Gareth Woods

For those that don’t already know you and what you do tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Gareth Woods, and I’ve been spinning tracks as a DJ and radio broadcaster for 12 years now. I’ve been the resident DJ at the Kremlin in Belfast since 2020, and I also host Dance Anthems on Qradio every Friday from 7pm - 1pm and every Saturday from 6pm to 10 PM.

How did you get into DJing and did you always know that you wanted to be a DJ?

Music has always been super important to me since I was a kid. I was really lucky to grow up with an older brother who’s incredibly talented; he’s had a huge impact on my music journey. His confidence and skills pushed me to go after the career I have now. I always had a thing for radio and performing on stage. I remember getting one of those big old karaoke machines and recording my own radio shows in my bedroom for family and friends. When I turned 15, I saved up some cash to buy my first DJ controller. I spent hours DJing in my room, probably driving my parents nuts, but all I ever wanted was to play in front of a crowd.

Who did you look up to when starting out as a DJ and have you ever met any of your idols?

I’ve always been a huge fan of upbeat electronic music, especially EDM. Avicii was at his peak when I was around 15 or 16—his track “Levels” came out back then and it was a total game-changer. Rest in peace, Avicii. I’ve also been inspired by legends like John Digweed and MK, who I actually interviewed last week. But I’ve gotta give a shoutout to my brother; he’s probably going to cringe reading this, but he’s the one who really showed me how to mix tracks together.

Whenever people ask me about the most starstruck I’ve ever been, my answer is always the same. Working in radio lets you meet tons of people, so you kind of get used to it. “ Set You Free” was one of the biggest tracks in the charts not long after I was born which I grew up and fell in love with as a kid. An unbelievable track I heard constantly at home, on the radio and on the TV. Working regularly with Kelly, ave and the rest of the N-Trance team means the world to me. Hitting play for Kelly at the first Eclectic Love Festival gave me serious goosebumps!

At what moment did you think to yourself I’ve made it, I am a DJ?

I experience this feeling all the time. I’ve played in the Kremlin Club Room for so many years; that club is like my baby. Just this past weekend, while putting on a song and quickly stepping away to the bathroom, I got asked for a photo and received a song request. When I returned to the DJ booth, I found myself in a moment of disbelief, surrounded by people loving the music I was playing. I stood there, taking it all in, amazed that I’m able to do this every weekend. I believe this feeling will continue for the rest of my career, and I think it’s a very healthy thing to experience. Hearing tracks being sung back to me, especially when I drop the volume, gives me chills every time. There is still so much more to come, and like any DJ, I’m always learning. Every day is a school day.

What is the best and worst thing about being a DJ?

**Best:** I love that this job doesn’t feel like work. There’s a famous saying, “If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life,” and that really resonates with me in this role.

**Worst:** My sleep routine and patterns have been a challenge. I only started to prioritise them recently, especially since COVID. I decided to give up weeknight gigs to help my brain get better rest. However, I still feel the lingering excitement from those events on weekends at times, but I try to manage it as it comes.

You present Dance anthems on Qradio at the weekend, how did that come about and do you have any advice for anyone who wants to be a Radio Presenter?

I got my start in community radio as a volunteer, and honestly, I’ve always just wanted to play “Special D - Come with Me” on air. That’s been my dream because I really love the whole vibe of Clubland and the old-school dance scene, which has totally made a comeback lately. It felt like a mantra for me: “I will play Special D on the radio.” It wasn’t a walk in the park, though, I had to knock on a lot of doors and lay my ideas out on a lot of tables within the industry to prove how passionate I am about my music and radio. If you’re looking to get into radio, just go for it!

Send your demos to every station across the island and maybe afar and never be afraid to reach out to other presenters, ask them for tips, or have a chat; most are usually cool about connecting.

You have been the main resident dance DJ at the Kremlin now for ??? years, what do you do to prepare for each night and any funny stories?

(You’re bound to have a few)

Prepping for my nights, I’ve got a ton of music lined up. After working at the same club for a while, I kind of get a feel for how the nights will go, from the moment we open to when things hit peak and right up until we close. I totally love diving into the depths of SoundCloud to find hidden gems, especially local artists who are super talented, and I like to weave their tracks into my weekend sets. I always try to support them by tagging them in my Instagram stories and showing how the crowd reacts.

There are so many funny stories from the club, but one that always cracks me up happened just before COVID hit. I was in the DJ booth and felt something hit my arm. Thought it was a drink at first, but when I looked down, it was a stiletto! Turns out it was this girl who’d been trying to wave her phone at me to request a song for ages, and I totally missed it. I guess that was her way of getting my attention! I still wonder if she got her shoe back, though. The club scene is always wild, but that’s what I love about it. Honestly, I could write a whole book about all the hilarious stuff that’s happened over the years.

Having graced the stage of Belfast Pride, Eclectic Love and many others it’s no secret you have rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in dance and pop music. How have you found that and do you not get nervous?

I always get nervous before going on stage, and honestly, I think nerves are a good thing. If you’re not a little nervous, you’re probably doing something wrong. I love entertaining folks, especially with music from the 90s and the club scene. A lot of people don’t know this, but I’ve dealt with a stammer since I was a kid. It’s something that’s part of me, and while I have good days and bad days, I’ve only started opening up about it in recent years. When I get nervous, it makes my stammer worse, so I’ve learned some tricks to manage it; otherwise, it can take over. It’s tricky to explain how I handle it since what works for me might not work for someone else. Like last year at Pride, I swapped cards with my co-host Trudy Scrumptious because I knew I’d struggle with some words on my card. No big deal for Trudy—she was super cool about it, and everything went really well.

What’s on the cards for you in 2025?

I have so much on the cards that I can’t share right now, but watch out on my socials and listen to the show it will all be revealed in time. More radio, more Kremlin, Eclectic Love in Custome House Square in May, and hopefully Pride again this year. Plus on a personal level working on myself, my health and well-being and doing what I love.

Quick Fire Questions:

The first single and album you ever bought. So the first single I remember jamming to was Alizée’s “Moi Lolita.” Seriously, all my gay friends were obsessed with it! And the first album I got into was by Sum 41. I basically grew up on rock music.

Your music guilty pleasure.

Hands down Whigfield Saturday night and Sexy eyes, don’t care what anyone says!

A song you wish never existed.

I’m a huge fan of Daft Punk, but I really can’t stand “Get Lucky.” It was written by Nile Rodgers, but it’s honestly my least favourite song ever. There’s no way it’s making it onto any of my playlists!

Dream Artist you’d love to collaborate with. If I did produce music easily Kelly Lorena, but I would also love to collaborate with Fat Boy Slim on a radio show.

Who is going to be massive on the dance music scene in 2025?

Shugz, Symmetrik also Billy Gillies