The Dutch dynamic duo getting set for festival season in style
Interview : Simon Tillotson
Hi guys! This year seems to be doing all the right things for you – what have been the standouts so far?
“Last month we did a tour in India; the shows were great and it’s always amazing to combine the gigs with some sightseeing in the cities we play and to meet up with the local people that can show us something about the country/city!”
You’ve been smashing the festivals this summer – which ones have stood out so far and which ones are you still looking forward to playing?
“Our gig at Freshtival (NL) this year was a great one. We’ve been residents there since the guys started organising their parties and their festival and it’s amazing to see the festival growing over the years – this year’s edition was sold out with 18k visitors! We played quite early during the day but it was amazing to see so many people were coming especially for us. In the future we would like to play at Sensation, that’s an amazing production…”
What’s the best festival story you can share with us?!
“Something really weird happened during our latest India Tour… We returned back to the hotel after a gig in Chandigahr and walked into Marc’s hotel room, switched on the lights and suddenly there was a guy lying naked on the floor. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing and the only thing we could say to each other was ‘what the f*ck is this???!’ The whole floor was covered with food he’d ordered and all the drinks from the minibar. We immediately went into Ivo’s room and called the Front Desk for help. We still don’t know how the guy entered the room! When we think about this story we’re still laughing out loud haha. Luckily nothing was stolen from Marc!”
Obviously there are very big differences about playing an intimate club show and a big, outdoor stage – what is it like from a DJ’s perspective and which do you prefer?
“For us it doesn’t really matter whether we play for thousands of people at a festival or just a handful of people in a bar or club. As long as the vibe is great and there is a connection with the audience, that’s all that matters.”
Festivals like EDC and TomorrowLand are all about big production – do you ever think that the focus of festivals will change and the music will become second to the experience of being there?
“At the moment it seems it’s going that way. It’s more and more about the overall experience with big well designed stages, fireworks and lots of other entertainment.”
How do you go about selecting the tracks that’ll get a crowd of thousands bouncing, surely it’s hard to visualise it being played on a system that big when you’re sat in the studio?
“Well, over the years we have gained a lot experience with visualising the tracks being played on a big system. But still, sometimes you play a track in the studio and you think ‘this will make the people bounce’, but when you play it out loud in the club it doesn’t work out that well. The other way around also happens sometimes.”
Speaking of studio – do you guys ever write music with a particular venue in mind? Have you written any tracks specifically for this summer’s festival season?
“Not tracks specifically but we certainly do lots of edits and bootlegs for a specific tour or festival.”
And how about forthcoming releases? We’ve heard a few remix rumours and your John Legend mix was huge – anything you can tell us about?
“We just finished a remix for Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto label. At the moment we are also finishing up a collab with Gregor Salto and we are in the final stages with some new upcoming singles…”
Besides your DJing and production, have you got anything else in the pipeline?
“Yes, we are working on a new studio, it’s gonna be awesome!”
Plenty to look forward to then! For now though, where can we get our next fix of East & Young?
“Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for a full list of gig dates – plenty coming up and we hope to see you at one soon!”
Quickfire:
Essential festival item?
“Ear Protection.”
Tents or open air stages?
“Open air.”
Best festival act?
“Calvin Harris.”
Wellies or flip flops?
“Flip Flops”
Camping or hotel?
“Hotel.”
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