So, what got you into music?
I played piano/keyboard as a kid. I hated it at first. After a few years, I started to understand it’s theory and started playing songs I actually enjoyed. As I got better, it became fun to entertain my friends with tunes they knew and loved.
Piano and keyboard is a little different from mixing music. How’d you transition to DJ’ing?
A few years back, one of my buddies introduced me to DJ’ing. We’d have what we called “DJ practice” where we would have a few glasses of wine and learn the fundamentals. As time went on, I started to learn how to work different controllers/equipment and new techniques. I’m still learning.
Mario Cutraro, the former owner of Sangria, gave me my break. I started establishing connections and meeting the right people. Because of that, I’ve had some awesome opportunities to spin with some of my favorite artists in the dance realm. It’s been such an exciting past couple of years for me.
There are different styles of techno. How would you describe your sets and style?
I like every single style of music from deep to electro to opera to rap. There are times for elevator music and times for 128 bpm club music. I have over 40 GB of music on my laptop and I listen to different types of music all day. I’ll hear a song and say to myself that would sound great on the loud speakers in a club. That’s how I choose what to drop in my sets.
I try to set myself apart by playing songs that no one would expect to hear. I like to throw in a lot of old school tracks to bring people back to old memories. Every single one of my sets has a couple songs from the 90s and one or two hip-hop tracks. By throwing in some randoms, it keeps people on their toes and interested. It’s not just anthems and top-40 bologna. Anyone could do that.
What’s the most unexpected song you’ve ever played?
I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles. It worked. Thank God!
How do you prepare for a gig? Is it all improvised?
I wouldn’t say that my sets are predetermined but I do put a lot of thought into how my set is laid out. There are a lot of factors that go into the planning process such as what time I’m playing or who I’m opening for. If I’m opening for someone my job is to build the dance floor and keep people there.
What do you think is one of the biggest obstacles of getting people to gigs in metro Detroit?
Safety is a big concern. I love playing downtown. At the end of the night, though, you see people running to their cars. One of my favorite places to play is Elektricity with the international talent and the thumping sound system. However, it also has its safety concerns. That being said, they’ve done a good job of creating a barrier because once you’re in the doors you don’t feel like you’re in a dangerous city anymore. Plus, when you walk out of the club at 2:05 a.m. there’s cops lined up on the street.
Besides meeting and opening for big names like Laidback Luke, Cazzette, and Wolfgang Gartner, what’s the best part about DJ’ing?
Honestly, DJs are just background music but we also have to constructively set the setting. A DJ can ruin or make the night. I consider it a privilege that people are giving me 2 ½ - 3 hours of their time to set the tone in the room. There is no better feeling than when you play a tune that you love and seeing a crowd react positively. That’s what’s most satisfying for me.
Also, a big thing for me is seeing all my close friends having a great time together. They’ve all been so supportive and I love them all for making it to all my events.
What’s next?
I want to keep bouncing around venues in metro Detroit area doing what I love. I’ll be spinning at the Forever Festival on September 27th at Freedom Hill with headliners including Calvin Harris and Flux Pavilion. I’ve only done one music festival so that’ll be a really awesome experience.
You can see DJ Veetz next opening for Swanky Tunes on August 30th at Elektricity and September 20th for Cazzette. For tickets visit www.elektricitymusic.com.
https://soundcloud.com/dj-veetz
