Mat the Alien can be found DJing at some of the top sporting events worldwide, he’s the official Monster energy drink DJ and he’s a mainstay on the local festival circuit, routinely drawing an enthusiastic crowd each year at the Shambhala Music Festival. But it’s the smaller, more intimate venues that he really enjoys to play.
“It’s fun playing big shows, but with 200-person club gigs you can give people a pow. You see them right in front of you dancing. I feel a little more comfortable. I’m a bit of an old school DJ, I’m not crowd-surfing or anything. I’m actually mixing on turntables. So I like that more intimate vibe,” he said.
Club-goers can expect to be taken on “a journey through all kinds of different sounds”. He’ll combine seemingly incongruous moods and vibes, jumping from a popular party tune to a more moody track.
“I like to mess with people. That way maybe they’ll end up liking something they don’t normally like,” he said.
“I’m pulling beats from everywhere. Maybe I’ll start out at 130 beats a minute, but I’m looking for different feelings within that. And then I’ll do a deeper bit. Throw in some reggae, maybe some hip-hop. I’ll use recognizable bits then transition to trippy spaced-out scratchy bits.”
But the main point is to party.
“Man, I’ve been coming out to Nelson like twice a year, hanging out with my friends. It’s always a good time,” he said.
Mat said he’ll be introducing a new album within the month.
Mat will play Spiritbar on October 4 with opening act Ray Ray. The first 100 tickets are $15 and are available from the Hume Hotel. Doors open at 10 p.m.
For more information visit matthealien.com.
