By Chris Brook
Perched on the main stage above hundreds of perspiring club-goers at The Roxy Saturday night, Russian-born and Canadian-bred violinist Eugene Draw hoisted a black electric violin — extension cord in tow — to his shoulder; he lifted the bow and proceeded to let it crash onto the instrument’s strings.
A committed musician, well versed in arts ranging from ballet to piano, Draw, who goes by the stage name “Dr. Draw,” said he began his “crazy journey” with the violin just over a decade ago upon moving with his family from Moscow, Russia to Ontario, Canada.
Draw’s childhood was that of a traditional Russian upbringing, he said. His mother worked heavily in theater while his father remained fully immersed in studies of writing, psychology and philosophy. In 1985, Draw’s father, “a true humanitarian figure,” established the former Soviet Union’s first AIDS clinic.
At 11 years old, after moving to Canada two years prior, Draw not only took private violin lessons, but also enrolled in the Royal Conservatory of Music in downtown Toronto. By age 13, Draw grew weary of prescribing to the school’s structural study and in hopes of attaining new audiences, opted to “busk,” or play to solicit money on street corners.
“One of the first things [busking] teaches you is how to perform, it teaches you to keep you on your toes — two hours of busking equals six to seven hours of practice just because of the intensity of it all,” Draw said.
The violinist said most of the time he didn’t perform just for the money, but to “boost him up.” Any acknowledgments and comments he’d receive from passerbys would only motivate him further to practice and pursue his musicianship as a career.
In addition to music, Draw also incorporates break dancing into his street performances.
“Pop-locking was one of the better ways to get attention,” Draw said. “I remember some days when I’d just stop traffic.”
Today, with his increased popularity, Draw is looking to steer away from his “pop-and-lock” routine.
“I’ve grown really intense over the years, and I realize that as I grow more intense musically, I’m losing my break dancing expertise,” he said.
When asked what it is about classical music that makes it such an impassioned and ingrained force in his life, Draw said it’s “music that’s so carefully crafted, that doesn’t just bring out emotion, but brings out ideas and thoughts from the people who listen to it.”
As much as Draw has come to appreciate the formal route of classical music, he still takes time to revisit his club roots during his 12 minute performance. During his performance, which began at midnight, Draw pivoted back and forth with the music as he furiously attacked his violin’s strings. The blonde-coifed musician’s set included bits and pieces of his 2003 disc, “The City,” and a rendition of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nat-ion Army.”
Following Draw’s set, Boston’s finest — dressed to the nines in suits and designer dresses — threw their hands up in a loud raucous of applause as scraps of colored confetti rained from the club’s rafters.
Draw gave an assertive nod, thanked the crowd and exited stage right, visibly confident of the night’s performance — and all of the work he had done to get there.
