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Ruby Skye, 420 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
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Time: 9pm
A Hollywood Theatrical Production
PETE TONG is Britain's best-loved dance DJ. He doesn't need an award to prove his popularity and he won't act cool to keep his credibility. The host of Radio 1's ground-breaking Essential Selection show for a staggering eight years, he works within the mainstream, but is respected by the underground. "I'm not too concerned with credibility," he claims. "When I started out, I was obsessed by jazz-funk and soul. I couldn't see life beyond the end of a Donald Byrd album. I was prepared to punch anyone who tried to talk to me about other types of music. But I grew up and discovered that I love hearing new sounds and having my perceptions changed. I didn't want to be pigeon-holed. I also realised that I could achieve much more by staying on the edge of several scenes, rather than being immersed in just the one." Perhaps Pete's biggest contribution to British pop to date was his involvement in the reshaping of BBC Radio 1. When the nation's biggest radio station decided to re-invent itself in the mid-'90s, controller Matthew Bannister knew precisely who to ask for help. During '98, Pete made his first forays into television, an area he is keen to explore. In November, he donned different guises to present Clublife, a 90-minute, BBC-broadcast documentary based on Mixmag magazine's annual dance awards. In the meantime, Pete has plenty on his plate. He is a director of Wise Buddah, the production company which makes radio programmes presented by Danny Rampling, Seb Fontiane and Judge Jules and continues to work in A&R for London Records. His pop star credentials include A&R-ing Shakespeare Sister's hit Stay, which topped the charts for six weeks in '92, and played a big role in signing All Saints, whose career he continues to oversee. He was recently musical director on films, Human Traffic and The Beach. The year 2000 proved to be a milestone for Pete - he toured the US for the first time which saw queues around the block, he played on the terrace at Space in Ibiza for the first time, he played in Cape Town and Johannesburg and hosted his own float at Radio 1's 'Love Parade' - "standing on my float with Jon Carter and Darren Emerson in front of 250,000 Radio 1 listeners was just the best feeling ever - a real moment in history". 2001 is proving to be an equally exciting year for Pete with another tour of the States starting in March and his first tour of South America scheduled for later in the year. Keeping his feet on the ground in the UK, Pete continues to be a valuable part of the British club scene with regular gigs scheduled at Tribal Sessions at Sankey Soap in Manchester, Code in Birmingham and many other credible commitments. He still remains a key figure at the UK summer festivals including for the first time a performance at T-In The Park as well as his yearly appointment at Creamfields and Homelands (Foot and mouth permitting). Pete's Radio 1 show "The Essential Selection" is now the most listened to radio show on the internet attracting a global audience of over 12 million.
PETE TONG WEBSITE
PETE TONG MYSPACE
Cover: $25
Advance tickets at: TICKETWEB
