DJ Pandemonium

The one-liner on Isaac Terpstra (aka DJ Pandemonium) is that he's the local scene's premier goth and industrial record-spinner. The longer story is that he's been a nightclub fixture since 1995, and that he's played just about every club in the city, from dearly departed venues like the Palladium and the original Celebrities to newer spots like the Lotus and, well, the new Celebrities. When someone gets around to writing a history of Vancouver's electronic-music scene, Pandemonium will figure prominently.

Current residencies
Sanctuary Fridays at the Lotus Sound Lounge
Sin City Fetish Night at Club 23 West (second and fourth Saturday of every month)

First gig
"My first public DJ gig was playing rockabilly music at Ska Sundays at the Twilight Zone circa late 1995, a night I inherited which then became Rockabilly Roundup. Two of my favourite genres have always been rockabilly and industrial–bands like the Cramps, Ministry, and Revolting Cocks."

Record that never leaves your box
The Cramps' Songs the Lord Taught Us

Favourite current local dj
"Betti Forde and R-Lex–you can't beat them for deranged, wide-ranging selections of favourites and left-field party music."

What's so great about sin city?
"The music format and demographic is blown completely wide open, and literally anything goes. You have every type of person under the sun coming out and partying with each other, people that otherwise would never show up to the same event due to differing tastes. Most club nights define themselves through a specific music genre, whereas pushing boundaries in a fun and risqué way is what Sin City is all about."

What makes Vancouver's nightlife special?
"Even though Vancouver is one of Canada's biggest cities, it also still has the best elements of a smaller city's club and band scene, where personal connections are quick to form and events can still feel like house parties."