Dan's Papers - May 30, 2008 - Clubgoers Make The Scene At Meta4 Parties

The underground is coming to the Hamptons. On May 31, a cutting edge music scene that has been successfully operating in New York City for the past two decades will finally make its way to the East End. Headed by two visionaries, Mike Rura and Isaac Rashad, this new club option for the more sophisticated 21+ patrons is far from the pop, candy, hip-hop, Rihanna "umbrella" scene.

The East End is a Mecca for creativity and couture, but when the tiki torches blow out and the food has been cleared, do you really want to dance to popular radio songs with young mainstream club-goers? Maybe not. Neither does Rura. So when his series of parties, under the stamp "Meta4," debuts this Saturday, May 31, four New York City DJs will spin some of the best in alternative, electronic dance music at The Garage - a sizeable, state-of-the-art venue at 50 Montauk Highway in Southampton.

Rura, president of the International DJ Guild and a DJ himself, first made his mark on the East End last March when he hosted the Burning Beach Ball at the Montauk Yacht Club. Over 400 people from across the United States and Canada attended the two-day event. This time around, Rura is producing a series of events every other Saturday that will feature an open bar, VIP loft and live performances. The grand opening will include visuals by Glass Bead Collective (shown on large, flat-screen TVs), live entertainment by Groove Hoops and of course, beats spun by Orazio Rispo (Made in Italy), Mic Rage (Kostume Kult), Black Angus (Rhythm Method), and Tarquin (Kostume Kult).

"During the disco age it took a lot of work to locate funk music," Rura explained. "During the hair metal era it was hard to find new wave or Goth rock. There's always a group of people that want more from their night out, musically speaking, than what they hear on the radio." Rura hopes to attract many of the artists, writers and creative types to fuel the scene with their understanding of this concept "by exhibiting their wildest fashions and creative couture."

The theory behind this "participatory culture" is that the patrons are as important to the event as the performers. In essence, attending is a performance in and of itself - Meta4 is the gallery space, the patrons are the art, so fashion is key.

Not sure what to wear on stage? Think Betsey Johnson meets Bravo's 2008 "Project Runway" winner, Christian Siriano. Fierce. Avant-garde. When it comes down to it, there's no dress code but style. Pajamas or lingerie? Women in suits? Men in cocktail dresses? Purple zoot suit? Kimono? Gorilla Suit? Whatever it is, Meta4 embraces the absurd or surreal with a touch of futuristic glamour.

Rashad, an artist manager and promoter from New York City, explained why he and Rura chose Southampton. "We began to notice that the party scene in the city was made up of a lot of creative professionals who were not ready to retire their dancing shoes just because they were now crossing into the 30-something bracket. It's a really large group of people who want to go out and want to have fun. Southampton was a natural choice."

After the advent of the Burning Beach Ball, many local residents who were happy to experience something different in the sometimes lack-luster music and dance scene approached Rura. And just as the demographic for the Burning Beach Ball was comprised of mostly successful corporate executives and professionals, that still holds true for Meta4.

Rura continued, "It's dance music for smart people." For over six years Rura has been a DJ, and said, " I caught the bug when I started collecting music - it didn't seem right to be enjoying such phenomenal music without sharing it." Two Saturdays ago, Rura performed at the Tompkins Square Park Dance Fest to an audience of over 4,000. "I hope that over time, we'll be able to feature dance performances, fashion shows and a variety of other acts that will bring a greater degree of taste to the Hamptons dance scene."

One of the more interesting parts of this underground experience has to be that even if you're not a Hamptons regular or live in the city and don't have a car, there's no need to worry. Round-trip bus transportation is being provided through Hampton Jitney and a pre-party is being provided by Supreme Trading, located at 213 North 8th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

While a "typical" musician creates his or her profile through finding new techniques to manipulate their instrument, the electronic musician works with numeric parameters, spectrum analyzers, one-handed play and audience dynamic. At Meta4 you will find high-energy electronic dance music. Styles include house, electro, techno, drum & bass, minimal techno, EBM, industrial, breaks, reggaeton, alternative, experimental, nu-jazz and acid. Art grows and develops when individuals with a desire to create something new go against the norm and create something beautiful. Given the right circumstances, a subculture creates a new spirit of a generation and this summer, Meta4 gives you that choice.

Sponsors for the event include Blue Point Brewing Company and Wantickets.com. For more information, visit www.meta4longisland.com.