Duke Shin

"For me, DJing is a compromise between what the crowd wants to hear, and what I want to play, and every gig is different because of that compromise." Michael Donaldson (aka Q-Burns Abstract Message) pauses for a moment to reflect on his words, exuding the sort of laidback-yet-thoughtful vibe that seems to reverberate throughout his quirky, sun-drenched take on house. On the phone from his studios in Orlando, Florida, Donaldson is at the start of a hard-charging tour schedule that stretches into March's Winter Music Conference, in support of his soon-to-be-released mix for Agave Records, "Agave Nectar Vol. 1-Q-Burns Abstract Message." It's only fitting that Q's tour makes a stop in Chicago, with contributions from hometown artists like Johnny Fiasco, Bryan Jones, Sound Republic, Dan X and the Regionalists popping up in the track listing.

But local ties aside, the heart of Q's music has always been his sunny reflection of the West Coast's house scene. "Music [in Orlando] at the time was very serious...dominated by the Sasha & Digweed sort of thing. Not that I'm knocking it at all, it just wasn't for me. I come from a punk-rock background. I sang in a punk band in high school, and always did electronic music and then got into DJing, but none of the music I was involved with was entirely that serious. And then coming to San Francisco and seeing the Wicked crew, and the Hardkiss DJs...and their DJ booths were on the floor with the dancers, rather than up high somewhere, and they were just facilitating the party. I saw that, and was like "yeah, this is it...this is what I'm all about." It's an extension of singing in that punk rock band for me. You're not the star, you're part of the party--making it happen."

So when might fans of Q's Abstract message expect a new studio album? He laughs. "Every time I try to put together the album, all these things come up. And they're all these cool things, but it does put the album back." To Q, "things" include jet-setting around to play parties, releasing tracks on his 8-TRACKS imprint and remixing everyone from Alexander East to Faith No More. "I do not like working out of my studio," laments Q. "I have a friend who was on an international flight next to BT [producer/composer/DJ Brian Transeau] who was on his laptop in Ableton making songs. I want to be able to do that!"

Q-Burns Abstract Message, Style of Eye, and James Amato at Smart Bar, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-0203, on February 2 at 10pm. $10 cover, free before 11pm.

(2007-01-30)

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