Kretsos in a spin for a worthy cause

INLSA

George Kretsos, alias Night Vision, will be one of the DJs performing for a worthy cause on Saturday night.

From the Bluff in Durban, George Kretsos is a multi-talented entertainment whizz who is passionate about Durban and its night life. He’s also packed a lot into his 24 years, including shouldering the responsibility of looking after his family.

“I started working at Models International when I was in high school,” says Kretsos.

“After school I planned to study a business degree at Varsity College, but in my first year I was travelling so much between Durban, Cape Town and Joburg that my modelling career just took over.”

In 2009, Kretsos began staging parties and events at local clubs, thanks to the influence of his father, Nick.

“My dad belonged to a Greek club, as we are of Greek descent. I used to plan events for the club and socials for the youth… things like that.

“One of my dad’s friends approached me about branching out and eventually I ended up doing events for Panama Room (now Bellagio), then moved to Willowvale Hotel, and now I do the gig at Origin on the first Friday of every month under the Ubercool banner.”

Kretsos says his DJ persona came out in the form of Night Vision, his DJ alias, mixing in the genres of drum and bass and dubstep.

“When I started doing events I wanted to get a better understanding of the dance floor and the atmosphere. I wanted to see what the crowd wants and, very basically, that’s how I got into DJing,” he says.

Kretsos has become known to many as one of the pioneers of dubstep and drum and bass on the East Coast. However, very few people know what the genres are and those who do have difficulty recognising which is which.

“Very simply, the difference between the genres is that drum and bass is faster paced at 170 beats per minute, and is all about the bass; and dubstep is slower at 140 beats per minute, and is very deep and pacey.

“I was influenced by the genre after one of my friends brought back a Pendulum CD from Europe. I liked it and began experimenting with it.”

Kretsos was fortunate enough to have been a supporting DJ for one of the world’s top DJs, Deadmau5, during his recent SA tour and has played at many of KwaZulu-Natal’s top club parties and events, including The Origin’s Blackout parties, Rock the Beach and Ramfest Durban.

While Kretsos truly loves what he does, it’s also about earning enough to support his family. Sadly, his mother died a few years ago and Kretsos supports his father and brother, Aris, who is in matric.

Kretsos’s girlfriend of two years, Heidi Bosshard, who is one half of the DJing duo known as the Bear Girls, also performs at his events.

His ambitions for the future include owning shares in a night club and opening a café.

Why?

“I cook extremely well,” he grins. “I just love cooking and my friends love coming over to my place to eat.”

Kretsos is among a stellar line-up of DJs assembling for a good cause for Saturday’s Give It Horns celebration at The Origin, in Clark Road.

Among others contributing are Spindoctor, Funky B, Funky G, Chef, Greg Watson, Nemesis, Dizruptkid, Icarus, Veranda Panda, Amigo, Dizzy K, Mark E Mark, Dakin Auret and Coco Loco.

Proceeds will go to the Tusk Trust to raise awareness about the plight of SA’s rhino.

Doors open at 8.30pm. Tickets cost R60 before 10pm and R80 after.