DJ sets space for sound

IF you’re wandering Ballarat’s streets at the right time, you may come across the booming sounds of what has become a regular fixture in the central business district.

For the past few years, Gary Morris has been holding free spontaneous DJ sets at public spaces around town.

“I’ve had 50 to 60 people gathered at once, down to playing to nobody at all,” he said.

“The response I get is mostly curious. I’ll get anywhere from ‘Wow, what are you doing?’ to ‘This is fantastic!’ Other times, people will just come and dance for two hours without saying anything.

“At the prime of COVID, the pubs and venues were shut down so there was nowhere for people to dance and listen to music so that’s why I started doing this.”

“It’s guerilla DJing, taking over a public space and bringing music to the people.”

The former manager of the Unicorn Hotel, Morris grew much of his rig through equipment and contacts from his old venue.

Through his day job as a gardener, Morris spends many of his working hours collating his setlists.

He said his style of music offers something different for listeners.

“It’s eclectic high-energy dance and I steal from DJ sets around the world,” he said. “I also play anything from gospel to blues, old school stuff and electro-blues.

“I DJ but I also play a lot of harmonica over the top of these old blues songs, two microphones for rapping and vocal improv, plus tambourine, cowbell, shaker, and bells.

“My playing is random because I work a lot. Usually, it’s a Wednesday or Sunday night at the moment, usually 7pm to about 11 or midnight.

“I like the adaptability and the freedom of this.”

Information on Morris’ next DJ set can be found via his Instagram profile, @carparkdjballarat.