International DJ Week drums up interest for music therapy
Urban Groove feature
While there are many causes vying for the public's awareness during the month of March, there’s a new movement that’s lobbying for your attention. International DJ Week kicked off around the globe on March 2 and ends officially this Saturday, March 9. Perhaps one of the most proactive extensions of the DJ world yet conceived, its proponents are trying to drum up interest and get people to pause for a worthy cause – specifically, the international Nordoff -Robbins Music Therapy program.
The festivities come to a head this Saturday as DJs from around the globe are encouraged to donate a portion of their nightly income to further the development of the music program, which treats young and old alike with music.
Canada, being no stranger to charitable causes, has a few gigs lined up in Quebec City, Montreal and London, Ontario that will align themselves with their global counterparts. In Calgary, CJSW music director Jason Corral, DJing under the moniker of Shindoshi, tried to get something similar organized on the airwaves with CJSW, but the logistics didn’t quite pan out.
"I guess this year will be the year that we’ll try to raise awareness for next year," he says.
There are also annual worldwide Earthdance events, but for this week the emphasis shifts to the DJ and the resultant community involvement.
"The idea is to get people, DJs, promoters and their supporters to set some time aside for the community… to put big name support behind a charitable event and to connect what they do to the bigger picture. It’s a positive step," explains Corral.
A quick perusal of the Web site (www.worlddjday.com) indicates the heavy hitters that are going to bat for the organization this year – Danny Teneglia will play at Vinyl in New York, Dave Clarke and Lee Burridge in London, U.K. and Jumpin' Jack Frost in Sydney, Australia. Other DJs will also play from as far as Jakarta through to the more likely cosmopolitan cities like Amsterdam.
Corrall sees this newly implemented global awareness leading to a better local awareness of community.
"I think the importance is to showcase our own local talent and patrons, to further the understanding that we’re part of the global movement and help Calgary bring ‘community’ back to our nightlife…. I don’t think an event like this should be exclusionary, I hope next year, The Palace will do it or Desperados, places that aren’t normally associated with DJ culture like the rave scene."
An event like this also helps to dispel the idea that DJs and promoters, who are often associated with greed and discounted as money whores, can reach deeper and create something from the twilight hours other than just a good time. Combine this with a renewed sense of communal commitment to a global identity and everybody wins – so think while you dance. |
