Meet the DJ who has transitioned from a metalhead mosher to a hot name on the dance club scene - and is now bringing Ibiza vibes to the seaside town of Tenby on sunny Saturday afternoons.

Steve known as the ‘Mammoth DJ’ has been a professional DJ for over 30 years now having worked with the liks of Goldie, Grooverider and many others on the clubbing circuit.

He has a considerable background in the music scene, having run a rock and heavy metal festival in Brighton for 12 years called Mammothfest - hence the name the ‘Mammoth DJ’.

“I am known as ‘Mammoth Steve’ in the metal industry, where I worked with the likes of Megadeth, Venom and over 500 bands in my career, touring across Europe, India and Russia etc,” explained Steve.

Now his eclectic music tastes have taken him to Tenby where his ‘DJ Days at Tenby Rocks’ afternoon sessions on a Saturday, from 12 noon to 6pm, at The Imperial Hotel’s outdoor terrace which kicked-off just before the summer holidays, have proved popular amongst locals and visitors alike.

“This is what really matters to me, people having a great time,” continued Steve.

“There are many people that love the Ibiza classics music but are unable to or do not want to go clubbing until 3 in the morning - but still want to reminisce those fabulous experiences from younger days and recreate a really happy place for people to come together.

“That is my goal, to take people on that wonderful journey and forget about the stresses of life for a while.”

Dj Mammoth Tenby
“This is part of the reason why I believe the ‘Tenby Rocks’ events are proving so successful so quickly, the town is crying out for day events that enable people to let their hair down after a hard weeks work and still get plenty of rest at night,” said Steve. (Imperial Hotel)

Steve said, as an older DJ at the age of 46, he can truly understand why many people want to attend day events, rather than evening pubs, venues or nightclubs where people get in way after midnight.

“This is part of the reason why I believe the ‘Tenby Rocks’ events are proving so successful so quickly, the town is crying out for day events that enable people to let their hair down after a hard weeks work and still get plenty of rest at night,” continued Steve, who is also a resident DJ at Narberth’s Eagle Inn; and performed at the town’s annual Carnival on the weekend.

“We highly recommend people arrive early to secure a table as it gets packed very quickly and its clear when people join us they are not leaving until the music ends.

“It’s a fabulous experience for all. Tenby rocks will be every Saturday religiously from now on, 12 to 6pm and even indoors through the winter with obvious volume adjustments, so it’s appropriate for all.”

The daytime sessions did cause a bit of a stir at the start of July, with a few complaints about the volume sparking action from county councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, who raised the issue of noise pollution with officers from Pembrokeshire County Council.

Mammoth DJ
Steve said, as an older DJ at the age of 46, he can truly understand why many people want to attend day events, rather than evening pubs, venues or nightclubs where people get in way after midnight. (Mammoth DJ)

Since then, PCC officers met with the establishment and proposed installing a noise limiter, which they agreed to do.

“Our intentions were never to upset anyone but to give Tenby a fun place to go on a Saturday afternoon,” commented Steve.

“Reading all the positive comments on social media though, it is clear our event is supported which means the world to us all.

“The hotel has gone through some changes, they spent a lot of money investing in the place, and they are igniting energy and passion back into an old building and bringing fun back to Tenby.”

A spokesperson for the Imperial Hotel, which was acquired by Crest Hotels Group last year, said: “Since opening the newly refurbished Imperial Hotel, we’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response from both our guests and the wider public.

“Our aim was to bring something vibrant and different to Tenby, and we’re grateful for the warm support we've received from the local community.

“As a responsible business, we’re committed to listening and responding to feedback, and we want to ensure we strike the right balance for all stakeholders. We are also mindful of the environment we operate in and are taking proactive steps to ensure our events enhance the town’s atmosphere without causing disruption.

“We welcome constructive dialogue and are taking steps to address concerns raised. At our core, we are a hotel for Tenby, and the local community remains incredibly important to us,” they added.