia?s top house and international acts such as Joey Negro, Marshall Jefferson, Robert Owens, Ron Carroll, The Groove Junkies, Richard Earnshaw, Dj Spen, Jay J, Andy Ward, Nicky Siano, Timmy Vegas, Julie McKnight and Andy Caldwell. Nick has also played for international touring labels such as Hed Kandi, Milk'n'2 Sugars, Soul Heaven, Fierce Angels, Cream and Housexy/Ministry of Sound, as well as having several of Sydney?s top live performers accompany him.

As 2008 moves on, Nick is becoming more focused on his own production work, with plans to release early to mid year. With his ever growing yet focused music collection, Nick maintains residency at Australia?s premier house night SHE (Soulful House Experience). He also plays regularly at venues such as The Argyle & Trademark, as well as guest spots all over Sydney.

http://www.myspace.com/nick_vidal

Robert Owens - SHE - Aug 2007

Biography of Robert Owens

Though electronica has always been a producer's medium (and the few vocalists keeping their head above water are usually woman), Robert Owens became one of the figures most associated with the late-'80s golden era of Chicago house. Born in Ohio in 1961, he grew up singing in the church, but was working as a DJ when he met pioneering Chicago producer Larry Heard in 1985. The pair formed Fingers Inc. with Ron Wilson, and released a few excellent singles ('You're Mine,' 'It's Over') and the 1988 full-length Another Side.The group dissolved soon after, though, as Heard's burgeoning solo-production career (as Mr. Fingers) took over.

Owens had already released tracks on his own - 'Bring Down the Walls' and 'I'm Strong' for Alleviated, with production from Heard - and he signed a solo contract with 4th & Broadway. His 1990 LP Rhythms in Me was a solid effort, though it soon disappeared within the quickly disintegrating Chicago house scene. (One of his best-known features of the late '80s, the epic house moment 'Tears,' appeared under the names of Frankie Knuckles and producer Satoshi Tomiie.)

Owens had basically retired from music by the early '90s, preferring instead to run his own Christian bookstore. By 1996, he'd returned to dance music with Ordinary People, a two-part EP for Musical Directions. He teamed up with Tomiie and Cevin Fisher for a track from Tomiie's Full Lick LP in 1999, and one year later Owens appeared on the Photek smash 'Mine to Give.'

http://www.myspace.com/robertjowens