It’s been 10 years coming.. Galway DJ and event promoter, Mitch Mac Donald aka Mitch Presents’ passion for house music and disco has lit up Galway's nightlife for the past ten years, and now it’s time to celebrate this momentous milestone. Check out what he has got planned right here..
Known for his energy, quality and ability to read the room, Mitch has become a hallmark for electrifying parties and unforgettable performances. Over the years he has taken his expertise from Galway to an international level, and landed himself at renowned venues and festivals, where he has shared stages with a diverse array of artists.
In time for his birthday celebrations, we caught up with the one and only Mitch Presents, to see how he was feeling about turning another year older. Sitting in the bright upper level of a warm and cosy city centre café, while nursing a coffee to stave away the chill, Mitch cheerfully gives his thoughts on the matter; “I’m absolutely over the moon.” He continues. “It’s exhilarating, it’s fun. I think it is the only thing that I have done for ten years consistently,” he laughs.
Looking back at its beginnings, Mitch explains that Mitch Presents was born out of a great passion for DJing and an irregular work schedule that no longer satisfied his desire to gig as often as possible. “I remember I was sitting in one of my friends houses thinking ‘I’m just going to do it myself and see how I get on’, and now ten years laters…it’s worked.”
Where there’s a will there’s a way, and after a successful first gig in Kelly’s, Mitch Presents landed at the doorstep of The Blue Note determined to keep that buzz going. “Mal was so nice.” Mitch tells us; “he said, ‘we’ll try anything and anyone once and if it doesn’t work then we just won’t do it again’ but they worked, and they worked, and they worked, and [as the years went on] I was able to bring a lot of acts down to play in The Blue Note.” In a similar vein, Mitch showed up at Electric (before it closed ..and reopened again) to speak with James who gave him a now familiar promise; “he said ‘we’ll do one, and if it goes well we’ll keep doing them” and now all these years later, it’s the Electric who are hosting Mitch Presents’ 10th Birthday Bash. If anything, the years have just proved that if you give Mitch a chance, he’ll come back and deliver gigs and performers that seamlessly exceed all expectations every time.
While the years have had their ups and downs, for Mitch Presents the people he has met, gigged with, and given a platform to, has made it all worthwhile. As a member of Galway’s vibrant DJ/producer collective, Yawlag Collective, Mitch aims to champion up and coming artists, and foster a space in Galway’s music scene for creativity, rhythm and infectious beats. So far, Mitch Presents has presented and been a part of the success stories of; Mix & Fairbanks, Long Island Sound, Boots & Kats, DJ DEECE, The Disconauts, DeMoze, Byron B Yeats, Burlie Mac, Bas Roos, Eddie Kay, Young Pulse, The Reflex, CC:DISCO!, Javi Frias, Colin Perkins, YAM WHO?, Jagerrosse, Laurence Guy, Natasha Kitty Katt, Soul Out, The Funk District and many many others.
To celebrate Mitch Presents ten year milestone, Mitch Presents is bringing Austin Ato and Moodena to The Garden at Electric Nightclub for an unmissable double header on Friday 29th November and Friday 6th December respectively. Tickets for both are available here.
Known for genre-defying sets and seamless blend of house and disco, Austin Ato has lit up clubs and festivals worldwide. The party on November 29th is going to have a big energy to it, Mitch tells us that all event goers can expect infectious grooves and high-energy tracks that’ll keep you moving all night. “The way he plays is very much energy based so if the room is having it [good vibes] he will lift it up. Similar to myself, that is where I really identify with him, and what drew me to him.” On December 6th, Mitch Presents will finally get his chance to play alongside Moodena. As a leading figure in the disco-house movement, Moodena is celebrated for his funky, uplifting sets and masterful productions that exude pure feel-good vibes. “He knows what to do, and just lays it down, and everyone always has a great time.” Both nights will kick off with none other than Mitch Presents himself from 11pm-midnight, followed by the headliner of the night, and some B2B to round off the night. Whether you can go on the first night or second night (we recommend going on both) rest assured that the Mitch Presents 10th birthday celebrations are going to be legendary.
Coinciding with 10 years of Mitch Presents, Mitch and his brother Killian have joined forces to bring you their latest passion project ‘Brothers in Arms’. This new collaboration combines Killian's 20 years of DJing and event experience with Mitch's 12 years, to show their passion for house music and disco in new forms and landscapes. Thanks to the help of Up in the Eire, they were able to record two unique videos capturing their live mixes in remote Connemara with exceptional results. To see one of these videos hit the play button below and then give them a follow @brothers_in_arms_galway, to see what venue they are playing next.
In 2025, Mitch Presents is going to go international once more. “2025 for Mitch presents will be one big huge act per month for the year. There’s loads of dates booked in the likes of Germany and Spain, so next year, the forecast is to just travel and DJ abroad and do every festival I can.” Mitch adds; “I just released my debut single [The High Road] in September so the plan is to release a new EP in the new year before summer. So there really is a lot already planned in 2025.”
With all this and more on the horizon for Mitch Presents, we’re certain that the next ten years will feature a new set of highlights and milestone moments for Mitch. If you want to be a part of his story be sure to tune in to all that Mitch Presents has planned for 2025 and beyond, by following him on Instagram @mitchpresents and keep an eye out for upcoming events, releases and other exciting projects.
All photos courtesy of Mitch Presents
Published on Updated on
