Carissa Gem has been morphing our West Coast underground Electronic Dance Music scene for years. In fact, my first ever rave was one of Carissa’s events, Bushwacked Festival, in the beautiful Okanagan Valley way back in 2012. Since then, Carissa continues to pack dancefloors with her Bass driven sets which are guaranteed to be gangsta’ as hell. Just last year alone she played at over five festivals and swept our West Coast scene blessing world-renown fests such as Bass Coast, Wicked Woods, and Shambhala Music Festival.
FMF: So Carissa Gem, you’ve been morphing our West Coast underground scene for years. Tell us how it all began.
It’s hilarious to think that the first-ever “rave” I attended was an event I created for my 16th birthday; with the help of Arun Chaosphere (now a PK Sound tech). Completely oblivious to what a rave even was, I thought it would be fun to have a bush party with DJs. I didn’t even know you were supposed to charge people for events like this. So we threw together a free bush party with about 10 DJs from around the Okanagan and called it Bushwacked. The people I met that night were a major catalyst for my involvement in the industry and my love for Electronic music.
You’ve come along way from throwing bush raves to playing world-renown festivals. What was your most memorable set this year?
Bass Coast last year (2019) was hands down the most emotionally charged set I have ever played. Bass Coast has been a huge part of my evolution as an artist and event curator since I first attended in 2011. The family reunion of all festivals and a dream come true to play at the Radio Stage. Reflecting back on the way I felt at the end of that set even makes me want to cry tears of happiness today!
Though you’re originally from B.C. you have made Calgary home and have surely been making waves in their industry. How can you describe your transition from the B.C. scene to the AB scene?
The Calgary community welcomed me with open arms. The people here are so warm, supportive, and loving. It wasn’t difficult to make new friends; especially with the help of Summer, Kata and Emily (my roomies who made the move from B.C. with me). The thing I missed most when I made the transition was outdoor parties. In Alberta, there are really only club events. My heart feels most at home on a dance floor made of dirt with the stars and the open sky looking down on me.
I’ve always been a fan of your sets and have been attending them since 2012. Your vibe has definitely progressed with the times. How have your roots influenced your sound today?
As you know, my taste in music has drastically shifted over the years. When I first started playing music in 2010, I played Fidget and Electro House. Bass Coast 2011 had the most significant influence on my taste today. I remember wandering over to Slay Bay with a friend and EPROM was playing. I had never heard anything like that before. I have always loved super weird sounding music, so it’s no surprise that EPROM caught my attention. Before that, some of the most influential sets in my early days were at Shambhala 2009: Benga at The Village, Jack Beats and AC Slater at Fractal Forest.
You’ve pulled inspiration from local artists to top headliners. Who would you say your biggest inspirations are?
The Librarian, Handsome Tiger, Ivy Lab, Barisone, Deft, OAKK. I’m sure I could go on…
You’ve found your space alongside some of the biggest names in Bass music within our community, tell us more about Sub Chakra.
Sub Chakra has been curating events since 2011 in Calgary. Since joining the crew in 2014 we have learned so much together and grown as a collective. Blaine (Metafloor), Jonny (Syntax), Joe (Method Sound), and yours truly are the brains behind the beast. We deliver high-quality community events for people to experience sound system culture; mainly rooted in roots music, the low-end left-field spectrum of Electronic Music. We put a lot of time and consideration into every aspect of each show; from music, curation to harm reduction. Sub Chakra does an amazing job of bringing people together in an environment that is safe, non-judgemental, and engaging to the senses.
Among other accomplishments such as getting signed to Triple A Talent, you are also the host of the radio show “What Will The Neighbours Think” on CJSW. What’s the process of hosting a radio show like?
CJSW is a community-driven radio station. It’s all volunteer-based, so none of the programmers are paid. “What Will The Neighbours Think” allows me to feature guest DJs and producers on the show and give them a new platform to share their music. I typically play the show myself once a month (although more now given the current state of the world). With the radio show being music-focused, I tend to let the magic happen in the booth. When I plan the show too much in advance it ends up sounding robotic and disingenuine. If you’re a Canadian producer, I would love to feature your music on the show; you can send productions to [email protected]
Who are your dream artists to have on the show?
I have had so many of my dream artists on the show already, but if I had to choose a few: EPROM, Mad Zach, Commodo, Synkro, J:Kenzo, DJ Madd, and Michael Red.
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