It was well after sunrise when partygoers began streaming out of the Nile Hilton's Latex nightclub last Wednesday morning. They had been up all night dancing to the beats of three of Cairo's big name DJs, who were battling it out for the number one spot in Egypt's clubbing hierarchy, and the chance to play alongside legendary DJ Roger Sanchez. Mohamed Ragab, Amir Wahbi, and Sherif El-Seyoufi (DJ 'Cheetos') contested the first heat of the Heineken Thirst competition, and the trio seemed to thrive under the pressure of both the occasion and the expectations of the crowd. Although each of the three specialize in a variety of different sounds and styles, House music was the weapon of choice for the competition. Slated to start at 11pm, Mohammed Ragab had to wait for the 'fashionably' (three hours!) late bulk of the crowd to arrive, before he stepped up to play his set, the first of the competition. The delay only heightened the suspense and excitement - and indeed the consumption of free Heineken -as Ragab's beats began to filter out around the club, Latex shifted into party gear with some momentum. Within seconds the dance floor filled to capacity, and the murmur of people chatting was drowned out by thumping tunes, pierced with the wolf whistling and shrieking of exuberant dancers. After playing for over an hour Ragab left the stage to rapturous applause. Although his sets usually include a number of other sounds like funk, he was pleased with his performance, and confident of qualifying for the next round. "I do play some house, he said, "but also I play more funk and other styles. It wasn't easy playing only house music, but I'm happy with how it went. Amir Wahbi followed with a set that included a number of rehashed and remixed 90's dance tunes, and with a tone overall more upbeat than Ragab's. In your correspondent's modest opinion it was the pick of the evening, though that is not to take anything from Wahbi's successor and people's favorite, Sherif El-Seyoufi. Considering the late hour, there was the possibility of the crowd waning as El-Seyoufi took to the stage. But any concerns were briskly swept aside as the young Cairene, also known as DJ Cheetos proceeded with his set in a manner so confident he seemed almost oblivious. The dance floor swung into life once more as a series of vigorous electro-house tunes kept Latex on its toes for well over an hour, during which one of the bars ran out of Heineken - a considerable feat given how heavily stocked it was beforehand. The competition made for thirsty work. Third time proved the charm as it happened, with El-Seyoufi running out the eventual winner. There was hardly space to breathe on the dance floor as the affable MC, Mark Power, called him back to accept his victory. If El-Seyoufi gets through the next round he will not only play alongside Roger Sanchez at the official Heineken Thirst party, but will also get to DJ at one of Amsterdam and Europe's biggest clubs. And although he will be coming up against some big hitters from the clubbing circuit in the next round, he remains quietly confident. "I'll just play my set and see how it goes, he said. "I'm very happy with how it went tonight, so I feel good about the next round. "It would be amazing to play beside Roger Sanchez. Given the quality of competition so far, Roger Sanchez shouldn't be too displeased himself.
