Archival Recovery: Getting Away from The Obvious (2003)
Originally published in BBM Magazine by Dermot Bolger. Retrieved from the physical archives as part of the ongoing retrospective series.
Christian’s introduction to clubland is unique. The very first time he touched a set of decks was in front of a massive crowd. The DJ on the night played “Show Me Love” and left Christian in control of the decks (or so he thought). Not knowing what to do when the song ended, he pulled the needle back to the start and played it again to an overwhelming response. And so began a career spanning decades, marked by numerous highlights.
“I’ve always loved music; I’ve bought music from an early age. Before I had decks, I used to buy everything on cassette.”
When he first heard “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Tom Frederikse and Damon Rochefort, his musical taste shifted permanently. Introduced to music by his father, he was initially influenced by dreamy, melodic soundscapes before the journey naturally expanded from acid house into the deep, tribal, and melodic progressive house that became his trademark.
Building the Foundations: From Tin Pan Alley to Shaft
Christian’s first gig and residency was at Tin Pan Alley in 1992, playing and learning his trade for over three years. The venue became so popular that on Saturday nights, the doors locked at 10:30 PM because it was already full to capacity. Soon after, he secured a slot at Shaft, widely regarded at the time as the best underground club in Ireland.
“The atmosphere in that club was amazing. Sometimes we’d run till 5 AM or 6 AM.”
While Sunday nights at Shaft allowed him to stretch a deep, tribal progressive sound over extended illegal hours, he soon expanded his reach internationally, taking his sound to Belfast’s Love in the Blue Zone.
The Production Leap and the Mass Movement
Two years into his journey, he began experimenting with hardware and production. Armed with a Mac G5 and a newly kitted-out recording studio, he also stepped into broadcasting, co-hosting his third radio show on Dublin’s Kiss FM (Nocturnal). Soon, high-profile gigs at U2’s The Kitchen (alongside Podge at Fever) brought the live energy back into focus.
By New Year’s Eve 1999, Christian and a collective of peers took over a four-story Georgian house for an unforgettable underground party. Recognizing the magic, they took the concept on the road as the USIT Tour, hitting Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Dublin, culminating in a high-profile residency at Cork’s legendary Sir Henry’s. Around this time, his promotional work peaked when he earned an IRMA award for driving Delerium’s “Silence” (featuring Sarah Mc Lachlan via Nettwerk Productions) to the number-one slot with double-platinum status.
This momentum birthed Modern Amusement, which evolved into MASS (Modern Amusement Sunday Service) on Nova FM. Co-hosted with James Coakley and Marty Sheridan, it became a landmark in Irish dance music radio: three hours of uninterrupted music, zero ads, and cryptic voice-over announcements from “Cardinal Boshell” and “Bishop Coakley” announcing further penance as the tracks dipped deeper into hypnotic progressive territory.
“I decided I wanted to do it differently, not just falling into one club and falling out of another. I have a plan and want to stick to it.”
Club Residencies & The Global Stage
The cult following of MASS spilled directly into a Friday night residency at Red Box and later Spirit, Dublin’s premier superclub, regularly drawing crowds upwards of 1,000. Over the years, Christian shared stages with heavyweights including Tom Middleton, Danny Howells, Lil Louie Vega, Anthony Pappa, Parks & Wilson, Jon Carter, and Steve Thomas—even performing alongside Prince during his One Night Alone tour stop in Ireland.
With international guest slots spanning Creamfields, Budapest (Petőfi Csarnok), and Turkey, his production work under various underground aliases continued to push a tough, uncompromising blend of house and electronica.
“I like to take people on a trip when they go out; I don’t play the big obvious tunes. Sometimes that gets me into trouble.”
The Select Archives: April 2003 Chart
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Sasha – Artificial Heart / Motorola [BMG]
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Circulation – Chocolate [Circulation]
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Gunas – Sattwa
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Sidekick – Respond / What You Want
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Brahman – Last Prayers
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Fortunato & Montrésor – Imagine (Mixes) [Bedrock]
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Cattaneo / Cass / Mangan – Hubbub (Nick Muir Mix) [Perfecto]
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Grayarea – One for the Road [Hope]
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Casa Flava – De Moma De (Paris & Sharp) [Plastic Fantastic]
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Mooger Fooger – Bermuda Triangle [Hooj Choons]
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Circulation – Chocolate [Circulation]
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Nick K – Inside Your Soul [USR]
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Holden & Thompson – Nothing (Original / 93 Returning Mix) [Loaded]
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Circulation – Cobalt – Mix B [Circulation]
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Lusty – True to Nature [Renaissance]
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King of Spin – Reload [Ronster]
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Pole Folder – Moon in the Blue Sky E.P. [SunKissed]
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James Harcourt – Diaspora (Luke Fair / Original Mix) [Release]
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Hydrogen Rockers – Burnin’ Up [Plastica]
- Tilt – Left of Centre E.P.