DJ Shub Leads Two Day Workshop for Wake the Giant
Story and photos by Sidney Ulakovic
“The excitement is palpable,” says Greg Chomut, co-founder and organizer of Wake the Giant, of the energy in the music room at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School as students began a two day workshop with Dan “DJ Shub” General to collaborate on a song that will be performed at this year’s Wake the Giant festival.
The JUNO award-winning artist DJ Shub will be returning to the Wake the Giant stage for the festival’s 5th anniversary and looks forward to sharing a new, dynamic performance inspired by his CBC special War Club, which will feature guest appearances, immersive visuals, Indigenous dancers in full regalia, and a performance of the song he creates with the students over the next two days.
Dan “DJ Shub” General leading day one of the workshop
“I’m super excited to be able to take part in the workshop. It’s not every day you get to write a song with DJ Shub,” says Tessa Harper, one of the 18 students who will be involved in this once in a lifetime experience, in a media release. “Youth from remote northern communities don’t usually get to do things like this. It’s a really cool opportunity.”
General says that the students’ understanding of the foundations of DJing has been one of the enjoyable parts of today’s workshop. “I think they’re going to be teaching me just as much as I’m going to be teaching them,” says General. “That’s one of the greatest things about these types of opportunities is you never stop learning.”
With General’s guidance, the students didn’t hesitate to get behind the turntables and try their hand at scratching. “To be able to see them creating the music right in front of your eyes, people that you listen to on Spotify, watch music videos, pay money to go see them when they’re on tour,” Chomut says. “It’s really incredible.”
