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Paul Van Dyk @ Bar Rio July 9th
From the intense production involved in 'In Between' - the artist album he's been perfecting for the last three years - to the high-energy live sets at the world's biggest dance festivals, it's been an exceedingly busy year for Paul van Dyk.
After owning the No.1 position in 2005 and 2006, Paul may have slipped from the top spot this year but the DJ and producer remains one of dance music's most important ambassadors, breaking the mould with his Pure image and children's charity work.
As album titles like 'The Politics of Dancing' suggest, there's a depth to PvD missing from many other DJs.
Spending his formative years in communist East Berlin shaped the artist PvD is today.
"Growing up under a communist dictatorship was definitely going to shape my approach. It was purely through radio that I heard any music; I could listen to it, but I couldn't see any TV stations or hold any records in my hands to even see what the artists looked like."
Paul was lucky to have a grandmother who smuggled records from the West for him - the first by OMD - leading to mixtapes for his mates. Then one crucial tape got handed to a promoter. And after his first gig Paul knew what he wanted to do with his life.
The list of worthwhile causes on his website is almost longer than his extensive gig guide, but it was for his own Ruckenwind project with the Red Cross in Berlin that he was awarded Berlin's Medal of Honour.
When we catch up with him, Paul reveals he had arrived back in Berlin from Las Vegas the previous day. Stepping from the plane he was whisked straight off to a meeting with the Mayor of Berlin and government officials at one of the children's centres he funds.
Sounding exhausted, Paul describes how he did as much research as possible so he could go into the meeting and make as much noise as possible for his other great passion aside from music - a better start in life for kids.
Responsible for drug-free kids all over the world turning up at his gigs in Pure T-shirts, the hardest working man in the industry still actively rejects the tag of trance DJ after all this time. And on his recent fifth album he definitely made the break from trance to something else, more akin to Ferry's 'L.E.F'.
His 60-minute live performance at London's SW4 festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend not only showcased the collaborations on his new album, but won over the 20,000 crowd on Clapham Common, starting with the classic 'For An Angel' and closing with 'Time Of Our Lives'.
Finishing London's largest dance festival at sunset with the sheer beauty of new tracks 'Far Away', 'Castaway' (featuring Lo Fi Sugar), 'Get Back' (with Alex M:O:R:P:H featuring Ashley Tomberlin), 'Talk In Grey', 'Let Go' with Rea Garvey and 'Another Sunday' was an awe-inspiring experience.
The SW4 after-party at Brixton Academy then doubled as the launch party for 'In Between' with more live PAs and fireworks - and the tour has continued around the globe ever since.
Next year will bring more touring and more campaigning for Paul van Dyk. Reflecting on his two years in the top spot, Paul adds: "Being at No.1 hasn't changed anything about what I say, but it gave it more value!"
Please visit www.77002.com for Presale Tickets.
MAIN ROOM
Peter Sajche 9 - 10
Josh Dupont 10-12
PAUL VAN DYK 12 - CLOSE
UPSTAIRS VIP ROOM
Dj Cee 9:30 - 11
Mathias 11 - 12
Benjamin DuBose 12 - 1
Matthew Dunn 1 - Close
PATIO
the patio will have funky house all night longPAUL VAN DYK 12 - CLOSE
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You have to break the rules to break the records...
www.myspace.com/benjamindubose
Last edited by Benjamin DuBose on Jul-07-2008 at 19:31
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