donald glaude: mixed live

BY SAM EVERS

In these times of celebrity DJs (Paul Oakenfold and Fatboy Slim, for example) giving half-assed, uninspiring performances, Glaude is bucking the trend. Coming to the decks looking like a cross between Carl Cox, Wesley Willis, and Bozo the Clown, his energy and emotion infect crowds during his shows, and he plays with the same intensity whether it is to a crowd of 500 or 5,000. Which brings me to the subject at hand. Earlier this year, Moonshine Records sent Donald Glaude to a club called Buzz, in Washington, D.C., to record a live show in front of an overflow crowd exceeding 5,000 people. They called the resulting album Mixed Live.

In general, I am not a fan of live mixes, especially when they entail house music. The vibe on the dance floor can mean almost as much as the DJ who is playing, and while it is almost impossible to capture the raw intensity of seeing Donald Glaude spin live, Moonshine does a great job of translating the excitement and energy of the night into digital form.

Donald's track selection is always impeccable, and this mix is no exception. He combines just the right amount of dance-floor vocal anthems and obscure remixes to interest even the most jaded raver or clubber. Adding to the experience are snippets of crowd sounds, scratching, and Glaude's trademark chants of "peace, love, and shit." Standout tracks on the album include Paul Johnson's "Get On My Camel," Antoine Claraman Presents D-Plac's "Get Up (It Doesn't Matter)," Joshua Ryan's "Pistolwhip," and Smitty and Davenport's "Shake It Up." Instead of spending your money at Toad's listening to corny club music one night, save the cash and buy Donald Glaude's Mixed Live—you'll be amazed. Then go see him the first chance you get—you'll be utterly blown away. (Moonshine)

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