The great motorbike swap that started life on the decks for North DJ
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Forres-based DJ Acutek will head for Inverness to play for the Upstairs crowd from 10pm till 2am. Below, he talks about his time behind the decks and producing his own music.
Q Give people an idea of your steps in life that took to to DJing?
A I got my first set of decks when I was 15 and have been playing over half my life. I had an old motorbike and a friend had a set of decks. We arranged a trade and I've never looked back.
Q What got you into dance music, did someone you saw inspire you or was it something inside you?!
A I grew up listening to dance music and had friends who had decks before I did. I'd always wanted to play and once given the chance I would have a shot on the weekends at my friend's house before getting my own set.
Q What have been some of your best/favourite gigs/ sets and where and why?
A Most memorable gig in recent years was supporting Alan Fitzpatrick at the Ironworks. It was the first gig back after Covid, a full room and got to test a lot of my own productions I'd been working on in lockdown.
Q What have been your experiences with creating music/recording/ producing?
A It was a natural progression for me to start making my own music after learning to DJ. I spend more time producing now than I do mixing and I love making music that I can play. No better feeling seeing people react and dance to a song I've made.
Q What tracks you play /and/or what tracks have you made that best represent you?
A Since I started my label, Flick, I feel this represents my sound as best as I can present it. Onyx EP was a special release since it was the debut EP and I'm excited about launching my next release, Combat EP on June 2.
Q What's the go-to track we would always hear in a night of music from you?
A Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy, Hey Girl.
Q What's your favourite, favourite moment in a night of playing to a live dance crowd?
A It depends what sort of gig it is and where I'm positioned on the line up. For the all-night sessions, I like to take the crowd on a journey, starting slower, building up the energy towards the end of the night. The last hour is always fun as I can play a bit faster and take more risks with curveball tracks to keep people on their toes.
Acutek plays Upstairs on Bridge Street, Inverness, on Friday, from 10pm straight through till 2am. Facebook @Acutek12
