- Motor City Electronics has been a regular presence in Glasgow's clubbing calendar for the last 18 months or so, inviting some of Detroit's most respected artists to play at La Cheetah Club. Though few locals need a refresher on Omar-S's countless classics, his infrequent trips to Scotland mean that this latest visit was especially welcome.
Omar-S had three hours to play, but he began his set as if he only had one. After the opening 20 minutes, Ron Trent's "Altered States" began a series of tough, Pump Panel-esque acid bangers, each one juddering into the next with increasing ferocity. This was a breathtaking, almost reckless approach to DJing, and everyone was swept up in its energy. An almighty roar of "Omar, Omar, Omar fucking S" gave the club's Funktion One soundsystem a run for its money.
This explosive, hour-long volley slowed down at last with the warm, soft bass tones of Omar-S's own "Be Yoself," which gave everyone a breather from jumping around and, in one case, crowdsurfing. Our man kept a tight rein on his crowd-pleasing back catalogue, using tracks like "Wayne County Hill Cop's" only to shift gear as and when necessary. This economical approach extended to his presence in the booth as well: he cued up, adjusted, and selected records with small, careful movements, in contrast to the 300 or so people jumping, dancing and yelling in front of him.
Omar-S spent the rest of the night digging through raw, rich '90s house records (the sweeping, ballad-like "I'll Say A Prayer 4 U" from the Burrell Brothers was a particular highlight), along with the occasional surprise, my favourite being Koto's gleefully daft Italo classic "Visitors." With every congratulatory hand and smartphone thrust his way, Omar-S's initially studious expression dissolved into a smile. By the end, as he joked around and posed obligingly for photos at the side of the booth, he looked like he was having as much fun as everyone else.