Back from a few days in the most european pop-cultured city, Barcelona. First, guest speaking duties at the "Digital 2.0" conference where the panel "Amateur vs Professional?" was podcasted superbly & swiftly by Karen P and literally uploaded to i-tunes the second we all finished our thoughts about how digital technology is affecting quality in music. "Digital 2.0" was excellent - plenty of, smart, switched on people in the house, like 'Media Futurist', Gerd Leonhard.

After an interview by Loops for TV3 about being a 'Music Supervisor', it was dinner at Matamala - a 'taste-hit' extravaganza with some quick wine-tasting that focused on just how important the shape/size of glass is to the palate. Then, a tantamount of top tapas followed by a post-dinner stroll down "La Rambla".

Much of Thursday spent @ Sonar 08, checking out the likes of XXTeens, the ZX Spectrum Orchestra and a saunter round the 'Record Fair'.

Late night, checked out Felix Da Housecat, flipping Club Razz into a frenzy with pounding hard jackin' electro and occasional swift sermons to the crowd reflecting his dark sounds:

"Mr. Lightman, turn down the lights, I'm fed up of playing pretty, I want it black coz I play underground."
"We ain't trying to be pretty, we be underground"

Friday DJ-ed in Razzamatazz's 'Pop' Bar right after Florence & The Machine played live. Florence went absolutely and scarily nuts when I dropped tracks from Klaxons & Ting Tings.

Managed to catch some of Sven Vath's superb set, reminiscent of 'Dorian Gray' in more ways than one. 'Dorian Gray' was not only the name of the early 80s legendary Frankfurt club where Sven spun, but also that classic Oscar Wilde novel in which Dorian Gray appears to never age. That same could be said for hedonistic Sven, whom I hadn't seen since around 1994 when I produced an MTV Dance show with him, presented by Davina McCall (!) who was filling in for Simone Angel that week. What also hadn't aged was Sven's approach to DJ-ing, whilst practically every other DJ has felt the urge to upgrade to a combination of CD-mixing, Serato, laptop etc., here was die Deutscher DJ don still simply spinning good old vinyl; an absolute testament to the techno-meister's skill since the crowd were loving it, showing that one of, if not, the most important skill to DJ-ing will always be playing the right music at the right time, your equipment is just a tool.

(Pictured below: James Hyman & Sven Vath @ Razzmatazz, 19 June 08)

Flight back semi-early the next day in the company of Kissy Sell Out & Yo-Yo duo (Leo & Seb), I left BCN, missing solid stellar Saturday line-ups at Sonar 08 that included Yazoo and Madness, yes they call it Madness!!! plus Jarvis Cocker, Dave Clarke and Calvin Harris all rocking the Razz!!

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