After more than a decade-long break, the iconic figure of electronic dance music, DJ and producer Pete Tong, returns to Latvia and will perform a DJ set at the First club on February 6.
Pete Tong (full name — Peter Michael Tong) is a British DJ, producer, and long-time host of the radio shows Essential Mix and Essential Selection on BBC Radio. He is often referred to as a global ambassador of electronic dance music. Tong is also the head of the FFRR Records label (part of the Warner Music Group), where he produces dance music.
Tong was born in 1960 in Kent, England, where he received his education. Initially, his musical passion was percussion instruments, but he soon became interested in DJing and made his public debut at the age of just 15 — at a friend's wedding. Later, Tong created his own mobile disco, opened and managed several nightclubs, and then took a position as an advertising sales assistant at the music magazine Blues & Soul. After that, he worked as an A&R manager at London Records, which opened the door for him into the world of house music and provided extensive opportunities, including collaborations with BBC Radio.
Pete Tong is one of the most famous British DJs, having gained a massive audience through his radio show Essential Selection. From 2003 to 2007, he was a resident DJ at the Pacha club in Ibiza. In 2008, Tong signed a contract with the Eden club and launched his concept Wonderland there, which lasted for three years. In 2011, the DJ announced his return to Pacha as well as the launch of a new event series All Gone Pete Tong — a name that later became associated with his radio show on the American station iHeartRadio, mirroring Tong's program on BBC.
What to expect from Pete Tong's set in Riga? While many DJs play pre-prepared sets, Pete Tong prefers to feel the audience and adapt to their mood and desires.
"I view DJing as surfing, and the audience as a wave that I always try to be in harmony with," Tong shares.
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