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The vinyl word

Showmanship and preparation triumphed at Spring Love 2006 last Saturday. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LOOP

The precedent had been set on May 5, 2003, when some 25,000 revelers packed the Gelredome Arena in Holland to see Tiesto. Last Saturday's Spring Love 2006 bash at Nankang 101 didn't attract as many partygoers, just over 7,000 according to the organizers, but it was a spectacular show and showed why trance remains at the apex of dance music.

"It's very attractive music, because it has everything in it: beautiful melodies, energy, and it makes you feel happy and emotional, even melancholic. It's basically the best dance music. It's always good vibes," Tiesto told the Vinyl Word. "People go out they want to feel good and have a good vibe."

A genre that pulls legions of fans into it's orbit, trance appeals to a broad spectrum of electronic beat freaks.

"It's always been a global phenomenon since the beginning. In 1992 Sven Vath was playing trance, and you had Goa trance. It's always been the most popular dance music. A lot of magazine and certain critics sometimes write bad things about it and created this anti-trance hype. ? Even if you get a techno DJ who is super credible, you won't have like 6,000 people coming," Tiesto said backstage an hour before his set. He was the epitome of charm, and the consummate diplomat, skillfully dodging questions as to who was the most awkward musician he had worked with.

Despite his reputation as a trance master, Tiesto's repertoire has matured, drawing on influences from a wide range of genres. His set at Sping Love 2006 was innovative.

"I listen to all kinds of music. From the Beastie Boys to Sigur Ros. And in every kind of music I find elements that I can use for dance tracks," he said.

Under the media's glare, and the focus of fans' adoration, some DJs lap up the attention, and develop God complexes. Given the lengths some groupies will go to in the quest to meet their idol, or just judging from the content of top spinmeisters' mail boxes, it's easy to understand why.

"Fans ask me to play on their birthday parties, and on their honeymoons. I get a lot of letters. Girls want to marry me, like 16 year olds," Tiesto said.

Despite the kudos, Tiesto came across as a down-to-earth guy.

Preparing to step up to the decks in front of thousands of eager fans, did he feel the pressure?

"I don't feel that much pressure ... as I have done a lot of things already. I've won 50 awards, there's no pressure in that sense. The only pressure I feel is when I do a new mix album or do a new track -- when I put pressure on myself; I am never really satisfied."

What about the fear of failure? The movie It's All Gone Pete Tong surely represents a DJ's worst fears.

"I used to have those fears. I just don't think about it. When I had just started my career, I thought `my god what if I don't make it, what can I do.' I'd get insecure. I take care of my ears. I would rather do a bad set than over do the monitors and kill my ears. I have insurance. My ears are insured. I don't know what the deal is ? my manager made the deal ? my hands are insured too."
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