This post is also available in: Nederlands (Dutch)
Dutch DJ Eddy van Alphen, a.k.a. Trentino NL, is a cheerful and optimistic guy who instantly won me over. This week, he shares his debut story in the series MY FIRST GIG: “The crowd almost went too wild.”
“I grew up in Amersfoort in a family with a Moluccan mother and a Dutch father. I don’t know if it’s widely known, but many Moluccans are musical. On average, you’ll find one or two Moluccans in almost every band.” (laughs) “Practically all my Moluccan uncles and aunts played in bands. On top of that, my father was a celebrated DJ in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Music was practically in my DNA, and I learned so much from my family.”
Funk and Soul
“At that time, my dad mostly played funk and soul—still some of the best music out there. Sometimes, I wish I’d been born a few years earlier so I could’ve experienced the nightlife of that era. But being born in 1975, I missed out on that by just a bit.”
"The Man"
“Music was always on at home when I was growing up, which wasn’t surprising since there weren’t that many entertaining TV programs back then. In seventh grade, I started DJing myself at school parties. We organized it through the student council, and I played on my first turntables. Later, I switched to CDs. The music was mostly Top 40 hits like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, U2, Simple Minds, and Doe Maar. I absolutely loved it – suddenly, I was “The Man”.” (laughs) “The girls loved it, and my popularity at school skyrocketed.”
Turn Up The Bass
“I picked it back up again in high school. At the time, hip-hop was emerging, followed later by swingbeat. Of course, it was still a ‘talk-and-play’ setup with CD players – no fancy effects on the mixer. My friends and I were huge hip-hop fans, so we played a lot of that at school parties. By then, I also had a few “Turn Up The Bass” CDs, and I’d throw in a track or two from them.”
"House Nigger"
“When house music started making waves, it took me a moment to get used to it, but I quickly found electronic music fascinating. My friends stuck to hip-hop, though, and nicknamed me “house nigger”. After all, I was also the only dark-skinned boy in the neighborhood.” (laughs)
Gabber Parties
“When gabber emerged, I wasn’t really into the music, but I decided to experience it for myself. When I turned 18, I went to several gabber parties, including Parkzicht, Ghosttown, and later Thunderdome. It was all about the experience for me.”
Pastry Chef
“After high school, I started working at a bakery – I’m a trained pastry chef. That quickly transitioned into a job in security. I still played music occasionally at friends’ birthday parties, but it became less frequent.”
Blown Away
“That changed in 2005 when I married my wife Leoni, with whom I now have a daughter, Esmée. For our wedding, I rented a full DJ setup so Brian S., Duha on percussion, Steve-O, and my friend Onnik Tavitian could perform. Onnik, who performed under the name DJ Billy Mason, is the founder of House of Tracks and Set Freaks. When I saw the Pioneer CDJ 1000 MK1s we rented, I was blown away. Such beautiful gear! Watching Brian and Onnik work their magic reignited my passion. Not long after, I bought my own setup with two Pioneer players and a mixer.”
Learning the Craft
“For years, I tagged along with Onnik and other DJ friends like Romke Boumans to their gigs. I couldn’t take my eyes off their hands, absorbing all their movements. At home, I spent hours and hours practicing beatmatching. I also gained experience as a drive-in DJ for corporate events and weddings.”
Nicolai on Sax
“I worked with saxophonist Nicolai—better known as Nicolai on Sax. In 2014, Nicolai was asked to perform at the Eerbiza festival in Eerbeek. The organizers also needed a DJ, and Nicolai recommended me. That was my first gig for a large audience of a few thousand people.”
Hed Kandi Vibes
“In terms of preparation, I spent a lot of time selecting music—I had to fill four hours. I opened the festival, playing from 2 PM to 5 PM, with another set later in the day. My playlist featured mostly soulful house, very Hed Kandi-esque, to match the beachy vibe of the festival.”
Double Check
“Was I nervous? Every DJ gets pre-show jitters, right? I call it healthy tension. You always ask yourself, ‘Will everything go smoothly?’ and ‘Will the crowd enjoy it?’ By then, I’d learned to play it safe by checking the gear and ensuring everything I needed was available. For large productions, everything is usually in order, but for smaller gigs, I still do a double check. Thanks to my drive-in business, I’ve built up a lot of technical knowledge and can often fix minor issues myself.”
Nerves Melting Away
“I kicked things off with “Fade” by Solu Music ft. Kimblee. Since there was only one stage, the crowd naturally gathered in one big area. Within half an hour, hundreds of people were dancing in front of me, and the VIP tables filled up quickly. Seeing people sway and eventually dance melted away my nerves. The crowd was loving it so much that I wrapped up my set a little earlier than planned to avoid them getting too wild.” (laughs) “I wanted to give the next DJ, as well as Nicolai, more space to shine.”
Compliments
“My dad and neighbor came along for support. My dad is 78 now, but we still regularly go to gigs together—he even helps with sound when needed. Of course, he was proud to see me up on that stage. The organizers were also thrilled, showering me with compliments afterward. When I walked around the festival later, several people approached me to say how much they’d enjoyed my set.”
Diversity
“You asked if I had a mentor. Definitely! And more than one! I got my diverse taste in music from my family and upbringing. Romke and Onnik taught me so much about technique and beatmixing. Onnik always advised me not to bring too much music to a gig. ‘If you have too many options, the choice becomes overwhelming’, he said. ‘Prepare your set, define your style and vibe, and bring just a few extras. That’s all you need’.”
Geheime Liefde
“I’ve performed B2B with Onnik twice at the Geheime Liefde festival, once in 2018 from 3-6 PM and again in 2019 from 9-11 PM. I preferred the first daytime set; you can play different music in the afternoon. Evening gigs can feel like you’re waiting around all day. But the first time was unforgettable. The crowd went wild, and the next DJ even asked us to keep playing because he loved our set so much.” (laughs)
Passion for All-Round DJing
“Festivals are great fun, but I honestly prefer corporate events or weddings. My true passion lies in all-round DJing. You see happy people of all ages, and everyone, no matter how old, dances to classics like The Twist or “Jailhouse Rock“. Younger couples enjoy a bit of tech house too, and I love playing remixes of old tracks.”
Big Clients
“Over the years, I’ve played at festivals and clubs, like Kingsday in Zaandam, Club Ape (above the iT), Studio A12, Club NL, Paal 16 (Texel), Harders Plaza, and Starlight.My drive-in business, AlphaSound Amersfoort, also serves major clients like Bakker Bart, Discovery Channel, Prénatal, and 123ink.”
“Coming up, I have a big event for Bergman Clinics and plenty more projects with AlphaSound Amersfoort. Every gig is a new surprise, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!”
This interview with Trentino was originally published in June 2023 on This Is Our House.
Who is Trentino?
As the son of a popular DJ from the ’70s and ’80s, Trentino discovered his passion for music at an early age. Trentino has been involved with music since he was young, DJing at every school party!
Since 2001, Trentino has been performing professionally at all kinds of events and parties with his own mobile DJ show. From large corporate events to small birthday celebrations at people’s homes, or even weddings, Trentino knows how to connect with his audience.
Trentino believes that a DJ should sense what makes people move and adapt the music accordingly. “You have to hear it, you have to feel it.”
More Trentino?
Interested in more FIRST GIGS? You’ll find them all here!
