#MusicInTheAir Podcast hosts this week :
ROCCO TETRO

For today’s #MusiciInTheAir we have yet another debut. At his first time for a Podcast with Villahangar, Rocco Tetro, DJ born, lived and currently living in Bari, the Apulian capital of Southern Italy.

He began his experience in the world of parties at the end of the 90s, thanks to the passion for music and musical instruments, which he has nurtured since he was a child. He says: “From the age of 9, I started playing guitar, following a private class. Since I was a child, I have always lived by music, it has accompanied all the phases of my life”.

The continuous musical evolution of Rocco Tetro starts from the roots of classical and vocal house. Currently, he offers afro and melodic house sounds, musical genres with which he also approaches the world of productions.

However, he explains: “I have never liked to identify myself in a single musical genre, in these 20 years of clubbing I have followed the natural evolution of house music, and all the currents that have contaminated it.

Definitely, in the last 5/6 years, I have been strongly influenced by African sounds and in my sets, I propose afro & melodic house, with some incursion into indie and techno”. As for his favorite artists/DJs/producers, among many he is very attached to the Keinemusik project, and everything that gravitates around them.

In 2003 he became resident DJ of Chiascia, a historic club in southern Italy. In that club he played with the most important artists of the house and techno worldwide scene.

Most of his parties have been almost all in Italy, abroad he has played mainly in Spain, in Ibiza, and in Madagascar, in Nosi Be.

For about a year, he has also been a producer. He says: “About a year ago I also started producing music, taking advantage of the forced break caused by the pandemic, to start a study path with an Ableton certified professor, Gaty Lopez, who introduced me to this magnificent world that now I can’t do without.

I started with a couple of bootlegs, which unexpectedly ran quite successful, and then moved on to releases with almost purely afro house labels: Switch Lab, Cabeau Music, and My Other Side of the Moon”.

He is also Owner of the event agency SITE artevents, and Art Director of Chiascia San Barbato, a nightlife club venue in Bari.

In the pipeline at the moment, he has a project with Luca Cassani, historic Italian DJ and producer, with whom he is collaborating for some releases on the label My Other Side of the Moon.

What music do you listen to when you take off your DJ headset?

Exactly the opposite of what I propose in my sets. I am a lover of new wave, post punk, dark, trip hop and electronic music. From the Cure to Massive Attack, passing through Depeche Mode, up to Bonobo, a musician who for some time they have appreciated most of all.

You are the Owner of SITE artevents, an event agency. What can you tell us? And your relationship with the Apulian territory? Is there a demand for events and what situation is the entertainment industry in?

Site is a parallel project, which deals with the direction and production of purely private events.

Fortunately, Puglia is experiencing a golden moment from a tourist point of view, and the phenomenon of destination wedding is becoming increasingly popular, allowing us to work with international artists and to produce quality events.

You are also Art Director of Chiascia San Barbato. What can you tell us about this place in the Bari nightlife?

Puglia has always had, like nearby Campania, a very rooted tradition for clubbing, and especially for house music.

Unfortunately, currently on the one hand the Latin phenomenon, on the other the almost 3 years of forced stop caused by the pandemic, have reduced quality events, especially winter. In the summer, thanks also to the tourist flow that we are lucky enough to receive, there is an increase in events.

What can you tell about your rework of Say it right by Nelly Furtado?

The rework is a fusion between “Osama” by Zakes Bawntini, and “Say it right” by Nelly Furtado. Osama is a record that has influenced my last 2 years a lot, here in Puglia we managed to make it a real hit, almost radio, so I decided to rebuild the whole groove and graft on a pop melody, with the same tonality.

It currently boasts almost 40k plays on Soundcloud (in almost 4 months), and over 1200 downloads.

How was your summer and now how is your winter? Do you have dj sets or festivals planned at the moment for the present and the future?

The first unrestricted summer in 3 years was magical. Here in Puglia, there were events almost every day, and personally I was lucky enough to work. As I mentioned earlier, the winter has disappointed expectations, but there have been some quality events.

For example, 2 weeks ago I had the pleasure of opening the DJ set of Shimza, an artist I really appreciate, with an incredible charisma.

Summer promises well, but at the moment I cannot reveal anything for superstition!

What do you think of the Italian electronic music scene? What do you think are the differences with Europe and the rest of the world?

Italy is the nation that suffers more than the others, the explosion of the reggaeton phenomenon.

Suffice it to say that the most iconic Italian discos of all time, almost always have a Latin / urban format scheduled during the weekend. Following the most danced genres are tech house and techno, but most of the customers go dancing for fashion, because the place is trendy or because their pr friend pr gives them a freebie. There are few music lovers.

What evolution do you think electronic music is experiencing on the international scene?

I follow the international scene with curiosity, and I think that, at this moment there is a lot of ferment, and many contaminations. I read yesterday the news of an unusual set in ny with Skrillex, Four Tet and Fred Again, in the same lineup, a sign that now, the border between undeground and mainstream becomes increasingly blurred.

What can you tell us musically about your Podcast for Villahangar?

I proposed the tracks that I currently consider most beautiful, and that leave me something. I tested them all on the track and they were appreciated by the dancefloor.