Radio-DJ collective based in Hamilton, ON—prioritizing emerging DJs, selectors, live acts, and music-minded people. Celebrating music, dance, dance music, and the people who love those things.
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Dunaway
Maker of things, always yapping, dreaming, and scheming the next move. Biggest inspo: Yu Su, Lars Bartkuhn, Mr. Fingers, Axel Boman, Dorisburg, Priori, Deee-Lite. -
Peachface Lovedeep
THINGS THINGSTHINGSTHINGSTHINGSTHINGS -
Woodland Bot
THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS THINGS -
Godemperor
While godemperor may be many things (physical & metaphysical), they are first and foremost a dancer. You can expect lovingly selected house music with a flair of 2-step, hip hop, electro and everything in between spanning the breath of time — between bodacious bops that will get every booty on the dancefloor. ∩(︶▽︶)∩
Musical Education
As a smaller city situated geographically between larger musical cities such as Toronto, New York, and Detroit — what are some musical challenges Hamilton has been, and is currently, facing? As both Mohawk and McMaster have paused their intake for the music program, part of Places’ mission is to create alternative DIY music education programming for all Hamiltonians regardless of age, gender, class, and among other backgrounds. Through our workshops, we are offering free and simple equipment for students to test, and the opportunity to create their own radio mix.
Presentation & Experimentation
Stereotypically speaking, DJing has been associated predominantly in non-sober, male-dominated nighttime venues. Places wants to address and create platforms for—how do we democratize DJ-ing as a practice that emphasizes music selection, place-making, and celebrating differences? How does an everyday DJing practice look like, outside of a club, non-sober spaces and in a predominantly male-dominated industry?
Places has a weekly radio show at the Community Frequency McMaster University (CFMU 93.3FM) where every week, we invite an emerging DJ or workshop student based in Hamilton to be on-air where they can hear their own mix in real time, share it with their network, and be encouraged to be a recurring guest in the show, or be invited to play in-person events.
Community Ecosystem & Skill Development
We are interested in reinvesting our resources, time, and capital immediately back into the community. Intentionally stepping away from Instagram, Places has built an online community on Discord, and have gathered more than 50+ members in the short 3 months span. Members, depending on their self-identified interests and background, are invited to engage in different channels. Workshop students share knowledge and in the conversation with other more experienced members. Aside from learning about DJ skills and knowledge, Places members have the opportunity to learn a wide array of skills such as social media management, workshop facilitation, event management, Discord engagement, graphic design, copywriting, grant writing, research, etc.
As Places advance as an artist collective with more funded opportunities, we hope to turn some of the volunteer opportunities into paid ones. In doing so, empowering Hamilton and Hamiltonians with musical and applicable skills, together with increased capacity for public engagement.
