Oskar Bistro.
Every week, deep and warm.
Oskar Bistro is my weekly residency in Bangkok, and it is one of the places where I feel most like myself behind the decks. Every week I walk in knowing the night will be different, and that is exactly what keeps it fresh.
It is a bistro first. The menu mixes Thai and European dishes with a certain French touch, so people come to eat well, sit with friends and stay for the music. That changes how I play. In a place where the table and the dance floor share the same air, the music has to feel like part of the evening, not something that interrupts it.
I always start soft. The first couple of tracks are Downtempo and Deep House, warm and unhurried, just enough to set the mood while people settle in. But it rarely stays there for long. Very quickly somebody gets up, then a few more, and before I know it the room is dancing. That is my cue. I raise the energy step by step, keep the groove deep, and let the night grow naturally.
The audience is varied, and I love that. Some weeks it is regulars who know exactly what to expect, some weeks it is travelers who found the place by accident, and some weeks it is a mix of everyone in between. Different ages, different countries, different reasons for being there. What they share is the will to have a good time. It is always fun, and that is the best compliment a resident can get.
Another thing I enjoy here is the length of the sets. Some nights I play four hours, some nights five, and on a few occasions six. Long sessions are a gift for a DJ who loves to tell a story. You have time to start slowly, take risks, go through different moods and come back to the music you really care about. A long set lets me read the room properly and respond to it, instead of rushing to the highlights.
Playing every week also builds a relationship that a one off show never can. The team knows me, I know the room, and many guests have started to recognize the sound. There is a trust in that. I can try new tracks, new edits and new ideas, and see right away how they land. In many ways Oskar Bistro has become a weekly lab for my music.
What I value most is the atmosphere. It is relaxed without being sleepy, elegant without being stiff, and always warm. Good food, good people and deep house make a simple recipe, and when it works, it works beautifully.
If you are in Bangkok, come by when I am playing, have dinner, and stay for the dancing. You can find the dates in the Shows section. And if you run a restaurant, a bistro or a lounge and you want a resident who can read the crowd, grow the energy and keep the room dancing for hours, let's talk.
