SMIRNOFF VINYL WARRIORS 2005 TRIP TO SERBIA—JUNE 29th TO JULY 4th JOURNAL OF DJ/PRODUCER CAJJMERE WRAY—TORONTO, CANADADAY 1 JUNE 29 Today is a really intense day: the kick-off day to an adventure I’ve long been awaiting. When I was clocked into this contest back in the fall of 2004, I had no idea this would actually have happened, and yet here it is. Alright! I’m off to the airport to meet up with everyone coming along on this joyride. I’ve arrived and met up with JT and Nicola from Klublife. I met JT back in the fall when I was signed up for the contest, and Nicola at the Guvernment in Toronto the night of the Smirnoff contest. They have been so much fun to hang around with and are the nicest people I’ve met in media relations so far. Also here, Davide and his travel partner Paul, who won the chance to go on this trip that night of he contest at Guv, and my travel partner Russell (assistant and advisor). We are all off, and on-time for this trip to the wild, wild.
I’ve brought some new beats that I’ve been working on in the studio to listen to on my MP3 player. This initial eight-hour flight will pass by a lot faster if I do this, along with Russell’s antics (he’s sitting beside me singing along with his CD player like it's an Air Canada karaoke event). He’s a riot! After a lot of really bad turbulence and really bad food served both before I slept and when I woke, we’ve arrived in Munich. This airport is not as massive as Frankfurt, thank god. I nearly got lost in that one back in the Spring, while on my journey to Italy. Time to rush now and see if we've made our connecting flight. What is up with airports and shuttle busses? This is the sh!t you don't see in movies when the characters are in airports. There is a lot of moving about from terminal to terminal by way of a bus. Well, we've sat here for a bit, and now we're off to meet our plane that has been held for us, if I understand correctly. We’ve all arrived in Belgrade, but too bad our luggage didn't! I’m at this counter talking to these people who have no clue where all our bags have disappeared to. Now, I don't wanna sound selfish, but seeing as my first gig is tonight, and part of my music is in my suitcase, this could cause a problem. I never check in my records upon departure (too many horror stories I’ve heard in the past with that), but I did however throw my little CD booklet, headphones and needles in my suitcase. Because why would they not follow me, right? Well, I’ve filed a report, and now it's off to the hotel to see what to do next. I’m not feeling great so far, but I’m sure things will change once I’m on the decks tonight, even if it's only with what vinyl I’ve packed. The luggage, even if it’s late, should be in before tomorrow night’s show. I hope. 
DAY 2 - JUNE 30 Alright! Luggage in hand, it's now time to head to the hotel, clean up, and relax for a bit before we all head out to a press conference at the venue for tonight. This is really neat (for a lack of better words). All these female reporters (one of them, in particular, is damn sexy) are buzzing around the place with a million questions. Cameras are flashing, and of course we are all sipping on some Smirnoff drinks. The only thing missing is Jay Z and Pharell with a stockyard of girls and some music in the background, lol. While at this meeting, I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan Shaw, a fun guy to hang around and an even more fantastic DJ from the UK who was on the same bill as I was. Okay, now that's wrapped up and we're off the hotel again to prep for dinner now. The scenery here is cool. The weather isn't too humid, unlike back home, and the land is very flat. Lots of buildings that look classic, some still sitting around from the civil war that took place not too long ago. It’s a shame though, since the city won't fix them, nor will the military, so they just sit there vacant, looking like they could fall over at any time with walls blown out of them here and there. Dinner is done like dinner, and it's time to shake it down to the venue. I grab my music and jump in the van. First up is a venue called The Bassment, a really unique outdoor party atmosphere located in the heart of the ruins of an old fortress. This is a great place for a gig, and were the people ever crazy for it that night! They were feeling the music and made their opinions known by their embellished screams. People from clubland in Canada need to come check this out, ’cause it's very different from clubland back home. The beats ring late into the early hours, and the light that broke by 6 a.m. told me it's time to head back to the hotel and crash. DAY 3—JULY 1We’re all summoned to meet in the lobby to head out to Novi Sad for venue number two. Novi Sad, which is about an hour’s drive from Belgrade, is a little town that looked a lot like the town I was born in here in Ontario…just a little more authentic. No time to waste as we got off to a late start, then it's off to the restaurant for dinner. This is Europe. Just before we place our order, Ryan and I are shuffled off across the street to the venue to do some more PR with a local television station. I gotta say, this venue looks a lot smaller, but I haven't been inside yet, so I’ll only get to check it out later. I spoke to the TV guy and Ryan did his bit too. We touched base on how we came about being part of the Smirnoff experience, and how we like being in Serbia. With that in place, we take off back to the restaurant and eat, ’cause we’re both starved! Dinner is now a wrap, and it's time to cross the street again to the venue called Ritmo Latino, a hot little happening bar, so I’ve heard, in the heart of Novi Sad. This is “the” place to be, so they say, on a Friday night. They were right: this place may be small, but it was jammed by midnight. People keep showing up in droves to party their guts out all night long. Ryan served them a really sweet warm-up set of electro- and deep-house beats. Then I come along, and close the night with peak-hour stuff. The rain that was pattering down didn't make an ounce of a difference to these people, as most of the place is covered over anyhow. Inside, it is super-hot though. Nobody cares…they just drink more. The show is done, and now we all pile back into the van and head back to Belgrade. It’s pretty late—I think we'll get back by around 5:30 a.m. Gotta make a pit stop though at a service centre, for drinks and snacks on the way, ’cause we all had the munchies. 
DAY 4—JULY 2Today it rained, so didn't get to go outside, which really sucks. I mean, I’m not afraid to melt, but I also don't get too excited about running around in the rain with an umbrella all day long. So we've made an afternoon of watching TV, getting a little tipsy, and watching some of the video footage from the first party in Belgrade on Thursday night. Dinner time rolls around and we are off to eat at this really nice restaurant that Mario, our chaperone, suggested. It is amazing! The food is to die for, and the prices are great. Well in general, you can live like a king over here on Canadian or US currency, once converted to the Serbian dinar. I think we are gonna try for some sightseeing and a little shopping tomorrow if the weather is good. Tonight we are going to another outdoor venue, but not to work, TO PARTY!!! Marlboro is throwing a big jam with some big names on the bill: DJ Falcon (of the Daft Punk family), Human League performs live, then follows one of my idols, Armand Van Helden, and in closing, Carl Craig. To comment on these shows tonight, Human League’s performance was a lot of fun, which brought back memories for me. Falcon threw down some interesting things that caught me off guard. Helden impressed me as always. We are taking off early though ’cause it looks as though it's gonna rain down hardcore. We walked in here on a dried up muddy road that may not be so dry soon, so we are gonna scram. 
DAY 5—JULY 3The last day in Belgrade, so gotta make the most of this. I just heard that it's a good thing we left that party last night when we did. Davide and Paul stayed later and they said it rained like mad not too long after we left. Helden cut his set short due to the rain but people didn't really leave, they said. Carl went on and did his thing, which was apparently amazing as usual! I wish I’d been able to hear that, actually. Today we are gonna go out, do some sightseeing as it looks nice outside, and maybe take in some shopping if we can find anything open—things close really early here on Sundays. 
 
DAY 6—JULY 4Home time! I’m awake, I’m packed and I’m actually not really wanting to go back home! But I really think Europe does that to everyone when they come here. However, I know I’ve got a great fan base at home that wants to hear good beats too, so I gotta get back and serve 'em up right? Off to the airport. What a chaotic mess! We are flying to Rome to connect to our flight home. Oh look, there's DJ Falcon, on his way back to Paris! Shook hands and told him to have a safe flight. Sad for him his flight is delayed two hours. My long thank you list....(deep breath). First up, I gotta thank Smirnoff for the opportunity to do all of this. Also, thanks to 5ive Lifelounge for entering me into this competition to share my sound with the Serbian crowds. Everyone at Diageo Canada (Gillian Cook, don't worry I still have those Doritos waiting for you!). Radar and Klublife Magazine (JT & Nicola, you two rock! much luv and thanks). Russell, my right arm at Palloo Inc., what can I say? "TRUST." Davide and Paul my travel party mates, you guys were awesome! Mario, Ivan and Natasha for Smirnoff in Serbia, thank you for the hospitality and great taste in hotels and food! A big thank you to Mario, especially for getting us into that Marlboro gig so I could see and hear Helden again, which was a serious treat to my weekend. Thanks going out to the guys that drove us all over the place while there. Those hours are ungodly to be driving. Thanks to everyone at both venues I spun at: The Bassment and Ritmo Latino—great parties come from great venues and great organizations united. Shouts to Ryan Shaw, you threw down hot beats and are a blast to party with…keep up the good work, man! Last but not least, THE PEOPLE OF SERBIA!! A phat party crowd! Peace out,
Cajjmere Wray (www.cajjmere.com) |
