Abel el'toro
| Abel el'toro | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Abel Polo [1] |
| Born |
17 June 1971 Enmore, NSW, Australia |
| Genres | Alternative dance, electronica, house |
| Instruments | Synthesizers, keyboards, turntables, drum machine |
| Labels | Sony, EMI, Creative Vibes, Festival, Polygram |
| Associated acts | The Hoong & I, The Boogaloo Crew |
| Website |
abeltoro |
Abel Polo, known by his stage name Abel el'toro (born 17 June 1971),[1] is a DJ, producer and promoter from Sydney, Australia.
Biography
Early life
Polo describes his Spanish-Australian family as "an artistic family who encouraged creative freedom and individuality". [1] Polo was trained in classical piano as a child, but fell in love with hip hop culture at an early age. He learnt how to breakdance at high school, and entered a Sydney breakdancing competition that was judged by Lucinda Dickey—played "Kelly" in the movie Breakin—and subsequently won second prize.[2]
In 1986, during the birth of house and acid house, Polo attended his first dance party, "R.A.T", which was held at Bondi Pavilion. The R.A.T. experience inspired him to explore the art of DJ mixing with two turntables and vinyl records in his parents garage.[2]
DJ career
Polo made the transition to professional DJing and promotion in 1991—his first DJ gig was at "The Trap Door" in Sydney.[1] Abel was voted "DJ of the Year" by E-CLIPSE Rave Radio in 1992, and the following year, his resident club night, "Stun" at Neo Pharaoh, was declared 1993's "Techno Club of the Year" by 3D World Magazine.[3]
Polo later headlined Sydney's biggest rave parties and festivals, along with DJs Nick the Fish, Jumping Jack, Pee Wee Ferris, GT, Sugar Ray, Paul Holden and Phil Smart.[4][5]
In 1994 Polo toured through India, including Goa and Pune, DJing alongside friend Ray Castle, Raja Ram and Sven Vath.[1] In 1999 Polo embarked on a European tour to visit Spain, and played at Amnesia's Cream in Ibiza. Spain was followed by the Love Parade in Berlin, Germany, and then London, United Kingdom (UK), and Zurich, Switzerland. In 2001, Polo completed a tour of Hong Kong.[1]
In addition to playing at Sydney's Big Day Out and Homebake music festivals, Polo supported the following touring acts at the Hordern Pavilion: The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, Carl Cox, Judge Jules, The Black Eyed Peas, Basement Jaxx, Daft Punk, Speedy J, Fatboy Slim, Paul Van Dyk, Laurent Garnier, The Shamen, The ORB, DJ Misjah & DJ Tim, Lenny Dee, DJ Slipmatt, Jeff Mills, Joey Beltram, DJ Sasha, John Digweed and Deep Dish.[3][6][7][8]
Promoter career
Polo's first event as a promoter was the rave, "All in the Bubble of Yum".[9] Polo's early success in the promotion of events led him to partner with Sydney DJ Ming D for the "Happy Valley" event held at Windsor, New South Wales, Australia, in 1991.[10][11] Along with his brother Alex Polo, he catered to Sydney's rave scene by organising parties in obscure venues, such as the "Midnight Madness" raves of the 1990s (held at the Darling Harbour Fun Park).[12][13]
Polo later promoted various parties, including "Bent", held at the Cell Block Theatre and The Australian Technology Park; "Platform 31", held at Central Station's disused Mortuary Railway station; and "Watch Wyle U Dance", held at The Footbridge Theatre, Sydney University.[4][14] By the middle of the 1990s, Polo and friend DJ Oscar Goldman decided that Sydney needed a midweek club night where "new school" breakbeat and "old school" hip hop could be heard—"Warm Up" at Mr Goodbar was the result.[1] Warm Up, which lasted for six years, helped to launch several Australian DJ careers, and featured regular appearances by The Rapid Fire Breakers.[4][5][15]
Other projects
Polo's first band "The Hoong & I" played a series of live shows from 1994 to 1999, including The Byron Bay Arts and Music Festival, in Byron Bay, Australia, and The Strawberry Fields festival in the Gold Coast hinterland, Australia.[16]
Polo later formed the band "The Boogaloo Crew" in 2001, which recently performed at an ARIA Awards after-party with Jessica Mauboy and Kimbra. As of 2014, the Boogaloo Crew remains active and supported shows for Dimitri from Paris and Pete Tong, as well as club and corporate events, such as Cargo Bar, Home, a Bacardi event at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, and a Google event at Fox Studios, Sydney.[8]
Personal life
Polo enjoys snowboarding and embarked on a DJ/snowboarding tour with Snow Wave New Zealand (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown), as well as Mt Hotham, Victoria, Australia, and Sydney's Perisher Valley.[17]
Discography
Remixing and production
| Year | Title | Artist | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Here we go | Sophie Monk | Warners |
| 2003 | Funk Love | Funk D'void | Arcadia |
| 2002 | Oh Yeah | Sleek the Elite | Bad Fly Records |
| 2001 | My Friend | Post | Cabbage Records |
| 2000 | On the Microphone | DJ Abel el'toro | Homebake – Sony |
| 2000 | Jalima' | DJ Abel el'toro | Mardi Gras – Sony |
| 2000 | The Right Thang | DJ Abel el'toro | Creative Vibes |
| 2000 | Xtermination | DJ Abel el'toro | Creative Vibes |
| 1999 | Keep a Rockin' | DJ Abel el'toro | Groovescooter |
| 1999 | Gypsy Eye's | DJ Abel el'toro | Pacifica Records |
| 1999 | All my lovin' | Johnny Young | Foxtel Classics |
| 1998 | Bedrock | Bifteck / Paul Mac | Festival |
| 1998 | Mommy Daddy | Sidewinder | Polygram |
| 1997 | Breathing through my eyes | Skunkhour | Sony |
| 1997 | All Systems are Go | Paul Mac | EMI |
| 1996 | 4 U 2 Know | JumpingJack | Sony |
| 1996 | Amore | DJ Abel El'toro | Freak Flag Records |
| 1996 | My Sweet Lord | Nina Hagen | Stonewall |
| 1996 | You can run | Collette | Larrikin Records |
| 1996 | Madworld | Alex Taylor | DCM |
| 1996 | Good Fun | DJ Paul Holden | Solar Rhythm |
| 1995 | A Pinch of Psychedelic | The Hoong & I | Psy Harmonics |
| 1994 | Take me up | Southend | Volition |
DJ mix compilations
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Byron Bay Home Invasion | Psy Harmonics |
| 2002 | Live in Hong Kong | Downunderground |
| 2002 | Happy Valley | Downunderground |
| 2000 | States of Dance | Sony |
| 1995 | Mixed Beans Mixes | BPM Records |
| 1993 | Green Acres 2 | Loko Llama |
| 1992 | Green Acres | Loko Llama |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Imagineer Abel el'toro". Sydney Rave History. Sydney Rave History. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- 1 2 "3D World Magazine #475: DJ Abel el'toro Interview". Internet Archive (3D World magazine). Internet Archive. 1 November 1999. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- 1 2 Mixed Beans Mixes DJ Abel el'toro mix CD BPM Records 1995
- 1 2 3 States Of Dance DJ Abel el'toro mix CD Sony Dance Pool 2000
- 1 2 Mixmag Special International Clubbing Holidays 1996
- ↑ Big Day Out Programme 1999
- ↑ Live In Hong Kong DJ Abel el'toro mix CD Down Underground 2002
- 1 2 Catalog Magazine Issue 34 June 1998
- ↑ "All in the Bubble of Yum". Sydney Rave History. 1991.
- ↑ "Happy Valley 23rd November 1991". Sydney Rave History.
- ↑ Michael Park, Gareth Northwood (1996). "Australian Dance Culture by Michael Park & Gareth Northwood". Ohms Not Bombs. Ohms Not Bombs. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ↑ "Midnight Madness 22 February 1992". Sydney Rave History.
- ↑ "Midnight Madness 2 Rave - 3.4.1993 - Darling Harbour Funpark (now the IMAX) - Sydney Australia" (Video upload). Jason Barry on YouTube. Google Inc. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ↑ Juice Magazine Issue 87 February 2000
- ↑ http://abeltoro.com.au/events/
- ↑ "Strawberry Hills 96 - 14 December 1996". Sydney Rave History.
- ↑ "DJ Abel El Toro". The DJ Bureau. The DJ Bureau. 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.