DJ Pagano – A Jet-setting Life

DJ Pagano will be one of the featured DJ’s headlining this weekend at Black & Blue in Montreal. Our staff writer Lara Thompson chatted with DJ Pagano on his way to Montreal this weekend.

After DJing at legendary clubs and events all over his native Italy during the nineties – including Exogroove, Pervert (P:Gold), Kinki (Bologna), Matrix (Brescia), Marabú (Taormina) to name a few, Pagano has established his DJ career thanks to his residencies at legendary gay London club Heaven (Saturdays) and Fabric (Sundays) during the early 2000s. But Pagano is probably now most renowned for his 9 hours DJ sets at the Rapido After-Hours in Amsterdam, where he has been spinning since 2006. Much in demand, Pagano has played and continues to play at many of the world’s most iconic events and clubs around the world.

theBUZZ: How did you know you wanted to be a DJ?

DJ Pagano: I asked my parents to buy me my first boombox when I was 8 and asked them to buy me an Italo-Disco album when I was 9. Hearing about DJs and clubs on the radio since such an early age, I think I grew up with this passion. As soon as I was old enough to get into a club I tried to get gigs.

theBUZZ: What would you say characterizes your sound?

DJ Pagano: Right now it is mix of House, Techno and Techouse. Throughout the years I’ve been influenced by a variety of musical genres, but I always enjoyed best the more cutting-edge side of things. I think this shows in my DJ sets and productions.

theBUZZ: Tell me a little about what you plan to do at the Black & Blue party.

DJ Pagano: This is my second time playing at the main event of the B&B Festival. Last year was an amazing experience. I was very excited and a little intimidated by the fact my DJ set was sandwiched between the sets of two legendary DJ/producers I had admired for years – Satoshi Tomie and Dennis Ferrer. So I just made the decision that I would play my music and be myself without compromising and hoped to connect with the crowd. It worked out so well that I’m back for the second year in a row! The line-up definitely has a more gay scene edge this year. Whatever happens, it will not stop me just doing my thing and hopefully connect again with the amazing Canadian public.

theBUZZ: People have said that part of your success is due to an “instinctual ability” to know what the next trend in music will be. How are you able to anticipate future trends in music?

DJ Pagano: Every day I check a myriad of promos I get sent. I check the new releases in the digital stores. I listen to the radio while I get ready to go out, or while I do stuff around the house. I read music magazines and blogs and I check the charts, both mainstream and DJ. I think it is easy to start seeing patterns and trends when you live and breathe music 24/7 like I do. No superpowers or psychic abilities unfortunately!

theBUZZ: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, DJ Pagano! Be sure to check him out Oct. 13 at the Apollon!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/djpaganofanpage

Twitter: @djpagano

Official website: http://www.djpagano.com/

Written by: Lara Thompson

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theBUZZ Features is written by theBUZZ editorial staff. Check back often for news on the latest LGBTQ arts, entertainment, and events.