As fans rolled in and days went by, we were able to sit with a few DJs. Get some insight into how some artists feel after everything around was put on hold for so long.

Fans were excited to welcome local Frank Walker. A Canadian DJ, EDM Producer and songwriter he was overwhelmed with love and super excited to drop some bangers back in his hometown. Feeling blessed and grateful he travels the world doing what he loves, constantly keeping it fresh using other genres and beats as his influence.

Meanwhile, hitmaker and butt shaker BBNO$ hit the stage and did not disappoint. Decked out in a designer cream suit with flash fast food and pearls, he was able to take a moment from his “cling clang” and sit with us.

What motivates you to create music?

“Ummmm….there’s nothing better to do. I mean, what motivates you to do what you do? …I mean it’s fun, I get to have fun”

Tyler Marenyi, better known by his stage name NGHTMRE is an American DJ and EDM producer based in Los Angeles, California. Back after 3 years, he felt truly welcomed by fans here in Toronto. With his super chill style and blazing, he laid it down for all festival goers.

What inspired you to make music?

“From an early age my mom put me in piano lessons, at first I hated it.. but after one lesson I was hooked”

From there he went on to play different instruments, later saying he fell in the EDM, dubstep rabbit hole and that was that. Taking inspiration from years of music and finding solace in his art, Tyler has created a big buzz about his upcoming debut album “DRMVRSE” set to release on September 9, 2022.

Not only did INK Entertainment deliver their grandest production yet, but planning for the 10th Anniversary of VELD 2023 is already on the way. With talks of a world-renowned lined up, VELD will continue to elevate festival goers’ experience, immersing them in booming drops, vivid light shows and smoking guns. Newbies and VELD vets will forever be left hooked.

The 2023 Event will again return to Downsview Park on August 4th, 5th & 6th 2023. Can’t pay all at once? Payment plans are available, with first payment starting at only $20.23 CAD.

Don’t wait! Tickets sell out fast.

The post Downsview Park Toronto – VELD Music Festival 2022 Recap appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Veld Musical Festival has been running in Toronto for 12 years and is the biggest annual electronic dance festival in the city.

The much-anticipated festival is coming back better than ever this summer with a stacked lineup of the most popular names in EDM and Hip Hop. For the first time ever, the 2-day event will now be running for 3 days. Who can complain about that?

The Chainsmokers, Martin Garrix, Marshmello, Alesso, and DVBBS are just a few of the major headliners playing at Veld this year.

The team at Veld promises an unforgettable weekend that is guaranteed to make up for the past few years when the event was unable to run.

If you’re a die-hard EDM and Veld fan already and purchased tickets for the 2020 event, you’re in luck. Veld announced that ticket sales from 2020 (cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions) have been automatically transferred for the upcoming 2022 event.

If you’ve never attended Veld before, the 2022 event is the year to do it.

Start your countdown! Veld will be the event of the summer and you won’t want to miss it.

To check out the entire Veld lineup and purchase your tickets, visit veldmusicfestival.ca for more information.

The post Veld Music Festival is Back and Better Than Ever This Summer appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

In prior musical projects, HERDD has played shows to crowds exceeding 1400 people supporting major acts such as Example, Tinchy Stryder and the KaiserChiefs (DJSet), he’s performed at festivals such as Bestival and Blissfields and received national BBC Radio 1 airtime in the UK courtesy of DJ and supporter Rob Da Bank. HERDD has also spoken and performed at TEDx Collingwood 2019. As a ceaselessly creative type, HERDD has also published a book that hit #1 in 6 Amazon charts during launch week, founded a successful mindset coaching business and even took a 17 country world trip in 2018 and vlogged the whole experience.

Name:

HERDD

Genre:

EDM / Pop

Founded:

2019

# of Albums:

0

Latest Release:

Dies Mei

Latest Single:

Dies Mei

Latest Video:

Favourite Restaurant:

Tough question, there are so many contenders in Toronto. There’s a spot called King’s Cafe in Kensington market that would totally make my top 3 every time though.

Favourite band as a teenager:

I’ve always been super eclectic in my musical tastes. Although as a teenager I did have a big soft spot for pop punk, especially bands like A Day to Remember and Taking Back Sunday.

Favourite band now:

I wish I could answer that. Honestly, I’m finding new favourite bands every five minutes on Spotify.

Guilty Pleasure Song:

Hilary Duff – Rebel Hearts

Live Show Ritual:

In past musical projects my pre-show ritual would have involved a large amount of alcohol and drugs, but now that I’m teetotal it’s a little more tame. A casual rehearsal, a sip of tea and a few stretches.

Favourite local artist:

I am really loving all that AARYS is up to these days.

Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?

There’s a lemon pasta that I had in Terroni once that the waitress said would change my life. It did because now I crave lemon pasta on the daily.

Queen or College St?

Can’t deny I’m more Queen St than College. But both have great reasons to love them.

Trinity Bellwoods or High Park, Riverdale or Kew Gardens?

High Park & Kew Gardens. I love nature.

EP or LP?

EP.

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl. I run my own business on the side as I develop my music career. As I’m not time restricted I find myself creating a lot in the early hours of the morning.

Road or studio?

Almost nothing beats being in the studio, apart from performing at festivals. That’s what I love the most.

Swiss Chalet or Roti?

Roti. I backpacked in India in 2018 and Indian food really reminds me of those good times!

Where can we follow you?

My new single ‘Dies Mei’ was just released on Spotify, you should totally go stream it here.

Other than that, I’m always on Instagram and Youtube.

The post “Five Minutes With” Electro-Pop Artist HERDD appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Who is behind White Label Promo (WLP) and how did it start?

BH: WLP started out as a podcast back in early 2011. In September of 2012, I partnered with OJ and we changed the direction to an events based company. The rest is history.

What kind of events do you throw? What music do you cater to?

OJ: Music we like and music we hope other people like is the easiest way to put it. We throw a variety of events, from our home-base of Nest nightclub, to the Proper Boat Cruise Series, to warehouse one offs to open air experiences at Sunnyside Pavilion. Something for everyone.

It’s going to be a very busy anniversary weekend for you guys. Tell us about how this weekend came about?

BH: We always throw multiple shows on this weekend. Last year we had 4 events in 48 hours. This year we wanted to return to our favourite TO outdoor venue, Sunnyside Pavilion with Chus and Ceballos. Chus and Pablo have played our anniversary weekend every year. On Sunday, it’s off to NYC as Alberto and I make our debut at Output for the official Electric Zoo afterparty. NYC is a very special place for me and I’m eager to experience Output. Big thanks to Michael Julian for the love in NYC!

Where do you draw your motivation from when it comes to booking shows?

BH: It’s places like NY that have had such an influence over my career as a DJ. NYC and Montreal are my two favourite cities to frequent. OJ and I travel a lot in order to take in experiences from around the globe that will allow us to grow both personally and professionally.

OJ: Travel and seeing production motivates me. I’ve been lucky enough to travel through Europe in the past year, checking out Ibiza, Berghain, Time Warp Germany, etc. Not to say you can recreate that vibe in Toronto, however when an artist gushes about an experience we provided for them it’s flattering especially when they play all over the world.

What changes and challenges you have you experienced this past year in the city?

BH: People are asking for a product that evolves. TO is the one of the most highly competitive markets in North America. Often there aren’t enough party goers to facilitate each show. Sometimes parties with great talent are not as busy as they should be. It’s a challenge trying to educate TO on upcoming artists because people would rather spend their money on a sure bet. Competition brings the best out in everyone and as long as it’s healthy, it also forces promoters to get creative which is great for the city.

OJ: The lack of venues in the city is challenging. Moreso on the event space front, I wish the city would be open minded like NYC or Berlin in allowing permits for special events.

Out of all the events you have produced, what were some of the stand out moments?

BH: Hosting Frankie Knuckles for the last time in Toronto. I remember picking up Frankie from the airport and seeing him in obvious pain (it was about 3 months prior to his passing) As I wheeled Frankie in his wheelchair into my car, never once did he let his discomfort show all night as he played from the heart and put on a performance I’ll never forget. Opening for Danny Tenaglia this past spring was another amazing highlight for me.

OJ: New Years Eve 2014. Brent and I were on little sleep for the 2 days leading up to the event and the days after. From production meetings, day jobs, more production meetings, etc we had a 1000+ person party with Chus and Ceballos which was a 12 hour event at Ryze. That same afternoon we flew to Montreal to surprise the boys at Stereo. Only people that love the business could have pulled off those crazy 4 days.

How is the work dynamic between you two?

OJ: We definitely play off each other’s strengths. Brent is a great people person, with soft skills, very likeable and easy to relate to. However, I’m stern, very direct and firm. When we have to give a nice message, Brent delivers it. When it’s a not so nice message, I deliver it.

Brent is very organized – he can put processes in play. I’m analytical and I love using data/trends in our event planning. When I door manage the big events he’s 100% confident in me. When he produces sound/stage build outs I’m 100% confident in him. We’re the odd couple, that’s why we work, and we’ve had a friendship since 2004 which helps.

If you could give one any advice to up and comers in the scene, what would it be?

BH: Define early on where you see yourself in the industry and work towards it. Success doesn’t come over night. Know your market, be kind, respectful, work hard and you will get to the right places. It takes a LOT of patience and dedication. If you are a good person and surround yourself with good people you will do just fine 🙂

OJ: Get off your ass and meet face to face. There are way too many people who send emails/Facebook messages asking to play or work at a venue and they’ve never even been there. Cold messaging doesn’t work. Meet the people in power face to face AND THEN ASK, not the other way around.

What lies ahead in year 5?

BH: We are already booking well into the 2017 calendar and all I can say at this point is things are looking GREAT 😉 Can’t wait to keep you all moving for another amazing year ahead.

OJ: Less sleep, bigger parties, and more enjoyment for our Toronto patrons.

***

Buy tickets for the event on September 3rd at Sunnyside Pavilion HERE.

The post White Label Promo Celebrates 4-years this Labour Day Weekend appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Houseaddict is an accomplished, electronic music event company in the Toronto EDM scene, which celebrated its 12th Anniversary at the Nest last Saturday.

After attending the high-energy celebration, headlined by German-based deep house producers, Tube and Berger; I was able to pick Houseaddict founder, Chris McKean’s brain on the evolution of EDM in Toronto- and how he’s managed to remain relevant and successful in the scene.

Who are the founders of Houseaddict and what motivated you to start the company?

Houseaddict started in 2003. There were three of us. Two were DJ’s, and the other was a website designer. We started a thread forum mainly because we all loved the same style of music (house), and thought it would be fun to try and raise more awareness. Along with the site came podcasts and then events. With time, my partners took the “exit stage left” route- and so I became the sole proprietor. Now I have a resident DJ (Graham Plant) along with some amazing help from friends.

You’ve been in the EDM business for 12 years now, have you noticed any changes to the scene in Toronto?

I always chuckle to myself when people ask me about changes in the scene. Over a 12-yr span, how could there not be?

Venues for starters – Industry, System Sound Bar, Roxy Blu, and Turbo were some amazing hot spots for people to hit in the early 2000’s. Not to mention amazing warehouse jams that were hosted in various spaces across the City. As all of these places had their time, newer venues started to emerge, while these historic ones would close their doors. Most notable to many, was the emergence of Footwork. A small 250 cap venue that opened up at Richmond & Brant. The owners (Joel & Steph) had been throwing jams at 99 Sudbury for a few years, and decided to take a real crack at owning a venue. This place was known for showcasing both home-grown talent, as well as bringing in amazing international bookings. It went 8.5 years, and evolved into CODA now. And now the warehouse scene is back! We’re seeing more promoters use these spaces again, which is amazing. Houseaddict is particularly proud of being able to work at the historic Sunnyside Pavilion as well. Summer 2015 was our inaugural season- with many more to come.

Genres – it’s been really interesting to listen to electronic music evolve over the years. Toronto has always had a love for house and techno, and so it’s been interesting to see how people classify their tastes into these genres. Old-school house-heads would consider only artists like Kerri Chandler to be true to the deep house genre, but you’ll notice over the past 5 years, that genre’s sound is evolving. Artists with very unique visions are carving paths into this genre and helping it to evolve. Tracks created by the likes of performers like &Me, Adam Port, Tube & Berger, Jonas Rathsman and many more are redefining genres like deep house. Its amazing really.

Technology – I’ve really lost track of all the technology that performers use these days. There was a time when it was only vinyl, but that changed very quickly. Artists use technology these days as an amazing tool to assist in their creativity of either making a track, performing as a live act or even altering the way a track plays out in the club. I love it really….. but of course, nothing feels quite the same as vinyl. It’s undeniable, and as such, has made a huge comeback with performers all over the world. So happy about that to be honest.

Looking back, what were the most memorable shows you’ve organized?

Looking back at all the shows I’ve done, it’s easy to tell you which were the most memorable: any jam I did with Jimpster. He owns Freerange Records, a deep house label out of England, and we’ve been bringing him here since 2009. To say that he’s a class act would be such an understatement. His shows have been phenomenal for the past 6 years. That said, I will have to say that THE most memorable Jimpster show was the 2015 Summer Season opener at Sunnyside Pavilion. It was the same weekend as Digital Dreams and Pride. The weather was insane that night: 90 km per hour winds with torrential rain. While all other outdoor events were cancelled for that evening (including DD), we made our show work. Over 800 people going off to him just letting the tunes rip. My partners were amazing on that night, particularly Richard Brooks of Captive Audience, whose been hosting shows at Sunnyside for over 15 years. We’re happy to have Jimpster back in town late November as well.

Twelve years in this scene is quite an achievement, what is the driving force that has made Houseaddict a success?

Twelve years young and still going strong. Our vision has always been to unite people on dance floors who share similar tastes in music. With that as a foundation, we get a very wide variety of people at our parties. We love it. Relationships are a very important factor to our success. Maintaining that connection with our fans and colleagues is critical to the longevity of our company.

What are House Addict’s future plans?

Future plans eh…. to be honest, we’re super stoked to be moving into some new venues later this year, and in 2016. Our fans love experiencing venues they’ve never been to. A perfect example is this Halloween. We’ve teamed up with Simon Jain and Secret Society to host this amazing jam inside the Portland Room of the Spoke Club at King & Portland. We’re transforming a polished venue into a dark lair, and are super excited for our friends to see the place.

For information about the Halloween Event click here, The Night Breed .

The post Evolution and Success in the Toronto EDM Scene appeared first on Toronto Guardian.