Nights out
The nightlife scene in Dili isn’t very exciting. You can’t complain about it too much because we’re all here out of choice and this is Timor-Leste and not London or Singapore or Tokyo, after all.
We threw a party at Motion on Saturday night. Outside there were bands playing, among other things, Michael Jackson covers (the bands were really good), while inside we pretty much went to town and just played what we felt like.
These parties usually follow a familiar pattern. We get there and spend about half an hour trying to figure out what to play. We’ll start playing something and then about 10 people will come up and ask us to play either Portuguese music, hip hop or “something we can dance to”. People sometimes get quite angry when the music doesn’t meet their approval — occasionally they threaten to leave.
I didn’t recognize anyone at the party last night, most likely because I haven’t been going out much in Dili this year. Where is there to go? Casa Minha is (was) a weird place. Exotica is more of the same. There are plenty of bars, sure, but they are strangely depressing. I guess there’s always karaoke.
So on the rare occasions we do these parties at Motion, I just play the music I want to hear. It’s incredibly selfish, but it’s as close to a decent night out as I’m going to get in this country.
Choice cuts from last night included:
Major Lazer – When you hear the bassline (Dance Area Remix)
Nathan Fake – The sky was pink (James Holden Remix)
Britney – Breathe on me (James Holden Remix)
Booka Shade – In white rooms
Marilyn Manson – The people (Sebastian Leger Remix)
Boys Noize – Jeffer
Boys Noize – & Down (Teenage Bad Girl Remix)
Popof – Shades
At one point I played the Skream remix of La Roux just to mess with people. Listen to it here – it’s amazing. We even got into some drum n bass (Chase & Status, Pendulum Dillinja, Shy FX) at about 2 am. I don’t know if people in Dili like any of this kind of music, but it sure as hell is a lot better than hip hop and it thankfully doesn’t attract the bicep brigade.
And someone stole my motorbike helmet from the helmet rack last night – and it isn’t even my motorbike helmet. If you were there and you took it, please give it back. It’s black and has white bits on it.
