When the original PlayStation was launched back in the mid-nineties, Sony managed to cull a following from the young and hip by placing kiosks in clubs across UK's exploding dance music scene. It worked, of course, somehow helping transform games from the geeky basement-dwelling Nintendo geek stereotype into something quite a bit more mainstream - and infinitely cooler.



Thanks to the success of the PlayStation, and the obvious lead the PS2 has over the competition, Sony's follow-up big black brick hardly needs any more slick underground marketing campaigns to get the word out, but that hasn't stopped them from returning to the electronic music roots from whence the empire that PlayStation built came, choosing to hook up with some of the most high-profile DJs on the scene, including BPM magazine's fan choice for "America's Favorite DJ" and DJ Magazine's "Best DJ in the World."



By hooking up with the House of Blues, Spundae and record labels Nettwerk America, Mix Connection and System Recordings, Sony and the PlayStation 2 will provide not only a videogame name to go along with the 24 date, 17 city DJ supertour, but plenty of visuals as well. As Chicago's Bay Boy Bill (lucky recipient of that "America's Favorite DJ" nod), progressive house trail blazer Noel Sanger, jungle spinster Dieselboy (who also makes an appearance in the upcoming Amplitude), and the man that is widely regarded as the best DJ in the world (The DJ Magazine title merely solidifies this), Dutch trancemaster Tiёsto light up the wheels of steel, live video feeds from the performances and their clubgoer audiences will be projected about the various venues, with flashes of footage from upcoming and recently released 1st party games Primal, Dark Cloud 2, Amplitude, Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits, and the previously unannounced Downhill Domination. Your guess is as good as ours as to what that last title is all about.



To help spread the word and get people interested, a contest has been whipped up to give contestants a crack at winning tickets to a local show with Bad Boy Bill and Dieselboy, dinner, $200 to spend at thread shop Karma Loop, and of course a PS2. The contest begins today, though at the time of this story the URL currently points to the generic events page. Things should change in a few hours, however.



The tour begins March 28th and features two DJs at a time. The dates, cities and venues are as follows:



DJs Bad Boy Bill and Dieselboy



MARCH 28

ATLANTA: RIVIERA

1055 Peachtree St. NE (404-607-8050)



MARCH 30

ORLANDO: HOUSE OF BLUES

1490 E. Buena Vista Drive (407-934-2583)



MARCH 31

NEW ORLEANS: HOUSE OF BLUES

225 Decatur Street (504-529-2624)



APRIL 3

DENVER: THE CHURCH

1160 Lincoln Street (303-832-3528)



APRIL 4

PHOENIX: FREEDOM

In Tempe, AZ

919 E. Apache (480-929-9003)



APRIL 5

SEATTLE: NOISELAB

925 E. Pike Street



APRIL 6

ANAHEIM: HOUSE OF BLUES

1530 S. Disneyland Drive (714-778-BLUE)



APRIL 11

CHICAGO: HOUSE OF BLUES

329 N. Dearborn (312-923-2000)



APRIL 12

MINNEAPOLIS: QUEST

110 North 5th Street (612-338-6169)



APRIL 13

LAS VEGAS: HOUSE OF BLUES

Mandalay Bay Resort

3950 Las Vegas Blvd. (702-632-7600)



*All dates subject to change



-Tiёsto and Noel Sanger-



MAY 14

ATLANTA: THE RIVIERA

1055 Peachtree St. NE (404-607-8050)



MAY 15

DETROIT: BLEU

1540 Woodward Detroit (313 222-1900)



MAY 16

NEW YORK: THE ROXY

515 West. 18th Street (212-627-0404)



MAY 17

WASHINGTON, D.C.: CLUB GLOW

714 6th Street NW (202-271-1171)



MAY 21

DENVER: THE CHURCH

1160 Lincoln Street (303-832-3528)



MAY 22

LOS ANGELES: THE MAYAN

1038 S. Hill Street (213-746-4287)



MAY 23

SEATTLE: THE SHOWBOX

1426 1st Avenue (206-628-3151)



MAY 24

PORTLAND: THE CRYSTAL BALLROOM

1332 W. Burnside (888-221-7491)



MAY 25

LAS VEGAS: HOUSE OF BLUES

Mandalay Bay Resort

3950 Las Vegas Blvd. (702-632-7600)



MAY 28

NEW ORLEANS: HOUSE OF BLUES

225 Decatur Street (504-529-2624)



MAY 29

ORLANDO: HOUSE OF BLUES

1490 E. Buena Vista Drive (407-934-2583)



MAY 30

MIAMI: SPACE

142 NE 11th Street (305-372-9378)



MAY 31

CHICAGO: HOUSE OF BLUES

329 N. Dearborn (312-923-2000)



JUNE 6

SAN FRANCISCO: Ten15

1015 Folsom



There you have it. We'll be there for the LA shows and possibly San Francisco as well. Hope to see you there!