What Would a House Party Be Without House ?

Ever been invited to a house party to some stranger's place, walked the street not sure about the address, heard some pounding BPM's and shouts coming from behind a door, ventured in and saw what turned out to be a full-on fiesta with a DJ right in the fuckin' living room ? I don't see house parties any other way.

Most people planning a celebration overlook the musical aspect, relegate it to the background or worse, let their guests choose the CD's that will play, which always turn into a never-ending drunk's argument over some nostalgia-inducing bad commercial rock. People do not think of inviting a DJ because they're afraid. Afraid of what ? That the guy might be a tyran. That he might not take special requests. That he might take up all the space, or even suck.

The appartment might be the party's body, but the music is its soul. And a body with no soul... is a zombie, a corpse, a braindead partygoer passed out on the couch with his own puke all over his hawaïan shirt.

I personally have been DJ'ing for about four years now, and most of the best nights I remember weren't in clubs, they were at friend's places, or at stranger's places, for that matters. Because yes, I will most certainly answer positively to any invitation to DJ, even when I don't know anybody. House parties are like the missing link of the scene; no security, no door policy, no closing time, and no ridiculously high prices for the drinks. There are pros & cons, of course, because unfortunately not everybody was educated well enough by their mother, but most of the time it's a bloody good time, until the cops show up to stop the party, of course.



On March 11th, there will be no such thing as cops at the door. I am DJ'ing at a party called SHAKE OFF, at 3816 St-Laurent, above the Inbeat store. It's Yafi's birthday bash, and if you know the guy, you know things will be deep & down. A guy called Ydroman is breaking the ice from 10 to midnight, Yafi then takes over until 2 AM, and yours truly is on until 4, after which Mekanik will rock things out until the morning comes.

If you've been to this place before, you know what to expect : good times. The sound system is always amazing, and so are the partygoers. The party, in the good old spirit, is free, and you are expected to bring your own booze and your warm smile - and be ready to burn a hole in the dancefloor with your snakeskin mocassins !!