Scratching the Surface

U.K. hard-trance DJ Scott Bond was initiated into his craft in 1989 at one of the rowdiest clubs in England, the Hummingbird. If the playlist didn’t meet the crowd’s fancy, glass bottles were thrown straight at the DJ’s head. Talk about being tossed straight into the lion’s den. You either rocked the crowd, or you left with a concussion. Fortunately, Bond was a fast learner, and the reputation he gained from his sets secured him one-offs at clubs throughout England, in addition to the C.R.E.A.M. events, some of the premier parties of U.K. dance culture. In 1994, Bond met Simon Raine, and the pair began promoting one-off events together under the name “Gatecrasher.” Bond served as co-promoter and resident DJ, and Gatecrasher was a runaway success. It quickly evolved into a regular club and a record label, Gatecrasher Recordings, that remains one of the key imprints of electronic-dance music. When not holding down his residency at Gatecrasher alongside the likes of Paul Oakenfold and Boy George, Bond travels the globe, playing clubs in nearly every major city from Rio to NYC. He’ll crash the gates at the Church this Saturday, August 28.