June 24, 2024
Istanbul, Türkiye: A truly unique and fascinating metropolis, full of energy and rich with culture. Of all of the cities I've visited previously, Istanbul has long been at the top of my list of places I'd like to spend more time exploring. Sadly, that was not to be the case this time, as I was on the ground for just over 24 hours before moving on to the next gig. (I did have time to grab a photo by the port, and have also included a snap from my initial visit back in 2012). This was actually my first proper show in Turkey, as my only other appearance was during the "All Basses Covered" era, when I was playing primarily other people's music. Naturally, I was worried...would anyone show up? Will they know my songs? Thankfully, the night went wonderfully...there were some great hardcore fans in the house, and any fear I may have had about my music not translating was quickly dissipated by their enthusiasm. I can't wait to return, not only as a DJ but as a tourist.
Sofia, Bulgaria: Ironically, another country I had only been to once before, and a gig I was very much looking forward to. This was a festival play, which can be a different vibe from a "hard ticket" club or theater show, but usually just as much fun, if not more so. Everyone involved with the production was very kind and professional, and despite my own crew operating on zero sleep, soundcheck went off without a hitch and I felt ready to deliver my best. Unfortunately during the performance, right near the end of the big "Nobody Speak" crescendo, part of my rig lost power and the music stopped. By the time my team diagnosed the problem, we only had 9 minutes of stage time left, with 12 minutes of music left to play and no guarantee of a successful system restart...so out of respect for the next artist, I made the executive decision to end early rather than encroach on his time. I understand that glitches can happen, and although they have happened rarely in my career, I take this sort of thing extremely hard. Fortunately, a gentleman backstage who owns a local record shop reminded me that life isn't perfect and to maintain a healthy perspective, which I have tried to do. Still, I can't help but hope that I'll have the chance to redeem myself on a future visit to Sofia. The fans deserve it, and it'd sure make me feel better!
Next up: Bratislava, Slovakia!
-DJ Shadow
