Wednesday July 27th Housepitality welcomes The Bunker NYC resident DJ, Eric Cloutier for an exclusive 3 hour set, Hijak Session Vol 5.
Few DJ artists get worldwide bookings these days with out having released records, this means they are not only good at what they do but also that a whole community of people respect their work, Eric Cloutier is one of them.
Last November As You Like it headlined Nicolar Jarr with Eric Cloutier opening for him. Nicolar Jarr has put out hit records and Eric is the resident DJ at NYC’s famed underground house and techno monthly, The Bunker. Anyone who attended that show at the late Compound venue will likely mention that Eric Cloutier blew their mind and many even claim that he stole the show from Nicolas. Eric’s dj sets are described as a heady blend of of dub techno and house. He is known to open up the breath and width and horizons of his mix when allowed more than two hours to perform. Eric has unique aesthetic and style when it comes to programing and mixing. His sets leave a memorable impression on those who are lucky enough to witness. We felt that Eric should headline San Francisco and give us the best he has to offer, a 3 hour NYC Bunker style beat down for the midweek Housepitality crowd to enjoy. Please welcome Mr. Eric Cloutier to San Francisco’s premiere Wednesday night party, Housepitality
INTERVIEW:
Our past Housepitality headliner, our techno live set empress of San Frandisco, Mrs. Christina Chatfield, took some time off to interview Eric Cloutier. We now have insight into the personality behind this artist.
1) you kicked off your music career playing drums with a hardcore band, a genre that some might consider polar opposite from dance music. what led you to become involved with electronic music, and to finally make the leap from hardcore drummer to DJ?
“I was first taken to a quite famous plasikman party back in detroit, “jak-o-latern,” for my birthday around 1995, and that was kind of the tipping point for me where i realized i really, really needed to explore this electronic music thing that was constantly around me a bit more. i was in the hardcore and punk scene for quite a while, and had made nice home for myself there, but the hostility and closed-mindedness really forced me to break away – especially after a particularly tragic event that happened to me after one night at a gig. getting jumped for liking another type of music (techno) was enough for me to fold my hand and leave the scene altogether.”
2) you began to DJ in detroit, eventually relocating to NYC. how did the change of scenery and your time spent in both cities impacted you and your sound?
“detroit and nyc definitely are quite different when it comes to the music scene, but similarly they both have strong histories and vibrant characters. detroit definitely gives everyone a bit of a grittier, more raw sound – which is what i started off djing as. i played a lot of the classic minimal stuff – hood, mills, bloch, pacou, etc – and eventually worked my way down in bpm while still living in detroit. then when i got to nyc, i explored more of the house stuff, going even deeper, and over the last five years i’ve been working on an amalgam of all of my passions and coming up with what i play these days. “
3) what vinyl record in your collection would you consider to be your most prized possession and why?
“Asking a dj what their favourite or most prized record is probably one of the worst things you can ask them because its damn near impossible to answer! but i’d have to say my complete collection of the driftwood records, including the extremely rare tenth record, would be my most prized ones.”
4) who are your favorite producers at the moment?
“its hard to say who a favourite producer is, to be honest. while i’d love to think that everyone i enjoy is consisten and always delivers some good things, nobody is perfect and, from time to time, even the ones that i always keep an eye out for fail me. i really don’t pick sides, though – if its good and it gets me moving, then i pick it up. simple as that.”
5) what has been, for you, the biggest achievement of your DJing career so far?
“Biggest achievement has to have been playing the labyrinth festival in japan in 2009. its probably the worlds greatest event for the techno and house that i’m in to, and having been selected to play at it was a massive feat – especially for someone who’s never made a record before! it was, hands down, the best event i’ve ever been to, ever played, and ever been involved with. i was fortunate enough to make a return trip to japan this may for a pre-labyrinth party, so its good to know that russ, the promoter fo the event, still is keeping a keen watch on me and trusts what i deliver as a dj.”
6) what lies in store for you in the coming years?
“production, production, production! i’m so far behind every one of my peers in the production department that its time for me to catch up. i’ll be taking some time off of work for the next few months to hit the studio on a daily basis, so don’t be shocked if there’s some releases from me coming out before the end of the year. but outside of that, there could potentially be a move from nyc to berlin for me. cliche as it might sound, it wouldn’t just be for djing, though – possible career move, as well, since i do like having a day job and steady income.”
—————–end——————
Check out Eric Cloutier’s Soundcloud mixes here to warm you up for the big night at Housepitality on Wednesday July 27th..
Latest tracks by eric cloutier
—————————
Here are the details for the show:
Michael Tello & Miguel Solari invite you to
<<<<< HOUSEPITALITY >>>>> – hosted by Greg Bird
Feat. The Bunker’s Resident, all the way from NYC:
**ERIC CLOUTIER** EXCLUSIVE 3 HOUR SET
…
Opening sets by Housepitality residents:
Miguel Solari
Matt Richardson
**Backroom Slow Groove Lounge:
Michael Tello
Navid
FREE with RSVP before 11pm @ www.housepitalitysf.com/rsvp
This is a Housepitality Hijak Session Vol 5 w/Eric Cloutier:
His Soundcloud Bio:
Eric Cloutier is born and bred in Michigan, and currently based in Brooklyn, he is one of a new generation of American DJs bridging the gap between dance music’s past and its future. His sets have a sprawling depth and sophistication that fuses the brooding intensity of tripping techno with the mechanic funk of contemporary house.
Cloutier started spinning records in 1996, quickly establishing himself in Detroit’s competitive local scene, holding down residencies at The Necto (Nectarine) and prominent afterhours spot The Works. This led to a job booking Oslo, where he brought the likes of Richie Hawtin, Luciano and Michael Mayer to town, as well as handing out residencies to local legends Three Chairs and Stacey Pullen.
In 2006, Cloutier made the jump to New York and quickly established himself, earning a residency at the premiere monthly techno night The Bunker and mid-week soiree Den of Thieves. He’s also begun his own night, Down, in which he often stretches out to play lengthy sets that showcase his range, effortlessly threading together deeper shades of house and dub-infused techno. Word has been spreading too: 2009 saw Cloutier recording two mixes for the mnml ssgs podcast series, beginning to work in the studio for the first time on his own material, making his European DJing debut and getting tapped to play at Japan’s renowned Labyrinth Festival. That latter honor may be the most telling of all: Only a select few are asked to spin at Labyrinth. (It’s the provenance of studious selectors like Daniel Bell, Donato Dozzy and Peter Van Hoesen.) To not only spin in their company, but to have ably held his own should tell you all you need to know about Eric Cloutier: He’s a DJ for whom quality—above all else—is the watchword.
————————–—-
Opening sets by
Miguel Solari (housepitality)
Matt Richardson (housepitality, standard rad)
Backroom Slow Groove Lounge:
Michael Tello (pillowtalk, OM, Housepitality)
Navid (housepitality, nice & slo)
FREE with RSVP before 11pm @ www.housepitalitysf.com
Located at Icon Ultra Lounge
1192 Folsom St. at 8th St.
9pm-2am, 21 +, VIP Rooms, 2 Rooms of music
Free champagne from 9pm-10pm
♥ ♥ ♥