Grilled Meat and Music: The Dirtybird BBQ Serves Up a Successful Event

I love a good barbeque; what makes one especially unique is great company, an excess of smoked meats, quality beers and equally great music. And Dirtybird BBQ was bang on with these delicious aspects.

As I entered Sherbourne Common in downtown Toronto, I could already hear the bass clouting from a distance. Inquisitive passers-by were asking the security guards what all the ruckus was, and when told it's "the Dirtybird BBQ" the bystanders brushed it off, having little clue what they were missing out on.

We're all familiar with the Dirtybird record label and the all-star producers behind it, but how did this BBQ event come to be? I had to chance to talk to the grill master, Chris Wilson, aka Grillson, who told me more about their history.

"We used to hang out at this bar called The Lion's Pub, where Justin Martin and Christian Martin were bartending. One day they decided to get some speakers and I asked them 'what the hell are you guys doing?' They told me about having a party in the park," he explained. "Then I was like 'fuck that sounds sick, I'm bringing stuff to barbeque.'"

Grillson recalls a total of about 10 people that showed up to the first BBQ in San Francisco, but it caught on quick. Really quick. So much so, the boys decided to host this event four times a year. "It got bigger and bigger and bigger, then we finally got kicked out of the park," he recounts. "So we moved into a club and even that became bigger over time. Claude VonStroke came in and legitimized everything by forming the label, and here we are."

Back in San Francisco, the BBQ originally served up carne asada tacos with salsa and guests were encouraged to bring coolers filled with meat and booze. But as logistics became more challenging, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and sliced watermelon became the staple menu. For the crew involved with the event, Grillson gave everyone a taste of Claude VonStroke's favourite: fillet mignon steak sandwiches with caramelized onions and lettuce on ciabatta bread. I can wholly confirm that the sandwich was well worth the wait. The onions were bathed in beer and BBQ sauce while on the grill, which made the steak pretty damn addictive. And I don't even like beef.

"I learned that food makes people happy and they're very thankful when you feed them. It's humbling to be blessed with this opportunity to feed others and it's really fun to see them smile," Grillson commented.

I was surprised to learn that Grillson isn't actually a certified chef, but rather a filmmaker who had worked for Al Jazeera. He didn't like what was happening in the world, so now he focuses on making surf movies. Quite the change of pace, wouldn't you say? "Back in the day I was doing rap music videos with E40, Too Short and other artists from the Bay Area," he also revealed.

One of his recent video clips that garnered traction last year was the How Weird Street Fair that J.Phlip posted on her Facebook page. It had been an interesting experience for Grillson because he's normally behind the lens for the BBQ events, and now he's being filmed. "The funniest thing is when girls come by the BBQ and they shake their booty! They call it 'Grillson's Big Booty Buns!' [laughs]."

DIRTYBIRD - HOW WEIRD STREET FAIR 2013 from OB415 on Vimeo.

At the core of the whole Dirtybird crew is a family. I found that out when I checked out Justin and Claude's set at TV Lounge during Movement festival, they were all about having fun together, doing random back-to-back sets, cracking jokes and generally enjoying each other's company. I noticed the exact same behaviour with the rest of the troop that day at the BBQ.

"The Martin brothers and I were friends before the label even started, then Jessica (J.Phlip) worked her way in," Claude explained. "We keep it tight, but it's a lucky situation because Justin is an amazing fucking producer and I had some great records, so between us we were able to start something big and if either of us were half-assed producers this wouldn't have really taken off."

Although each member of the record label has a distinct sound, they share common ground in being able to identify what sounds are congruent with Dirtybird and what aren't. "We weed out everyone who doesn't fit in, even if they're a huge star. We've broken Riva Starr, Julio Bashmore and others into the scene. Last year we had a SecondCity record and six months later they were number one in the UK. A good example of someone who might become part of our family and integral part of our label is Ardalan."

Just as you'd like to maintain a chill circle of friends, who when together, feel considerably similar to a family; Claude treats his label roster in the same way. "Ardalan is working hard, making tracks with Justin, he's funny and fits into our little silly group, [laughs] so I feel he will be one of the next Dirtybird guys. It's closed off but it's really happy in the circle, though from the outside it seems a little intimidating to get in," he added.

Personality and music production are common characteristics throughout the Dirtybird label. It's clear that Claude doesn't care about a DJ's so-called status, when artists are looking to get in. "You don't really want to hang out with a douche," he says.

With it now being a ticketed event, Claude's biggest concern with the tour was that he wouldn't be able to achieve the same vibe that they created in San Francisco. "It's not the same if you have to pay and wear wristbands, but when it's free you can bring your dog and hula hoops. I think the friendly vibe is there despite all that, which I'm really happy about."

The Toronto leg of the tour was a success and I nearly fell asleep at the after-party from the itis, but the Dirtybird crew made me feel like part of the family that day and it's evident how the label has built such a strong following. It's more about them showcasing what makes them stand out and caring less about impressing people who potentially aren't on their wavelength of music. If you missed out, Dirtybird is definitely planning to bring it back. In the meantime feel free to follow the adventures of Grillson on his Instagram page.

Grilled meats and beer make Ani very happy, and so does following him on Twitter and Instagram @AniHajderaj.

More from the Dirtybird family:
Kill Frenzy Cooked Up a Delicious Preview Mix for Dirtybird BBQ NYC
Crate Expectations: Justin Martin
Claude Vonstroke's Parents are Absolutely Adorable