Simon Patterson recently played a four-hour set at Opera Nightclub in Atlanta and I had the chance to sit down and talk with Simon before his set thanks to Henry “Parker” Reyes of Liquified Atlanta. Simon Patterson is not only an amazing DJ/Producer but such a gracious and open person. I had access to some great views during his show and even got some amazing photos next to Simon while he was in the booth behind the CDJs. While Simon Patterson is traveling the globe he also has a weekly radio show called Open Up that airs on the trance channel of Digitally Imported every Thursday. His original track “Brush Strokes” was also recently included on Armin van Buuren’s Top 20 of 2013 album.
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You can purchase it on Beatport here.
Our conversation started with the always relevant question of what type of music does he enjoy personally. Simon stated,
Anything from psy-trance (#Psymon) and trance to techno and breakbeats. Variety is the spice of life. I would get bored, I have been doing this for to long to play just one particular style. There is no point keeping yourself in one zone while there is so much good music out there.
Next we talked briefly about one of his previous shows in Buffalo, NY. On an Open Up show Simon had mentioned that Buffalo was a tough crowd. The response I got was so refreshing to hear. Simon said,
Buffalo was a tough crowd, there was a divide of the die-hard fans and the normal weekend club goer. As difficult as the club crowd was I really enjoyed being kept on my toes and having to expand to keep everyone on the dance floor. For me this challenge and stuff similar makes me better at what I do. I’m not just playing for me I am playing for the crowd, and I will utilize all the tracks I’ve got to keep a good vide and the dance floor busy.
We then spoke about how he likes to see his show progress through out the night. Simon said,
I like to make my show build slowly and progress, then get into the deeper and darker stuff. I love starting my shows with some good techno, some of my favorite artists are Joseph Capriati, Adam Beyer and Roberto Cipriano. I prefer the Drumcode sound. Through my show I also play a lot of my own stuff as well, that’s one thing I take pride in. No matter what you go by the crowd, I start with good intentions to play a certain style but sometimes it just doesn’t work like that. If I had to play just one genre it would be techno!
Since we were in Atlanta, I had to bring up TomorrowWorld and get Simon’s input on the show and production. Simon stated,
I really enjoyed the festival. Only thing for me I wish there was more production put into the trance stage like the other stages, the setup was a little odd . The crowd was amazing though and I enjoyed playing there and can’t wait to see how it evolves going forward.
With such a big difference between festivals and club shows I was interested in getting Simon’s opinion on the style show he preferred playing more. He stated,
I like playing club shows. As I have gotten older I enjoy playing longer sets and showcasing what the brand is about. Festival shows are fun but you really have to play the biggest tracks because you have such little time and anyone can do that. Club shows you really have to create an experience and show what the music is all about. I used to be all about the bangers, but as I have evolved I am more about the groovy stuff.
Simon Patterson was so open and honest in our conversation. This “interview” turned more into a conversation and by the end I felt like I had known him for years. I have always respected Simon but after our time together I really know why he is one of my personal favorites. If you have the chance to catch one of his shows I recommend it you will not be disappointed. He took us on a ride that night through an amazing musical wonderland. Showcasing his impeccable skill and great song selection. Simon seamlessly transitions through styles while keeping the crowd happy before diving into a deep, dark final hour in his show. You could not help but to feel so satisfied after listening to Simon Patterson for a few hours. Be sure to check out Simon Patterson online: DJSimonPatterson.com | Facebook | SoundCloud | Twitter | Instagram | Open Up Podcast
After sitting down with Simon Patterson, I also had the opportunity to speak with Henry “Parker” Reyes, Marketing Manager at Liquified. Parker said,
Liquified is actually a small company, not many people know that. It consists of myself, Kevin Wu, Evan Jones, Damian Murphy, Devin Walkley and a strong team of talented promoters. Devin and Damian founded the company about 20 years ago. Illuminate is Liquified’s EDM installment and has been going on for about a year now. One of our main clients is Opera Nightclub and we also do shows at the Tabernacle and every now and then Masquerade, it all depends on what talent we are bringing in. The company also has a Los Angeles base as well.
Next I asked Parker if there is a certain style of music Liquified books more than others. He said,
Since we are in Atlanta there is a strong Hip Hop influence and the real bass heavy styles and artists seem to do quite well. We like to make all of our fans and followers happy though, and for example like to make at least one trance event per month if not more sometimes. Personally I love the trance crowd, a very passionate and respectful group.
Parker is an awesome guy, very open and honest. He made me feel right at home in the venue and went out of his way to assist me while I was there. If you’re in the Atlanta area you must go see one of the Illuminate shows. The production and people involved with their events are top of the line. I look forward to continuing my relationship with Parker and Liquified. Be sure to check out Liquified online for upcoming events, tickets and more: www.liquified.com | Facebook | Twitter
Here are some videos and pictures from the show, be sure to watch the videos in HD: View from behind Simon Patterson during the show:
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