Partners in rhyme

Belgian DJ duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike talk about their gig in the city today and why you must be there

Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike who visit the Sunburn arena in Mumbai very often, have moved to the number one position in the DJ Mag Top 100 after dethroning Hardwell. Through their signature high-energy sets, the brothers have won millions of hearts across the world. We talk to them about their music, upcoming set and how it feels to be at the top.

Are there any venues across the world, that hold a special place in your heart

Dimitri:

There are so many of them! I think our performance at Het Sportpaleis in Antwerpen was crazy — it was our own first show. The location was amazing and to perform there, at the most legendary venue in your own country, definitely left a great impression.

Mike :

We’d love to perform at Wembley Stadium or Madison Square Garden though.

How is this gig going to be different than the last time you performed here Dimitri: We are coming for the Smirnoff Experience this time around and so, we are expecting a bigger party. We’re also dropping some new singles. Mike: We may have a special celebrity guest at the show — it’s going to be a night of madness and mayhem.

You guys are holding the number one spot on DJ Mag, how does it feel Are these kind of accolades important to you Dimitri: We know everybody thinks we are incredible DJs and producers, but we want to show the world that there is another side to the Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike experience. You know, to prove that we’re not just super-talented producers but true musicians as well. Our focus is to deliver the best show, the best music and the best memories possible. That’s where we put our energy to ensure we stay in a strong place with our fans. We’re totally blessed with our career so far. There’s not really a big secret to it, we just work hard and we love what we do, and try do things differently than the rest. Mike: I want our future to continue to grow, to become bigger and more successful, to dominate the electronic music scene. We’re receiving huge amounts of support right now from the industry, the press and of course fans, which tells me that we’re doing at least something right. We want to bring the sound of Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike to everyone that wants to listen, we want to smash the biggest festivals and clubs, we want people to go crazy to our music. I think we’re on our the way to that, but things can always get bigger and they can always get better.

Which is your favourite music festival and why Dimitri: Tomorrowland has been a major part of our career, on every level. We’ve done the anthems for them, which have been huge tracks for us, especially when you think about the amount of exposure that the festival gets all over the world. We’ve also done the official soundtracks to their after movies which get seen by millions everywhere! For both of us, it’s a really unique festival, but not just because of the music but the whole concept and production. We actually grew up a couple of minutes away from the festival site and we used to play there as kids, so it really is a homecoming gig for us. Mike: Actually four years ago our grandparents came to see us there, they were rocking it out at the front of the crowd, I think we both realised where we get our party attitude from—from India Sunburn! We share a special relationship with the brand and India. It’s their 10th year anniversary and we are excited to be part of the celebrations and wish them another 10 more successful years.

What is your set going to be like Any song you’d definitely be playing Dimitri: We’re looking forward to an amazing show. India knows how to stage a world class event and Indian fans are some of the most passionate in the scene, so this party will be crazy for sure! Mike: Yes, very likely we’ll play some of our new material.We are releasing our new collaboration with Diplo Hey Baby in end of October, so this one will be pumping through for, sure alongside other new stuff.

You can go for their concert today, 4 pm onwards At Mahalaxmi Race Course, Royal Western India Turf Club, Mahalaxmi Tickets: Rs 2,500 onwards