AVA MIX 016: Shampain

Cóilí Collins aka Shampain is bringing Irish culture to the world. He boasts an impressive resume as a DJ, label-boss, documentarian and more recently… barber?

His DJing saw him make his long-awaited debut on Boiler Room and is a long-standing resident of Rinse France. He co-founded the G-Town label alongside fellow Galway local Kettama, exporting the unique sounds of the West-coast to the wider electronic scene.

Last year he collaborated with TG4 to head-up an eight-part Irish language documentary series exploring some of the island’s most important sub-cultures including drag, queer punk and hip-hop as well as the work of Give Us The Night.

Shampain makes his AVA debut this year on Titanic Slipways on Friday 31st May 2024 as part of our 10th birthday celebrations.

TRACKLIST

ELLLL – Polarbergs
De Grandi – Bravo Taïg Khris
Lawrence Lee & Mohajer – Incantation
Architectural – Love Drums Massage
Ladrin – Civic in Nature
Atrice – Broke
Rhyw – Wolf Town
Ladrin – I Want To Be A DJ
British Murder Boys – All The Saints Have Been Hung
Surgeon – Box
Patrik Skoog – Big Muff
TSVI – Vitamina H
J Sparrow – Hold & Pull
Surgeon – Rotunda
DJ Something – Your Sovereign Tears
Temuda – Da Papps (Mix 2)
ENNIO – Gurung Panang
Ladrin – Dia De Los Muertos
Small Crab – Snake Bite
De Grandi – I Can Relate
Regal86 – Whistle Cholo
Peder Mannerfelt – Vankelmotor
Hassan Abou Alam – Ma3rafsh
Oyubi – Tony’s Siren
Ladrin – Kyteler
ELLLL – Febreeze (Sunrise Edit)
Róisín Berkeley – The Rock On The Clyde

What was your approach to this AVA Mix?

I recorded this in a house I’m staying at in Naarm while I’m touring in Australia. The set up was kinda tricky as it was a CDJ 850 with a CDJ 900 and some type of Behringer mixer that I’ve never seen before so that leant the style of the mix to be a bit different to what I’d usually play. Nonetheless I’m really happy with it and when it comes to approach I guess I just wanted to play stuff that represents my style that’s going to still make people think and push the boundaries a bit as to what you can and can’t play as an electronic music DJ. 

How are you feeling about your upcoming performance with us at AVA 2024?

I’m really looking forward to it, it’s probably the only festival in Ireland that I haven’t played yet and it’s also been ages since I’ve played in Belfast. I think it’s going to be really fun and I’m also really excited to be playing ahead of Bitter Babe who is a legend! AVA stands out because it’s always kept a healthy measure of cool music, current music and local music so to be somewhere along those lines at home is always a nice feeling. 

How do you think a show in Belfast compares to a show in Galway?

Belfast shows are pretty crazy which I’m sure is a surprise to no one. No offence but nothing compares to Galway shows, mostly at this point because I personally know the majority of the crowd. But in Belfast it really is great because I feel like people really appreciate a good party and the crowd goes very bananas. Funnily enough me and my friends went to Belfast 3 or 4 times when I was 18 for these mental gigs in Mandela Hall. We used to get the train up from Dublin, head out, stay out ALL night and then get the train home at like 6 in the morning or so. I’ve been the other side of the stage in Belfast almost as many times as I’ve played and it’s always been really memorable. 

You’ve recently opened your own barber shop, how did that come about?

I had been living in London for a year and I didn’t really enjoy it too much if I’m quite honest. The opportunity came up while I was home for Boiler Room in October; Evan Fahy and myself hatched a plan and we decided to go for it.`I’m so happy to be home, working with my best friend and working on something long term all while playing these gigs. I’m very lucky. 

Where did the name Shampain come from?

I had a really really stupid alias when I started that actually made it as far as a set on Rinse France back in the day. When stuff started to get a bit serious I had to change it and decided on Shampain since Sham is a word that’s pretty synonymous with Galway slang. I don’t think that’s particularly obvious and people think it’s ‘Champagne’ too when they just hear it out loud which probably seems pretty stupid. I like Shampain I think having a stage name is kinda fun. 

What were some of your earliest musical influences?

Public Enemy, The Prodigy, Thin Lizzy, Massive Attack, Ed Banger, Chemical Brothers, The Go! Team.

What’s your ultimate opening or closing track?

Come see 4 yourself at AVA Festival 2024 😉

If you could work or collaborate with any artist living or dead, who would it be?

There is only one answer and it is Olan Monk. Given that I don’t produce it’d be pretty difficult but I’m working on it so eventually we can make the ultimate Inverin musical masterpiece. 

Anything else you’d like to shout about?

There’s a genocide happening in Palestine and the countries and people who have the power to do something about it refuse to even acknowledge the war crimes, murder and barbarism of the Israeli regime. It’s a disgusting world we live in to be honest that we can sit by every day, go about the comfort of our lives while women, children and babies are bombed, starved and shot at while they try to secure a morsel of flour because they’re starving. You’d think our collective governments on this island would have the cop on given our history to impose sanctions, use our historical perspective as an occupied country to speak up for those who have no voice in the international community, but instead they are more or less idly standing by and not doing anything to challenge those propping up Israel throughout this genocidal campaign. It makes me sick and I really, really hope the situation changes. If anyone reads this, do get out and protest, donate, boycott and have difficult conversations. If the powers that be won’t do anything we as people have to. As usual!