We had the good fortune of connecting with Anton Bassett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anton, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
Ideally, I’d like to play music all over the globe. I feel like that’s the ultimate DJs dream. To be able to travel the world and visit new places, and share my love of music with others.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m definitely proud of my ability to read the room, and pick up on the mood of the audience whenever I play. Every night is a different crowd, that probably wants to hear different music. One night people could want a lot of hip-hop, the next they could want nothing but EDM. It’s super important to be able to look out into a sea of people, and figure out if they are vibing with what I’m playing, or if I need to switch things up a bit. Some DJs struggle with putting aside their pride, and the whole night they will only play the music they like. If you’re playing a festival set, then OK yeah, you can play whatever you want. But in the clubs, especially if you travel to different cities, and play different venues, you need to be able to adapt and think quickly on the fly.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have a pretty repetitive ritual when I’m showing people around Cleveland. If it’s a Saturday night and I have some friends coming into town to see me play, or if I’m kicking it with an out of town DJ, everything always starts with some good food and some cocktails to get the night started. I love hitting up either Lago for Italian, or Sora for Asian fusion. Then bounce around the east bank flats and check out some of the clubs. Goodnight John Boy for disco, FWD for a concert level edm experience, The Farm for country, Ivy or Inferno for an open format vibe. There’s a spot in Cleveland for just about any music lover

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely my mom. I was in the school band as a trumpet player for years, and I wanted to quit, but my mom encouraged me to stick with it. When I decided to switch to djing, she was nothing but supportive and told me to chase my dreams.

Website: Daremusic.co

Instagram: DareTheDJ

Twitter: DareTheDJ

Image Credits
Wil Lindsey, “VividCle” Orville Mceachron Photography

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