Check out the new website RICKMAIA.COM which is regularly updated with podcasts, news, charts, etc
After watching a friend DJ in 2002, an 18 year old Rick Maia instantly knew that this was a life for him. He got straight into action and started DJing at small events in Reading and South London before an opportunity to both DJ and promote in Greece was offered to him.
After developing his sound and understanding the scene via this initial apprentiship, his rise through the ranks has been swift and decisive with opportunities that have presented themselves suiting Rick perfectly. In 2006, "Gifted presents" at Reading's Bar Mango, was his first UK residency which he still continues with today. This monthly party consistently books excellent underground house jocks which has allowed Rick's education to continue. Warming up and closing for the likes of King Roc, Shur-I-Kan, Giles Smith and many others meant Rick would develop further, especially understanding the musical choices that needed to be made playing such a roll.
But it was Tania Von Pear's booking at Gifted that would allow Rick to take his next steps. After listening to this promising hot-shot play for the first and only time, she offered him a residency in 2007 at her monthly party "Going Places" which hosted T2 at the legendary "The Gallery" night at Turnmills. Since the club's closing, Egg now plays host to Rick and Going Places, with Ministry of Sound being the venue of choice to host the recent Going Places 5th Birthday.
As well as these residencies, Rick has been booked to play at venues such as The Cross, Ministry of Sound, The End, Heaven and Pacha in London, plus gigs in Ibiza at Es Paradis, Eden, Savannah and Hush have accompanied other European events just outside Barcelona for Gifted and also forthcoming bookings in Lithuania and Greece. These bookings have seen him rubbing shoulders with Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Claude Von Stroke, Tiger Stripes, Funk D'Void, Freeform Five, Mason, Deepgroove, amongst others and from crowd reactions and expert comments, he has certainly looked and sounded very much in his element.
For such a short period of time, it shows that Rick Maia has music quality and DJ skills in abundance, but his passion, hard work and the fact that he is a genuinely good person does not go unmissed either. With production material very close to distribution, the opening of a new studio and DJ school and continued DJ development, it is safe to say that Rick Maia will have a very bright future which is no more than what he deserves.
Rick Maia’s sound ranges from emotional tech house to groovy hypnotic techno, deep-house, progressive and anything in between.
"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in dark rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." Kristian Wilson,Nintendo Inc,1989Click on the image above to download this mix which won a place in DJMag
Past and Present Gigs (*=Residency)The Gallery @ Turnmills* (London)
Ministry of Sound (London)
The Egg* (London)
The Cross (London)
The End (London)
Heaven (London)
Pacha (London)
Worship (London)
Myth (London)
Cherry Jam (London)
Notting Hill Carnival (London)
Mango* (Reading)
The Fez Club (Reading)
The Arches (Reading)
Loop (Bridlington)
Air & Breathe* (Dartford)
Bar Cuba (Newbury)
Atlantik (Oxford)
Q* (Reading)
Risa (Reading)
Poo Na Na (Reading)
Bar Four* (Reading)
Eden (Ibiza)
Es Paradis (Ibiza)
Savannah (Ibiza)
Orange Corner (Ibiza)
Itaka (Ibiza)
Beach Club (Gerona, Spain)
Ice Club* (Corfu, Greece)
Mint (Corfu, Greece)
IQ* (Corfu, Greece)
Shaker's* (Corfu, Greece)
Calypso* (Corfu, Greece)
+others