Last week, Ellis and I went to Circus Afterhours to hear Shogun and Joop play live (there were other DJs, but we missed them). We were very pleased by their performances and I think it it safe to say that the future of trance seems pretty bright, with all these newly popular DJs/producers that are working hard to bring us the best music possible! Like some of you know, Cosmic Gate was playing at Redlite the same night, so the Circus wasn’t exactly what I’d call "full”, but the atmosphere was still great and the music was still amazing! We arrived there when Joop had just started his set. Joop is a Dutch DJ/producer that plays some very tech-trance tracks and that brings a lot of energy to the crowd. Check his Facebook page HERE for more info on him! The first half of his set brought the people to his room and then he “unleashed the beast” in the second half. Ellis and I both think he was on “f***ing fire” during the last hour, playing tracks that made the people there go crazy, like his new track that he made in collaboration with Raneem and that is getting released on the 21st, Plur. Here is a little preview of it to convince you to buy it in a few days. Trust me, listening to it is worth your time and you will understand why people go crazy when it’s played live.

The next artist playing was Andrew Chen, also know as Shogun. He is an American born Taiwanese DJ/producer that has seen his popularity rise a lot lately, with the release of his track called Skyfire. We can give the credit to Armin Van Buuren’s influence in the trance scene and Shogun’s hard work for his popularity, since Armin played Skyfire a lot in his sets during the last few months and since it is featured in A State of Trance 2011 compilation. If you want more information on Shogun, check his page on Armada HERE or go read the interview answers we got from him below!

Shogun started his set with one of the hottest tracks right now, Tomahawk, from BT and Adam K. He kept this insane energy during his whole set by playing great tracks and mixing very, very well. He played some Stoneface & Terminal, some Gareth Emery, some Ferry Corsten, Above and Beyond, Armin Van Buuren and, of course, his own track, Skyfire, that you can hear right under this paragraph!

And since Tomahawk from BT and Adam K is so great as well, here it is:

It is always awesome to be able to ask questions directly to artists; it helps us learn a lot from them. We sent some interview questions to Shogun and here are the answers. Hope you enjoy!

What are your primary inspirations? my family, good trance music, and movie scores

What do you think sets you apart from other trance producers? I like to produce tracks that are based on a personal level, and try to evoke different emotions with my remixes and productions.

What did you do before being a full time EDM Producer and DJ? I used to be a resident DJ at clubs

What do you like the most from being an EDM Producer and DJ? Gigs, traveling, meeting people who are as passionate as I am about the music

What do you think of the DJMag Poll in general? this year? I think DJ Mag Poll is important for DJ's, clubs and promoters worldwide. Also, its something the fans can follow and keep track of their favorite DJs which is a great thing. This year I ended up at #122

What is your favorite drink when you DJ? Vodka Redbull, or just Redbull

Do you have any "rituals" you do before starting a set? I listen to chillout music before starting a set, it helps gets my mind ready for a big gig.

What tip(s) would you give out to new DJs/producers? For DJ's, start producing if you haven't already and try to find your own style. For producers, focus on mastering one synthesizer and one sequencer. You can do a lot more by really knowing a synth inside out, rather than slightly knowing 50 synths.

You've travelled a faire amount, where would you say the girls are the most attractive? Girls in LA and Vancouver, there's something about the West Coast

Which song(s) has gotten you the best crowd reaction so far in 2011? Definitely Skyfire, every time I drop it the crowd goes off!

Is there anyone you'd really like to work with next year? I'd like to work with Orjan Nilsen, I think his productions are top notch at the moment

Any plans on returning to Montreal after your set at Circus Afterhours? Of course, I love this city and can't wait to come back

What do you think of the crowd in Montreal? I think the crowd here is one of the best, so much energy and everyone shows their love for trance music.. can't ask for more.

Do you often go to see other DJs play? And which ones are your favorite? I'm either on the road or in the studio working on tracks, so I don't get to catch other DJs play too often. Armin van Buuren is my favorite DJ, he always puts on an unbelievable show.

What do you think about music blogs? In your opinion, are they helping or hurting artists? Do you follow any blogs? Will you read The Hawt?music blogs are great, and help the artists in many ways. Will definitely read The Hawt.

That is all for now, take care and make sure to buy your tickets for Resolution 2012 if you want to see Avicii, Axwell, Gareth Emery and Dash Berlin to celebrate the New Year! The event is on January 1st and is happening at the Bell Center in Montreal. There is also an event in Quebec City and it may be your chance to see Deadmau5 if you missed him last time he came here!