If you stop by Dubai’s Cirque le Soir, you’ll find resident DJ Nick Tohme pumping out music from behind the decks.
He started his career out in Lebanon at the tender age of 15, spinning records on local radio station Mix FM, then at private parties, and eventually all around the club circuit. He took off to Egypt in 2005 in an effort to expand his horizons, and wound up in Dubai just a couple years later — a place, he says, he prefers to the rest.
“They are all very good, but at some point, stability, safety and consistency play a big role, and this is what we have here in the UAE, thankfully,” he tells tabloid!
So, what does Tohme bring to the table? Madness, according to the man himself, which might be a necessity for the job at hand.
“Each nightclub and venue has a different taste, but to spin in a club such as Cirque le Soir, where there are no boundaries, where the giant and the midget meet, where the magician is performing his tricks while the fire eaters are doing their routine, all under one tent going insane to my music, I have to admit, it is a phenomenal feeling,” he said.
Tohme caught us up on his signature style, his DJing memories and why MP3s trump cassette tapes, CDs and even vinyl.
First things first, tell us a little bit about your style behind the decks.
Honestly, this has to be experienced [rather] than told, but for me, DJing is all about bringing energy to the crowd while touching their emotions. Kind of a tricky one to be honest, but never fails.
How old were you when you started DJing? And what’s your earliest memory as a DJ?
I started back when I was 15, I still remember my first radio show like it was yesterday. It was a local radio station in Beirut, basement studio, and me behind the decks. It was the beginning of a dream coming true.
Name three essential qualities that any DJ should possess.
Humility, courage, knowledge
Pick a favourite, and tell us why: cassette tapes, vinyl, CDs or MP3s?
I would go with MP3s, of course — no crates, no bags, nothing heavy to carry around or travel with, just a small pouch of SD cards and we’re done.
If you ever feel like you’re losing a crowd, what’s your go-to song to hype them back up?
[It’s] not about the song as much as it is about the attitude and how you play a song. With DJs there are thousands of ways of playing one single song. A DJ can always make it either interesting or not, which eventually proves how talented one can be.
What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned over the years of doing what you do?
Never have ego, it will break you apart.
What’s your biggest pet peeve, or something that annoys you, as a DJ?
Frankly, nothing does. I’m living my dream, I should be thankful for such a blessing.
