Matt Suttner DJ Biography - Written by Paul Holden
Starting as a precocious DJ-for-kids, Matt Suttner has rapidly grown into one of Johannesburgs main house spinners.
Matt began DJing at the age of 13, providing the soundtrack for house parties in Pretoria. Quickly frustrated by the limitations involved (and the lack of ladies and booze), Matt moved to secure himself residencies at a number of Pretorias key dance venues. At the age of 17, he secured his first residency, spinning deep and soulful house at Café Brazil.
After establishing a considerable reputation, Matt joined forces with Mac Leshabane to form Coffee and Cream, the DJ team that spearheaded a Friday residency at Cool Runnings under the name Deep Tech Funk. But Coffee and Cream were not just a great way to start the morning: they were soon in demand to play at a number of Pretoria's major clubs.
Being the jet-setter he is, Matt decided to relocate to the UK in 2003. The drab days of washing dishes were enlivened by killer evenings, where Matt worked as a resident DJ at Tongue in Groove in Brixton, and Bar Risa and the Green Cellar in Southampton. Coffee and Cream also thrived in the land of tea-and-two-sugars, performing at the Ega Bar in Balham until Matts return to SA in 2004.
Returning to Pretoria in 2004, Matt was quickly in demand. National freelance gigs followed Matt around like dogs trailing sandwich ham, while residencies at Aqua in Rivonia and Foundry Fly Lounge in Pretoria helped Matt to refine his sound and perfect his now-formidable array of technical skills.
Pretoria, however, was much too small to accommodate the larger-than-life presence of Matt. In 2005, he made the big move to Johannesburg. It was a prescient decision. Major gigs countrywide soon followed. Matt regularly played at Johannesburgs legendary 115, and made a number of guest appearances at parties and clubs such as Deluxe, Opium, Barboia (Cape Town), Natural Groove, Groove Bar (Johannesburg), The Suite, Pop Art, Essential Mix (Grahamstown Festival) and Imbizo (East London).
During his ever-growing career, Matt has shared the stage with a wide array of key South African and international acts, going toe-to-toe with the likes of Tom Neville (UK, Ministry of Sound), Seamus Haji (US, Ministry of Sound), Shaun Duvet, Phat Jack, Vinnie Da Vinci, Christos, Ryan Dent, Roger Goode, Jody K, Monde, DJ Cleo, Lady Lea, King of Town and Peter Abrahams.
He has also been booked to front a number of gigs hosted on behalf of premier South African brands. These have included Smirnoff, Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort, Castle, Rothmans, Peter Stuyvesant, and Miller.
Most recently, Matt has been the key organizer and headline DJ for the Electro Kitten parties hosted at 115 in downtown Jozi. Attracting a loyal following, and breaking fresh ground in spinning cutting-edge electro house, Matt was also able to rope in the support of key SA DJs such as Lady Lea, Jody K, Matt Blitz, Shaun Duvet, Craig De Souza, Fabio, G-Force and Kid Fonque.
Matts reach extends beyond the solipsistic confines of the dance floor community. Since December 2005, he has become a well-known radio DJ. A weekly residency on the The 5th Element Show on 5FM, combined with regular appearances on DJ Freshs 5FM Drive-Time, has broadened Matts appeal, if not the contents of his wallet. Cape Town Radio, too, has been graced by Matts killer spinning, with regular guest spots on the Nightwatchmen, broadcasted on Good Hope FM.
Matt is not only unique in his selection of cutting edge electro house, and his charismatic presence behind the decks: he is also that rare breed of DJ that cuts across South Africas boundaries of race and class. Spinning an accessible cross-section of tracks that speaks to everybodys heart, rather than their location under the Group Areas Act, Matt has begun to develop a reputation that spans South Africas club and township cultures.
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