November 18 we welcome you to a very special treat - ALL VINYL REGGAE/DANCEHALL set by Skratch Bastid!! He will be playing longside our resident selector Choppa Chop, who of course is no stranger to the round discs of wax! This session is not to be missed!

get a little more familiar with these selectors ;

CHOPPA CHOP

Choppa began learning the tools of his trade - 2 turntables and a mixer - in 94. After spending considerate time in St.Lucia, beginning in 1996, his sets started leaning heavily in Reggae. Continuing his education in another field in Scotland, it is there that his sound Big Toes Hi-Fi was born and the first hi-fi was built. Choppa Chop ran his sound throughout Scotland and the UK for the next 10 years. There are now three chapters Toronto area/New Mexico/Leeds, each with their own custom made soundsystem. Currently living in Mono, Ontario, Choppa Chops influence by Kilimanjaro and other sounds from that time is still evident in his format and style with a heavy emphasis on playing vinyl. The majority of his selections are presented and played in a unique juggling style. Roots, Rocksteady, Retro Dancehall, Foundation, Rub a Dub are what comprises Choppas sets. From the 70s to what is being created right now. During his time is Jamaica this past winter, Choppa had the opportunity to play out at legendary venues; Jam One International, Wickie Wackie, Vinyl Thursdays at Veggie Meals on Meals, Vinyl Sundays in Drapers, Portland, Edna Manley College and Dub Club. This gave him the chance to perform with, and alongside artists/selectors such as; Ranking Joe, King Harar, Gabre Selassie, Exile di Brave, Kazam Davis, Infinite, TJ Likkle Briggie and one of Jamaicas most popular artists right now, Nesbeth.

SKRATCH BASTID

Over the past 15 years, Canadas own Skratch Bastid has been spreading his skills and name around the world, through sweaty crowds and viral videos alike. What first started at DJ competitions like DMC, ITF, and Scribble Jam, where he became a certified entertainer and show favorite, has now spread out and affected the four corners of the globe, establishing him as a DJs DJ and a true master of the craft recognized by the best in the game.

At the rate of over 150 shows a year over the last decade, his reputation as one of the hardest working DJs in the world comes as no surprise. Increasingly heralded for his comfort and versatility in different styles hip hop, funk, disco, club, rock and just about anything that makes people dance- the Bastid has rocked dance floors in Asia, Europe, Down Under and everywhere in between. With an incomparable hold in his country where he has become a staple of Canadian DJ history, he now celebrates his culture and community in his home base of Toronto and throughout Canada with the annual Bastids BBQ held every summer.

His collaborations at the concert series The Flex as well as his cross-country live A/V show Skratch Of All Trades have kept him one step ahead of the competition by pushing the boundaries of live DJing. In 2011, he officially began his ambassadorship of the widely-popular Red Bull Thre3style competition and has since been an integral part of its international success, touring with it globally.

This relentless approach to live performance always gives him a leg up as a producer, helping him craft some of the most critically-acclaimed production work in Canadian hip-hop including the Juno nominated Situation album with Buck 65 and Shads Flying Colours, among others. A collaboration with the Afiara String Quartet yielded Spin Cycle, an immersive multi-part classical-meets-turntablism album project which led to performances around the country as well as with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His remixes and blends have also amassed millions of plays and become supreme ammo for selectors around the world.

The turntable champion and crowd favorite is steadily taking his craft to new heights and bringing his audience along for the ride. Having rocked the bar many times, Skratch Bastid is always the first one to raise it.