More DJs With Surprising Pasts

Active for over two decades, DJ EZ (real name Otis Roberts) is one of the finest and most highly regarded DJs on the planet. Known as the “DJ’s favorite DJ,” the London-born garage artist is a creative mixer with unparalleled instincts and exceptional technical abilities. He has some of the quickest fingers in the game, showcasing his cue button action during his sets.

Roberts is the man behind many of the biggest UK garage compilations to date. His Boiler Room live stream is touted as one of the greatest UK garage sets of all time, with millions of views. Another notable live stream, Roberts played a 24-hour set in 2016, with all proceeds going to Cancer Research UK.

Across multiple decades, the UK DJ has won many awards, solidifying his place at the top. He won ‘Club DJ of the Year’ at the 1998 Underground Garage Awards, ‘Best DJ’ at the UK Garage Awards in 2000 and 2002, and won three awards at the 2004 People’s Choice Music Awards, ‘Best DJ,’ ‘Best Old School DJ,’ and ‘Best Radio Show.’

Being inspired by pirate radio and his love for house, hip-hop, and electro, Roberts began recording mixes in the early 90s in the hope that he would have his own show one day. He landed his first DJing gig with the pirate radio station Dance 93FM, where he played house music and was known as Easy O. He tried his take as his own station called Dimension FM, but it wasn’t long-lived. Instead, he went on to host his own show every weekend on Freek FM 101.8 in 1994, changing his name to EZ.

Roberts finally hit commercial radio in the late 90s, covering for Steve Jackson and Bobby & Steve’s shows on Kiss 100. In 1999, Kiss offered him a permanent show, starting with just one show a week and quickly progressing to two more shows. He hosted a range of shows over a 14-year period, which came to an end in 2014.

In 2020, he held a monthly residency with BBC Radio 1. This was also the year he started his own record label and globally syndicated radio show called NUVOLVE. It quickly became known as the place to discover some of the hottest UK garage talent, both emerging and established.

Also as of recent, Roberts goes beyond UK garage and back to his roots with his alias Elvin Zedo, dedicated to house and techno music.

Roberts has performed at some of the biggest festivals, including Coachella, Glastonbury, and Creamfields, on top of countless sold-out tours globally. Over two decades later, Roberts continues to perform live and on air, soon hitting events like Boiler Room London, Dekmantel Festival, and Contrair Open Air.

United Kingdom

DJ EZ

house

pop dance

uk dance

Sonny Fodera

uk tech house

Danny Howard

2-step

Oppidan

Spain

Amnesia Ibiza

Amnesia Presents Week 9

Amnesia Presents - Sonny Fodera and Danny Howard

future garage

Gorgon City

tech house

Miane

deep house

Dusky

Amnesia Presents Closing Party

Hannah Wants

bass house

deep groove house

Low Steppa

disco house

funky house

funky tech house

tribal house

vocal house

David Penn

Arielle Free

uk house

Monki

Ushuaïa Ibiza

Defected Week 2

Defected

Lithuania

Greta Levska

charva

Belters Only

Amnesia Presents Week 13

experimental club

Ahadadream

Ammara

deep minimal techno

minimal techno

techno

Alan Fitzpatrick

Ben Hemsley

ambient house

electronica

Bicep

deep rai

Darius Syrossian

deep disco house

raw techno

Eats Everything

Eliza Rose

scottish techno

Ewan McVicar

old school bassline

ukg revival

Flava D

Fleur Shore

Girls Don't Sync

Hannah Laing

drum and bass

liquid funk

Hybrid Minds

breaks

experimental house

Interplanetary Criminal

float house

uk bass

wonky

Joy Orbison

K Motionz

Ireland

irish electronic

KETTAMA

LALA

LF SYSTEM

Netherlands

dutch tech house

Luuk van Dijk

aussietronica

australian house

lo-fi house

Mall Grab

France

Oden & Fatzo

Australia

ghettotech

Partiboi69

Paul Woolford

Prospa

Sam Divine

Sammy Virji

Sarah Story

Curaçao

dutch house

Shermanology

classic dubstep

Skream

Solardo

Sosa

modern jungle

Special Request

 is a premier electronic music festival held annually on the stunning Zrce Beach in Croatia. Since its inception in 2011, the festival has grown into one of Europe's leading destination festivals, attracting thousands of music enthusiasts from around the globe. Known for its exceptional lineup, breathtaking location, and impeccable atmosphere, Hideout Festival offers an unforgettable experience for all attendees. Zrce Beach hosts some of the world’s best beachfront clubs, including Papaya, Aquarius, Noa, and Kalypso, which serve as the main venues for the festival's events.

Hideout Festival offers more than just music. Attendees can enjoy sun-soaked pool parties, boat parties, and raves across five beachfront stages. Each venue features mesmerizing lighting, world-class sound systems, and an unparalleled party atmosphere.

In addition to music, the festival provides a variety of adrenaline-pumping activities such as water sports, banana boats, jet skis, pedalos, and the famous bungee jump. For those seeking relaxation, there are beachside massages, as well as opportunities to rent quads, boats, and pedalos in the nearby town of Novalja.


Hideout Festival

Croatia

Zrce Beach

Hideout Festival 2024

Amnesia Presents Week 7

french tech house

Amine Edge & DANCE

big beat

nu skool breaks

trip hop

Groove Armada

Rio Tashan

Eden Ibiza

Defected with DJ EZ and Groove Armada

latin tech house

spanish techno

Miguel Bastida

Amnesia Presents Week 8

uk pop

Alex Mills

deep tech house

progressive house

CamelPhat

Chloé Robinson

Kitty Amor

SYREETA

Fat Tony

Fatboy Slim

Chris Stussy

minimal tech house

Enzo Siragusa

Layla Benitez

Germany

german tech house

Kolter

Türkiye

Carlita

Desiree

ambient techno

intelligent dance music

microhouse

shiver pop

Daniel Avery

Logic1000

jazz house

Dan Shake

Lauren Lo Sung

KILIMANJARO

United States

garage house

Honey Dijon

Glastonbury Festival, officially known as the 

Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts

, is a world-famous event celebrated for its diverse and extensive lineup of music, dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts. Located at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, the festival has grown from a small gathering in 1970 to a major cultural phenomenon attracting around 200,000 attendees annually.

The inaugural Glastonbury Festival was organized by Michael Eavis, a local farmer, who was inspired after seeing an open-air Led Zeppelin concert at the nearby Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music. The first event, then called the Pilton Festival, was held the following year and featured Marc Bolan as its headliner. Attendees were charged £1 for admission, which included free milk from the farm. This set the stage for what would evolve into a legendary annual event, deeply intertwined with the counterculture movements of the 1970s and beyond.

Throughout the years, Glastonbury has remained steadfast in its commitment to music and arts, continuously expanding its offerings. From the iconic Pyramid Stage to smaller, more intimate venues like the Acoustic Stage, the festival showcases a vast array of talent. Its lineups have included some of the biggest names in music history, such as David Bowie, Beyoncé, Coldplay, and Radiohead, reflecting a wide range of genres and eras. This diversity is a hallmark of Glastonbury, making it a magnet for music lovers of all tastes.

Beyond music, Glastonbury is also a platform for political, environmental, and social expression. It frequently features speakers and activists from various movements, reflecting Michael Eavis’s own progressive values. The festival's Green Fields area emphasizes sustainability and eco-friendly living, resonating with attendees deeply concerned about environmental issues. This aspect highlights Glastonbury’s role not just as a festival but as a space for important societal conversations and learning.

Glastonbury is equally well-known for its arts. The Theatre & Circus area provides a burst of colorful performances, with everything from cabaret acts to breathtaking aerial displays. Meanwhile, the Kidzfield caters to families, ensuring that the festival is an inclusive, multi-generational event. At night, areas like Shangri-La, Block9, and The Unfairground come alive with cutting-edge electronic music and extravagant art installations, creating an immersive nightlife experience unique to Glastonbury.

Financially, Glastonbury supports numerous causes. Profits from the festival are donated to charities, including Oxfam, Greenpeace, and WaterAid, as well as hundreds of local organizations. This philanthropic angle is crucial to the ethos of Glastonbury, reinforcing its role as a force for positive change within and beyond the festival grounds.

After a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Glastonbury returned with renewed vigor, reminding the world of its resilience and enduring appeal. Every year, Glastonbury continues to adapt and evolve, embracing new technologies and trends while staying true to its roots. It remains a beacon of cultural significance, a place where people from all walks of life can gather to celebrate the power of music and arts against the backdrop of Worthy Farm’s pastoral beauty.

DJ EZ

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