KU students set up DJing night for budding mixers

By Anshu Pandit

Fancy becoming the next David Guetta, but just don’t know how to go about becoming a DJ?

Kingston students have set up a scheme offering students the opportunity to practise and hone their DJing skills by doing an opening set for a professional DJ at nightclub Hippodrome.

“As well as giving students their first opportunities to play in a club, we can also give them opportunities to play alongside the big acts,” said Pablo Perez, who started the programme.

Perez, a third year product and furniture design student, set up the night called SAUCE on Wednesdays, which plays dub step, drum ‘n’ bass, house and grime.

Students are encouraged to try out for the night by sending a mix to Perez and fine art student Mackenzie Hodge, who helped set up the night.
John Donnachie, a first year media and cultural studies student, has played for SAUCE twice.

He said: “I was always mixing for fun and have done at house parties before, but never at a club.”

Second year illustration student, Joe Melhuish, 20, said that he “wouldn’t be a DJ if it wasn’t for this night”.

Perez and Hodge are hoping to collaborate with the University City DJ Society, which give students the opportunity to learn how to DJ from scratch.

Perez said: “Even though it’s early days, we are gaining a respectable following and hope to generate some good hype.”