DJ George Fitzgerald @ The Dolphin.

Text and images by Jumah Chaguan.

Tecate beer cans were trampled underneath dancing feet. Women in glow-in-the-dark skeleton suits undulated on tables while DJ George Fitzgerald played house music in the booth.

Fitzgerald, a London-based DJ and producer, played at the Dolphin Tavern Friday night. This was his second to last American gig before returning to Europe. According to his Facebook page, his visit to America’s club scene was his first “proper” US tour. Fitzgerald’s DJ sets were heard across the country, from Miami to San Francisco and from Los Angeles to the birthplace of house music, Chicago.

The Philly house heads danced to Fitzgerald’s hit “Lights Out.” Although spinning for just a few years, he already has received a great deal of attention. BBC Radio 1 awarded him the “Essential Mix Future Stars” for 2013. His massive EP, Child, was received with great acclaim. And recently, the BBC gave him a radio show.

Some on the Dolphin dance floor were big fans of his work. They knew every beat and lyric. Local DJ Jansen Scott, sporting a retro hightop, formed group circles and yelled props to Fitzgerald, who smiled in return.

Others danced by themselves or hung around the DJ booth. Some just got out of the way when a drunken five-person train pummeled it’s way through the crowd.

T-shirts were drenched with sweat. Useless sweaters were placed on sweaty balding heads. There was little room to move. The tavern was filled with around 350 nightclubbers hungry for a musical high.

Fitzgerald built up rhythms and the crowd followed. Even the floor boards danced. Well past closing time, the crowd didn’t let Fitzgerald leave. He played two encores even with the lights on.

Then the smoke cleared out. Fans stuck around. The polite Fitzgerald posed for pictures.

He had played eight straight shows. The night before he was in New York. Soon he was to head back and play Switzerland and Belgium. During New Year’s he is scheduled to play a set at the popular Fabric in London.

“I just want to lay down,” said Fitzgerald. “I want to make an album.”

Fitzgerald was tired but already thinking about the next big thing.