sonicshocks

Hardest working man in dance music @petetong is back in the indoor summit room with Swedish techno legend @realAdamBeyer and the brilliant Palestinian DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi to talk about building a DJ career.

“In 2023 it’s not just about music creation, it has to also be about visual creation,” says Patrick, who’s just back from making a unique video with a UK hip hop artist on @helixrecs that “exploded on social media.”

The book celebrating the Crosstown Rebels anniversary “does an incredible job of charting the last 20 years of the underground,” says @petetong. There will also be a film (featuring some of the first interviews with people like @sethtroxler) and tour this year.

“One of the things I learned from Burning Man was the idea of leaving no trace,” says @damianlazarus of the challenges of holding his Day Zero festival in the Mexican jungle each year. “We’re incredibly conscious of protecting the location.”

“My mum always says to me, ‘why can’t you look as healthy as @petetong,” reveals @damianlazarus. “Go to bed earlier,” suggests Pete. “Or just go to bed sometimes.”

“There was a moment I realised I felt most comfortable DJing in places of natural beauty: deserts, jungles, sunsets.” says @damianlazarus. “It’s a more rewarding, spiritual, mystical connection. But I’ve never called myself a shaman!” adds one of DJing’s noted cloak-wearers.

“There was a summer here of some deep experimentation with some new narcotics,” says @damianlazarus “and that led to a weird mixtape which then inspired an after hours in Miami, ‘Get Lost’, initially with 200 people.” Nowadays it’s an annual festival with a 10,000 capacity.

“I just go with my gut these days,” says @damianlazarus, who doesn’t ‘prepare’ for his DJ sets. He’s teaming up with @RealBlackCoffee at @hiibizaofficial this year every week.

“When I look at those old @circolocoibiza posters with my name on the bottom shelf of the line-up, and then think that they went on to trust me to do the closing set for years, it really feels quite special.” @damianlazarus

“I think it’s no secret that I don’t mind an after party,” says @damianlazarus. “Those situations are often where you hear about something cool that’s happening.” “You’re the only one that always remembered what happened,” jokes @petetong

Damian name-checking lost and much lamented London venues like the T Bar in Shoreditch and The Key in Kings X as pivotal to the development of the scene back in the day. Protecting these smaller venues is definitely emerging as a theme at IMS 2023.