DJ puts heat in beats

David Stoneman aka DJ Dance Beats Photo: Damjan Janevski

Altona’s David Stoneman aka DJ Dance Beats is unlike anyone you’ve ever heard.

Stoneman was in and out of the Royal Children’s Hospital until age 18.

He has a VP (ventriculoperitoneal) shunt in his head to drain fluid and rods in his back for scoliosis, and is on the autism spectrum.

The former volunteer at Steamrail Victoria said he was on a train when he heard a DJ and that prompted him to learn the craft and start doing gigs as Party Music DJ Hire.

His first gig was at a CFA event, raising money for the Good Friday Appeal “to give something back”.

He also DJ’d in front of hundreds of punters at the Newport Community Hub for Victorian Youth Week.

While Stoneman uses a USB and CDs instead of vinyl, he said there was one older track guaranteed to fill the dance floor –

Nutbush City Limits by Ike and Tina Turner.

“That is definitely one, and then there’s We No Speak Americano,” he said.

“You’ve gotta be the one who’s putting the entertainment in people.

“You’re trying to get everyone up and dancing and that’s still a hard thing to do.

“Doing DJ’ing was pretty much a second language to myself.”

Find out more via Party Music DJ Hire on Facebook.