Las Vegas Weekly

July 11, 2009 · 12:16 PM

Disco no-no

By Deanna Rilling

Andy Butler, aka Hercules and Love Affair, spins real vinyl! Though he looks a bit miffed.

Photo: Mikey McNulty / mikeymcnulty.com

Songs with “disco” in the lyrics can be fun (for example, we hate that we like remixes of Lady Gaga’s “Love Game”). Songs that actually sound like disco? Not so much fun.

The news Hercules and Love Affair (aka Andy Butler) would be in Vegas was puzzling. Even seasoned clubbers and electronic dance music fans were like “Wha-? Who’s that?” *Google. Google. Google.* Uh…okaaay.”

Listening to a few tracks prior to the gig at Body English for Godskitchen last Wednesday, one glaring thing was obvious: Hercules and Love Affair sounds like disco. Ew.

So how would the notoriously picky regulars at Godskitchen receive this New Yorker? Would he spin different for our crowd as so many visiting DJs admit they do?

Butler gets cool points for spinning on actually vinyl. No, not those things that look like records but are used with computer programs. This dude had real vinyl records, which he used in addition to CDJs. Sadly, that was the most exciting aspect of his set.

It’s not that Butler was particularly awful, his set just wasn’t all that interesting. Butler did spin a bit more on the electro side, but that distinctive disco sound permeated the duration of the time he was behind the tables.

Lucky for Butler, by the time he went on after a lengthy delay due to setting up the aforementioned turntables, the dance floor was already packed thanks to an opening set by local DJ Jordan Stevens. Butler basically held the crowd on the dance floor, though there was a steady trickle for the exit from folks gathered at the club’s two bars. The only time this reporter’s ears perked up was where a couple noticeable train wrecks occurred.

Apparently it wasn’t Butler’s night and he knew when to cut his losses. Butler ended earlier than most Godskitchen headliners and Stevens closed out the night, much to the delight of the crowd.

Fortunately, it looks like disco isn’t making a comeback, at least not in Vegas. Sorry, Andy. Studio 54 might be a more appropriate venue next time.

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