Mark Farina

Artists:

The Fruit

September 28, 2024

305 S Dillard St

Durham

9:00

There’s something about house music that makes all of the world’s problems melt away. On Saturday, September 28th Step into The Fruit, where warehouse vibes meet house music. Chicago house legend Mark Farina headlines with a rare extended set, promising an unparalleled journey through his signature Mushroom Jazz and deep house grooves. The industrial space transforms into a sonic playground, with raw concrete walls amplifying every bass line. Setting the stage is none other than Mr. Monopoly, warming up the crowd with his own electrifying selections. Expect hours of funky rhythms, soulful samples, and hypnotic melodies that only Farina can deliver. Immerse yourself in a sea of moving bodies, bathed in a kaleidoscope of black light and good vibes. This isn't just a party; it's a marathon pilgrimage for true house music devotees, featuring one of Chicago's finest exports.

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Mark Farina’s Night of Unity in the Underground

The year was 1994…

Written By:

Angie Dodson

Photography By:

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When Mark Farina plays, you listen

Scratch that, 2024, although you might not know it right away from the number of tinted sunglasses and gelled-up mohawks in the crowd. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll notice a smattering of neon-green nylon and freshly inked cybersigilism tats adorning the younger party-goers. (Look closer just one more time, and you’ll realize they fit right in with the faded tribal tattoos of decades past.) This was the scene at the Fruit on Saturday, September 28th, as a night of nostalgic revelry kicked off.

Flash Horton was the first artist to heat up the dance floor, a devoted and versatile Raleigh-based producer with a vast skill set at his fingertips. With a UK garage-inspired sound, Flash established the grimy industrial feeling that saturated the warehouse space. The floor felt void-like, almost; a sea of black clothes sucking the light out of an already dark room. This obsidian atmosphere left space to sink deeper into the music, with rich, booming bass and funky vocal samples crafting an alluring sound.

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That's that Chicago house in Durham

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The transition into Mr. Monopoly’s set felt effortless. Both grounded in Raleigh, there was a creative synergy between the two artists that showed. He adeptly took the momentum that Flash built and ran with it, stepping it up with more garage and house-based beats. Throughout the hour, his ability to read the crowd had murmurs of excitement rippling through the air as attendees recognized the songs pumping through the speakers. This kind of improv mastery paid off in a distinctive and intimate club experience for those in attendance.

Mr. Monopoly laying it down

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At some point nearing the end of Mr. Monopoly’s time at the booth, I decided to step outside briefly for a breath of fresh air. Usually, you would expect outside the venue to feel calmer, emptier—but this night, something was different. The porch and parking lot were bustling, teeming with celebratory exuberance. A rainbow of colors represented among the masses as revelers arrived to continue their celebrations. Right in the middle of Durham Pride, the show attracted scores looking to keep it going all night long—a diverse and eclectic slice of a city ready to dance until dawn.

Back inside, there was one attendee who, like all the others, seemed to be enjoying the music from the dim expanse of the floor. Nothing would have made this person stick out in particular; that is, until he stepped up to the booth. Mark Farina is an artist who commands attention with his music. A captivating experience, Mark was, in a way, in constant conversation with the audience through airy chords and hard-hitting percussion stabs. The crowd was not shy in their replies either, crying out in exaltation at each moment of rhythmic deliverance. Among frenetic syncopations and genre-bending licks—infusing blues and jazz into his urban Chicago house sound—everyone was engaged and waiting for the next sonic revelation.

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Mark Farina gracing the decks at Durham Fruit

Whether a long-time fan waiting for their dose of synth-laden nostalgia or a fresh-faced partier ready to soak in the sounds, this show had something for everyone to sink their teeth into. That feeling defined the night—expansive, motley, and at the heart of it: a fucking good time.

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