Taking inspiration from Don Diablo, who live-streamed his set from the toilet and swimming pool, Yugesh Madhwani, who goes by the stage name DJ Greff, has become the latest entrant in the list of the homegrown artistes who have experimented with live sets.
Having executed more than three varied live sets from his house and with five more to go, the young and upcoming DJ and producer, hailing from Nagpur in India, says, “With the economic downturn and live events taking a major beating with this lockdown, most creative and monetary avenues for artists like us have been cordoned off. However, on the other hand, this also gives one time to work on themselves creatively. The new normal for us is to experiment with novelty and steer away from tried and tested redundant models. Most audiences are consuming repetitive content that has been overtly exploited via these live sets. As DJs we need to create a make-shift festival vibe which can transport audiences to an exhilarating virtual dimension given how depressing the current times are. I came up with the concept almost when the lockdown was announced and did my first session with Sunburn. After conducting a recee of various spaces within my residence, I conceptualised ideas to deliver a festival-like live experience incorporating assorted genres of dance music corresponding with thematic ambience. Each of these Greff - Lockdown Sessions take a week of planning since I utilise special effects, lighting and props aside from technical equipment.”
DJ Greff was passionate about music from an early age and made his debut in the music scene in 2013. A festival circuit regular, he has played at Sunburn, Sensation, Amsterdam Dance Event, Enchanted Valley Carnival, sharing the stage with names like Martin Garrix, Alan Walker, David Guetta, Fatboy Slim, DJ Snake, Don Diablo and KSHMR. His more famous collaborations include a Spotify Release with Dutch DJ Dante Klein for a track titled Don’t Know Shit. His latest single is Black Butter.