For The Record...

By Jia Sharma

In the vast spaces of Wellington’s music scene, few club nights have stood the test of time like Atomic and 24 Hour Party People. Behind them is a man who’s passion for music has shaped decades of nightlife in Wellington, although he’s quick to downplay his prominent role in the scene. “I never really think of myself as a big player,” he says. “I just pack up, go home, and come back a month later to do it all again.” However, that monthly ritual only gets more and more important each month, bringing together people who want to dance to the likes of The Smiths, The Stone Roses, and Blondie, music that is seldom played in the overwhelming DnB scene. These club nights have cultivated a lasting community, from new faces to regulars who have been showing up for twenty years. 

Walking into an Atomic feels like walking into a reality where post-punk and new wave music never faded into obscurity with the changing times. From Bowie to Eurythmics to Iggy Pop, it is completely unlike mainstream club nights. The setlist isn’t about the latest chart toppers, it’s about timeless and beloved tracks that still hold strong decades later. The dance floor is filled with a diverse range of listeners, some who know every word to every song and may have even witnessed its release, to people experiencing their first exposure to these artists. 

DJ BILL-E is more than just the man behind the decks on these monthly nights, he’s a cornerstone of Wellington’s alternative club scene. Over many years he has built Atomic and 24 Hour Party People into a community and institution. Without him, it’s likely that these beloved sounds and tracks would be secluded to private playlists and underground circles, rather than on one of the city’s most popular dance floors. BILL-E plays what he loves, and has created a space for others to fall in love with it too. This consistency is rare. In an industry where venues and artists come and go, trends change and fizzle out, he’s kept things going for many generations of club goers. 

DJ BILL-E’s journey began in Christchurch in the early 1990’s, after a three year stint in London. It was sharing a flat with the New Zealand DJ legend, Greg Churchill, that finally pushed him to create music himself. His music passions contrasted the prominent hip hop, house, and techno scene, and while he enjoyed those sounds, his true calling was indie music. 

The first Manchester themed night was a hit, featuring The Stone Roses and other staples of the genre. When BILL-E moved to Wellington in 1993 to study at Victoria University, he kept DJing, experimenting with different sounds until settling into one that truly resonated with him. 

That sound took shape with Atomic, which started at the now closed Bodega on Willis Street. The night quickly gained popularity and success, bouncing around different Wellington venues before settling at Indigo, the club that is now San Fran. “I always wanted to play the songs I knew and loved but never heard out,” he says. “Back then, if you went out, it was either house music or cover bands playing the Gypsy Kings.”

Atomic stuck to its niche, highlighting songs from 1975 to 1985. Then, 24 Hour Party People came along in 2003, expanding the playlist to more modern artists like Nirvana. These two nights alternate monthly, and on New Year's Eve he mashes them together in Hang the DJ, an annual tradition running for nearly two decades. 

One of the defining features of Atomic and 24 Hour Party People is the dedication to physical media. However, this choice is not fueled by pretension or snobbery. “It just fits with the music,” he says. “All the post-punk records were coming out on vinyl back in the day, so it makes sense to play them that way.” Using a mix of vinyl and CDs, DJ BILL-E stays true to the roots of the music he plays. However, he described this commitment being mostly a product of stubbornness. “I could rock up with a laptop, but I like physical media. I like books, too. I grew up with it, so I just kept going.” 

BILL-E is also not opposed to requests. Due to the high number he gets, he may not get around to it, but is always happy to take what the crowd wants into account. He described how he used to get passed little notes with songs scribbled down on them, “A lot of people never had pen and paper, so I've had a bunch of things scribbled with crayon and all sorts of lipstick and on till receipts….all sorts of stuff in the old days.” Now, people just hold up their phones with their requests displayed and that works just as good. He’s also more than happy to have a chat about it and have people just come up to talk to him. 

Those who frequent Atomic and 24 Hour Party People know that these nights are not just about nostalgia. It’s about discovering and celebrating music that isn’t easy to find and accessible anywhere else in nightlife. While the venue is always frequented by longtime regulars, DJ BILL-E has excitedly noticed the presence of younger crowds who appreciate the music and sing along just as much. “There’s no gatekeeping,” he says. “If you’re into the music, you’re welcome. And seeing 18, 19, 20-year-olds getting into it is amazing.”

Despite his modesty, these nights mean a lot to the people who attend them, who maybe don’t feel as at home anywhere else in the scene. There’s a strong community that has been built. Whenever I turn up, I always see the same familiar faces. He’s even heard stories of couples who met at Atomic, got married, and now have kids.

“I love it,” he says. “It’s why I’m still doing it. The day I stop enjoying it is the day I stop. But for now, I still get a kick out of it.”

While he always gets requests for other parties and opportunities outside of San Fran, DJ BILL-E can only be seen at these two nights, and doesn’t do DJ work outside of this. He keeps a separation between his work as a DJ on weekends and weekdays working in the public service. 

If you have not yet attended one of these nights, all I can do is urge you to go. Even if you aren’t familiar with the music played, I can guarantee that you will leave San Fran with at least a couple new songs you can add to your playlist. There is an upcoming Atomic on the 12th of April and a 24 Hour Party People on the 17th of May. If anything, it will be a warm refresh from hearing Low by Flo Rida at every single club you walk into on a Saturday night.