Top 10 Most Unusual DJ Venues That You Won’t Believe

While most DJs aspire to perform mixes in the world’s hottest nightclubs, others prefer to take a more adventurous approach to the profession.

They set up a DJ booth in some of the world’s most outlandish locations, making the headlines through their daring use of stunning venues.

Read on to discover the ten most unusual DJ venues of all time, from the Great Wall of China to the depths of outer space.

Top 10 Most Unusual DJ Venues That You Won’t Believe

Becoming a successful DJ means creating a persona and standing out from the crowd by delivering iconic performances that fans won’t forget.

Some DJs take things to the next level, playing iconic DJ sets in the world’s strangest locations that wow the crowd with their uniqueness.

With that said, let’s dive into the most unusual DJ venues of all time, ranked in 2024:

10. Vele Di Scapa – Italy

The first music genre that springs to mind when discussing organized crime is gangster rap, with its long association between rappers and gangsters.

Italian DJ Deborah de Luca took the association in a different direction when she took to the DJ booth at the notorious Le Vele in Scampia, Italy.

This Naples-based housing development earned international notoriety for its high crime rates thanks to the huge popularity of the series Gomorrah.

The series, which depicted the life of crime among petty gangsters and their powerful bosses, was praised for its vivid depiction of Italy’s criminal underground.

Deborah de Luca, who grew up on this brutal housing estate, saw the launch of her album She Sleeps as an opportunity to revisit her birthplace.

A rising star who has performed alongside some of the best techno DJs of her generation, her set featured several iconic tracks from her discography.

It proved to be a huge hit with electronic music fans, garnering over 5 million views on YouTube in just a few weeks after being uploaded.

De Luca also clarified the record about Scampia and praised the residents’ sense of community and togetherness.

9. Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco

One of the most iconic man-made structures in the United States is undoubtedly the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco’s Bay.

It has been featured in countless movies over the years, so its choice as the setting for an impressive DJ set was perhaps inevitable.

The event finally happened in 2021, when American producer and DJ Ryan Raddon took to the decks to stage an impressive set overlooking the bridge.

Better known by his stage name, Kaskade, the set gave onlookers a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge over the course of an hour-long set.

While the event was marred by bad weather, with wind and fog occasionally obscuring the bridge, it remains an iconic experience for music fans.

Kaskade used the occasion to play his latest collaboration with deadmau5 and Skylar Grey, the track “Beneath With Me,” along with other EDM classics.

He also showcased new releases from other icons of the dance music industry, including “You’re Not Alone” by Matt Nash.

8. Ancient Castle – Spain

Countless ancient castles are scattered throughout Europe’s landscapes, reflecting the continent’s rich and vibrant history.

The Into the Valley techno festival opted for the Castle of Sohail in Andalusia, Spain, as the setting for its popular event in 2018.

Situated on the outskirts of the small town of Fuengirola, the castle became the home of thousands of dedicated ravers for the course of a weekend.

With the sound equipment set up, it became the home of legendary DJs ranging from Amelie Lens and Omar-S to Peggy Gou and Young Marco.

The event made use of three stages, running programs throughout the day, while the night program switched to an industrial location.

When not enjoying the music, the crowd enjoyed access to lush beaches surrounded by a stunning landscape close to the Mediterranean coast.

This venue has taken the concept of DJing at house parties to the next level, radically reforming a living space.

Additional Into the Valley events have taken place in equally unusual locations, with the event in Sweden situated in a meteor crater.

7. Everest Base Camp – Nepal

In 2018, the legendary British DJ Paul Oakenfold took the art of DJing to literally new heights when he performed a set at the Everest Base Camp in Nepal.

Taking to the decks at the height of 5,380 meters above sea level, he performed in front of a committed crowd of music fans against a stunning mountain range.

The event, which Oakenfold considered to be the most unique show of his career, became the subject of the documentary Soundtrek Everest.

In the documentary, he discussed how the event forced him to push his creativity to the next level, facing intense physical and mental challenges.

Oakenfold also used the event as an opportunity to collaborate with local musicians on a new track and raise money for the Himalayan Trust.

Once the gig was over, he surprised the local community by donating his sound equipment and additional funding for the Youth Music charity.

In addition to celebrating the power of music to unite, the set also raised awareness about the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

The DJ set was later released as an album-length mix on CD called The Base Camp Everest Mix and is also available on various streaming platforms.

6. The London Marathon – United Kingdom

Zach Sabri is one of the best TikTok DJs currently active, and he is best known for his on-the-move DJ sets in unusual locations.

Better known by his stage name, Suat, he performs his DJ sets with a DJ controller rig attached to his body by a sturdy Lanyard.

Suat’s many strange outdoor venues include the docks for luxury yachts and Wembley Stadium, but his set at the London Marathon is perhaps the most iconic.

The event is notoriously challenging for runners, and Suat’s performance is all the more impressive, considering the weight of his DJ gear.

Throughout the DJ set, Suat energized the other contestants with his positive MCing while spinning an eclectic selection of house and techno.

The result is a hugely entertaining audio-visual experience that proved to be a huge hit both with his TikTok fans and on other social media channels.

Suat has continued to take the concept of mobile DJing to the next level since, with a string of DJ sets performed at strange locations around the world.

5. The Great Wall Of China – China

Nina Kraviz has rapidly risen through the ranks of underground DJs to become one of the most popular in the scene to date.

In 2018, she delivered one of the greatest DJ performances of her career when she took to the decks at the Great Wall of China for a headline set.

The 5,500-mile-long structure, visible from space, was transformed into a stunning venue, and tickets were rapidly sold out to enthusiastic fans.

Kraviz transformed one of the world’s seven wonders into one of the most memorable parties in recent years, playing an eclectic DJ set.

The set featured artists such as Shackleton, known for his primal beats and complex productions, and Gio Compario.

She also used the opportunity to play many of her previously unreleased music for the first time, delivering a pure and unadulterated techno set.

The performance, which took place at the base of the Great Wall of China in the Multan Valley, concluded at sunrise.

It formed a part of a broader event that included many popular techno DJs, including the Detroit icon Carl Craig and Chris Liebing.

The venue also hosted several home-grown Chinese DJs, with tech house masters Oui Yang and Huang Weiwei also taking to the stage.

4. Underwater – Italy

We’re returning once again to Italy for one of the most unlikely locations for a DJ set imaginable at the bottom of the world’s deepest diving pool.

This 2018 event, hosted by the alcoholic beverage brand Desperados, took place in a man-made diving pool, Y-40, on the outskirts of Venice, Italy.

The organizers went to great lengths to make this a success, constructing an enormous metal stage underwater for the DJs and guests.

Attendees were each given a specially made diving helmet fitted with speakers to pump in the music directly during the DJ set.

After descending a ladder into the water, the event kicked off with a string of performances from DJs, including Peggy Gou and Artwork.

Reporters at the gig remarked on how difficult it was to dance underwater and the initial struggle to overcome feelings of claustrophobia.

Once accustomed to the environment, however, the event soon took off thanks to a string of impressive sets dominated by deep and tech house.

With guests emerging from the water to enjoy cocktails, it proved to be an event that gave the best underground DJs a run for their money.

3. Stonehenge – United Kingdom

Paul Oakenfold’s impressive DJ set at the Base Camp of Mount Everest wasn’t the only time he made headlines for an unusual performance.

Oakenfold and another iconic British DJ, Carl Cox, joined forces to deliver an intimate set for fifty guests at England’s Stonehenge.

The historic stone circle, which is one of England’s most recognizable tourist destinations, played host to the duo for a back-to-back DJ set in 2018.

Widely regarded as two of the best old-school DJs, Oakenfold took to the decks for a sunset mix and was followed by Cox as night fell.

Hosted by Universe, the event organizers behind the Tribal Gathering music festivals, it was used to bring awareness to the history of the countryside.

The money raised from their DJ sets was donated to the English Heritage charity, which works to protect and preserve England’s historic buildings.

In addition to the DJ sets, the event also featured impressive Motion Mapping projections via video drone to deliver a visually stunning backdrop.

2. The Pyramids – Egypt

Another headline-making DJ set from one of the Seven Wonders of the World took place in 2023, with Carl Cox’s appearance in Egypt.

The techno DJ took to the stage beneath the towering Great Pyramids of Giza for a special event organized by the P+US brand.

With a DJ career spanning several decades, Cox’s performance followed his Stonehenge performance with Paul Oakenfold several years earlier.

It also marked the release of his album Electronic Generations, his first long-player to hit stores in over a decade and an instant hit with fans.

Like Stonehenge, the pyramids are also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and were brightly illuminated for the duration of the set.

Carl Cox isn’t the only DJ to have performed at the pyramids; in 2024, Metro Boomin became the first rap producer to appear on the site.

1. International Space Station – Outer Space

Outer space has long been the subject of dance music, not least with the classic 1992 track from The Prodigy, “Out of Space.”

Italian space exploration expert Luca Parmitano took the concept literally with his performance set in the depths of outer space.

The ESA Astronaut and future ISS Commander worked in collaboration with BigCityBeats WORLD CLUB DOME to host the event in 2019.

It represented a truly unique DJ event, following the success of the previous event at the Zero Gravity Club through the European Space Agency.

While this event was held in a specially converted A310 aircraft, Parmitano sought to take things further with a DJ set in the International Space Station.

This involved recreating the WCD DJ booth in the Columbus module training area, with Parmitano taking DJing lessons from DJ Le Shuuk.

Parmitano live-streamed the event from space via a huge LCD screen mounted at the headquarters of BigCityBeats in Frankfurt to 200 special guests.

Summary

Some of the most celebrated DJs have dominated the dance music media headlines with their impressive sets at unusual locations.

Aspiring DJs looking to make their mark on the industry can draw inspiration from the venues in this article to deliver eye-catching sets of their own.

With DJing continuing to rise in popularity, it’s likely that more strange places will be transformed into dance floors in the future.