Deep Healing

THE Miracle Workers: Sasha and John Digweed prepare the medicine.

Were Sasha and Digweed sent here to save you?

With their heart-wrenching, tearjerking deep progressive house sets, Sasha and John Digweed have changed the face of DJ culture. From their curative journeys of metronomic bliss at NYC’s Twilo to their overwhelming sonic excursions in Ibiza, the now-legendary U.K. duo have gained near-maximum respect and gratitude from loyal club-goers and trance lovers across the globe.

Many fans insist that Sasha and Digweed's live shows have healing qualities. In a sense, experiencing their deep dominance can cure sadness and other ill feelings one might've suffered before strutting onto the dancefloor. Well, maybe it's more realistic to say that Sasha and Digweed actually play for themselves, and what the audience gets of it is beside the point.

"I don't feel we're trying to heal the world," mutters an exhausted Sasha during a late-night interview preceded by a lingering day in the studio. "I think John and I play records that make us feel good. I guess that has the same effect on the people that have been hearing it as well. When I go out and DJ, I'm doing something that is spreading some kind of energy... and I guess that it's good for karma."

But nonetheless, both DJs certainly facilitate a profound cohesion between themselves and the dancefloor, and they've developed a mastery of knowing what the people want at a given moment. "It's feeling out the room on the night of your gig," contends Sasha. "John and I aren't the kind of DJs that usually preprogram our sets -- especially when we play together. We really try to do something different every night ... and also feel out how each other are feeling.... We definitely feed off each other."

For them as well as the audience, it's all about seizing the moment and living in the now. But it's been nearly impossible to catch these guys behind the decks since Twilo shut down. Twilo, known for having one of the best sound systems in the world, sadly became extinct -- along with the duo's DJ residency -- as of last summer because of drug-related incidents. Twilo developed into a substantial catalyst that played a massive role in Sasha and Digweed's career and fueled their style of music. "There's a lot of other great clubs in New York, but Twilo definitely [had] a magical quality to it," Sasha argues. "Hopefully, something will come along to take its place."

If you missed experiencing the miraculous touch of the twosome at Twilo, they will fortunately make their debut Philly appearance this weekend in support of their Delta Heavy Spring 2002

Tour. And this time, they’ll bring more than a couple bags of records to the colossal event. To reinvent the DJ experience, this tour will incorporate S&D’s own awe-inspiring sound system, custom-designed visuals and interactive lighting that will respond to both the music and crowd. Also on the bill is New York’s Jimmy Van M, the mastermind of the Delta Heavy concept, and Vincent Wonder, Philly’s prime DJ/promoter of sensual, deep trance and progressive house.

Will Sasha and Digweed get any bigger? Will they become disgustingly over-the-top commercial? “John and I have been successful by [not] playing mainstream clubs and mainstream music. We’ve always done our thing and we got to the point where we are by doing that. I don’t think that right at the last minute we’re going to sell out and start playing cheesy commercial music. I’m just buzzing that we get to play these kinds of venues.”

Sasha and John Digweed, Sat., March 30, 9 p.m., $35-$40, 18 to enter, 21 to drink, with Jimmy Van M and Vincent Wonder, the Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000, www.electricfactory.com.