PE DJ spins into the big time

Nelson Mandela Bay DJ Richard Saunders has returned from London with stars in his eyes after having won a coveted chance to play at internationally renowned club Ministry of Sound's New Year's Eve bash

"It was awesome. absolutely amazing," he said.

"We were playing to a full house and the place was absolutely pumping. It was a wonderful experience to see and play for an international dance floor."

Saunders said he played for the smallest of the four dance floors at the London club, whose New Year's party was named as one of the best overall parties of 2010.

"The other DJs were all from the UK and Europe. I met several international DJs who were playing for the main dance floor," he said, adding that he had learnt a lot from the experience.

Though he has no plans to leave Port Elizabeth, Saunders already has a few gigs lined up in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

"I am going to Cape Town in February and later in the year I have a few things lined up for Johannesburg."

Saunders, who started working as a deejay in his teens, was studying an advanced deejay course last year at the Ministry of Sound when a lecturer proposed the competition. Each student compiled a mix of house tracks and he was named the overall winner.