DJ Atlas: campus quad God

Anyone walking near Dalhousie University’s quad at night last September could hear the unmistakable pulse of Calvin Harris, Rihanna and 2010s club anthems echoing through campus. Follow the beat to a crowd of first-year students — who are dancing and shouting in unison — gathered around a single bucket-hat-clad figure with a DJ deck. 

That figure is 18-year-old Atlas Justin Macy, better known on campus as DJ Atlas — a first-year engineering student who’s quickly gained celebrity status. 

“I’ve always loved EDM,” says Macy, who admires the works of Avicii, Armin van Buuren and Tiësto. Growing up in Ottawa, just a short drive from Quebec, he started exploring the electronic dance scene in high school. 

“Last year, I started going to these raves. I loved the beat and the bass and was like, ‘Hey, I’m going to try that.’”

So he did.

“I went to a music store and bought a low-level board,” he says. “I started pushing buttons until it sounded good and hooked it up to my mom’s speakers from the ‘80s.” 

From there, Macy started performing at smaller, less conventional locations, sometimes even under a bridge with nothing but a small portable speaker and some lights.

When it came time to pack for university, leaving his new hobby behind wasn’t an option. 

But finding a stage at Dalhousie wasn’t easy. 

“The first night I started in Studley common room — it got packed, and then security shut it down,” he says. “I tried the Howe lounge, but got it shut down there too. I tried a bench in the quad, but that just didn’t work.”

For quick relocations, he keeps his set-up light: a large JBL portable speaker, a turntable, a computer, headphones and a mic.

Eventually, he found his sweet spot on the Killam Library steps. The open space and central location made it the perfect venue to collect stragglers looking for a place to let loose. When needed, he’d move to the strip between the library and the Chemistry Building, maneuvering his set-up to fit the crowd. 

A simple weekend gig quickly turned into a nightly routine. With the lockout cancelling classes and students having excess free time, a quick set on a Monday night wasn’t rare. 

As his audience grew, so did his relationship with Dalhousie Security Services. 

“The head of Dal security came up to me,” Macy said. “He was like, ‘We love what you’re doing. You’re entertaining the people.’ So he let me continue doing it.” 

These days, he says it’s not uncommon to be recognized on campus by someone who’s attended one of his sets.

What started as an impromptu hobby became a fixture of first-year nightlife — a space where students could indulge in music with friends, no ID required. 

Macy, in his own way, brought the club to campus.

Of his over 20 performances, one night was particularly special. Following 21 Savage’s set at Halifax’s Magnetic World Festival, an unofficial after-party erupted on campus. 

“Everyone was looking for something to do, so they all came to the quad,” says Macy. “That was the best crowd I’ve ever seen.”

These memories, he says, are what he wants students to hold onto — the music, the shared energy and the feeling that turns an ordinary night on campus into something electric. 

Now, Macy is taking an extended intermission as his engineering courses have picked up, but he says the show’s not over.

The full-time engineering student, part-time DJ, plans to continue honing his skill at house parties throughout the year, with hopes of returning to the quad in the spring. Until then, Dal students will have to make do with memories of warm evenings, open air and a campus united by bass drops.

“When I first started, I told myself it was just a hobby,” he says. “When I have more connections, I might start doing clubs in the future. I’ll eventually learn more music theory and maybe start making my own songs, but that’s down the road. I’ve still got to get my degree.”