Match of the Day: DJ Tennis Headlines Soho Garden DXB

Soho Garden DXB is consistently on the ball with its DJ bookings. The Meydan venue serves up another ace this weekend when DJ Tennis headlines. The Life & Death Records boss is a firm favourite with clued-up clubbers worldwide.

DJ Tennis – real name Manfredi Romano – grew up collecting weird records and noisy instruments. While studying computer science at Pisa University, Romano hosted an indie rock show on a local radio station. From tour managing punk bands and organising leftfield music events, he formed DAZE, Italy’s first booking agency solely devoted to electronic music. After chalking up two decades of experience behind the scenes, Romano shifted focus, establishing himself as a DJ in his own right.

In 2010, he formed his own record label. Life and Death enjoyed a terrific start with Disco Gnome by Thugfu**er. Played far and wide, the track’s tooting chords, colourful melodies and loose disco vibe precipitated a move away from the bleak minimal techno of the time.

Manfredi’s A&R skills lie at the heart of his label’s continued success. The imprint is home to a diverse range of artists – from Mind Against and Tale of Us to Recondite, Steve Rachmad and Whitesquare. Manfredi explains: “There’s more a Life and Death approach than a Life and Death sound.”

Liberating

Last year, DJ Tennis invited a number of trusted producers signed to the label to turn in a techno track for a compilation celebrating Life and Death’s 10-year anniversary. The album – Anthems for No State – boasts tracks from Schwarzmann, Luciano Esse, Vivian Koch and Fango. Red Axes, Prins Thomas, Byetone and Gera Akaté also feature. “Not all of the artists are exclusively associated with ‘techno’, whatever that may be,” explained Manfredi. “Everyone took a different direction. But in producing something outside of your comfort zone or experimenting with something you’d never thought about experimenting with, it takes you right back to when you started and so you have nothing to lose. It’s liberating.”

“Sometimes we failed, sometimes we were successful without ever expecting it,” said Manfredi, reflecting on his label’s history. “But we always want to keep things interesting within the manifesto of the label.”

DJ Tennis keeps his DJ sets interesting, too. Find out how when he steps behind the decks at Soho Garden DXB on Friday 10 December. Local heroes Jean B and Jixo & Danz provide able support. Call the venue on (0)52 388 8849 to book your spot.

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