Chris Murray wants a monthly event where gay folks can dance. And by dance, he means dance to serious dance music rather than Ottawa’s typical top-40 fare — music that gays usually travel to Montreal or Toronto to hear.
“My goal is to hold an event that Ottawa can be proud of,” writes Murray, “one which will bring people from Montreal and Toronto here.”
Recess!, hosted by Murray and DJ Ashley Gauthier, is an event about music and the vibe — a combination that Murray believes will attract a large following. Each month Recess! will feature guest DJs, many of whom are gay or have strong ties to the gay community and work the dance circuit.
This February, they’re featuring Deko-ze from Toronto, who has several residencies at nightclubs in the big city, including Guvernment, Footwork, This is London, Comfort Zone and fly.
Deko-ze has been on the dance scene for almost 20 years, and his shows attract a large following of dance folks who appreciate his approach to mixing music.
“I’ve always enjoyed a really wide variety of music, whether it’s really uplifting progressive or chunky house or techno, so I like to present something fresh and different every time I play,” says Deko-ze.
Deko-ze is not a stranger to Ottawa and expects a good dance turnout at Recess! based on past experience.
“Every time I would come to Ottawa, it was always a really full-on crowd that was ready to go off, dance and have a really good time,” says Deko-ze. “I always find that there are a good amount of people ready to go off and really express themselves.”
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