Spilt Milk with Stacey Pullen

Spilt Milk with Stacey Pullen

29 September, 2011
by: Guest Spot

Joe Brooke-Smith bids Spilt Milk farewell for another summer.

So the British summer is coming to an end and the weather gods have decided to give us a taste of “what you could have won”. It’s the 24th September and warm sunshine is beaming down on London town as I make my way to the Papermill for the Spilt Milk Closing Party: a fitting end to this succession of summertime Saturday afternoons of abandon on Curtain Road.

It’s 2pm and the scene is a little strange to say the least, as a booming 808 beat is echoing around the deserted backstreets behind Bishopsgate. There are random passers by looking over in the direction of the Papermill in a bemused fashion trying to work out exactly what is going on. Beers in hand and sat on a picnic bench outside, taking in the small crowd of happy punters chatting in the sunshine, I’m thinking that a more accurate description of the event would be a “patio party” rather than the grandiose “terrace party”. All we need is a barbeque…

But there’s no angry letter going to the trade descriptions bureau from this reporter. As the afternoon progressed the patio fills up slowly but surely and the buzz builds and before long the atmosphere is definitely that of a terrace.

The line-up assembled is impressive, with the likes of Mark Ashken and Nik and Kaleb gracing the turntables, but there is no question that Stacy Pullen is the main attraction. That said, it’s clear that the gathered revellers are not here just for DJ worship but for Spilt Milk, as they've built up a strong reputation for throwing quality parties over the last two summers.

Despite hailing from Detroit and being involved in some of those mythical labels such as Transmat and Metroplex back in the early days of techno, Pullen isn't really known for his visionary, forward-thinking music like some of his peers from motor city. Pullen has always been known more for his solid focus on the danc floor, and tonight is no exception. The sun is going down as he takes over the decks and the music noticeably steps up a notch. The terrace is rammed out and, looking up at the fading light in the sky and the stark angular buildings towering all around this little space, you think this is kind of unique.

We head out the door and the party is still well and truly in full swing with the beats echoing out onto the now busy streets full of revellers. After two years of parties in the Papermill this is definitely a fitting finale to 2011. Let’s just see what Spilt Milk have got in store for next year!

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