Windsor, Ont.'s Techno Music Scene Is Underground But Has Devotees Who Dig The Beat
On the surface, Anthony Gomez and Craig Sinclair look like two ordinary dads with day jobs: Gomez works at the University of Windsor in southwestern Ontario, and Sinclair works in construction.
But when the work week ends and the boys fall asleep, the two meet in Sinclair's basement and play techno music.
“We play music downtown and DJ. It was an opportunity for us to learn something new and interact with music in a completely different way," said Gomez.
The pair form Mothers Drum Machines, a staple of Windsor's techno music scene for nearly 30 years.
Its roots go back to the early 1990s, when disc jockey Richie Hawtin burst onto the local scene. The LaSalle native is considered one of techno's most influential figures, quickly breaking through the scene in the birthplace of techno, Detroit.
Hawtin co-founded the Plus 8 record label with London DJ John Aquaviva, both DJs eventually achieving worldwide fame.
Their influence introduced techno music to Windsor. Downtown clubs like The Underground and Platinum became popular.
"It was packed every weekend. There were a lot of people there. It was around 2000, 2001, 2002. I mean, it was the high point of the scene for me," Sinclair said.
"And then it went quiet for a while. I didn't hear much until the Boom Boom Room reopened...I'd say between 2005 and 2012."
The techno music movement is booming after the pandemic.
According to Gomez and Sinclair, the show will continue to shake up due to the venue closures. The Covid-19 pandemic didn't help either. But after the restrictions were lifted, the movement began to grow again.
Some of the city's DJs and producers were featured, including Hawtin's protégé Justin James.
"Rich gave me some opportunities to record music and I started another label called Minis," James said. "One of my first songs was really good."
James has a part-time job: he is a physical education teacher at an elementary school. Out of School Windsor is one of the hottest techno DJs on the Detroit scene.
I am happy with the idea and this music is for the underground. It may not be for everyone. - Justin James
"The show comes and goes. But somehow it still lives, because the most beautiful is underground.
James is known for a series of "Unknown" events in which he finds a location that remains a mystery to the public until the day of the event. The venues are mostly warehouses and clubs in the city.
For the past three years, he has added a new event to the series, Camp Unknown, a three-day music festival each August at Kingsville's Kiwanis Park.
"The music is trying to keep going all night, whether it's outdoors or we have an indoor space where you can stay a little longer without fearing the noise," James said.
Some events in Windsor are not so secret.
Popular venues like Fog Lounge and breweries like Craftheads are starting to partner with local DJs and promoters to host techno events.
It's a scene Madeleine Mazak knows a lot about. He is a bartender at the Fog Lounge and a radio host at CJM, the University of Windsor radio station under the name DJ Odessa.
"There are a lot of places in the city where you can do something like this. I'd say over the last year I've seen a lot of people promoting these events and doing monthly residencies," Mazak said.
Create a sense of community
Another way this music creates a sense of community is through initiatives like Signal Exchange.
Cameron Doig is one of the organizers of this rally group, which has been running since 2017 and allows anyone with a battery-powered car to join a jam session.
"We just met and talked about the equipment. We sometimes have big events," Doig explained.
For Doug and others, it's an opportunity to promote the community and attract new fans to a genre that has evolved over time.
"I've heard for years that we are more talented than the people who support us."
While there's a lot going on in the techno scene, James says it's unlikely to go mainstream, and that's fine with him.
"I'm happy with the idea and this music is for the underground and underground. It may not be for everyone."
