Britain’s Steve Lawler, a 13-year veteran DJ who has risen to the top of the electronic music industry in the last few years, will make his first appearance in Ohio tonight at Red Zone Nightclub, located at 303 S. Front St.
Famed for his extended sets that have been known to last up to 10 hours, Lawler’s music features an aggressive mixture of progressive and tribal house sounds, but is defined by one constant.
“I love the sound of live drums – the tribal sound. They can be anything you want,” said Lawler, who was ranked as the 13th best DJ in the world by readers of DJ Magazine in October.
Lawler’s passion for his music is one of his defining characteristics and has shaped his career from its earliest days to the present.
Born in Birmingham, England, Lawler said he was a music fanatic from an early age, listening to pirate radio stations, buying records and swapping tapes with friends.
When he was only 16, Lawler and a couple of friends started an illegal, underground party in an abandoned tunnel beneath the M42 motorway.
“It was the only way I could actually play music in front of people,” Lawler said. “We used to hire generators, disco lights and a smoke machine and block off both ends of the tunnel.”
Lawler’s little parties eventually became quite well-known, and before they were shut down by the police two years later, he managed to draw accompaniment from such DJs as Australia’s Anthony Pappa, England’s Scott Bond and the now deceased Tony De Vit.
“They all played for free,” Lawler said, who never charged admission to any of his parties, even though he usually footed the bill. “It used to cost me money every time I did it.”
From those underground parties, Lawler made many friends in the dance music industry – and those connections eventually led him to other gigs throughout England. He also began to play in Ibiza, a sunny Mediterranean island renowned for its beautiful beaches and wild nightclubs.
Lawler said his early experiences in Ibiza Рwhere his work week included playing eight-hour sets every day at Caf̩ Mambo in addition to spinning three times a week on the rooftop at Pacha Рwere some of the most significant ones of his career.
It was also in Ibiza where Lawler caught the eye of Darren Hughes, a promoter for the Liverpool nightclub Cream in 1997. His stint at Cream helped establish his presence as a DJ and his popularity began to grow by leaps and bounds.
In 1999, he began a residency at the Home and at Space in Ibiza, the island’s most prestigious nightclub. The following year, he released his critically acclaimed submission to the Global Underground: Nubreed series and also began a residency at Twilo, a famous New York nightclub.
Even after years of touring, Lawler said his favorite thing to do is still playing live, and he has always placed a special importance on his live sets.
“The best thing about it is that you are in control of something,” Lawler said. “I really love what I do.”
He said more than anything, he wants people to walk out feeling like they had an amazing experience.
While Lawler has been regarded by many as an overnight success story, he said his journey to stardom has not been an easy one.
“It’s difficult for me to monitor my success,” Lawler said. “I’ve been DJ-ing for 12 or 13 years and I’ve sacrificed many things. I never really stopped and said, ‘Wow, I made it.’ It gradually creeps up on you. Now I get to play my music out to more people and that makes me happy.”
Lawler is also highly regarded as a producer and re-mixer – having collaborated with artists like BT and Silicone Soul – and was responsible for the 2001 tribal house anthem “Rise In.”
“He’s one of the best DJs in the world,” said club owner Mike Gallicchio. “We’re bringing in new talent to Columbus. This is a guy that you normally only get a chance to read about in the magazines.”
Lawler is currently on tour promoting his latest album, “Lights Out,” which was released on the Global Underground label this summer. “Lights Out” is more than just an album, though. According to Lawler, it is a concept that involves darker clubs and the room being entirely blacked out during his specially prepared introduction.
“It all adds to the atmosphere of the night, the energy,” Lawler said. “It’s so important to create a vibe. The whole idea about it is to make the night as far away from reality as possible.”
To further enhance the “Lights Out” effect, Red Zone is also having a “white party” where the patrons are asked to wear white clothing and many of the club’s regular lights will be replaced with black lights.
“It’s going to be really dark, with an all-white-light light show,” Gallicchio said.
Opening for Lawler will be former Twilo resident Glenn B.
Admission for tonight’s event is $10 before midnight and $15 after. The performance is for those 18 years and older. Doors open at 10:30 p.m.
