Mike Starr

British-born and Berlin-based DJ Mike Starr has spent the past two decades channeling his deep musical knowledge into dynamic sets and productions, all while honoring the pioneers who laid the groundwork for today's electronic music scene. A prominent figure in Berlin's nightlife, Mike Starr is a regular at the city's most iconic venues, including Berghain/Panorama Bar, Tresor, Watergate, RSO, and Heideglühen, and has brought his distinctive sound to internationally acclaimed clubs such as Bassiani in Tbilisi, De School in Amsterdam, Hi Ibiza, Elsewhere NYC, The Cause in London, and Wanderlust in Paris. Known for his unique blend of charisma and soulful energy, Mike Starr artfully navigates the worlds of house and techno with musical precision and an expert sense of groove. His sets, mixes, and productions are characterized by their narrative flow, seamlessly weaving together the nuanced sounds of 808 electro, 909 garage, New York disco, Detroit techno, Chicago acid, original UK tech house, and Germany's rich contributions to house and techno. Recent appearances include live streams for HÖR, ARTE, and United We Stream, as well as podcasts for Amsterdam's Is Burning collective and Paris's Webzine Dure Vie. In the mid-90s, Mike Starr immersed himself in New York City's vibrant nightlife, where he regularly experienced the pioneering sounds of house music legends such as Frankie Knuckles, François K, Danny Krivit, Joe Claussell, Danny Tenaglia, and Junior Vasquez at iconic venues like Body & Soul, Twilo, and the Sound Factory. By the mid-2000s, Starr had secured a four-year residency at The End in London, owned by Mr. C of The Shamen and Layo & Bushwacka. He played at the Discotec night alongside fellow resident Luke Howard, a founding member of Horse Meat Disco. From 2006 to 2008, Starr also held a semi-residency at Fabric's Sunday event, DTPM, where he showcased his diverse take on the electro genre in Room 3. After numerous guest DJ spots in Berlin, Mike relocated to the city in late 2009, diving deeper into its electronic music scene. His production career gained momentum with the Douglas Greed remix of his debut release, "Love Away," on the Berlin label Casual Lab, which drew the attention of Noir and was featured in Defected's popular "In the House" series. His follow-up EP, "Layback," was also well-received, becoming one of the label's standout releases. Mike's tracks have since garnered support and chart placements from renowned artists such as Noir, Maya Jane Coles, Horse Meat Disco, Deetron, Matthias Kaden, and many others. Mike Starr has contributed remixes for BPitch Control, Sound Black Recordings, Native City Records, and the Berlin collective Raiders. In 2015, he toured Hawaii with the Isle 9 Collective, joining 20 prominent German artists like Rampue, Monolink, Soukie & Windish, and Wide Awake to showcase Berlin's underground downtempo sounds. He also completed a solo five-city tour in the U.S. in 2024. Starr made his debut at both Garbicz and Krake festivals in 2022 and again returned in 2024 to the former. In 2017, Starr released the acclaimed "Breakout" EP, featuring a remix by Thomas Stieler, on the Biotop label, which is home to notable producers like Eduardo De La Calle, Pablo Bolivar, Noah Pred, JEPE, and Patrick Zigon. From 2018 to 2020, he hosted the bi-monthly parties INDUSTRIE and NITE LINE at Berlin's Paloma Bar. INDUSTRIE, launched with Ash Lauryn (Deep South ATL, Detroit), celebrated Detroit-centric house music, while NITE LINE focused on bringing forward-thinking electro sounds, co-hosted by Noah Pred. Currently, Mike Starr is a regular guest DJ at Berghain/Panorama Bar and an occasional resident for GEGEN, offering a house-focused alternative to the dominant techno landscape. He also maintains a strong connection and collaboration with Berlin's RAIDERS crew.