One of the greatest DJs today, Maceo Plex, is finally coming to Belgrade to open this year’s Apgrade Weekend on Thursday, September 6 on Kalemegdan fortress! Just like Solomun, who started a three-day party in the trench below the Military Museum last year, Maceo Plex will start the fifth, and so far the biggest edition of Apgrade Weekend, which is alongside Plex headlined by Laurent Garnier and Sven Väth. After seven years, Maceo is coming back to Belgrade, a period in which he has grown not only into absolute headliner of the biggest festivals, but also one of the new leaders of the global scene, and an author whose unique sound defines the modern production.
September edition of Apgrade Weekend was imagined, from its first edition, as a culmination of the summer season and major open-air events in the region, and this year, in the spirit of its name and motto (The Only Way is Up), we are setting the bar higher because with these three headliner giants, there is a full on killer line up announced. The wiz from New York – Anthony Parasole, Berlin techno boy band FJAAK, Jennifer Cardini, a Parisian expat in Berlin, Maurizio Schmitz – Cocoon label’s secret weapon, Serbia’s ambassador in the world scene in unstoppable rise – Tijana T, long awaited “live” genius Tim Green, extremely talented Vaal, and the local heroes Doo, Vitanov and Nenad Marković a.k.a. 33.10.3402.
Three-day tickets are available on box offices around Serbia and the region, as well as websites Gigstix.com and Eventim.rs at a price of 2390 RSD for General Admission and 3590 RSD for the VIP Terrace.
What is characteristic for all three of this year’s headliners is their extraordinary skill to travel from the deepest club underground to the fantastic heights of the world’s biggest stages. While Laurent and Sven are leaders of the scene from its first and undisputable generation, Maceo is its present and future. We can often hear that some DJ is playing minimal techno, some other minimal house, and in comparison to all of them, we can say that when he’s behind the decks, Maceo is playing maximal techno, and house, and progressive, even breakbeat electro when the dance floor gets all heated up.
Still in his 30s, Eric Estornel, which is his real name, has been publishing for two decades some of the most exciting releases under aliases Maetrik, Mariel Ito, and of course Maceo Plex, an alter ego which has overgrown its maker. He has demonstrated his unique stylistic broadness and underground pedigree on a mixtape of London’s Fabric. He also has mission to promote talented artist through Mosaic parties, where he books performers not many people would dare to put in the spotlight in front of audience of ADE in Amsterdam or on famous Ibiza. His regular guests are skilful selector Jennifer Gardini, and New York techno bard Anthhony Parasole; Matrixxman, Avalon Emerson, Red Axes, Young Marco and many others have had their debut performances on Ibiza thanks to Maceo. His invitation to play are gladly accepted by the biggest underground stars such as Moodyman, Modeselektor, Ben Klock, Carl Craig, Bicep, Rødhåd and many other.
