The French DJ has been causing a Stateside sensation this week with a series of gigs in New York. Techno fans may remember back in 2004 that Laurent vowed he would never to return to America unless the country’s ‘completely unreasonable’ visa process was changed.

He cancelled an entire tour back then after realising how much info he’d have to provide for a work visa, saying at the time: “I consider these demands to be a complete violation of my privacy and my civil liberties and I refuse to comply. I am horrified by these new regulations and feel really sad that this is what some call freedom and democracy. It has now become almost impossible for an artist to come and perform in the United States. And until this new procedure changes I will unfortunately refuse to comply with this nonsense.”

Well obviously something has changed for the better, as Garnier reportedly smashed it at Cielo in NYC on Saturday, before hitting the dancefloor himself at a very secret afters with Damian Lazarus and M.A.N.D.Y. playing. There were then more unannounced gigs on Sunday and Monday night (New York seems to be big on not actually telling people who’s playing where until the last minute these days).

Laurent plays in Atlanta tonight before moving on to Miami and LA at the weekend. For anyone in those cities, it’s well worth catching this rare visit from the master – particularly if you like to listen to everything from old rave tunes to blistering new techno with occasional meanderings into drum & bass and even country & western along the way! Garnier really takes things to a new level, so let’s hope there isn’t another 3-year gap before he’s back to wow the USA again…