Solstice music session was magic for thousands
summer solstice Facebook party live-streamed from a secret location above Oban has plugged into more than 4,500 hits.
DJ Mark Gowdie and best friend Neil Gillies carried a generator and a pile of gear up to the view point at Lonan Woods to stream a two-anda-half-hour club and dance session on midsummer night.
With more outdoor streams lined up over the next few summer months, everyone is invited to the Saturday night social media parties with lots of sounds of the 80s, 90s and modern day twists, says Mark who retired from club and pub DJ-ing in 2013.
‘I did it every single weekend for 20 years and got sick and tired of it. I was never going to do it again but when lockdown happened a few people invited me to to join them on these dance nation Facebook sessions and I got a taste for it again. It’s an old profession that’s become a hobby for me.
‘It’s all digital now though, there’s no spinning discs. It’s like doing a radio broadcast via Facebook.
‘I still won’t be tempted to going back to doing live sessions in public again but I’m enjoying this in lockdown.’
Normally Mark’s sessions are broadcast from his home studio, but Summer Solstice called for something special.
‘It was the ultimate mobile disco. We carted the generator and a pile of DJ gear all the way up to the viewpoint. Because of COVID and crowds not allowed to gather we had to keep the outdoors location top secret. Lucky for us the weather was on our side – just. Minutes after we got all the gear back home is started hammering with rain!’ said Mark who now runs Combie Street printers and sign-maker Digital Kangeroo.
To see what is coming up at the next live session search Isolation for a Dance Nation on Facebook or www.facebook. com/groups/259655875220630/