When James Bull puts on his DJ headphones, the whole world seems to become a better place. He and his good friend Lorcan Hopper, also known as DJ Power, have been working hard to prepare for their debut at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, performing at The Heart Beat Club.
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03-21, 2025The Heart Beat Club is a nightclub run and participated in by adults with learning disabilities and their friends. James, or more widely known as DJ Bucking Bull, used to sneak out of his bedroom window to go clubbing as a teenager. Now, he is in control of the dance floor atmosphere, although he admits it may take some time to grasp the mood of the dancers.
James says that due to his epilepsy, strobe lights prevent him from going to nightclubs. This experience is not uncommon for people with disabilities. Nightclubs, for them, sometimes involuntarily become places to avoid. Gaelle Mellis, creative director of Tutti Arts, mentioned that many people with mobility impairments have been turned away by nightclub security under the guise of being "drunk." Tutti Arts is dedicated to supporting performers with disabilities.
It is these experiences and attitudes that led to the creation of The Heart Beat Club. "They wanted to open a club, but run it their own way," Ms. Mellis said. Due to the high demand for DJs, each performance is limited to 10 songs. This is a challenge for Lorcan, as his playlist includes 150 songs, including some "bangers" from electronic dance music, house music, and dubstep.
But DJ Power doesn't mind, as long as he can get on stage and perform. "Every time I talk about music, it comes from the heart, from the love of music and the desire to make new friends," he said. Ms. Mellis said that similar performances in the past have been very popular, which has brought more attention to DJs including James and Lorcan. "Some DJs have already started to be booked for other events and parties, which is fantastic," she said. Tickets for The Heart Beat Club's only performance at the University of South Australia's MOD are already selling fast. "If you want to come to a real nightclub, come to us," Lorcan said. "It feels like we are the world, we are the sound, we have the love for music."
