Delano Smith @ Subculture, 16 Jan

Born in Chicago, but raised in Detroit, Delano Smith is one of the few remaining member's of the Motor City’s first wave of house music DJs.

Originally a protégé of Ken Collier, a DJ often cited as being Detroit’s answer to New York’s Larry Levan by the likes of Juan Atkins and Derrick May; Smith describes his mentor’s Heaven residency in the 70s as his overriding inspiration.

Earning his first residency in ’81, it was the birth of Chicago house music two years later that saw the beginning of a long-standing musical love affair. However, despite witnessing the origins of Detroit’s own scene, he bowed out in the late ‘80s, only returning to DJing well into the next decade.

Since then he’s gone on to establish the ‘Beatdownsounds’ DJ/production collective alongside Mike Clark and Norm Talley, developed a respectable solo career and set up the Mixmode imprint; very impressive considering Smith's almost complete retirement from music.