Iranian DJ Brings Persian Influence to Washington Night Scene Dariush Rateshtari wins over diverse crowds in U.S. capital
By Armond Caglar
Washington File Special Correspondent
Washington -- Dariush Rateshtari made his last-minute preparations and final sound checks, then pressed the button on his elaborate stereo-system soundboard that would trigger the start of the night.
Euphonious rhythmic beats began to surge, reverberating throughout Diva Nightclub just blocks from the White House in downtown Washington, D.C. During a performance here recently, Rateshtari, or DJ Dariush, as he is called, did not have to ask the mixed Persian and American crowd if his style of dance music was resonating. Their enthusiastic response said it all.
A music disc jockey who honed his skills in fundamentalist Iran is now a fixture of the Washington D.C. music scene, particularly among the 28 thousand or so Iranians living in the United States capital.
He calls himself simply DJ Dariush. His style is low-key. His music, whether for American or Iranian audiences, is Persian-inflected and intended for non-stop dancing. Sound of Iranian contemporary disco music
