Project Description

Interview With

SHANTAN WANTAN ITCHIBAN 

For WYD? WEDNESDAYS

Interviewer: Jemma Bird

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WYD? Wednesdays

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Newtown’s beloved Marlborough Hotel (Marly Bar) is changing the mid-week party game with the announce of WYD? Wednesdays at Marly – a series of immersive Wednesday night parties, taking over the multi-level venue and featuring the best in local Sydney talent.
 
Kicking off on March 7 with electronic powerhouse Luke Million, WYD? Wednesdays at Marly will continue through March and April, welcoming headline slots from the likes of triple j’s Linda Marigliano, hip hop favourites Thundamentals (DJ set), as well as the highly sought after DJ / TV host FlexMami and local legend Shantan Wantan Ichiban. Taking place across Marly’s ground floor and underground nightclub Tokyo Sing Song, WYD? Wednesdays at Marly aims to please the hard-working students shaping our future, who sometimes need a mid-week party to revitalise and energise their uni week.

Speaking on the lineup and launch, Marly’s General Manager Amanda Verratti says, “The Marly has always been supportive of the local, young community and of home-grown talent. We’re really excited to be working with these artists and to be able to offer up a brand new night with such a strong line-up”. Check out our chat with headliner Shantan Wantan Ichiban below! 

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You’re a DJ and radio presenter. Tell me a little bit about how you got into both of those 

All of it came through volunteering at FBi before triple j and all the parties. I was the host of their hip hop show for many years, and started getting DJ gigs off the back of that without actually knowing how to DJ. So through a process of publicly sucking, I am finally pretty decent at beat-matching, and my radio game ain’t so bad either.
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What’s been your most memorable moment on radio? 

Skepta’s freestyle was up there. And the fact that he performed the lyrics for his hit track “Man” before it was release was kinda epic. I talked to Lil Jon and he was super funny. There were interviews I have done with artists that I grew up listening to like Jean Grae, Murs and Dead Prez which I had all these deep nerdy questions for. And early freestyle sessions with artists like Spit Syndicate and Sky’High when they were just up and coming also up there.
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What’s been your favourite set/show you’ve ever played? 

Lost Paradise. For the last couple of years I have been closing the second night of the festival and it has been a chance to go deeper into the wide variety of club music I play. I am able to bring it all together Grime to Bassline to Jersey to Afro-Trap to Brazilian vibes to a crowd that are super responsive as we get deep in the doof.
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What’s been your favourite set/show by another DJ you’ve ever seen? 

Hmmm.. that is a hard one. Often it is the context that makes the set amazing. Being in Bogota, Colombia in a sweaty, crowded club back in 2012 with El Freaky was mad inspiring. Also Diplo during the Baltimore Club era in a very packed Brighton Up Bar was next level. So many great nights out. It is hard to pick one.
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You’re playing WYD Wednesday’s in Newtown later this month on the 28th. A free mid-week party held at Marly’s. Are you excited to be playing this?


Outside of the weekend Wednesday is that party night in Sydney. There is quite a bit going on if you know where to look. And Marly Bar is one of those places where you can go and have a way bigger night than expected midweek. So yes. Looking forward to it. 
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What can we expect from your set? Will it differ much from what you play on Triple J?

It will be a lot of cross over with what I play on my show on triple j. A lot of party hip hop, maybe some Caribbean heaters and a bit of body roll rnb. I just usually vibe off the crowd. 
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How do you go about putting a set together for a show – Is it all pre-planned? Or do you see how the vibe of the night is going and play it by year?

For a DJ show? It depends on the night. For festival shows, tour shows and genre specific nights – i will plan a playlist designed for that event, so that I have the optimal sequence of tunes ready to go to destroy that party. I play cross genre. I don’t just play at the one BPM all night. And try to piece a variety of different rhythms and sounds, so it helps to have a plan, but you also have to be ready to throw it out the window and vibe off the crowd.

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Lastly, just for fun – what was your first or most embarrassing email address?


I used to be into Jackie Chan films so my first email was [email protected] and then [email protected]

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WYD? Wednesdays

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Get in touch with WYD? Wednesday’s Here

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Follow SHANTAN WANTAN ICHIBAN HERE
Soundcloud |  Facebook  |  Instagram

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AMNPLIFY – JB