Arts / Tributes paid to DJ who regularly performed in Shetland
A DJ who is thought to have performed in Shetland around 20 times to thousands of people has died just weeks after announcing he had cancer.
Mallorca Lee performed numerous times in Shetland between 2005 and 2019.
The 51-year-old was also part of the groups Public Domain and Ultra-Sonic.
He was brought to Shetland by promoter Alan Mcleod, who quickly became friends.
“Wherever I took him in Shetland he went with it with that huge beaming smile,” Mcleod said. “Whoever spoke to him in Shetland, dance fan or not, loved him.”
Reflecting on his visits to the isles, the promoter said one of the more amusing anecdotes was having to get on a tractor in Mid Yell in the snow to try to make the ferry.
“There was another time in Yell when the ferry reversed back into Ulsta to pick us up after a gig,” he added. “He thought that was amazing!”
Mcleod continued: “Mallorca absolutely loved coming to Shetland.
“He loved the idea of setting up a nightclub on an island such as Burra or Yell and he treated it the same as that night I saw him playing to 8,000 at Braehead Arena [in Glasgow]. He loved the craic when he came to Shetland.”
The last time Mcleod and Mallorca met in person was in 2022, pictured above, when they went to see 90s shoegaze band Ride in Glasgow.
“We had a real kinship when it came to that kind of music and it was the reason he became the closest friend of any artist I ever worked with, as I wasn’t into his music at all!”
A celebration of the Scottish DJ’s life is taking place in Glasgow today (23 February) at 2pm, which can be streamed live.
An online remembrance book has also been set up where people can share their memories.
In a cruel twist of fate, Mcleod said he and Mallorca had been due to see the band Slowdive together in Glasgow tonight.
“We spoke about it just a few months ago,” he added, “so it’s just incredible and heart-breaking to think I’ll be at his funeral that day instead.”
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