Recently we sat down with trance legend, Markus Schulz, to talk about his upcoming Rabbit Hole Circus Tour and see what else he’s got in store for us this year.
Once in a lifetime, the opportunity arises when an artist is afforded the freedom to express his creative vision in unparalleled ways. As spring blossoms into a busy summer of music, festivals, and nightclubbing, globally beloved electronic dance music (EDM) DJ, producer, artist, and performer, MARKUS SCHULZ, unveils his newest endeavor: The Rabbit Hole Circus Tour. The Rabbit Hole Circus Tour will launch in the U.S. before traveling to the most technologically advanced nightclub and performance venues across North America, South America, Europe and beyond.
Far beyond what the typical DJ set, nightclub, or festival performance can offer, each of MARKUS SCHULZ’s The Rabbit Hole Circus shows will be an immersive, multi-media escape from reality lovingly enhanced by circus-themed costumed performers, dancers, aerialists, singers, musicians, and other costumed actors.
Show visuals will be in keeping with the circus theme and they will be whimsical, colorful, and magical, transporting attendees into a world where anything is possible.
The music will be based around MARKUS SCHULZ’s ‘The Rabbit Hole Circus’ album, as well as many other releases from the legendary DJ’s vast body of work.
Vocalists from ‘The Rabbit Hole Circus’ (Black Hole Recordings | Coldharbour Recordings) album will also perform live at select The Rabbit Hole Circus dates. Vocalists include HALIENE, EMMA HEWITT, SARAH DE WARREN, and ADINA BUTAR. The opening DJ includes rising talent, TIM CLARK. Other performers will be announced soon.
In keeping with MARKUS SCHULZ’s tradition of playing his famed “open-to-close” shows, The Rabbit Hole Circus shows will run significantly longer than most DJ sets held in nightclubs. As fans of MARKUS SCHULZ will attest, it’s in this marathon atmosphere of emotionally thrilling, epic-sounding music where life’s troubles melt away and joyful communion reigns.
INTERVIEW
EDMTunes: We’ve seen some tantalizing posts on your socials lately, as well as some intriguing press announcements. What’s this whole “rabbit hole” business about?
Markus Schulz: I guess I should start off by giving you a brief history of “the rabbit hole” and how it pertains to me. I’ve always been known for playing longer or extended, sets, even open-to-close sets. The early-morning hours, or “after hours” part of my set, I referred to as “the rabbit hole” because that was the time of the night when things started to get a little weird and a little wonderful. I save all of my craziest songs for that time of the night! Over the years, the rabbit hole part of my sets became more and more popular, to the point where, last year, I did a rabbit hole open-to-close tour, which was a huge success. I’ve done 10 artist albums over the course of my career, but to be honest, I’ve never really focused on the rabbit hole part of my set like I feel maybe I should have. So, this album, The Rabbit Hole Circus, is a nod to the weird and wonderful time of the night that we all love so much.
EDMTunes: Is The Rabbit Hole Circus a full-out tour, or more like a few special “one-off” events?
Markus Schulz: The Rabbit Hole Circus Tour will be a few special, one-off events in select key cities around the world.
EDMTunes: How are your The Rabbit Hole Circus shows different from your normal DJ nights? Will you still be playing normal DJ nights while you’re on The Rabbit Hole Circus tour?
Markus Schulz: The Rabbit Hole Circus shows will be different than my normal DJ nights, and yes, I will still be playing normal DJ nights while on The Rabbit Hole Circus Tour. The Rabbit Hole Circus Tour will comprise of aerialists, performers and singers, as well as crazy theatrics. To be honest, it’s a throwback to the days when I first started going out clubbing. There were always crazy characters in the crowd! It was like, the people were the stars of the show. I really wanted to bring back that vibe and energy in The Rabbit Hole Circus Tour.
EDMTunes: Shows like this are more akin to concerts than straightforward DJ sets. Are they cost-prohibitive to produce? Do you think EDM fans demand more shows of this nature? Do you feel pressure to constantly “out-do” yourself as a live performer?
Markus Schulz: Shows like this, I’ve always looked at as chapters in my DJ career. I’ve done thousands and thousands of sets around the world during my career, but the special tours are something that challenges me creatively and really let me dig into my theatrical inspirations. Inspirations I grew up with. I don’t really think there’s pressure to outdo oneself, but there is pressure to make the show memorable in the big-picture of my career.
EDMTunes: Can you give us some important “need-to-know” factoids about The Rabbit Hole Circus album, that the tour is in support of?
Markus Schulz: Yes, The Rabbit Hole Circus album is inspired by the late-night/early-mornings and the weird and wonderful vibe. I have many great singers that I worked with on this album, including HALIENE, Emma Hewitt, Sarah de Warren, Diandra Faye, Adina Butar, KhoMha, a famous opera singer from Miami named Radmila Dolly, and I even have a collaboration with Pretty Poison on the album.
EDMTunes: What are you most excited about — and most nervous about — regarding your imminent The Rabbit Hole Circus tour?
Markus Schulz: I think I’m most nervous about making sure that this show meets my expectations. I am a perfectionist, after all. [laughs] I’m definitely most excited about blowing people’s minds, both musically and theatrically, and building this tour concept to greater heights.
Tour: https://www.therabbitholecircus.com/
Official: https://www.markusschulz.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/markusschulz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6OO0PboZcIWUWL7j2IyeoL
Instagram: www.instagram.com/markusschulz
