Locals DJs: The Backbone Of Australian Nightlife

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Locals DJs: The Backbone Of Australian Nightlife

Sydney’s no longer the lively hub it once was, but too often we’re left complaining and losing sight of the crews really pushing it. This article’s a shout out to all those that really contribute, not just to the Sydney scene, but Brisbane, Melbourne and nation-wide.

We’re talking the locals, the homegrown, hometown heroes coming in week-in and week-out to give us a consistent party experience.

It’s too easy to get caught up in the next big international act coming in, only going out when there’s that one DJ in town; but the truth is, that DJ is only in because of the hard work that the local promoter and the local residents who are pushing on a weekly basis have put in.

When you consider the current climate and how hard it is to be a full-time artist, DJ or even promoter, you come across the locals not being able to back themselves wholeheartedly. By working a few jobs their passions become hobbies that they’ve heavily invested in before careers and it’s too easy to lose sight of the fact that these people aren’t 100% in the black.

With the current influx of events, everyone’s trying to do it big and that makes it so hard for all the events to succeed and more events than you’d expect are running losses. Which brings us onto the next point, some of the events doing it huge are events that aren’t relying on internationals. Looking at events like Secret Garden stacked with local talent versus events like Fallout 3.0 that relied on some heavy headliners and it becomes obvious that often it’s the local guys with a strong local network doing it huge.

Hugh Foster from Brisbane’s Revelry and The MET also mentioned to us the importance of local talent in a night including the big headliners saying “it’s essential to have a strong local team for a club to be successful, we rely on these guys to set the mood and build the vibe early in the night, and be able to finish strong after a big headliner and keep the crowd interested.”

Similarly, Ruben Mac of Sydney’s weekly stronghold Cakes at The World Bar admits that locals DJs “are absolutely crucial to the development of the scene. Without a solid foundation for something to build off of, it will eventually crumble.”

In this globalised world it’s too easy to lose sight of the little guy, and I’d say we’re a little guilty here at Stoney of doing that sometimes as well, but it’s important to shout out your local DJ, shout out the local clubs, the independent radio. The ones especially doing it tough in Sydney right now, and the ones doing it tough around the country, catch your locals around the city this weekend.

Well that’s just little ol’ Tony’s two-cents.

Next time you go out, try and catch the eye of a local selector banging away the opening or closing slots and send them either a shakas or that silent nod of approval and respect. It will mean a whole lot.

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