When Theo Kottis flies in from the United Kingdom to embark on his first North American tour, the first thing he'll be looking for is some Miami sun.
"I think Scottish people have one of the best atmospheres in the world."
tweet this
"In Scotland, it's just raining every day nonstop," he says, presumably from the inside of a very thick wool sweater.
Although it's not the first time the Edinburgh native has been on our side of the pond, the 16-date tour will be his North American debut as a DJ. And when he plays Bardot this Saturday, it will also mark his first visit to the Magic City. The sunny weather might carry a tinge of nostalgia for the summer he spent in Ibiza, where Kottis decided he wanted to DJ professionally.
"I did four months in Ibiza, and every Monday I would go to DC10. That was sort of my favorite night to go to, and I remember seeing Dixon DJing. And I was just blown away. I hadn't seen anything like it, the way he sort of mixes different genres."
Indeed, Kottis' own productions carry a definite tinge of Balearic beat, the woozy Mediterranean brand of house brought to Britain from the island by vacationing DJs in the late '80s and early '90s. And much like that first generation of ravers, Kottis left determined.
"I could already DJ, but I wasn't a very good producer. So after that, I just locked myself in my bedroom for the winter, and for six months I wasn't really doing much, just writing music. And then eventually, a few months later, I managed to get signed."
He also landed a residency at Glasgow's Sub Club, the self-proclaimed "longest-running underground dance club in the world." The club isn't notable simply for the fact that it's literally underground, accessed by a staircase and completely lit red like a genuine submarine, but Kottis also recommends it for its excellent sound system, an intimate DJ booth that's right on the dance floor, and a terrific local crowd.
"I think Scottish people have one of the best atmospheres in the world," he says. "I always feel it's a very educated crowd."
The 24-year-old takes a slightly different approach when performing away from home, adapting to the space he's playing and the crowd he's entertaining.
"I have to see the venue first and see the people, and from there I kind of create my set on the spot."
He culls from a "massive" collection of music, ranging from techno to disco to his own classic-inspired house tunes. He's so fond of playing from his collection that he'll stack hours onto his sets just so he can showcase as much of it as possible.
"Back here in Scotland, I'm used to playing four-to-six-hour sets," he says. "And whenever I have a shorter set time, I always try to squeeze in an extra hour or two."
However long he gets to play at Bardot, Kottis feels keen to share his sounds with the Miami crowd.
"I'm really, honestly looking forward to being in America and Miami. Can't wait to see what the differences are between Europe and the U.S.," he says. "I think I'm ready for it, and I'm hoping it'll be a really good show."
Anjunadeep North American Tour, With Theo Kottis. 9 p.m. Saturday, November 26, at Bardot, 3456 N Miami Ave., Miami; 305-576-5570; bardotmiami.com. Tickets cost $15 to $24 via showclix.com.
