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Surviving in a ‘tight’ entertainment industry- the DJ Commodore story
Mr Thomas recently granted Virgin Islands News Online an exclusive interview where he shared his story about his passion as a disc jockey and some of the challenges he has had to overcome to survive in a very competitive entertainment industry.
Disk jockeying is an art form that responds to the social needs of persons in the area of entertainment.
According to DJ Commodore, the market in the VI has become a very tight one for disc jockeys as compared to many years ago since there are quite a number of persons who have taken on the profession.
He recalled that back in the days in the VI being a DJ was a “hip” thing and provided a more comfortable environment for persons in that field of work to expand and enjoy themselves while working. That has all changed over recent times, he said, since the market has become flooded with many persons taking on the craft as a career and more importantly the Government’s move to institute laws that eventually stifled the industry.
Speaking about the Noise Control Abatement Act of 1996, Mr Thomas said the wings of the entertainment market were clipped since the act was instituted and has put severe pressure on persons doing disc jockeying as a career. “Our night life in the BVI is extremely dead… it had a little bit more life many years ago,” he said.
DJ Commodore reflected on the days when socialising in a party and open events required the presence of a DJ and added that those days of persons looking forward to choice events and activities on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and even Saturdays are no more. “I don’t know that we could even say that we really have night clubs here,” he added.
This has resulted in a scattered reach of line of events today. “The numbers are scattered. There are too many promotions going on at one time. That’s one thing and two, you have had the Noise Act that limits the lateness of the amount of noise you can make in certain areas, whereas many years ago it really didn’t matter much.”
Meanwhile, Commodore said he could not and still cannot sit down and depend on the space within the small borders of the Virgin Islands if he is to realize his ultimate goal and dreams as a disc jockey. Over the past two years he has intensified his travelling to other Caribbean countries and North America as he pursues new and additional ground that has the potential of taking him into his retirement aspirations.
“This year I re-expanded again where I was going more inter-Caribbean and slightly international like America and just DJing. I have been involved in a lot of events abroad in St Maarten, Dominica, America, Texas and a few slots here,” said Mr Thomas.
He said today he is at a stage where he could say “when I feel like it” when it comes to his choice of playing at the local clubs here in the VI.
Mr Thomas said that the next chapter of his life would see him leaving the borders of the Virgin Islands to a place or places where the option of literally professing in the field and him growing to the stage of producing his own thing is possible.
Over the years he said despite his initial reluctance to follow the trends of advancing technology, he has gotten on board as he had to quickly come to grip with the fact that in order to stay in the market it was necessary for one to progress with the current pace of the advancing world of DJ technology.
While stating that every experience in life should be seen as a building block for one’s foundation, like he does, everyone should never fail to daily give thanks to the father above for the life he has blessed them with. He side that today he has grown to love and cherish life.
Today he is also enjoying the new flare that he has introduced to the line of music that he plays at selective events, especially the Bomba Shack moonlight parties. He also said that it is time for a new line of music as today one type and trend of music exist on the market. And he has been doing just that.
“Yes, I have been one to introduce a new line of music to the fans of good music,” DJ Commodore stated.
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17 Responses to “Surviving in a ‘tight’ entertainment industry- the DJ Commodore story”
Also there is no night clcub here nor night life & the governments have contributed to stiffling entertainment promotions & dances. It is more profitable to promote & dj off island. Much more profitable.
The BVI is not the place for any quality dj or promoter, you'll just be wasting your time here.
You's a friend of that clown who keep sayings "Deeds" like an @$$? I still don't know why the moderator allows this person to comment while still blatantly spelling that word wrong like them head ain't no good.