by Sarah Allan
We don’t usually post on Sundays, as Sunday is a day reserved for sleeping in, long brunches, laundry and at my house, football, but last night something happened that I feel must be shared, because if I wasn’t there to see it for myself I might not believe it actually happened. Gregor Robertson, Vancouver’s 39th Mayor who was just recently re-elected for a second term, DJ’d an almost hour long set at the Bilmore Cabaret for the third anniversary of their ever-popular Saturday night dance party, Glory Days alongside DJ’s Rico Uno and Sincerely Hana. That’s right, the Mayor of Vancouver did a DJ set…and it was actually awesome!
The vibe was good as Gregor warmed up at the tables while the opening band, the Gay Nineties, warmed up the crowd. His set started with what was essentially a 10 minute photo-op as people crowded around with cameras and camera phones to prove to all their friends that yes, this was actually happening. Apparently the Mayor and I share a taste in music as his set covered everything from James Brown’s ‘Sex Machine’ to Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Hypnotize’, with some Damien Marley, Snoop Dogg and 2Pac thrown in, an homage to Prince (who played in Vancouver the night before) as well as some more dancey jams and even some Bob Marley. People were hyped, dancing and being generally supportive despite some pretty rough song transitions and even a train wreck or two.
The Mayor was pretty much a kid in a DJ booth, grinning ear to ear the entire time, head bobbing, sticking out his tongue with concentration, and he even did a little ‘karate chop’ as a ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ remix dropped. It was all very endearing. But it really wasn’t about the music, it was about the fact that a politician went beyond the traditional political platform and went to where the young people are. For Vancouver, also known as ‘No Fun City’ due to its strict rules around alcohol, live music and general partying, having a Mayor come out on a Saturday night and join the party was refreshing and reaffirmed why so many of us voted him back in. While the rest of the country is complaining about youth engagement and low voter turn outs, Gregor went to the party, rocked it, and made himself relevant to a whole new segment of his constituency, and for that I respect him. Oh and did I mention he’s totally handsome and had all the girls swooning?
Overheard last night —> “In a city as beautiful as Vancouver, it’s only fitting that the Mayor be this good looking…”
Here’s a link to his set list, in case you’re curious:
