Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Indefatigable bpm:tv blogger gets to know Greek-born house DJ/producer Orelse (a.k.a. Orestis Papavasiliou) — part of a new generation of rising European EDM talents.

GOSIA MRUGALA: Hey, Orelse! What have you been up to lately?

ORELSE: Hello everybody! Past two months I am always on the road, spreading my “Deep Is Love” parties along Greece. I’ve been to many places, had some great parties, met wonderful people who truly love music. Other than that, when I have time I am in my studio. Just finished a new track of mine and a remix that I am really happy about.

GOSIA: How would you describe your musical style?

ORELSE: My style is always balanced between deep, sexy sounds and groovy ones. I play everything from deep house to classic house, and sometimes a little bit of tech house with tribal elements included. I want every set I make to be like a journey. You start from somewhere and there is always a destination to reach.

GOSIA: So tell me more about “Deep Is Love.”

ORELSE: “Deep Is Love” is a track of mine that was released in 2012. It’s a deep house track that got great worldwide support, so I named my parties after it. Either way, this is the music I play and I found the title more than suitable. The “Deep Is Love” parties will soon be celebrating their one-year anniversary. We’ve been to so many places that I feel blessed. We are also starting to expand them outside Greece soon, with gigs in Europe, the USA and probably Africa as well.

GOSIA: Which producing software do you prefer?

ORELSE: I am a bit of a vintage guy to be honest. I use the old Kinetic, along with Project 6, Virsyn Tera, Darbuka and sometimes Reason. Although I always try new software, these ones just feel like home.

GOSIA: Your top 3 tracks at the moment?

ORELSE: (1) Orelse – Eye Sea You (Original Mix): This one is coming soon on Underground City Music!  |  (2) Stefano Amalfi – Tonk (Original Mix): An all-time favourite!  |  Tim Deluxe – Transformation (Original Mix): A favourite also.

GOSIA: What influences the musical selection for your live sets?

ORELSE: I don’t think there’s something standard about it. I never have a particular pattern that I should follow. I just want to have fun when I play and I am always pushing to that direction. If you have fun, then people will have a good time also, because they get your vibration and positive vibes. It’s a chemical thing like love. You give and you take back and we all get lifted along the process.

GOSIA: How do you find a balance between music and your personal life?

ORELSE: (Laughs) There is no balance, to be honest. Music is life, my mind and heart — wherever I am or whatever I’m doing are combined with it. My friends and family are good with it ! Music is personal, you know…

GOSIA: What is one hobby that your fans would be surprised to learn you enjoy?

ORELSE: I really do enjoy fishing. It feels so calm — the sea, sunset, waves are a combination that makes my mind relax. I don’t really care if I catch any fish — it’s an excuse just to be there !

GOSIA: The summer of 2012 was mind-blowing. Any predictions about summer 2013?

ORELSE: I think this summer will be even better than the previous one. New music, good people. And the Greek islands are a must destination to have a good time and expand your mind.

GOSIA:  Can you tell me about any upcoming projects or collaborations?

ORELSE: I have some new releases that will come out on Wet Recordings, Underground City, Clubshine, Avatone and other labels. Did a remix for Mikael Delta that I am really proud of and honored — it will be released probably in June. Other than that, we have a lot of parties planned in Greece, plus some surprises that will be announced soon!

GOSIA: Where do you see yourself in five years?

ORELSE: Probably in Berlin, still expanding my music and getting the Deep Is Love name out there!

KEEP TABS ON ORELSE:

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  YouTube  |  SoundCloud  |  Mixcloud  |  MySpace  |  Resident Advisor  |  Beatport  |  The DJ List  |  Top Deejays  |  Deep Is Love Events  |

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Made plans yet for New Year’s? Why not spend it with bpm:tv?

To celebrate a watershed year for EDM in North America, we’ve lined up a series of specials showcasing the most exciting and important sounds of 2012. We’re gonna be the New Year’s destination for anyone who wants to hear the biggest hits and relive the most memorable moments of the year that was.

Here’s what’s in store:

>THE HOT 20 OF 2012
Airs: New Year’s Eve from 4 pm to 10 pm ET | New Year’s Day from 10 am to 4 pm, repeats starting 12 Midnight ET
bpm:tv’s Hot 20 Dance Chart is the definitive weekly guide to the dance tracks rocking clubs around the world. This two-part special recaps the best of the year’s best: the monster hits that scaled the upper reaches of the Hot 20 in 2012, from David Guetta’s anthemic “Titanium,” to PSY’s inescapable “Gangnam Style,” to Swedish House Mafia’s swan song “Don’t You Worry Child.”

>NEW YEAR’S DANCE PARTY 2012
Airs: New Year’s Eve from 10 pm to 1 am ET, repeats from 1 am to 4 am ET
bpm:tv bids farewell to 2012 with a three-hour commercial-free dance mix featuring the year’s biggest club hits, plus a sprinkling of last year’s smashes, and all-time classics from the likes of Daft Punk and Kool & The Gang.

>THE TOP 100 DJs of 2012
Airs: New Year’s Day from 4 pm to Midnight ET
This four-part special reviews the results of this year’s Top 100 DJs poll, the authoritative global ranking of electronic dance music’s most popular and successful artists, and highlights career-defining tracks by every major performer on the list, from Avicii to Zedd.

Don’t forget that bpm:tv is in free preview right now on Videotron and Eastlink, so if you’re a customer of either service, you can tune in to catch bpm:tv free of charge throughout the holidays. You’ll find us at channel 166 on Videotron, and channel 177 on Eastlink.

Happy holidays!

There were hundreds of candidates, six finalists … but there can only be one host. Meet RENE ESCOBAR, winner of bpm:tv’s coast-to-coast Casting Call 2012, and the new host of bpm Spotlight!

Watch for Rene on-air in the new year. And keep your eye on this blog: he’ll start posting here soon!

Don’t forget to check out Rene’s Tumblr. And like the man says, “Stay beautiful.”

Join the Coco’s family, friends, staff, beach goers and frenemies for LIVE FROM COCO’S GRAND BEND, a Canada Day broadcast featuring the stars of the bpm:tv series GRAND BENDERS — and owners of Coco’s Grand Bend — Mickey, Nancy and Justin Rapaport.

The one-hour event will be hosted by Jorie Brown of bpm:tv’s Back @ Ya! and simulcast live online at bpmtv.com. HERE’S THE LINK.

Start time is 1 p.m. sharp, Sunday, July 1 at Coco’s, 62 Main Street, Grand Bend. The public is welcome to attend.

LIVE FROM COCO’S GRAND BEND promises to be a lively our of interviews, stunts and all the other things that make Coco’s … well … Coco’s.

The run-down includes live interviews with the stars of GRAND BENDERS, bunny tricks with Coco’s mascot Princess Coco, accordion playing, a mixology lesson, and a rummage through 25 years of Coco’s best “lost and found” items.

Immediately after the live broadcast, bpm:tv will stream GRAND BENDERS Episode One, “Chaos.”

LIVE FROM COCO’S GRAND BEND celebrates the 25th anniversary of Coco’s, a one-of-a-kind hotel, nightclub, restaurant and bar located on “the strip” in Grand Bend. Purchased in 1987 by Mickey and Nancy Rapaport, the family-run business is a hot-spot destination for young people and families alike seeking an escape from the city.

Over the years, Coco’s has also been a training ground for hundreds of local kids who live the Coco’s “work hard, play hard” ethic while undergoing a unique beach town boot camp, involving sleep deprivation, caffeine and cigarettes, liquor, love stories, misbehaving, and lifelong friendships.

During the live broadcast, online viewers can submit questions to the GRAND BENDERS cast using Twitter and #grandbenders or by posting a message to the GRAND BENDERS Facebook page.

LIVE FROM COCO’S GRAND BEND is produced by MDF Productions and Eventstream.

Posted by Brian Hamilton

SEE THE FULL PHOTO GALLERY

It was Moulin Rouge with a sexy electro-dance twist at the Electronic Cabaret hosted by the Mod Club last Friday. The first thing I (or any red blooded male) would surely notice when walking in to the club was the sheer number of overwhelmingly gorgeous burlesque dancers everywhere, all warming up for the show. Kalen somehow maintained his composure while interviewing these beautiful girls, and I began snapping away.

Then the music came on and the show began. My full attention was drawn to the stage by these sexy dancers, moving to the pulse of a house music mashup. The audience began yelling and cheering — and the show grew more and more interactive as the night progressed.

There was a talented contortionist/singer hanging in the middle of the room and a glowing neon-suited dancer who added to the theatrical presence of the show. The audience all seemed stylish and well-dressed for the occasion, and knew exactly what they were there for: a full-on cabaret experience. At one point a very lucky guy found himself seated in the middle of the stage, teased by 40 stunning women (one wielding a whip) — a funny and entertaining highlight of the evening.

The show was put together by the Chic-A-Boom Room (a partnership between Carla Catherwood of Nuvo-Burlesque Dance and Laura Furtado of DivaGirl Entertainment). If you spot upcoming dates for the Chic-A-Boom-Room and you are in the mood for some out-of-this-world sensual entertainment, then be sure to put on your smartest outfit and get your ass to the show!

All Photos By BRIAN HAMILTON. See the complete Photo Gallery HERE

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Happy June! The warm weather’s here, and that means one thing: festival season. Hope you can get out to at least one of the summer’s big fests — but if not, just remember that bpm:tv is always here, 24-7, to fill all your dance music needs.

Oh, and here’s some good news. If you’re an MTS customer, you can enjoy bpm:tv in free preview until June 30. That’s a whole month of Grand Benders, the Hot 20 Dance Chart, Back @ Ya!, Pop Profiles, The Stafford Brothers and more, all free free free of charge.

During the free preview, you can find us on channel 30. Our regular channel listing is 312, and we’re part of the Music theme pack. Go to MTS.ca or phone 204-225-5687 (204-CALLMTS) to subscribe.

Don’t forget to visit bpmtv.com or our Facebook page for programming highlights and other updates.

Electronic Nation Canada presents the Digital Dreams Music Festival powered by Rogers at The Flats @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre in Toronto on June 30 and July 1, 2012.

The first-ever multi-day EDM festival in downtown Toronto, Digital Dreams will feature full sets by Kaskade, Afrojack, Duck Sauce, Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Steve Lawler, Alesso, Major Lazer, R3hab, and many more.

bpm:tv wants to send you and a friend to Digital Dreams! We’re giving away five pairs of tickets – plus, as a Grand Prize, one pair of VIP tickets! (Travel not included.) CLICK HERE to find out how to enter our Digital Dreams contest.

Contest closes Monday June 18, 2012.

CLICK HERE for more information on the Digital Dreams Music Festival.

Posted by Christina Dun

The Toronto Argonauts Cheerleaders took a break from prepping for the upcoming season recently to pose for a calendar photo shoot. I joined the danceNEWS team to see what goes on behind-the-scenes. And after hearing about the 18 hours that the cheerleaders spent in the studio the day before, I’ve got to admit, it sounds pretty tiring. In all, there are 40 girls who will be part of the calendar: that’s a lot of energy, beauty and pep packed into 12 pages.

From the hair to the make-up, the girls were picture-perfect for their moments in front of the camera. Craig Boyko was the lucky photographer who got to shoot the girls lounging in a mini pool full of footballs (as one does). I’m sure many of the guys on our team here at bpm:tv would have gladly volunteered for the job.

Kalen caught up with the cheerleader squad’s head coach — and host of bpm:tv’s Back @ Ya! — Jorie Brown, who gave us a tour of the studio and showed us what goes into one of these photo shoots. She took us into the make-up area, where Wendy, from Inspire Cosmetics, chatted about the looks they were going for. Kalen even got a little touch-up before his turn in front of the camera.

The girls seemed to enjoy the experience, even practicing their routines while waiting for their set-ups. (Now, that’s dedication!) There’s a big season ahead, which will climax with the 100^th Annual CFL Grey Cup at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on November 25. Be sure to stay updated with the Argos cheer squad by following them on Twitter (@ArgosCheer), and keep an eye out for the 2012 calendar.

See the full photo gallery HERE. Follow Christina Dun’s blog HERE.

Posted by Scott Willats

Back to work. A crazy long weekend for most of you ravers — and I hope even those of you who were stuck working managed an hour or two for yourself, to enjoy the spectacular weather. Talking to a few friends of mine, it sounds like the long weekend’s hot spots were the Exodus Festival in Las Vegas (featuring Gareth Emery, Robbie Rivera, LMFAO and Arno Cost) and, closer to home, the beach town of Grand Bend, Ontario — better known to readers of this blog as the setting for bpm:tv’s awesome new original series Grand Benders. And if you couldn’t make it to either of those destinations, I trust our Friday playlist helped to take your backyard BBQ or up-north nightcap to the next level.

Yeah, so what you got for me now? Rest assured, I got some great new tunez that I’ll be relaying throughout the week. But first, I want to pass on this stellar EP teaser from Autoerotique that dropped about a month ago. Each of the three tracks is special, and each is completely different from the others. Give it a taste test, and show your support for Canadian artists by copping this when it drops in June.

Autoerotique – EKG Promo Mix: LISTEN TO IT HERE

While you’re at it, check out the bpm:tv Web Exclusive we shot with Autoerotique some weeks back, at the Chris Lake/Michael Woods show, brought to you by Provoke.

Follow Scott Willats (SAWStruck) on Twitter

bpm:tv producer Declan O’Driscoll went to Miami last month and all we got was … this frickin’ awesome photo album. Check out Declan’s amazing behind-the-scenes images from WMC 2012, featuring the likes of Steve Aoki, Skrillex, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, BT, Jes and many others — and stay tuned for a special Miami edition of bpm Spotlight, coming soon. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PHOTO GALLERY.