12 years. Definitely a long time in any clubs life, but in the world of club culture this is almost unheard of. It was in 1995 when Dub Club opened its doors for the first time setting of some kind of electric discharge leading to a big bang.
Vienna definitely was a place to be, similar to the 80s, and everybody seemed to be trying and wanting to build up something a label, a company, a project, a club. The hyperactive Techno scene had put Vienna back on the map music wise.
Dub Clubs rise went hand in hand with the growing popularity of such personalities as Patrick Pulsinger, Electric Indigo and later Kruder & Dorfmeister who attracted the interest of the international music scene and press putting the spotlight on a city with its small but intense scene. Everyone knew each other well and it was the founders of Dub Club, Sweet Susie, Gue-Mix and Sugar B, who acted as and stood out as communicators and integration figures within that family-like community.
Although the name Dub Club was never able to live up to the clubs open concept it still best describes the music being played there: global, urban with a whole lot of bass. Everything from Reggae to Hip Hop, Techno to Drum & Bass, Downbeat, yes even South American and African Styles, was pumped through the infamous Flex bass system (rumoured to be the best in all of Europe), infiltrating the rhythm into the citys mind, body & soul.
The hard core of resident DJs mainly consisted of a circle of friends who had been rocking Vienna since the early 80s: Kruder & Dorfmeister, Makossa, Demon Flowers, Patrick Pulsinger and DJ DSL but also numerous national and international acts such as Mad Professor, Rockers Hifi, Stereo MCs, Basement Jaxx, LTJ Bukem, Patife, Mouse on Mars, Pressure Dropetc. All offering a wide musical range paying respect to club musics breathtaking development and its roots, Downbeat and Drum & Bass thereby being the most influential styles! Their establishment in Vienna can be directly linked to the Dub Club.
And just like the clubs open musical concept is its door policy which makes an exciting mix of fancy party people, punks, asylum seekers and students possible.
Each Dub Club starts off with Sugar Bs Dub/Reggae set providing relaxing qualities and music-historical/educational values. Followed by a floor filling set of Gue-Mix who like no other possesses the ability to find his own hits which ever since have influenced the club. Finally charming Sweet Susie lets her diverse mixes speak for themselves, demanding dancefloor activity to the max.
The clubs influence on quite a few of todays artists is unspoken. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary now some of these young forces join some old hands to present us an exclusive and contemporary insight to the club related scene.
Dub standing for Digital Future Dancehall, the sound that makes cosmic girls shake their asses. That specific cosmic Viennese style can best be heard on Megablasts, Markus Kienzls (Sofa Surfers member) and Stereotyps tracks. Stereotyp being the one who already brought us the much sought after anthem on Dub Club volume one delivers now a well worthy update. Senior citizen Rodney Hunter reminds us of a more groove oriented past while G-Mixs Malandro is a sure shot Drum & Bass hit, referring to the at all times present Brazil side of the club. Intro and the hidden outro point up the unique atmospheric intensity of live shows played at Dub Club, a recall in knowledge and experience to both musicians and guests.
Picked from the floor is a momentum, a picture out of a film whose storyline keeps on going like a perpetual groove, an endless delay but gripping you like a thriller at the same time. Dub Club- Picked from the floor: a worthy statement of the past, present and future of an institution.
Alan Brown, Soulseduction Vienna
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