That trepidation was hardly necessary: Via their hugely popular Renaissance and Northern Exposure mix-CDs, which played a large part in introducing America to the sort of gossamer progressive house that was already popular across the Atlantic, Sasha (born Alexander Coe) and Digweed were already among the best-known DJs around. And even if their Twilo parties did start out a bit shakily, before long they were the massive club’s biggest nights.

One might think that there would have been some resentment among the duo’s New York counterparts—the two were among the wave of DJs who arguably helped to transfer clubbers’ attention away from local jocks and toward the Old World scene—but if so, they seem blissfully unaware. “Danny used to come down to hear us!” Digweed exclaims. “I’m quite sure there was some resentment toward us,” adds Sasha, “but we never experienced it. Besides, by that time, a lot of the New York DJs were playing in Europe all the time anyway.”

Though the duo has played together in NYC several times in the past few years, this gig is part of their first full-scale deejaying tour since 2002’s Delta Heavy excursion. “Delta Heavy was an arena tour, but we ended up playing at a lot of smaller venues as well,” Sasha says. “And those 1,500-to-3,000-people venues were where we had the most fun and, more importantly, were where the music seemed to connect with the crowd more. So this time we’re just sticking with those kind of venues and not having the huge production that we had before.”

Few DJs besides these two would consider a 3,000-capacity hall to be “smaller,” but it’s all relative. Sasha and Digweed’s music has evolved into something more intimate as well, dropping some of the filigree of their Renaissance days in favor of a tougher, electro- and minimal-techno–influenced style. “John and I both have an ear for a certain kind of sound, and we do gravitate toward that,” Sasha says, “but we’re always working on keeping on top of things and pushing yourself forward, whether it’s the use of new technologies or trying to push the sound itself by having your ear to the ground.” Proof comes in the form of a batch of new releases: Digweed has the fourth edition of his Transitions compilation series soon, while Sasha’s emFire label has just put out its Mixed, Unmixed and Remixed collection.

Megasuccessful as their 15-year-old deejaying partnership is, the twosome have, surprisingly, never put out a coproduction. “Well, we did a remix together once, which never got released!” Digweed says with a hearty laugh. “It was a real nightmare session, and I think it scared us a little,” Sasha says. But to their credit, a valuable lesson was learned from the experience. As Digweed puts it, “We figured out that it’s never good to work in the studio and play out together at the same time.”

Sasha and Digweed spin the Made at Webster Hall party Apr 4, 2008.