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Local DJ to take stage at Fernie Stoke Fest

Jenn Johnson - aka Jenn Frost - confirmed as closing act at Fernie Stoke Fest on April 9
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Jenn Johnson - aka Jenn Frost - will perform at Fernie Stoke Fest on April 6. File photo

Since she discovered electronic music in the early 2000s, Jenn Johnson has been hooked.

The now-established DJ has been playing shows for years and has seen the popularity of electronic music take off in the small mountain town she now calls home.

A 20,000-person rave in a Toronto airport hanger is what refined Johnson’s taste in music, pulling her away from her go-to bands Nirvana and Rage Against The Machine.

“When I went to my first rave I thought this is it; I finally found it,” she said.

From that point on, she attended every rave she could. From Stratford to Toronto, Guelph, London, or Kitchener, each town had their own style of music and their own unique raves.

“You could get so many different styles of electronic music in such a small area,” said Johnson.

“But I never thought I was going to be a DJ, I just loved to dance. That’s all it was,” she said.

After she moved to Fernie in 2002, Johnson met a partner who travelled with her to London, England, during the off seasons.

Known as one of the best cities for electronic music, London took Johnson’s love for the genre to the next level.

Twelve years ago, back in Fernie, Johnson decided that she wanted to play the songs that she loved to dance to. It was then that she decided to become a DJ.

After two years spent practicing, she played her first show and never looked back.

Around the same time, Johnson was working with bars around town to help bring in new and exciting music to Fernie.

She also served as head organizer of the Mogul Smoker for many years, a local festival that kicks off the winter season.

Back in the day, Johnson would help bring in new artists to play at Mogul Smoker but it has since become so popular that there is no room for outside artists.

The lineup is completely filled with local talent.

“There’s a really high capita of DJs in Fernie, it’s crazy,” she said.

“It’s super cool. It’s what I like about this town.”

Many of the artists that Johnson brought in always commented on how great Fernie was to play in.

Johnson believes it’s because in Fernie, people just want to have fun. They don’t judge; it’s a very positive vibe.

“They’re out for the right reasons, they’re out to have a good time, raise their vibrations and just have a good time,” she said.

Johnson will be performing at Fernie Stoke Fest this year for the first time, under her stage name Jenn Frost; and she can’t wait.

Frost will be concluding the night of fun and is scheduled to start her set at 1 a.m.

Stoke Fest kicks off at 8 p.m. on April 6. Visit Ferniestokefest.com for more info.



Phil McLachlan

About the Author: Phil McLachlan

Phil McLachlan is the editor at the Penticton Western News. He served as the reporter, and eventually editor of The Free Press newspaper in Fernie.
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