Tiësto pulls out all stops with college tour’s conclusion

He’s known by several names, but “Mr. Verwest” is still not one of them.

Veteran entertainer · Despite his age, Tiësto shows no signs of slowing down and even expresses interest and inspiration in performing with newer musicians, such as Porter Robinson, and playing for younger-than-usual crowds. - Photo courtesy of Rephlektor Inkorporated

“Mr. Verwest? Mr. Verwest is my father,” Tijs Michiel Verwest — also known as Tiësto — said with a laugh. “I can call him for you if you want.”

His banter is funny but, more importantly, telling. The 42-year-old is not even close to shedding his role as one of the most titanic, legendary house and trance DJs of all time. And Tiësto continues to push the envelope with his career.

Fittingly, Tiësto has launched an unprecedented, expansive tour geared toward college students, titled “Tiësto’s Club Life College Invasion Tour.” The tour targets major venues near college campuses and features discounted tickets for students.

“Electronic music is growing and I really wanted to give a chance for students to experience it, especially if they wouldn’t be able to afford a normal ticket,” Tiësto said.

The “College Invasion Tour” will make its final stop at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 8 and promises to be a spectacular end to an already successful tour.

“We wanted to make this historic moment special.  So we’re rolling out the production values on this one,” Tiësto said.  “State-of-the-art lights, special effects — people should expect to be blown away. That’s what I’ve planned.”

Oh, and the music should be pretty good, too.

Tiësto’s music has grown considerably since the birth of his career, blossoming from traditional trance and house styles to a more varied, arguably catchier beat marked with clever collaborations, as with Tegan and Sara’s appearance on the ever-addictive “Feel It In My Bones,” of his most recent album Kaleidoscope.

“I guess it’s much more eclectic than in the past — I’d say my music now has more vocals, more melody, but still with a hard house feel behind it,” Tiësto said.

In his quest for musical progression, Tiësto said he was inspired by the recent rise of newer DJs.

“My influences come from a lot of different places, but I do love the younger DJs,” Tiësto said. “Afrojack is one that comes to mind. The scene is a lot bigger, and it makes me excited to see what’s coming up.”

When asked if a rise in musical competition was a concern, Tiësto paused for a second, then chuckled.

“It’s better for everyone when there’s more talent,” he replied. “It forces everyone’s music to be better.”

Electronic music has experienced a surge in prominence recently with peaks such as David Guetta’s inexplicably popular “Little Bad Girl” and Afrojack’s sexy, bass-bruising trance hit “Take Over Control.”

Tiësto, for one, believes it might have something to do with the rise of another recent trend.

“With the growth of Facebook and other social media, there’s been an explosion of how much electronic music makes it to mainstream consumers,” Tiësto said. “In the past, the media had been so controlling in what audiences got exposed to.  Now, there’s more freedom.”

This freedom has also allowed fresher talent to be discovered — really fresh, in some cases.

Electronic phenom Porter Robinson, only 19 years old, has joined Tiësto on the “College Invasion” project to play his acclaimed blend of electro house and dubstep. Established pros Dada Life and Diplo have also joined the tour, rounding out what Tiësto said is “an incredible group of artists.”

“I’m really excited. I love all these DJs. The four of us all have our own special flavor,” Tiësto said. “Well, it’s a dream lineup, really.”

The “College Invasion” shows don’t just reward fans, though. Tiësto said a younger crowd seems to give another welcome burst of energy to his performances.

“My usual crowd is closer to 30, I think. These 18- and 20-year-olds are awesome. They have a lot more energy,” Tiësto said, with a chuckle. “It’s a wild raging party.”

Tiësto hopes his concluding show will be a hit.

“I still just love seeing people blown away at shows,” Tiësto added. “I’m really expecting that come Oct. 8.”