(Click here for photos)

When Livia from Unitedj.com told me about the gig in Algeria, I was like… ok! I thought a gig on a Wednesday night was a bit strange but then I found out that in Algeria their Wednesday night is the same as our Friday night, because their weekend is Thursday & Friday not like our Saturday & Sunday…! Mad!

I told my two Algerian friends in London that I was going to play in Algers and they couldn’t believe it! They were really puzzled that I could get a visa & they told me to be very careful, so as you can imagine I was a little nervous.

Before I play any gigs abroad I try to do some research about the club & what Dj’s have played there already, so I am prepared, but I couldn’t find anything on the internet about this Club in Algers. So music wise I was thinking house music, funky, vocal, tribal & electronic and I was right!

When I got to Algers, this girl who worked at the Airport, came over and asked if I was Clodagh the Dj. I was like yes. Her name was Nadia & she was half Scottish, half Algerian & she welcomed me to Algeria & wished me good luck with my gig. She told me that she has just started Djing & always wanted to be the first female Dj to play in Algeria, but she was really happy that I was going to the first female to Dj in Algeria… Finally!

Me! The first female Dj to play in Algeria! Wow! I couldn’t believe it!

How cool is that!

Then I met Livia & the promoter Rhaba who was really nice and brought us to our hotel, which was beautiful! Hotel El Djazir is the biggest and oldest hotel in Algers right in the centre with a tropical garden & views of the port. Algers looks very similar to Marseille in the South of France!

We found out that it was both Livia’s & Rhaba’s brother, Mouloud’s Birthday!

So tonight we would definitely party!

At dinner I met Rhaba’s wife Zahra who is a TV presenter of

“Beb El Fun” a music and film programme. She said she talked about me on the show last night and showed my picture, saying that I was the first female Dj ever to play in Algeria! Rhaba explained that he used to live in Paris & used to go to House Clubs in Paris. He loves house music & wants to bring house music to Algeria as mainly there they play R&B, HipHop & Arabic music! He was a bit nervous, he wasn’t sure how many people would come to the party but needn’t have worried!

500 people came to the party and they really had a great time, all dancing like crazy. I played a good mixture of pumping funky house, lots of vocals, tribal & latin stuff & some electronic beats. Everything went down really well & Rhaba was so happy! There were lots more girls in the club compared to Tunisia and everyone was having it, punching their arms in the air, shouting! It was great!! I had a ball! So much fun!

After 3 hours playing I finished at 5am, then went back to my room, packed my stuff & left the hotel at 6am!… no sleep as usual! Rhaba’s brother Mouloud & resident Dj Tall drove me to the airport & made sure I got on the right plane. They bought me lots of little souvenirs of Algeria at the airport, which was sweet.

I really must start learning French!

Coming back I had to transfer in Paris, I felt really ill as I had no sleep, plus my flight was delayed! It was awful! In the departure lounge I actually did fall asleep & when I woke up everyone had gone & were sitting on the plane! PANIC! I just made it in time, phew! I would have cried if I had missed that flight! I left the hotel at 6am & got home at 6pm… 12 hours again, but it was well worth it, Algers is now rocking to house music. I feel very proud to be a part of bringing dance music to Algeria & can’t wait to go back again!

See you soon Algeria!! xx

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