On Tour With DJ Rashad

In our new regular feature, we ask artists and musicians, whose work entails traveling the world, about some of the favorite places they’ve discovered. 

Rashad Harden, aka DJ Rashad, first began DJing at the age of 12 in his native city of Chicago, also emerging as a footwork dancer in the early ’90s during the city’s ghetto house and juke era. While the terms ‘footwork’ and ‘juke’ are closely related and regularly confused, the former’s seemingly broken syncopation not only distinguishes it, but also makes for more rhythmic choices for the footworkers to dance to. Since then, Rashad been one of the leading producers of the footwork scene ever since Mike Paradinas‘ Planet Mu label exposed it to the rest of the world in 2010. His new Rollin EP, released on March 18th via Hyperdub Records, is more evidence of that stature. He starts his next tour today in Edinburgh, followed by a release party on Friday at London’s Fabric nightclub. (As you will see, London is one of his favorite cities in the world, which may or may not have something to do with how it was one of the first places outside of Chicago to wholeheartedly embrace footwork.) He hits Berlin’s Festaal Kreuzberg on March 22nd.

Favorite restaurant:
Nando’s – Liverpool Street in London
It’s a popular tourist spot. It has a name recognition like the USA’s McDonalds, (no comparison in the menus). I get the chicken, marinated in Peri-Peri sauce; although it is different from ‘down home’ cooking, it is quite tasty and it is chicken like I have never had it before.

Favorite shop:
Nike Town – London
I frequent the Nike Town in Chicago, so I wanted to see how the one in London compared. It’s competitive to ours and the backdrop celebrates competition and achievements in sports all over the world. Pretty amazing!

Favorite venue:
Corsica Studios – London
It was on my to do list in London, of course, because of my music. The location is awesome between the two railway arches and the sound system is a phenomenon in itself. Its atmosphere inspires creativity and it is energizing.

Favorite tourist attraction:
Stonehenge – Wiltshire, England
I had read about the legendary Stonehenge, so I was thrilled when Tim and Barry, Spinn and I got the opportunity to film a video there. It was cryptic; how did they carry the stones without any real tools? It was so amazing, so peaceful and surrounded by mystery. I felt a real connection there and I will never forget it.~

Catch DJ Rashad at one of the following dates:
07/03 Thursday UK Edinburgh @ Sneaky Pete’s
08/03 Friday UK London @ Fabric
09/03 Saturday France Paris @ Social Club
14/03 Thursday Spain Barcelona @ Razzmatazz
15/03 Friday Norway Oslo @ Dattera til Hagen
16/03 Saturday Switzerland Zurich @ Longstreet Bar [House Of Mixed Emotions]
20/03 Wednesday UK Bristol @ Bank
21/03 Thursday Austria Vienna @ Titanic
22/03 Friday Germany Berlin @ Festsaal Kreuzberg
23/03 Saturday Switzerland, Leysin @ Worldwide Festival

Published March 06, 2013.