Otterotation: Erin O’Connor and Wesley Holmes at Train Car House Party

Photo/meme by Christina Wright

You’ve probably heard of the Train Car House Party by now, a free party held in a set of conjoined train cars attached to Orient Express, a Chinese restaurant in the SoDo neighborhood of Seattle. TCHP is run by the fabulous Erin O’Connor-Drew, Patrick Hernandez and Bryan Jarr, who wanted to create something in a kitschy, unknown venue simply for the love of house music. Since then TCHP has become both an institution and a bit of a who’s who in the Seattle house world. Where else can you come get drunk on gay bar-strength cocktails to some of the best house music in down…on a frickin’ train?

I’m pleased that TCHP has recently released some live mixes of one of the recent parties, and have been eating them with chop sticks. First aboard is Erin O’Connor with a snippet of her own live mix. The vibe is jazzy, funky, and erudite, like Erin herself (Eridute O’Connor? She is quite learned in the ways of house). I wish this mix could have gone on for at least another hour–I love it when sisters do it for themselves:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/93916900″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Flammable’s Wesley Holmes, Erin’s chosen DJ brother & co-conspirator, is now also aboard on the TCHP express and apparently will be a more official part of the party. He just released this mix from that same night, fat with melodic chunky basslines and infectious house vocals. It’s SO Wesley…check it:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/93650997″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

The next TCHP has just been announced: a special Gay Pride edition with local DJ legends and husbands Riz Rollins and DJ Lux (aka Rob Green)!! This will be a first class ticket, all the way to heavenly bliss, one suspects.