All four days at Arena are fulfilled by more back2back acts, by James Zabiela and Nic Fanciulli on 9th July, Loco Dice and Magda on 10th, Tayo and Hannah Holland on 11th, and a live performance of Japanese Popstars on 12th, the Sunday.

In DJ culture, encore is not such a common thing. After a gig no matter how great, the audience gives applause, hails the man of the hour(s), and another comes up. At least it has been so all these years when Exit is the matter. But James Zabiela, after his performance in 2006…. The audience just would not let him go, kept asking for more, at 8.30 am, even though he tried to shy away, he just had to play… And then he also did an unprecedented thing: went down and shook hands to all the fans. Walking home, after being chased out from the Arena, voices were heard all over: “If only he was to play here every year, we would come just for more of that”. Well, can’t wait to shake hands with him again! He released Darkness EP on 20th April, still works with Renaissance, but also with his own Hearing Aid label, and collaborates with Nic Fanciulli, generally as well as at this year’s Exit Festival.

The Nic Fanciulli part of this duo presents one of the most appreciated young DJs round the globe, with successful releases for such labels as Renaissance and Saved Records, and residencies in Ministry of Sound, London, Space, Miami, I Muretto, Venice, and 2007 Grammy nomination behind himself already. He and James joined forces in 2007, giving their alliance name One+One, and spinning the heads and ears around the globe ever since. Them two released a double CD as a pair, and made some original work, namely “No Pressure”, and “Rover”.

It is only left up to our imagination to figure out how it just may sound: Zabiela alone is enough thrill, let alone such peer star counterpart as Nick is. But the imagination only runs till 9th July. Then we get to see.

Friday, 10th July headlines Loco Dice vs Magda. The first part of this duo comes from Düsseldorf, Germany and has been recognized as one of the most versatile DJs round the globe. His residences in Ibiza, his home country Germany, DJ sets of his production that go under labels like M_nus, Cadenza, Ovum, Four Twenty and Cocoon, speak for themselves. He is reputed to combine house, techno, hip hop, electronic sound into a precise and immaculate unit, giving a sense of his own to this combination which manages to appeal to all mentalities of all audiences.

Sharing European but worldly origins, versatility of sound connected with a minimal string, Magda represents other part of this duo. She is Polish in origin, lived in and influenced by NYC and Detroit, but found the music home in Berlin, Germany. She gained prominence with her compilation She’s a Dancing Machine, and since then has been releasing tracks for Items&Things, earning and successfully maintaining residences in Europe’s most reputable clubs. On 10th July minimal meets tech/house, with more to expect.

On Saturday 11th July, breakbeat meets jungle, etc. in live collaboration of Tayo and Hannah Holland. Tayo is a prominent British DJ name, who started his career alongside A list drum and base stars such as Fabio, Grooverider(both of which are also playing at this year’s fest), and Peshay, to continue exploring the beat, or, better said breakbeat etc. and to be connected with such names as Carl Cox, whose label he remixed for, Layo & Bushwacka, Hybrid, Lee Burridge... The company in which Dj magazine placed him, naming them all ’next big five’ is that of Yousef, Danny Howells, Fergie and Ashley Casselle, by now all big names in electronic music. His own label Mob has released works of Rennie Pilgrem, Stanton Warriors, and DJ Technique, and those Ashley Beedle, D Kline, and Tayo himself are to come.

Alongside him, there is Hannah Holland, a south London born and raised on jungle, to cite her words. This busy lady whose foremost joy comes from making people dance dirty (again in her own words) brings all sorts of base-based sound that, combined with Tayo’s, is due to make you shake it. She is a resident of Trailer Trash weekly parties for five years now, a regular DJ in Bugged Out, Fabric and many other underground clubs, and a co-founder and owner of Bastard Batty Bass label. This preview info gives a lot to expect from this duo when it comes to massive base tones destined to be felt by feet... and other parts of our bodies.

Japanese Popstars are expecting us live on Sunday 12th July. The North Ireland four have been proclaimed the best breakthrough producers in 2008 by DJ magazine at “Best of British awards”. This and other important awards, as well as critical recognition is what they earned only after their debut album “We Just Are”. Their live shows bring you indie-like-but-not-at-all electro sound, with an energy not so many newcomers bring. This may have to do with their music being as good as made purely for live gigs and open venues that have the potential to carry this energy through. Dance Arena certainly qualifies