What started out as a chance sighting of an obscure youtube video quickly morphed into a full on investigation for DJ/Producer Total Freedom. The eye-opening result is Icy Lake; a fascinating short documentary that chronicles the history of an underground anthem. The grainy video shot on August 31, 1997 that started it all details the final night of Arena at NYC’s Palladium nightclub on East 14th Street with Junior Vasquez on the decks. The Arena nights, held on Saturdays which bled well into Sunday mornings, were one of the most popular nights of the club. The Palladium was originally a concert hall before being converted into a nightclub by Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell and Ian Shrader.
Freedom teamed up with LA-based label Fade to Mind and London’s Night Slugs with Director Wills Glasspiegel and L-Vis 1990 at the helm to re-discover the bone chilling House track that somehow came to represent what the Arena nights meant to the mainly gay clientele. We hear from original artists Dat Oven, along with club goers and former Arena host Kevin Aviance. There’s also a revealing interview with the guy that unwittingly supplied the weird, haunting vocals for the track. Check out the full documentary below, along with a few versions of Icy Lake, the tune that started it all. To purchase a track and support the artists, go here. Read the full article over on Thump.
You may also want to check out:
Kill Yourself Dancing :: New Doc Uncovers History of House Music Pioneers
15 of the Very Best Classic House Anthems
Home 
Leave a Reply