Last weekend turned out to be the UBBAH weekend, at least for us here at The Beat. UBBAH is one of the world’s top, up and coming melodic techno DJ producers and he was in town to play Red Ruby for the second time in a year last Saturday night. So, we spent both Friday and Saturday nights with the man from Argentina, who now resides in Barcelona, first on Friday at The Beat Radio studio for a chat about his life and the music scene right now and the times he spent with the Afterlife crew, among many other things, and then Saturday night till late at Seminyak’s hallowed home of techno and house.
Above: Check the interview with UBBAH last Friday
Red Ruby takes some time to get full on Saturday nights as the action doesn’t really get moving till after 1am and especially on the big nights when there is a strict door policy. Hanging out the front in the terrace with friends having a beer and chat is always a good option and a great way to get things moving along in any case. It gives you a chance to communicate a bit before the mayhem kicks in. We were there on a photographic mission with my buddy EA behind the camera, Marina and boyfriend and other friends―it’s always good to have a posse onboard.
Ok, I’ve been to Red Ruby a few times, it must be said, but on the big nights there is always a particular buzz of anticipation in the air. Walking in it wasn’t exactly packed, far from it, then we started trying to find our place, like Carlos Castaneda rolling from one table to the next until we eventually landed out the back or maybe it’s called side where the old Red Room used to be. It’s a great space and has plenty of it. The best part was the pounding sound system out there with the sub going woof like you wouldn’t believe.
Before long UBBAH was in the booth and we were wearing his tunes like a glove in that special back space complete with dance pole projecting from the centre of the table. It wasn’t long before the pole was attracting some of the hottest gals in town for a boogie. That back space is pretty cool, you can move out to the dance floor, or main area when you want and back again with ease, and having somewhere to sit is always a bonus. But of course, you need a crew with you.
The good thing about Red Ruby on the big nights, with the visiting DJs, at least, is that it’s not over-packed and the crowd is a lot more diverse in nature than normal; obviously bringing punters in starved for some new, fresh tunes and something different. Eventually, it was packed of course, but for a moment there it was only the true believers.
UBBAH was playing a lot of his own stuff and was banging darker melodic techno straight from the outset. He has such an energetic style behind the decks, it becomes kind of infectious as he is bouncing all over the place, and brings the whole dance floor with him to greater heights. Crescendo after banging crescendo, the crowd is hanging on every high and every low till they lay wasted on the dance floor two hours later.
That’s what you call a Saturday night out, Ruby style!
UBBAH has moved on to his next destination now, but he will surely be back one day, and it must be said that dark melodic techno in the right hands really does get the excitement levels pumped!
Now listen to the show!
