Mike McDonald. Ibiza Global Radio Mix. April 2022

A mix done on a chilly winter's day snowed in and no place to go. To escape the domestic duties shoutin on me, I pulled out a few grooves and rinsed out this mix - part 1 of 2. Hope you like it.
Here's my club biog if anyone's interested ...

DJ MIKE MCDONALD CLUB BIOGRAPHY

MUSICAL STYLE:	
Mike’s a house man through and through, but his versatile approach to his
sets means he can adapt to any crowd or club he plays. From funky house,
through to tribal, tech-house, anthems/classics and deep or uplifting
progressive club sounds. Anything with a good, solid groove but an
underlying ‘funkiness’! 
			
“Having a residency means I can stick to, and develop, the sound I enjoy playing which is predominantly house music - funky, tribal, vocal, uplifting, feel good - whatever you want to call i but I always carry a few crowd pleasers and tunes they wouldn’t expect, to mix things up a bit. You have to
give a crowd what they want without resorting to the obvious.”

HISTORY:		
Mike started DJ’ing in 1997 and has played at some of Scotland’s biggest music events including T in the Park (2000 and 2001), the Ministry of Sound Arena at the 15,000 capacity Colours Masters of the Millennium event in Shotts and the IT Arena at Homelands Scotland in 2001. He also hosted the house room at the Radio 1 Big Weekend, Dance Party in Dundee in 2006.
			
“Dj’ing at four of Scotland’s biggest music events is something I’m proud of.”

He has played alongside some of the world’s top DJs including Carl Cox, Erick Morillo, Sasha and Digweed, Nick Warren, Steve Lawler, Judge Jules, Pete Tong, Slam, David Morales, Marshall Jefferson and DJ Pierre.

“One of the pioneers of house, DJ Pierre, train-spotting a tune I played at the Colours Masters of the Millennium event was a huge compliment.”

During his 2007 residency at Motion in Inverness, Mike warmed up for DJs including Eddie Halliwell, Chris Lake, Guy Ornadale, The Trophy Twins, Fergie, Tall Paul, Seb Fontaine, Groove Armada and Steve Porter.

CLUB APPEARANCES: … (summary)	
Pop					          London	The Ice Factory		Perth
Colours, Room at the Top	Bathgate 	Cube				Glasgow
Rhumba Club			Perth		Po Na Na			Aberdeen
Liquid Room/Progression 	Edinburgh	DUSA				Dundee
Fat Sams				Dundee	The Waterfront 		Arbroath	
Blue					Inverness	The Purple Rooms	Dundee
The Tunnel				Glasgow	Motion			Inverness
London Nightclub/Glam	Dundee	The Underground		Dundee
Lo Down				Aberdeen	Lizard Lounge 		St. Andrews
				
“I’ve played over 50 clubs around Scotland … it pays to annoy club managers with mix tapes (as it was then)! They’re not going to come knocking on your door, you’ve got to knock on theirs - hard!”

FESTIVALS/EVENTS:	
In 2000 Mike asked the T in the Park organisers why up and coming DJs weren’t included in the T Break Tent line-up like bands. He was ordered to round up a group of Scotland’s finest local DJs to play that year and they
were swiftly invited back the following year. Up and coming DJs are now a regular feature at T in the Park, and every DJ that appeared in those years went on to hold regular spots at clubs around the country.

“Getting DF Concerts to agree to allow unknown DJs at T in the Park was a massive boost. It gave all the DJs who played a platform to build their DJ careers on.”

APPEARANCES:	
			Belladrum Tartan Heart Fesival, Beauly 2011
			T in the Park, Scottish Radio/PRS Tent 2000
			T in the Park, T-Break Tent 2001
			Homelands, Scotland, IT Arena 2001
			Colours Masters of the Millennium Event, Shotts NYE‘99
			Dundee Dance Event (Various venues) 1998 and 1999				
                        Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee 1999
			Summer in the City, City Square, Dundee 1999
			Summer in the City, Tay Square, Dundee 2000
			Festival of Dance, City Square, Dundee 2001
			Alcatraz Event, Kirkcaldy Ice Rink 2000
			Crail Festival, Crail 2003
			Party on the Pitch, Inverness 2007
			Rockness, Dores 2010

BARS:		
Mike has plied his funky house trade at various bars around Scotland. He was resident at Pivo when it was in Dundee, and has played at Bar Bachus and Bar Soba, Glasgow, Bar Brio, Dunfermline and The Gate Café Bar in Inverness. More recently. The Social and Medina in Dundee.

While DJ’ing in Bar Soba in 2002 he was booked to DJ at a private party on a London roof garden, to a 100-strong crowd hosted by someone with too much money! 

“I love DJ’ing in bars. A few beers and playing some funky tunes to an appreciative audience is a great night in my book!”

RADIO:		
Mike is no stranger to radio and has had the nerve-racking experience of playing live on Moray Firth FM’s dance show twice and had his recorded mixes aired. Local station Tay FM also played one of his mixes on the dance show and last year he DJ’d during a two-hour dance special which went out live from London Nightclub in Dundee on the station.		

			Tay FM, recorded mix - June 1998
			Moray Firth FM, two live mixes - June 2000
			Moray Firth FM, recorded mix - September 2000
			Moray Firth FM, recorded mix - October 2000
			Moray Firth FM, recorded mix - November 2000 
			Tay FM, live dance special - April 2007

“My first live mix on Moray Firth is still the most nerve-racking experience of my DJ life. Once the first mix was in though, it was fine, and it went really quickly after that.”

MEDIA:		
Mike has contributed to various music media over the past few years including DJ Magazine, Mix Mag, Ministry Magazine and Vibe Magazine in Scotland, reviewing tunes, compiling gig guides, writing club reviews and DJ interviews/profiles and reporting on what was hot in the Scottish club scene.  He has also appeared in a photo feature for Fast and Modified Magazine during an appearance at Blue Nightclub, Inverness in April 2004, and in the local press for various events including his T in the Park appearances.

“Getting publicity is good, but it’s not as important as pleasing a crowd - that’s your best promotional tool.”

PROMOTION:		
Mike partnered another local DJ, Chris Mann, to organise monthly club night Crash in Dundee from 1998-2001, booking local, UK and international DJs. He also launched The Dundee Dance Event which ran for two years in 1998 and ‘99, showcasing local DJ’ing talent that wasn’t getting a chance to shine in locals clubs. It’s still the UK’s biggest event for unknown DJs. Over the twoyears, 36 DJs took part at 11 different venues including an open-air gig in Dundee’s City Square. He resurrected the event in April this year with Bacardi abd Breo being the sponsors and it was a total success with every venue packed out.  Mike helped promote Homelands, Scotland, in 2001, and worked with Soma Records to help promote the Slam Tent at T in the Park for three years from 2000.

“The Dundee Dance Event was an amazing success. It was hard work, but I felt proud at the support it got from the DJs, venues and sponsors - and especially at the amount of people that turned out.”
			
PHONO LIVE HOUSE MUSIC BAND:
Mike is part of a house music outfit called Phono who comprise of Mike
behind the decks playing alongside a sax player, percussionist, guitar player
and two vocalists. They recently played the Belladrum Festival near Inverness
– check out the live mix and if you search for ‘phono belladrum’ in youtube
you can also see the videos from the gig.

http://soundcloud.com/phonodundee

PRODUCTION:

Mike has been producing his own tracks for a few years now and recently
remixed two tracks from local band The Cundeez, both of which were
released on the band’s album. He’s also released a track with studio buddy
Stu Con called Love My beat.

CONTACT:		

Email: 	mikemcdj@msn.com
Facebook:	mikemcdj@hotmail.com
Tel: 		07884 437370

MIX:	http://soundcloud.com/mikemcdj




			



