Afshin Assadian is the proud owner of the club and restaurant Djoon in the new 13th area of Paris. He has made sure that every weekend Djoon is the most soulful club in the city with local DJs and House Legends playing so close to their public that you can literally feel their heat! Find out about what inspires him, what Paris is really like and what you can hear at Djoon.
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Name: Afshin ASSADIAN

What do you do?
I'm the owner of DJOON

How did you become involved at Djoon?
I created the place five years ago

Describe Djoon in one sentence.
DJOON is a bar restaurant and a club in a new area of Paris, with a spirit of loft, with a mix of contemporary and baroque design

What can we expect to hear there?
All kind’s of good dance and black music from soul to house...

How would you describe Djoon regulars?
Music lovers, open-minded people and some of the best dancers in town

What’s the best thing about the city of Paris?
The mix of people, race, culture, and the way that people always trying to be creative about music, design and fashion.

And the worst?
Parisians are always complaining about almost everything (the weather, the crisis, the noise...)

If you could invite anyone (dead or alive) to come and perform, who would it be and why?
I have so many in mind... but if I have to choose just few, it will be James Brown first of all, because he is the boss JJ/MM/AA! and after, Larry Levan, because he made what modern clubbing is today (our conception of music, mix of people).

Who's set to be hot in Paris in 2009?
We have so many artists scheduled at DJOON in 2009, but to name a few I would say Kenny Dope, Theo Parrish, Loco Dice...

Some advice to anyone visiting the city for the first time?
Just don't go only to the trendy places, but try to visit the underground ones, and if you want to party, you know where to go now!

What’s the secret behind the popularity of Djoon?
Sincere love and passion for music, and I hope a friendly and smart management

Most memorable experience at the club?
Every time the magic of music happens and hits the crowd, it could be our local residents or a big name, it doesn't matter.... a moment like Kenny Bobien singing "rise above the storm" accapella, the whole room had goose bumps!!!
or when John Legend was playing piano during a special show... when Daft Punk made their aftershow at DJOON...
or the first time that the Martinez brothers came here and rocked the place...

A moment you would rather forget?
The night when their was a reservation at the restaurant under the name Placebo, I was off that night and I only found out later that it was the group PLACEBO who were secretly celebrating their gold record award ..and I missed it!
(Le soir ou il y a eu au restaurant une réservation au nom de placebo... j'étais off ce soir là, et je n'ai su que plus tard que c'était le groupe PLACEBO qui fêtait son disque d'or de façon très confidentielle... et j'ai raté ça !!!)

What are you listening to on repeat at the moment?
"those days are gone" by Alex Finkin and Reverend P dance culture remixed by Greg Gauthier,
"la baraka" by Franck Roger from Realtone Records, "catalan fc & sven love" (the cheers theme)

Your hopes and fears for the music industry for 2009?
Hopes : new talents, more real house artists with album and faces so our music could meet the mass and sell more just like they do in South Africa.
Fears : more producers and labels to quit the business, less vocals coming out, less soul in the music.

What's the most exciting thing in your life right now?
My daughters starting their own rock group!
(Mes fils qui montent leur groupe de rock ! )

Built into railway arches in 2000, Cargo has become a key venue on the London club and concert scene. Their diverse program of concerts and parties has earned the venue an international reputation in both world music and dance music circles. Their ‘Free Fridays’ has become the weekend rendez-vous for East-End clubbers with local DJs and labels invited to rock the place to the happy revelers who can dance for free. In March events include guests such as Peanut Butter Wolf & James Pants (7th), Just Jack (10th), Bonobo (14th) and Black Milk (21st). As well as being able to enjoy the sounds of Cargo on Awdio, you can also check out the regular podcasts posted on their website.

Drum n’ Bass duo Commix, hailing from Cambridge in the UK are the latest producers to be chosen to produce a Fabriclive CD (Number 44). They prove that drum n’ bass production is moving forward as they are as much influenced by the Detroit Techno of UR (Underground Resistance) as they are by the dark sounds of Metalheadz. The mix kicks off with Commix’s Life We Live and includes tracks by Photek, Breakage and Jonny L. The result is a deep, dark, melodic journey with an old school twist. Commix will be performing at Shanghai’s Shelter on Saturday (28th Feb, 11pm local time) so either check them out in the flesh or tune in LIVE on Awdio.com!

Tonight (24th Feb) and tomorrow night (25th Feb) Favela Chic in Paris and London respectively, will be celebrating the ‘fat Tuesday’ annual Brazilian carnival with a Fellini theme. This means exuberance, extravagance and the fantastically absurd. The main source of inspiration is the carnival scene from Fellini’s Casanova. Pop, samba bossa nova, southern rock and batucada will be cleverly woven together by Gringo Parada at Favela Chic Paris and the next day at Favela Chic London.



Fellini’s Casanova - The carnival

Open since 1987 "Inbeat Store" is a real institution for Montreal’s music culture and club community. The music played on Awdio is specially programmed by Christian Pronovost (see photo), Inbeat Store Head Honcho, he is one of Montreal most respected DJs, a true veteran of the Canadian underground music scene. Read More...



It's under the name “Lost Heroes” that he produced, remixed + recorded music for labels like: Innervisions (Germany), Restricted Access (Usa), Skint (Uk), GotSoul (Canada) & Yellow (France) in the same time creating a buzz for himself as a “name to watch” music producer capable of capturing the essence of musicians and incorporating it to the latest technologies. His vast musical experience and open mindedness ensures a daily play-list including Disco, Funk Soul, Latin, Psychedelic Rock, Jazz as well as all the electronic music sub-genres.

This friendly figure in a top hat is one of the masterminds behind the excellent Sandwiches club in Wellington. He has proved to us through his venue that New Zealander’s really know how to party, and the fatter the beats the harder they rock. Bryce Mason is passionate about his job and makes sure that the Sandwich ingredients are always fresh. Read the interview



Name: Bryce Mason

What do you do?
Good Question!

How did you become involved at Sandwiches?
Another goody! It all started when I worked in a Liquor store when I was 12.

Describe Sandwiches in one sentence.
As good as it gets! If you get it!

What can we expect to hear there?
Every cool sound going!!

How would you describe Sandwiches regulars?
Living legends!

What's the best thing about the city of Wellington?
Lots of living Legends!

And the worst?
Missing a good party!

If you could invite anyone (dead or alive) to come and perform, who would it be and why?
Tyrant, (Lee Burrige, Craig Richards)

Who's set to be hot in Wellington in 2009?
Dirty NeEdLeZ

Some advice to anyone visiting the city for the first time?
Don’t miss having a good Sandwich

What’s the secret behind the popularity of Sandwiches?
The Music and Staff and the Locals

Most memorable experience at the club?
Getting the keys!

A moment you would rather forget?
Nearly losing the keys!

What are you listening to on repeat at the moment?
That’s easy, I live up the coast from Wellington so I get to hear, The wheels on the bus go round and round for an hour back to back every day! My 21 month old son Kye loves it!

Your hopes and fears for the music industry for 2009?
All hopes! I think the as long as the industry peers and punters keep on enjoying a drink we are all fine!

What's the most exciting thing in your life right now?
My Son Kye, And the people I work with at Sandwiches.

Next Tuesday (24th Feb) it’s Mardi Gras and that means Carnival time in Brazil. The incredible Rio Carnival takes over the city on Friday with the lovely feather clad Samba dancers, Brazil is so famous for, shimmying non stop until the big day on Tuesday. Big players on the club scene will also be in Rio this weekend for the annual Rio Music Conference, featuring workshops and events demonstrating that it’s not all Samba and Bossa in Brazil as the electronic music scene is also very much alive and kicking. Some of the Awdio crew will be present, so just follow the stickers! Awdio listeners can also enjoy Carnival sounds live from Sonotheque (Fri 20th), Drom’s Mardi Gras Special with Isle of Klezbos & Sanda Weigl (24th) and a Fellini themed Carnival party at Favela Chic Paris (24th) and Favela Chic London (25th).

Before you yawn and say ‘here we go, Berlin style electro and kraut rock, boring..’ think again! This is Berlin Mighty Mighty style. Ten days of the most bizarre and farfetched bands and performances from the Europe’s music capital. Starting on the 18th Feb, Wellington’s most off centre bar will be hosting ten days of crazy German talent. From their Neue Deutsche evening to the Der Knutschfleck electro-rave, ‘Mighty Mighty vill be truly vunderbar dis veek!’