Edmonton's electronic evolution

You don't know Jax's: E-Scene: What are we doing here?

Publication title: Edmonton Journal
Pages: D6
Publication date: Mar 15, 2003
ProQuest document ID: 253007233
Author: Stuffco, Jered


Ran with fact box "A Club Night Like No Other", which has been appended to this story.

In Jax's Pub, a dime-a-dozen bar near the old Muni airport, a DJ hunches over his decks, pounding the crowd -- at 180 beats per minute, no less -- with a heady brew of speed-core, jungle and gabber. To say the assembled gathering is a motley crew would be an understatement.

Smiling rave kids, glammed-up clubbers and a few good ol' boys sporting mullets and mustaches mix freely on the checkered dance floor. On the sidewall, a glossy, airbrushed montage featuring Marilyn Monroe in 3-D shades looks on in approval. Across the room, a row of flickering VLTs stares back at her.

A weathered, fifty-something regular glides by, a smiling rave girl thirty years his junior on his hip.

"I don't think I've ever seen anybody two-step to hard house before," says a kid standing beside me.

The incongruity continues as I saunter over to the unsightly, unfinished plywood bar and order a beer. "Heineken, please." The barman, looking like the one Allman brother that never joined the band, glances back at me oddly as he tries in vain to twist off the cap. I ask him what he thinks of the music. He nods approvingly. "F- --in' A, man..."

When the Sex Pistols launched their American tour in the Deep South back in 1977, Johnny Rotten said: "You should always go where you're not wanted first, because there's more to achieve."

With this in mind, local DJ and promoter Derkin -- fed up with the state of affairs in Edmonton's club and rave scene -- decided to take matters into his own hands. The result: a monthly series of small parties held at heretofore incompatible, out-of-the-way venues, which he affectionately refers to as "White Trash Night."

"Because a lot of the clubs are closing, there aren't a lot of places willing to support electronic music," says Derkin, who by day hawks vinyl at DV8 records. "White Trash Night is an opportunity for a lot of DJs who don't get the chance to play out in front of a live audience, even if that means using untraditional venues," he says.

With the closure of clubs like Pure and Lush, and dwindling interest amongst mainstream clubbers, Edmonton's electronic dance scene has taken a beating.

This is in contrast to April 2000, when Paul Oakenfold drew 5,000 party people to the Sportex. It seemed like there was a party drawing thousand-plus crowds every weekend. For a time, Edmonton's youth had gone stark raving mad.

Three years down the line and the "rave" scene seems to be struggling.

So, where have all the partiers gone?

Derkin blames overexposure and the inevitable ebb and flow of trends.

"Dance music just isn't as cool as it was a few years ago," he says. "What was dangerous and rebellious three years ago now seems dated; all the kids are listening to emo now."

Ron Tupas, also known as DJ Deep Freeze and Webmaster of etownravepage.com -- an online forum for events and rave-related discussion he started back in 1996 -- sees a similar downturn.

"I've seen (the rave scene) rise and now I'm seeing it fall," says Tupas, who recently rocked the house at Jax's.

Luke Morrison, an aspiring local DJ who took in Tupas's set, calls White Trash Night a needed innovation.

"(They're) going to help inject some much-needed life back into the scene. After seeing the positive response from Van Halen-type fans that look older than my parents, I'd love to DJ in this sort of setting" he says.

"As a DJ, you're given the opportunity to expose your sound to ears that are tired of the same old jukebox tracks."

Other "grassroots" pub nights have started to pop up around Edmonton, including Saturdays at the Windsor Pub, as frustrated DJs look for places to spin their imported acetates and rare dub- plates.

Back at DV8, Derkin is optimistic the scene will evolve, and survive.

"There will always be a core group of people that listens to this music," he says. "Promoters are just going to have to be a little bit more innovative with their events."

The next White Trash Night is March 28 at Jax's Pub, 12315 118th Ave.

A CLUB NIGHT LIKE NO OTHER

Weary of the proliferation of 25-cent draft nights they feel are unjustly dominating Edmonton's nightlife, two entertainment entrepreneurs are striking back with an event unlike any other in this city's clubbing history.

Kris Harvey and Justin Pandos of Connected Entertainment have launched a house music/fashion series at Halo, the stylish Jasper Avenue nightclub.

The duo's concept combines a weekly DJ event and club night with a multi-themed fashion show.

The series' first instalment saw a packed house of fashionistas, scenesters and media types enjoying a classy night out highlighted by catwalk action from Urban, hors d'oeuvres from Savoy/Sugarbowl and a deep, soulful soundtrack provided by local DJs Andy Pockett and Nestor Delano. They even had a live percussionist to set the vibe.

"We wanted to get as many people on board as possible," says Pandos. Harvey clarifies: "As many of the right people."

Along with international sponsors including Smirnoff, Stella Artois and Mac Cosmetics, five of Edmonton's biggest clothing retailers have also agreed to showcase their spring lines.

"The fashion industry is one of this city's fastest-growing sectors," says Harvey, 22. "Stores like Henry Singer, Gravity Pope and Who Cares? are bringing in lines that stores in even bigger cities like Toronto and Vancouver don't have."

"We're hoping that this will turn into a seasonal thing. We think it's a good opportunity for local retailers to promote their new lines," says Pandos.

Add to that an impressive list of local house DJs like Junior Brown, Remo and Ariel & Roel, and you've got an inclusive and innovative night out.

Harvey and Pandos are donating a portion of the proceeds to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.

"We're not obsessed with making money but, at the same time, Connected isn't about staying underground," says Harvey.

Undeterred by the recent slump in Edmonton's electronic dance scene, Pandos seems to sum up the duo's ethos in two sentences.

"A lot of people have left this scene," he says. "We want to give them a reason to come back."

The Connected Fashion Series runs every Thursday through April 17 at Halo, 10538 Jasper Ave.

Illustration

Colour Photo: Ian Jackson, The Journal / Next up, the Beverly Crest?: DJ Deep Freeze drops mad beats at Jax's; Colour Photo: Ian Jackson, The Journal / Edgar Lavalier and a new friend do the ol' hard house two-step at Jax's, perhaps Edmonton's most unlikely electronic music venue.; Colour Photo: Ian Jackson, The Journal / Connected Entertainment's Justin Pandos (left) and Kris Harvey chill at their first house music/fashion show at Halo.; Colour Photo: Ian Jackson, The Journal / CONNECTING: Jason Paul (left) and Mike Schoaf chat up Halo's Leslee Byer.; Colour Photo: Ian Jackson, The Journal / Models draped in Urban's spring line prowl the catwalk.