Scotland Clubbing Highlights – December 2014

We kick off December’s festivities in Edinburgh, as one of the city’s best nights in recent years celebrates its second birthday. For the occasion Juice has invited none other than Dutch master Martyn along to Sneaky Pete’s to help them celebrate in style. Boss of the 3024 label, Martyn has continually shown his mastery of a number of styles, from early drum 'n' bass releases through to techno and dubstep. More recently he has delved into lush house-tinted productions complete with smatterings of breakbeat, as in 2013’s Newspeak EP and this year’s Forgiveness EP. As you may expect, Martyn is a spinner with little time for genre boundaries. Expect a well-crafted party set from one of the best selectors around (Thu 4 Dec, £8).

The following weekend the same venue has another belter lined up as In Deep present Highlife, showcasing the Glasgow-reared pairing of Auntie Flo and Esa. Brian D’Souza (Flo) has arguably been one of the most original artists to emerge from Scotland over the last few years, with his hybrid house sound incorporating rhythms and samples from a diverse range of international influences. In a similar vein, the Highlife club night sees D’Souza team up with Esa – who cut his teeth at the legendary Subculture in Glasgow – to present a smorgasbord of electronic sounds and rare gems from around the world. Get involved! (Fri 12 Dec, £4)

Next up, a trip to the Liquid Room will be well worth your while as the Nightvision series continues with a visit from one of the world’s most in demand DJs, Jackmaster. Honing his craft from a young age in Glasgow, Jack Revill had the best techno education imaginable, under the wing of the crew at the legendary Rubadub record shop. Since co-founding the Numbers collective – putting out some memorable records and putting on some even more memorable parties – Jackmaster’s stock has risen exponentially. It is something of a cliché to say, but only the most skilled DJs can carve out such a successful career without having produced any music of their own. Simply put, Jack is among the best around, owing largely to his ability to effortlessly mix up techno, house, electro and bass music, alongside R'n'B and disco ‘tweakers.’  He will be joined on this occasion by Radio 1’s Heidi and rising Scottish talent, Jasper James (Sat 13 Dec, £15).

Our final Edinburgh shout should take care of your post Christmas night out as The Mash House gets a 5am licence for the visit of Mike Huckaby. With an impressive back catalogue stretching back to the mid 90s, Huckaby is one of the most trusted names to have emerged from the house scene in Detroit over the years. With a knack for producing laid back grooves and captivating melodic sequences, Mike has always found a receptive audience for his music. In recent years he has taken to running workshops in Detroit and beyond, sharing his knowledge of production, with Kyle Hall among his past students. In other words, Huckaby knows his craft! (£10 or £6 students)

Moving on to Glasgow and we suggest you begin the month as you mean to go on by taking in two midweek Sub Club outings, with a day’s rest in between. First up are i AM who have invited the legendary Keith McIvor AKA JD Twitch down for a night under the Autonomous Africa banner – his project aimed at raising money for various worthy causes across that continent. Joining the Optimo co-founder is three of the artists to have released tracks for the project, namely Graded boss Midland, Glasgow’s own Auntie Flo and house head General Ludd. All proceeds from the night will go to the Mtandika Mission, so you shouldn’t feel guilty partying so early in the month (Tue 2 Dec, £5/6 adv. £8 door). If you’ve not had enough of a midweek fix, then Pariah is sure to meet your requirements when he stops in for Rubix at the club on Thursday 4 Dec. With a series of acclaimed releases on the respected R&S label, Arthur Cayzer has exhibited his pedigree with his forays into dubstep, as well as through his blistering techno collaboration with Blawan as Karenn (£5-8).

The following Friday we’re very excited about a one-off party by the name of Players, Ballers, Rollers. Referencing a Starski & Clutch track of the same name, you will not be surprised to learn that this Poetry Club shindig is devoted to the sounds of ghettotech, booty house and associated uptempo styles. A joint collaboration between Shaun Vitamins and Dave Shades of Horror Boogie, the night will also feature sets by recent DJ Deeon collaborator Nightwave and Dommm, formerly of the mighty Tribute roster at La Cheetah. With dedicated booty nights a rare treat, even in a city with so many avid devotees, let’s hopes this one becomes at least a semi-regular fixture (Fri 12 Dec, £6).

Our final pick for this month takes us to La Cheetah which becomes the base of operations for the Club 69 Seasonal Shindig. A highly revered club over the years, 69 has become an almost mythical part of the history of the Scottish electronic music scene. Situated under an Indian restaurant in Paisley, the much-loved venue famously hosted Detroit techno legends Underground Resistance and is a spot continually referenced by the likes of Jackmaster as providing a solid musical education for those who ventured outside the city to find it. That reputation was due in no small part to its residents, Martin McKay, Wilba and Euan, who have decided to offer a back to basics, cheap as chips Christmas party with a firm emphasis on the tunes. With McKay in particular recently singled out by Fact magazine as a DJ who deserves more limelight, this one seems too tempting to miss (Sat 27 Dec, £5).

Happy Holidays!