Founder and Lead DJ at all events
Graham, the Lead DJ for Shambles MOBiLE DJs, was born in the coastal city of Durban, South Africa. Durban is a vibrant city with a sub-tropical climate and in this beautiful city Graham was brought up attending local schools.
At the age of 21, he set up his first Mobile DJ business, and he played for parties and college dances in his area. Eventually, he ran another DJ business which focused on weddings and special events. His skills were honed on 7 inch singles (45s) in the 70s, using the Meteor Clubman (One-One) mixer, and a Crown DC 3300A amplifier. He added a mirror ball and pin-spot lights. The mirror ball hung from the ceiling, scattering the pin-light into narrow beams which moved and created a magical effect.
In the 80s, Graham ran Sounds Magic Disco, another mobile DJ operation, This time using a Pioneer triple-deck cassette-tape setup, using Chrome-Dioxide cassettes. He also used a stereo mixer, EQ, with a pair of Crown amplifiers and 15 and 18 inch speakers. Graham played at weddings (50 in 1988 for example), parties and New Years Eve celebrations.
He had to evolve with the times, and now in Canada, in the 90s, he used a CD based system with a 5-disc CD carousel and 3-way Reflex speakers. As the technology changed, around 2006, Graham started using a Windows XP laptop with an 80GB external hard drive. At the time, VirtualDJ DJ software was entering the market. It allowed Automix which was very useful. For example, the software ran itself for the one hour dinner period playing a pre-selected playlist of appropriate dinner-time music.
Using the Hercules DJ Console MK2 provided jog wheels, faders and EQ knobs. The Pioneer DJM 3000 allowed control. Mackie SRM450s were used to project clear sound.
Graham retired from the DJ business in 2009 and worked in Business Advising and Live Operations i.e. Live Remote Control of VR Stream for big shows streaming in VR (i.e. Foo Fighters and BLACKPINK) and is returning to his first passion, music, in 2026. He is more motivated than ever.
It has taken some work to learn the new technology and more than anything, the new music. Because most weddings these days are attended in the majority by young people, learning the new music, and playing up to 70% of tracks that are from the year 2000 to 2026 at an event is most effective. Graham plays RETRO music about 30% of the time at a wedding, or other celebration. If an event is for older folks, the RETRO music component would be a higher % of the show.
The new music spans from 2000 to 2026, and Graham knows it very well after months of careful curation, play-back, and practice mixing and looping. Please refer to the Equipment section of this site (accessed easily from the front page) for current equipment used. There are many combinations of equipment, which could include a three-zone wedding, where music is played at the Place of Worship or Vow Location, Cocktail area and the Wedding Reception room. Shambles can easily manage music in three areas of a wedding.
Call Graham at 604-845-5713 from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday to Saturday to discuss your celebration and vision for the event.
From West Coast Roots to Music Mastery
Heidi R is the creative powerhouse of the operation keeping the dance-floor moving at Shambles MOBiLE DJs. As an Assistant DJ, she seamlessly relieves Lead DJ Graham during events, ensuring the music never stops.
Heidi is the prime curator behind the scenes, meticulously organizing background music, high energy dance-sets and flawlessly crafting setlists tailored to each crowd.
Born in Vancouver, BC, and raised in Delta, Heidi’s deep connection to music started early. Born to German Immigrant parents, she grew up with a rich appreciation for Canadian talent, finding inspiration in iconic voices like Anne Murray.
That early love for melody blossomed into a diverse and passionate appreciation for music across genres. Her personal playlist features a mix of legendary artists, including:
Jon Bon Jovi, Prince and Collective Soul
Dolly Parton & Anne Murray
She is a huge fan of the TV shows American Idol and The Voice.
Heidi is Shambles MOBiLE DJs resident 80s music specialist and Master-Mixer. She set up the Hits of the 80s set, blending nostalgia with high energy!
Beyond her excellent track selection, Heidi brings technical precision to every performance, creating fast-paced Quick Mixes. By focusing on harmonic mixing, she ensures smooth key changes!
