Gatecrasher two-for-one reader offer
Clubbing megastars 2manydjs will start the countdown to midnight in Birmingham when they headline Gatecrasher on New Year's Eve. We've also got a special two-for-one offer for readers of www.shropshirestar.com
Clubbing megastars 2manydjs will start the countdown to midnight in Birmingham when they headline Gatecrasher on New Year's Eve.
We caught up with founder Stephen Dewaele to learn about his plans. We've also got a special two-for-one offer for readers of www.expressandstar.com and www.shropshirestar.com
Simply click here for details. You must purchase two tickets and enter the promocode SPECIALOFFER into the box for the value of one ticket to be deducted.
2manydjs are a clubbing institution. You have a reputation for XXXL sets that are big in size, scale and sound. We're guessing your New Year set will be the biggest and best ever?
Stephen: (laughs) Well, you know how we like to surprise people. So, maybe this year, we'll do something really small. (laughs) No, we're up for it. It's going to be huge. This will be our Gatecrasher Birmingham debut and we don't want to let anybody down. We want to make sure people have a good time and enjoy a great party. People have high expectations – it's up to us to deliver.
As a dj, what's the biggest difference between playing a set on New Year's Eve, compared with any other night of the year?
Well, to be honest, we don't do anything any different. People want us to play for a reason and we make sure we don't let them down. The biggest difference is the crowd. Their expectations are through the roof because it's the biggest night of the year. New Year's Eve is the one night in the year when people do drugs – or, in some cases, where they don't do drugs – it's the one night of the year where they dress up, it's the one night of the year where they hit the town. You get a different crowd, it's not just clubbers, it's people from all walks of life. The crowd makes a huge effort, so we do as well. We don't do things differently, but we try to make sure we take into account that the people who are there aren't necessarily regular clubbers.
And will you be dressed to impress – white suits, shirts and black bow ties?
Man, I love the white suits and bow ties. I hadn't actually thought about what to wear, but now that you've mentioned it, I think we might. It would look cool.
You and David have a reputation for being among the world's hardest working djs in clubland, both as 2manydjs and Soulwax. Do you ever slow down?
(laughs) I wish we did. This year has been crazy. We've been mixing a new album, we've been on the road. Our life is split between the UK and Belgium, we are based half in one and half in the other. We've just got back from a tour of South America. So, no, I guess we never stop.
Did the project allow you to explore other aspects of your creativity?
I guess, I'm just into anything that excites me.
You remixed for a bunch of people, like Gorillaz, The Klaxons, Kylie Minogue, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and many more. Any plans to do more of that work?
We haven't done remixes for a long time, in about a year, mainly because of our radio work. For us, remixes have always been about being able to mash up other people's music, that's our motivation, we like to smash it up. It's a bit like an exercise. The only rule that we is have is that when we do a remix we have to be able to mix it in one of our sets. We have to be able to play it to our audience.
When you play Gatecrasher in Birmingham, you'll be playing to a huge audience. How much do the clubbers inspire you?
A lot. We respond to them a lot. But I love playing really small places when you can see people, it's really nice to be able to feed off people, you can tell by their faces if you screwed them up a little bit. I love that. When it's big gigs, you're just on stage with two guys. It's an amazing feeling when you hear the roar, but I still feel it's crazy that the fans are in awe of a couple of guys on stage. All we are doing is playing other people's records.
Your popularity went through the roof after your mixtape As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2. It mashed up things that nobody had thought of putting together before, from Salt 'N' Pepa's "Push It" to Stooges' "No Fun", and Destiny's Child's "Independent Woman" over 10cc's "Dreadlock Holiday" to Dolly Parton's "Nine to Five". Are you proud of that?
I don't look at it like that. I'm not proud that we managed to bring together such different styles. That's not what we're about. We like the attitude of the music most of all. I think in our heads there's no difference between a really old Chicago house track and hardcore punk – they have the same fuck you in the music. That's the reason why we'll mash something.
When and where was your best ever new year?
I haven't had a new year off in the last 15/20 years and they've all been amazing in different ways. I can't imagine not playing on New Year's Eve, it would be too weird. I'd have to try and find a way of doing something to capture that buzz.
What does 2012 hold for you both?
I just hope that it's a year that inspires me musically, I just hope we can carry on making music.
Any New Year's resolutions?
To still be playing this time next year.