WHO Globetrotting Toronto DJ Luke Fair is home for the weekend to promote a new venture. Having recently hopped on board a new label called Discoteca along with a group of up-and-coming DJs, Fair is ready to return to the studio after four years since his last round of releases.
One of the city’s strongest international successes, Fair’s productions have appeared on leading progressive house compilation series including Global Underground, Layered Sounds and The Therapy Sessions. Producing was his ticket to big-time DJing in 2002 when Bedrock Records head honcho John Digweed fancied Fair’s bootleg remix of U2’s “Silver & Gold.” Asked to produce some more, Fair officially made it onto the label and also the global DJ circuit.
He had only begun spinning a couple of years earlier at Toronto’s legendary Industry nightclub. From busboy to lighting technician, Fair stepped up to the decks “when Matt C and Mario J made the mistake of letting me play for one hour at the start of each Saturday,” jokes Fair of his first break that led to residencies at System Soundbar and 5ive nightclub. Over the years, Fair has teamed up with fellow fresh-faced DJs like Desyn Masiello, and has released slabs of his funky, techy brand of house on labels including Satoshi Tomiie’s SAW Recordings and Deep Dish’s Yoshitoshi. He continues his solid track record with his recent mix-CD Balance 011.
WHAT “All kinds of house,” says Fair. “The crowd that you play for is the most important thing. If the crowd is right, it can turn a mediocre sound system and venue into your best gig of the year. That being said, having a proper sound system is extremely important as well.”
WHERE May 10 with Brad Copeland at Footwork (425 Adelaide W.) $20. Doors 10pm.
FAVOURITE RECORD OF ALL TIME Primal Scream, Screamadelica. “Pretty much every song on that album is perfection.”
FAVOURITE RECORD RIGHT NOW Z Factor, “We’ll Keep Climbing (Joey Negro Revival Dub).”
FAVOURITE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW www.nimportequi.com. “As their motto goes, ‘dangerously funny videos from France.’”
WHAT IS YOUR WEIRDEST DJING EXPERIENCE? “Last year I got booked for a 2,500-person trance club in Jakarta, Indonesia. I cleared the whole floor within 20 minutes and still had another two hours to go.”
WHAT IS VITAL TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE? “My ‘3-G’ breakfast of champions: The Globe and Mail, green tea and Golden Grahams.”
WHAT GLOBAL ISSUE CONCERNS YOU MOST RIGHT NOW? “Religion and the problems it has caused.”
WHAT IS YOUR RING TONE RIGHT NOW? Europe, “The Final Countdown.”
WHAT IS THE LAST GREAT FILM YOU SAW? There Will Be Blood.
WHAT ACTOR WOULD PLAY YOU IN A BIOPIC? Morgan Freeman.
WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? “Death By Black Hole by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Science fascinates me and this is a great collection of essays about astronomy and astrophysics.”