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In December 2017 I had the opportunity to interview the Indian Arpit Gawri a.k.a. DJ/producer 32Stitches about his first gig. He remembers very well: “It was an experiment that ended up flooding the place with people.”
“My very first performance was in a friend’s club in New Delhi, India. Unfortunately, this venue has been closed for a couple of years now. I was 21 or 22 at the time of that gig.”
Plans
“You’re asking is I was nervous? Of course, I was super nervous. At the same time, I couldn’t wait until that night arrived. Together with the management I had been planning the event for quite a while.”
Regulars
“The audience existed mostly of regulars of the club. Besides those people, many friends were present to support me. Most of the audience were in between twenty and thirty years.”
Fun
“I tried to prepare my set on beforehand as much as possible, since most of my DJ friends insisted. Honestly, I personally think that all of those preparations tend to take the fun away of DJing. Usually, a set goes best if you simply bring a broad collection to the gig and decide on the spot what you’re going to play. Being able to read the audience, is an absolute must.”
Lucky
“I was supported enormously by my family and friends. It’s this support of many that gives me the drive to go on. I feel so lucky to have so many supporting people around me. Especially my parents, they have always encouraged me to work harder. It’s probably their never-ending support that keeps me sane and happy in the head.”
Father’s opinion matters most
“I didn’t really have a mentor, at least not someone from the dance-scene. The only person who ever advised me regarding everything is my father. His opinion always matters the most. Maybe a little more than mine as well.” (laughs)
Complete show
“In the end, that first gig went a lot better than I had expected. We hired a few dancers and were very particular about the music. So, in the end, it came down to organizing a complete show in a venue where that had never been done. It was actually an experiment that ended up flooding the place with people. In fact, we had to send a few people back from the gate since we were packed just a little over capacity!” (laughs)
Hit play
“What I learned from that time is that the nervousness only lasts till the first time you hit play at a show. After that, it’s all good, since I really enjoy my music. So at least I’m having loads of fun while maing others dance. Also, having shots during the set really helps at times!” (laughs)
Array of emotions
“What inspired me to produce Keeper Of The Realm was an array of emotions. They led me to that track. The introduction was carefully crafted to express myself emotionally and as a producer. Ultimately, I want to get into background scores/themes for movies so it’s probably that part of me that kicked in, balanced with a lot of electro tracks that I had been listening to at the time.”
“I have released tracks in many genres in the past because I don’t believe in being chained down by genres. My aim is to produce a signature vibe to my tracks. So far, I have 3 tracks ready to release and 5 tracks almost finalized. The next one is coming out in the first week of January 2018. It’s a vocal based track that i worked on with a super talented friend of mine. I have dropped a teaser of that one before but there will be fresh teasers coming out soon enough.”
This interview with 32Stitches is originally published in December 2017 on DJMag.nl