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For this edition of MY MOST MEMORABLE GIG, I sat down with Dutch DJ/producer Jos Klaster, better known as DJ José. This year marks his 40th anniversary in the business. Over the decades, he’s had countless exciting and memorable performances - but which one stands out above all? Without hesitation: “The moment I raised my hands in the air, every single hand went up with me.”
“This year I’m celebrating my 40th anniversary as a DJ. Time has flown by, and of course I’ve had a huge number of gigs in that time – all kinds of them. Back in the ’90s, there were stretches when I was traveling across the whole country. I literally went everywhere. Among DJs we used to joke that we’d play ‘in every village that had electricity.’” (laughs) “But when you ask about my most memorable gig, one immediately comes to mind: my first time playing at Dance Valley.”
The First
“How did that come about? Well, in the late ’90s I was playing every week at Club Lexion in Westzaan. Every Sunday morning there was a great afterparty. Until New Year’s 1998/’99, there was a weekly event called After Hour Power. Starting in February 1999, we took over with our own event: The First.”
Resident DJ
“In the end, I was a resident there for two and a half years. Every Sunday morning, I’d play from 9 to 11 for about 3,000 people. Most of the crowd would actually go to bed early on Saturday night just so they could get up at 4 a.m. and make it to Lexion. When I arrived, everyone would already be waiting for me because I was closing the night. Erick E, Mark van Dale, Stephen, and Jurgen had already finished their sets by then.”
The After Afterparty
“It could get pretty intense sometimes. Right after I’d put on my last record at 11 a.m., I’d race to Schiphol Airport to catch a flight – for example, to play in Spain that same evening. If you still wanted to keep partying after 11, you could head straight to Latido in Zaandam. It was owned by the same people as Lexion, and I often played there too. That was basically the after afterparty.” (laughs) “And if you still weren’t ready to go home, you could continue at Crossroads, and then The Living Room. Sundays were definitely not boring!”
G-Spott
“So what’s the connection with my most memorable gig at Dance Valley? Well, the person who did the bookings for Lexion was Marije. She also ran a well-known booking site at the time: DJBookings.com. She handled all my bookings, and also those of my mate Richard, better known as G-Spott. Together, we produced our hits ‘Wrong is Right’ and ‘House of Justice.’ In 2000, Marije was contacted by the Dance Valley organization to see if we were available. Of course we were! And that’s how it happened.”
Eerily Empty
“Our two-hour set at Dance Valley started around 2 p.m. I played vinyl for an hour and a half, and Richard did a live set for the last half hour. I was a bit nervous beforehand. During the DJ set before us, the tent looked eerily empty. It was a gorgeous, sunny summer day, so people were hanging out outside. I needn’t have worried, though. About half an hour before our set, the tent started filling up. I clearly remember it was a long tent with open sides. By the time we started, it was absolutely packed with around 10,000 people! That was the biggest crowd I’d ever played for at that point.”
Hands in the Air
“That really hit me. Whatever I played, as soon as I raised my hands, every single hand went up too! The sound was massive, and the lighting was perfect. Fantastic! I still remember one track that always worked well in Lexion too: ‘On The Level’ by Yomanda. It was a surefire crowd-pleaser and that day was no different.”
Emotional Moment
“When I looked up from the turntables, I saw everyone going wild: one big sea of happiness. Back then, we still had our record crates full of vinyl sitting on the floor behind the DJ booth. At one point, I got so emotional from the incredible sight in front of me that I dropped to my knees behind the booth and had to bite my lip to keep from crying. That’s how overwhelming it was.”
Too Conservative
“During his live set, Richard played some of our own tracks. I think he also included something by Mauro Picotto, and I’m pretty sure our own ‘House of Justice’ was in his setup too. The crowd loved it all. In those days, Richard and I also tried to release records abroad under the name José & G-Spott. Outside of Poland and Russia, though, it wasn’t very successful. In a lot of countries – like the UK – you just couldn’t show up with a name like G-Spott. They were still way too conservative for that.” (laughs)
Big Smile
“Marije later booked us for many more festivals. We also played at Mysteryland. That festival drew about 40,000 visitors in total, with around 10,000 people in our tent. Also amazing – but still, when I think back to that very first Dance Valley gig, I can’t help but smile. Truly memorable.”
Still Going Strong
“These days I’m still keeping busy. In the coming months, I’ll be playing at Zekkerss Nieuw-Vennep, Classics at the Harbour, Wijk bij Duurstede, Ibiza Catamaran Party at the Beach in Noordwijk, and more. Richard and I are also working together again. We’re with the same booking agency, back in the studio, and planning new versions of our old releases as well as brand-new tracks.”
“Recently, on April 22, I celebrated my 40th DJ anniversary with a select group at Club Hart, and it was absolutely INSANE!”
This interview with DJ José was originally published in May 2023 on This Is Our House.
Who is DJ José?
Energizing, talented and able to continuously reinvent himself: DJ José is a true crack in the field of dance music. A steady succession of hits, both solo and co-produced, brought him worldwide fame.
DJ José has become a familiar face in both the Dutch and international club scene, and a highly demanded profile / high in demand at major events. His signature sound a contemporary, non-commercial style derived from a smorgasbord of music genres, DJ José is known for creating an accessible musical flow.
Privileged in experience, DJ José is able to actually connect with his audience on a deeper level offering subtle tones, smooth vocals and energizing tracks. DJ José will take his crowd on a journey, communicating from his booth, and by relentless self evaluation.