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Every DJ has one: that unique gig they’ll keep talking about at birthday parties. In this interview, Dutch DJ/producer Audrey Clarke a.k.a. Lady Ace shares the story of her MOST MEMORABLE GIG. “At the end, I even got a thumbs-up from the band - nice.”
“Somewhere in 2009, when I was 36, Stefano Richetta called me for a booking – opening for the Dutch band De Dijk. I didn’t want to say no. After all, it wasn’t just a paid gig, but also for a good cause: the foundation Het Vergeten Kind (‘The Forgotten Child’). Pretty soon after saying yes, a bit of panic set in. ‘Oh dear, maybe those rock lovers will boo me off stage’, I couldn’t help thinking.”
Floating pontoon
“The MidzomerZaan Festival took place in Zaandam. The organizers had built a kind of pontoon on the water for the stage. So, I was literally playing on the water, which was special. In front of the stage, about two thousand people were standing on a patch of rough ground. It was the kind of party with loads of media people in the crowd.”
The ‘Dutch Björk’
“The evening kicked off around eight. My set was from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Half an hour before I had to start, Laura Stavinoha floated in on a raft. I already knew her from her minimal electronic beats and sometimes call her ‘the Dutch Björk’. She was wearing a bizarre dress about five meters high and sang to her own beats – somewhere between Irish music and opera. That was the start of a truly magical night.”
The Dutch U2
“Goosebumps. That’s how I felt as I took over. Since I didn’t know exactly what to expect, I had prepared a lot at home so I could remix on the spot if needed. My main goal was to keep the vibe warm and welcoming. I played white-label vinyls, mixed with CDs, and alternated popular house remixes of U2 with, for example, Moby. I saw De Dijk as the Dutch U2, so that fit perfectly. Bakermat, the Eurythmics, and Frankie Knuckles all made an appearance too. And, I couldn’t resist throwing in Herman van Veen’s “Hilversum 3 Bestond Nog Niet“. Everyone sang along at the top of their lungs.” (laughs)
Like a remix
“I wasn’t nervous about this gig. By 2009, I’d already done plenty. I knew exactly how everything worked and was well-prepared. As a DJ, you always have to stay true to your heart – but you also need to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. Sometimes you can play an original track in such a way that it feels like a remix.”
Underground
“I definitely had the crowd’s attention and could warm them up nicely for De Dijk. I had one big track saved for the end: “Sky and Sand” by Paul and Fritz Kalkbrenner. Back then, it hadn’t been played much and only DJs owned it – very underground. I decided to close with it. Right then, De Dijk started their soundcheck. That, too, became a magical moment. I could tell they found the track exciting because they adjusted their soundcheck to fit the music! It instantly made the track even more thrilling and accessible. At that time, house music was still quite underground – but “Sky and Sand” ended up touching everyone. It’s not a track you can put in a neat box; it’s simply good music.”
Top 40
“The track went down really well. I even think that soundcheck during my final track may have helped Sky and Sand eventually reach No. 12 in the Dutch Top 40 – simply because so many radio people and colleagues were in the audience. At the end, I even got a thumbs-up from the band – nice.”
A perfect day
“A year or so later, the Kalkbrenners were performing at Woodstock in Bloemendaal. Of course, I wanted to be there. The funny thing is, it was pouring rain in Amsterdam, but on the weather radar there was exactly one clear spot. You guessed it: Woodstock. When we arrived in Bloemendaal, the sky was bright blue with glorious sunshine.” (laughs) “Needless to say, it was a perfect day.”
“I’m still producing a lot and have plenty of tracks ready. I just don’t have the energy right now to reach out to labels. Last year, I’d just started my own night at the Oosterbar in Amsterdam, but of course that’s on hold now – just like all other gigs. I hope we can all dance together again soon!”
This interview with Lady Ace is originally published in March 2021 on This Is Our House.
Who is Lady Ace?
DJ Lady Ace is a future-sound DJ with an inspiring sound that can take you on exciting and uplifting journey. Mixing her favorite techno & house music she loves to create WOW’s & ”hands in the air” from the party people. Next to DJing Lady Ace is also an underground promoter of dj’s/producers and inspiring advisor for many events about booking artists, acts, visuals and creating new projects.
Starting her DJ adventure in Amsterdam in the early Lacy Ace played international gigs in great clubs from Miami, Kiev, Jakarta to Ibiza and joined the deejay booth with Sister Bliss, Future Shock, Gino and Mason.
Producing house music is a dream come true for her. Lady Ace played regularly for Nomads & 5&33 and for VET! (Club NL Amsterdam). Lady Ace is inspired by producers/DJs like Lexer, Marco Carola, Copy Paste Soul, Angelo Ferreri, Zweistein, Lucien Foort, Rubzman, Paul Kalkbrenner, Ramon Tapia, Mass Digital, Loco Dice, Melon, Sandrien, Gabriel Ananda, Paul Sparkes, Egbert, Danny Howells and many more great producerd!
Lady Ace is also an underground promoter of new DJs/producers. She organized “The Flow”, Chicken Skin & Bish Bosh club nights in Amsterdam, creating platforms for new artists. Lady Ace is an inspiring adviser for many events about booking new artists, acts, visuals and creating new projects for them. Producing house music for the 130 Techno Travellers in Amsterdam is another project together with Rubzman.