The Cube + various Winnipeg venues |  August 15-18
Big names: Daniel Stenberg, Deepchild
Local talent: FmSea, The Shake
$85 pass, varies per venue for individual show
Regular street parking applies
memetic.ca

The life of a DJ can be, well, pretty crazy. At least that’s what most of us non-DJers tend to imagine.

John Norman, local DJ and musician, can attest to some of that. But for this Winnipeger, DJing is much more than just playing rave music. Norman is a dedicated musician who started out in a metal band in his teens, and became interested in electronic music when he started writing his own bars on computer programs.

Music is his passion, so much so that when we ask him what he likes to do besides DJing, he says, with a laugh, “writing music.”

His sounds draws you into another zone with their unique vibes and creative beats. Norman’s most recent effort, The Red Light EP, (available now through London’s HYPE Music) is sophisticated, smooth and definitely worth a listen for EDM fans.

Norman has hopes that the Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition (MEME) festival will give more people a glimpse into the diversity and talent in the local electronic music community. MEME is held at various venues and at Old Market Square in the Exchange District from August 15-18, and features an eclectic mix of international and homegrown artists including Daniel Steinberg, Noah Pred and, of course, John Norman.

It’s an all-ages event celebrating the diversity of electronic and dance music. “It allows accessibility to something, to let people know it’s not just rave music,” Norman says. “That’s sort of an idea that people got, that it’s rave music, and it’s not anymore.”

MEME also offers workshops for those interested in creating their own sounds. Main stage shows are free, and for those who like to stay out until the wee hours, there are tickets available for late-night club performances. Whatever your style, MEME is a multifaceted event at which Norman promises a high-energy set.

“I think the goal of every DJ is to take someone on an adventure of their mind,” he says. This year, Norman and his wife, a theatre major, will be working together to add a “somewhat theatrical performance” to his set. To found out what that means, one will just have to attend MEME 2013 to find out.

Part of the series: Summer Festival Guide 2013

Published in Volume 67, Number 27 of The Uniter (July 17, 2013)