Club Previews

Scooter

HP Baxxter is not as dumb as his band’s music would have you think. The lantern-jawed, peroxide-buzzcutted Scooter frontman has some deep thoughts. He just doesn’t share them via the medium of song. “After topping the charts with our first single ‘Hyper Hyper’, we developed a sportsmanlike ambition to repeat this instant success,” he said in 2013. “Our formula was always the same. Sometimes, however, we’d also release a song knowing it wouldn’t storm the charts, simply because we want to make a statement. But we certainly wouldn’t follow an art-for-art’s-sake policy with Scooter.”

Such high-brow chat might sound surprising coming from a man who basically shouts place names and inspirational slogans over high-energy European house beats. But dig deeper into Scooter’s back catalogue and you’ll find rave versions of Hava Nagila, Scotland the Brave, the theme from The NeverEnding Story, and songs by The Sisters of Mercy and Soft Cell. They even worked the Miss Marple theme tune into their 1996 hit Back in the UK. “In all honesty,” says Baxxter, “you don’t have to be a genius to make music, since the result doesn’t have to be original. It can be a collage of sorts.” They’re basically artists.

The group’s output is unflinchingly bonkers, and mostly involves fists-in-the-air techno beats, an endless parade of enormous synth hooks, and Baxxter shouting “maximum respect to the whole European posse” over all of it. It makes you wonder whether Scooter is all some grand ironic art project: a test to see if the public really will lap up anything thrown at them. See for yourself when the German ravers arrive in the Gorbals tomorrow night for their first Scottish gig in years. And if you feel like laughing at any point, remember: these guys have sold over 30 million records. Joke’s on us.

• Scooter, tomorrow, O2 Academy, 7pm – 11pm, £25

Night of the Jaguar

Night of the Jaguar play weird and enthralling dance music – it’s a description that could just as easily apply to Scooter, but these cats occupy the dark side of the disco ball. This month, their regular party features Leatherette, the Glasgow duo who made their live debut just a few weeks ago at SWG3. Their cold, minimalist beats bring to mind the likes of Factory Floor and Throbbing Gristle, although the Greased Warrior Mix released on Soundcloud on Tuesday shows that it isn’t all detached, emotionless fare they serve up. If it’s anything to go by, look forward to early house and weird, acid synth vibes when they take to the Vic Bar decks on Saturday.

Upstairs in the Assembly Hall, Animal Farm’s first party of 2016 gives Scottish debuts to two well-established house and techno figures. New York deep house DJ Anthony Parasole and shadowy Swede Abdulla Rashim are the guests: both are respected, accomplished selectors, making this party an absolute treat for the discerning house fan.

• Night of the Jaguar, Saturday, The Art School, 11pm – 3am, £4

Hannah Wants

This time last year, Hannah Wants was embarking on her first-ever headline tour. Tomorrow night, she’ll take on SWG3 as a bona-fide superstar DJ, and the UK’s undisputed queen of big, bassy house. Latest single Just, out last Friday on Toolroom Records, is a wobbly masterpiece that features eight-time Billboard Chart-topping vocalist Kristine W. Expect this rubbery, addictive slice of house to be one of the jams of this summer.

In contrast to Hannah Wants’ decidedly modern sound, Saturday sees everything going a bit retro at Finnieston’s favourite studio warehouse. An all-star lineup of old skool rave icons will ramp up the ‘90s nostalgia to dangerous levels: look out for Lee’s reunion with Rodger Hughes as they resurrect Ultra-Sonic for a twentieth anniversary set of “Global Tekno anthems”. Trevor Reilly pops up to play a Hanger 13 classics set, while elsewhere Craig Wilson is on hand to pay tribute to the late DJ and rave icon Tom Wilson with a set of old school bangers.

• What Hannah Wants, tomorrow, SWG3, 10pm – 2am, £20

• 1994, Saturday, SWG3, 10pm – 2am, £20

Gorgon City

House hitmakers Gorgon City specialise in big, brash, accessible EDM tunes and don’t shy away from mainstream success. They’re not the most obvious Sub Club Sunday night headliners but we’ll let them go since it’s a one-off – expect a roll-call of hands-in-the-air dancefloor killers and strong support from local house kingpin and remix maestro Illyus.

• Gorgon City, Sunday, Sub Club, 11pm – 3am, £15