Roger Sanchez gears up for Electric Circus

It may have been delayed by a week but Shanghai's first major indoor EDM festival Electric Circus is set to take over the Pudong Exhibition Center space on Saturday. There's a strong lineup of top notch DJs both international and local being headlined by Roger Sanchez. The Grammy Award winning DJ is a revered name in house music producing tracks for stars like Daft Punk and Madonna while reaching over 15 million listeners with his radio show. See the festival's full line-up here.

Can you tell us about your radio show Release Yourself?
It's my radio show that reflects the sound of my dance floors around the world. I have been doing the show for over 12 years and it is syndicated in over 22 countries  

You studied architecture in college at Pratt University. What do you think about Shanghai's eclectic architecture?
I enjoy the diversity of design in Shanghai. It is a very modern city and the architecture reflects the richness of design there. 

Did you know much about China before deciding to play in Shanghai?
I've previously played shows in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong. I had read about China and spoken to many friends from there prior to my first trip and I was eager to go and experience it firsthand. 

When you first started out, you sold mixtapes on the street in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. What did that feel like? Are there other marketing or distribution methods that up and coming DJ's can rely on?
When I started selling mixtapes in New York, that was the street way to promote my music. It was exciting at the time and felt very underground. Now the internet dominates marketing and it's possible to promote and distribute your music completely independently. 

In which nightclubs in New York City did you get your start as a DJ? Are they still there now? 
I started out playing in clubs like the Red Zone, 21 Hudson, Sound Factory and the Tunnel. All of them are gone now but there are new venues to take their place like Cielo, Pacha and Sankeys

Since the year 2000 you have maintained residency as a summer performer in Ibiza. Can you describe the island in one sentence?
Ibiza is the Mecca of dance music

Just like history and the Chinese conception of the passage of time, you describe music to be "cyclical." Can you elaborate? 
A good example is the sounds of house during the 90's has made a major resurgence.

// May 24, 4pm-late, RMB250-400. Pudong Exhibition Center, 201 Hehuan Lu, by Yingchun Lu 合欢路201号, 近迎春路 (400 882 1190, electriccircus.org)