ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS MOLINA
As twilight began to settle over Empire Polo Field, muffled sounds from the main stage could be heard while traversing through the refugee camp that is the VIP and Press areas. It takes carful footing to not accidentally step on a passed-out or substance-induced patron laying about the floors. I eventually find Ben Harris and Paul Harris (no relation) of Dirty Vegas, who are pleasantly seated Indian style on the grass and enjoying the sights and sounds of the festival surrounding them.
SS: How does it feel to be back in the sweltering desert, playing another gig at Coachella?
Ben Harris: I think it’s actually slightly under 100 degrees, but yes, it has been about a couple years since we’ve played here at Coachella. And I hope we get to be here next year with the whole band.
SS: Do you find yourselves most comfortable playing live sets instead of DJ sessions?
Ben Harris: Well, in the old days, we started as DJs and continue to enjoy aspects of that dynamic, whereas the live show presents a whole other set of experiences.
SS: Seems like comparing apples to oranges.
BH: With live sets, we get to play our own music, but with DJ sets, we get to play music we like. With live shows, it’s amazing to see the crowd really feeling the music that you’ve made, which is a little different from seeing them move to a record or remix that you like.
SS: Speaking of which, which past or current track/act would you guys be interested in remixing?
Paul Harris: Arcade Fire would be my pick.
BH: Hmmm… I’d say whoever pays the most money. [Laughs]
SS: So Britney Spears and Justin Bieber are fair game, eh?
BH: No, we have our limits. But I think in all seriousness, I’d love to do a remix of Robyn.
SS: Also in that same universe is Karin Dreijer Andersson (The Knife/Fever Ray). Would you guys be up for working with her?
BH: I absolutely adore her and especially enjoy the work with Royksopp.
SS: Reflecting on the past 10 years of Dirty Vegas, what do you guys feel when looking back?
BH: Ten years ago no one really knew dance music like they do now. We went to Kansas, Missouri, Columbus, places where they never heard of dance music 10 years ago. DJs like Sasha and Deep Dish were playing these places at the time, but the scene had not been delivered to the masses.
SS: What are the next 10 years looking like?
BH: I think we’ll be making disco.
SS: [Laughs] The electronic/dance scene has come full circle once or twice already. In terms of pacing and track selection, how will tonight’s DJ set differ from the one you just played at the Winter Music Conference?
BH: It’ll be the same attitude of what we choose, but with the thought of being in a compact setting as opposed to the WMC stage layout. We’ll be playing off the crowd’s vibe and reassess how things are flowing, which keeps things unpredictable and fresh for us as performers. If we attempted this freestyle approach live, we’d basically be screwed unless we played a solid dance floor cover. [Laughs]
SS: Everybody likes Staying Alive.
BH: Yes, back to disco again.
SS: As DJs, do you prefer vinyl or digital format?
BH: I’m going to say both.
PH: On the fence.
BH: I obviously used to play exclusively vinyl, but now it’s the convenience of a USB stick and headphones—I can basically stick a whole DJ set in my pocket.
SS: In the spirit of technology, what has been the worst technical setback you’ve had during a performance?
BH: We've had ones in front of a crowd of eight thousand people. There was champagne that popped into the mixer, also was the time I thought I had ejected the USB stick—I pulled it out and the whole system ended up crashing. You basically heard a loud click followed by complete silence.
You can catch Dirty Vegas on their current world tour with dates showcsing either live or DJ Sets. Click below to find out if they're headed to a town near you. http://www.dirtyvegas.com/tour/
Tour Dates: http://www.dirtyvegas.com/tour/
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