Wood'n'Soo plays The Royal in Nelson tonight.

Wood'n'Soo plays The Royal in Nelson tonight.

Wood ‘n’ Soo plays Spiritbar in Nelson

Shambhala headliners take the stage in Nelson tonight.

Tell us about your favourite set ever.

Probably our annual Saturday evening set on the Whitebird Stage at the dearly departed Soundwave Festival on Vancouver Island. We played roughly the same slot for seven years running, and those definitely have been some of our funnest moments behind the decks. It was a great event all around and we were very sad to see it go, when they decided to put it to rest a couple of years ago.

What was it that originally drew you two to working together?

We were friends through the club scene for a few years before we started DJing together, but it was a mutual interest in eclectic DJing and a need to bring some risk and excitement into our sets that really lit the fire under our collective ass. We had both become fans of the ‘mash up’ movement in it’s infancy and saw a lot of potential for creating something new on the fly by mixing up old & new tracks with acapellas and samples. This was before Serato and digital DJing took hold so we spent a lot of time figuring out blends we could perform on vinyl that would be pitch-perfect and would rock a dance floor and mess with people’s heads at the same time. Our sound has evolved since then but we still try to use four turntables to create new and unexpected blends on the fly, often unplanned.

What has been the highlight moment of your performing career so far?

There have been many, but one that stands out is the private closing party for the first Rifflandia Festival, in Victoria BC. The festival itself is spread over several days and dozens of venues, and has since grown to become one of Canada’s premier music events. We had the honour of sharing the bill with one of our greatest inspirations, the one and only DJ Z-Trip. It was an outdoor rooftop party for staff & volunteers from the festival, about 200 people. It was amazing to see Z rock it in such an intimate setting and we had a great time playing to a crowd made up mostly of friends old and new, all music lovers ready to celebrate after a week of hard work.

You’re playing the Fractal Forest this summer. Have you ever played or been to Shambhala Music Festival?

This is our Shambhala debut as a duo, although Wood has played before several years ago. We have both attended on multiple occasions, but not since 2005 so we’re expecting a major evolution! All of my best Sham memories involve the Fractal Forest so we are very honoured and humbled to have been considered for this stage. Every minute of studio time this year has been spent in anticipation of our Fractal Forest debut!

What’s next for you two?

More production, with an emphasis on original music! The past year or two have been all about bootlegs and remixes, and while that has been fun and rewarding, we are itching to create some sample-free joints that will rock dance floors and blow heads. Individually, as a duo, or collaborating with others, we currently have releases scheduled on labels like Fort Knox Recordings, East Van Digital, ReSoul Records and Breakbeat Paradise. Check our latest mix tape “Too Big To Fail” for a sneak peek at some yet-to-be-released tunes.

 

 

 

 

Nelson Star