- Dallas' dance music scene features big name DJs, beautiful club venues, electronic music veterans and—true to Texas—the occasional appearance of big, blonde hair. Green Velvet's appearance at Plush in late July was no exception. I've never seen Curtis Jones, AKA Green Velvet, AKA Cajmere live before, but Dallas was familiar. Plush is on downtown Dallas' newly yuppie and well-policed Main Street. Past velvet ropes outside, the venue is long and narrow with a second floor overlooking the dance floor and DJ booth. Shiny surfaces abound—from chandeliers hung overhead to the glossy lipstick painted on the go-go dancers.
Green Velvet came prepared. He arrived just before midnight in dark sunglasses, and he took control of the booth a few minutes later. Using three Pioneer MK1000's, a Pioneer mixer and a mic/pair of headphones, he led the crowd through a set of classic Velvet tracks laced with current underground hits, opening with "Shake & Pop." He dropped Gramophonedzie's "Why Don't You," to a grooving dance floor before dropping "LaLaLaLaLa." He moved out of that song quite quickly, but indulged the crowd with a live performance of "La La Land" that became a singalong between himself and his fans on the dance floor.
Joris Voorn's "Sweep the Floor" came up further along in his set, as did Trentemoller's remix of "Yes Maam (All Night Long)" and Plastikman's "Spastik" before it was time for "The Percolator." "Flash" was another live track performed towards the end of his set, and he closed with the Cajmere remix of Juan Maclean's "Give Me Every Little Thing." "Please me, don't tease me," shouted one dancer as Plush staff shooed everyone out the door. Jones gave us a live performance, acid, electro, techno, and jackin' house tunes, but maybe a night that ends at two is always a tease.