- Though he's regularly written about as a "best-kept secret" of wherever he resides, Detroiters have long recognised the considerable talents of expat Derek Plaslaiko. Now based in Berlin, the Motor City native graced his hometown with a four-hour set at The Whiskey Disco on Saturday, January 10th. His appearance needed literally no introduction—the only extraneous information offered by the event's Facebook page was "Drink Specials. Fun." There wasn't even a bio.
It was all that was necessary, though, as locals happily braved the cold to welcome Plaslaiko home. The moment you stepped inside you could sense how tight-knit the crowd was, and even though Plaslaiko had just played at Interdimensional Transmissions' Life On Mars party a month prior, the place was packed. He was left to his own devices behind the booth, uninterrupted save for the occasional hello from an old acquaintance. At one point someone stopped by to hand-deliver him a stack of wax.
As Plaslaiko played, the lights were brought right down inside the intimate 150-capacity venue. He turned out a seamless and eclectic set,, incorporating everything from electro and acid to more melodic tracks. Midway through, almost as if to tell the crowd something, he dropped Donna Summers' "I Feel Love." Other highlights included Radio Slave's "The Clone Wars" and a D'Angelo joint, which Plaslaiko played to close out his set. As the final record spun, he left the booth and joined his friends and fiancé on the dance floor.
With no openers or frills to speak of, the event made it clear just how talented a DJ Plaslaiko is. While parts of the world may still be catching on, in Detroit it's a well-known fact that this man is never to be missed.