I come from an era of Grand Rapids where bootstrapping wasn’t just an idea tossed around in business classes but a way of getting things done in the arts during a pre-digital age.
So it is exciting to see the legacy of making “stuff” happen here has been mirrored within Grand Rapids’ DJ culture, where area producers are attempting to replicate but also innovate new models to serve this growing audience of dance music lovers.
And unlike the “let’s party” mode of the last big era of dance that emerged out of GR’s MySpace years, this new era of local DJs are taking the education piece of this moment very seriously while also having a lot of fun in the process.
One shining example as of late is FourFour SoundSystem—a music event production company—that is part of a movement of local groups that are welcoming outside acts to the area.
This Saturday, FourFour SoundSystem nods nicely to the past as they head to a neighborhood hall much like we witnessed in the 1980s when pop-up music events like The New Beat Club.
For this night, FourFour SoundSystem has invited two DJ’s, Terrence Parker and Merachka, to join locals Joshua Tree and DJ Visitor for a night of dance music.
Terrence Parker and Merachka both call Detroit home and have integrated the sounds of this city’s roots in techno and house into their music sets.
Parker over the years has worked to promote that classic sound of Detroit house and techno music. He is referred often as a pioneer of the music genre known as inspirational house music.
Merachka performs with a face covering to obscure their image, allowing us to let the mystery be as we enjoy the music that emerge from this DJ’s set list.
Both of these visiting DJs present our area’s local music fans with an opportunity to see two acts with a worldwide touring track record and a solid international following right in our own backyard.
Sometimes showing up to support the local arts talent who seek to do bold things is an act of community-building that goes beyond the norm…and for that we are grander as a result, with each new and innovative event produced here.
To read more on this event, visit FourFour's Facebook
event page.