From outdoor venues to beach clubs and intimate rooftop parties, Malta’s nightlife plays it all. Arabella Hogg gets a gig with two top local DJs.
Nicky Scicluna
DJ
Age: 26
Occupation: DJ, freelance photographer, events organiser
When did you realise you had a passion for music?
Music has always been a big part of my life. Growing up, it was always something that simply made me feel good.
When did you start getting interested in DJing?
I started DJing at the age of 18. I bought a pair of second-hand Stanton cdjs and spent hours practising in my bedroom.
What do you love about being a DJ?
I love being able to spread good energy through music that I spend hours sourcing. When the conditions are right and there is a good connection between the DJ and the crowd, the energy that can be created is out of this world.
What are your other passions?
Besides music, I have a great love of photography and various art forms.
What are your preferred music genres?
I can’t say there is one specific genre as I feel that every moment has its music.
What is your favourite DJing memory?
Summer 2013 at Creamfields was certainly unforgettable. Friends of Friends was given the opportunity to host DJ andproducer David August at the Rooftop. After finishing his live performance, it was time for Squeak and I to play. An hour into our set, David August asked to join in and play back-to-back with us. It was an incredible experience to be able to play alongside such an inspiring and talented musician.
I love being able to spread good energy through music
Where is your favourite place in Malta to DJ?
During the summer months, outdoor venues such as lidos and rooftops are definitely top of my list. However, I feel right at home every Friday night at Places Club, where I’m one of the resident DJs together with many good friends from Metro.
What’s your soundtrack for this summer?
I believe every moment has its music so it all depends on the occasion. Personally, I listen to lots of styles of electronic music ranging from down tempo electronica to upbeat techno.
Why do you think that the nightlife in Malta is so special?
Malta is a great place with a fantastic music scene that has developed over the years. Local promoters have brought over many big names to perform in Malta. However, we need more support.
Reuben Grima
DJ Ruby
Age: 37
Occupation: DJ, music producer, events promoter, video jockey, filmmaker, video editor, cinematographer
When did you realise you had a passion for music?
I started nursing a passion for music from a very young age. My parents are musicians and I used to join them at their gigs when I was still a little boy. My passion for electronic music began in the 1990s and has not gone away since.
When did you start getting interested in DJing?
My brother first wanted to become a DJ. Unfortunately, in 1992, when he was just 14 years old, he passed away. I followed his dream.
What do you love about being a DJ?
Sharing my passion for electronic dance music with other people is a form of art – being able to mix records together seamlessly and in a harmonic way is like what musicians do with musical notes. I also love that as a DJ, I can take the crowd on a journey.
What are your other passions?
Until a few years ago my only passion was electronic music. Then in 2011, I discovered another art form which is very similar to music: filmmaking. It instantly became my other passion. I took it seriously and studied cinematography, both on my own online and through practice. I also invested in quality equipment and, two years later, I’m one of the busiest independent film-makers in Malta.
What are your preferred music genres?
Psy-trance, although it’s not the genre of music I perform in clubs. Psy-trance is only for a very limited crowd. It’s a very underground style of dance music and maybe that’s why I love it so much.
What is your favourite DJing memory?
I hosted a very successful Sunday club night for 10 solid years, called Sunset Sundays, which attracted 3,000 clubbers weekly between 2002 and 2011. Probably, I’m also the only dance music DJ in Malta who has been working on the dance scene since the very first rave event back in the early 1990s. I’ve been playing for more than two decades and my energy is as strong as ever.
I’ve been playing for more than two decades and my energy is as strong as ever
Where is your favourite place in Malta to DJ?
Clique and Playground are very small clubs. They’re dark and not very attractive, but they have a very good sound system, and that’s enough for me.
What’s your soundtrack for this summer?
The Arty Remix of Hey Now by London Grammar.
Why do you think that the nightlife in Malta is so special?
Most of the young people in Malta are into dance music. We might be a small island, but our nightlife is massive. It won’t be long before we will be competing with Ibiza.