music Cultural relationship Thanks to Jenson’s ties to the Gibraltar Office in Hong Kong and his networking around Asia, he is hoping to increase the cultural and musical exchange between Gibraltar and Asia. At the moment, our local DJs have only had exposure within Europe, by the most part, but despite the common thread that the music industry is huge, Jenson argues that the reality is that it is actually quite small. “It is all about knowing the right people and I think that I am pretty well set up in that aspect. We are looking to sow the seeds of a beautiful cultural music relationship with the Far East. I wish Alex and Jack all the best for the festival and I am sure that they will do Gibraltar proud.” Jenson said he would love to see more Gibraltarians attending this festival and, who knows? It could grow annually and in three or four years’ time, a Gibraltar contingency team could go down to help our artists. “I have been to many music festivals around the world but none of them hold a candle to this one because you cannot beat this atmosphere. The location, the people, the three stages set around the Great Wall and a philosophy of no marketing, PR, or money spending. You can even take your own food and drink.” �MV
Jenson experienced the Midburn Festival (the sister festival of the annual Burning Man Festival, a temporary me“ Just being tropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliable to say ance with around 120,000 peoI’m getting ple) with around 6,500 people to go to the and believes that smaller festivals Great Wall are more personal. “People are generally friendlier in a smaller of China is area rather than clamouring Insane!” around in a sea of faces. There are more meaningful connecI sat down with Jenson Callejon, tions. I have been to much larger festivals Gibraltar’s musical link to Asia, to discuss and it is all about the money. You lose out how it all came to be and his impression of the local electronic music scene. Drum and on the consistency of artist and it becomes too dispersed, which affects festival goers Bass, Reggaeton, Garage and Breakbeat also. It can disconnect the fans.” were just some of the genres exhibited by the fourteen applicants, a big surprise for Jenson who expected a more modest Gibraltar coverage number of entries. “I only expected four or five deejays. I did not realise just how big Jenson wanted to dispel rumours that the electronic music was in Gibraltar for local marketing campaign for local artists would artists. It was an eye-opener and it had take place in China and he made it quite an impact on me. I play an instruclear that he would support Gibralment and as such, I am not very connected tar in every way. “We are work“We are to the electronic music industry.” Jenson ing on marketing exposure and looking to has worked with musicians and bands coverage on local magazines and sow the seeds for the last fifteen years, not the deejay newspapers, television and online. of a beautiful industry, but his best friend, Arun Ramana- We are also filming the whole than (DJ Arun R), is one of the top deejays cultural music adventure to make an after-movie in Asia. “It was thanks to him that I got which will be made available for relationship involved with the YinYang Music Festival our local TV and online.” The artists with the Far as he was involved last year. He gave me a will also be covered by the official call and said ‘dude, I am playing inside the festival website and the after-mov- East.” Great Wall of China, you have to come’, so ie of the official event which has that’s what I did, I packed my bags and I an audience of several thousand people. flew over as part of the Hong Kong crew, Needless to say, it will be an experience of spending four incredible days inside the a lifetime as well as one hell of a culture forest of Beijing within the Great Wall of shock for DJ Lethalness and Jack. Not only China.” will they meet the organisers, but also rub shoulders with other artists from in and around the Asian music industry. “The fuCharming and compact sion of music will be very interesting in this festival and the artists can absorb from The festival is relatively small at around 2,500 people due to the wall being an UN- one another. Who knows how far that can go?” The festival organisers are still liaising ESCO protected site. There is also a hotel with artists, so the headline acts and geninside the wall which is actually where the eral line-up have not yet been announced. ancient Chinese soldiers slept. “For £10 a You can follow its progress on the Yinyang night, it is an absolutely incredible experiMusic Festival Facebook page. ence.” to offer something different and cannot wait to fly to the Far East. “To me, just being able to say I’m getting to go to the Great Wall of China is Insane! I’ve been rather lucky when it comes to opportunities for travel but this one is in the top five! Plus, I’m going to be doing something that I love to help make a great performance in front of people from across the globe. It’s indescribable, really,”
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE JULY 2016
Jack (top) Alex (bottom)
67