It is finally time for musicians and all others who refer to DJs as non-musicians to stop saying this, thanks to Pablo Bendersky This Chilean DJ is also a classically trained pianist. His years of experience as a classical pianist (including performing concerts and piano competitions) can finally lay to rest the attitude that implies a DJ does not possess the ability or temperament needed to master a more traditional musical path. In the same way that those who loved jazz didn’t understand the Beatles but the younger generation appreciated them; modern electronic music is making a large impact. A DJ used to be someone spinning records at backyard parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs, or local clubs. Now they are packing stadiums and huge festivals. Pablo knows because he recently did this, performing at Los Angeles’s Greek Theater. This large and historic concert venue has seen virtually all of the musical greats, across all genres of the past eighty-six years, performing on its stage. In many ways a DJ calls upon skills that are part musician and part stand-up comedian. They need the musical ability to create and perform, in addition to reading the temperament of the crowd…all while alone on stage. Pablo recalls his recent experience at The Greek stating that his, “set at the LA Greek Theater back in April was awesome. I was live DJing and playing keys at the same time. The venue was so magical. I was playing while the sun was setting behind the audience.”
Pablo recently shared the stage with Beto Cuevas, lead singer of the world renowned, multi-Grammy award-winning Chilean rock band La Ley. With more than twenty-five years in music, ten albums, numerous awards (including two Latin Grammys, two MTV awards for “Best Latin Rock Band”, and a World Grammy as “Best Alternative Rock Band”), & multiple tours, Beto and his band are considered to be one of the most successful Latin rock bands of all time. Beto confirms his appreciation of Pablo’s musicality noting, “He’s a highly skilled musician and a great live performer. He showed the utmost professionalism during the show and the audience was very receptive to that.” Another of Bendr’s highly notable fans and co-workers is Grammy award winner Robert Margouleff. Margouleff is known widely for his work as a recording engineer, synthesist, and co-producer on Stevie Wonder’s legendary recordings including; Fullfillingness’ First Finale, Talking Book, Music of My Mind, and Innervisions. Having produced scores of major acts, Robert understands the talent and hard work necessary to succeed in the US music industry. Margouleff refers to Pablo as, “a stalwart member of the music community here in Los Angeles. He is intelligent, sensitive, talented, and a productive professional in our industry.”
To truly understand how Bendr cultivated this creativity infused with drive and a solid work ethic, you must refer back to his early years. His early passion for piano was always with him. He excelled at performances and competitions, yet he felt the attraction of Dance Music early on. It wasn’t long before he was trying to convince his friends to attend raves with him in the emerging electronic music scene in Santiago, Chile. The love of these two musical forms never seemed to be a weakness to Pablo, though he recognized the benefits of each. Bendr explains the difference, “Classical piano is much more demanding on a technical level. It requires years of practice and a ton of skill to perform solidly. Whether it is a Beethoven Sonata, a Chopin Impromptu, or even something more contemporary like Debussy or Rachmaninoff…it takes months to learn a piece and play it properly. In contrast, DJing requires a different skill which is versatility. You have to be able to read every audience and figure out what type of music gets them on their feet…as well as what song. Many times you have a certain playlist prepared but by the time you are on your third song, you realize that no one is really vibing to your music. You have to be quick and correct yourself before it’s too late. It is really amazing how different each audience and venue can be; you have to be ready to improvise. Classical music is exactly the opposite; you never improvise your performance. The notes and melody have remained intact for 200 years.”
Though the venue location and size, as well as the attendees may vary, Bendr always approaches his gigs with a goal of creating a fun and entertaining tone. Making Los Angeles his home town has resulted in great success and many opportunities. Pablo performs at LA hotspots Bardot (known for their world class performers like Bruno Mars), Exchange LA (sharing the night with bands like UK’s Clean Bandit), and Club Hola in Studio City. An overly crowded nightclub has a different attitude and energy than a large theater but it requires a DJ to create the proper entertainment setting. “A huge theater like the Greek is not the place where you can just blast loud House music at the audience. Audiences at those types of gigs don’t typically dance, although they actually did when I played there. You’ll talk in between songs to keep connected with them. At clubs, people go to dance and detach from their daily life. You need to keep things moving quick and constantly changing to hold the crowd. It’s intense and unpredictable. I like not knowing what will happen and constantly trying to anticipate the desires and emotions of the crowd.” Pablo explains.
Most people think DJs lead the traditional rockstar life of staying up all night and sleeping most of the day; party and repeat. Bendr is true to his nature and constantly pursuing future endeavors with his day job as a music producer. In Pablo’s estimation, music producer and DJ are two sides of the same coin for those who wish to work and persevere in today’s music industry. He has recently seen his music placed in heavy rotation in Chile alongside artists like Drake and Justin Bieber. The topic amuses Pablo as it relates to the rockstar comparison once again. Half smirking/half serious he states, “I’ve never been a singer or even been a member of a rock band but I think being a DJ is more difficult in some aspects. You always prepare a tentative playlist but you never know if you are going to play those exact songs and in what order. You always decide as things are happening and find where you meet the audience. A more ‘traditional artist’ would usually have a setlist of songs prepared in advance. Sometimes they even have what they will say to the audience written down so they don’t have to think about it while performing. I can’t think of anything more in contrast with the way I have to perform as a DJ.” It seems that the title “Newest Rockstars” is extremely accurate, with emphasis on “New.”
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