We've been lucky to grab South West dance music stalwart, Tommie Quick for a podcast mix packed with anthems old and new. Tommie has included house and harder styled tracks. We catch up with Tommie Quick where he talks about his time during the UK lockdown and what events he should have played this year.
Hi Tommie, please introduce yourself to those unfamiliar with your DJ life.
I guess I could sum myself up as DJ and Producer from the South West, originally from Hayle in Cornwall where I grew up although I now live in Plymouth. I’ve been DJing in clubs since I was 16 which was over 22 years ago now! I play a multitude of genres but I am best known for dance music where I’ve played and been resident at some of the biggest brands for dance in the South West including the Dance Academy and Tranzaction. Today I still have a bit of split musical personality, pre-COVID you could have caught me playing Trance and harder edged sounds at nights such as Cohesion and Publand, but I also played House and Dance Anthems at a variety of venues across the South West. Now, like everyone else in the entertainment industry I’m sat here waiting for some light at the end of that tunnel. Waiting for the better times when we can all be together again in close proximity, surrounded by the music we love.
Talk us through how you filled your time during the lockdown.
Well that’s an easy one, I am one of those DJs that have what you would call a “normal day job”. I head up an IT department that looks after the systems and infrastructure for over 180 convenience stores. When COVID hit one of the impacts was that people did not want to visit the busy supermarkets and so convenience stores got busier. Combine that with the need to move to ecommerce and everyone working from home, this pandemic forced the business, like many others, to undergo years of digital transformation in just a few months. Partner that with working from home along with a child and the concept of free time disappeared!
While I have always been incredibly grateful for the DJing gigs that I have had the pleasure of being able to play, getting my weekends back and the lack of 4am finishes was actually a real plus point for the first few months of the pandemic. The novelty has, of course, well and truly worn off now and I can’t wait to be back behind the decks playing to the South West’s party people.
What events should you have played at this year?
2020 was lining up to be an absolutely epic year for festivals, especially new festivals in our area. I was looking forward to playing Hidden Wonderland Festival, along with the Weekender Festival in Plymouth for the first time. Falmouth Week and Looe Festival are always epic gigs to play, and of course I can’t forget the massive parties that Cohesion and Publand put on that will be truly missed this year.
What’s planned for 2021?
That’s a great question and the truth is I really don’t know. The pandemic is hitting everyone in our scene incredibly hard, from DJs to promoters to venue owners. When things finally do start getting better how many promoters will still have the funds to put on events? How many venues will have managed to survive the long haul without any income? There may be a significant period of rebalancing that our industry must go through before we can see any kind of recovery. I really hope the government do step in and support our nightlife and music culture. That said, both The Weekender Festival and Hidden Wonderland have both been rebooked for next year and I know the teams at Cohesion and Publand will be keen to kick the tyres and light the fires as soon as they are able. The scene will rebuild and recover since it is driven by passionate people that share one common love, music. I look forward supporting everyone and being a part of that recovery.
Talk us through your podcast episode and track selection.
When I record a podcast I usually keep it fresh with a more upfront selection, or venture down into the depths of the collection with a classics mix. For this podcast I decided to do a bit of both. This time around I’ve mixed up a cacophony of sounds ranging from older classics and dance anthems through to more modern cuts. I’ve also included fresh mixes of older tracks across both my house and harder styles. The mix is an 80 minute journey over time and genres, hopefully there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy.
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