Tomorrowland 2011: Our 10 Picks
20 July 2011
In about 48 hours Tomorrowland kicks off a three day victory march at De Schorre in Boom near Antwerp. The festival is well-nigh completely sold out. That means approximately 60.000 clubbers a day for a couple of hundred of the world's biggest deejays and electronic live acts hosted on seven different stages. Troubles composing your personal line-up? Check out our 10 hard-to-ignore picks for Tomorrowland 2011.
- by Dimitri Cologne
01 - HENRIK SCHWARZ (Friday July 22 - We Play House Recordings)
Currently German DJ and producer Henrik Schwarz is mainly performing at jazz festivals and clubs together with Norwegian musician Bugge Wesseltoft. But on July 22 he’s doing what (we think) he does best: balancing smoothly through atmospheric house and Detroit techno added up with some jazzy interludes and soulful vocals.
02 - 2MANYDJ'S (Sunday July 24 - Main Stage)
It's been almost ten years since the Dewaele brothers released their groundbreaking bastard pop masterpiece "As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2". But at the moment 2ManyDJ's are hotter than sliced bread thanks to their creative cover art shows and their recently launched online radio station.
03 - KiNK (Sunday July 24 - Café d'Anvers Invites Ovum Recordings)
Last summer the Bulgarian producer re-jiggled Jeff Mills' classic "Changes Of Life" and got picked up by the likes of Pete Tong who put the tune in heavy rotation on BBC Radio 1 and every other respectable jock - except the junglists - promoted KiNK's jam all the way from Ibiza to Australia. Typical story of a one hit wonder? Hell no. Stream his dazzling FACT mix and guess again!
04 - BREAKBOT (Saturday July 23 - Forma.T)
Along with SebastiAn, Breakbot is one of the headmen of Ed Banger Records' second wave of computerized filterdisco and electro. Catch him together with other frenzy French blokes (such as Brodinski and Panteros 666) at the Forma.T stage.
05 - THE ODDWORD (Friday July 22 - Blue Flame)
In 2010 A-Town's Boy & Ylli were one of the many revelations at Tomorrowland, this year it's time for The Oddword to confirm its status of the country's hardest going DJ-act of the moment.
06 - BAREM (Sunday July 24 - M_nus)
Buenos Aires native Barem is one of Richie Hawtin's youngest lieutenants but his producer talents can only reveal a bright future, starting with an excellent first album called "After The Storm" which he'll present on Sunday in the M_nus tent!
07 - SVEN VÄTH - (Saturday July 23 - Café d'Anvers Invites Cocoon)
Herr Väth celebrates 30 (!) years behind the decks with a 3 hour set at Tomorrowland and since he's already spent some time at Ibiza (for the annual Cocoon summer) we can expect a Sven Väth in the best possible mood and shape.
08 - NETSKY (Saturday July 23 - Star Warz)
No electronic music festival without bagpackers and headnodders. Star Warz is once again hosting the drum & bass area with top of the bill Belgium's biggest producer of the moment Netsky.
09 - CASPA & ROD AZLAN (Friday July 22 - Untitled!)
Dub Police chief Caspa wasn't able to perform at Dour last week because he broke his heel after one of his trademark stagedives. Luckily no plaster bandage can't stop the London bred and his loyal MC Rod Azlan from wrecking the stage with bassheavy dubstep. (Update: a plaster bandage CAN stop Caspa from performing in Boom. He'll be replaced by Artwork from Magnetic Man).
10 - JAMES ZABIELA (Sunday July 24 - La Rocca Invites We Love)
La Rocca on Sunday: perfectly cut out for UK's James Zabiela who gained a lot of buzz with his mix albums for the legendary Renaissance label. On stage Zabiela is a busy centipede whose skills on the CD-J players and mixers are just mental. So, DJ gear lovers and bedroom deejays who could still benefit from a few lessons. Make sure you're in the front row!
