When DJs Joni T and La Dooda began performing under the banner Case of the Mondays, they didn't realize this was the start of a great buddyship and musical collaboration.
"The night is called Case of the Mondays and we're called Case of the Mondays, so it can be kind of confusing, but it's also double the good," Joni T says.
"We didn't know each other. I was hired to do the night, it was a small budget, and I met Dooda through a mutual friend. The night took off, we became best friends and instead of playing separately, we like playing together. And Dooda has a solid production background."
A raw, old-school house music night, Case of the Mondays is a weekly residency at Garfinkel's that took off when they started it three years ago, so much so that the pair ended up in the studio creating original music.
The result was their first single "Cut the Shit," released last September with Australian label Unknown Records.
Their next single "Glow" was released on Thursday, Feb. 9 and can be found on Spotify, iTunes and Beatport.
The release party will be at the next Case of the Monday's night at Garf's on Feb. 13.
"I think it's a really good way to start off 2017," Joni T says.
"The label has been really supportive, helping us to push the music out here."
A bonus in getting support from an Australian label is that it can provide exposure Down Under.
Says La Dooda: "It has gotten our name out there and we've gotten a lot of good feedback from some big artists. We had already been pushing ourselves here in Whistler and this is like double exposure. We're not big yet but it feels like we're on a good track."
When Vancouverite Joni T and Aussie La Dooda (from Wollongong) met at Maxx Fish, they were DJs performing Case of the Mondays as many would — separate sets and no collaboration.
"Two months after we started, there were lines down the street," Joni T says.
"I think that is because we were the first house night in Whistler for a long time. Dooda and I moved to Whistler in the same year and we found we played the same style of house music. It was a cool party and something fresh."
La Dooda pipes in: "It was just different (to what was already here), that is why it worked so well."
Support for their work is all around them, Joni T says.
"We had an opportunity with Gibbons (Hospitality, owner of Garf's); they want to push us as artists, not just make a night busy," he says.
"They had us team up with Blueprint (promoters) to be their go-to openers with any major acts that come to Whistler. They promised to buy a brand new sound system (Whistler's first permanent PK Sound System, at Garf's). The club's two general managers (Paul Stoker and Brendan King)... pitched it as an opportunity to grow as artists, and be part of a family, and to make the club night busy.
"So now we're doing both. PK is going to blow the roof off. They've got a massive reputation for being at the major music festivals. It will be shocking to have a sound system that is 2017, compared to, say, 1990."
The system isn't in yet, but they expect it to be operational by the end of February.
"With house music, you really need the fidelity to capture the highs and lows. It is going to be so cool," Joni T says.
"And they built us a new stage and light rig, exclusive to our Monday night."
Case of the Mondays has taken Joni T and La Dooda to Canadian festivals, Central American pool parties and many clubs and private events.
They have performed with Pendulum, Thomas Jack, Peking Duk, Motez, Cassian, Carmada, Dom Dolla, Go Freek, Sharam Jey, Justin Martin, Small Town DJs, Mat the Alien, SkiiTour, SNBRN, Peking Duk, Neon Steve, and Stanton Warriors
The DJs describe their sound as "Deep tone and ghetto by nature." They are joined on their night by the Monday Mafia, a group of supporting DJs, with whom they share their success.
"We try and get them exposure through opening up for us," Joni T says.
