Abel el'toro

Last updated

Abel el'toro
Birth nameAbel Polo [1]
Born (1971-06-17) 17 June 1971 (age 52)
Enmore, New South Wales, Australia
OriginSydney, Australia
Genres Alternative dance, electronica, house
Instrument(s)Synthesizers, keyboards, turntables, drum machine
LabelsSony, EMI, Creative Vibes, Festival, Polygram
Website abeltoro.com.au

Abel Polo, known by his stage name Abel el'toro (born 17 June 1971), [1] is a DJ, producer and promoter from Sydney, Australia.

Contents

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, England 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

YearTitleArtistLabel
2004Here we go Sophie Monk Warners
2003Funk LoveFunk D'voidArcadia
2002Oh Yeah Sleek the Elite Bad Fly Records
2001My FriendPostCabbage Records
2000On the MicrophoneDJ Abel el'toro Homebake – Sony
2000Jalima'DJ Abel el'toro Mardi Gras – Sony
2000The Right ThangDJ Abel el'toroCreative Vibes
2000XterminationDJ Abel el'toroCreative Vibes
1999Keep a Rockin'DJ Abel el'toroGroovescooter
1999Gypsy Eye'sDJ Abel el'toroPacifica Records
1999All my lovin' Johnny Young Foxtel Classics
1998Bedrock Bifteck / Paul MacFestival
1998Mommy Daddy Sidewinder Polygram
1997Breathing through my eyes Skunkhour Sony
1997All Systems are Go Paul Mac EMI
19964 U 2 KnowJumpingJackSony
1996AmoreDJ Abel El'toroFreak Flag Records
1996My Sweet Lord Nina Hagen Stonewall
1996You can run Collette Larrikin Records
1996Madworld Alex Taylor DCM
1996Good FunDJ Paul HoldenSolar Rhythm
1995A Pinch of PsychedelicThe Hoong & IPsy Harmonics
1994Take me upSouthendVolition

DJ mix compilations

YearTitleLabel
2007Byron Bay Home InvasionPsy Harmonics
2002Live in Hong KongDownunderground
2002Happy ValleyDownunderground
2000States of DanceSony
1995Mixed Beans MixesBPM Records
1993Green Acres 2Loko Llama
1992Green AcresLoko Llama

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Imagineer Abel el'toro". Sydney Rave History. Sydney Rave History. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  2. 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.
  3. 1 2 Mixed Beans Mixes DJ Abel el'toro mix CD BPM Records 1995
  4. 1 2 3 States Of Dance DJ Abel el'toro mix CD Sony Dance Pool 2000
  5. 1 2 Mixmag Special International Clubbing Holidays 1996
  6. Big Day Out Programme 1999
  7. Live In Hong Kong DJ Abel el'toro mix CD Down Underground 2002
  8. 1 2 Catalog Magazine Issue 34 June 1998
  9. "All in the Bubble of Yum". Sydney Rave History. 1991. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  10. "Happy Valley 23rd November 1991". Sydney Rave History. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  11. Michael Park, Gareth Northwood (1996). "Australian Dance Culture by Michael Park & Gareth Northwood". Ohms Not Bombs. Ohms Not Bombs. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  12. "Midnight Madness 22 February 1992". Sydney Rave History. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  13. "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.
  14. Juice Magazine Issue 87 February 2000
  15. "Events – Abel Toro".
  16. "Strawberry Hills 96 - 14 December 1996". Sydney Rave History. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  17. "DJ Abel El Toro". The DJ Bureau. The DJ Bureau. 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2014.