Abel el'toro

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

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

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

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. "Imagineer Abel el'toro". Sydney Rave History. Sydney Rave History. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  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. Mixed Beans Mixes DJ Abel el'toro mix CD BPM Records 1995
  4. States Of Dance DJ Abel el'toro mix CD Sony Dance Pool 2000
  5. 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. 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.
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