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Watch or listen to the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j4xKnpBfjWA
We often think of the major global cities like London, New York, San Francisco, Paris, etc. as house music meccas. But have you ever thought that a small city (a metro of less than 1 million people) could have a thriving underground house music scene?
For some of us who live in small cities, that seems impossible.
However, my guest on this week’s House Music Connection podcast, Dave Keset, turns that belief on its head. Through resourcefulness and perseverance, Dave has nearly single-handedly build a thriving underground house music community in Spokane, Washington — a metro area of about 600,000 people (780,000 when you include Coeur d’Alene, Idaho).
In this episode, we’ll dive into how Dave started small and grew the Spokane scene by consistently showing up and curating safe, high-quality parties.
We also discuss how there are still a lot of people who don’t really know about the house music vibe, but are attracted to it once they finally find a community. This gives me a lot of hope that the underground house music scene all around the world still has a lot of potential to be vibrant when people “get it”.
As you listen to the conversation, my hope is that we will feel more connected with the global house music community as we get to know each other better and learn from others’ experiences.
Cheers!
Tony
SHOW NOTES
To follow Dave Keset, visit https://back2basics.live for links to his social media accounts and Twitch streams.
https://www.traxsource.com/artist/443287/dave-keset?ipp=100
Summary
In this conversation, Tony Fuel interviews Dave Keset, a DJ and event organizer in Spokane. They discuss Dave’s journey into house music, his transition from vinyl to digital DJing, and how he started his own parties. They also talk about the dome setup for outdoor events, the importance of community, and the impact of streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this conversation, Dave Keset discusses various aspects of his DJ career and the challenges of organizing events in a smaller city. He shares insights on dealing with regret and receiving apology letters from attendees. Dave also talks about bringing DJ guests from different cities and the perceptions of Eastern Washington. He discusses the challenges of DJing in Seattle and the difficulty of breaking into the scene there. Dave also mentions the process of finding a venue and the importance of having their own space. He shares his experience with production and making tracks, as well as the challenges of the restaurant scene. Dave emphasizes the need to attract new people to the house music scene.
Takeaways
Dave Keset was initially attracted to house music because of its warmth, funkiness, and friendly atmosphere.
He transitioned from vinyl to digital DJing, embracing new technologies like CDJs and streaming platforms.
Dave started his own parties in Spokane, building a community of like-minded individuals who appreciate house music.
The dome setup for outdoor events provided a unique and immersive experience for attendees.
Streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic helped maintain the sense of community and allowed DJs to continue sharing their music.
Bringing DJ guests from different cities can add variety and excitement to events.
Perceptions of Eastern Washington can be negative, but the region is changing and growing.
DJing in Seattle can be challenging due to the clique-y nature of the scene.
Having their own venue allows DJs to have more control over their events.
Producing tracks can be challenging, but collaborating with others can help generate ideas.
Finding a venue is one of the biggest challenges in organizing events.
The restaurant scene can be hesitant to try new things, making it difficult to introduce house music events.
Catering to a non-mainstream crowd can lead to a more unique and enjoyable experience.
Starting an event in a smaller city requires taking risks and starting small.
Attracting new people to the house music scene is possible, even if they have no prior knowledge or experience.