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Was listening to an old Judge Jules radio show this morning from 2003. It was a proper throw back, in terms of the tunes but also in terms of how DJ names were being dropped all the way through a Radio 1 show.
Jules talking about how he was doing a club in London and then going to Bristol to play with Ed Halliwell. How Seb Fontaine was on the radio after him. How you could win a guest list place to see Fergie, JFK, Yousef or Oakenfold. John Digweed was playing somewhere in Manchester and Tall Paul was playing in Birmingham.
So I wondered if big name DJ’s were still a thing? Do people still travel to a different city to see a specific name? Or go to a specific night?
Or is this a quaint habit that died in about 2005?
Here we go 🙄
Could just be me but I always got the impression clubbing died during the millennium New Years parties.
All the clubs were absolutely taking the piss in every way imaginable (but mostly prices) whilst massively underdelivering what they promised. After that people realised these people weren't our friends and drifted away from the scene.
I guess the momentum kept things going for a few years but I don't think it ever got back to the peak commercialisation of the late 90s. I could be wrong though. I'd stopped paying attention by 2001.
The Mericans have now discovered what we used to call house music, but they insist on calling EDM. And yes, I know it was them who invented it, but the pioneers of it couldn't get arrested in the US back then.
DJ's like Tiesto now have Vegas residencies and play to huge audiences. To be honest, in true American fashion, it looks absolutely dreadful!
All the clubs were absolutely taking the piss in every way imaginable (but mostly prices) whilst massively underdelivering what they promised. After that people realised these people weren't our friends and drifted away from the scene.
Its a fair point, but I think it also an age thing. Those of us who were going to the original warehouse parties just hit an age where we moved on and got married and got mortgages and had kids and stuff (and started spending too much money on mountain bikes 🤣).
The age thing is why I asked. I stopped doing it about 2005, but that as I was then at an age with a real job and some (looking back, fairly insignificant) responsibilities.
I guess I wondered if it still happened but I’m to old to notice it.
Some of the kids I knew who were a few years younger than me (kids who are now pushing 40) got into Hardstyle. I'm not sure if Hardstyle ever got that big but there do seem to be some pretty massive European festivals.
The age thing is why I asked. I stopped doing it about 2005, but that as I was then at an age with a real job and some (looking back, fairly insignificant) responsibilities.
I guess I wondered if it still happened but I’m to old to notice it.
i was late to the game with (what I'd call) big DJs so didn't ever go to any of the big club nights. But really enjoying the music as a late-40s dad. Paul van Dyk and Armin van Buuren are the only 'superstar' ones I listen to, it's more of the smaller ones like Franky Wah, Marsh, Ferry Corsten, etc that I listen to but can't imagine going to a club to listen to them. Got tickets to an Above & Beyond gig later this year (should I admit that?!) but only tickets I could get were for the seated balcony 🤣
Very few of the big names from back in the day are still going from what I can tell. But there are a few (went to the Hacienda thing in Warrington a few weeks back and Danny Tenaglia was on the line up). Think Carl Cox is still doing the rounds and the likes of Jeff Mills (just names I tend to look out for).
There are a few big names though like Fred again in this generation. A bit more crossover too with people like Bonobo and Bicep doing DJ sets.
Do superstar DJ’s still exist?
Absolutely - check out ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U. Amazing set, young crowd, and he's getting in some Prodigy and some Underworld to show the kids what it's all about.
Very few of the big names from back in the day are still going from what I can tell.
I wasn't expecting many of the names I know to still be around, though I suspect a few are. It was more if the concept still existed and if there were a load of new names that I haven't heard of taking Jules, Pete Tong, etc. place.
No idea but I seem Pete Tong Ibiza Classical Anthems at the Albert Hall a few months ago. Was an absolute tremendous night, I have tickets to see him in Avieka Newcastle next month for a gig but not sure I can make it now. Was at Vernon Kay’s, ok not a superstar, 90s Throwback live on Friday he was pretty good.
Always felt the same about the millenium thing, it marked the first NYE in years where we didn't go to an all-nighter...kinda did our own thing from then on, before drifting off into smaller groups and starting families etc.
Or getting the bike out the shed...
There was a time about 20 years ago where I could look through the lineups at big club events and recognise every name, but just looked through the upcoming events at warehouse project and fabric and only recognised about 5% of the artists at most.
I think these events still do well enough (some of the warehouse project events are sold out) but there are far less of them than there was in my day.
It seems most of the superstars in modern dance music are producers first and DJ's second, and their DJ gigs often involve playing a lot more of their own music, rather than the pure DJ's we had in the past.
There's definitely some big DJs around. Calvin Harris is the biggest, but younger Brits go absolutely mad for Fred Again. Diplo is also pretty massive but American. A bit older but Above and Beyond are in big demand all round the world too.
There's some names that crop up everywhere and are in real demand all the time - Peggy Gou being the main one I can think of.
Annie Mac is another one I can think of.
Jo Whiley still does 90's Anthems sets around the UK in cricket grounds etc and one of my mates tells me that one of the former club buildings have adult raves that start in the afternoon and finish about 8pm.
In the 90's we went out at midnight!
Watch all the Boilerroom sets. Now. Such an easy route back in.
Superstar DJs are bigger than ever. Far, far far bigger than they ever were at the turn of the millenium. It's partly because the scene has gone global - Seb Fontaine et al were never doing much in the USA back then, but now the big names are doing stadiums.
Marco Carola is on £200k a set. Calvin Harris was on $1.2 million a night in Vegas. Steve Aoki, David Guetta etc have reputed net worths in the hundreds of millions. The money nowadays is absolutely ridiculous.
In the 90s, the big names drove their Porsches up and down the M1 to their next gig (or paid a driver £200 for the night so they could get on it). Tiesto's 2017 tour rider specifies what food will be required on the private jet (which must be less than 3 years old, and provided by the promoter). He also needs a security detail, a bulletproof SUV (if the venue cannot be reached by helicopter) and a chase vehicle. And an attractive female bartender backstage. It's absolutely mental.
It's not just Tiesto, mind. Back when I was DJing (for £500 a set) i met a few people who occasionally used private jets. Massive names in the deep house scene of the time (2012ish) but still, they were surprisingly far down the list of meganames really.
Bigger than ever in europe but it's not the same.
Theres a distinct lack of Es and everyone in the crowd is holding a smartphone up to film a guy essentially operating a computer, instead of dancing 🙃
If you follow Graeme Park on Instagram most of the stuff he posts up is all the mountain biking he does
Both of those clips. The crowd isn't just not dancing. They're hardly even moving.
It looks phenomenally shit.
I was at this set... it was mental, they dont do it like that any more...
Theres a distinct lack of Es and everyone in the crowd is holding a smartphone up to film a guy essentially operating a computer, instead of dancing
Kids today,etc,etc 🤣 🤣
The technology involved has replaced most of the skill that used to be involved in dj'ing with auto beatmatching and the ability to mix tunes that would be in the wrong key /tempo and would've sounded awful when mixed on vinyl years ago. Very few these days do vinyl only sets, Carl Cox has recently and Sven Vath still does but a lot of them only use a laptop and mixer these days with quite a few probably used a pre recorded set and dancing around instead of actually dj'ing
Cocaine and social media has done a lot of damage
Crowds much less friendly as cocaine replaced ecstasy and the posing for social media kills the atmosphere
Ibiza is a shadow of its peak
Berlin clubs closing down
Here in Glasgow the scene is significantly quieter than it used to be. Most of the mini festivals that used to happen every summer have died off. Sub Club is still going. The Arches is sneaking back. SWG3 has been impacted by quite a few drug deaths but clubbing in general is very obviously dying off here
Living in the moment..
looks like the war on drugs has been won there anyway
but a lot of them only use a laptop and mixer these days with quite a few probably used a pre recorded set and dancing around instead of actually dj'ing
Not a bad nights work, getting paid over a million to essentially press play on your laptop to a crowd of awful, pissed up frat boys
hose of us who were going to the original warehouse parties
When I were a lad you were lucky to have a field to put your party in.
You youngun's with your warehouses that you broke into you don't even know you're born!
I'd insert a picture of grandpa simpson shaking fist at a cloud, but I'm too old to make the internet work.
Sure is bizarre, going to a dance music event and not dancing, just recording it on your phone. I'll never understand that!
Living in the moment..
looks like the war on drugs has been won there anyway
Hahaha...
I just don't get it... I've seen more exiting Sunday services at my local CofE.
It's not the djs fault though, people seem to just want to go to events like that so they can post pics on social meeja.
Expensive photo op if you ask me.
Dreamfields in Spain was much the same, just a bunch of lemons stood around holding their iPhones in the air.
Sad.
Carl Cox is still doing the rounds
He seems to be mostly concentrating on his racing team, see him a lot on telly at various motor sports things with his team!
a lot of them only use a laptop and mixer these days with quite a few probably used a pre recorded set
Yep. Very common at the big US festivals from what I hear.
It's difficult to get the fireworks, the lightshow and the visuals all running in sync with the music otherwise!
Some of the kids I knew who were a few years younger than me (kids who are now pushing 40) got into Hardstyle. I'm not sure if Hardstyle ever got that big but there do seem to be some pretty massive European festivals.
I love me a bit of tidy boys,, Lisa lashes etc. but that's about as hard as I go lol!
I still go out clubbing once every month or two. I used to be out every weekend for most of the 90s but the stamina isn't what it was. There are still some great nights that capture some of the old energy. I prefer places that put a sticker over your camera phone as this forces people into the moment. Some of the bigger venues like Printworks (RIP) and Drumsheds have epic lineups but are so big they lose the atmosphere although as a venue Printworks was epic just for the incredible setting and light shows. Theres a lot of the DJs from back in the day still doing the rounds, Saw Carl Craig a few weeks back and have seen both Jeff Mills and Marshall Jefferson in the past year.
It's not the djs fault though, people seem to just want to go to events like that so they can post pics on social meeja.
Blame the promoters I reckon. I mean, David Guetta sucks but the event organisers are the ones who hype that rubbish up so far that people want to tell the world they were there.
What you want is to suspect you may have been somewhere like here but who knows, it was all a bit blurred and sweaty and why would you be thinking of fumbling a phone at that point.. (I know, didn't have 'em then)
Classic clip. If you were in the clubs in the north west in 1990-1992 you knew what it could be like. I would have gone in the late 80s but I was born about 5 years too late.
Yeah I remember some night at nation in Liverpool.. That was pretty mental.. We ended up in one of the smaller bits.. Can't remember what dj it was but it was banging.. That might have been lisa lashes, or similar, I can't remember,, and I'm glad I don't have any photos hahah!
As we're reminiscing
Friday, Gods Kitchen at The Sanctuary or Storm at The Emporium in Coalville
Saturday, Sundissential at The Que Club, or maybe a trip North to Passion at the Emporium or Cream in Liverpool. Or if Sundissential was doing it's afternoon slot it was Wobble at The Steering Wheel after that.
Then Sunday you'd be dead on your feet and someone would suggest Polysexual at Air knowing it was a terrible idea and off you'd go.
I was going to finish by asking how we had the energy for such manoeuvres, but I think we all know the answer to that...
Well if we're going down this route...
I was listening to this the other day. i was there at the time. The roar of the crowd around the breakdown at about 1 hour 57 is proper hairs on the back of the neck stuff for me.
The fact that I was there on Easter weekend during the final year of my degree - I'd had to go on my own, because all my friends were sensibly knuckling down and getting on with their degree work, and I ended up at some random's house across Manchester with no idea how to get back to Salford - possibly goes some way to illuminating why I ended up with a drinker's degree.
I had a lot of fun, mind. I even still remember some of it.
Lunge that is WAY more hardcore than I ever was! I struggled to do two nights in a row, let alone two nights without sleep. Not that I never tried!!
The Emporium in Coalville
I never went there, but one thing that really strikes me about the 90s is how many clubs in random little places there were, that were able to sustain proper big nights out. Todd Terry in Coalville. Paul van Dyk in Hereford. I guess it was easier before DJ fees went mental - you could pull together a £2000 fee from a 500 capacity club fairly easily. By the early 00's I remember the owner of Sankeys telling me that Erick Morillo wanted £20k, MAW were £15k. You really needed a capacity of 1500 (and be sold out) to even have a hope of breaking even.
one thing that really strikes me about the 90s is how many clubs in random little places there were, that were able to sustain proper big nights out
It not like they made much behind the bar either. A bottle or 2 of Becks early doors and then a lot of water if memory serves...
I was chatting with someone yesterday about The Emporium in Coalville as she was a regular there around the same time I used to go. Some amazing nights were had there. I was never that into Storm, the harder stuff wasn't my bag. My favourite night out had to be The Bomb in Nottingham for Tyrant. Sasha, Craig Richards and Lee Burridge who are pretty much all superstar DJs in their own right. I think they are all still doing the rounds.