Mc Complicated (NL)

There are few members of Amsterdam’s bustling electronic music scene that can boast the rich and diverse history of Antonio Abbo, perhaps more familiarly known by his stage persona; MC Complicated. One thing that is for certain, is that none comes close to matching his sheer level of enthusiasm and presence, be it on stage, in the studio or on the dance floor. With so many years in the music industry, this seasoned percussionist and MC remains one of the most colourful and inspiring personalities of Amsterdam’s nightlife, in always giving a hundred and twenty percent, he never fails to electrify and bring a heartening interaction with the crowd. With rhythm running through every vein, young Abbo never doubted his calling. By the age of nine he was already drumming in a brass band, before metamorphising into his first punk outfit, the Willibrordz at aged sixteen. His next (rock!) band; Graduate Love, was to be pick-up by Holland’s one and only ‘rock ’n roll junkie’ Herman Brood, who personally requested them as a support act for his national tour. A few years later, Abbo got noticed by blues legend Ronald Abrahams, who invited him to tour the world with the infamous Ice Cold Band. “That man taught me a lot about music and life, truly a unique character.” On a nationwide tour of Ireland and the UK with Ronald Abrahams in the early nineties, Abbo first stumbled upon the sound that would come to define the proceeding decades of his musical career. Upon entering a Northern acid house club, one Friday and Sunday afternoon, he realized that this was "it" for him; thumping beats, flickering strobo´s and steaming smoke machines, Abbo´s passion for dance music was ignited. After the birth of his son, Abbo focused solely on family life, but soon he felt the musical itch again. He got back into the game by playing percussion for Dutch soapie and singer Tim Immers, who had several top 40 hits in the Netherlands. Abbo’s big break came as the Percussionist and MC for The Sunclub, who topped the charts with Fiesta all throughout the summer of 1997. The single reached no. 1 in nineteen countries, and was undoubtedly one of the biggest club hits of the late nineties. Touring throughout the world non-stop for two years and winning several international awards, Abbo was living the life of a rockstar. A string of other successful hits followed: Single Minded People , Splash , Wetsuit , Moving On , Bandoneon and Summer Jam (also no. 1), as well as a support act for Ricky Martin. However, after seven successful years, Abbo longed for new challenges, so he decided to quit with The Sunclub and take a long sabbatical, and to remerge on the scene in recent years. It was Amsterdam’s thriving clubland that would get Abbo’s juices flowing again, with so many fresh producers rising on the scene, he was inspired to pick up his drumming and mc-ing. Nowadays, Abbo has reclaimed his position as the scene’s most infectious partymaker.