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Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! |
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DJMag Top 100 Party
Reported by josie
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Submitted 06-11-04 10:00
It’s official… trance is the winner. Being helplessly hooked on trance myself, I always suspected we were cooler than everyone else, over 90,000 people voted, and now it’s been proved. The world’s top three DJs, unchanged from last year, are Tiësto, then Paul van Dyk, and then Armin Van Buuren. The rest of the top ten are Sasha – fresh from the colossal success of Insolver, Ferry Corsten – inching up one place from last year, house DJ Hernan Cattaneo, Christopher Lawrence – America’s biggest home-grown trance DJ, John Digweed – allegedly the best crowd surfer in the business, the behemoth that is Oakie, and American house duo Deep Dish – responsible for the huge track ‘Flashdance’. A third of the top 100 are trance DJs, thought to be because trance lovers love their trance more than, say, house lovers love their house, and hence can be bothered to vote.
So what else did the Top 100 turn up? The Judge at 15, Benny Benassi at 18 as the highest new entry, Tall Paul at 19, and Eddie Halliwell at 25. Highest female was Lady Dana – a Dutch hard dance DJ at 29, closely followed by our own Lisa Lashes at 30. Then Above & Beyond at 39, Gabriel & Dresden at 41, Pete Tong at 46, Fatboy Slim at 51, John ‘00’ Fleming at 52, and just too many more to mention. Hovering just outside the main line-up between 100 and 150 were Rob Tissera, Scot Project, Agnelli & Nelson, Scott Bond, Adam Sheridan, and JFK. Congratulations to all of them.
Anyway, let’s stop all this messing about. You want the dirt, and here it is. The day before the party, my sources texted me to say Armin had won. Hurrah! I thought, having long been a big fan. Then next day, a sheepish text arrives – ‘actually, it’s Tiësto’. Well allegedly… this is what happened. When it became apparent that Tiësto was going to be ‘unavailable’ for the party, despite ‘the world’s number 1 DJ’ being on the billing and winning for a record-breaking third year in a row, the PR machine went into action. The word was spread that Armin had won in order to swing goodwill in his favour. Once no one was expecting Tiësto, the truth was leaked. Frankly, I was happy. A series of freakish coincidences mean that I’ve never actually seen Tiësto play, and in fact no one I’ve ever met really rates him. On the other hand, however, who doesn’t love Armin? He’s been responsible for some truly great tracks, and he is a fantastic DJ. Charitably I’m not going to make a big deal of the one or two ropy mix albums on my shelf. Best of all, he’s just such a dude. So up for it and positive behind the decks. He always gets ignored in favour of edgier, newer DJs, and it shouldn’t happen.
On the night, he played a really, really fantastic set. He’d obviously been instructed, or decided, not to attempt to bring round those who were there for Defected et al and didn’t set off at an absolutely bonkers pace. Instead he spun a perfectly pitched set of user-friendly, accessible trance, ram packed with breaks, electro and progressive influences, and managing to sound exciting, fresh and uplifting. I didn’t recognise much, but it all kicked ass, especially one track sampling a man’s voice speaking and getting progressively more excited, with the most killer build-up and breakdown I’ve heard in ages. Tweaked for a trance audience, you would quite possibly hand over your firstborn to hear it again. As soon as his management e-mail me a tracklist, or my broadband is activated and he plays it on his radio show, I will let you all know what it is.
I’m afraid I didn’t know I would be writing this when I was there so I didn’t venture into any of the other rooms, but I can tell you funky house label Defected had a very nice Batman-style projected logo going on. Very sharp it looked too.
All in all, the evening was a lot of fun. I have to admit there was a bit of a type there though. I’m guessing the media / producer / DJ / hanger-on type. Women in artfully casual outfits (much layering and vintage bits and pieces, since you ask), and lots of young men, almost all with identical haircuts. You know the one I mean – sort of a spiky, semi-fin on the top and a long bit at the back. I like to think of it as an ironic mullet. Everyone was extremely hip as well, sooo much cooler than me, in fact, that I was surprised I was allowed through the door. And while we’re on the subject who should be on the door collecting fivers for Unicef in a plastic bucket, with a jolly nice tan I might add, but Tom, Head of Security at Turnmills. Well obviously, I hear you cry… who else?
It was perhaps unsurprising then that I recognised a fair few faces. Among them James Grant from Anjunabeats, a jolly nice bloke and a fine DJ. Incidentally he was there with Ben Lost, of Euphonic / Lost Language fame, and the vocals on the astoundingly good, Armin-hammered track ‘Jump The Next train’ by Young Parisiens. It’s a small world. Such a small world, in fact, that Gavyn Mytchel was also there. Quite how he does it I don’t know, but Gavyn, cheery resident at Turnmills’ regular Friday event The Gallery, manages to be absolutely everywhere I go, including two separate venues in Ibiza this summer. I wonder who will get the restraining order in first.
Matt Darey made an appearance, celebrating ten years in the business with the release of artist album ‘Decade’ any day now, and also a thoroughly nice guy. I forgot to ask him where he’d come in the list, and it turns out he wasn’t actually on the list, so I’m extremely glad I didn’t ask him… although to be frank I don’t really think he cares much about things like that. Also Gary Ramsden, promoter from ace night Trance Generation, and Pablo, promoter from London’s bigshot regular trance night Knowwhere. It was nice to feel part of London’s strong trance community.
I’d like to think that this will encourage ‘normal’ people (whatever that means) to go to these slightly unusual events in the future. Apart from anything else, it only cost a fiver to see Armin van Buuren play, and all the money went to charity. It was a great atmosphere, in an exciting venue, and it never hurts to rub shoulders with the movers and shakers in the coolest industry in the world.
Dance music… don’t you just love it?
Photos sourced from harderfaster features and archives
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Other Features By josie: It's the Generation game featuring Agnelli & Nelson, The Thrillseekers and Lange Peach at Heaven: Reviewed The Gallery at Turnmills: Reviewed The International Indoor Festival at SeOne: reviewed The double ender: interview with trance legends Darren Tate and Mike Koglin
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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Comments:
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From: allstars on 6th Nov 2004 18:13.52 nice review! btw, tiesto was available for the party and was booked, he cancelled earlier that night! tut tut to him!
From: Joe Black on 7th Nov 2004 14:43.41 Another top review.
From: Shaun on 7th Nov 2004 18:54.12 That track you talk about is the Armin remix of P Diddy's tune with Darren Emerson...can't remember the bloody track name though
From: Rainey on 8th Nov 2004 12:25.25 I reckon the reason ‘Trance’ ruled is because it is popular amongst first timers, just starting out and have the time and energy to go out every weekend.
Also very bad form for the ‘no1’ to do a no show - I had been almost keen to see him play on the night to see why so many people do actually rate him.
From: Tranced_up on 8th Nov 2004 13:04.41 Trance rules becasue its the best. It may rule because more people get into it and take a greater intrest in the DJ's, BUT thats because trance is the best.
Excellent review
From: Shaun on 8th Nov 2004 16:27.10 Its called 'lets get ill' that tune.
A bit of a one sided review imo there was much more to that party than the 1.15hrs of Armin Van....
From: gurning_1 on 8th Nov 2004 17:19.20 Great Review. I dont think it was one sided because 1) The top stars are trance dj's 2) Armin played rather than Tiesto (news worthy) 3) Armin Rules 4) Trance Rules
Great night
From: ~deleted5662 on 8th Nov 2004 23:17.11 Great night........ Set of the night IMO was the Stanton Warriors, who "rinsed out" the other main room!!!!!!
Adam freeland rocked as well even if he wasn't well......... well done to him for getting to No.30!!!
From: dave_irvine on 9th Nov 2004 11:39.50 where is the mention of chris liebing? who made armin look like a poncey pussy!
armin set was ok, seen better tho! his re edit of 'lets get ill; is top stuff tho. but 'jump the next train' is probably imo one of the worst trance tunes about at present. chr
chris liebing was nothing short of amazing tho. especailly when he dropped the ben sims mix of 'inner city-good life'
From: steve_naive on 11th Nov 2004 02:33.06 Tiesto's album Just Be is ambient and dull. And Armin rocks, I saw him play 5 hours straight in San Fran and 4 hours straight in Brisbane last year. And afterwards he came out and was almost embarrassed that people were shouting his name. Just a lovely guy. Tiesto Schmiesto!
From: minced_1 on 11th Nov 2004 13:04.11 Totally ACE review. I agree, Armin Rules - its as simple as that, end of.
Chris who?
Armin for No. 1 next year
ARMIN! ARMIN! ARMIN! ARMIN! ARMIN! ARMIN! ARMIN! ARMIN!
From: superstar on 11th Nov 2004 13:17.46 Oh Yeah - no.1 next year must be Armin. Still PvD is pretty strong competion (can only be a great thing for trance lovers).
Tiesto Schmiesto!
Chris who?
From: superstar on 11th Nov 2004 13:18.42 Oh Yeah - no.1 next year must be PvD or Armin
Tiesto Schmiesto!
Chris who?
From: Prozak on 12th Nov 2004 12:19.35 ARMIN and FERRY are the best dj's going. Trance is a love you have or don't, when you have it, its an amazing journy...
From: Monkey Monkeyson on 17th Nov 2004 09:51.44 bumraft
From: Dirk Diggler on 19th Nov 2004 13:24.35 What a terrible review. James Zabiela played for three hours, showcased his amazing talent, an no mention of him at all.
From: guyster on 22nd Nov 2004 07:32.52 Yep. Second that. Zabiela is a technically better DJ than Armin, Tiesto, and pretty much any other trance DJ around, but then its a popularity contest, not a 'best dj' vote, so who cares? I'm sure Tiesto's 'popularity' in the UK has soared now
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