According to DJ Arty, the “craziness” started last fall.
That’s when the Russian-born DJ started playing multiple shows in multiple cities in the States, and he loved it.
“American crowds are one of the most craziest crowds in the world,” said DJ Arty. His real name is Artem Stolyarov, but he prefers Arty. “There’s so many different places to play.”
On Friday, DJ Arty and more than 20 other purveyors of electronic dance music are heading to Jiffy Lube Live as part of the touring Identity Festival.
| Onstage |
| Identity Festival |
| Where: Jiffy Lube Live, 7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow |
| When: Friday at 2 p.m |
| Info: $25 to $60; livenation.com |
This is DJ Arty’s first time with the Identity Festival, which is in its second year. He said that there’s a sense of community on the festival, an opportunity to meet new artists and reconnect with old friends.
“The DJs know each other, and if you do not know each other it’s a chance to finally chat . . . about everything,” DJ Arty, 22, said from a stop in New York City.
DJ Arty started getting into electronic dance music as a teenager. What he learned from attending college — yes, he graduated — was that his first love lay in music.
“It never was a true passion for me,” DJ Arty explained of his studies. “I was always a more creative person. I always tried to follow my dream.”
While his music tends to be more trance or house, he doesn’t hesitate to experiment or play to an audience.
“I do try to play what people expect from me, but at the same time I try experiment with cool tracks from different genres,” he said.
In addition to spinning at festivals and clubs, Arty hosts a weekly electronic dance music show on Sirius titled “Together We Are.” On the show he gets to share things he thinks are cool and that the listeners might like, and to talk about the scene in general. His most recent single is “Open Space.”
DJ Arty sees the growth in popularity of electronic dance music in the United States as good for everyone. The more people who listen to the music, the more fans he has and the more fans his fellow DJs and producers will enjoy.
“If something goes mainstream, you’re getting more people who want to listen to electronic music,” DJ Arty said. “You’re getting more fans and you’re getting more listeners. So, why not?”
