A-Trak @ Smartbar

Alain Macklovitch, known professionally as A-Trak, is a Canadian DJ, record producer, and record executive. He came to prominence in the late 2000s as an international club DJ and remix artist, known for incorporating highly technical turntable skills and scratching into his genre-spanning work. He is also president of the record label Fool's Gold, which was founded in 2007, and is credited for developing the careers of artists such as Kid Cudi, Danny Brown, and Flosstradamus. Among other collaborative projects, he is part of the DJ duo Duck Sauce with Armand Van Helden and was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for their song "Barbra Streisand".

The Chicago house community has brought greater attention to all the city’'s great djs, including the genre busting DJ Heather. Widely regarded as one of the premier selectors in the nation, this Chicagoan demonstrates her skills and sharp deck acumen for the masses throughout the Windy City and the world at large with verve and undeniable talent. Her interest in music was sparked early on by her parents’ eclectic music collection. A full spectrum of jazz, blues, rock, soul and folk was part of the Robinson household. With a foundation set, she began to discover her own tastes ranging from the Jackson 5, Chic, Blondie and Kiss. The British New Wave, Ska, Punk the burgeoning Hip Hop and Industrial movements further sparked her enthusiasm for music. “ "I felt as if I was on a mission of discovery. Vintage Vinyl and Big Daddy’s in Evanston became my haunts. I loved finding new bands and sounds such as Depeche Mode, The Specials, Black Flag, Treacherous Three and Ministry making them my own. I would then share them with friends by making tapes. “Medusa’s presented a true club experience to underage kids. I think the teens of Chi-town felt that they weren’t really missing out on what the adults were doing. That was undoubtedly our own world. If we were lucky enough to sneak into clubs like La Ray’s, Warehouse and The Music box that made our dance music experiences all the more meaningful”." Primarily known in the Chicago dance community as a “hip hop” dj, she began a shift in the material she played. “It was never a intentional choice to spin house music instead of hip hop. The demand simply seemed to intensify after each gig. Over time she moved on to specialize in house and maintains a soulful head-bobbing approach. Heather'’s track selection sends a nod of respect to the forbearers of Chicago’s signature sound. “Many things influence me, more than one sound” She fuses disco, classic house and techno. She drops tracks by producers who understand the forward curve of the electronic music scene. Commanding the crowd’s attention and keeping their feet moving. Soon her presence within the Windy City scene began to solidify and her reputation nationally began to grow. “Getting a chance to play outside Chicago definitely has been a combination of luck and timing. Friends, acquaintances and follow djs have looked out by suggesting me for gigs. Promoters, thankfully, trusted their opinions.” That kind of luck would play a big part in her first gig in Europe. By chance a tape was passed on to a promoter and lead to a trip to Paris. In 1998 she was asked by San Francisco transplant and fellow Chicagoan Mark Farina to support his Mushroom Jazz 2 cd tour. Truly the ultimate compliment.” She would later join him on the road in support of the third and fourth installments of the Mushroom Jazz series. As well as the house release San Francisco Sessions for Om Records in 1999. The cd also featured “Something Else” her first of three collaborations with 2nd Shift (JT Donaldson and Tim Shumaker) originally available on Seasons Recordings. A year later Heather released her own officially licensed mix “Tangerine” for the Chicago based Afterhours label. "“With my debut compilation I hoped to simply illustrate that I could program and mix. I think I achieved that”." With stand out reviews she hit the road on her own. That same year she returned to Chicago club staple Smartbar to begin her second residency at the venue. 2002 marked her inaugural trip to South Africa. That year Heather also began her relationship with the London club Fabric. Named after her favorite soy yogurt, Blackcherry Recordings, made its debut with the buzz worthy single “Picture of You” featuring Heather along with D.C.’s own Eastcoast Boogiemen. “ 2005 also marked Heather’s installment to the much heralded Fabric CD series, for the club of the same name. With 15 years of experienced behind her Dj Heather has grown to become one of the Windy City’s main Dj exports. She is an artist who defies conformity, defines quality and continues to nurture her solid skills for soul music of the technological generation.