Hurry up, folks! Snowbombing 2018 is nearly sold-out! Approximately, all the 6,000 tickets have reached the party people worldwide. Take your chance and make sure that you´re gonna be a part of it. The six days and five nights festival in the Austrian Alps is celebrating its 19th issue, and combines skiing, boarding, partying. On top of the mountains, 2,000 metres above, unique locations will invite you to celebrate an unforgettable party. Snowbombing, it´s the biggest snow and music festival in Europe, with an handpicked selection of DJs and live performing artists. One of the headliner is Mr. Alan Fitzpatrick, an outstanding techno DJ from UK. He told us why Snowbombing is a unique festival for him, he revealed if he is able to skiing or boarding, and he talked about his first gig in front of 10,000 people.
You’re playing Snowbombing Festival which takes place in April this year. How do you feel about the festival and are you excited for your forthcoming DJ set?
2018 will be my second Snowbombing Festival after I made my debut last year, and I am very excited to be back on the mountain with the Snowbombing crew. I will be making sure that I am at Snowbombing for a few days so that I get a chance to hit the slopes, play a couple of shows, and also hangout with my friends and DJ pals who will be there. In this sense, it is a unique event in my calendar and for that reason it is naturally very exciting for me.
Snowbombing takes place in the resort town of Mayrhofen in the Austrian Alps and is organised by a UK Crew. Being a DJ from the UK, are you personally a fan of Austria, the mountains, skiing, partying, or is it a combination of all Snowbombing has to offer?
Personally, I am a big fan of snowboarding and skiing, so having the chance to combine that hobby with my ultimate love of DJing is a very exciting proposition for me. But I know the crew behind the festival for a few years having played for them at their parties in Leeds, UK, and also Croatia. So it is also a little bit of a reunion, which is really nice. Most of the gigs I play I am in-and-out of places within twelve hours because of how busy my schedule has become, so I don’t get the chance to experience or explore anywhere or even hangout with people so much. Snowbombing combines all of this into one and there are not many places as beautiful as the Austrian Alps, so it is a fantastic combination.
In your long-standing career, you have played the biggest festivals in the world. Do you remember your first show in front of 10,000 people? What did it feel like? Could you describe it in one word?
The show of that size that comes to mind immedietly would be a huge outdoor event in Buenos Aires called Mandarine Park that I performed at in October 2015. It was crazy to walk up on stage and see the crowd stretching back as far as the eye could see. Just an enormous sea of people smiling, jumping up and down and waving flags and banners with an energy that is very unique to South American fans. These are the most unfortgettable moments for me and there is only one word for it: Vibes!
Your musical influences are based on the sounds of Joy Division, Prince, Goldie, Radiohead and Sasha, who was, and still is, one of your idols. Last month, you released the two track EP ‘El Jefe’ in collaboration with Sasha, was this a big goal for you? Tell us more.
You should add David Bowie to that list, but otherwise it is very accurate. Congratulations on some excellent research. (laughs) I would not describe the collaboration with Sasha as being a goal for me because up until the point that it began to happen I never even dreamed that it would be possible! The facts are that I was asked to do a remix for Sasha’s label back in 2015 off the back of him playing a few tunes of mine. Then over the next couple of years I found myself playing a few gigs with Sasha so we got to hangout a little and we connected well and had fun. This is where the idea to work together came from and I am happy to say the process came together very smoothly and naturally and we both were incredibly happy with the result. So it was 100% a dream come true!
In 2018 you’ll be celebrating ten years of DJing. Are there any special performances your fans in Germany can expect?
I am not making a big deal out of 2018 marking 10 years, but I am of course very proud and greatful to reach this milestone. I already have shows planned for the first half of 2018 in Berlin, Munich and Stuttgart plus I will be doing some German festivals over the summer. If people keep an eye on my social media channels they will be the first to find out when and where. (laughs)
And finally, what are your current secret weapon tracks (or your three favourite tracks) when it comes to your set?
Hmm… I’d have to say the next three releases that are coming on my label We Are The Brave which are Reset Robot „Held Note“, a brand new artist I have signed called Leonardo with his track „Quetzal“, and my own track „Joy Rider“.
For more details of Snowbombing check our FAZEmag issues of December and January and our website.
Snowbombing // 09.-14.04.2018 • Mayrhofen, Austria
Line-up: Alan Fitzpatrick, Rudimental, Jackmaster, Jeremy Underground, James Zabiela, Jasper James, Liam Gallagher (Oasis), Craig David pres. TS5, MJ Cole and many more
www.snowbombing.com
Foto: Robert Howarth