There's hardly anyone who was around in 2003 and didn't get caught up in the pure unadulterated pleasure -- guilty, or otherwise -- of Benny Benassi's mega-hit "Satisfaction". Praised by the likes of Carl Cox, Roger Sanchez and Darren Emerson and played ad nauseum by big-room DJs and radio stations worldwide, this piece of infectious over-sexed fidget house, with its unforgettable vocoder hook, made nuns want to get naked and bust out the glow sticks. And it's exactly this over-the-top hedonistic party vibe that has made Benassi one of the most sought-after and bestselling DJ/producers in electronic dance music.
A veteran DJ of the late '80s Italian dance music scene, Benassi scored his first hit in 2001 with the single "I Feel So Fine" as KMC, a release which would top the charts in Benassi's native Italy and eventually became a number one hit in the UK. This was followed by the first single from his new 2003 album Hypnotica, the aforementioned "Satisfaction", which reached Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and whose massive popularity was due in no small part to its campy provocative video of models in skimpy construction outfits using power tools.
High-profile remixes for the likes of OutKast, Goldfrapp, and Felix da Housecat would follow Benassi's success in the mid-2000s, including a rework of Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" which would earn him a 2008 Grammy award for Best Remix in the Dance category. The same year saw his release of latest album Rock 'n' Rave, with its first single "I Am Not Drunk" and continued nods from The DJ List and DJ Magazine, who have consistently placed him high on their Top 100 DJ Poll. Benny Benassi will be throwing down at club Mansion on Saturday, January 30, where the Eurodance-loving South Beach crowd will no doubt be welcoming his high-energy electro-house grooves with open arms.
Benny Benassi at Mansion Saturday, January 30. 1235 Washington
Ave., Miami Beach. Doors open at 11 p.m., tickets cost $30 in advance
from www.wantickets.com. Ages 21+ with ID. 305-531-5535.