From Classical Roots to Electronic Stardom: The Unstoppable Journey of Eelke Kleijn

Italy

Riva Starr

This Week in House Music: Honey Dijon, Channel Tres, Sadie Walker, Atish & Fatboy Slim

Fatboy Slim’s influence is ubiquitous in the modern dance space. From his early days in rock bands and acid-jazz groups to his solo hit records, Fatboy Slim is one of the world’s most beloved DJs. With a career that now spans four decades, he says his biggest driving factor is the unifying experience that music can create.

Norman Quentin Cook was raised in Reigate, Surrey, where he took violin lessons and grew up with a love of music. When he was a teen, he took a shine to punk music and began playing in local bands. At 18, he began performing around the Brighton club scene under the name DJ Quentox. Shortly after, he joined an indie rock band formed by his friend Paul Heaton called the Housemartins. In their short three years together, they would peak in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart with both of their albums.

After a few more romps in Brit bands, Cook took on the name Fatboy Slim in 1996. His first full-length record, 

 received critical acclaim. When his 1998 album 

 hit the shelves, the world was set aflame. The album's first two tracks, "Right Here, Right Now" and "The Rockafeller Skank" would become hit singles and cultural anthems. Throw in subsequent hits “Praise You,” "Weapon of Choice," and "Wonderful Night," and Fatboy Slim was officially an icon. Hits like these ultimately helped to popularize the big beat genre in the 1990s.

After a brief hiatus, Fatboy Slim released his first charting Fatboy Slim single in seven years. In 2013, "Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat" would become a cheeky hit, in part thanks to a remix from Scottish superstar Calvin Harris. Over the years, the artist has racked up two Brit awards, a Grammy, 9 VMAs, and  a Guinness World or most top-40 hits under different names.

Cook is still actively touring, playing some of the world’s greatest stages with fellow legacy artists and dance music up-and-comers. Though the dance music scene has changed dramatically, Fatboy Slim says he loves it more now than he did 40 years ago.

United Kingdom

big beat

electronica

Fatboy Slim

Sweden

dark techno

minimal techno

raw techno

schranz

swedish electronic

swedish techno

techno

Adam Beyer

progressive house

Cirez D

brazilian techno

electra

ANNA

Germany

high-tech minimal

Ann Clue

United States

tech house

Azzecca

melodic house

Ben Böhmer

german house

german techno

Boris Brejcha

house

uk tech house

Carl Cox

detroit techno

outsider house

Carl Craig

Belgium

belgian techno

Charlotte de Witte

Netherlands

dutch tech house

Chelina Manuhutu

chicago house

classic house

Chip E.

bass house

electro house

melbourne bounce

pop dance

uk dance

Chris Lake

Claptone

Cloonee

Spain

latin tech house

De La Swing

deep house

Derrick Carter

DJ Hyperactive

DJ Lady D

deep disco house

italian electronica

melodic techno

microhouse

DJ Tennis

Eats Everything

italian techno

Enrico Sangiuliano

Gene Farris

Get Real

Giolì & Assia

future garage

Gorgon City

Hiroko Yamamura

garage house

Honey Dijon

Joseph Capriati

fidget house

Justin Martin

Brazil

Kasablanca

ukg revival

kryptogram

gauze pop

Lane 8

arab electronic

canadian electronic

Maher Daniel

Mike Dunn

neue neue deutsche welle

Moritz

South Africa

swiss pop

Nora En Pure

Öona Dahl

Pan-Pot

spanish techno

Paco Osuna

Chile

Ricardo Villalobos

acid house

Richie Hawtin

Ron Carroll

Palestine

palestinian alternative

Sama’ Abdulhadi

detroit house

minimal tech house

Seth Troxler

classic dubstep

uk bass

Skream

Tini Gessler

brazilian edm

Vintage Culture

Australia

Wax Motif

ARC Music Festival is a relatively new addition to Chicago's rich festival scene, celebrating house and techno music. Hosted at the historical Union Park in Chicago, this festival aims to gather top-tier artists from these genres, giving attendees an immersive experience in the world of electronic music. Reflecting the city's deep-rooted house music culture, ARC Music Festival stands as a testament to Chicago's legacy and continuous contribution to the electronic music world.

Union Park

ARC Music Festival

deep techno

Ae:ther

Ukraine

ukrainian electronic

ARTBAT

hamburg electronic

HOSH

Klangphonics

Miss Monique

minimal dub

SHDW & Obscure Shape

Tale of Us

Undercatt

, held annually against the scenic backdrop of the coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, is known for its eclectic mix of genres, including techno, house, and trance over three distinct stages, each curated to deliver a unique auditory and visual spectacle.

One of the standout features of Beonix Festival is its emphasis on creating an immersive environment by integrating cutting-edge technology with creative stage designs and visual art installations. This commitment to innovation makes Beonix a trailblazer in the festival circuit, continually pushing the boundaries of what a music festival can offer. 

With nine different experiential zones, visitors can explore various interactive and engaging activities, ensuring there is something for everyone. Beonix Festival also supports sustainability and community engagement by incorporating eco-friendly practices to minimise its environmental impact and collaborating with local businesses and artists, fostering a sense of community and cultural exchange.

Beonix Festival is not just a celebration of electronic music but a holistic cultural event that combines music, art, and technology. For those seeking an unforgettable festival experience in a location that has so much to offer, Beonix Festival in Limassol, Cyprus, is a must!

BEONIX

Cyprus

Limassol

BEONIX 2024

australian house

FISHER

australian dance

Little Fritter

Joris Voorn

Switzerland

swiss house

Andrea Oliva

Mila Journée

Hï Ibiza

FISHER Residency at HI Ibiza: Week 2

Fisher

Peru

Nicolas Caprile

Amnesia Ibiza

Elrow Week 3 | Far Rowest

Elrow

Bastian Bux

Denmark

danish electronic

danish techno

deep euro house

Kölsch

elrow Closing Party

folktronica

indietronica

intelligent dance music

trip hop

Four Tet

wonky

Floating Points

Canada

alternative dance

art pop

Caribou

PAWSA

Glastonbury Festival is an iconic five-day music and arts event held on a farm in Somerset, England, that has grown from a modest gathering into a world-renowned cultural phenomenon. It was founded by dairy farmer Michael Eavis, who hosted the first edition on his Worthy Farm in the early 1970s. The first festival was a small affair, with around 1,500 attending, and tickets cost just £1, with festival-goers famously treated to free milk from the farm’s cows. That humble, communal atmosphere set the tone for Glastonbury’s ethos, reflecting the hippie idealism and countercultural spirit of its time.

Over the ensuing decades, Glastonbury transformed from that intimate gathering into a sprawling, world-renowned event. By the 1980s it was drawing tens of thousands, and each expansion brought new challenges and innovations. New stages and themed areas were added as the festival evolved from a simple concert into a celebration of contemporary performing arts, featuring not just rock music but also dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and more. Despite occasional setbacks, including battles with local authorities over licensing, and planned “fallow” years when the festival skips a summer to let the land and community recover, Glastonbury’s momentum only grew. Today it is often called the world’s largest greenfield music festival, with more than 200,000 attendees converging on over a thousand acres of countryside to form a temporary city each summer.

As its reputation soared, Glastonbury became a coveted stage for the world’s leading musicians. Some of the most celebrated figures in music have headlined the festival’s iconic Pyramid Stage, from veteran rock stars like David Bowie and Paul McCartney to pop icons like Beyoncé. The bill has spanned genres and generations, also featuring era-defining bands (such as Blur and Oasis) and groundbreaking artists from the worlds of hip-hop and R&B (for example, Jay-Z and Stormzy). These high-profile performances have solidified Glastonbury’s status as a pinnacle of live music achievement. They are often more than just concerts; many sets have passed into legend, talked about for years afterward and seen as defining moments in both the artists’ careers and the festival’s own story. In this way, Glastonbury’s stages have become 

, underscoring the festival’s massive influence on pop culture.

Another hallmark of Glastonbury is its long-standing commitment to activism and philanthropy. Far from being an apolitical entertainment event, the festival has used its platform for advocacy since its early years. In the 1980s it forged a partnership with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, turning the festival into a fundraiser and a megaphone for the peace movement. This ethos of giving back has only strengthened over time: Glastonbury regularly donates millions of pounds to good causes, and its official charity partners include humanitarian and environmental organizations like 

. Attendees encounter numerous causes on-site, from stalls promoting human rights and climate action to eco-friendly initiatives - and the festival itself strives to model sustainability. Recycling programs, renewable energy installations, and even the repurposing of abandoned tents for the homeless (through initiatives like the “Give Me Shelter” campaign) are among the measures that highlight its socially conscious mission. Glastonbury has effectively intertwined music with activism, showing that a festival can be both a celebration and a force for positive change.

As large as it is, Glastonbury has preserved certain traditions that distinguish it from other music festivals. For example, part of its grounds is dedicated to the “Green Fields” - zones with no amplified music, where attendees can explore workshops, healing tents, and a stone circle, all of which echo the mystical, free-spirited vibe of the festival’s early years. The festival’s Pyramid Stage, with its distinctive pyramid shape originally conceived in the early 1970s, has become a defining symbol of Glastonbury, instantly recognizable in photographs and broadcasts around the world. Another unique practice is the “fallow year,” when every few years the festival takes a planned break to let the land recover and to give locals and organizers a breather, a reflection of how interwoven the event is with its environment.

Glastonbury also stands out for the sheer diversity of experiences it offers; one can wander from a raucous rock performance to a tranquil field of meditation, or stumble upon a secret set by a surprise guest on a tucked-away stage. This blend of scale and intimacy, of mainstream spectacle and alternative community, gives Glastonbury an atmosphere of magic and camaraderie that keeps fans returning year after year. What began as a humble gathering in a Somerset field has evolved into a cultural institution, a festival unlike any other, revered not just in the UK but around the globe for its history, its heart, and its enduring creative spirit.

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