This post is also available in: Nederlands (Dutch)
In 2015 I met Vincent Buss a.k.a. the legendary Café d’Anvers DJ Prinz. Having been around since 1994, the Belgian DJ/producer knows all the ins and outs of the clubbing scene. Not long after we met, he told me about his debut. Prinz: “The public was exceptionally beautiful and existed mostly of models, gays and party people.”
“My first gig was at an event that was organized by Jan Bizar & Geoffroy. In 1995 these men were the nightlife-gurus of Belgium. The name of the event was Les Soirées Lipstick. It was held at the Mirano Continental in Brussels. I was 22 at the time.”
“I was extremely nervous. I had never played in front of an audience before, let alone in front of 800 people! Because the event was a collaboration with Steff Models Management, the public was exceptionally beautiful and existed mostly of models, gays and party people. Of course, I had meticulously prepared myself for this at home, so I could give make my appearance with the hippest dance tracks of the moment.”
Idols
“I didn’t really have a mentor. That didn’t exist in those days. I did have several idols, for example Koenie (Wallys Groove World), Dimitri (RoXY), Sven van Hees and Steve Cop. I went to see and hear the latter time and time again in order to pick up the intricacies of the profession.”
Beatmatching
“I’m not sure if I made terrible mistakes. I don’t think so. I do remember that it wasn’t easy. What I realized right there and then, is that it’s not only about perfect beatmatching but also and mostly about the order of records you choose to create the right atmosphere and stimulate people to dance.”
Read the crowd
“I learned a lot from that first gig, as well as from every single gig that followed. It’s takes a few sets to learn how to read people so you can respond optimally to them with your set.”
Anniversary tour
“Now I’ve been full-on active as a DJ for over twenty years. This anniversary is celebrated with the 20 PRINZ TOUR. The kick-off party is on April 17th 2015 in Café d’Anvers. The tour will last the rest of the year and take me to clubs and festivals in Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Spain and Russia. My first album release will probably be at the end of 2015 as well.”
This interview with DJ Prinz is originally published on DJMag.nl in April 2015.
Who is DJ Prinz?
Officially active since 1995 and Café D-Anvers legend Vincent Buss a.k.a. DJ Prinz is still going strong. He started his first residency at the world famous boat parties “Cruises to Pleasure”, where he performed with Blake Baxter, Stacey Pullen, Claudio Cocoluto and Ricky Montanary. Not long after, he was already touring with Masters at Work in Geneva, Paris and Brussels, which got him bookings in Montreal (Canada), Ibiza (Spain), Miami (US), Amsterdam (NL).
In 2000 he got offered a residency at Café d’Anvers. Pushing young talents and combining the line up with big names like Guy Gerber, Joseph Capriati, Dosem, Ellen Allien and much more. He compiled the Free Vibes disc of the 2nd Café d’Anvers compilation in 2001, accompanied by an exclusive vinyl of his EP – My Sound -, which became a hit in Ibiza and supported the compilation. Between 2000 and 2010 a lot of bookings in Ibiza followed, including La Troya Assesina, Dance Valley at Amnesia, Club Space, KM 5, Blue Marlin, Sa Trincha. Invited by Berlin’s famous nightlife magazine Partysan, he performed in Thailand at Full Moon party, at illegal boat parties in Turkey, Rave on Snow in Austria and in Berlin at the Loveparade.
But it wasn’t only in Europe that he gained fame. Prinz was also creating a fanbase in Russia, where he has been performing yearly at the best clubs and events in Moscow and St. Petersburg since 2000. Festivals like Kazantip, Dance Valley, Tomorrowland and – world, 10 Days Off, The Love-and Techno Parade, Loveland, Bahrain Music Conference (BMC) and Laundry Day booked Prinz since their first edition. And it’s been since 2012 that he’s hosting Tomorrowland’s second biggest stage known as the camping party of Dreamville, where 35.000 partyheads are going mad before the festival actually starts.
Securing a top position, year after year, in the Belgian annual ‘House DJ Of The Year’ polls. There is absolutely no doubt that Prinz still belongs to the top DJs in Belgium. After more than 20 years of performing in the music business, Prinz launched his “PRINZ: 20 YEARS DJ TOUR” in April 2015, with worldwide gigs and the release of a mini-album.
