Clodagh interview

Apokalypsa Warm Up – 15.5.2008

• Hello Clodagh! Nice you’ll come back to Czech J How are you? What’s new in your life?

Hi everyone, I can’t wait to come back & play in Czech, I am very well thanks, I just came back from 2 weeks holiday in Thailand which was amazing, so I’m full of energy & ready to rock Czech again!

• You played at Apokalypsa Electronic Carnival some months ago… What has changed in your life, work from this time till now?

Life has been busy since Apokalypsa, I finished my Electronic music production course which I had been studying for the past 6 months, I played 2 great gigs, one in Sweden & one in London, have been in the studio working on some tracks with the awesome UK producer „Ali Wilson“ and spent most of April in Thailand on holiday!

• If we say „Apokalypsa“ – what are the first memories you have?

Apokalypsa = Amazing Party! I’ve been telling everyone what a cool party it was, my main memory is how cool the Czech party people are... they were brilliant, they loved all the different styles of music & they stayed cheering & dancing right until the end at 7.30am... they didn’t want to go home! J

• Let’s talk a little bit more about Apokalypsa in February, where you have played… How did you like this party?

I loved playing at Apokalypsa firstly because of the great party people but also because the sound was excellent! The Dj set up was great & the sound engineer was very professional & great to work with. The Dj monitors were really clear, I could hear everything perfect. When the sound is that good I really enjoy playing!

Also the venue was amazing... It was so big but still had a club feel. Overall everything was so professional, the stage, the lighting, the visuals, the sound etc.

Plus all the Djs on the line up were excellent!

Apokalypsa is an excellent party promotion!

• Did you know something about Apokalypsa, before you played there? What did you expect from this party?

I hadn’t heard about Apokalypsa party before & when I was booked to play I was told it was one of the biggest & best techno parties in Czech. So I was expecting maybe 2,000 people but when I was picked up at the airport I asked the driver how many people would be at the party & he said „5,000 people & it’s sold out!“

I was like „WOW!“

• Your first impressions you had when did you see the crowd…?

When I entered the club at 10.30pm I said „WOW!!“ it was packed & the atmosphere was amazing! When I got up on the stage I thought... „This is amazing!“ the club looked huge & all the visuals & decorations & lighting & equipment & sound was excellent! I couldn’t wait to play!

• Apokalypsa is really big event, for many thousands people, but Perpetuum (where will be the warm up) is small club for around 400 people. What do you like more – huge parties and festival with typical atmosphere, or you prefere smaller club, where is everything „more private“?

To be honest I like both. At Apokalypsa I played to 5,000 people, 2 weeks later I played in Sweden to less than 100 people. Both parties were very different but I really enjoyed playing both parties. As long as the sound is good & the people want to party & dance, then I’m happy. It’s great to experience playing to huge crowds, it’s really special but also small parties can also be very special too. Once I played one London party with about 11 people there and I have a great memory of it as all 11 people were dancing like crazy on the dancefloor! Happy days! J

• Did you ever have any „DJ dream“? Did it come true or you’re still waiting… What’s your biggest dream, in your life?

Yes my Dj Dream did come true, ...that was to play alongside my hero Carl Cox. In 2005 he brought me on tour with him all over France & Ireland as his warm up Dj! It was an amazing experience & loads of fun. My biggest dream now is to be happy, be the best that I can be & to be happy.

• Why did you choose this „work“? What was the important moment, when you told to yourself – „I want to be a DJ“?

When I moved to London in 1999 & discovered this new & exciting club scene, I always thought about being a Dj but never thought it would be possible. It wasn’t until I met my boyfriend at the time „Nacho“ that we both dreamt about becoming Djs & we made plans. In 2001 me & Nacho saved up & bought our decks & went record shopping every week & started making our own parties. The more I played at our own parties the more I enjoyed it, the more confident I became & then I started entering Dj competitions & started winning them then got more & more club gigs ... the rest is history.

• What do you think about line up of Apokalypsa Techno Congress (will be on the 20th of June) – Kevin Saunderson, The Advent, Cave and Ortin Cam, Jeff Amadeus, Candy Cox, Axel Karakasis…?

It looks like an awesome party. I am friends with Jeff Amadeus, he was a big inspiration to me, just watching him mix I learned so much. I know he will blow the roof off the party! The whole party is going to rock!

• For every part of Apokalypsa promoters book beside DJ stars also Czech DJs, who has already start with playing, they are the beginners. They give them something like a chance to play at the big event and show their talent. What do you think about this idea? And the other thing – can you send something like the advice to this DJs – how to be the best?

It’s great that Apokalypsa supports young up & coming Dj’s. Getting the experience of playing on such a big soundsystem & in such a big venue is really great & important opportunity for new Djs. It will make them more confident. Plus they have an important job to do... to get the party started & warmed up nicely for the next Dj. They also get to play alongside professional Dj’s so they can watch how they play & learn & ask them advice etc. If they have produced tracks they can give them their tracks straight into the hands of the Pro Djs. I’m always willing to give advice to up & coming Djs just based on my experiences. The most important is to enjoy playing & making people dance & happy. The people you are playing to are number 1, play for them, have fun with the crowd.

Practise like crazy & play every opportunity you get because everytime you play outside your bedroom eg. House parties or bars or clubs, you will learning something new. I’ve just been playing for nearly 7 years now & everytime I play I learn something new. If you go to my website I have a page about “Djing Tips & Advice“ which hopefully people will find useful... check out http://www.djclodagh.com/djintips.htm

• Let’s talk about your starts – tell us something about it J

The first time I played to people at a big party was my birthday party. It was in a big pub & it was the first time I played on a big soundsystem which we had hired. I got such a fright because it was sooo loud compared to the speakers I was used to playing on in my bedroom. I couldn’t hear what I was doing, I totally panicked & gave up after 6 records... I was so disappointed I nearly cried. But it made me more determined & my next gig was about 2 month later at my sisters birthday & I practised everyday for 2 hours & I totally rocked the party! I was so happy! J

• When you has started to play – what kind of music did you play? It’s different in comparison to music, what you play now?

When I started to play in 2001 I used to play trance and my boyfriend at the time played techno. The funny thing is now he plays & produces Trance & I play & produce Techno. To be honest I love all kinds of music but I mainly play techno, house & electro. Anything that makes me move & happy & if I think it will work at the party... then i’ll play it.

• Do you have some real friends from DJ guys? And who is in your point of view the real „DJ star“?

Yes I know loads of Djs... practially every London underground techno Dj eg. Dave the Drummer, Chris Liberator, Jeff Amadeus, Thermobee etc.

Nacho (Deporpatas) & Raul (Dj Active Sense) are very close friends of mine.

The real Dj Star for me is Carl Cox, watch him play & you’ll know why, plus he helped me loads plus he’s a great guy.

• Do you have some funny story from any gig? Something funny what’s happened to you?

Loads has happened to me, lots of funny stuff & lots of not so funny stuff... loads of adventures & lots of embarrasing stuff. I guess one funny story happened in Bulgaria, I was playing at the Comics Club in Varna. I was about half way through my set and I was playing one techno track with this huge build up, so I ran out to the front of the stage & jumped right up in the air when the tune kicked back in & at the same time there was a powercut. I was actually in the air when the power went off! Total darkness... I had blew all the power in the club!! Hehehe! We were all sitting in the dark for 30 mins waiting for the power to come back on & when it did everyone danced twice as crazy... it was really funny! :)

• And the last two questions: What does mean for your work your fans? And what do you like to drink – if some of your fans would like to invite you for something J

The most important thing for me is to make people happy & to make them dance like crazy, have loads of fun & play them the best music I can. I always try to give 200%

When people thank me & write to me after it makes me so happy.

Even though I’m Irish I don’t usually drink alcohol, so when I play I drink one or two cans of redbull & then loads of water!

Thank you for the interview :)

Thank you very much Apokalypsa & see you on the dancefloor soon Czech!!

Get your dancing shoes ready!! Luv Clodagh xx J

www.djclodagh.com

www.myspace.com/djclodagh