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I just started the first leg of my USA album tour with the first launch party at 1015 in SF which was an amazing experience for me. I’m also really looking forward to the launch party at my new residency at Avalon in LA on June 3rd and playing in Texas for the first time. Straight after that I’m touring Australia & New Zealand from 24th June to 3rd July stopping by Brisbane, 2 gigs in Sydney, Wellington, Perth and Adelaide before flying back to the USA for more tour dates. If you wanna hook up with me on the tour then go to www.mattdarey.com for more info.
Summer in the UK is well and truly in swing and forecasters are predicting temperatures to rival those of glorious 2003. The arrival of blue skies, ice cream vans and fake tan can mean only one thing… it’s time to take trance out of hot, dark rooms, and into the great outdoors. Glastonbury and its ‘dance village’ has been and gone, and will be taking a break next year, but fear not... there’s still plenty of opportunity to ‘ave it large al fresco.
1st - 3rd July sees the Tidy Summer Camp at Pontins Holiday Centre, Hemsby-On-Sea, near Great Yarmouth. Tidy might be more associated with filthy hard dance, but as their Weekender in March proved, they can turn their hand to trance with the best of them. Big names are M.I.K.E. Push, the massively respected producer, Johan Gielen, the Dutch tech-trance DJ who stole the show at the recent Seriousworld II at Canvas, London, Judge Jules and Riley & Durrant. Expect a young up-for-it crowd with a take no prisoners attitude to fun.
Next up is Tribal Gathering on 16th July in Luton, Bedfordshire. Strictly an acid house event, it is included here because it is for a VERY GOOD CAUSE. All DJs are appearing for free, and all profits are being donated to the crisis in Sudan. Dig deep kids and get back to the old-school with Danny Rampling and others.
Global Gathering goes from one to two days this year, and 29th and 30th July see Long Marston Airfield near Stratford Upon Avon open its doors to a galaxy of musical stars. The Global stage is where it’s at – Paul Oakenfold spins on Friday – but it’s Saturday when the real action takes place… German megastar Paul van Dyk, technical wizard Eddie Halliwell, everyone’s favourite Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Judge Jules, Jon O’Bir and London-based Above & Beyond unite to satisfy even the most ardent trance fanatic. Weekend ticket holders will also have campsite access.
Last of the UK dancethons is Creamfields on August Bank Holiday at the Old Liverpool Airfield. Scooping ‘Best Dance Festival’ in the UK Festival Awards, Creamfields is one of the UK’s biggest and best loved festivals. This year the Cream & GoodGreef Arena host Paul Van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Armin Van Buuren, Judge Jules, Eddie halliwell, Above & Beyond, Adam Sheridan, Nu Nrg (live), and special guest Paul Oakenfold. As if that weren’t enough, K90, who delivered a show-stopping hard trance set at the Tidy Weekender, plays a live set in the Tidy Arena. Plus of course the Beyonce Castle, podium dancing and circus performers.
The UK might have the best club scene in the world, but other European countries are actually really rather good at outdoor trance. Germany celebrates ten years of it's first major open-air rave – Nature One – held 30th July to 1st August in Hunsrück. The Open Air Floor hosts Paul Van Dyk, Ferry Corsten and Blank & Jones on Friday, and Tomcraft, Kai Tracid, Westbam, Tillmann Uhrmacher and Nu Nrg on Saturday.
The Dance Valley Festival In Amsterdam on 5th and 6th August is another one that’s upgrading from a single day event. Held in a natural valley providing the perfect acoustics for loud music, Dance Valley is Europe’s largest open air dance festival. Eddie Halliwell, Above & Beyond, Ronald van Gelderen, and Ian Betts spin on Friday, but it’s all about Saturday… with Paul van Dyk and Ferry Corsten on the main stage, Armin van Buuren, Perry O’Neill, Remy, and M.I.K.E. on the Armada stage, and Randy Katana, Adam Sheridan, Ian Betts, E-Craig, Nu Nrg live, and America’s Christopher Laurence on the Eurogrooves stage.
Last up is Mystery Land, Europe’s oldest and probably most famous outdoor festival, and this year held on 27th August in Haarlem, Holland. Three stages (count them… three) feature the cream of European artists, alongside some lesser-known but no less talented producers. Paul Oakenfold, Marco V, Johan Gielen and tech house / trance DJ Benny Benassi appear on the Open Air stage, the Black Hole Recordings stage (Tiësto’s label) hosts Judge Jules, Cor Fijneman, production duo Mark Norman, Mojado (Live) and Mr Sam, and production legends Randy Katana and E-Craig play sets on the Madhouse stage.
And if summer fails to appear, worry not. Next month’s trance pages will give you low-down on August in Ibiza… where it’s always summer. Just how much trance can peak season squeeze in?
Article by: Matt Darey / Harral
www.dareyproducts.co.uk
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