Beat Salad: DJ Gulzar’s Local Summer Picks

Festival season is just around the corner — and the buzz is building in Churchill Square! Up until the first summer festival on the square, The Works Art & Design Festival (June 21-July 1), the EAC is offering an array of free, family-friendly programming. From Tai Chi, free lunchtime performances, Cypherwild, and Beat Salad, there’s always something exciting happening on the square.

On Friday, June 13 from 12 – 2 pm, Piyush Patel aka DJ Gulzar will be spinning a set for Beat Salad that blends diverse musical genres such as post punk, indie rock, synthpop, electronica and world music — bringing his worldly flavour to the Edmonton music scene. 

Ahead of his set, we caught up with Piyush to find out who’s on his local artist summer playlist, and which upcoming local shows he’s most excited about. 

What is on your summer playlist? Tell us about your top three picks for new or upcoming releases by local artists for the summer.

I’ve been listening to a lot of world music (that I like to describe as ​“world groove”) lately, with new releases by Beirut’s Charif Megarbane, Denmark via Tunisia’s Ammar 808 and Ibex band from Ethiopia. Additionally, electronic music also hits the spot really well in the summer, and I’ve been listening to new releases by Decius, Marie Davidson and Baalti. 

I am looking forward to new releases by Uncanny Valley, Visitor and Mox Jet. I feel that Edmonton is mainly known for its garage rock and punk scene, which is good, but I’d like to see other genres such as post punk, new wave and synth wave also get more exposure and support. The three bands that I mentioned above are doing great work taking those genres forward in Edmonton.

Tell us about a quintessential Edmonton summer experience that you think would pair best with your music picks.

In terms of my summer playlist, Edmonton Heritage Festival would pair the best. I love music from around the world and the same applies to the food. I love catching musical and dance programs at different pavilions. It’s my favourite summer festival in Edmonton and I was sad that I missed it last year due to damage caused to the grounds due to strong winds. Hopefully the weather is better this year, and I can enjoy the sights, sounds, and food from around the world. 

Which music performance, show or festival happening in Edmonton this summer are you most excited about? Why do you think folks should check it out?

I am excited about Purple City Music Festival, which is coming up in September. They have released the first wave of artists so far, and I am really excited to see Montréal’s Marie Davidson, who is one of the headliners. I think folks should check it out because there is something for almost everyone in that lineup. Additionally, in the past I’ve travelled to Calgary and Vancouver for music festivals such as Sled Island, Verboden and Terminus, and it’s great to see my music obsessed pals from other cities coming to Edmonton for a change for Purple City and be excited about checking out shows in Edmonton at different venues.

You’ll be DJing for Beat Salad on June 13. Where else can folks find you DJing this summer?

I am DJing a short set along with a whole bunch of amazing local DJs this Sunday, June 8, in the courtyard at Co*Lab. It features pop-up Mexican food by chef Lili Millan. And it’s curated by a passionate crew of women who organize clubclub, a series of events in Edmonton. I also host a weekly volunteer radio show on CJSR 88.5 FM every Tuesday from 7 – 8 PM called ​“From Here We Go Sublime,” where I play an eclectic mix of music and talk about upcoming shows and festivals that I am excited about. Folks can also stream the show online at cjsr​.com.

About Piyush Patel (DJ Gulzar)

Piyush Patel aka DJ Gulzar is originally from Mumbai, India and is an active member of the Edmonton music community. When he is not busy attending live gigs or djing, he can be found hosting a weekly radio program called ​“From Here We Go Sublime” on Tuesdays from 7 – 8 pm on CJSR 88.5 FM. He aims to bring a more worldly flavour to the Edmonton music scene by blending diverse musical genres such as post punk, indie rock, synthpop, electronica and world music in his dj sets.