In The Mix Looking Local Interview with Luke Chable and J-Slyde

In the lead up to our Rooftop Party, In The Mix caught up with J-Slyde and Luke Chable for a quick interview about all things Substance and what to expect from Luke’s set.

Article is HERE. If you’re a member, show us some support and go and heart it!
Happy reading 🙂

With a genre-non-specific music policy and a grass-roots vibe, Substance has been doing its thing for over two years now. Its no-nonsense mission to bring people together to party has proven a hit. After hosting Danny Bonnici for a throwback set earlier this year, the crew has secured another Melbourne legend Luke Chable to dip back into his own classics. We bailed up the Substance players for this Looking Local feature.

What’s the musical philosophy behind Substance?
One of the key aspects we concentrate on when putting on Substance events is offering up an eclectic spread of electronic genres. As our music tastes are so varied I think it’s fair to say that the philosophy behind Substance is not to discriminate where the music is concerned as we find that there’s quality in every genre. We try really hard to convey that in the events we put on.

What have been some of the highlights from your two-and-a-bit years on the scene?
Every event we put on is a highlight! But if I had to narrow it down, our last Rooftop Party, which we held for our second birthday would have to be one of the biggest highlights we’ve had. We were lucky enough to secure Danny Bonnici for an exclusive old-school set – a producer I’ve admired since I first got into DJing and electronic music. It was such a huge thrill to have him down and a really humbling experience. The place was packed out, it was a great day, the crowd were up for a good time, music was on point and everyone had a rocking time. Then to top it off at the end of the night we received ‘the nod’ from a punter – it was like that scene from the movie Groove.

What are some of the risks with running a smaller-scale party in a city like Melbourne?
The risks aren’t really that much different when compared to larger type events. All the usual money-related risks that you face when you put on an event, ensuring you can pull a crowd, match bar spends, pay DJs, promoters and staff, and so on. Obviously because you’re putting on a smaller event the risks aren’t as large, but that is also true for the profit margin. So in a sense you’re running a tighter ship and are restricted a lot more.

Any ideal guests you’ve got your eyes on for the future?
We’ve got our eyes on a few – some Melbourne based DJs that have been in hibernation, like our last guest Danny Bonnici and our upcoming guest Luke Chable. We’ve always been about pushing local talent – there’s that much quality in our home town we don’t really see much need to be looking overseas or interstate just yet.

You’ve got Luke Chable playing an old-school set. What are you hoping to hear from him on the day?
The list is immense! Needless to say I’m a big fan. I’d really love to hear him play some of his older solo and remix work – things he released around the ‘03-05 mark. If I had to choose one track for him to play tho it’d be Melburn or his remix of Gus Gus – David. But I’m sure I’ll be happy with whatever he plays. He’s such a talented artist, so I think we’re all in very safe hands.

How important is the venue for creating the right atmosphere at Substance?
It’s definitely up there, but I can safely say that it’s not the most important factor when it comes to creating the right atmosphere. Music is always at the top for us – that’s what we’ve been about from the start, and that’s what we’ll continue to push. The venue is always a close second though!
Sadly the venue we’re running in at the moment, Terminus Hotel in Abbotsford, has had residential apartments built around it, so it’s looking like we’re on our last few events before new sound restrictions are in force. If all goes to plan we’re hoping to get another one in before the end of the year. Check substancesounds.net for upcoming info.

DJ PROFILE: LUKE CHABLE

I know you’ve been busy with a rock project. Are you looking forward to revisiting the ‘old school’ for this party?
I’ve been very busy with the Empire project for a while now, but I’ve also been writing the possible last round of dance tunes before the showcase for the band. It’s always fun to have a look back at the classics of yesterday, but to have a party with them is even more fun.

Can the cyclical nature of dance music be exhausting, or is it essential to keep the scene interesting?
It’s tiring, yes. But at the same time, it has to happen, otherwise it would all fall on its arse.

Do you still feel Melbourne has the strongest club scene in Australia?
As I haven’t been to many clubs around the country and really experienced it, I couldn’t comment on that with any real evidence. However, I know Melbourne’s club scene is amazingly strong, and its not often you get a city with so many clubs and so many nights on all the time.

When your tracks like Ride and various remixes were making waves overseas, were you tempted to up and relocate?
I moved to Amsterdam in 2005, and spent the year touring Europe and the world both with Renaissance and on my own. I returned to take time off for nearly two years after the Lostep GU tour in 2006.

On a DJ front, what’s your equipment of choice?
CDJ1000s and Pioneer 800.

Any particular record you’re looking forward to dusting off at Substance?
My swag is getting dusted off, and its going be one hell of an hour. All will be revealed on the night!