Global DJ tournament returns

Features

Published: 31 Mar. 2005, 22:52

Global DJ tournament returns

Last year, when Korea hosted its first Heineken Thirst, an international tournament for club DJs, it was a sign that the Seoul club scene was gaining ground in terms of global status.
The winner wasn’t Korean, but the contest seemed to change the mood here nonetheless. The event not only brought world-famous DJs, who showcased their latest tunes and techniques for Koreans looking for inspiration, but opened a door for local DJs hoping to compete and perform overseas.
Last weekend at Hongdae’s Club Otwo, six of the 12 local DJs who made it past last month’s preliminary rounds competed in the first semifinal round for this year’s Heineken Thirst. More than 700 people were there to hear the styles of the locals, most of whom, such as DJ Sunshine and Kevin, are already familiar names in Seoul. The winner was DJ Paust, who has been spinning at Club Saab, M.I., Tool and Otwo since 2000.
Tomorrow night, the second semifinal takes place at Club Spin in Apgujeong-dong. The winner and DJ Paust will not only compete against each other in the April 16 final at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill, but will get to perform live along with Roger Sanchez and Steve Lawler, two big names in the field.
Roger Sanchez, based in New York City, is a house music DJ/producer with hundreds of thousands of fans. Steve Lawler, a British DJ/producer, has been churning out chart-topping tribal sounds while continuing his residency at two hip clubs, Twilo in New York City and Space in Ibiza. He owns two labels, Harlem Records and Harlem Trax.
The winner of April 16’s Korean final will compete in Thailand in May against winners from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. The tournament moves on to Europe in July, to the Middle East in September and to the Americas in November.

by Ines Cho

Club Spin is located behind the CineCity movie theater in Apgujeong-dong. Admission is 15,000 won ($15). A ticket to the April 16 Korea final at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill is 40,000 won in advance (through www.ticketlink.com or www.ticketpark.com) or 50,000 won at the door. For more information, contact 02Production at (02) 338-8313 or visit the Web sites www.heineken.co.kr or www.02pro.com. For more information on Heineken Thirst 2005, visit the Web site www.heinekenmusic.com.