DJ LIFE MAG Premiere Issue 2021 by DJ LIFE MAG

The Premiere Issue 2021

Festival Spotlights c Cali’s HARD Summer c NYC’s Electric Zoo

Wedding Jocks Sound Off

ANABEL ENGLUND GETS IN THE MIX

Wreckno Nostalgix Wave Point Pioneer DJ DJM-S7 Mackie Onyx8

Highlights from Atlantic City

INTRODUCING

SOUND THAT RAISES THE BAR AND THE ROOF The PRX ONE offers the incredible power-to-size performance JBL is famous for, with long-throw coverage that extends the front-row experience all the way to the back of the room. Add a full-featured mixer, pro-grade DSP and app control, and you have everything you need to sound amazing anywhere. Learn more at jbl.com/prx-one.

NEWS

All Lit Up: JMAZ Lighting booth at DJX. MetroMix Media

DJX ’21: INDUSTRY REINVIGORATED IN ATLANTIC CITY Atlantic City, N.J. – After nearly 19 months of industry uncertainty, the DJ market returned in a big way as DJX brought jocks of all stripes back into its community. DJX, the Hazan Media Group-produced trade-show/exhibition, filled the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City this past Aug. 9-12 with mobile entertainers, club DJs, streaming jocks and home-studio hounds. After missing its 2020 incarnation due to the pandemic, the show on AC’s famed Boardwalk delivered three days of exhibits featuring some of the industry’s latest technologies, four days of seminars, workshops and keynotes, and three nights of sponsored After Dark events. With its 35th show since its 1990 inception, DJX (rebranded from DJ Expo) remains the DJ industry’s longest-running and most-successful trade show/exhibition. The Show: DJX delivered a showfloor full of pro-audio, lighting and accessory gear, plus educational seminars and evening parties that enjoyed participation from exhibitor/sponsors like Bose, Chauvet DJ, JetPack, L-Acoustics, Pioneer DJ, RCF-USA and Tribe XR. In addition to a schedule of topical seminars aimed to benefit mobile, club, streaming and studio jocks, DJX presented special keynotes from diverse industry notables like Howard “HK” Kessler, a popular syndicated-mixshow DJ who spent much of his career as A&R man for the legendary Tommy Boy Records. Loaded with entertaining and instructive stories about working with hitmaking artists like Naughty By Nature, Queen Latifah and RuPaul, “HK” left the DJX audience inspired. DJX’s always-entertaining After Dark events fired up a pair of venues inside

the Hard Rock (Plum VIP Lounge and DAER Nightclub). On Monday’s RCFsponsored “Opening Party” at Plum, four turntablists, party jock Kid Kasper and hitmaking DJ/artist Joe Bermudez rocked the intimate venue. The next night at DAER, the L-Acoustics-sponsored “Twitch Tuesday” party presented Twitch Partner DJs like Mike Marquez and Joshua Carl, plus chart-topping DJ/ artist LODATO. On Wednesday night, DAER doubled up with a pair of parties, both sponsored by L-Acoustics, which outfitted the room with a powerful club system (which included A15 Focus loudspeakers, plus KS21 and KS28 subs). With Jake Jacobsen hosting, the “No Judgement Wednesday” event presented an evening with America’s top mobile talent. Later in the evening for his annual afterparty, DJ Skribble was joined on the decks by hip-hop legend DJ Scratch who carried the night home. The Winners: On Aug. 12, Artie Branigan of Artie’s Parties in Waretown, N.J., won the Ultimate DJ Giveaway. The winning system included gear from the following sponsors: Bose (Noise Cancelling Headphones 700); Pioneer DJ (XDJXZ controller, VM-80 speakers, HDJ-X7 headphones); RCF (AYRA PRO5 monitors); and Tribe XR (Oculus Quest 2 VR headset, Tribe XR software key, Masterclass with LODATO inside Tribe XR). Additionally, daily giveaways saw winners take home products from: Bose (SoundLink Micro Bluetooth speaker); DJX (All-Access Passes to 2022 DJX, t-shirts); JetPack Bags (JetPack Snap Backpack); and Tribe XR (DJ in VR Software Key, t-shirts). “It took awhile, but we’re very gratified to see the DJ industry return in such a big way,” said Jim Tremayne, Editor

Showfloor: Mell Starr instructs a youngster. Cheyenne Chao

After Dark: DJ Kid Kasper rips it up. Cheyenne Chao

of DJ LIFE magazine and a show coorganizer. “We had faith in the market and, despite the bumps we all endured during the past year, we always believed in our community. Thankfully, its strength was put on full display at DJX. As always, we offer our great appreciation to the show’s exhibitors, sponsors, performers, panelists and attendees for their continued support. We look forward to returning to the Boardwalk next year – Aug. 8-11 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.” For more highlights from DJX, please visit Pages 8 and 24-27.

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IN THIS ISSUE

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1

24 Hours with Nostalgix

Canada’s Young House Talent Triumphed at Hard Summer Fest – And We Tagged Along

Rehearse This

By Brian Bonavoglia

Do You Attend Wedding Rehearsals? We Asked Mobile DJs Why They Do or Don’t — And What They Charge

FEATURES

By Stu Kearns

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DJX Highlights

Scenes from DJX, the Industry’s Top Trade Show & Exhibition

DEPARTMENTS

Festival Spotlight

NYC’s Electric Zoo: Supernaturals

By DJ Times Photographers

By Jim Tremayne

THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

ON THE COVER In the Mix

After Earning Big Success as One of Dance Music’s Top Vocalists, Anabel Englund Has Found a Home in the DJ Booth, Too By Lily Moayeri

14 SOUNDBITE In the Studio With…

Wave Point SOUNDBITE Wreckno New Face of Bass

8 Feedback

Praise for DJX 2021 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

32 Studio Session Mackie Onyx8

34 Playback Pioneer DJ DJM-S7

38 Mobile DJ Profile DJ Finds Purpose After Son’s Death

40 DJ Business

Wedding Toasts & Helping Photogs

42 Gear

New Products from RCRDSHP, JBL & More

48 Tracks

Phat Tracks from Slander, Miguel Migs & More

50 Club Play Chart The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

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FROM THE EDITOR JIM TREMAYNE

DJ LIFE: WELCOME TO ISSUE NO. 1

Howdy, and welcome to the premiere issue of DJ LIFE. Some of this might seem familiar to you, and some of it certainly is. The content of this new digizine is brought to you by a long-running team that has brought you similar stories on DJs, its culture and industry, for more than three decades. It’s also the same group that continues to bring you DJX, the industry’s longest-running trade show/exhibition. So, if you’re a DJ or work in a related industry… yes, we’ve met. What’s new about DJ LIFE is that, in addition to covering everything vital to the ever-evolving DJ culture – the club, mobile, bedroom, streaming, scratch and studio segments – DJ LIFE will further expand its reach into festivals, venues and lifestyle at the market level. Also, through our platforms, like djlifemag.com, we’ll deliver timely and culturally relevant journalism, always highlighting the market’s growth and the DJ’s cultural influence. Everyone here at Hazan Media Group is excited as can be to bring you all this new and, we believe, enduring product. So, for Issue No. 1, we present Anabel Englund, one of dance music’s unique multitalents. Not only has she become known and loved for her vocals that have highlighted No 1 radio hits like “So Hot” and “Waiting for You” (with Yotto), she’s also become an in-demand DJ who has lit up festival stages and made an impact with her live-streams. Our L.A.-based correspondent Lily Moayeri recently caught up with Ms. Englund. We also feature several other DJ/artists here. In Sound Bites, our Detroit/Atlanta-based scribe Ashley Teffer connects with a pair of Motor City-connected talents. First up, Wreckno (aka Brandon Wisniski) tells us how he’s changed the face of bass – both with his flamboyant personality and banging tunes like “Medusa,” his popular collab with GRiZ. Then in Sound Bites’ Inside the Studio section, Wave Point (aka Bryan Jones) explains how, after he left popular house-music duo Golf Clap, he successfully struck out on his own – live and in the studio. We also hit America’s re-emerging festival circuit. In late-summer, our Brian Bonavoglia ventured out to San Bernardino, Calif., for HARD Summer, where he followed up-andcoming house DJ/producer Nostalgix for a day and reported on the scene. A month later on Labor Day weekend, I managed to stay closer to home by hitting NYC’s Randall’s Island for the Electric Zoo: Nocturnals event, and you can find that report (and plenty of pics) in our Festival Spotlight.

On the DJ-kit side, our pair of equipment reviewers take on a couple of unique products. In the Playback pro-audio column, Detroitbased Erik Miller runs Pioneer DJ’s DJM-S7 mixer through its paces. In the Studio Sessions column, Minneapolis’ DJ Deets handles Mackie’s versatile Onyx8 mixer. Also, our Gear section details some of the latest and most consequential product introductions to the market – mobile, club, studio and more. On the mobile front, we let wedding jocks sound off. In a feature, we ask professional mobile entertainers if they attend and participate in wedding rehearsals? Yes or no? Why or why not? And if they do, what might they charge? For the DJ Business column, we survey a group and get their takes on open-mic wedding toasts and how to best deal with wedding photographers. In Mobile DJ Profile, we visit with New Jersey jock Chris D’Amico, who shares with us how he’s managed to cope with and work through an unspeakable family tragedy. Of course, this first issue also takes a big look back at our show, DJX. Running this past August at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, DJX brought the DJ industry back together with its mix of exhibits, seminars and After Dark events. From the rundown on our News page to the four-page photo spread later in the issue, you’ll see that, after nearly 19 months of shutdown, the DJ industry came back strong. And we look forward to bringing you the next incarnation – DJX is set for the same venue Aug. 8-11, 2022. (For the latest on DJX ’22, please visit djxshow.com.) We hope to see you there. Welcome aboard,

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ LIFE

editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@hazanmediagroup.com editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@@hazanmediagroup.com web editor and social media manager Brian Bonavoglia bbonavoglia@@hazanmediagroup.com contributors Wesley Bryant-King, Chris Caruso, Amanda Chavez, Shawn Christopher, Paul Dailey, Reed Dailey, Chris Davis, DJ Deets, Tony Fernandez, Tommy D Funk, Jennifer Harmon, Ryan Hayes, Greg Hollmann, Josh Kerman, Michelle Loeb, Emily Makarewicz, Erik Miller, Lily Moayeri, Jordan St Jacques, Jeff Stiles, Ashley Teffer, Danny Turner, Phil Turnipseed, Travis Wackerly, Curtis Zack chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@hazanmediagroup.com national sales manager Josh Kerman jkerman@hazanmediagroup.com creative director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@hazanmediagroup.com director of technologies and project management Steve Thorakos sthorakos@hazanmediagroup.com graphic artist Andre D'Esterno adesterno@hazanmediagroup.com integrated media manager Cheyenne Chao cchao@hazanmediagroup.com Chairperson & COO/Co-Publisher Robin Hazan rhazan@hazanmediagroup.com President & CEO/Co-Publisher Shawn Hazan shazan@hazanmediagroup.com

visit our website: www.djlifemag.com 516.767.2505

Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Life, Oyster Bay, NY 11771. (516) 767-2505 • (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-2505 • djlife@hazanmediagroup.com. Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Life Mag, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 or sent to JTremayne@hazanmediagroup.com. DJ Life Mag is published bi-monthly starting with the second month annually. Design and Contents: copyright © 2021 by DJ Life Mag and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Web: DJLifeMag.com, DJXShow.com and HazanMediaGroup.com Subscriptions: Complimentary Digital Edition. Email: djlifemag@hazanmediagroup.com Phone: 516-767-2505 ext. 502 Web: djlifemag.com/subscribe

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GENERATIO N SC RATCH P R O F E S S I O N A L B AT T L E M I X E R S

DJM-S11

DJM-S7

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LEARN MORE ABOUT WHICH MIXER FITS YOUR STYLE PIONEERDJ.COM

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FEEDBACK

POST-DJX: EXHIBITOR/ATTENDEE RESPONSE Pascal Lévesque, Pascal Party, Montréal, Que.: “When I first attended DJ Expo back in 2012, I was a single-op [mobile DJ] and doing weddings for $400. Now, I’m multi-op with five team members and my price is more than $3,000. The main reason? Attending DJX! Attending DJX gives me the tools to stay ahead of competition in my area.” Lars Schlichting, Pioneer DJ, Torrance, Calif.: “It was so important for our industry to do this show and we were proud to be part of it. The team did a great job putting it on, as it does every year!” Jonny Diver, Elegant Music Group, Montclair, N.J.: “DJX was a major upgrade… it was easily accessible and had great accommodations!”

Nick Ditri, The Disco Fries, Red Bank, N.J.: “For us, DJX helps us stay dialed into the mobile, club and mixshow DJ worlds… There’s no DJ show quite like it.”

Ross Akselrad, Pulse Entertainment, Richboro, Pa.: “It was nice to feel the camaraderie of our industry coming together in one place after not having a show last year, due to the pandemic. Being a part of this community and feeling that the entire show was an amazing experience.”

Jordan St. Jacques, Digitera Interactive, Ottawa, Ont.: “This year more than ever, the community aspect of the show showed how important it is to all DJs across the country and beyond… After over 30 years of the show being in operation, DJX ’21 re-emphasized just how much of a binding force in the industry it is!”

John Feelgood, The Scene Kings, NYC: “We really enjoyed sharing our experiences with the panel [“Remixer/Producer/Mixshow”] and audience. Years ago, when we would visit the show as attendees, the panels inspired us to be better producers. We would not be where we are now without the DJX.” Justin Brock, RCF-USA, Edison, N.J.: “Much better venue for DJX ’21. Makes more sense. Hard Rock has more prestige, which is nice.”

Tom Impallomeni, Tribe XR, San Francisco, Calif.: “We really enjoyed collaborating with the DJX team to bring Tribe’s DJ-in-VR experience to attendees, and a unique live LODATO VR DJ performance in Tribe on the main stage! DJX showcases the future of DJing, and we can’t wait for next year’s show!”

Michael Mahler, VIBO, W. Hartford, Conn.: “It was a great time… superinteresting people and a really great venue!”

Detroit – At the Motor City’s Micro-Movement event this past Memorial Day, it took me about 30 seconds on the dancefloor to spot the profound entity that is Brandon Wisniski aka Wreckno. Towering above the crowd in a furry cowboy hat, a matching fur coat, and a rainbow fringe face mask, this larger-than-life figure – jolly, sassy, and absolutely spectacular – was a glowing orb of positive energy on the dancefloor. Much like the luminosity Wreckno brings to any room, he’s casting a similar light on the bass music scene. At just 25-years old, Wreckno is flipping the script on what it means to be a bass artist, mixing up production by MCing live on his tracks, throwing down bangers while catOn the Rise: Wreckno’s taking the genre to new & different places. calling the crowd, and paving the way for the LGBTAQ+ community to express itself – and do so unapologetically. (In fact, from various releases and live events, Wreckno has contributed/donated mightily to various related causes like the Trans Justice Funding Project.) After releasing the mega-collab, “Medusa,” with GRiZ in June 2020, Wreckno’s popularity has continued to rise. He followed up his provocative “Pansy” EP (with fave cuts like “Honey Drip”) with a slew of shows and other strong releases like “Porn Stache” (with Nu Strut) and “Blade (with Level Up). Funky, groovy and plenty sleazy, these booming tracks put a very new spin on the often bro-centric scene. We caught up with Wreckno recently for DJ LIFE. DJ LIFE:How did you come up with your sound? Wreckno: I’m very influenced by trappy bass music like Sumthin. I love G Jones. In the electronic side of things, I really love artists in that realm. But then, as just myself, I’m like a huge lover of pop music. I’m addicted to Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj and female rappers. I am also influenced by queer rappers I grew up listening to – like Brooke Candy and Mykki Blanco. All of these people,

WRECKNO: NEW FACE OF BASS

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who are LGBTQ artists, are more obscure because there wasn’t really anybody at that time breaking really hard into the mainstream. So, it’s been kind of an infusion of all those things into one. I’ve been going to music festivals since I was 15 and loving bass and electronic music, and then seeing that there are no queer acts really getting booked with that kind of bad-ass energy around it. I really wanted to tie those things together once I started working in music. DJ LIFE:What is your creative process in the studio? Wreckno: My studio is in my room, so it’s like my nest and it’s a lot of just using my mic, playing with my voice a lot. I have a full notebook that’s pretty much filled to the brim with random ideas, but it’s usually whatever I’m feeling or like wanting to write about. I think of little phrases here and there and then expand – it flows off of singular ideas. DJ LIFE:What are your aspirations for queer representation in the bass scene? Wreckno: My aspirations are just to make it a completely normal thing, obviously. I know it already has because people have told me their stories of how I’ve helped in a way of them feeling more comfortable. I was literally just in the woods and got Virtual DJ and started learning how to mash-up songs and mix. I was just super-passionate and like saw a spot for myself and worked really hard and got there. I hope that if people see that I did it that, if they feel maybe they’re in like a marginal, or like a small area or they are a minority... If there’s something that’s holding them back in this thing that’s kind of sishetero and white-dominated – I just know that it’s not impossible. I hope that that would be kind of part of what people are getting from what I’m doing.

DJ LIFE:You are becoming known for collabs, especially since your mega-track with GRiZ, “Medusa” last summer. How do you continue to make these collabs happen? Wreckno: The energy you put out helps. With Grant [GRiZ], it happened naturally, just as friends. I think that some people just see what I’m doing and are, like, “Hey, want to work on this song?” I’ve been really lucky to get a lot of bad-ass collabs in a very short period of time. Some of them aren’t even released yet. I’m blessed, but I think it’s partially the vibe I’m putting out and me being me on the Internet. “Medusa” really helped put me on the map – it gave me this other level of credibility, especially with my vocal work. DJ LIFE:How do you balance being a DJ and an MC in your live production? Wreckno: Right now, we’re at a very pivotal crossroads where I finally have my first live-mic set-up, that I want to start touring and taking with me everywhere. I’m hoping by the fall to have all the quirks and stuff figured out. What I’m dealing with as a performer is that most places I’m playing are expecting all DJs to come play these DJ sets. I come in and I’m also MCing and it’s been a lot of learning on the fly. DJ LIFE:What is your DAW?

What else are you using in the studio? Wreckno: I am on FL Studio 20. Then I have Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 interface and I plug it into my JBL monitors – it’s a very basic set-up. I also have this mic isolator – it’s called a Kaotica Eyeball Isolator, which ill.Gates recommended to me. It’s this little orb that goes around your microphone... I can immediately record clear, isolated takes. DJ LIFE:Any preferred sample packs that you use? Wreckno: I like “Beats from the Depths” – SOPHIE, her one big sample pack is my shit. Milano sample packs are amazing. I also get a lot of sample packs from this guy named Smith, who is a crazy, awesome dubstep producer. DJ LIFE:Your recent music is quite eclectic. You’re really switching the script on what people expect from you. Wreckno: I appreciate that so much. People who are watching me in bassmusic spaces came for a certain thing and then they see something else as it’s happening. I am hoping that this [newer music] gives some people who are just kind of unsure of what I’m doing a little bit more of a clear perspective of where I’m trying to go. – Ashley Teffer

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SOUND BITES: in the studio

Wave Point: Bryan Jones left Golf Clap for a more versatile house-music project.

WAVE POINT: A NEW CHAPTER

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As a member of Golf Clap and co-owner of the Country Club Disco label, Detroit’s Bryan Jones spent decades building his profile and becoming a well-known quantity among house-music enthusiasts. But in the midst of the COVID lockdown, Jones decided to split from his former music partner Hugh Cleal and start a new musical chapter for himself. As Wave Point, he’s pursuing a slightly different approach to house music from his former group and, in many ways, he’s starting again from scratch – music, label, socials, the whole thing. But putting in all that time and effort into his previous outfit has benefitted him, as the transition seems to be going smoothly. After creating a terrific new full-length, Higher Dimension, on his Even Smoother imprint, Jones has gained slots at Midwest festivals like Detroit’s Micro Movement and Chicago’s Spring Awakening: Autumn Equinox, and he’s booking more and more club shows. Easy-peasy, right? DJ LIFE recently caught up with the talented DJ/producer to find out how it’s done.

DJ LIFE: After leaving Golf Clap and Country Club Disco in June 2020, you started Wave Point. Tell us about that project… Jones: Wave Point is my new house project that goes anywhere from chill, funky, deep house to big-room tech stompers, and everywhere in between. My album, Higher Dimension, is full of funky, summer, house songs. During quarantine, I was at home every day and listening to more chill house on Spotify, and that’s what I wanted to make in the studio. I’m a product of my environment. Now that I am playing shows again, I’m inspired to make more dancefloor-themed songs that are a bit more for the clubs. The next batch of tunes I put out will have a bit harder edge. DJ LIFE: What’s your creative process in the studio? Jones: I do things in cycles. Usually, there’s a certain sound I want to do and I’ll start a bunch of those things in a row for a week. Then I’ll pick three or four that I really like and keep working on those. I do a lot of prep work by making sounds, organizing samples from Splice, going through YouTube videos and cutting up samples. Once I am in the zone on a song, I don’t want to stop what I’m doing and go through tedious sample-finding tasks. The better I prepare, the better chance I have to make it sound right. DJ LIFE: How do you incorporate effects into your sets so masterfully? Any advice? Jones: I used to make all my songs on an [Akai] MPC2000 and outboard synths and mixers etc. I would have to plan out what I was doing with my hands so I could unmute two tracks and turn the effects on something else. Also, years ago when we first started Golf Clap, we opened for all our parties at The Grasshopper. We would get there right before doors opened for the night and I would mix just on the monitors and mess with all the effects. I would pick one effect, and say, “OK, in the next 10 minutes I have to find a cool application for this that I can do later when people are here.” Each time you learn another DJ trick, you just have one more thing to pull out at a future gig. DJ LIFE: What’s in your studio? Jones: I’m currently using Ableton Live 11 and various third-party plug-ins to do everything. Ableton’s great and keeps getting better. You can do so much with just that software. I use a UAD Arrow interface – small and portable. For sample packs, some of the best ones I’ve found are Nitelife Audio, which are house/garage/2-step packs made by producer Scott Diaz who also makes really good tunes. I also really love the packs by Noizu, Taiki Nulight, Jafunk and Pat Lok. Then, I use some of the classic ones that are always quality are KSHMR, Oliver, and Toolroom packs. DJ LIFE: What’s your DJ set-up? Jones: I use Pioneer DJ equipment. The new CDJ-3000 decks are really great, and I’ve been working with the new features on them. It feels similar to looking up songs on your computer instead and it has touch screen. There are a lot of cool little features in there that the older models don’t allow you to do. Pioneer’s DJM-V10 is my mixer of choice when it’s available. The Pioneer stuff really is top-notch and even their all-in-one DJ set-ups are great for after parties or recording a mix for someone, etc. DJ LIFE: Any aspirations for the house-music scene? Jones: I would like to see more subgenre crossover. I like when different kinds of house producers make songs together and bridge over the sound and fanbase. I play and make all kinds of house music and love when I see everyone coming together. – Ashley Teffer

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AFTER EARNING BIG SUCCESS AS ONE OF DANCE MUSIC’S TOP VOCALISTS, ANABEL ENGLUND HAS FOUND A HOME IN THE DJ BOOTH, TOO

In the

Mix

BY LILY MOAYERI

Los Angeles – It’s a brightly lit mid-week afternoon in DTLA and Anabel Englund is waving from a couch in Soho Warehouse. The chart-topper singer/ songwriter/DJ, who earlier this year was nominated for an iHeartRadio Music Award for Dance Artist of the Year, is not wearing a speck of makeup, and she is luminous. What she does have on is layers upon layers of clothing and electric-blue cowboy boots. She is friendly and confident, listening, but not always agreeing, asserting her opinions based on her experiences, rather than keeping the status quo… which makes her all that much more appealing. Over the last decade, Englund has become a favorite among dance-music fans with her many collaborations, most notably with Jamie Jones, MK and Lee Foss, and as part of Pleasure State with the latter two. Englund is a familiar face on the microphone, performing her hits, four of which have hit the No. 1 spot for U.S. Dance Radio over the last year – “Underwater” with MK, “So Hot (MK & Nightlapse Remix),” “Picture Us,” and “Waiting for You.” All four songs are from Englund’s debut album, Messing with Magic (and its Deluxxe Edition) released on MK’s AREA10 label through Ultra Records. In recent years, Englund has added DJing to her repertoire of talents. She took over the live-stream space in a big way with appearances at EDC Orlando Virtual Rave-A-Thon, Higher Ground with Diplo and SiriusXM’s Empowered Festival. Since the return of live events, Englund’s has DJed at a variety of festivals, including HARD Summer, Day Trip, Alesso Presents: Together Again, and Life Is Beautiful, as well as clubs, including Space in Miami, Bang in San Diego, Bauhaus in Houston, and Tempo Ultra Lounge in Las Vegas. In between gulping down glasses of milk to dissipate the impact of a shishito pepper so fiery it has brought her to tears and turned her face the color of a tomato, Englund brings us up to date on how the pandemic has turned into an exceptionally productive time of her life.

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DJ Life:After all the years of performing onstage as a vocalist alongside some of the top DJs in dance music, why make the transition to spinning behind the decks? Anabel Englund: I started DJing a little before quarantine, but I didn’t take it seriously because I figured there were enough DJs. When COVID happened, all the live-streams started happening, so Ultra Records asked me if I could start doing them. I knew how to mix tracks here and there, but I was not a professional DJ. I’ve grown up with DJs. I’ve seen how they play. I’m a perfectionist and if I don’t know it perfectly, then I feel like I’m not good enough yet. I got decks at home and started playing and really preparing a lot. DJ Life:What was your DJ education? Englund: My friend Matt Ossentjuk, who does a lot of my artwork, is a DJ, too. Years ago, I called Kobi Danan at Sound Nightclub. We went there and Matt gave me a DJ tutorial. I picked it up pretty fast because I’ve been touring with DJs for so many years I already got the gist, and I’m musical as it is. Once I got the technicalities of mixing and then COVID and live-streams happened, my fiancé started looking up decks online and we got some [Pioneer DJ CDJ-2000NXS Limited Edition CDJs and Pioneer DJ DJM-900NXS-M mixer]. I started practicing at home. When I had a high-profile live-stream, I recorded it at Lee Foss’ house. I showed up four hours prior to filming, so I could run through the set over and over and over and over again to make sure I was getting it right. Every show I do, I learn so much. Little by little, that stuff starts adding up. DJ Life:It sounds like it wasn’t as much of an active decision on your part to get into DJing. Englund: I started DJing because I was requested to do so… but I think I did want to. Now that I’ve been DJing more and more festivals, it feels so good to be self-sufficient, to not rely on someone to play my music for me. It’s nice to add a bit of my style to a festival or club and spread that around. DJ Life:When did you start to take DJing seriously? Englund: I say that I didn’t want to DJ, but I think it was coming more from a place of fear than a place of me not wanting to do it. After quarantine, when I first DJed to real people, I was so nervous, so much more nervous than I would be singing. I think maybe I wasn’t “taking it seriously” because I was afraid of not being good. To DJ is to hold court for an hour, two hours of playing music that people are going to enjoy and dance to. What if you fuck up? The thing is, you have fun when you mess up. There were a couple times where train-wrecked. I just fixed the track and went with it. That’s when the crowd knows you’re a human being, and it’s fine. So, it’s all fun, not as scary as I thought it was. DJ Life:When did your initial fear fall away? Englund: After I played my set at Space. Lee booked me for a two-hour set at Space in Miami at the start of summer. I was pretty nervous. I wanted to have substance and taste, and take the crowd on a journey. After I did that gig, I felt OK. It’s not supposed to be something big and scary. It’s supposed to be fun. The crowd had so much fun, and I really enjoyed the energy and the vibe, and that’s when my perspective changed. DJ Life:How would you describe your DJing style? Englund: My style is very sexy and funky and bouncy. It’s like me in music form. The only thing I don’t like is when things get predictable… other than that, I’m down with any genre. DJ Life:How much of your set is your original material? Englund: If it’s an hour, it’s 30 minutes my own music, 30 minutes not. If I’m doing a two-hour set, I’ve learned to start with 16

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music that’s not my own because everyone’s waiting for me to sing. I started off singing a couple songs in the beginning and then playing other music, then singing again. But I realized once I’m done singing the first couple songs everyone thinks I’m done. Now, for a two-hour set, it’ll be an hour of other people’s music and then a 15- to 20-minute section of my music and a few songs that go with that, and then finish the set with my music again. DJ Life:So, you’re also performing your songs during your DJ sets? Englund: If it’s a song, for instance, like “Don’t Say Goodbye,” that starts with the vocal and then ends with the vocal, I’m going to sing that. But if it’s a song that’s more beats and minimal vocal, I’m not going to sing that. I can get on the mic and do fun things with the song. It’s still me playing my music, but I don’t need to perform it. It’s fun because if the label doesn’t love a song that I love, it doesn’t matter because I can still play it in all my DJ sets and get it in front of people’s ears. I get to work my way into it. DJ Life:How do you organize your sets for clubs versus festivals? Englund: It depends on the time more so than where I’m playing. If I’m playing a slot at 12 to 2 a.m., it’s going to be a lot different than 4 p.m. I like to go with the flow of the moment. I don’t want to just bang it out. It’s never a good look, even if you are playing songs that everyone likes and that they’re really enjoying – it just looks really like you’re trying too hard. DJ Life:Do you have a preferred DJ set up? Englund: Four Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS players or better and a Pioneer DJM 800 Nexus mixer or better. I understand when people use the Allen & Heath Xone and things like that, but, for me, it’s not really about like channeling every little sound and crevice; it’s more about mixing well, so that I can perform my next song because a lot of it is vocal-based. That seems to work for me and that’s what I like to use. I can plug my mic in the Pioneer mixer and put reverb and stuff on it. DJ Life:What makes for a good DJ set? Englund: It’s reading the room. It’s being authentic to yourself. When I see that the DJ is having fun, even if they’re playing ridiculous music, I’m also having fun. The biggest thing is just being yourself, but also being aware of your surroundings. DJ Life:Who are some DJs you respect or look up to? Englund: I definitely look up to Nina Kravitz and Peggy Gou. They’re crushing it and they really inspire me. I follow Nina Kravitz on Instagram and from when I first got into the scene and knowing how she stayed in the scene so long and how she totally vibes and is totally herself –

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“NOW THAT I’VE BEEN DJing MORE AND MORE, IT FEELS SO GOOD TO BE SELFand the SUFFICIENT, TO NOT same thing RELY ON SOMEONE for Peggy Gou. They TO PLAY MY take everyMUSIC FOR ME.” thing that that

is the essence of them and magnify that to the highest degree. Nina Kravitz has her crazy dance moves and Peggy Gou has really cool style, and she’s tapping into everything that she can. They’re both totally themselves, which I think is so important because they’re not to be someone or something else, and they’re totally in line with who they are. That is attractive to me and that’s something I want to do. DJ Life:Do you think you will end up going the way Nina Kravitz and Peggy Gou have gone or more in a pop direction? Englund: Pop, for sure. That’s why DJ-wise, they’re the ones who inspire me. I DJ so I can play my music. I DJ so that I can do other things. I DJ, but that’s not the thing that’s forever going to be first and foremost. I’m a performer. I’m a singer. I’m a songwriter. I’m meant to be touring and performing. I will always do underground house music, but moving forward, it’s important for me to start transitioning into the pop realm. It’s the only place I see myself going. I love DJing and it’s so much fun – why not be able to do it all? DJ Life:At the current time, how important is the DJ in breaking music? Englund: So important… especially the DJ who’s playing the music I was listening to. They can break a song in one set. It’s everything. DJ Life:Are you also involved in the production side of your music? Englund: No, I’m not. That’s something I just don’t give a fuck about. I’m not going to stare at a screen. I already hate staring at my phone all day; the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a screen. But, I just had a really intense month in London, writing. There were things I wanted to say about certain songs or certain moments or sounds in the track, and the producer would change them a little bit in the way that I was thinking, but I had no idea how to articulate it. I know it needs to be different, but I don’t know exactly how. In that sense, I want to be able to learn a little bit more, so that I can say what I’m thinking and get it across. DJ Life:What were those songwriting sessions in London like? Englund: They were about immersing myself back into the U.K. culture. I had spent so much time there from 2012 to 2015. It’s been a few years since I spent lots of time there. I was doing sessions every day. Some people I knew, but mostly it was with people I didn’t know, who have made really successful music in the U.K. scene. It’s different out there than it is here. It was a really good experience, and I learned a lot. Writing music, I like to see what comes out. When I am meant to go in and write every day, it takes the magic out of what songwriting is for me. It’s a little tiring to write something every single day. I would like to be with certain people and have some more time off, days in between where I can just chill and get inspired and go with the flow. There’s nothing left to chance when you’re in the studio every day. It makes it like more work, and it is work – 18

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but I want it to stay special, too. DJ Life:How does your creative input come into play during these sessions? Englund: I like to let my subconscious take over and write whatever needs to be written. I have no idea what that is until after I’ve written the song and, even after that, it won’t be until months later that I realize I was singing about a relationship I had or something like that. It always has this deeper meaning months later when I listen back and that’s why I think it’s so important to trust myself, and let it flow. I love interesting melodies. I love writing. I love collaborating with other writers and creating our own language together. DJ Life:What is it like when you’re in the studio with the artists you’ve been most associated with such as Lee Foss or Jamie Jones or MK? Englund: It’s different every time. Sometimes a producer has an idea that they want me to go off of, and I’ll just do that. But a lot of the time it’s just free rein to just do something creative. With Lee, for instance, we did a song called “Warm Disco.” He had the idea, the sample “warm disco,” and the hook. I went over to his place, and we wrote the verses and everything else and I recorded there. The track was done for the most part, the bones were there. I was writing to fit with what he had, which is what I like to do. I like to have the chords there. I work much better with chords and a track versus starting an idea a cappella. I love creating the cadence around the beat. It’s like a puzzle. I like making the words fit within the beat. But, a few summers ago, I was writing with Jamie a lot because he was living in L.A. It was open to do whatever we want to do. That’s how our song “Messing with Magic” came about. DJ Life:That song is the title track for your album, which was released December 2020 with the Deluxxe Edition being released May of this year. Was it completed pre-pandemic? Englund: No, not necessarily. It originally started with an EP, then we put out singles and then it was… let’s make it an album because it is a body of work. Some of my favorite songs I’ve ever put out are in the Deluxxe section of the album and those songs were written during the pandemic. “Don’t Say Goodbye” and “Boogie All Night” were written on Zoom sessions. “Waiting For You” with Yotto, we did that two years ago. I write so many songs, but who knows when they’re going to come out? They all have their own time in place, though… so it all happens when it’s supposed to happen. DJ Life:Did you do a lot of songwriting during quarantine? Englund: I feel like a lot of people in quarantine either had a glow up, or they completely lost themselves. I think the only way to have a glow up is to crumble. I consider myself to have had a glow up during quarantine because I completely lost most of my main source of income which was shows. I was super-depressed for a bit, but at the same time, I really soaked in the moment that the world was standing still. I feel like people were so anxious to get it over with and get everything started again. For me, it was like, this will never happen again. This is the only time that we’re going to have in our whole lives where the whole world is going to be stopped. We get to be home and get to know ourselves, get to know what you want, recalibrate all the things that you’re doing. Was your life before working? What wasn’t working? I thought there were people who weren’t really appreciating that, and because they didn’t appreciate that, there was so much more addiction and depression happening. But there was so much light within it as well. I really enjoyed all the time at home. I knew that it wouldn’t last, which is why I was really soaking it in, and I learned how to DJ, was doing lots of live-streams, a lot of songwriting sessions. Most importantly to me, I was spending time with my grandma Cloris [Leachman] who passed away in January. I am so grateful because, if COVID hadn’t have happened, I would have been touring all over. I wouldn’t have had the time to stop. She was 94 and every time I got to see her it might have been the last time. I saw her as much as I could and I had one of the best summers of my life with her. I value my relationships with my family and my friends so much. I feel like the only thing that matters is the love that I have in my life. DJ Life:Did you feel like you were in a good place prior to the pandemic? Englund: I wasn’t OK. I didn’t come from money. In my experience, when you don’t come from money and you start making money, for me at least, before COVID, I said yes to every opportunity that I had. In my mind, every show offer I had, I just couldn’t say no. I was working myself tirelessly, while not focusing on the music as much. I was really depressed, and I didn’t realize just how depressed I was until the world stopped. I had the time to look back and be like, “Whoa, that was not OK. I was not OK. How do I fix this?” And I was able to fix it. But I don’t know where I would be right now if the world didn’t stop because I really needed that. But I’m doing so much better now. I’m saying yes to what I want to say yes to, and I don’t need to say yes to everything. When I was in London writing all month, and everyone else was on tour and posting tour photos; I was OK not doing shows because I was working on my craft and honing in on that and getting my music perfect. I’m OK following my own path and doing what I need to. DJ Life:It feels like over the last year a lot of DJs have realized they don’t need to take every gig they’re offered. Englund: It’s not worth it for mental health. When I do a show, I’m charged for an hour, but then I need to be home and chill afterwards. I need my hair in a high bun. I need to shower. I need to get makeup off me. I need to get into comfy pants. I’m sober. I used to stay out forever. After I would do that, I would get really depressed. DJ Life:How do you see yourself moving forward? Englund: I was putting out music consistently in 2020, and I’ve had really good success with that. My goal and my plan is to continue doing releases like that, put out another body of work, and keep bringing my artistry to the game.

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DO YOU ATTEND WEDDING REHEARSALS? WE ASKED MOBILE DJS With more and more couples opting for additional audio support for their wedding ceremonies, it has become apparent that they be given the option to include DJs in the rehearsal. This would go a long way in anticipating any glitches that may occur on the wedding day. But a question that has surfaced is this: If clients choose to have DJs participate in the rehearsal, should there be an additional cost time and effort? And what would be a fair rate? Mobile DJs from around the country chimed in:

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Rob Freedline, Good Vibrations Special Events DJs, Medina, Ohio “This is where salesmanship comes into play. Most rehearsals are on Fridays or Thursdays – my area seems to favor Thursdays. I’ve built my business as a singleevent-per-week production so, it’s usually not a conflict for me to attend rehearsals. Rather than charge for attending the rehearsal, I’ve assumed my attendance into my price. However, I don’t guarantee my attendance at the rehearsal, in case I have another event that day. This allows me to attend the rehearsal, if I’m available, which I like to do if possible.”

Ron Michaels, Ron Michaels Weddings, Fort Collins, Col. “Been attending rehearsals for over a decade and haven’t been to one that I thought was a waste of time. For that reason alone, I include it in my ceremony package – a two-day package – and build it into the price. Don’t charge extra for the rehearsal, as most won’t pay it. The referrals you’ll get, and the reviews that say ‘he even came to the rehearsal to coordinate and meet everyone’ are worth it. Just raise your rates to accommodate it.”

“I attend more for me, not them. But they do appreciate my presence.” – Brian Harris, Dayton, Ohio

Randy Bartlett, Premier Entertainment (Retired), Sacramento, Calif. “I charged $300 for a rehearsal, no sound, with the caveat that I would only be available if not booked for another event. “I don’t disagree with the concept that we can do a better job and learn more about them by doing the rehearsal, but I absolutely disagree with the concept that this should be at our cost, rather than theirs. “The benefit of us knowing more and having more control is theirs, and they should pay for that benefit. No other vendor would do this for free, but I know so many DJs who do. Would the photographer or caterer or videographer or florist do the rehearsal for free, because it ‘helps them learn more about the family?’ I mean, why not do the bridal shower for free? Just think how much you could learn there and it would be even sooner!”

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WHY THEY DO OR DON’T — AND WHAT THEY CHARGE Brian Harris, Brian Harris DJ Entertainment, Dayton, Ohio “I charge $750 for ceremony – separate area/ separate system – or $600 in same room as reception, using reception system, and no moving it. I always attend rehearsal when I can, but no guarantee that I will be able to come rehearsal day. If I book something – business or personal – on rehearsal day, then I won’t be there. I even say this in the terms and conditions of my contract, so that there’s no ‘but-you-said’ misunderstanding. “I attend more for me, not them. But they do appreciate my presence, especially with so many inexperienced officiants these days. So, I’ll step in and run the rehearsal. But I’m also not worried if I can’t be there. I’ve done hundreds of ceremonies, so I just need to know who to look for, for my music cues. “When I attend, I do not bring music. I want the emotions of the music to happen only on the day of. Otherwise, they could be diluted. It’s a ‘we-justheard-this-music-yesterday’ type of thing. “I feel my fee for a ceremony covers my rehearsal attendance. Therefore, I don’t charge more for an hour of my time.”

Bob Kreider, Sight & Sound Services, Kennewick, Wash. “Attending a rehearsal is included in my rates. Brides love this extra attention and it makes selling your services much easier when you’re not having to tell the client, ‘Oh, that will be cost you more money.’ Just raise your rates enough to pay you what you consider you need to attend the rehearsal. Simple as that. “I go to as many rehearsals as I can. Occasionally, it’s not possible. But I don’t go to these to avoid any glitches. After thousands of ceremonysound support events, I don’t anticipate any concerns. I attend the rehearsal for the bride. She doesn’t realize my experience and how unnecessary my being there is. But she does notice the additional attention to the details of her special day I give her. And this turns into referrals, 5-Star reviews and tips. “Plus, I take advantage of the night before, usually Friday, to get all my gear set up for the following Saturday gig. For these reasons, I include the rehearsal. And I would suggest raising your rates another couple hundred or so.”

Casey Brown, CMB Music Productions, Tyler, Tex. “Years ago, we did a rehearsal and charged the client $200 to be there. It was the worst two hours for my DJ. Listening to the people argue about what should be done, playing the same three songs over and over again, my DJ gained nothing. Since then, we have declined all rehearsals. “If a ceremony is detailed enough to warrant a rehearsal, I have no problem going, if the client pays for it… which today would be no less than $300.”

John “Abrasax” Archambault, Technically Yours, South Bend, Ind. “I go as a consultant — no music. If they feel they need the song to practice timing, just use whatever device is handy. They are not here to be entertained, and you can’t learn or help if you’re at the controller. If there is someone who doesn’t know what to do, I help them make the decisions.”

“No other vendor would do this for free, but I know so many DJs who do.” – Randy Bartlett, Sacramento, Calif.

“Attending a rehearsal is included in my rates.”

arse This

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– Bob Kreider, Kennewick, Wash.

By Stu Kearns |

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DJX Highlights from Atlantic City

1 After Dark: LODATO rocks DAER club. Ronald Mungo 2 It’s the Cans: Korg’s James Sajeva. Ronald Mungo 3 Washington Music’s Randy White gives advice. MetroMix Media 4 Hands Up: Shani Barnett at Bose’s booth. Cheyenne Chao 5 Salute: DJ Maj at Yorkville booth. Ronald Mungo 6 Lighting Tips: Jeremy Brech for Chauvet DJ. MetroMix Media 7 Local Legend: AC Mike holds court. Ronald Mungo 8 Ones & Twos: DJ Desperado cuts it up. 9 Virtual Reality: At Tribe XR’s booth.Cheyenne Chao 24

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Atlantic City, N.J. – DJX – America’s longest-running trade show/exhibition – ran this past Aug. 9-12 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. Produced by Hazan Media Group, DJX brought the industry back together with exhibits, seminars and After Dark events. It all looked like this:

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10 Afterparty: Skribble spins at DAER. Ronald Mungo 11 Boo: Masked Marauder hits the decks. MetroMix Media 12 Line Up: The queue for badges at DJX. Cheyenne Chao 13 DAER Bash: Sean “Big Daddy” McKee. Ronald Mungo 14 Bunn Gear: Joe Bunn & crew on floor. Ronald Mungo 15 MC: Jake Jacobsen presents at DAER. Ronald Mungo 16 At DAER Club: Mel Starr & DJ Flipside. Ronald Mungo 17 Keynoter: Gary Orkin with financial tips. MetroMix Media 18 Ready: Crowd preps to enter showfloor. Ronald Mungo 19 Chilling: DJX attendees take a break. Ronald Mungo 20 Mixing: NY Music Pool’s Jackie McCloy. Cheyenne Chao 21 Elite: Mike Walter gets grooving. MetroMix Media 22 Artie Branigan: Ultimate DJ Giveaway winner. MetroMix Media 23 Packed House: Sales on the showfloor. Ronald Mungo

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24 Nostalgix BY BRIAN BONAVOGLIA

hours

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CANADA’S YOUNG HOUSE TALENT TRIUMPHED AT HARD SUMMER FEST & WE TAGGED ALONG San Bernardino, Calif. – With the world coming to a complete halt back in March 2020, the DJ community was left with plenty of free time on its hands, as club and festival dates got wiped away. Of course, everyone handed the global lockdowns differently. Some took time to recharge their batteries and others began to pivot by spinning livestream sets or diving into their preferred DAW. Canadian DJ/ producer Nostalgix did a little bit of both. Already considered a promising talent with releases on esteemed imprints like Tchami’s Confession and AC Slater’s Night Bass, the Vancouver native – aka Negar Hamidzadeh, 24 – delivered a number of live-stream sets and spent a majority of her time working on new music, looking to hit the ground running whenever the world welcomed live performances again. Well, after making some serious waves through-

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out a chaotic 15 months, Nostalgix made her U.S. festival debut at San Bernardino’s HARD Summer festival this past July 31, and we tagged along to witness her big moment live. The Gig: Arriving at the NOS Events Center around 1 p.m., Nostalgix headed straight to her artist trailer to work on some last-minute tweaks to her set, while trying to stay cool in the tripledigit temperatures. Kicking the crew out for a quick outfit change and catching a shuttle over to the HARD Stage, she stepped behind the decks at 3:30 while festival-goers continued to pile in, refusing to miss out on any of the action even in the sweltering heat. Looking to make quite a first impression, Nostalgix unleashed some blistering beats with BROHUG’s “London Thing,” Nonsens’ “Make It Pop,” Good Times Ahead’s “So Good,” and many more. In addition to proving to be a stellar selector, she showcased quite a bit of her discography, rinsing out her originals “Realest,” “Bassline Drip,” “Black Mirror,” and “Act Out,” in addition to her recent single, “Friends” featuring AMY MIYÚ. In the end, Nostalgix lit up the HARD stage with

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a steady barrage of banging house that got the audience bouncing up and down. With all the excitement, it seemed like the quickest 60 minutes in festival history, but her U.S. festival debut ended in triumph. (For more on HARD Summer, please see Pages 30-31.) Next: However, that wasn’t the last that HARD Summer fans would see of her, as she performed a set at Corona Electric Beach later that day. Lucky for Nostalgix, that stage is always a next-level party atmosphere where DJs can steer away from their “traditional” sets. After another outfit change, she did just that, leaving those in attendance both sweaty and sandy. Finally, having some time to unwind, she connected with a number of familiar faces and soaked up the festival atmosphere in her new home of Los Angeles. Of course, we then got a chance to more deeply connect with Nostalgix.

When did you decide to start producing? When I was going into my final year of high school in 2014, one of my friends said, “Hey, let’s go to this rave.” Hardwell was performing at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, and two of my good friends were going. I’d never been to a big show, and had no idea what a rave or electronic music even was. But, I decided it would be fun to go. I went, and that night absolutely changed my entire life. After that, I tried to see as many artists as I could and started going to a bunch of events. From there, I became a promoter in Vancouver, while I was still in high school. I would host underage club nights and book out clubs and either throw big parties or sell tickets. Then a year after that, when I started university, I decided I wanted to learn the art of DJing. I was DJing a lot for fun at the time and I got to play at all of my favorite venues in Vancouver. Every show and every night just made me fall more and more in love with what I was doing. In 2016, I decided I wanted to really go after my dream and start learning music production. Which artists influenced or inspiredw you most? Some of my biggest influences early on were Tchami, Jauz, AC Slater, Dr. Fresch, BIJOU, Alison Wonderland and Zeds Dead. I absolutely loved the energy of all of these artists; they made me fall in love with the world of electronic music and really inspired me to start producing. For me, it’s all about the energy and the music. All these artists are constantly making such incredible and unique records that I really look up to… not to mention that they’re all really cool people as well, which is even more inspiring. How did you fall in love with house music? In 2016, I saw Dr. Fresch performing at Life In Colour in Vancouver. I didn’t know who he was at the time, but when I saw him, it blew my mind. I’d never experienced such a cool party or such incredible energy like that before. It was my first time hearing a bass-house set and I fell in love. He was having so much fun on the decks and living his best life, throwing down the sickest beats. It got me hooked. I went home and, from the very next day, I started teaching myself music production. I have never looked back since. What’s your studio set-up? I recently just moved to Los Angeles from Vancouver. So, I haven’t been able to set up a proper studio since I’m on the road a lot these days. For the time being, my studio set-up consists of my laptop with Ableton, and my headphones. It gets the job done and it keeps me happy. Really going back to my roots right now... What’s on tap for you in 2021 and beyond? Nostalgix has a lot in store for the rest of 2021. I’m doing a big tour around the U.S. and Canada. Got a lot of incredible festival performances coming up, including at EDC Orlando, Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge, Family Reunion, ÎLESONIQ Redux and more. I’m also performing some shows with Deadbeats on The Revival Tour. Outside of touring, I’ll be dropping some very meaningful records later in the year. Lots to look forward to, so many amazing things coming and I’m grateful and excited for all of it! Be on the lookout, ’cause it’s gonna be next level! THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

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Packed: Fans frolic at HARD Summer. Ivan Meneses

C A L I ’ S H A R D S U M M E R BROUGHT EXCITEMENT BACK TO THE FESTIVAL SCENE

Highlights BY BRIAN BONAVOGLIA

Wut Wut: Dillon Francis on the decks. Drew Ressler

| rocks DJLIFEMAG.COM THEthe PREMIERE Where Ya At: Future mic. ISSUE 2021 Julian Cassady

San Bernardino, Calif. – Following 18 months of uncertainty and cancellations, avid music lovers finally were able to gather again, making their way to San Bernardino’s NOS Events Center this past July 31/August 1 for a fun-fueled weekend under the sun at HARD Summer. With over 160,000 attendees soaking in the sounds from top EDM and hip-hop acts across the festival’s six stages, Insomniac’s HARD Summer delivered in a big way, making for an unforgettable weekend that was much needed for many. Even though the temperatures crept up over 100-degrees each day, the plethora of free water and misting stations kept festival-goers cool, so they could focus on their favorite artists. Boasting a diverse lineup which included festival faves Jauz, JOYRYDE, and Dillon Francis rocking their HARD stage, the event also saw Rezz, Kayzo, and Wax Motif unleashing their fury on the HARDER Stage. For all the diehard dubstep fans, the Green Stage was the place to be with sets from Sippy, Blunts & Blondes, Virtual Riot, Riot Ten, and a very special old-school dubstep set from Skream. For all the house heads, the Pink Stage was heaven, as it showcased a lineup that included Lucati, Walker & Royce, VNSSA, Noizu, and Solardo. Meanwhile, the Purple Stage featured an eclectic lineup that featured Craze, A-Trak, Mr. Carmack, Elohim, Don Toliver, and Kaytranada. However, as usual, Corona Electric Beach was a neverending party with DJs doubling down and playing second sets with the soundtrack of the sun-soaked sandbox. It featured Nostalgix (see Pages 28-29), Fight Clvb, Born Dirty, and Nitti Gritti. Whether it was the household heavy-hitters or blossoming talent, HARD Summer had it all, no matter the genre. For all those unable to make the trip to Southern California this past July/August, HARD Summer 2021 looked a little something like this:

Blast Off: The HARDER Stage in effect. Jason Fenmore

Pardon My French: DJ Snake in the mix. Julian Bajsel

Bite This: Jauz makes a statement. Julian Cassady

Night Creature: Mary Jane Coles takes flight. Gina Joy Chong

Lit: Dove Cameron & Rezz in the booth. Drew Ressler Swarming: The Pink Tent overflows. THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021 | DJLIFEMAG.COM 31 Keiki-Lani Knudson

STUDIO SESSIONS

Premium Analog: Mackie unit has flexible features.

By DJ Deets

MULTIPLE-APP USE:

MACKIE MIXER DELIVERS

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I love a good pro-audio mixer. For many DJs, they can be Swiss Army knives that help wrangle multiple inputs and outputs with greater ease than most dedicated pieces of DJ gear. Mobile DJs know exactly what I’m talking about. Depending on the event, they might have to juggle multiple microphones, speakers at different parts of a room, and multiple playback sources. It’s not easy to handle all these inputs and outputs on a typical DJ controller or DJ mixer. This is where a good multi-channel mixer comes in. It might be easy to think that all pro-audio mixers are created equal, but that’s not exactly the case. The mixer can make or break things – whether it’s a live show or a live stream. Onyx8: As many of you know, Mackie is no stranger to audio mixers. Across its range, the Bothell, Wash.-based manufacturer seems to have a mixer for every situation – for small bands all the way up to large studios, touring productions, or front-of-house installations. This past winter, Mackie released four new units to its Onyx range of mixers – Onyx8, Onyx12, Onyx16 and Onyx24 (all named for their number of input channels). They’re described as “premium analog mixers with multi-track USB,” and that’s exactly right. At eight channels, Mackie’s Onyx8 sits at a sweet spot for a home stu-

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dio or a mobile DJ. Like most mixers, full-color LCD screen. On it, users it can accept signal via XLR jacks can control FX and load media and TRS jacks, or through a 1/8-inch from a connected SD card. Onheadphone jack that routs into screen parameters are controlled channel 7/8. But, aside from these by a small, black knob adjacent usual suspects, the Onyx8 has a few to the screen, and there are deditricks up its sleeve. For instance, it cated transport controls for media can accept wirelessly streamed playback. media through a Bluetooth connecUltimately, the Onyx8 has just tion. about everything you could want Pairing the mixer to my smartfrom a $500 audio mixer. Connectphone took almost no time, and ed to various sources, the audio I was able to stream music to the quality sounds great, and I found mixer in less than 10 seconds. Admyself having more than enough ditionally, the Onyx8 also has an SD headroom on the mixer to achieve card slot on the front of the unit. loud volumes without distortion. Here, users can record the mixer’s Even streaming signal from Blueoutput to an SD card or play existtooth sounded really good. ing files that are on the SD card. Conclusions: I can see this mixer Full multi-track recording can be being bought by mobile DJs who accomplished by plugging the mixwant to achieve greater versatility er into a computer via a USB cable. in their setups. For a mobile DJ, this All channels have dedicated level mixer can run multiple microphones, controls, pan controls, gain concontrol playback from two or more trols, and mute and solo controls, DJ setups, stream music from a and Channels 1 through 6 have fully phone or MP3 player, and play featured EQ controls. The mute/ custom audio files directly from the solo buttons light up when pressed mixer. and require deliberate effort to Additionally, given this mixer’s activate, meaning it’s difficult to capabilities, I could see it being accidentally press them. There are bought by podcasters, music proalso bright VU meters for the master ducers, or content creators for their output. studios. Mackie’s Onyx8 is a solid, The main master output of the well-built mixer with some compelmixer comes out via XLR or TRS ling features for a number of differjacks. There is also a secondary outent use cases. It’s versatile, and it’s put – called “Control Room” – that a winner. comes out through TRS jacks, and levels for this Control Room output are controlled separately from the master output. On other mixers, this feature would likely be called a “Booth Output.” Users can plug their headphones into the ¼-inch jack on the top of the mixer. Most of the inputs and outputs are located on the back of the mixer. I was surprised to see none of the channels accept an RCA connection, given that a lot of DJ gear has RCA-style master outputs – especially smaller controllers that don’t have XLR or TRS connections. Theoretically, you could always use various cables and adaptors to bridge the gap, but a built-in RCA connection would have been nice. Like Mackie’s latest-generation PA speakers, the Onyx8 has a small Onyx8: Offers live, studio & streaming apps.

MACKIE’S ONYX8 OFFERS LIVE, STUDIO & STREAMING APPS.

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PLAYBACK

DJM-S7: Pioneer DJ’s innovative 2-channel mixer.

Ready for Battle:

PIONEER By Erik V. Miller

If you find yourself in the market for a new battle mixer, Pioneer DJ’s DJM-S7 has everything you need, while adding new features, fun effects, and all at a competitive price. This 2-channel mixer (for use with Serato DJ and/or rekordbox software) is laid out beautifully in the style that the rest of the DJM family of mixers has followed for many years, but with some changes that make it stand out and offer a more ergonomic experience for the user. It’s a mixer that’s built for DJs who want to play whatever they like, whenever they want, because… you can change things up on the fly so quickly just by tapping a pad or turning a knob. This mixer is built for comfort, but also for performance. First Impressions: Out of the box, the first things I noticed were the striking similarities to its older sibling, the DJM-S11, along with the solid weight that the unit had – nearly 10 pounds. So, digging further, you can see that most of the functionality of the S11 is built into this beast, just without the large screen that was in the center of the other unit. That screen gave you many options and features, but I personally wasn’t a huge fan of it. On the S7, you have a tiny screen in the middle in place of that, and it tells you important information and shows what effect you are currently using on board. It’s very simple, and for that reason I really like it. Pioneer DJ kept the same large pad size, the same functions of the pads, and the great feel to them that I really enjoyed on the S11. 34

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DJM-S7 With that being said, your FX pads are limited down to three on each side, but they are given shift functions to add in more cool features. (From Pioneer DJ: “The DJM-S9 lets you only use hardware or software FX, meaning that you have the same level of functionality as the S9 in terms of being able to use up to six FX at once as that model.”) Another thing you see are the same deck controls on the left and right side for auto loops and for loading, which I find quite helpful because I’ve always despised using a mouse while DJing. One difference I did notice was how close all the knobs on the top of the unit were for my hands – in my view, that part was a bit clunky in comparison to the S11. The S7 has the same spacing as the S9, which is laid out with its very close knobs and buttons on the top half of the mixer – personally, I never enjoyed using that tight layout. Now, this is only on the surface, so let’s look deeper into the features that shape this mixer and its uses. Features: While this mixer might have less features than its older sibling, the S7 brings all the useability and quality that you would expect from a mixer in the DJM family. Straight out the gate, we are blessed with a Magvel Fader Pro magnetic crossfader, a standard on DJM mixers, but a solid feature that cuts like butter. For all the scratch DJs out there, I’m sure you already know what you’re getting when you use a Magvel Fader Pro – but, if you don’t, then you need to experience it. It’s a very smooth finish that glides left and right effortlessly like it’s floating above the mixer. Also, Pioneer DJ gives you

all the crossfader options to dial it in any way that you would like. One of my favorite features built-in are the 22 beat effects that come originally from the S11. They are all very different and are easily adjustable on the fly with the parameter buttons and level/depth knob that are on the sides of the screen and underneath, respectively. With those, it is so easy to create interesting transitions and patterns that you wouldn’t have ever thought of because of how unique the chain of effects can be. Going from there, you can add in Serato DJ’s effects that are loaded on the computer and combine them at the same time. Get crazy with it – the amount of creativity is seemingly endless. One thing that was added on specifically for the S7 is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity directly on the front of the unit. You can instantly click the button, connect your device, and it plays right through your connected speakers, while giving you an option for volume next to the pairing button. One thing I will say about this is that I think the Bluetooth audio level at max can be pretty low compared to the audio levels of one channel, so going from one to another in a live setting may be a bit noticeable. (From

Pioneer DJ: “Bluetooth input level is somewhat dependent on the device you connect and the maximum output level that the device sets its gain at.”) Pioneer’s DJ example of a use-case for this is to play loops through Bluetooth on a device and you can scratch over the top of them, which I think is a fantastic usage of this option and great for practicing or just playing around. I would go further and say that a mobile DJ could use this mixer as well, for events and use that Bluetooth option for a slew of different things that would benefit them. Some features from previous models that found themselves on the S7 include the large levers in the middle of the mixer that send MIDI data to the effects that you’ve pulled up, and you can control how fast or slow they go with the parameter buttons above. This has always been a feature that worked well and it’s great for creativity when mixing – I’m a big fan of these. On the back, Pioneer DJ has included a USB hub, which was new to the S11, and it is such a smart addition. I’m not crazy about those plastic USB hubs you plug into your computer; if you wiggle them too hard, they disconnect. So having a proper way to plug in whatever it is I need is essential for me. The last feature brought over from previous models is the Scratch Bank Mode. This lets you connect to Serato DJ and instantly load in anything you have loaded into

your Scratch Bank. This can be full songs, one hits, individual instruments, whatever you like. This helps so much with creativity because it’s truly endless what you could do with it. This feature has always inspired me, and I find it a lot of fun to just play with. The final feature is Loop MIDI. It’s brand new to the S7 and it’s something that expands where Scratch Bank Mode left off. You can use the levers in the middle of the mixer, set them to a certain beat pattern (¼, etc.), and it will constantly send that MIDI signal to Serato DJ (differently than just using them in FX Mode). For instance, you could have a loop in the Bank Mode going and then send that MIDI signal to it and control it when it hits in time with whatever song or other sound is playing. You could make your own build-ups this way. You could make an entire song live this way. I think it is genius and would have all kinds of applications for different types of DJs. Considering this mixer is built for scratch DJs, I think this could be used to create a beat live that you could scratch on top of – or you could pursue so many other variants of that idea. It could be a truly useful tool for practice, but also for performance. Conclusions: Overall, the DJM-S7 is not very different from the last few models that Pioneer DJ has released – to me, it’s like a “lite version” of the DJM-S11. I don’t mean that in any negative way, just that it has fewer features and doesn’t give you the option for the two extra channels that the S11 does with the big screen in the middle. I do feel like the S7 has things that are new that should be included on every mixer moving forward, like the Bluetooth connectivity, Loop MIDI Mode, and the USB Hub (which was included on the S11). It has an extremely solid build, and it offers all the things a scratch DJ (or any DJ) could need to rock a party or live-stream. As the unit is street-priced at $1,399, I think the DJM-S7 is a steal for anyone who needs these types of tools.

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ELECTRIC ZOO: SUPERNATURALS

BIG APPLE FESTIVAL BRINGS BACK THE BIG BEATS BY JIM TREMAYNE PHOTOS BY LIVE COVERAGE

1 New York City – The beat-mad throngs returned to the East Coast this past Labor Day Weekend, as the Electric Zoo: Supernaturals festival rocked Randall’s Island with a slew of top DJ/artists. Running on five stages from Sept. 3-5, EZoo brought headliners like Tiësto, Alesso, Zeds Dead, Seven Lions, Kaskade, Illenium, and Steve Aoki, plus genre faves like Claptone, Andrew Rayel, Rezz, and Duke Dumont. Though the festival grounds remained only a tad wet from the week’s record rainfall – the remnants of Hurricane Ida, which took dozens of lives in the tri-state area – the kids poured in for New York’s first large-scale EDM event in two years.

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The event was a sellout, according to Electric Zoo officials, which didn’t give attendance numbers. (In 2019, the event’s most-recent version drew over 100,000 fans.) Day 1 Highlights: On opening day, Brazilian talent Bruno Martini warmed up the early arrivers on the Main Stage with a quick-mixing set of EDM/pop hits like “Hear Me Now” and “Gone Too Long.” A little later on the Riverside’s pyramid stage, L.A. duo Fatum thrilled trance fans with epic moments in a set that included chestnuts like Massivedrum’s “Love Light” and their own track, “Chocolate.” For our money, Joyryde won the day with his Main Stage set of buzzy bass house that mixed crowd-pleas-

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ers like Stanton Warriors’ “Cut Me Up” and their own soulful bomb, “Madden.” Earlier on the Main Stage, Fisher blasted a jittery set of big-buildup tunes like Chris Lake and Green Velvet’s “Deceiver” and his own cheeky new mover, “Just Feels Tight.” On the Riverside stage, gardenstate dropped a tasty set of trancey breaks that included its recent collab with GVN, “Take Me There,” plus its superb mix of Above & Beyond’s “No One on Earth,” which climaxed with a manic 303/acid breakdown. Day 2 Highlights: At the Main Stage, Audien mixed up his own catchy tracks like “Buzzing” and “Wayfarer,” the latter of which he mashed up with Above & Beyond’s evergreen singalong “Sun & Moon.” Meanwhile, at the Riverside Stage, Aussie dubstepper Hydraulix blasted the joint

FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT

with party jams like “Wrench,” his collab with Doctor P, and “Abberate,” Shadient’s manic wobbler. At the Hilltop Stage, L.A.-based techno talent Rinzen brought the tougher beats to a sun-drenched crowd with a raucous set that included DJ FTB’s ecstatic “Rave Vibe” and Sasha’s sublime remix of RÜFÜS DU SOL’s “Innerbloom.” And it all looked like this:

1 2 3 4 7 5 6 7

Blast Off: Electric Zoo rocked Randall’s Island.

Bass House: Joyryde gets his groove on.

The Icing: Steve Aoki fans get creamed.

Day Party: Laidback Luke pumps it up.

Main Stage Scene: Rezz rules the roost.

Boomin’: Destructo on the Sunday School stage.

’Til Next Year: Electric Zoo closes shop.

2021

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MOBILE DJ PROFILE Succasunna, N.J. – In 2015, Chris D’Amico, owner of New Jersey’s D’Amico Entertainment, was handed the greatest blow any parent can imagine: the tragic death of his 10-year-old son, Christopher, Jr. Six years later, he’s put the tragedy in perspective, which has influenced the way he carries out his business now. Here’s how:

By Stu Kearns

DJ Finds

PURPOSE After Son’s Tragic Death

Father & Son: Chris with Christopher, Jr.

Tell us a bit about your DJ/music career. When did you start entertaining professionally? Chris D’Amico: I have been singing since I’m 5-years old, playing piano/keyboards Priorities: Post-tragedy, ' since I’m 8. I had my first professional gig Chris D’Amico balances work & family. when I was 16. Through the years I’ve fronted numerous bands, put out records, written jingles from McDonald’s to Hoover Vacuum, did voice work on multiple projects from children’s records to songs used for television – still do. I’ve played dumps, graduated to dives, many bars and clubs and great stages. As I started to settle down and didn’t want to be a touring musician, I was playing cocktail-hour piano for several entertainment companies in the ’90s and early 2000s. I learned how to DJ/MC weddings and events while working for a company called Music and Dance. It was there where I developed the live music/DJ combo that I’m known for – a show I call the “DJ Alive” show. How did you book gigs? What were some of the challenges you faced when you first started? How did you overcome those challenges? Being in bands, there is always one who begrudgingly has to book the dates… that was me. Booking was a chore. Trying to nail down a club owner to give you one date was always tough. I was once told by a musical mentor of mine that once you finally get off the ground and start playing regularly, if you’re consistent and professional, they will start calling you. He was correct. A big part of booking successfully is networking. You have to keep your face in the forefront of the people that matter in the industry. Whether it’s bar owners, catering facility owners, performers who are doing it and doing it successfully that will help you get to where you want to be. You have to be consistent and professional. It was all of those years of playing and networking that lead me to start working with Music and Dance. Tony Alfano, the owner at that time, had one of the top mobile-DJ businesses in North Jersey. He banked on my little hybrid idea and, within a year, it was up and running, and I starting generating a following. Let’s talk about the day your life changed, with the death of your son, Christopher. On June 24, 2015, it was a typical summer day. I had taken my kids out for a ride on a pontoon boat and, as I was slowing the boat down for them to swim, my son Christopher fell off the front of the boat and was sucked in by the momentum and was killed instantly by the propeller of the boat. Initially, how did your son’s death change the way you felt about your work? My son passed away on a Wednesday. That Friday and Saturday I went and did my events. Sunday and Monday were the wake and funeral. I was in shock. I felt like if I didn’t return to work I may have never went back. The whole situation put my life in complete perspective. It opened up a new way of looking at things, starting with, “We worry all too much about the wrong stuff.” I pushed and persevered, knowing in four months I had a break in my schedule. I kept working from end of June till then, figuring I would access what my next move was when I got my break. When did it begin to change? In other words, how did you pull yourself out of it? I couldn’t stop being a DJ/entertainer. It isn’t what I do – it’s what I am. I also knew that after being my own boss for the better part of my life that I couldn’t work for someone else. However, if I was going to continue in this business I was going to streamline how I did my business, change my business model and be happier doing it. I didn’t want to be an absentee dad anymore and, while my reverse schedule allowed me the freedom to go on field trips and such during the week, I would not be

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doing a typical work Friday-Sunday weekend anymore... I would schedule at least one weekend day for my family. What else? The other huge thing I tried to prioritize were the clients we wanted to work with. In the beginning of my career, I was taught sales above everything. If we got the lead, you booked the lead no matter what. Personalities are a funny thing and sometimes that leads to friction. Every DJ company or MC isn’t a right fit for every client. I want my clients to be coachable and feel like we’re working together on a common goal, instead of us just working for them. How does that work? Today, if I feel as though as we aren’t the right fit, I will pass them to another colleague who might be. Life is too short for stress and drama and, after Chris’ passing, I wanted to enjoy my job. I shifted our focus on being the DJ/entertainer for the right fit, rather than trying to pad a calendar. How did that impact your clients? Over the years, since implementing these changes, our client base has felt more relaxed and were able to enjoy their events even more and other venues have loved our approach with our clients. These changes have actually taken us to even higher highs as a business, in terms of our customers’ 5-Star experience, and our stellar reputation in our market, which inevitably led to more sales. What’s your typical gear set-up at gigs? I use two RCF ART 745-A MK4 active speakers or a pair of RCF EVOX 12 active, array systems. I also use a Pioneer DJ DDJ-SX2 4-channel controller, a MacBook Pro with Virtual DJ software, a Mackie ProFX12 12-channel effects mixer, six Ape Lab Maxi uplights, a Shure QLX-D digital wireless microphone system, and a Yamaha P125 digital piano – I never leave home without it! What kinds of words or phrases do you repeat to yourself, if at all, to put your son’s death in a perspective that allows you to live? I believe there are no coincidences. Things happen the way they are intended to – good, bad or indifferent, you are where you’re supposed to be. Take my business, for instance. I don’t think I would’ve ever made those changes and we wouldn’t be half as successful now if

Chris & Crew: The “DJ Alive” combo.

“I couldn’t stop being a DJ/entertainer. It isn’t what I do it’s what I am.”

Chris didn’t pass. There are many, many more examples of how his passing was necessary to help change the world and the lives of the people around him. I speak about the ripple effect all the time. How your everyday actions – or inactions – effect your world and the people around you and in your business. I also believe that people are put into your path to either help you or for you to help them on their way to where they’re meant to be. But the biggest phrase that sticks out to me most is the one my late son made up himself and left me with to know everything is gonna be alright: “Keep your head up and stay confident!”

DJ BUSINESS

By Miles Burke

Wedding Toasts & Helping Photographers

A PRIMER

Here are some tips on working with a wedding photographer – from Mike Bacon (aka DJ Iron Mike of Ambient DJs) in Hamilton Square, N.J. There are plenty of great wedding photographers out there, and here are some things I try to do at every wedding to help improve their experience: 1) I usually ask the photographer off the bat if there are any special shots they need me to help set up throughout the day. I typically get a “no, but thanks for asking.” In the case of big group shots, I usually have to announce and encourage all of the guests to join in on the big family-and-friends photo. 2) I make sure the photographer is in the room and or ready for the big moments. Things move pretty fast sometimes at weddings. Occasionally, photographers have to step out for XYZ or change a lens, etc. I’d rather not catch them off guard with something happening that they’re not fully prepared for in that exact moment. 3) Similar to No. 2, I’ve literally stopped what I was doing to notify a photographer that something important was taking place. At a recent wedding, all of the vendors had their meals in another room separate from the ballroom. I scarfed my food down so I could mix dinner music live. The photographers took their time because they have a much longer day than I do. During dinner, the groom and his grandmother shared a dance on an otherwise empty dancefloor. This wasn’t on the planner, it wasn’t scheduled, it happened organically. Knowing this was a special moment, I ran down the hall and told the photographer crew that the groom and grandmom are dancing, someone should probably get that shot. One of the three photographers grabbed their camera and got to the Ballroom in time to capture the dance. She was appreciative that I alerted her. I’m in the trenches with the photographers. I look at this as a big team effort, even if we don’t come from the same company. That’s just how I am. I just had to point out some things that I’d love to change. The great camera people are ahead of the game – some, unfortunately, aren’t. Do you provide an open mic for toasts? Recently on Randy Bartlett’s Facebook page for 1% Solution, a question surfaced about what to do when a client insists on an open mic for toasts. The replies were varied. Judge for yourself: 40

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“If one of my couples wants to add spontaneous toasts, I will announce during dinner that they would love to give the opportunity to toast to any guest who is interested. Then, when someone comes and signs up, I can put them in a spot in the order which will still flow. I generally start with the parents and end with Maid of Honor and Best Man. “I show them good mic technique. I explain where to stand. And, because I’ve gathered their names, I can properly introduce them. “Whenever I talk about the fully ‘open-mic’ toasts, I note to the couple that it always ends anti-climatically. In my best Ben Stein voice, I say, ‘Is there anyone else who wants to give a toast? Anyone? Anyone? Well, let’s move on to the first dance then.’ That usually dissuades them.” – Alan Chitlik, Seattle, Wash. “Let the guests know that toasts will be starting in five minutes. There are x-amount of people scheduled to speak and the couple would like to open it up to all of you. If you’d like to say a few words, please come see me to get your name on the list. “This prevents any awkward moments of silence, gives people a few minutes to decide if they really want to speak, and if they do want to speak, they have time to gather their thoughts.” – Eric Rhodes, Boise, Idaho “When they insist, I prep the guests during cocktail or ahead of time. I simply say, ‘The bride and groom want to hear from those of you that want to wish them well. Please advise me if you wish to give a toast and I will add you to our lineup of honor friends and family giving a toast.’ “After toasts are done, I will again open it up and say, ‘Is there anyone else I missed?’ There’s a short pause. If no one offers a simple last toast, I move on.” – Marc Summersett, Tucson, Ariz. “I say, ‘Our bride and groom would like to open the microphone for anyone to say a few brief words this evening. Who would like to be first?’ Then I wait a second and go, ‘No one? OK, on with the party.’” – Michael Walter, Old Bridge, N.J. “I’ve only ever had a client insist on this once – surprise surprise, nobody wanted to get up to speak – and I began by inviting anyone who wanted to offer kind words to the couple to come up and use the mic on the stand. We left the floor open for under two minutes – which still feels super-long in the moment – while I covered some other announcements. Then, I finished with the Best Man or Maid of Honor or whoever was scheduled to be the ‘finale’ toast.” – Ryan DeLap, Johnson City, N.Y.

Redefining the audio experience.

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MUSIC MADE PHYSICAL Designed by audiophiles for audiophiles.

Join the #bassbossfamily of sound fanatics.

GEAR ORANGE YOU GLAD Audio-Technica expanded its M-Series line of headphones with the limited-edition ATH-M50xMO. The headphones sport a metallic orange finish with black and silver accents—the result of a global campaign for users to choose their favorite color combination. The ATH-M50xMO features a collapsible design with detachable cables, including a 1.2m-3m coiled cable, 3m straight cable and 1.2m straight cable. The 45 mm large-aperture drivers feature rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils, while the sound-isolating earcups swivel 90 degrees for easy one-ear monitoring. Audio-Technica 1221 Commerce Drive Stow, OH 44224 (330) 686-2600 www.audio-technica.com

IN THE STREAM Numark, an inMusic brand, has released Mixstream Pro, a standalone, WiFi-enabled DJ controller. The unit features builtin speakers and a 7-inch touchscreen and it provides direct access to top musicstreaming services and includes two USB inputs and an SD card slot so that DJs can supplement streaming music with their existing music library. It also has built-in lighting control and connects wirelessly to Phillips Hue smart home lighting as well as DMX lighting using a SoundSwitch microDMX dongle (sold separately). Numark/inMusic Brands 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02863 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com

I’VE GOT RHYTHM COMPOSERS The TR-707 and TR-727 Software Rhythm Composers are part of Roland Cloud’s Legendary series. Available through Roland Cloud, these plug-in instruments utilize the company’s advanced Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) technology to bring the authentic sound and experience of the TR-707 and TR-727 Rhythm Composers from the 1980s to computer-based music production and performance workflows. They offer attack, decay, and tuning for individual sounds, as well as the ability to overdrive the internal circuitry. Roland Corporation 5100 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 890-3700 www.roland.com

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GEAR SWITCH HITTER SoundSwitch 2.3 brings a number of new features to the desktop software, including Philips Hue smart lighting integration, which lets DJs control and synchronize smart home lighting. There is an upgraded AutoScripting feature that includes include new automatic algorithms House, Techno, Trap, Electro and other genres. The latest update also offers Live Override Effects for controlling movement, color HUE filter, customizable color overrides, dual colors in Static Looks, Group Intensity Master and

moving head position overrides. Additional features include expanded copy and paste functionality, workspace selection options, and Toggle and Press settings for MIDI controls. SoundSwitch 148 Durham St Tauranga 3110 New Zealand www.soundswitch.com/

YES IT’S ’80S NIGHT Emulation II+ from UVI is “the ultimate ‘80s sampler suite,” according to the company. Emulation II+ includes more than 1,300 presets, 800 layers and 2,400 drum sounds, as well as a wide variety of arp and MIDI drum patterns. There are three sampler synths in the suite—Emulation I, II and III—which feature a selection of both new and officially licensed sounds. It also includes Drumulation+, which includes drum and percussion sounds directly from the Emulator I, II, and III, and a selection of sounds created with an original SP-12. An included multi instrument combines Drumulation+ with four fully-customizable synth slots. UVI www.uvi.net

GEAR LEADER OF THE PACK RCRDSHP, a new platform for electronic music enthusiasts, launched with its very first series of GENESIS packs. A collaboration with legendary DJs and producers, iconic labels, and major festivals, these packs offer limited-edition digital collectibles that “encapsulate a unique aspect of an artist, label, or festival brand’s musical worlds,” according to the company. Packs and their collectibles come in a range of sizes and rarity levels so that options are available to fans at all levels. RCRDSHP https://app.rcrdshp.com/

HOLD THE PHONES KRK expanded its line of KNS Headphones with the KNS 6402 and KNS 8402. Both models sport a closed-back circumaural design with a headband that features a self-aligning yoke system. The KNS 6402 features acoustic cellular foam pads, while the KNS 8402 comes with memory foam pads with premium leatherette covers. The former provides up to 26 dBA of isolation with a 122 dB maximum SPL rating and a frequency response of 10 Hz-22 kHz, while the latter provides up to 30 dBA of isolation with a 124 dB maximum SPL rating and a frequency response of 5 Hz-23 kHz. Gibson Pro Audio 309 Plus Park Boulevard Nashville, TN 37217 1-800-444-2766 www.gibson.com 44

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THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

COLUMN BEFORE THE STORM The JBL PRX ONE allin-one powered column PA features a customengineered 12-tweeter column array that delivers 130db max SPL. Included in the column array are JBL AIM acoustic technology, a 12-inch bass-reflex woofer and a built-in 2,000-watt, fully-bridged Class D amplifier. The unit sports a seven-channel digital mixer with dual-operating mode and features a full suite of professional Lexicon and dbx effects, including reverb, delay, compression and dbx DriveRack technology featuring AFS Pro Automatic Feedback Suppression. Harman International 400 Atlantic Street Stamford, CT 06901 (203) 328-3500 www.harman.com

We took our "A Game" to DJX2021 and presented a wide range of products, including FX BAR 5050, HALO Q4 STROBE, ATTCO BEAM 230, ATTCO SPOT 200, and a new series of unique par lights called the RADIANT series. Our light designer created an amazing lightshow to present all of our products in a unique way. DJX2021 was an absolute blast! The venue was ideal, the DJX team is extremely professional, courteous, and helpful at all levels. Hundreds of individuals passed through our booth everyday and everyone was excited about our daily giveaway. The DJs, merchants, and attendees all worked together to create a fantastic atmosphere. Lightshow Link: JMAZ Lighting DJX 2021 Lightshow

THE NEW WAY TO FLEX AT YOUR GIG!

New products debuted at DJX2021 included, the super versatile and customizable VERSA FLEX BAR and the RADIANT PAR lights. The VERSA FLEX BAR features built-in dual 25W moving lights and interchangeable PAR lights, allowing you to create your own unique version. The RADIANT series consist of the PAR TRON7, QUAD12, TRI60, DUO and HEX19. Everyone's response to these new releases was beyond words. Check out the links for more details behind these new releases. We are looking forward to DJX2022!

NEW RADIANT SERIES Product Release: JMAZ LIGHTING at DJX 2021!

GEAR

SAMPLE HILLS Eplex7 DSP released Hitech Microsynths and Electro Percussions sample pack Vol.1, a collection of microsynths and electronic technical percussions designed for use with Hitech, Psycore, Tech Trance, Darkpsy, Forest, Progressive psytrance, Fullon psytranceTechno, Experimental and Ambient music. The 30.4MB collection includes 103 samples in WAV format, with a variety that includes cybernetic blips, electro percussions, FM glitches, mechanical hits and more. Eplex7 DSP www.eplex7.com

READY STEADY GOBO Gobo Zoom 2 is a high-powered custom gobo projector from Chauvet. The unit comes with a 70 W LED, 10 popular holiday gobos and manual zoom for short-throw or long-throw applications. It features a manual rotation knob that allows for fast indexing without gobo removal. Multiple units can be linked together, and the optional IRC-6 remote allows for easy access to most functions. The Gobo Zoom 2 comes with a power cord and fits in the company’s CHS-40 VIP gear bag. Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com

RULE OF THUMP Thump GO from Mackie is an eight-inch portable, battery-powered loudspeaker that features a 200W Class-D amplifier, eight-inch custom high-output woofer, a one-inch compression driver and a twochannel digital mixer with XLR mix output. The unit comes housed in a molded enclosure with a built-in pole mount and powder coated steel grille. Features include indoor and outdoor voicing modes, feedback eliminator, Bluetooth connectivity and a tri-color battery life indicator. A removable lithiumion battery is also included, which allows for up to 12 hours of operation. Rule of Thump Mackie 16220 Wood-Red Road NE Woodinville, WA 98072 (425) 892-6500 www.mackie.com

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THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

“CHASING STARS” ALESSO & MARSHMELLO FEAT. JAMES BAY ASTRALWERKS This catchy tune combines each artist’s sound in a unique, uplifting, but yet somewhat melancholy approach. The track has soul with an underbelly of pop, and a futuristic spark, all delivered in a threeminute, easily digestible, musical gulp. The “VIP Remix” speeds things up with a percolating rhythm and a festival-friendly breakdown. – Emily Makarewicz

“TARAKA (VISUALIZER)” GORDO ULTRA MUSIC This track will hypnotize you with its tribal flair, entrancing vocal, and relentless groove. Just when you get used to the unique soulful harmonies that reach high peaks and deep valleys, Gordo (aka Carnage) surprises us with a dramatic silence. This unexpected break builds tension and Gordo eventually brings us back up with a simple high hat and a snare. Fresh, exotic, impressive. – Emily Makarewicz

Magnus Asberg

Miguel Migs

Gordo

“CALLING” B/W “313” TRILOGY INC. NU GROOVE Tech-house DJs, take note – this is one outstanding two-tracker. On this EP, the U.K. duo delivers a pair of amazing, underground cuts that offer hypnotic, acidic synths, supple beats and very dark rhythms. These cuts will take you back to the warehouse era in no time. Top marks. – Tommy D Funk

Alesso

TRACKS

“INTO U” MAGNUS ASBERG VIVA RECORDINGS This brilliant jazzy house track delivers the goods. With rhythmic chords and funky piano sparkles sprinkled on top, the bottom kicks in and it becomes a proper deephouse track. And check the outstanding “Tech-House Dub Mix” from Jay Tripwire – sublime stuff. – Tommy D Funk 48

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THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

“SENSATIONS” (REMIXES, PT. 2) MIGUEL MIGS FEAT. ANDY ALLO SOULFURIC DEEP On this second incarnation of mixes for wonderful cut that anchors Migs’ solid Shaping Visions full-length, we get plenty of deep-house, dancefloor grooves. Migs’ “Deep Feels Extended Vocal Mix” primes the pump, but Sandy Rivera’s “Re-Vamped Deluxe Mix” carries you directly into some irresistible late-night action. Bumpin’ and grindin’, this one is splendid. – Tommy D Funk

“LOVE IS GONE” (KASKADE REMIX) SLANDER FEAT. DYLAN MATTHEW GUD VIBRATIONS Kaskade proves his studio mastery on his delicately crafted remix. With trance elements sprinkled throughout, he gives us a taste of his familiar style, all the while allowing the beauty of the vocal to consistently shine through over the drums, synths, and effects. Shakers add a lot of movement to the overall groove, and Kaskade’s driving kick builds the energy perfectly into the chorus. His drop includes luscious melodic lines, which descend on us with purpose, creating dramatic effect. Spectacular remix. – Emily Makarewicz

“INFINITY” MJ KUOK SELF-RELEASE This beautiful mover takes you right to deserted, tropical environs. Tribal and earthy sounds are conjured from rainsticks and euphoric melodies abound. A resonant bass and driving kick highlight the track throughout and, ultimately, a meditative quality breaks through. Gorgeous. – Emily Makarewicz

“MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE” (MARSHALL JEFFERSON REMIX) DIMITRI FROM PARIS X FIORIOUS GLITTERBOX RECORDINGS Get your platforms or roller skates ready for this incredible throwback disco treat. House legend Jefferson delivers a sweet mix that will get you in the mood for sequins and glitter. Sleek and properly Chic-influenced, this track will make you get your groove on properly. – Emily Makarewicz

Dimitri From Paris

Monolink

MJ Kouk

“HIDE AWAY” VINAI & LA VISION SPINNIN’ RECORDS A pulsating bassline leads us into a catchy vocal, and we’re off to a great start. The melody has a singalong quality reminiscent of an old-world nursery rhyme, but with a splash of musical-theater harmonies! “Hide Away” is gentle and passionate, while also feeling like a dance anthem perfect for any festival. – Emily Makarewicz

SLANDER

TRACKS

“UNDER DARK” (INNELLEA REMIX) MONOLINK EMBASSY ONE On Innellea’s remix, the German talent pushes Monolink’s swirling, melodic original into tougher, darker techno territory, while maintaining its effortless musicality. Ominous and atmospheric, but still plenty driving, the remix offers a manic synth lead that carries the latter part of the track. Quite a mix. – Jim Tremayne

THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

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NOW! Listen the DJ Life National Dance/Crossover Chart on SPOTIFY! LISTEN NOW!

Compiled As November 15, 2021

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

C LU B P L AY C H A R T

NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART

NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART

1 Ed Sheeran Bad Habits Atlantic 2 THE Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber Stay Def Jam 3 Shouse Love Tonight Hell Beach / Onelove 4 Doja Cat F/ Sza Kiss Me More Rca 5 Dua Lipa Love Again Warner 6 Joel Corry, Jax Jones Charli Out Out Big Beat / Emg 7 Kim Cameron & Side FX Don’t Give Me No Side FX 8 Elton John & Dua Lipa Cold Heart Interscope 9 Walker Hayes Fancy Like Monument Records 10 The Weeknd Take My Breath XO/ Republic 11 Tiesto & Karol G Don’t Be Shy Atlantic 12 Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow Industry Baby (Remix) Columbia 13 Farruko Pepas Sony Music Latin 14 Olivia Rodrigo Good 4 U Interscope 15 Dubvision & Anml Kngdm I Wanna Be There Robbins 16 Allegra Used To Miss You Radikal 17 Galantis, David Guetta & Little Mix Heartbreak Anthem Big Beat / Emg 18 Sigrid Mirror Island / Republic 19 Marshmello X Jonas Brothers Leave Before You Love Me Republic 20 Tai Verdes A-OK Arista 21 Maneskin Beggin’ Arista 22 Harper Starling No More What If Star Groomer Records 23 Doja Cat & The Weekend You Right Rca 24 Olivia Rodrigo Traitor Interscope 25 Sigala X Rita Ora You For Me Arista 26 KC & The Sunshine Band Romantica Epic 27 Debbie Gibson One Step closer Stargirl 28 Reba Mcentire The Night The Lights Went Universal 29 Swedish House Mafia It Gets Better Republic 30 Afrojack & David Guetta Hero Spinnin’ 31 Lizzo F/ Cardi B Rumors Atlantic 32 Camila Cabello Don’t Go Yet Epic 33 Dillon Francis & Shift K3y Love Me Better Republic 34 PS1 F/ Alex Hosking Life Goes On Columbia 35 Ed Sheeran Shivers Atlantic 36 Shane Codd F/ Charlotte Haining Always On My Mind Capitol 37 Black Eyed Peas F/Saweetie Hit It Epic 38 Jennifer Lopez F/ Rauw Alejandro Cambia El Paso Sony Music Latin 39 Vinny Venditto & YNIQ It Comes From China SOBE 40 Glass Animals Heat Waves Republic

1 C+C Music Factory 2 Tito Puente Jr 3 Luisito Rosario 4 Nacho & Arcangel 5 Hector Acosta 6 Rinaldo Montezz Pres. Caleb 7 Mambo Flow 8 Bachata Heightz X Johnny 9 Alsikiatra 10 La Fuga 11 Jessi Campo 12 El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico 13 Alexandra Y Monchy Capricho 14 Chrissy I-eece 15 J Balvin ft Zion Y Lennox 16 Tainy y Yandel x Saint Jhn 17 Magic Juan x Tono Rosario 18 Monster Taxi 19 Valentina 20 Daddy Y, M Towers & Jay C.

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Harper Starling Kungs Mary Wilson KC & The Sunshine Band Doja Cat & The Weeknd Jonas Brothers Black Eyed Peas F/Saweetie & LeLe Pons Shawn Mendes Halsey Miranda Lambert

No More What If Never Going Home Red Hot Romantica You Right Who’s In Your Head Hit It Summer of Love Not a Woman, I’m a God Tequila Does

Stargroomer Republic Universal Epic RCA Republic Epic Island Capitol Vanner

REPORTERS

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Gary Canavo Blake Eckelbarger The Dance Environment Manny Esparza Howard HK Kessler Brian Stephens Peter K. Productions Randy Schlager Alan Chasen Chris Egner Kid Leow Miss Joy John hohman DJLIFEMAG.COM |

Masspool Saugus,MA Dj Stickyboots Syndicated Powered By Spectrio Los Angeles, CA Nexus Radio Chicago,IL In The Mix With HK Minneapolis,MN Mixxmasters Lithonia,GA Peter K Syndicated KNHC 89.5FM/Powermix Seattle, WA OMAP Washington, DC Victors Milwaukee, WI Vindictive Vendetta Tampa, FL TAO Group Las Vegas, NV MetroMox Pittsburgh, PA THE PREMIERE ISSUE 2021

Yo Soy Latino (Vamos A Bailar) 20 Años Quien Dijo Miedo Saco de Boxeo Pa’ Que Me Perdones Be-otch B Gone El Timon Cuanto Vale Su Amor Hablador Te Digo Adios (Bye Bye Ciao) Lagrimas Negras Seguira En Cada Aniversario Se Acabo (Remix) Si Te Atreves Deja Vu Pasame La Botella Miami LYNFO Subele el Volumen

C&C Factory Doral Music Sunflower Ent Universal Sime Montezz J&N EQS Alsikiatra Slammin’ Javi Prod. EGC J&N Chu-bano Ent. Universal Neon16 J&N Toy Robots Reversed Tornado El Cartel

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Jennifer L. feat Raw Alejandro Enrique Iglesias f. Farruko Sofia Reyes Y Becky G Farruko Marc Anthony

Cambia El Paso (Remix) Me Pase Mal De Amores Pepas (Remixes) Pa’lla Voy

Sony Sony Warner Music Sony Sony

REPORTING LATIN POOLS n n n n n n

Latinos Unidos Record Pool Salsamania Latin Record Pool Lobo/Bass Record Pool North East Record Pool Mixx Hitts Record Pool Ritmo Camacho Record Pool

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Ritmo Internacional Record pool DJ Latinos Record Pool MassPool Record Pool Latino Latin Beat Chicago Record Pool All In Music Pool

ATTENTION DJ LIFE READERS: DJ Life is currently looking for DJs that are interested in reporting to the DJ National Dance/Crossover chart and the DJ Times National Urban Dance chart. Reporterships are open to Record Pools and individual DJs. For more information contact: Dan Miller, dmiller@hazanmediagroup.com

DJ LIFE MAG Premiere Issue 2021

Articles inside

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Club Play Chart

Mobile DJ Profile

Tracks

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