U.22 x CLUB SAUVAGE : DAX J, ISA TCHESNOKOVA, HÖRA

Five years ago today, a group of somewhat reckless Marseillais decided to take over Dock des Suds and hold a rave as the health crisis was coming to an end. The venue had a reputation for bringing bad luck to collectives, Covid restrictions kept being extended, and pretty much everyone was advising us to stay home and behave. Yet on November 27, 2021, the first SAUVAGE was born. And something had changed.

At the time, Animals Industry already had a few miles under its belt. From our first parties in unlikely venues to monthly residencies at Le Chapiteau, the project had become a small family of enthusiasts, brought together through encounters and shared passions. Behind this adventure was above all QAHOG, its founder, and his rather astonishing ability to believe in people before they’d even had a chance to prove themselves. A funk/disco DJ put behind the decks for three and a half hours of techno without an audition, a last-minute replacement who immediately becomes part of the collective, a young artist invited to play via DM who becomes a year later a mainstay of the crew. APG, Keuj, Yenkov: three different stories, the same trust in instinct. A way of doing things that could sometimes be a little disconcerting, but which ultimately became our greatest strength. Friends became residents, regulars became friends, and this little story began to take up a big part of our lives.

With SAUVAGE, we wanted to think bigger, but above all to offer something different in Marseille. A party that felt like us, with no compromises on the music, the welcome or the artistic identity. Two rooms, two worlds: La Cage and its techno assaults, La Jungle and its explorations of bass and rave. An artistic direction that refused to be confined to a single trend, accompanied by a distinctive, daring and sometimes disconcerting visual aesthetic that gave SAUVAGE its own world. We wanted this party to have a face, a personality, to be recognizable before you even heard the first note.

And above all, we wanted it to exist for Marseille.

Not simply to fill a room or bring in artists we admired, but to contribute to a scene we ourselves were passionate about. To introduce new names, give local collectives the chance to perform on big stages, champion less represented styles, and bring together audiences who didn’t always cross paths. At a time when many were still hesitant to take over Dock des Suds, the first SAUVAGE helped show that the venue could also become a playground for Marseille’s techno collectives. Others ventured there too, and we like to think that, in our own small way, we played a part in that new momentum.

Over three years and nearly thirteen editions, we watched La Cage shake, La Jungle overflow, artists make their Marseille debuts and thousands of people join the pack. But what we remember most from those years are the faces. The ones we saw every month, the ones who came back with new friends, the ones who eventually joined the team. Nights spent putting events together, rushing around, sometimes doubting ourselves, wondering why we put ourselves through all this. And then the doors opened, the music started, and we quickly remembered why.

We won’t tell you that everything was always easy, or that every gamble paid off. But we were lucky to watch something grow into something bigger than us, with you and thanks to you. And in a way, this adventure also gave us the desire and courage to open our own club in Belle de Mai. A new home where we can keep championing music and Marseille nightlife in our own way.

So five years later, we wanted to mark the occasion. Not by trying to recreate the big SAUVAGE parties of the past, but by reconnecting with what has always driven us: music, meeting people and the pleasure of getting together. After spending years looking for venues big enough to contain our madness, we’ve decided to fit it into 450 places. This should be quite a challenge.

And to celebrate, we’ve indulged in a little vinyl collector’s dream: inviting DAX J. A child of the British jungle who became one of the biggest names in international techno, the Londoner has built a musical world with Monnom Black that has been with us for years. Records we collect, play and love, and that have sometimes echoed through our own parties. Seeing him arrive in the intimate setting of our club, far from the monumental stages he’s used to, feels quite unreal. We won’t pretend to be unfazed: we’re like kids in the stadium stands.

And since we clearly haven’t lost our taste for betting on rising talent, we’re inviting Isa Tchesnokova down from the capital to open the night with her hypnotic techno, driven by groove. Founder of Vanta Session, we love her releases and her highly discerning vision of techno, as well as her ability to keep the audience on edge without ever sacrificing the elegance of her tracklist.

Finally, we’ll leave the closing set to HÖRA, a Marseille artist whose musical freedom we love, spanning techno, trance and bass music. An artist gradually making her mark on great stages, she also represents the new local generation we’ve always wanted to champion. Entrusting her with the final hours of this night, after Dax J, seemed like a lovely way to carry the story forward.

Five years of SAUVAGE, thousands of memories, a few more grey hairs, and still the same desire to party together.

To those who were there in 2021, to those who joined us since, to our friends, the artists, the teams and everyone who shared part of the journey with us: thank you.

The pack has grown, but it hasn’t forgotten where it came from. ❤️

—————— TIMETABLE

00:00 - 01:30 : ISA TCHESNOKOVA 01:30 - 03:30 : DAX J 03:30 - 05:30 : HÖRA

—————— INFORMATION

NO TICKETS AT THE DOOR: please attend the event only if you have a ticket Unité.22 reserves the right of admission. Please consult the club’s policy before your visit. No photos or videos inside the club. Smoking is prohibited indoors.

—————— UNITÉ.22 22 rue Jobin 13003 MARSEILLE