More Asian adventures, but also a remote Russian destination I've always wanted to explore; Vladivostok. This place is probably best known for being the final stop of the trans-siberian railway, but it was more the remote border of extended Europe and China that excited me. Luckily it's quite easy to go there via Seoul, where I was booked for the Saturday so it fit right in. The first thing you see when you land is the pretty rugged airport and all the holes in the roads. Two guys, one with dreadlocks, picked me up and we sort of chatted about this and that in broken english on the way into town bumping around in the car as they tried to avoid the craters. I decided a disco nap would probably be a good idea after 16 hours of flying and waiting in airports and as I woke up the sun was setting over the harbour and I must say this is a very cool place with a frontier-end-of-the-world kind of vibe just like Auckland, Seattle and Vancouver. Two other Russians picked me up and so far all of them had been blonde and blue eyed. The city looks a bit like St Petersburg (without the older buildings that is) and they took me to a typical Russian lounge that served Russian staples like sushi and borsch and finally we went to the club, Cuckoo, which is both open air with an inside bit. The night was warm so most people stayed outside, but all local DJs were hanging around the booth and cheered along with the girls. Man, the place was full of them and very stylish looking - no eastern block style overly made up, just very good looking.

Cuckoo Club, Vladivostok August 21, 2009

Jordan Rivera - Praise The One (Groovenatics)
Izzy Stardust & Dumb Dan - Big Love
Jeremih - Birthday Sex (Chris Kaeser)
Thomas Gold - Shake It
Whitney Houston - I Didn't Know My Own Strength (Daddy's Groove)
Ministers de la Funk - Believe (Antoine Clamaran & Sandy Vee)
The Face - Needin' U (DJ Wady)
Supafly Inc - Get Down (Deniz Koyu)
Reel Sessions - Now I Know (SB)
Phonat - Set Me Free (Avicii)
Fonzerelli - Dreaming (Robbie Rivera)
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Chris Kaeser Memorial)
James Talk - West End Girls
Tatyana vs StoneBridge - Put 'Em High
Filthy Rich - Music Is Moving
Let The Bass Kick In Miami Bitch
Bob Sinclar - Love You No More (Chuckie)
Basement Jaxx - Raindrops (Robbie Rivera)
Duck Sauce - Anyway
Lily Allen - The Fear (SB)
Madonna - Celebration (Johnny Vicious)
Sia - The Girl You Lost (SB)
David Guetta - Just A Little Bit (Whelan & Di Scala)
Tristan Garner - Gypsy Woman
David Guetta - When Love Takes Over (LBL)
Tori Amos - Professional Widow (AvH vs Stefano Azati)
Real El Canario - El Campeon
Michael Jackson - Remember The Time (Camel Rider)
Rob Boskamp - Ger Ur A** Up

One custom I love about Russian promoters is the mandatory big dinner before getting dropped off at the airport. And they are always very optimistic about time as readers of the blog remembers from my missed flight out of Moscow last year. I suggested we go somewhere near the airport, but they wouldn't have any of that so we went to a Babushka style place just outside the city. It wasn't as good as Kalliningrad, but still great. The new addition to the list is Verenike, which is the vegetarian version of Pelmeni - Siberian dumplings - a must as is the Soulyanka soup. I made the flight with a few minutes to spare and touched down in Seoul two hours later. It was baking hot and a clear day and the best promoter in the world; David Park, had arranged a swanky limo that took us to the even swankier Ritz Carlton. I felt like a returning king! A couple of hours later the crew was gathering. Matt Cahill, my old friend from Aberdeen that now lives in Sydney and his girlfriend + David and we went for some Korean BBQ that was awesome, then Club Mass, which was a first after having done M2 twice. Funny thing was that both clubs look very similar inside and a couple of times during the gig I kind of forgot that it was a new club as the crowd was equally up for it. I'm telling you, this is the best place to play right now and has been for years so if you have a chance to go here, you should! Bring on Ministry in London next week with the biggest crew we've had since the Stockholm days!!!!!

Mass, Seoul August 22, 2009

Jordan Rivera - Praise The One (Groovenatics)
Morillo - Get Lifted (Dronez Dub)
Hardrive - Deep Inside (Geoff M)
Mark Mendes - Gypsy Woman
Phonat - Set Me Free (Avicii)
Fonzerelli - Dreaming (Robbie Rivera)
Jeremih - Birthday Sex (Chris Kaeser)
Sgt Slick & Rob Pix - Behind The Sun
Roman Salzger - Voices Inside My Head
Tori Amos - Professional Widow (AvH vs Stefano Azati)
Real El Canario - El Campeon
Michael Jackson - Remember The Time (Camel Rider)
Diplo & Laidback Luke - Hey
Ministers de la Funk - Believe (Antoine Clamaran & Sandy Vee)
Supafly Inc - Get Down (Deniz Koyu)
Bob Sinclar - Love You No More (Chuckie)
Let The Bass Kick In Miami Bitch
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Chris Kaeser Memorial)
James Talk - West End Girls
Tatyana vs StoneBridge - Put 'Em High
Reel Sessions - Now I Know (SB)
Sia - The Girl You Lost (SB)
Eddie Thoneick - Don't Let Me Down (Joachim Garraud)
David Guetta - Just A Little Bit (Whelan & Di Scala)
Marlo - Ula (SB)
The Cube Guys - Be Free
Rasmus Faber - Are You Ready
Mylo - Drop The Pressure (LBL)
David Guetta - When Love Takes Over (LBL)
StoneBridge - Love Thing (Studio 69)
Whitney Houston - I Didn't Know My Own Strength (Daddy's Groove)
Antoine Clamaran - When The Sun Goes Down (Seb Drums & Eric G)
Mind Electric - Rock Da House
Jazmin Sullivan - Dream Big (SB)
Morillo - Dancin (Fuzzy Hair)
Jamie Lewis - For You

Dude, apart from the cool tracklists...I was just thinking: if you would copy all your travel posts and combine them in a nice booklet you could make a very nice extensive tourist world guide! Noticed a new remix of Love Thing! Interesting!!! Amazing story, gr Vink

I might do that Vink. I do save the texts on the computer since that forum meltdown 2 years ago. This is probably something I could do on my vacation in September when I get bored of the beach

Stone great to read your report from Vladivostok... whow after our chat on the phone I just looked at the map again..... hmmmm a long long way it is indeed......maybe one day amigo.. but for now I have to start saving my pennies for TOKYO and Seoul adventure.. keep me posted.

heres a song that sums what you have to do to spread the gospel of house

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzbTm-OKbzs

Vinks Idea is a great one .. of course youd have to add the Ronster adventures as well. I re read my Argentina and Uruguay reports from years ago on here and that epic Australian write up.... and the California one is among my favorites too.

Yes indeed MOS this week with a huge crew including me and Clare . Weve got new dancing shoes and we are ready for a great time!!!

Ronster

Vink you can listen to a snippet of the "A Love Thing" remix here:
http://www.myspace.com/s69music
It's me and two friends. I heard you are coming to Sweden now in September, nice and welcome!

Liking the idea about the booklet, I always look forward to the new gig reports, great one as usual Stone!

Hej Viktor! I heard from Louise that were doing well with productions, fantastic! Already sounds really phat and professional, keep up the good work! And yes, from the 10th of september I'll be living in Lilla Essingen, Stockholm