I started DJing at The Warehouse Nightclub in 1998. I went on to buy the venue in 2000 and ran it until it closed in 2010. I also purchased Dickens in 2008 and will have been running it for 17 years on May 1. Although the main job at both places has always been the operational side of things, I’ve always maintained my DJ nights over the years, and I think it’s fair to say it’s my one true love when it comes to the nightclub business.

Recently, we’ve seen a surge in the number of new, young people coming out for our dance party nights, particularly Hang The DJ. It’s particularly rewarding for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s nice to see young people discovering and enjoying the classic alternative tracks of years past. I grew up with a lot of these songs as did many other customers who are dancing and reliving their youth while a ton of other new young music fans are enjoying these songs in the present. It’s very rewarding. Additionally, I know how incredibly hard it can be when you’re young and all your friends are only interested in mainstream entertainment. When I first discovered The Warehouse and the alternative culture that was out there, I never looked back because I knew there were more people and events out there that spoke to me. I’ve seen this quite a few times recently with our new younger patrons and watching them make friendships with each other, often telling me how much being able to go to D

The single biggest challenge would certainly be the pandemic. Keeping the business going during that period firstly through extensive DJ streaming gatherings on Twitch led to all kinds of new bonds and friendships that might not have happened otherwise. As the gradual opening period began, we had to enforce fully seated events with performers on stage behind a full floor to ceiling Plexiglass screen. It was strange and stressful yet also filled with hope for a return to normality. We were at the forefront of the discussion about adhering to health regulations and while we did receive enormous support in general, we had to deal with a very vocal minority of detractors, and it was exceedingly difficult to navigate. It took nearly a year after re-opening before things really started to look somewhat positive financially. It was an incredibly hard few years.

Honestly, I want people to have fun. I want them to feel like they’re seeing something they wouldn’t see anywhere else. I want them to feel like they’re having an experience they’ll remember forever. I want them to find their community at Dickens and feel like they’re coming home every time they walk through the doors. I want it to seem like you never know for sure what’s going to happen at Dickens but it will be a good night out regardless.

Strictly from a DJ perspective, I’d like to learn how to scratch and I’d like to learn how to make remixes. I’m obsessed with the classic 12″ remixes of the 80s and 90s and I would greatly enjoy knowing how to make them myself. And scratching is just cool.

I would definitely put on a music festival of mostly UK artists from the 90s. That’s where almost all my favourite bands can be found. I realize this likely won’t really speak to your readers but that’s where my heart is. It wouldn’t be something unreasonably massive. It would make me extremely proud to be able to pull it off at Dickens. My DJ name, Greycell, comes from the name of a single from my favourite band, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, so they would get top billing.

Because I’ve been a part of the nightlife community in Calgary for 27 years at this point, I’ve met people and made friends in so many different scenes that I feel I have some degree of connection to almost anything going on. I think it’s helpful for people producing events at Dickens that I can relate to varying degrees with what they’re trying to achieve. That said, I’m always happy to be introduced to new things and I’d like to think that translates with the way Dickens operates. I hope people will see that I’ve done my best to make Dickens as much for everybody as I can, and I know that work will never stop. We’re the “Island of Misfit Toys” and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve always said that it’s important to know what you don’t know. By that, I mean you need to acknowledge you can’t possibly know everything and it’s always best to be aware of your own blind spots. There are some things I’m good at and some things I’m either not good at or simply don’t care about. Surround yourself with people who can fill in the gaps and help raise the effort up as a whole. Don’t try to take on more than you can manage. A group of people with diverse skills can take you all far. Your own pursuits (and I include myself in this), may not be the most lucrative but if they make you happy and give you a sense of fulfilment, I assure you, there’s a value there that some people in dead end jobs would give anything to experience.