Having been an avid vinyl collector and staunch supporter of the format in his DJ sets since the very beginning of his career Andrey Pushkarev has built a solid reputation on the strength of his record collection and his ability in using it. This artistry also extends to his solo productions which have previously found homes on esteemed imprint Circus Company as well as his own Luck of Access platform.
With his recent undertaking of a worldwide tour comprising of all night long sets we caught up with Andrey to discuss his tour and his love for vinyl…
Hi Andrey, when we first saw the news of the all night long tour all at Trommel office were super-excited. Can you tell us the impressions so far?
Hello! Thank you guys – I appreciate your excitement. The first three gigs of the tour (Berlin, Bordeaux, and Kyiv) were different from each other in terms of setting and audience but the atmosphere has been always warm and positive. The idea of the all night long tour was to gather people in a more intimate musical experience and so far I feel people liked the idea. They are ready to come and listen to my n-hour story, giving me the opportunity to express something a little more personal. This brings me joy because I feel there is trust – I am happy if people enjoy and stay on the dance floor with me until the end.
The podcast is an extract from your night at the legendary Closer Kiev, where you played in total 9h – how was the night?
The night was satisfying. I was quite nervous before flying to Kyiv. The last time I was supposed to play there in March I was forced to miss my set at Closer as I wasn’t allowed to cross the border by the officers. Clearly this wasn’t depending on me or the promoters but rather on the current political tension between countries. So this time I was worried that it could happen again – I really don’t like letting people down. In the end everything went smooth. Once at the club, I relaxed and enjoyed. I still want to thank everyone who came and brought their best vibes to the dance floor – I feel humbled by this every time.
What have been the highlights on your tour so far and where are you most looking forward to visiting next?
I am seeing the younger generation of music lovers on the dance floor – it means a lot to me. I have heard some of the attendees saying that the gig was the first one at which they saw a DJ playing vinyl. It’s promising to see a young audience curious and seeking to expand their musical experience. It inspires me for sure. I look forward to going to Pecs, Minsk, Cali, and Neuqen and visit new cities like Kaliningrad, Tallinn, Managua, San Paulo.
Having been an avid collector of vinyl since the beginning, have you found it harder or easier to maintain this format in your sets over the years? Has there been a specific point in time that stands out that has impacted your use of vinyl?
The interest in finding a good record has not faded over the years, it continues to grow instead, so as my collection. I have tricks that help me maintaining the format. I still experience joy and excitement from playing my favorite records – and probably I’m just too old school.
Do you play exclusively on vinyl or has the use of CDJ’s crept into your sets over the years? Tell us more about your preferred setup.
I would say 90% of the music that I’m playing is vinyl, and 10% is digital (USB). I receive many promos and always digitalize all the vinyl I buy to have it as a back up in case of loss or in case of technical issues at the venues. During the last NYE I had 3 gigs in a row in Australia – my bag didn’t make it to Sydney – it was stuck in Beijing. Having a backup guarantees that the gigs will happen in this kind of situation.
With your recent all night long tour taking you around the world how has this impacted your use of vinyl during such long sets and transporting your music from gig to gig?
Through the years I developed the habit to store some of my vinyl in different cities at friends’ places. When I travel to a city, and time allows it, I pay them a visit and refresh my bag while touring, especially for extended sets.
What do you have coming up on your label Luck of Access as well as for your own productions?
The next release is planned for this winter and will be music from a Russian producer. For next year I have 3 releases planned .. I can’t reveal more 🙂
With you being on the road so much do you struggle to balance your label, your own productions, and your gigs?
I’m not a multitasking person, so for me, it’s almost impossible to do something else while touring, besides maybe answering emails and listening to promos. The label doesn’t take much time so far and I can plan things. For producing my own music I need long breaks from everything else.
What is the key to your success in this respect?
It might sound trivial but love and respect for the others and yourself is the key to nearly everything in life.
For Trommel.073 please enjoy Andrey’s 90-minute extract from his set at Closer earlier this year.
More info on Andrey Pushkarev
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