After more than a decade of making music and touring Canada’s dance and techno scene, an Okotoks DJ is coming home for New Years Eve.
DJ Marty Madsen oversee the fun on the dance floor and will help ring in the New Year at Rylie’s Cattle Barn in Okotoks on Dec. 31.
With almost 14 years experience playing in clubs across Canada, and outside the country, the Rylie’s show will be Madsen’s first time performing in Okotoks and he is looking forward to performing to a hometown crowd.
“I thought it would be fun to do, that way my dad and a lot of my friends can finally come out and have fun,” he said.
A DJ and producer, Madsen performs techno and progressive electronic music.
For the Rylie’s show, he will play several of his own tracks, as well as some by other artists. Once the clock strikes 12, he’ll break into a set of originals to ring in the New Year.
“I’ll play more house remixes with some vocals people would recognize,” said Madsen. “A lot of the stuff I produce has a lot of vocals and I think this will work better in Okotoks.”
He said he likes to layer his sound and build up anticipation in his audience, before taking it down and building the sound back up once again.
“I always like to have my sets building and then it drops and builds again,” he said.
Unlike some DJs, Madsen mixes his sets live rather than working off a computer.
“I like to interact with the crowd so I’m not staring at a computer the whole time with it telling me when I should drop my track,” he said.
Madsen paid his dues the Calgary rave scene before working his was up to become a leading DJ in Western Canada’s dance scene.
He was a professional motocross racer and started perfecting his DJ skills after an injury, becoming a regular in Calgary’s club scene. He went on to perform across the country and outside Canada, including in Miami and regular shows in Dominican Republic. He is gearing up for his first European tour in the spring.
He puts out most of his music on-line and his last CD was in 2008. To hear a sample of his music, visit soundcloud.com/marty-madsen.
There will be a variety of shows across the foothills to help you start the New Year on the right foot. Other New Year’s Eve concerts include Rooster in a Hen House at the Black Diamond Hotel and Shadows Talk at The George Traditional House.
If the Fab Four is more to your liking, the Royal Duke Pub will host a performance by Beatles 4 Ever.
Nathan Loo, who portrays Paul McCartney, said the band is a true tribute experience.
They first take to the stage wearing black suits reminiscent from the Beatles’ 1964 performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
“We got them off a site that sells replicas,” said Loo, adding they’re based on the original suits worn by the Beatles.
Through a series of costume changes, they will perform a list of Beatles favourites from the era of the Sullivan show performance through to Abbey Road.
Other band members include Ven Gureaa as John Lennon, Shaun Whitman as George Harrison and Rex Hamsandwich as Ringo Starr.
The band sports the same mop-top hairstyles and they use the same instruments and amplifiers as the Beatles.
However, it’s not enough to look the part. You have to sound right too and this is no easy feat.
Loo said there’s little room for error recreating the songs made famous by the Beatles.
“It’s music that’s known so well if you don’t do it right, you’re going to get heavily criticized for it,” he said.
