BeatRoute Magazine Alberta print e-edition - February 2017

SMALLTOWN DJS
Almost 20 years in, nowhere close to done by Max Foley
LET’S
Smalltown DJs will be releasing new music throughout the winter and into the spring.
photo: Michael Benz
GET JUCY!
funtime in February
Hear me now! Let’s Get Jucy, here once
more, hoping 2017 has been gentle on
you all thus far. Get ready to dance away
the winter blues: it’s going to be a good month
for music!
Shit gets real extra-quick this month with
Birmingham’s house music mastermind Chris
Lorenzo gracing the stage at the Hifi Club on
the 2nd. Known not only for his solo work,
which saw the release of his debut album
Destroy the Image drop very recently, but also
for his work as one half of Cause & Affect, and
for ghostwriting much of Hannah Wants’ early
material. His music is cutting edge, and his
sets are always off the hook. It’s not uncommon
for him to launch into old-school jungle
or drum and bass after getting the dance floor
riled up with his brand of house music.
February 4th is really quite insane. At Getto
Boys Bar & Grill, Bass Cupid has tunes on two
floors with the “Swingers Stage” featuring b2b
sets all night. At Distortion, you can catch
dubstep legends Truth (will still be a good
show despite Joker having to drop off the bill).
Over at the Hifi, you can take in some Bass
Coast vibes, presented by the BassBus Radio
stage and featuring Sabota, Jah Raven, Esette
and Bambooloo. Too much man, too much!
On the 9th, don’t miss Dubfounded, a new
night “rooted in reggae and dub culture” presented
by the Sub Chakra massive at Habitat.
In addition to sets from locals Letr.B, Syntax
and 1za — the latter of which will be playing
strictly vinyl sets — this night will also feature
a special performance from Big Al; known
fondly around these parts for starting the
legendary, now defunct Dub at the Pub and
owning one of the greatest record stores on
the planet, Recordland. A most suitable fit for
a night like this, I’d wager.
On February 11th at the Nite Owl, Club
Nacht number three takes place, this time
featuring the triumphant return of Chuurch,
back from an undoubtedly fruitful time spent
down in Los Angeles. Also on the bill is Mel
G representing NYC’s Teklife label as well as
Homesick and Hood Joplin.
For any of my Edmontonian readers,
Edmonton’s coolest new label, Kudatah, is
presenting an evening called Kudatah Gateways
on the 16th featuring James Deen and
the Kudatah DJs.
Le Cirque de la Nuit returns again with another
intriguing instalment entitled Muzique.
In addition to the carnival-esque setting they
so carefully curate, the music accompanying
it will be incredible at this event. CloZee, a
festival favourite from France will perform,
as well as a very special performance from
Qdup and Everyman. The latter two artists
are currently touring together, paying tribute
to two beautiful souls the electronic music
community lost: Jon Horvath of Fort Knox
Five and Nicholas “Pumpkin” Alvarado. This
will be a surreal all encompassing experience
and it takes place on the 18th.
YouTube celebrity, Lil Dicky, the man
whose rapping and videos are as bewilderingly
impressive as they are hilarious and
entertaining is playing a sold out show at the
Palace Theatre (f.k.a. Flames Central) on the
25th. This astounding popularity is actually
indicative of his very real talent. This will be
one crazy show for sure.
That’s it for me this month - please hit me
up with shows/ideas/labels/conspiracy theories
you’d like to see featured in the section at
paul@beatroute.ca. Ciao!
• Paul Rodgers
Fresh off their busiest year to date, Mike Grimes
and Pete Emes (Smalltown DJs) are starting off
2017 strong. With almost 20 years of collaboration
under their belts, Emes’ optimism burbles
through the phone palpably as he lays down the
duo’s plans for this year.
“Before you called, I was just listening to this EP we
worked on with Neon Steve. He sent us a track that
we worked on, and then we sent him one and he
returned the favour,” Emes starts. “That one’s got a few
labels buzzing and should be out in a month or two.”
“We’ve also got a single coming out on Fool’s Gold
at the end of March, and a bootleg we did with Skratch
Bastid that we’re making a video for. That should
be out in the next few weeks.”
Needless to say, the duo has a lot on their plate.
Between fueling the ever-advancing legacy of the Hifi
Club and turning over a drastically different leaf this
year, Emes’ attitude concerning their past belies the
values that put Smalltown DJs on the map in the first
place, continuing to keep them there to this day.
“We’ve played at Fabric twice. We played with
[Steve] Aoki and [DJ] AM in their heyday. Our two
sets at Bass Coast this year were some of our favorite
DJ memories ever,” he recounts. “But as soon as those
moments are over, it’s fuel you use to move forward.
It’s about what’s next.”
What is next for Smalltown DJs, then? It’s hard
to believe anyone would fault them for retiring
and resting on their laurels. Yet Emes describes
a change of direction that some might see as
backwards, considering their aforementioned
accomplishments: a focus on really nailing their
original productions.
“The longer we work on our production, the closer
it comes to sounding the way we want it to for our
DJ sets. It’s a little different than a producer learning
how to DJ. And we’re not newcomers, but we still have
something worthwhile to say, and to create.”
Delving deeper into the Smalltown DJs’ manifesto
reveals a glimpse into what fueled this change
in direction: what Emes describes as “good music,
good times and as little pretension as possible.”
Emes and Grimes have undertaken many a labor of
love – this, then, is just the next logical step in their
progression as artists.
However, don’t think for a second that 2017 will
make hermits out of the duo. “We’re looking to
make more DJ moments this year,” Emes proclaims.
And with their annual Mountain Magic tour beginning
to take shape, the return of Hifi special ‘My
People,’ and a slew of new music in the works, the
future seems bright. All in a day’s work for Calgary’s
hometown heroes.
Catch Smalltown DJs at the Hifi Club on February 11th
with Sacha Robotti and Sirus Hood, and alongside
Worthy at the Hifi on the 23rd.
Syntax will again perform as part of Dubfounded on February 9th at Habitat.
photo: Matt Godfray
34 | FEBRUARY 2017 • BEATROUTE JUCY