On Friday night, hundreds of people flocked to Cattle Point for a pop-up DJ party whose location was only revealed a few hours prior via text.
The event was the brainchild of Vancouver-based electronic producer and DJ Taelor Deitcher, who is also known by his stage name, Felix Cartal.
It’s the second pop-up outdoor DJ set the artist has staged this summer in conjunction with the release of his studio album, Into Sunsets.
“Victoria is a pretty easy trip on the ferry, so we just kind of went for it,” Deitcher said.
Deitcher and videographer Kyle S. Lee organized the event within 48 hours with rented equipment from Long and McQuade and some unloading help from Damon Langford, owner of Eclipse Events.
Heather Oliver biked up from Cook Street Village to see the show that night with a friend.
“We were both like, ‘This thing’s going to last like five minutes because Oak Bay police are going to come and break it up immediately,’ ” said Oliver, adding that she “never got away with anything” while she attended high school in Oak Bay.
There were all ages at the 8 p.m. event, she said. “He played this incredibly energetic set. More and more people kept streaming in.”
The event finished before 10 p.m. without police intervention and attendees helped pick up trash before departing, she said.
Oliver said she only spotted police cars with the lights off on Beach Drive on the way home.
“Very fun, cool experience, and I hope there are more things like this that happen,” she said.
There’s still a chance to catch Felix Cartal spinning tunes at another pop-up this summer.
He’s planning a third one but is not revealing when or where it will happen. As with the first two, you’ll just have to wait for a text.
The first pop-up party was in Vancouver earlier this month.
“I can’t stress how spontaneous this was,” Deitcher said on his blog of the event.
Videos of the Vancouver set on Third Beach were shared on TikTok. Its success inspired him to replicate the experience elsewhere in B.C., he said.
“We’re not trying to overthink it,” he said, adding that the Oak Bay Cattle Point location was chosen that day.
The pop-up sets are free to attend, in contrast to the climbing prices of big-name concerts.
Tickets for a recent Taylor Swift concert in Seattle were reselling for thousands of dollars.
“Sometimes I just feel exhausted by looking at ticket prices,” Cartal said. “We just want people that want to come and have a good time.”
Those interested in attending the next one can text “sunset” to 213-319-4725 to receive details when they pop up.
