When you are traveling, it can be nice to pop into a local venue to see a live music act that would otherwise be off your radar. From time to time, it’s important to put yourself in new places, and to let friends take the wheel so that you might end up outside your own sphere of comfort. This past weekend, in Barcelona, I was the perfect passenger princess, and it led me to a pretty great artist.
Barcelona has a club called Razzmatazz. It is reminiscent of New York City’s Webster Hall, or Tokyo’s ZEROTOKYO, in that it has multiple levels, areas, and acts dispersed throughout the venue. Razzmatazz boasts a Main Stage with a sprawling dance floor, a reggaeton stage with its own sidebar, a bass room in the attic, and an outdoor smoking area that connects the spaces.
As far as venues go, it was a very smooth process getting in. The line was long but went quickly. We were able to buy tickets at the door, which included two free drinks. That, with security and ticket scanning, the whole process took less than ten minutes. This is usually the most annoying part of a club experience, and Razzmatazz got it down pat. Getting drinks at the bar was also a breeze, and the free water was much appreciated.
Knowing absolutely nothing about an artist lineup can also be a great gift. There are no expectations or hype, and thus, it is nearly impossible to be disappointed. And so when the headliner, a spunky Japanese DJ, took the stage with a pile of vinyl, we dug our heels in.
DJ Koco aka Shimokita, probably borrows his name from the Tokyo neighborhood Shimokitazawa—the vintage and independent fashion mecca of Japan. Shimokita was clad in an oversized Mickey Mouse T-shirt, a backwards baseball cap, and a joyful smile. The man is a talented performer who genuinely looks like he is having a great time with his craft.
I use precise language when I say—This was the best live DJ set I have ever seen. Shimokita uses single-track 7-inch vinyls on two decks to decorate the passage of time with a grace and sophistication like I have never seen before. He selects beats and vocals by hand, and mixes them live in an ever-changing play that keeps the crowd moving.
Mixing vinyl is no easy thing. You must know your music very well, to the point where you can find the exact moment of a song with a needle on a spinning disk with no assistance from a computer. Shimokita is able to integrate scratches, tempo shifts, and crossfades without mistakes or music breaks. Screens around the venue show a close-up of his decks, and you can watch his hands working the vinyl.
DJ Koco aka Shimokita, started spinning 45s in 2011 and has been growing his internet presence since 2017. If you want to check him out, he keeps some of his old live sets on YouTube.
Besides his Instagram, there is not too much information about him, and I feel like that’s a good thing. A little bit of mystery invites intrigue and allows his art and skill to be appreciated for what it is: A spectacle… that you can dance to.
The Indy Review 