DJ Tiësto

After escaping Celtics madness, the Dutch dance-music phenom hits the beach at City Hall

DJ Tiësto is well-known in Europe and South America where dance music has taken off in a big way. (Globe Photo/Wiqan Ang)

"The city has gone crazy for ... baseball?"

Well, not quite DJ Tiësto, but you are forgiven for the mistake. Tiësto, arguably the biggest DJ on the planet, is visiting Boston on the same day that the city has erupted into a giant green party to celebrate the Boston Celtics' NBA championship win. In fact, the Dutch DJ was trapped in his Tremont Street hotel room most of the day while the parade passed by. He's now free to enjoy the city and mingle with the baseball, er, basketball celebrants.

As expected, Tiësto, who is in Boston to DJ two nights at Estate, is a fan of soccer. He immediately starts talking about Holland's advance in the European soccer championship. Meanwhile, this reporter starts worrying that between talk of basketball and soccer, his afternoon with the superstar DJ is going to be as much fun as the time his mother taught him how to make pie crust.

"Everybody watches Holland," Tiësto continues while I start searching my brain for information on the only soccer player I know: David Beckham. Hmm, do you suppose I could talk to Tiësto about Beckham's Emporio Armani underwear ad campaign?

Fortunately, I'm saved from embarrassment and skivvy talk as we stroll toward City Hall Plaza and spread a blanket on the sand at the Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party. The beach is here, thanks to the sand that has been trucked in and spread in this concrete jungle, but the party hasn't really started yet. We stroll over to the food booths, which feature barbecue from around the world.

"This is all junk food, yes?"

And good junk food at that. But instead of gorging ourselves, we pass on the idea of food and find a mutually agreeable topic - music.

For those who don't follow dance music, Tiësto (nee Tij Verwest) is the 39-year-old dance music phenomenon who was the first DJ to play at an Olympic opening ceremony. He's won countless awards and remixed tracks for nearly everyone - including Justin Timberlake and Madonna, and pretty much anyone else you can think of.

But one of the perks of visiting a country that is not obsessed with dance culture is that the biggest DJ on the planet doesn't get recognized. Well, almost. As he lounges on the picnic blanket sipping iced tea and talking about remixing songs for Imogen Heap and Jose Gonzales, a voice rises from across the sand.

"Oh my God! It is you. I can't believe it!" And running across the faux beach comes Omar Mahmoud, a student at Johnson & Wales University who appears to be Tiësto's biggest fan. "This is sick. I love your stuff man. I was just jamming to your stuff on the way up here."

This unbridled adulation continues for several more minutes. Tiësto seems too nice to put a stop to it (he is Dutch, after all), so I step in and kindly say, "It was great meeting you, Omar." Omar looks dejected and shuffles back to his friends.

Tiësto has a theory as to why many people in the United States haven't heard of him, and why dance music has not taken off here the way that it has in Europe and South America.

"People here want to program things that are safe on radio and TV because it's all very commercial," he says. "It's all based on making money. We don't have that in Europe. A lot of the TV and radio is subsidized by the government, so people take more chances with what they play."

Tiësto, who is looking quite dapper in Gucci sneakers, Dolce & Gabbana jeans, and an Armani Exchange T-shirt, does not necessarily need to conquer the American market. He's already sold millions of discs around the globe. In fact, he's reached the age when DJs start talking about hanging up their headphones and getting to sleep before 4 a.m.

"I once said that I was going to stop when I'm 40 years old," he says. "But that was 10 years ago, when I thought 40 was really old. A lot of people my age are jealous that I still live like a kid. I go around the world partying all the time. I mean, look at the Rolling Stones. They're still doing it."

I offer that Tiësto could become the Keith Richards of the DJ world. He looks back at me with a smile and says, "Well, I guess I should start doing more drugs then."

Christopher Muther can be reached at muther@globe.com.