Max HeyraudFor 25 years, Freaks on Friday has been a cornerstone of Irish dance music, and after celebrating its milestone anniversary last weekend, Al Gibbs reflects on the evolution of club culture, the rise of Irish electronic music, and the community that has grown alongside him.
Few radio DJs are as closely tied to Irish club culture as Al Gibbs. Over the past decade and more, he has anchored weekend radio programming in Ireland, with Freaks on Friday on FM104 becoming a defining soundtrack for generations of clubbers. The show has since expanded into new spaces, including the Metaverse, and earned Gibbs a National Silver PPI Award for Best Specialist Radio Show.
Beyond radio, Gibbs is a veteran DJ with residencies at iconic Dublin venues such as POD, Redbox, Tripod, and Temple Theatre, as well as international appearances for Pacha in Ibiza and Marbella, and shared stages with artists like Deadmau5 and Avicii. As a producer, he also co-wrote Mark McCabe’s Maniac 2000 and released tracks including Wicked Game (Sunset Mix), The Pod, and Feel My Drums.
Last weekend, Freaks on Friday marked 25 years on air, a milestone being celebrated with a show at Malahide Castle. In this conversation, we look back at the early days of the show, how Irish dance music and radio have evolved, the changing role of Irish artists in his sets, and the unique relationship he’s built with an audience that has grown up alongside him.
Freaks on Friday turns 25 this year, a quarter of a century, which is by all accounts a monumental milestone. How does that feel?
That’s the question everyone has asked, and the truth is I don’t know how to feel about it. It’s been such a huge part of my life. I suppose thankful is the general feeling, and how lucky I have been to have had the experiences it has brought me.
Let’s go back to the early years of Freaks on Friday. Do you remember your first show? What led you to that point in your life and career?
In the very beginning, the show was called “Euphoria”, sponsored by Telstar Records, and I released the Irish Euphoria album at that time. It eventually became Freaks on Friday after Telstar Records left Ireland.
Looking at that journey, you’ve seen Irish dance music change and evolve over the years while staying at the heartbeat of the culture here. How are you feeling about the scene in Ireland right now?
I think the scene is still very healthy. It’s very different to when I started, but everything changes, and you either change with it or give up. Social media, phones and attention spans have all added to the change, but there are always people into good music; you just gotta search them out.
In that time, we’ve seen a huge wave of Irish artists emerge on the global stage. In terms of what percentage of Irish music you’re playing weekly now, would I be right in thinking it far surpasses what it was 10 or even 25 years ago?
Absolutely, we have become exporters of amazing talent from here, and playlists adapt to that talent pool. BICEP, Sunil Sharpe, Obskür, Yasmin Garadezi, Mano Le Tough, Matador, and then we have huge chart toppers Belters Only, Jazzy and KETTAMA. We are spoiled for choice.
You’re in a unique position where a lot of your audience have grown up alongside you. Is there something special about that long-standing relationship with your listeners?
The Freaks listeners have been there for 25 years in some cases. It’s part of their week to tune in, and they let me know. They are loyal to a point, and last Saturday just showed how many there are. Thousands descended on Malahide Castle. It was special.
Do you ever think about the impact you’ve had on people who might not have been familiar with electronic music before discovering your show? I personally remember friends’ parents listening before driving us to discos back in primary school.
You’re making me feel old, hahahah. Yes, we have certainly made a dent along the way, and I feel privileged to have been allowed to be the tastemaker for them for all this time. DJs were influencers before ya had to get your ass out to be famous hahahah.
Do you think radio still holds the same importance it did 25 years ago?
I think probably more so in some ways. Phones, algorithms and AI can’t be trusted. They are manipulating you every second you’re engaging with them, and in a lot of ways it’s leading to major problems like depression in young people and people addicted to their phones. It’s just bad shit. Radio and the content we put out is local. It’s trusted, and it’s real, and I think more than ever that’s really important to have that.
How do you feel about nostalgia in general? A milestone like this naturally brings it up, but how do you personally approach reflecting on the past?
So for a long time I avoided looking back, as no DJ gets into music to play classics. I was always about new music as it developed, but there is also a realisation at times that people want to hear the music from moments they remember you most for. So playing a few classic gigs a year is fine for me. It’s part of who I am. They weren’t classics when I first played them, and I suppose I’m at peace with looking back as long as I can still look forward on air and at festival sets, etc.
Freaks on Friday celebrated its 25th anniversary with a sell-out show at Malahide Castle, a venue that has hosted some of the world’s biggest artists, from Calvin Harris and Liam Gallagher to Charli XCX and Iron Maiden. How did it feel bringing your show to a stage like that?
Yes, I got goosebumps as I walked on stage and saw all the happy faces, as some of these punters have been with me since the start. 5 buses came from my local town alone. It was mental. People up on benches and shoulders singing back the tracks. It was such a day, such a moment. Crazy. I’m so grateful to everyone who came out to support.
Last weekend felt like one of those magical moments where all the stars aligned. Did it feel that way from your perspective, and did it live up to everything you’d hoped for?
The weather was perfect, the excitement was palpable, and Malahide Castle provided an incredible setting. Seeing everyone so happy to be there, listening to the tunes they grew up with on Freaks, was something really special. I also got to share it with my long-time friend Ronan O and his Back2Mine DJs, who were on support, which made it even more special. It’s a day I won’t forget anytime soon. The question is, after all the hype… do we do it again? To be continued, I think…
And finally, if you could give your younger self advice from 25 years ago, what would it be?
Relax and enjoy the ride a little more. You will get there if you don’t give up.
