Main stage
Underworld
The Rolling Stones of the dance world? The mega, mega white things of 1996 are now in their early fifties, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work a crowd. Rick and Karl (as opposed to Mick and Keef) may be best known for that tune from Trainspotting, but they’ve actually clocked up as many as eight studio albums, not including soundtrack work. A ninth is scheduled for release in the near future, and Karl tells us that we can expect to hear some of it at Creamfields Abu Dhabi.
Get in the mood: ‘Born Slippy.Nuxx’ – might as well go with the classic
Calvin Harris
The Scottish wunderkind rose to prominence in 2007 with hit singles ‘Acceptable in the ’80s’ and ‘Girls’, but it wasn’t until he teamed up with Dizzee Rascal for last year’s ‘Dance wiv Me’ that he hit number one. Now a confirmed pop star, he’ll be performing his singles live, including recent number one hit ‘I’m Not Alone’.
Get in the mood: ‘I’m Not Alone’ – his biggest hit to date? Youtube does not lie
Deadmau5
Deadmau5 might have a hell of a gimmick – the massive, terrifying white-eyed mouse head he wears at his gigs has made him one of house music’s most distinctive performers. But he’s not just about surface: the man’s talents both behind the decks and the mixer have gained him major support in both dance media and clubs the world over.
Get in the mood: ‘Ghosts’n’Stuff’ – reminiscent of MJ’s ‘Thriller’, only much, much phatter
House Arena
Sasha
There’s not a lot to do in North Wales. Sasha obviously filled his Bangorian childhood dreaming of bigger things and perfecting his DJing craft. As a legend of trance, he’s been pulling in the crowds the world over since the early ’90s. He is a true original.
Get in the mood: ‘Xpander’ – Oh, to be back in the ’90s!
Sébastien Léger
Until recently, this 30-year-old Frenchman was best known for his remixes. Hit singles ‘Hit Girl’ and ‘Hypnotized’ have begun to change that, and the DJ is beginning to find his own voice (see our interview on p31). Having scored his first club residency at the age of 15, Abu Dhabi crowds can be sure they’re in experienced hands.
Get in the mood: ‘Jaguar’ – not dissimilar to the work of Deadmau5. Would it be too much to request a battle of the DJs?
Marco Carola
The Italian mixmaster began his musical life behind a drum kit – not a bad education for a man who has made his money in beats. He put together his own studio in order to further educate the masses; prepare to study the full curriculum at Creamfields Abu Dhabi.
Get in the mood: ‘Bloody Cash’ – its latin vibes will undoubtedly suit the balmy Abu Dhabi night just as well
Underground Arena
Erick Morillo
It was Reel 2 Reel’s cheese-tastic and apparently unkillable hit, ‘I Like to Move it’, that made Morillo’s name and fortune, but his career since then has moved into more credible house tune areas. Reel 2 Reel is not his only pseudonym, by the way – he’s also worked as Ministers De La Funk, Smooth Touch and Li’l Mo Ying Yang, to name but a few.
Get in the mood: ‘Break Down the Doors’ – featuring Audio Bullys, who look exactly as their name suggests they might
Sharam
Voted into the top 100 DJs by DJ Magazine, Iranian/American Sharam is a well-known face in the UAE, thanks largely to his Global Underground mix album, Dubai. He arrives in the capital off the back of a successful world tour – think of this as a kind of homecoming.
Get in the mood: ‘She Came Along’ – featuring Kid Cudi. It’s not often we get to say this of DJs, but check out that guitar!
Laidback Luke
…or Luke Van Scheppingen to his dear-old mum. Luke started out as a graffiti artist before turning his attentions to the decks. His remixes are well known – check out his work with Dizzee Rascal, Black Eyed Peas and, er, Cyndi Lauper. DJ Magazine reckons he’s the world’s 46th best spinner. Who are we to argue with that?
Get in the mood: ‘Into the Nightlife’ – presumably he selected this Cyndi track by song title alone
