With a DJ name like BeardFight, who wouldn’t be intimidated to ask for an interview? Needless to say, we curled the tips of our moustaches at Dope Haus in preparation to interview Vancouver’s up-and-coming electronic DJ and producer as he talks about facial hair confrontation, music festivals and the future of electronic music.
DOPE HAUS asks: Beardfight! What on Earth inspired your name? How often do beards fight?
BeardFight says: My uncle was a beard, and his brother too. They used to go at it. All the time.
DOPE HAUS: Describe how you first got into producing. What important lessons have you learned since then?
BeardFight: I’ve been a musician for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta playing in punk, rock and metal bands. After changing cities and having a hard time finding other players, I re-discovered electronic music and fell in love with its evolution. I recognized it as the perfect medium to continue writing and performing music. I took what I knew and loved about music already and focused all my efforts in to learning this whole new process. My favorite part is that you are constantly learning, and that is why the evolution is so amazing. Everybody just keeps creating and learning and adding to the framework. I’m amazed at the boundaries that musicians and producers have broken.
DOPE HAUS: In your opinion, what’s going to be the “next big thing” for electronic music?
BeardFight: If you are talking in terms of the next genre to get homogenized by pop culture, I guess that deep house sound is creeping into the top40 a bit. I think all genres grow and flourish as long as there are artists creating the content. There are amazing artists all over the place – not just the next big thing. That’s why I love music so much. Endless discovery.
DOPE HAUS: If you could play at any festival in the world, what would it be and why?
BeardFight: Shambhala! I love the energy there, the family ranch vibe, that there are no giant monster energy banners all over the place. I love the independantly run stages, the culture. I could go on. I’ve been to a number of festivals, but never experienced what I encountered at Shambhala. That place changed who I am as an artist. Its not just stages and six dollar bottled water. It really is something special.
BeardFight at the Pagoda entrance at Shambhala Music Festival
DOPE HAUS: If you could go back in a time machine and talk to people in the 80s, what would you warn them about?
BeardFight: The 80s.
DOPE HAUS: What’s next for BEARDFIGHT!? What can we expect from you in the next three months?
BeardFight: I’m always working on music – it seems to go in cycles but I always have something on the go. Hope to maybe get my face out there a bit more – play a few more shows. Would be nice to connect with more people.
Peep Beardfight’s latest release “New Management” HERE
Featured image taken by Jaclyn Adair
Shambhala image taken by Tyson Power
Written interview by Chanel Klein
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