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The Polish Lukasz Mulka a.k.a. DJ/producer Hellboy had his first gig at a techno party in Krakow, that he had organized himself. DJ Rush was his mentor. “Most of all I was very excited!”
“My first gig took place in a club in Krakow. I organized my first techno party there, called Techno Terror. That was sometime in 2002 or 2003. I was twenty years old at the time.”
Underground scene
“I can’t say I was very nervous. Maybe just the first five minutes of my set. Above all, I was very excited. About two hundred and fifty people had come to the club. That’s the normal underground scene in the center of Krakow.”
Go wild
“I never prepare my sets. I always follow the vibe. I just pick two tracks that I mix in the best way and then I go wild. Preparing a set at home is not my style.”
Parted well
“My friend Artur was there for support. He had much more experience as a DJ. Therefore, I had organized the party together with him. We’ve wanted that for years. At some point our paths parted but we parted well.”
Awesome
“I did have a mentor. That was DJ Rush in 2000. It all started with him. In the end, of course, Rush wasn’t in the club when I played. There wasn’t a girl I wanted to impress either.” (laugsh). “That first gig was actually a test for myself to see if I was made for the DJ profession. As you can see, I’m still spinning and I’m also producing. Awesome!”
Perfectionist
“It’s hard to say how that first gig went. I am extremely critical of myself. These were my first steps on the dance path, so it certainly wasn’t perfect. I ask a lot of myself, so I think it could have been better. In the end I don’t like judging my own gigs because it always comes down to the fact that I could have done more, better, longer or harder. You know what I mean.” (laughs) “The perfectionist in me strives for perfection, but at the same time I want to keep growing.”
Ready for more
“So, I was fifty percent satisfied with my performance and ready for more. More sets and more experience. Moreover, I realized that I was far from finished learning. At first, I didn’t have my own gear. I used the equipment of friends or at the parties where I had the chance to spin. Fortunately, I am a good student. I started with vinyl and then switched to CDs.”
“Although my set didn’t go completely smoothly, I don’t think I made any major mistakes. The record didn’t suddenly stop while spinning and I mostly played classics. In the end I learned that I could improve my mixing technique considerably and that my choice of music also left something to be desired. Nowadays I mix my tracks a lot easier and smoother.”
This article is originally published in August 2017 on DJMag.nl
