Bete Noire

The dictionary definition for Bete Noire reads; (n) something or someone a person views with particular dislike; from the French meaning; Black Beast; however this play on words couldn't be further from the truth. With a string of fantastic nights and gigs behind them (most notably playing this years Issst NYE bash in London) Bete Noire aka Greg Matthews and Rich Weller, are proving that their deep, hypnotic, tech house, dare we say...minimal sound.. is actually very much liked...In April 2006 Greg and Rich teamed up and decided to create a night and DJ partnership, under the brand of Bete Noire. It was the perfect platform for Greg and Rich to play the music they believed in, be it the progressive house influenced melodies of Loco Dice and the haunting strings of Rekleiner, to the techno/tech house influenced sounds of Blackstrobe and Michael Mayer.In 2006 alone, this resulted in gigs and Bete Noire nights at Inigo, The Custard Factory, Turnmills, Hidden, Departure and Med Bar, playing alongside the likes of Rui Da Silva, Anthony Pappa and Hernan Cattenao. They also managed to secure a monthly residency at Charterhouse in London, on the last Saturday of every month.The year was capped off, however, when they were asked to play at the Issst NYE Warehouse bash and the subsequent after party with Tiefschwarz and the Issst's, Bobby and Kevin. Both, Greg and Rich, have also had Bete Noire mixes played on internet radio shows Proton Radio and Danceradio.Gr, with a pod cast also released on the influential Progressivehouse.com website and a further mix due to be aired on Express FM in February. With their Bete Noire website (www.bete-noire.co.uk) and myspace page (www.myspace.com/betenoirelondon) getting over 20,000 hits a month and their own pod cast up and running, 2006 was a hugely successful first year.2007 has also gone extremely well for Greg and Rich, either as Bete Noire or individually, with slots at Empathy in Bristol at Timbuk2 (with Jim Rivers and Pete Heller), Modernism @ Turnmills (Stacey Pullen, Silicone Soul), Twisted Audio @ The Edge and BoatParty (Luke Fair and Paolo Mojo) and a special night with Twisted Audio in the Soundshaft at Heaven for John Digweed’s ‘Bedrock’ night. The Charterhouse residency continues in 2007 with special guests, including Punchfunk in April as well as a regular residency spot at a new night called Microcosm in London. One of their biggest night’s yet was in May……Bete Noire at the Ministry of Sound, where Twisted Audio kindly inviting them to play in the Baby Box with Sander Kleinenberg. There are also futher nCights coming up with Party Proactive (Dave Angel, Marco Bailey) and Electronic (John Acquaviva & Mike Monday)...it's all good.Bete Noire; something or someone a person views with particular dislike....nothing could be further from the truth.