August Bank Holiday is always the busiest weekend in summer. Running between SW4 in London and Creamfields in Cheshire (heart of England yeh) this year, I managed to capture some precious moments at both massive music festivals in the UK.

Artists including – MK, Swedish House Mafia, Martin Garrix

You can watch my aftermovie for Bakermat Live show at SW4 London to see what happened down south on Saturday.

Armin Van Buuren interview for Reyin App China at Creamfields 2017

Lanty:Hi Armin! So first of all, I noticed you’re going to China soon?

Armin: Yeh Ultra China – it’s gonna be very good

Lanty: Are we expecting something new from you?

Armin: Always, always. I have a lot of music out, just released a compilation called A State of Trance Ibiza 2017. CD1 is called on the beach, perfectly for when you’re on a beach chilling. CD2 is in the club, which you can also play it on the beach if you want. But you know it’s sort of like my sound for the summer.

My new single is called “Sunny Days”, there is a big remix package coming out of that. I always have a lot of new stuff and surprises for my set. It’s super excited ’cos it’s the first Ultra China and there is so much happening in China right now. Actually, I see a lot of Chinese people now coming to Ibiza as well and checking out my sets. I recently did an Armin Only Show in Shanghai and Macau, which both were amazing. Really great crowd response. I feel like Chinese market for me is growing a lot and I’m super happy because everybody was waiting for China to open up and it’s really opening up right now so that’s really great.

Lanty: Let’s talk about your new residency in Ibiza this year at Hï Ibiza. Tell us a bit more about your summer there?

Armin: After 15 year in the club of ibiza, it’s a new adventure and completely new night for me, new style and new art work. This year I’m teaming up with SJRM who are in the other room, we actually did a track together for this night try to combine our style, it’s called “You Are”. So when’re playing at Hï I’m keeping it more Trance in the main room and they’re playing their Sexy By Nature style in the other room. It really works. Because if Trance is not your thing then SJRM has got the other things going on so. Usually both rooms are packed and everybody is really high on energy.

Lanty: So what’s the story behind your new track?

Armin: The track “We Are” is slightly different from my usual style, that’s because its a new night and I wanna create a new track especially for this night. What I’ve been doing recently with a lot of collaborations is trying to find a middle ground between their style and my style, like “We Are” with SJRM. It’s really exciting. But there is no need to worry, I won’t be leaving the world of Trance. I’ve got a lot of trance releases lined up. In fact I’ve just released a new single with a big Trancy mix called “Sunny Days”. It’s actually a song written in the middle of winter (haha) ’cos we’re all looking forward to the summer. I think it will be cool to have a dedicated tune for my summer.

Lanty: I think you mentioned about your mobile studio last time when we were talking in Ibiza? How did it go?

Armin: My State of Trance studio? Well, I have a fixed studio now in Amsterdam, which you can check my radio show every week, not only in audio but also in the video now. And I also have a mobile studio like the one you’re referring to, which is the studio that we have when we do the big live events, which is a tent, called “The Dom”. I have so much in the road right now, and technology makes it possible now to have a mobile studio. I always finish the track in my own studio at home, but it’s great to get stuff going at different surroundings, can be anywhere.

That’s super exciting but yeh, definitely it’s 2017, everybody wants to hear not only the audio but also see the video. You actually see me mixing and everything. It’s really cool. I think the internet is changing the world as we know.

Lanty: Talking about the video, I know you’re doing vlogs too, how’s it going?

Armin: It’s happening now actually. Yeh the blogs are doing very well. The last one I had like 600,000 views, so it’s going up and up and up. Apparently people like the style of vlogging.

Lanty: You should try something like live stream ’cos it’s absolutely huge in China!

Armin: That’s what I do with State of Trance now which is going very well. But yes when I’m in China I think maybe it’s a good idea to go on live stream. I heard it’s very different from Instagram and Youtube Live.

Lanty: What have you got coming up?

Armin: I’m always working on a lot. I’ve actually planned a lot of studio days in LA, secretly working on lots of new music behind the scenes, a big bunch of singles planned. I just found out I’ve been writing music in a studio for about 20 years, and I feel the need to get out of the studio and look for more exotic collaborations. Again no point to stress I’m not leaving trance or anything like that, I’m just experimenting as I go, trying to find some interesting combinations. different recording techniques, stuff that keeps the excitement for myself as well. thats the idea behind it.

Lanty: One more question—the one we all wanted to know—why were you crying at Untold Festival?

Armin: Huh here we go again! I can’t answer the question. It was emotional for me. My wife is expecting a third… no I’m kidding! which everybody is saying that but it’s not the truth. I was just emotional at the moment you know. If you’re playing in front of 62,000 people, and they’re staying there, like after 4 hours which is emotional.

I just think that it’s really ridiculous to find it normal that 62,000 people dancing to your music. Even after all these years I’ve been a top DJ and 5 times number 1 blah blah blah, its not normal. Its very very very special and i realise how lucky I am to be in front of those fans and that just got me really emotional. It’s just like I stood there and saw those people dancing and screaming my name with the T shirts on and flags. it’s not just 1,000 people its 62,000 people in front of you and its hard not to get emotional. I feel the love of Romanian trance family and I felt the love of Romanian fans, it’s just ridiculous really. People think that you’ve done it for so many years things will get normal, it’s not normal.

Lanty: Even for you? After you’ve been through everything?

Armin: It’s not normal and I just realise how lucky I am. I realise how lucky I am to be talking to you here right now and to be going to ultra china next week. It’s just awesome.

Creamfields, you’ve done it again! Here are some highlights of my August bank holiday weekend in Daresbury.

Photos including: The Chainsmokers, Tiesto, Hardwell, Axwell /\ Ingrosso, Steve Angello, Ummet Ozcan, Camelphat, Eats Everything.

So this marks my second year at Creamfields 2017. Great to see so many familiar faces during our annual reunion in the heart of England!

This year I was commissioned to photograph a few artists, including Hardwell, Eats Everything, Claptone and more. I was also invited on stage with Above & Beyond to push the button! (not CDJ but the camera shutter button, hah!) Along with my role as a music festival photographer, I also had an interview with our one and only Armin Van Buuren. You can check out the post here – Interview: Armin Van Buuren at Creamfields 2017. It feels good to be back to my music journalist root!

Choosing between the 8 different stages at this year’s Creamfields was damn near impossible. With an incredible line-up featuring some of the globe’s top DJs including Calvin Harris, Armin Van Buuren, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike we just had to see them all.

Saturday midnight, moments after watching Avicii’s last ever UK set, we literally sprinted 10 minutes from the main Horizon Stage to the brand new Steel Yard, to talk to the upcoming American DJ JAUZ, who celebrated his 23-year-old birthday just a weeks ago.

Lanty: First thing, can you please tell me what’s the correct way to say your name? I’ve heard so many different versions and would like to know the official answer!

JAUZ: J-AU-Z, as the film Jaws, the shark. I got to called all different kind of names in different countries, some pretty funny ones as well, haha.

Lanty: Are you looking forward to play at Creamfields on the brand new Steelyard stage?

JAUZ: It’s gonna be epic. I mean the UK is one of my favourite places to play ever ‘cos this is where I got all my influence for myself. UK Garage, Dubstep and Drum & Bass, that’s what I grow up and listening to. Everyone was listening to music in America and I was listening to all these guys in the UK that no one else had any idea who they were. So now I got to be here and play that kind of music to a crowd that understands it, it’s so cool for me. Also, I’m brought here because I’m an American, and I do my thing, like an American would, so I can’t just pretend to be a UK DJ. People come to see me because they want to see me, not some guy from UK music. So I do like a mix, of all of it.

Lanty: So you see yourself different from the UK DJs here?

Yes definitely, but more the same than other American DJs, I’m definitely closer to where the UK guys are than a lot of the other American guys who come over here, I think.

Lanty: I know you’re heading over to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore for some shows. You’re huge there at the moment! Have you got anything special planned for that?

JAUZ: Every time I played in Asia the crowd is just like SO incredible. I keep losing my mind. It’s one of these places like I can do my thing. You know, just really play what I wanna play and the crowd just react to everything. So I’m really excited!

Lanty: Are we expecting anything new from you soon?

Yeh I have a lot a lot a lot of new music coming up, it’s just about right now figuring out when and where to put out all the music. I’ve just been piling all this music together, you can fill a semi truck with all this music, I’m definitely gonna be putting out lots of new stuff.

Lanty: What plays the most important part in your music?

JAUZ: That’s really a good question. I guess the element of surprise. I keep trying to make sure that people don’t really know where I’m going with my music in any giving time. One day I put out a House song, the next day I put out something else. I try to switch up everything so people are always like “oh I wasn’t expecting him to put out a song like that!” It’s also about challenging myself. Cos if I keep making one kind of music over and over again, I get bored. If I’m not having fun of what I’m doing why do it?! So it’s not about the money for me, it’s about I love music.

Lanty: Having fun and enjoying the life!

JAUZ: That’s it. Exactly!

If you go on JAUZ’s Facebook page, you can find it says on the genre description: Music has no boundaries. Just like what he said to us, during his 2-hour set, he kept dropping tracks you’d never expect him to play. Jumping from Dubstep to Drum & Bass, followed by classic UK Garage. Then he opened his arms and gave the crowd a massive “air hug”.

When it was time for Jack U to take over the stage, I gave him the “oh I wasn’t expecting him to put out a song like that” look. He laughed, and gave me the V Sign just like he did when we first met.

Words: Lanty Zhang

Pictures: Creamfields Official Website // Lanty Zhang Studio // JAUZ Official Facebook Page

Chinese version on Reyin App: JAUZ：我的新音乐要用一辆重型卡车才能装得完！