Former duo, now solo operation Quazar is not only known as one of the seminal acts of the Dutch techno and house scene that’s been making waves since the early 90’s but as well as spectacular live performer.
At last year’s ADE, Gert van Veen played a one hour set that lives up to his reputation, featuring vintage drum machine sounds, huge drum rolls, and undeniable classics that shaped the electronic music landscape. We’re happy to run the recording as part of our podcast series.
What did you have in mind when recording this set?
This performance during Amsterdam Dance Event 2024 was all about the Superstition re-release of the Quazar repertoire–tracks like „The Seven Stars“, originally released in 1990 and 1991 on Go Bang! Live, I always play some classics and live jams while also experimenting with new material. This time, more than half was unreleased ideas. I’m not a DJ but exclusively a live act, so concerts are the best way to test new things. They’re extra exciting, and each gig is full of surprises for me.
Where did you record it and which setup did you use?
It was a gig at one of Amsterdam’s nicest new clubs, the Doka in the Volkshotel. It’s an intimate basement with a great sound system, where my friend, producer Julien Chaptal, organizes a monthly event featuring experimental electronica, mostly by modular artists. All the performing artists‘ equipment is placed on large tables in the middle of the room. During this sold-out Amsterdam Dance Event edition, however, it was so packed that the audience stood and danced right around me, unintentionally creating a Boiler Room-like atmosphere.
My set up consists of hardware only, in fact not much different from the Quazar gigs in the 90’s: Akai MPC live for sequences and samples, Roland TR-8S, in which I sampled my 909 for drums, Roland TB-303, Moog Sub 37, Moog DFAM, Waldorf Pulse 2, Prophet Rev 2, DSI Tetra, Allen & Heath Zed 12FX mixer, Strymon TimeLine delay.
What’s the most memorable gig you played so far?
#Quazar has been performing live since the early 1990s, so there are hundreds of moments to choose from. This gig at the Doka is definitely one of my favorites. The crowd was amazing, including friends and acquaintances like Superstition label boss Tobias Lampe and my colleague Mijk van Dijk. Many friendly Amsterdam producers and musicians were there too, making the vibe really special.
One of the many highlights was the first time Quazar performed in Amsterdam’s pop temple Paradiso in 1991, where I had seen just about all the greats of the world perform over the years, from Prince to the Rolling Stones. That sold-out performance in 1991 was the beginning of a long-term collaboration with Paradiso, where from 1993 on I organized my own parties: Welcome to the Future, which later would blossom into a successful major festival.
Can you name a secret weapon that you use frequently?
My secret weapon is the Waldorf Pulse, and the newer Pulse 2–an analog monophonic synth that deserves far more recognition than it gets. Its sound is raw, pure, electronic–like a Moog on steroids. The Pulse plays a starring role in the biggest Quazar hit of the past decade, „The Nightshift„, a track that Laurent Garnier, one of my all time favorites, regularly played as the very last record of his set.
Three recent releases that caught your attention?
I am currently making a lot of new music. At home at such times I really only listen to ambient–like the 12-hour compilation I made of the fantastic Kompakt Pop Ambient series, 2001 to 2023. I am also a big fan of Stimming, Mathew Jonson and Taylor Dupree.
What do you have coming up?
I completed an album last year that is still awaiting release, and an experimental album with completely new work, which I am working on now. Furthermore, I have an ambient album ready which I am really proud of, but haven’t found the appropriate label for yet. So I’m in the studio a lot. Creating and making new music is the most fun and satisfying thing in the life of an electronic musician.
Track list:
00:00 Deep In Love
00:55 Down The Rabbit Hole
05:04 I Believe
09:29 Straight From The Heart
12:07 D-MJ
14:23 Phone Girl
17:11 That Drum Track
19:26 DT
22:27 Bounce
25:28 Break Away
28:00 Northern Lights
31:16 Tetra Techno
32:09 The Darkroom
35:40 Scatter
39:52 Paradise Beats
42:07 Sunflower Revisited
44:39 Acid Quazar
48:17 Sugar Factory
49:09 Sliding Slow
49:25 The Seven Stars
