The Bassment is a weekly article bringing you coverage of the best in Hip Hop and Electronic music from around Vancouver. Weekly interviews, event coverage, album and concert reviews that show how awesome our city’s electronic and hip hop scene really is.If you think there is someone or something that needs coverage in this city in regards to the Hip Hop / Electronic community then get in touch with us.

Fortune Soundclub has brought new life to a previously dead area. The club which was formerly the Royal Unicorn has just celebrated 2 years of music and entertainment. Owners Garret (Gman) and Rob (Rizk) wanted to bring back sound to a club scene that took quality of its music for granted. With the help of staff and the proper promoters Fortune has grown to one of the most successful and popular clubs in Vancouver. I sat down with Gman and Rizk to talk about their vision and accomplishments.

Tell me how you got into throwing events together.

Rob – I was involved in the Hip Hop Culture and all the elements of it. That was my introduction into the music scene. Slowly I started throwing parties. Garret was doing his own thing at the time. We had an opportunity to do something together so we joined forces and did something together. It was called El Famoso and it took place at The Red Lounge. That was nearly 20 years ago.

Garret – I started a distribution for clothing first. I wanted to promote the brands that I was doing. Basically decided to throw a party in Vancouver, before I met Rob. Threw a massive party that became this big warehouse party. I promoted the brand. I put the logo of the brand on the flyer and thats how I started with the parties. So I continued throwing parties and at the same time trying to build my distribution which is a skateboard/streetwear lifestyle division. I am still doing that today and that has always been the main focus. A year or two in to throwing the parties I needed a partner because I was working a lot with my distribution and wasn’t able to make some of the late nights. So I talked to Rob and asked if he would be interested in partnering up for this one club night. We were both doing parties separately on the side. Then we did that one together and we have been doing it together ever since.Over 18 years.

All Photos by Mark Gutknecht

What were you trying to do when you opened Fortune?

Rob – Creative control was a big part for us. We were working with a lot of different clubs and owners. They didn’t really seem to get our vision and it was hard to relay our vision to them and have them believe it in. The way they train their staff wasn’t necessarily the way we wanted to train our staff. How they treat clients as well. We wanted to stay away from any mainstream music. We wanted to promote music that we enjoy and love. Some of the music we were promoting before wasn’t necessarily true to our hearts. We wanted to create a place that we can come to, enjoy being at then train a team around that.

How had Fortune helped out with the Hip Hop Community?

Rob – A lot of our past has definitely given us that credibility in the Hip Hop community. A lot of people know that if we are working on an act that they are going to come through and we are going to give a good quality show. Hip Hop wasn’t really our main focus. We want to be diverse, different and attract different genres. I DJ and I play deep house, soul and funk. I enjoy reggae music too. Hip Hop was just one part that has helped us to be successful.

How has fortune helped other community projects?

Garret – Any opportunity we can get to help out we are totally down for. We have done fundraisers for Tokyo relief and breast cancer. Tonight we have our friend Shaun G’s parents here. Shaun G was a great friend of ours who died of a very rare form of cancer. We are presenting a cheque to his parents which is from a drink we sell called the Shaun G where all proceeds go to the Shaun G foundation. If we have the ability to help out in the community we are going to jump on that every time.

Who have been your favourite artists that have rolled through?

Rob – On the hip hop side definitely EPMD was a highlight. On the band side Aloe Blacc and Breakestra have been great. On the DJ tip some of my close friends like Jojo Flores and Rich Medina. Two heavyweights in my mind are Kenny Dope, who is here this Saturday, and DJ Spinna. Spinna does Hip Hop production and also house production. He is one person that when I brought here I had a conversation with him about being true to the art. We kind of had the same vision about making music you love and staying away from the mainstream.

Garret – Barrington Levy was definitely a bucket list. Mr Vegas on the dance hall steeze. Some people that were on the verge of breaking like Mac Miller, J Cole and Wiz Califa. I loved the band shows like F***ed Up and OFF!. I am really excited about a show coming up for Yellowman.

What do you think has made Fortune so successful?

Garret – We do what we believe in. Quality with a good sound system. Staying away from the mainstream stuff and staying true to what we believe.

Rob – The reason we called it Fortune Soundclub is because we wanted it to be about the sound. We got the Funktion-One system cause we think sound is important, especially in a club atmosphere. Customer service and proper staff are also a part of it. People that can see our vision and execute it. Making people feel at home so they can release their stresses and be happy.

How was the transition from throwing parties owning a club?

Garret – Throwing parties you can kind of just throw your party one week and move on the next week. You can change venues or other factors if you need to. So you are doing 4 or 5 things a month. When you have a club you are doing 20 days a month. It is almost like club promoting times a thousand.

Rob – You have the satisfaction of enjoying the fruits of your labour. We see the whole picture. We have security in a sense. We are not in a club where the owner can call it quits at any time.

Why Vancouver?

Rob – I immigrated into this country when I was 8 years old. My parents moved me here from a war torn country in Lebanon to live a better life. Vancouver has been nothing but good to me and my family. It has opened many doors and I have made many friends. Some of my best friends are from Vancouver and I consider them my extended family. Getting to know them and having them as my second family here is great. I get to work with friends and family, I love Vancouver.

Garret – Vancouver is the perfect home base. No matter where I go in the world there is always a big ass smile on my face when I get back. It is home for me and I truly think it will always be home.

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FRED FALKE REVIEW

BY BOON KONDO

People don’t usually associate bass (guitar) with house music anymore or any type of instrument when it comes to house DJ sets but Fred Falke from France was rocking the bass live over his own tracks this past Sunday night at the Waldorf. The grimy down house nights that used to take place at the Lotus Sound Lounge on long weekends thrown down by the Red Lounge / Intimate Productions crew are now taking place at the Waldorf and they are still keeping it hype to say the least. In fact, the night seems to be growing according to Abasi of Redlounge/Intimate. We were just talking about how the Waldorf location is just awesome and also having a 4 room party has taken things to the next level.

Fred Falke with bass to boot

So with those 4 rooms going (much like the New Forms had going) and even a little DnB/jungle/dubstep appropriately in the Hideaway room, I walked into one of the hypest crowds I’ve seen in some time. Trevor Risk, Matty C, Dakk vs Slice and Abasi had the pleasure of playing in the Tiki Room which doesnt have the greatest sound system but is one of my favourite rooms in the city without doubt.

But back downstairs in the Cabaret: I’m a huge fan of Fred Falke’s tracks and remixes though often find that DJs forgo their trademark production sound when they are playing sets for a more uptempo, bigger club type crowd. Though understandable it also takes away from the style that you have learned to dig from them. Also, knowing that Falke plays the bass and incorporates live bass into his production, I really hoped he would bust it live over his set where you normally might see live percussionists. Playing together with Lifelike (also from Paris), Falke didn’t completely blow me away with every track but definitely played good chunks of his trademark sound (a good thing!) and best of all, he did have his bass in hand to anchor his tracks with that live deep vibe.

Abasi in the Tiki Room

Live instruments always add a fresh element to a DJ set and an instrument like the bass can still keep the focus on the grooves being played on record. This was one DJ gig I did not walk away from disappointed like I have with other sets. I was highly anticipating like the Twelves and Classix. It was kinda funny seeing Falke this past long weekend now that I think about it. I saw Drive on Friday and it also features the same type of French synth boogie vibe that Falke is a part of.

I got there a bit late to catch Pat Lok‘s set which went on earlier in the Cabaret. He did though send me some of the recent mixes he’s been working on with new Vancity resident Cyclist aka Mark Penner who is formerly of the Winnipeg funk orchestra band Moses Mayes. The mix was for the first Daft Funk night Pat’s started up at the Electric Owl (next edition coming up on Oct. 27). You can also check out the Cyclist EP on Home Breakin’ Records and download of a Parallels’ Salome remix.

The next long weekend party at the Waldorf from the Red Lounge/Intimate crew will be on the Thursday night (Oct. 10) before Remembrance Day and they’ll also be got Z-Trip at 560 the day after.

Pat & Cyclist on track(s): photo courtesy of Pat Lok

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QUEENS GET THE MONEY FOR BREAST CANCER

Also, we want to give a shout out to Queen’s getting the money….for breast cancer. Between Oct. 17 – 31, Vancouver’s first hip hop fashion shop for the ladies will be donating all proceeds from their nail services to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Hit er up, get em done!

See Rose from Queen’s covered in the Inseam

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