No matter how you look at it, DJ Lil' Tony, born Toni Rantanen, is the central character in Helsinki club scene. A member of the prestigious Nuspirit Helsinki collective and his new electronic music project called Future Beat Investigatigators. 2007 he started his own Lil Tony production on top labels like Versatile,
Innervision, Mood Music. For a decade, he has amazingly been continuously on the top of the game, running the only Helsinki venues that are up to international club standards. From early-90s to the early 2000s it was Kerma 1997-2004 and sOda 1996-2003, Rose Garden 2005-2007 Today its Redrum (www.redrum.fi) and Kuudes linja (www.kuudeslinja.com). In addition to all this, he is also one of the people behind Flow Festival, the annual electronic & urban music festival in Helsinki since 2004 Toni's roots lie in the early days of underground warehouse parties and he has not to date lost his commitment to the underground and uncompromised musical culture. As a DJ, Lil' Tony is probably best known for his house & techno sets - Detroit, New York & Chicago house music was his first love after all - but he is remarkably unprejudiced and eclectic in his approach to music, be that for his personal listening pleasure only, or what he plays when out DJing. On the other hand Toni's got strong Disco and Soul background. Lil' Tony's main musical influences are UR, Harvey, Ron Hardy, Ron Trent, Chez Damier, Theo Parrish, Marvin Gaye, Moodyman, Blaze, Murk, Carl Craig and Basic Channel. Though working hard at home, Tony has found time to spin as a guest DJ all around the globe. As a promoter, Toni has brought literally hundreds of international DJs and live
artists to Helsinki. Some of the highlights include: Âme, Juan Atkins, Blake Baxter, Kerri Chandler, Joe Claussel Carl Craig, Dixon, Edan, Laurent Garnier, José Gonzáles, Matthew Herbert, I:Cube, Idjut Boys, Norman Jay, Jay Dilla (R.I.P.),
Kenny Dope, Kraftwerk, M.A.N.D.Y. Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas, Louie Vega, Derrick May, Theo Parrish, Derrick Carter, Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Steve Bug, Vince Watson, Chateau Flight live, Metro Area, Moodyman, Mark Murpy live, Octave One, Osunlade, DJ Pierre, !!!, Coco Rosie, Terry Callier, O:pel Bastards, Roots, Tiefschwarz, Jenny Wilson, Marleena Shaw, DJ Spinna, Maurizio, United Future Organization, UR Josh Wink.
"Its all about good music."
