Craving a bit of schmoozing, a bit of dancing and some elegant attire? Feeling Fine could be the perfect event.
Local Alec Fernandez, more commonly known by his DJ tag Riddim Fernandez, is hosting a music/art event at The Rock Bar and Grill on Friday (Feb. 25).
"It's just a mechanism to make Squamish more fun," he said.
"I'm trying to start a monthly event where people can get dressed up a bit, showcase and view artwork and enjoy a bit of a lounge atmosphere."
This will be Fernandez's second event and he hopes every month will draw more people.
The evening will feature paintings and drawings by him and several other local artists, and both Riddim and Whistler DJ Phroh will deliver the tunes that should light up the dance floor.
For more than 10 years, DJ Phroh has been hard at work smashing dance floors in his hometown of Whistler.
A DJ, a producer, a turntablist and most importantly a music lover, Phroh is notorious for his jaw-dropping sets at the infamous Whistler Full Moon parties, where he scratches over his bass-heavy, homegrown, original dubplates of jungle, drum and bass and dubstep.
While growing up in the drum and bass epicentre of Toronto, Phroh studied the aspects of what makes a dance floor go off by attending massive legendary parties such as Delerium, Syrous, Destiny, Big Bud, Madness and many others in the mid-1990s.
Two decades, a production company and a record label later, he is still entertaining throngs of fans throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor.
"Phroh continues to produce new music every day and sign new artists worldwide for the purpose of building his arsenal of phat beats and bass lines," Fernandez said.
"When you see a DJ Phroh show, you are hearing dope, brand new, unreleased music that no other DJ is playing right now."
Fernandez was born in Barbados but also grew up in Toronto and became hooked on reggae and hip-hop at an early age. He moved to the West Coast 10 years ago to live alongside the mountains and Pacific Ocean, an environment that launched his DJ career.
"I started making beats on an old 303 and drumming," he said. "That ?progressed into DJing and then into producing."
Riddim Fernandez has performed at several local shows over the years - Bass Coast, Squamish LIVE and Squamish Equinox Rock Fest, and at several Vancouver venues.
"I'm really ?into all things funky and melodic," he said. "I'm ?mostly stuck in mid-'90s hip hop lovin' the mellower dubstep and always influenced by reggae."
Fernandez said he's trying to break the Squamish habit of always partying at a friend's place and for only $5 at the door, Feeling Fine is a fun alternative.
"I know it's hard to get people out all the time, so I'm thinking once a month is realistic," he said. "I'm looking to increase the entertainment options here in Squamish."
Fernandez said he's also open to incorporating more artwork into the event so artists should feel free to contact him via www.myspace.com/riddimfernandez.
