The entertainment name that appears most often on the Canada Winter Games schedule is DJ Ant. The Prince George scratcher has been laying down the backbeat to the Games for about as long as the event has been on the horizon and he finally gets to stand in the full glare of the Games spotlight.
Every night, DJ Ant will be involved in some groove capacity. He is the melody master at some of the private athletes' events but most nights he'll be leading the sonic charge at Games Plaza during the festival. Whenever a live headliner isn't playing the soundtrack of Canada, DJ Ant will be covering those spaces.
"I've been with these guys for a long time," he said. "I was the DJ for the Two Years Out event, the One Year Out, 100 Days Out, I got to travel with them for the torch relay events and now it's really showtime. The profile has been huge and I'm so excited. I'm looking forward to it."
He is personally looking forward to some particular dates on the schedule - the nights when urban music cornerstones like Classified, Skratch Bastid, Delhi 2 Dublin and Tribe Called Red bring their heavy beats to the Games stage. DJ Ant will be giving the crowds at Games Plaza some previews of these artists on the nights prior to their arrival, so the anticipation builds for these all-Canadian stars.
"The biggest challenge for myself is ensuring we have the proper music for the kind of excitement we want to build down at the plaza," he said. "The show is free every night, people of all ages will be coming out to see these diverse and amazing music acts right here in our own city, so what I do has to be family friendly, yet absolutely pumping and inspiring. Programming is the biggest thing."
This is hardly DJ Ant's first dance rodeo. He was the host of popular events like the Halloween CarnEVIL at CN Centre, he has pumped up the Prince George Cougars crowd in between plays, and as soon as the Games are done he has to get himself ready for the annual Shamrock Shaker at the Hart Community Centre.
His everyday name is Anthony Jamais and he moved from Vancouver to Prince George to start Pure Sound And Entertainment.
When DJ Ant isn't the captain of the beats on the Canada Games Plaza bridge, he will be backed up by DJ Siren, a transplanted Ottawa entertainer who now calls Prince George home. There are layers of sound to keep the audience in full effect.
DJ Ant also recommends coming out to the Canada Winter Games medal ceremonies and music festival each night in your own layers. "Wear some warm clothes. Dress for the weather. You want to enjoy the festivities, they are once in a lifetime. You don't want to miss this entertainment, you want to be comfortable, especially if you're with a family. I'll help you dance around a little bit, give you some beats, make sure everyone is involved and having fun with people from all over Canada and some from other countries too."
There are at least two live music acts each night at the plaza, no admission charge, and it all ends at 9 p.m. in a fireworks show.
