The first DJ we caught was Nicky Romero. A great energy to open our Ultra weekend! Then came Avicii with a strange set. Super strong start, everyone was rocking out SO hard. Great energy, great lightshow and then… live folk-inspired music. It was good, whatever it was. And it certainly proved Avicii could live mix quite well, only I felt it went on too long. The crowd become more and more confused about what was happening. People started to leave, wondering where their dance-beats went. Our crew stayed, enjoying the show. By the 5th folky song I turned to my boyfriend and said “Alright, that’s enough. It’s good and everything but I want to dance to some EDM. That’s what we paid all that money for.” I respect his new music and the courage to premiere it there. I just think it went on for too long and had too much “folk with a little EDM” rather than “EDM with a little folk.” I wasn’t the only one. Some tweet I read were far less forgiving! Avicii eventually had to defend himself via Facebook, although many were not convinced. I’m curious to hear the new stuff in a different environment though. I think I might like it.

Someone that demands a mention is none other that Mr. Tijs Verwest, also known as Tiesto, who finished off Friday night at Ultra. He really knows how to play a crowd. It’s a journey, really. He pulls you up and takes you places you totally don’t expect and then suddenly he’s dropped it in some dub-house breakdown that I’ve never heard before but LOVED! It had to be good, especially since he got on the mic and said “expect the unexpected ultra!” and boy he did he deliver! Tiesto closed it down so strong on Friday I felt like he was closing down the festival. He never half-asses a set and I’ve seen him four times! Great set.

The return of Deadmau5 on Saturday was insane. I had never seen him before even though I’ve been listening to him for years. It was surreal hearing my favourite songs come to life and watching everyone dance to them. The light show was also incredible! Some were bored with what they called the “same old Deadmau5” but for me, it was flawless! Other Saturday highlight were Calvin Harris, who was so much fun to listen to and groove with friends and strangers alike. Although in EDM, no one is a stranger. Fatboy Slim is always a highlight for me. I love his wackiness, repeated vocals, fun and unapologetic style and the visuals are always unique. I also caught a little dubstep with Doctor P, Flux Pavillion, Zed’s Dead and my favourite dub-master Bassnectar.

Then came my 12-hour day with ASOT600MIA! Unreal. Started the day with Tritonal and W&W, then left ASOT to check out NERVO, Zedd, and Porter Robinson. While I enjoy all those artists, I would have been delighted to stay at ASOT600 all day. I was brought nearly to tears almost immediately. There’s just something about Trance that moves you.

About halfway through Porter Robinson we left so we could get in the VIP line early to see Above & Beyond and Armin van Buuren. See, the VIP tickets were awesome but at certain times the capacity for the VIP section would fill up and you had to wait ages to get it. We were in line for over an hour and Above & Beyond had already played half their set by the time we got in. We weren’t concerned though, no one disappointed!!! This was my first time seeing Above & Beyond and it was amazing. So much connection with the crowd, so much love!! They had words coming up on their video screen throughout the set that were so beautiful and inspiring it brought tears to my eyes throughout the set. I truly felt connected to every person at that stage. Armin is my #1 DJ so I was euphoric about seeing him for the fourth time! He played his new single “This is What it Feels Like” feat. Trevor Guthrie and it was soooo beautiful! I’ve been listening to it on YouTube on repeat. Judge me.

After Armin we headed for the Main Stage to see the much-anticipated final performance by Swedish House Mafia. It was fun and emotion-filled, but I was quite tired so I didn’t fight the crowd to get close or anything. I just danced closer to the back with my friends and boyfriend and then bolted for the exit by the last note!!

Luckily we were staying at the Inter Continental right across the street so we didn’t have to bother with taxis or trains. Something we will do every year if we can!! The view of the festival from our room was priceless.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7660816

Another one of Mumbai’s DJS will be seen performing soon, DJ Shiva. Known for his foot tapping Bollywood and Hollywood remixes, the DJ does not stick to the convention when it comes to his brand of music. Effortlessly fusing Hip Hop, mainstream Bollywood, lounge, electro and house music, it makes his repertoire far more versatile than most performing artists. Having worked in the music industry for over a decade, the talented DJ has risen from where he’d begun, 10 years ago. He’s carved a niche for himself, with his hard work, unrelenting dedication and his unbridled passion for music. He has also been awarded with a bevy of accolades for his work with music. Some of his famous remixes include Aaj Phir, fro Hate Story 2, Yaariyaan, Raghupati Raghav, from Krrish 3 and Dil Tu Hi Bata. He’s already performed at more than a few high profile events, some of which include Trikaya at Pune, Flags at Pune with Perizad, IPL Nights, Party Link and many more.

A Tracklist Will Help You Get Found
Including a tracklist or playlist with your mix sets is an essential part of promoting your career as a performing artist. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, a proper play list is the best way to ensure your mix sets are easily found by house heads worldwide. With each tracklist, you provide Google an opportunity to index key search terms such as song title, artist, remixer, and label. Use this as a tool to be found by fans that follow and support the same style as you. Technically speaking, a playlist will promote your mix even when you’re asleep!

In the world of house music, there are thousands of underground, unsigned, and aspiring artists it’s amazing how much music never makes it to the mainstream market. Even then, what our culture considers “mainstream” is still considered “underground” in the world of major labels. It’s important that your listeners identify where the music is coming from, so that their hard work is in the spotlight as well.

Playlists are an Industry Standard
House and electronic dance music has always been about discovering new music. As a DJ/Artist, it is your duty to educate your fans and audience. Don’t be afraid to include a playlist with all your mixes – It’s an industry standard and without one you can easily be misinterpreted as lazy or holding back.

Minimum format: ARTIST – TITLE
Preferred format: ARTIST – TITLE – REMIXER – LABEL
Example: DJ Smith feat Mary Jones – “It’s getting funky” (Funklord Club Remix) – K1 Music

Show Your Support
It’s rare that you will become a world renown artist based solely on your DJ sets. Most disc jockeys do more than just play music. They often have a combination of elements working for them including a radio show, remix/production, a club residency, promoting their own night/event, or a record label. A natural progression for many DJs is getting into music production or remixing. One day, your music will be a part of someone else’s mix, and you certainly hope they give you proper recognition. Show your support and make sure you acknowledge their talent by including their information on your playlist.

Our Future Depends on You
With a tracklist you are providing a service to the artist or label in the event the listener wants to buy that song/track. Whether you’re a fan or DJ – Think about the all the times you’ve listened to a mix, and NEEDED to buy a certain song. You found out what it was, and you bought it on iTunes, Amazon, Traxsource, Beatport, or your favorite digital music store. With a proper tracklist, you’re saying YES to the future of the digital music industry.