August in Dubai means two things: the weather is cooling down and nightlife is heating up.
This weekend, Buddha-Bar at Grosevnor House is one of many party spots set to re-open their doors for the season, and they’re starting things off with Greece’s DJ Consoul Trainin (a.k.a. John Efthimiou) on Friday night, who seems to be bringing the Greek spirit with him.
“It’s the sun and sea and the perfect climate of the country,” he said. “It’s also that, in Greece, people don’t put time limits on entertainment and fun.”
Ahead of his Dubai set, he described his perfect night out as one that doesn’t end until the next morning and results in lasting smiles and tired, danced-out feet. “This is every DJ’s dream, I think.”
Get to know Consoul Trainin’s history and his style behind the decks, as well what his funky name really means.
Q: What did you do before you started DJing, and what made you switch to DJing full-time?
A: Before DJing, I was working at a radio station and studying physics. The head of the radio station at the time asked me if I wanted to work in a small bar as a DJ for one day a week and this is how it all started for me. The energy that playing music gives you is just all-consuming — this is the thing that sucks you into DJing, and before you know it, you can’t stop.
Q: How old were you when you began?
A: The first record tape I created was on my own at the age of 12. I collected CDs and vinyls from the age of 15, as I remember. At the age of 18, I was working on the radio and learning to produce music, and this is what got me really excited and captured my attention.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your style…
A: I enjoy playing music that makes people dance. House music and great R&B tunes. Good cover versions and remixes that work on the dance floor. Music that people love and new music that people are going to love, just as much, once they have heard it.
Q: What does the name ‘Consoul Trainin’ represent?
A: Consoul Trainin means: ‘The feeling of music in your soul’.
Q: What are some of the biggest lessons you learnt over the years from doing what you do?
A: The most important thing in a DJ’s life is not how perfectly you mix — everybody can do this to some degree nowadays — [but] more importantly, it’s about the flow and compilation of music that you use in your sets. This is how perfect you can communicate with the people on the dance floor.
Q: What can people expect from your set when they come down to Buddha-Bar?
A: Fans of Buddha-Bar know me from my tracks on the Buddha-Bar CD compilations that DJ Ravin has featured. They can expect to hear some familiar tracks from me, and others can expect good vibrations that will make them dance and have an unforgettable night in Dubai. I am also going to be previewing my new track that will be out this November.
