Steven Redant: "A successful evening is better than any orgasm"

Oct. 07 2013

by misterb&b

We caught him on Skype, one afternoon when he had taken the time to stay at home for a few hours. He was having a bite of chocolate, "a Belgian vice". Steven Redant, that's his real name, is 37 years old, he is officially married with his friend and lives in Barcelona. DJ and producer, he is on the bill of all the biggest gay clubs in the world, in Rio, Tel Aviv, Berlin, Barcelona or Paris. He has also been a resident at Dementia for 15 years.

How did you start your career as a DJ producer?
Steven Redant: I started as a bartender at the age of 19 at La Démence in Brussels. Little by little, I made my place in the team of La Démence. And one day, a DJ friend told me that I should start DJing, because I had an ear, that I was better than some other DJs. So I went for it. I started with a radio show in Flanders, it worked well. Then one summer someone asked me to play in Ibiza. I said yes, and I started at the Privilege, 3 times a week, in all simplicity (laughs). Then I took a residency at the Dementia, and that was it.

At first I kept a job, just to be safe. I had the GUS magazine. And then at a certain point, I said to myself that it was time to do only that, 100% of my time. And since then, it's been much better!

Where can we hear you today?
SR: I am resident at La Démence, in Brussels, in Rome for the new Push Club night with Phil Romano and I often play in Brazil. But I don't have many residencies, I prefer to be a guest DJ, to be free, to organize myself as I want. Residencies are boring, you have too many obligations. Except at La Démence.

What is different about this evening?
SR: At La Démence, you never get bored, it's always good! All the DJs love to play there because it's the perfect mix that's missing in gay clubs today: bears, musclemen, young, old, fashionistas, alternative... Even the Parisians leave the attitude in the locker room! It's the real party. For me, a party looks like its promoter. And Thierry(the boss of the Démence, editor's note) is someone who does everything to make sure people have fun. And then you can do whatever you want in this party, tell you that Thierry did worse than you (laughs).

What is the life of an international DJ like?
SR: It's 15 planes a month, sometimes 3 or 4 flights a weekend, for 15 years. But I'm not complaining. As soon as I stop, for example to spend a weekend with my husband, after a few days I get the itch again. I need this nomadic life.

What is a successful evening?
SR: A good party is when you have a real contact with the public. I don't have to think about the songs I'm going to play, I just have to feel it and it has to fit with what people are expecting. When you get that chemistry, it's better than any sex. There's no orgasm that equals that.

Your best clubbing memory ?
SR: Every Dementia is a good memory. But otherwise, I have a wonderful memory of the gay pride in Madrid. Playing in front of 15,000 people, arms in the air, jumping, it makes you hallucinate, it gives you energy for months and months.
I had a great time at Mardi Gras, too, this year in Sydney. I usually like to arrive at the last minute, so I don't have to worry about it, but for practical reasons, I had to arrive 2 hours before. I went for a walk in the hall and I discovered the podium, huge, worthy of Madonna or Kylie and 8 000 people in front. The stage fright went up all of a sudden, I started to be really nervous. Afterwards, I played my first song, and it was already better. After 15 minutes, something was happening with the crowd, and it was a huge thrill. It's not a wave that takes you at that moment, it's a tsunami!

Any parties you dream of performing at?
SR: Not really. Except maybe one night in Taipei. You know, I've never played the White Party in Miami, or Allegria in New York. So if that happens that's great but I'm not going to do anything special to go. My calendar is full, I'm having a great time and I'm not complaining!

Steven Redant at the Dementia © DR

What are your favorite places in Barcelona?
A bar? Bim Bam Bum. When he knows I'm in Barcelona, the owner asks me to come and play. It's almost a private party, I know everyone there, even the customers, there's always a good atmosphere.
A restaurant? La Casetta, open only in the summer, in the park of Montjuic, in the open air, with a view of the port. It's an alternative place, with camping chairs, candles, a big barbecue, you can't choose your menu, you just say if you want to eat or drink. It's 5 minutes from the city center by cab and you are in the middle of nature, it's beautiful
A hotel? I didn't go there, but I was recommended the Chic&Basic, not expensive, very design.
A club, a party? The Black Room party, near the Plaza de Catalunya. Before, in Barcelona, there was only Matinée, and DBoy. Now it starts to move. The Black Room is on Sunday night and the place is good, not too big, not too small, with good music.
A store? Limited Editions, one of the biggest sneakers store in the world, you are sure that if there is a new sneaker, they have it !
A beach? Not in Barcelona. I go to Sant Pol de Mar, one hour from Barcelona, on a very small and quiet beach, with its chiringuito. It's too far for families with kids but not hidden enough to have too many fags (laughs), it's a really nice place

Where would you send a tourist to feel the real atmosphere of Barcelona?
SR: The Ramblas maybe? It's very touristy but it's typical, very Spanish and then from there you can go anywhere, to the beach, to the old town or shopping.

In what other city in the world do you feel at home?
SR: Rio de Janeiro. For me, it's Barcelona on steroids (laughs). Everything that's wrong with Barcelona is worse in Rio, and everything that's right in Barcelona is better in Rio. I don't think I could live in a city without the sea anymore. It gives another energy to a city. At noon, for his lunch break, my husband and I sometimes go to the beach for an hour. It's an hour of vacation.

What are your favorite places in the world and why?
A hotel? The Soho House in Berlin. It's an amazing hotel, where you can only book if you are a member of the club. It's in an old industrial building in East Germany. My room was huge, the bed even more huge, it was super stylish. In the mini bar, you didn't have alcohol but sex toys! And in the shower, it was not samples but 1 liter bottles of 5 different shampoos and 5 different shower gels. Unbelievable!
A restaurant? Frite Kot (that means French fries in Brussels) on the 2nd avenue. in New York. It's nice to have a Belgian piece like that in New York. And they are really good, not to mention the typical Belgian sauces: tartar, samurai, andalouse and of course the all good mayonnaise!
A club? I'm going to make enemies answering this question... Let's say the Stereo, the gay club in Montreal. I've never heard such a sound, they have the best DJs around, everything is great
And then the Mix in Paris. I know that Parisian fags hate this club but I love it. My last mix there, for the SuperMartXé party of the gay pride, remains my best memory of last summer. It was one of those rare moments, with a total connection with the audience.
A beach? North Shore in Hawaii. I'm not a big fan of the United States, but Hawaii, in real life, is even better than on TV!

The ideal city to party?
SR: There is no such thing. The ideal party is when everything goes well together, the music, the place, the atmosphere, it can happen anywhere, even in the most unlikely places. But if we have to give a name, let's say Berlin. The clubs and parties are in incredible places, industrial or historical... The Berghain/Panorama bar, GMF, KitKat Club... Berliners really know how to party!

Where do you find the most beautiful boys?
SR: Tel Aviv! I'm going to make a lot of enemies with this one... Every time I'm there, I think it's amazing how good-looking they are. It must be their 3 years of military service, it's an advantage for them! I'm told that the boys are also very beautiful in Beirut....

The ideal city to fall in love?
SR : Paris, of course

The ideal city to get married?
SR: Brussels. Because I got married there! It was the mayor of Brussels who married us, at the town hall, on the Grand Place. At the end of the ceremony, he invited us to go on the balcony and to greet our friends who shouted underneath "un bisou, un bisou! They shouted so loudly that all the tourists on the Grand Place turned around and applauded. A great moment of glory (laughs)!

The most gay-friendly city?
SR: Barcelona. Here nobody cares if you're gay or straight.

Something you always take with you when you travel?
SR: My headphones and my iPod. On a plane you can't do anything so I can really concentrate on my music.

Are you more of an aisle or window person?
SR: Business, yes! (laughs) No, I'm kidding, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like.

Your best advice for traveling?
SR: Don't stress.

Your next trip ?
SR: I'm leaving tomorrow for Rome (new Push party), the next day I'll go to New York (Hutlaball party), I'll stay a few days and then I'll come back to Toulouse ( Backstage party)

Your dream destination ?
SR : Thailand, on a micro-island. There is a hotel there that my husband and I have been waiting for 5 years for our honeymoon, which we still haven't taken the time to do.

Finally, can you share with our readers a picture from one of your last trips?
SR: It's the sunrise at Barcelona airport. The airport I know best, that I hate because I see it too much and that I love because it lets me go every week and it lets me come back every week too.

Steven Redant, to be found on his official website or on his Facebook page.