Toronto Goes South: A Chat With Guv’s Beloved DJ/Producer, Mark Oliver

Oliver looks better in my leopard hat than I do...

Links:

Mark Oliver – http://www.myspace.com/markolivermusic

DJ Amy Elizabeth – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/DJAmyElizabeth?ref=ts

Revival Social Lounge – http://www.thisisrevival.com/

The Guvernment – http://www.theguvernment.com/

Safe to say, Mega cities probably don’t travel well.  However, the ever professional, ever talented AND sought-after DJ/Producer Mark Oliver took Toronto with him South (and all that has made him a phenomenon in that city and beyond), packed it into a CD case and opened it behind the DJ booth at Revival Social Lounge on Sunday, August 1^st.  It was only fitting that DJ Amy Elizabeth, Revival’s own resident DJ, who spins every industry-loving Sunday there, opened for Guvernment’s most prominent and respected resident DJ’s.

All weekend, the streets of Windsor were buzzing with anticipation and excitement over DJ Mark Oliver leaving his beloved Guvernment to play Revival on Sunday night.  On event night, everyone ‘in the know’ came early and stayed late.  His reputation of being a professional, hard-working, and intuitive DJ preceded him.  Furthermore, it was all instantly validated when he Revival Social Lounge.

Oliver kept the excitement and energy going all night long.   Owing to his dynamic musical sound and generally cool vibe, all those lucky enough to get into Revival, showed their love back via smiles, cheers and several encore requests (which were graciously obliged).

I was lucky enough to chat with Oliver after his set at Revival.  It was late at night – or early in the morning if you swing that way – when he granted me access to his very valuable and lucrative thoughts and time.  We drank lemon tea and pretty much talked about everything from his illustrious career in the electronic music industry, down to random topics like philosophy, literature and popular culture.

It became apparent within minutes of our conversation that Oliver’s skill at being musically diverse and adaptable comes partially from his professional demeanor and partially from his well-rounded personality. It’s obvious that his craft has been fined tuned, sharpened and cemented by his experiences as a DJ/Producer BUT the actual person, not industry persona, is the key to it all.  His grounded perspective may be what drives it all, especially his influence, appeal and success in the electronic music industry.

On the topic of music:  He has literally played with everyone – that can be attained from his bio or just searching his name.  For those who he has not yet played with, but are doing creative and dynamic things such as himself, it’s just a matter of time and logistics.

On his residency at The Guvernment:  Being at Guvernment (Guv) can sometimes feel like a double edged sword, being a resident DJ of a super entertainment complex, with a constant presence on every ‘top venue list’ in North America, can obviously has its perks, peaks and valleys.  It’s a lot of pressure for anyone, even someone like Oliver, but it is an absolutely enthralling experience for him.  Oliver spins every Saturday night at Guv (as he did the night before he came to Revival) for nine-hours plus! Giving to the crowd, adapting and listing for what’s new and what takes (what party-goers are taken by and respond well too) takes a lot of work/preparation, but it IS his life, career and love. Note:  He literally finished his set at the Guv, got his things and bounced out of the city for a long as Toronto could handle his absence.

On the topic of life:  He has seen it all, traveled and worked all over the world – again, this is bio / Google material.  Being at the center of many a musical and social storms, maintaining a professional demeanor and attitude towards his career, peers, party-goers and the industry in general has been his saving grace and his angle.  His game – professionalism, hard-work and love for the music – has contributed greatly to his good reputation in this industry where ‘word’ travels fast and drama/gossip travels faster.  Carving a rewarding career takes dedication to gigs and all that comes with it – but with that type of attitude it is anyone’s guess what he will do next.

On the topic of peers:  Playing with everyone, Oliver has amassed a great amount of stories, tidbits and the like.  However, what he also has is A-game class and experience.  His ability to put things into context is commendable.  It seems like being smart about things CAN coincide with still seeing the good side in just about everyone.  We talked about Deadmau5 a lot, possible because of recent events and his long-standing friendship with Joel.  He, like everyone else who enjoys Joel’s music and spirit, wishes him and his family/friends a speedy recovery and only positivity for his future.

‘Everything else’:  To begin to unravel Oliver’s complexity as a person and an industry heavy-hitter would be like solving The Da Vinci Code.  It seems to require you to follow a liner / non-linear path starting at his childhood down to his illustrious career (gigs, music and everything else in-between) and up to his current body of work / residency at Guv.  I really enjoyed our chat because of his ability to infuse everything with positivity and a unique perspective that shows his wisdom, wit and intelligence.

Overall, it was such a treat to see Oliver spin but it was more poignant to have the opportunity to chat with him. Gracious is as gracious does and this gentleman really does it well.

Much love to DJ Mark Oliver, Guvernment and Revival Social Lounge.