Atlantic City, N.J. – It’s that time again – DJX is set for Aug. 8-11 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Atlantic City’s famed Boardwalk.
Presented by DJ LIFE and its publisher Hazan Media Group, DJX will present 38 seminars, panels and key notes, an exhibit hall full of the latest DJ-related tech nologies, and schedule of sponsored After Dark events. Opening in 1990, DJX remains the longest-running and most-successful DJ-specific show in America.
On the educational front, two DJX “Keynote Q&A” sessions will feature two very different, but no less suc cessful DJs. On Aug. 8, DJ HAPA – aka “The DJ Coach” –will discuss his life, his career, the state of the DJ industry, and offer tips to DJs of all stripes. (For more on HAPA, please see Page 28.)
Then, on Aug. 9, trance titan Markus Schulz – the only jock to be voted “America’s Best DJ” thrice – will offer his take on returning to clubland and you can bet he’ll have some advice for up-and-coming DJs.
After Dark events kick off Aug. 8 with Schulz headlin ing the DJX Opening Night Party at HQ2 Nightclub at the nearby Ocean Casino Resort. Expect a high-energy set from one of the world’s top DJ talents. (For more on Schulz, please see Page 14.)
The following evening, Aug. 9, will see two events. From 7 to 9 p.m. at The Wheel on the Steel Pier on the
Boardwalk, Silent Sound System will present “Sunset Silent Disco,” featuring DJ Express, Dave Mass, Kevin Kong and DJ Freedom. Then, from 9 pm to 1 am at the Beach Bar at Hard Rock, DAS Audio will present “Twisted Tuesday,” featuring multiple DMC world champion DJ Craze, plus Chuwe and B-SIDE.
The evening of Aug. 10 will also see a pair of talentfilled events. From 8 to 11 pm at Boogie Nights in The Tropicana, the mobile-centric “Turning the Millennium” party will feature music from 1990 to 2010. (For more on Boogie Nights, please see Page 40.) Co-hosted by Jake Jacobsen and Mike Alevras, the RCF-sponsored event at the retro-themed venue will also feature DJ Kid Kasper, DVDJ Reel, Cliff Masina, Triple Threat and Jay Berkowitz, plus special guest Joe Bermudez. (For more on Joe Ber mudez, please see Page 24.)
Then, from 10 pm to 2 am at DAER nightclub in the Hard Rock, the annual “DJX & Friends” closing afterparty will be presented by Innofader and Senate DJs. Featured talent will include DJ Skribble, Mel Starr, LODATO, DJ Throdown, DJ Ragoza, Keith Shocklee and As One on the decks. Giveaways to be provided by 12inchSkinz, BassBoss, Reloop, ProX, Hercules, Jetpack, Glowtronics, DMC USA, Custom Litt and Ortofon.
For more on DJX events, please visit Page 8, and for the very latest on DJX, please visit www.djxshow.com
With His Fun-Filled Videos, DJ/ Producer Joe Bermudez Has Spread His Music & Expanded His Brand
By Jim Tremayne
How Your DJ Website Can Prevent Negative SEO from Your Competitors
By Jordan St. Jacques
With “New Breed,” Kayzo Delivers Another Menacing Mix of Bass, Metal & More
By Brian Bonavoglia
Overcoming Obstacles, DJ HAPA Has Built a Career & Brings DJ Education to the Masses
By Jim TremayneDJ Perly, DMC’s First Female U.S. Champ, Keeps Scratching & Winning
By Jim Tremayne
By Jim Tremayne
Welcome to our annual DJX show issue. As is our custom, we’ll be presenting the show Aug. 8-11 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., and this issue will high light some of the people and places participating in DJX’22.
First on the list is Markus Schulz, who will spin DJX’s opening party and provide a “Keynote Q&A.” The Miami-based trance titan – the only jock to be voted “America’s Best DJ” thrice – remains one of the USA’s top DJ exports and, in our conversation, he explains how he’s managed to thrive through a variety of changes in his industry and in his life.
Other DJ features include interviews with hard-rockin’ bass talent Kayzo, turntablist DJ Perly (DMC’s first female U.S. champ), and Boston’s video-friendly Joe Bermudez (who will perform at DJX). Additionally, we visit with HAPA aka “The DJ Coach,” who will also present a “Keynote Q&A” at DJX.
In our Sound Bites section, we connect with MPC master RJD2 (aka RJ Krohn) who details his approach to the classic workstation and more. Also, our Brian Bonavoglia interviews Liquid Stranger (aka Martin Stääf), who explains his experimental and expan sive production approach to dubstep.
On the mobile front, Canada’s Jordan St. Jacques offers a pair of tip-filled entries. For his feature, he explains how DJ-websites can be protected from negative SEO cam paigns by unscrupulous competitors. In DJ Business, he extols the virtues of YSO – You Tube Search Optimization – and how it can help DJs get their videos ranked. In Mobile DJ Profile, we visit with East Coast transplant Michael Cataldi, who brings a nightclub vibe to his Arizona wedding events.
On the gear front, our Denver-based DJ/scribe Wesley Bryant-King took the Sonar works SoundID Reference system into his home studio and reports the results in Studio Session. Also, Brooklyn’s Lexi Ferguson, a welcome new contributor, puts the Reloop Ready controller through its paces.
For Club Spotlight, we visit Boogie Nights, the Atlantic City retro-themed club that re cently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Congrats to the Boogie Nights crew and we’ll see you Aug. 10 for the DJX “Turning the Millennium” party.
Of course, for the very latest at DJX, please visit www.djxshow.com, and we hope to see you in Atlantic City!
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, Lexi Ferguson. Ryan Hayes, Greg Hollmann, Erik Miller, Lily Moayeri, Jordan St Jacques, Jeff Stiles, Ashley Teffer, Danny Turner, Phil Turnipseed, Joshua Volpe, 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
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
Atlantic City, N.J. – This year’s DJX will feature 38 seminars, the most the show has ever presented. And, as is always the case, there will be plenty of discussion on the gear side, from sponsors and non-affiliated presenters alike. Here they are:
Monday, Aug. 8:
Speed Round: DJ Idea Sharing’s Multi-Topic Forum. Moderated by DJ Idea Sharing founder Mike Fernino, this session will discuss a range of vital, DJ-specific issues, including audio/lighting gear.
Subwoofers: Perfect Your Low End. BassBoss Designer David Lee will offer tips on what to look for and what to avoid when boost ing the bass in your rig.
Gear: New DJ Tech & The Way Forward. What’s the latest on supply-chain issues, what’s the dope new gear, and what are the new industry developments? Moderated by DJ LIFE Editor Jim Tremayne, this session will include top retailers and industry insiders.
Sponsored Seminar: New Tools for DJs with Pioneer DJ. Pioneer
DJ’s DJ Jay Brannan and Pri Yon Joni offer an in-depth demon stration of the brand’s latest products (DDJ-REV7 and DJM-S5) to suit all turntablists.
Tuesday, Aug. 9:
Lighting – Perform, Present, Profit with Jeremy Brech. South Dako
ta-based jock Jeremy Brech (DJ Jer) shares real-world examples of how to create the best event experiences through lighting.
Press Record: Content Creation for Mobiles
North Carolina’s DJ Eyecon will moderate a panel of industry leaders to discuss the why and the how of content creation for mobile entertainers/entrepreneurs.
Sponsored Seminar: Streaming Into the Future – Presented by Beatsource. A casual conversation with the creators of Beatsource on the streaming revolution and the evolution of DJ technology –past, present, and future.
Starter Set: Lifelong Lessons for Beginner DJs. What does it take to become a successful DJ? How does a jock start from scratch and launch a successful career? What gear does he need? Philly’s Greg Curran will show you the way.
Sound Reinforcement: Audio Tips, Speaker Selection & Set-Up. DJs, how do you know if you have the right rig for the gig? Tony Fernandez of Richmond, Va., has the answers.
Studio Talk: Productions, Remixes & Mix Shows. Hear a panel of vets explain their methods and motivations – and offer tech tips. Moderated by DJ LIFE Editor Jim Tremayne, the session will include The Scene Kings, Sleepy & Boo, LODATO, DJ Skribble, and Metro Mix’s John Hohman.
Designed by Glowtronics
Pics, or it didn’t happen! Feed your camera roll at the DMC+Ortofon Vinyl Lounge, designed by Glowtronics. Replete with a cash bar, Ortofon installation and watch DMC’s star-studded talent in action. This is an Insta grammble moment not to be missed! See, Hear & Con nect with the community in the Vinyl Lounge @ DJX.
Need a boost after a DJX After Dark event? Visit the premier of the DJX Wellness Lounge, brought to you by AC’s first resort medi-spa Breathe…Salt Spa. Featuring an Oxygen Bar and IV Vitamin Therapy. Replenish and revitalize your body with Breathe… Salt Spa’s experienced, registered nurses.
Mingle and win prizes at the DJX CONNECT Zone in the registration area (sponsored by Custom Lit), and take a quick DJ clinic from two-time DMC champ DJ Throdown (brought to you by Beat Refinery)
If DJ Shadow was the artist who took sample-driven, instrumental hip-hop to the masses with 1996’s Endtro ducing… , then RJD2 has carried it further to an even more musical place.
With eight full-length albums to his credit, RJD2 –aka RJ Krohn, 46 – has given us two decades’ worth of MPC-anchored jams craftily infused with rock-solid funk and dashes of melody from a variety of instruments and influences.
His 2002 debut, Dead ringer , featured a pair of evergreen cuts – the simmer ing, melancholic “Smoke & Mirrors” and the oft-licensed genre classic, “Ghostwriter,” which found its way into films and advertisements. Other career highlights include the crazy Cuban vibes of 2004’s “1976,” the smooth soul gem, 2013’s “See You Leave” featuring STS and Khari Mateen, and “A Beau tiful Mine,” the theme song for the TV series, “Mad Men.”
His most-recent full-length, 2020’s The Fun Ones, brings a more laidback groove overall, but still blasts plenty of funky flavors with tastes of turntablism on cuts like
“Indoor S’mores” and “20 Grand Palace.” Unfortunate ly released at the very begin ning of the lockdown, The Fun Ones is an album worth re-discovering.
As the Columbus, Ohiobased DJ/producer prepped for three East Coast shows (with his band) in New York and Philadelphia, we caught up with RJD2 to talk music, sampling, and gear.
DJ LIFE: Musically, what were your first influences? What made you want to pur sue music?
RJD2: I would say my first influences were probably the first wave of music I started to absorb independently. This would be UTFO, Run-DMC, Tears For Fears, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode. Those were the first songs I recall consid ering “my music,” and likely laid the foundation for what type of music I would gravi tate towards.
DJ LIFE: Is crate-digging a lost or diminished art?
RJD2: You know, I really don’t know. I definitely hear a lot of modern rap music that is sample-based, and it has samples I cannot identify. A lot of the Griselda, Alche mist, Roc Marciano, etc., stuff sounds sample-based. I would probably say no… but peripherally, it wasn’t any kind of cross I intended to bear, so I can’t say I’m on a mission with it or anything.
DJ LIFE: In the studio, are you still working with the Akai MPC2000XL?
RJD2: I have several, and use it often, but I recently got a 1000… does the same thing, basically. I only use the units that I know well. I don’t think they are better units, but merely that time is the resource I have the least of, and wish not to waste it learning a new device unless it’s really going to benefit me.
DJ LIFE: What else is part of your main studio gear? For you, what are the most important components?
RJD2: Drums, bass, guitar, keys, mics, MPC – 99-per cent of what I do rests on a working knowledge of those elements. I record on Pro Tools – again, because it’s what I know. The most impor tant component, by far, is the ability to discern good from mediocre. That alone is the most critical tool I have and need to hone on any given day in the studio.
DJ LIFE: Tell us about teach ing “From Samples to Songs” on Soundfly , the online school – any success stories?
RJD2: Well, I had the oppor tunity to do a class with them and took it because I feel it is my duty as a human to give back to humanity whenever possible. I have spoken to several people who took the course and said they got some “gems” out of it. I’m happy to be a part of con tributing to a culture that has given me so much.
DJ LIFE: At what point do you think sampling, in and of itself, began to get respect?
RJD2: I definitely think of Paul’s Boutique, De La Soul Is Dead , and It Takes a Nation Of Millions to Hold Us Back, those types of albums, as a validating period in samplebased music. Continuing into the mid-aughts, it also seems that sample-based music progressed and evolved. It has been a big inspiration to me. It’s a thing that I’ve participated in, and yet I have also learned to not seek external validation for my interest in art.
DJ LIFE: In the DJ booth, what gear do you use? How would you describe your style?
RJD2: If I’m strictly DJing, its usually with Serato. For my solo shows, I’m doing my best to recreate or re-contextu alize the albums I’ve made. Style-wise? I would consider myself an open-format DJ.
DJ LIFE: What are a few tracks that are always in your “DJ box” and why?
RJD2: Chaka Khan’s “What
Cha Gonna Do For Me,” The Gap Band’s “Outstanding,” and Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved.” Why? Mostly because I haven’t gotten sick of them yet!
DJ LIFE: Which producer/ remixers do you most ad mire?
RJD2: Just Blaze, Jake One, the Mount Rushmore guys – DJ Premier, Large Profes sor, Prince Paul, Q-Tip, etc. There’s really too many to mention. There are multiinstrumentalist types that I admire as much as them, as well – guys like Jon Brion and the like.
DJ LIFE: And DJs? What are you looking for? What impresses you?
RJD2: Sonny James, Mat thew Law, A-Trak, D-Nice, etc. I like DJs who cut, cross styles, and take risks, really.
DJ LIFE: How did you sur vive the lockdown? Did you do it creatively?
RJD2: I was playing drums a fair amount, recording, doing non-music stuff, trying to be safe, being an adult and a parent… basically, just trying to be responsible [laughs].
DJ LIFE: Were you stream ing at all during lockdown? How has it been like return ing to shows?
RJD2: I did some livestreaming stuff at a point. After a while, it started to feel like I either needed to commit to it, or bow out, as I had kind of said what I had to say. Yeah, it’s been great getting back out to do shows. The crowds have been awesome, and it reaffirmed my belief in live music!
DJ LIFE: What can fans ex pect from you when you do your East Coast run?
RJD2: I’ll have my band with me, we will be playing some old songs and new. I’ll be moving from turntables to keys, guitar, and drums, and it should be a joyous occa sion!
– Jim Tremayne
“I like DJs who cut, cross styles, and take risks, really.”
“I like DJs who cut, cross styles, and take risks, really.”
As bass music continues to thrive here in the United States, Liquid Stranger – aka Martin Stääf, 43 – remains one of the genre’s most prominent DJ/producers. With his experimental and expan sive production approach, he’s cultivated a loyal fanbase since he launched his dubstep persona in 2003.
Additionally, the Swedish-born/Oklahoma-based talent has run his Wakaan label since 2015, and it has blossomed into a true powerhouse imprint with releases from the likes of LSDREAM, Champagne Drip, and Lucii. Its popularity would later lead to label’s gathering, the Wakaan Music Festival, which kicked off 2019 in Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains.
This past spring, he dropped his 13-track studio album Balance, a mind-bending musical journey that bounces between melodic bass, chiptune, hip-hop, and ragga genres.
Still buzzing off his recent sold-out “Balance” tour dates, an album that’s still making waves, and with his Wakaan Music Festival set to return to The Ozarks in late September, Martin Stääf connected with DJ LIFE to discuss his evolution as an artist and much more.
DJ LIFE: You’re a seasoned veteran in the bass scene, someone who’s released plenty of tracks over the years, which includes EPs and albums. Where do you think Balance stacks up to the rest of your discography?
Martin Stääf: If you’re referring to the intrinsic value of this recording compared to my others, I’ll have to leave that up to the listener. My intent was to make a recording that had an even distribution between harder bass songs, and the more whimsi cal, melodic songs I write. I also wanted the record to be energizing, positive, and humorous. I decided to include a variety of mutated genres, such as dubstep, house, trap, hip hop, and electronica.
DJ LIFE: Balance is masterfully crafted and articulately put together. How important is it for you to put together a precise tracklist to deliver a cohe sive listening experience?
Stääf: I feel it’s very important to arrive at a cohesive end-product, but the way there is not so obvious. Basically, I just start writing a myriad of drafts and see where it goes. For this album, I think I wrote something like 60 drafts, and then my friends helped me pick out the most promising ones. I’m an “idea person,” meaning it’s easy for me to write, and come up with themes and such. What I’m more challenged by is the sound engineering aspect, where I really push myself harder for each record I do. It usually only takes me a few hours to come up with a solid theme/basic arrangement, and then weeks, if not months, to perfect the mix downs.
DJ LIFE: You invited listeners to “Take A Trip,” re uniting once again with LSDREAM for that epic col
laboration on the album. What’s it like working with him and how did that collab come together?
Stääf: Sami [Diament] is one of my best friends, and we made our collabs while he was staying at my house, which makes the process very fun, feeling less like work and more like hanging out. It’s an honor working with him because he is extremely talented. Sami is also one of the hardest-working people I know. We both write very fast, and it never feels like we are running out of ideas.
DJ LIFE: If you had to pick one, what would you say is your favorite track of the album?
Stääf: For me, it’s probably “Busy.” I just enjoy working with melodic, childlike music that is totally free from expectations on how it has to sound – in terms of tempo, rhythm, and overall feel.
DJ LIFE: How has it been to play these tracks out live during your Bal ance tour and get immediate reac tions to the album at every stop?
Stääf: Testing songs out is superhelpful. I’d even go as far as say ing it’s a crucial litmus test to see if the song actually holds up. This is something I usually start doing long before we even decide if the song is even going to be released in the
first place. Due to the pandemic, and me not playing as many shows, I didn’t have as much opportunity to put this material through the wringer, which actually worried me quite a bit.
DJ LIFE: What gear and programs are you us ing these days when it comes to production?
Stääf: I use a combination of analog vintage synths, acoustic instruments, and software. It all ends up in my DAW, [Steinberg’s] Cubase. I’m always checking out new equipment, and late ly I’ve been really interested in gear that en hances the perceived sound quality/mixdowns. My studio is quite modular, and I can easily shift from using synths, to playing a hang drum, re cording a vocal, or jumping into arrangement. It’s very important for me that the workflow is lightning-fast. Inspiration is like a soaring dragon – you have to jump on as it flies by.
DJ LIFE: How would you say your sounds con tinue to evolve?
Stääf: I believe music is an emotional lan guage. Now, if you want to speak with a strong voice, you have to have something of value to say. For music, that means gathering powerful life experiences. I try to keep my life diverse and interesting, having many hobbies unrelated to music – such as crafting, martial arts, ancient history, psychology, spiritual growth, hiking, botany, etc. – and it definitely helps me stay inspired and not go into writer’s block.
DJ LIFE: Wakaan has not only become a true powerhouse as a record label, but has cultivat ed quite the loyal community of music lovers. How would you describe its journey since its 2015 inception?
Stääf: The decision to start Wakaan came out of a deep depression, where I had lost my men tor Harley Reagan, and felt very isolated and lonely. I was looking for a purpose bigger than myself. A way to connect with other producers, and share resources. I didn’t really have many expectations, but more so just acted on gut feeling. Since then, we’ve gone to release over 200 records, and helped build a very vibrant community of bass lovers all over the world.
DJ LIFE: For anyone who may not be familiar with Liquid Stanger and the Wakaan commu nity, how would you explain it to them?
Stääf: Wakaan is a collective for free-form music. We build artists, by sharing our infrastruc
ture and network of connec tions, putting on shows, and releasing records and other forms of related art, such as clothing.
DJ LIFE: Tell us about SSK WAN, the new sub-label that’s more about downtempo music.
Stääf: We wanted to expand the collective to include more melodic, soothing, organic songs. I feel it’s very utilitarian music, that many people can find a place for in their lives – for example, when driving, meditating, or relaxing. That’s what the brother label SSKWAN is about. One of my long-term goals is to help make the U.S. climate for downtempo shows as vibrant as the climate for full-on dance shows currently is.
DJ LIFE: Who are some pro ducers who have your atten tion these days?
Stääf: We have a lot of excit ing records coming up. The full-length from TVBOO is very good, plus a new Sully EP as well. We’re also stoked about new material from Shlump, LUZCID, and the huge SSKWAN compilation we are finishing up. I’m also really into what Xotix and Runnit are doing at the moment.
DJ LIFE: Balance has been released to the world, Wakaan is pumping out the wonkiest tunes in the scene and Wakaan Festival is set to return in September. Is there anything else up your sleeve for 2022 and beyond?
Stääf: Since I got home from the Balance Tour, I’ve been writing a lot. I think I have around 20 decent drafts for a new body of work. I’m also going to pursue some more collabs this year, but can’t talk too freely about that yet. Lots of show bookings as well, so you’ll see plenty of little me in 2022.
– Brian BonavogliaMiami, Fla. – At this point in his career, there’s very little that Markus Schulz hasn’t done – or hasn’t been recognized for.
From the outset, he worked his way up the DJ ladder, going from mobile work to global no toriety. He made a name with his diverse studio output and his Coldharbour Recordings. He’s won awards – indeed, he’s the only jock to be voted America’s Best DJ thrice. With Schulz Music Group, he’s taken on artist management. As it stands, he’s the trance genre’s most-popular, most-successful, U.S.-based DJ/producer.
However, things change, life gets altered, the career takes unforeseen turns. Lucky for Schulz, it’s not in his personal ity to become diminished by any of it. Besides his basic will to succeed, which is consider able, one of the reasons Schulz has accomplished so much is his ability to improvise and find a new solution when the road takes a turn.
Of course, COVID did that for everyone, not just DJs. But without gigs and a connection to his audience, Schulz found alternatives to maintain his fan base. When the world opened back up and he returned to his global travels, Schulz noticed some subtle changes in the club and festival sounds – in genres and with certain DJ approaches – so he’s adapted some of these new technocentric ideas to his repertoire. Oh, and earlier this year, Schulz and his wife, Adina, brought a son, Liam, into the world. Changes, indeed.
By Jim Tremayne
Back to business post-lock down, Schulz has adapted to the changes in life and ca reer, whether they’re planned or not. No matter which way the wind blows, Schulz always seems to be able to navigate the conditions. As always, he’s playing the long game.
We recently connected with Schulz to discuss all of this and more.
DJ LIFE: Since lockdown, your life has certainly changed. This year, you have a new son, Liam – congratulations to you and Adina. How has father hood at this stage of the game impacted your life and your livelihood?
Schulz: Well, you know what? I think we were ready for it. Be fore [lockdown], we were like, “Oh, when we have a child…” Then the pandemic hit and it’s like, “If not now, when?” And we tried for a year and half so, we were well-prepared, all ready for it.
DJ LIFE: Has it impacted your regular job as a DJ/producer?
Schulz: Nothing has changed in the sense that my routine is different. One thing that we said going into this is that, you know, my life on this planet is music, and we want to con tinue that. I mean, how do I say it elegantly? To get the best of me, music has to be one of the major roles in my life –otherwise, I’ll be cranky and I won’t be the same person. So, on the creative side, noth ing has changed. Obviously, I’m inspired by having a child, moved by the innocence of a child. But, my drive and my work ethic stay the same.
DJ LIFE: So, you’re at home during the week and away on most weekends… still you have
a new member in the household.
Schulz: Adina’s parents [from Romania] came to stay with us a week before Liam was born and they’ve been help ing. In European culture – and especially Romanian culture – the grandparents have a big, big role in raising the child, so we’ve had four hands on deck since he was born.
DJ LIFE: How did you treat lockdown? Were you creative? How did you deal with the halt of gigs?
Schulz: We didn’t know when things would open again, and I thought it was like, almost melancholy. I did find my self very creative, but I missed the shows. The time really made me realize what I got into the scene for and what we took for granted. I was trying to find a way to put that back into my life.
DJ LIFE: You did some streaming, I remember…
Schulz: Right, that’s when I started doing sets on our balcony in Miami. Then, we took an RV and just set up gear in the middle of these remote locations and did 10 shows in conjunction with my album called Escape . So, it was the creative – the juices were really going, but there were few outlets to direct that creativity. I know a lot of people who just shut down, and then there were people who got really prolific, too, and they had to find other ways to harness that creativity.
DJ LIFE: It sounds like you went back to your do-it-yourself days – when you would throw your own parties –and found a way to make a situation work for you.
Schulz: I remember, I used to ask myself, “If things ever went upside down in my career, what would I do?” And I always said to myself, “Well, I would probably just reinvent myself,” and it was almost like that same kind of idea dur ing the lockdown. It was like, well, what are we going to do? Let’s reinvent a way to get the music to the people, and people were so appreciative for anything that you would do creatively during the lockdown.
DJ LIFE: A lot of the DJs I interviewed said that the streaming experience gave them a tighter connection to the people and their fans because it just felt so much more direct and personal.
Schulz: It definitely was a lot more personal because, normally, you’re doing shows and you see thousands of people every weekend. But all of a sudden, it was like you weren’t in front of thousands, but you were streaming and it felt more one-on-one.
DJ LIFE: What were the first gigs back like for you?
Schulz: It was strange, at first. We were all still wondering, “Oh, what’s the protocol? Should I wear a mask onstage?” And at that point, we’d been focused more on streaming music, not necessarily the partying side of things, the ag gressive, put-your-hands-in-the-air kind of music. So, to get back to doing shows, it was this balance. People wanted to just hear some good music and be around good people, get with friends, and be social again. You really kind of had to put together a set that was warm and inviting, if that makes sense. But now, we’re back to raving again, you could say [laughs].
DJ LIFE: How are you view ing the continuing evolution of trance? Are you looking at the other scenes and listening to other sounds?
Schulz: You know, techno has just gotten so big, espe cially in Europe. There are so many of these festivals and labels like Drumcode that are still doing so well. And when you start listening to some of these techno sets, you start to realize that some of them are sounding like old trance clas sics. They’re playing tracks that, if you were to play them back in 2010, they would be catego rized as trance. So, techno kind of came along and basically became what trance used to be. Trance got to be too com mercial or too uplifting – or too static, I should say. Everything that’s 138 beats-per-minute and uplifting all sounds the same. Everything that’s 128 BPM and big-room, that sounds all the same. Techno kind of came along and was really pushing the boundaries be tween traditional techno and trance.
DJ LIFE: How is that affecting the genre and your world?
Schulz: I noticed that every body, especially the veterans of the trance scene, have real ly gravitated towards that. Also, when I started hearing some of these amazing melodic techno tracks, I was like blown away. So, I think, following that lead, the one thing about techno is they kind of flirt with the trance, they don’t just give the full trance moment…
DJ LIFE: Just flavors…
Schulz: Yeah, so I kind of found that’s where my niche is… keep that techno-y groove, that fresh new sound, and give them that euphoric moment that trance has been known for. For me, it’s just been a huge revelation and almost like next evolution of the trance scene.
DJ LIFE: Global DJ Broadcast – how many years have you been doing that now?
Schulz: Everybody labels their radio shows, like, “Episode 541” or whatever… and when
I started I said that I don’t want to date myself. Now, here we are, like, 20 years later, and I really wish I had labeled them [laughs]. It started on Party 93.1 in Miami during that whole era in 2003 or so. I was on every Sunday, but when the station went away, I took it online.
DJ LIFE: And once you put it online, it really gave you a platform that kept you ac cessible to the world.
Schulz: That’s exactly how I blew up worldwide. I was doing remixing and production and that was a going really well. But me, as a DJ, I was a resident at Space in Miami and I was playing with all the big DJs – Tiësto and Oakenfold and such, everybody. Still, I really wasn’t heard internationally with my DJ sets. But when the station started simulcasting online, people heard my sets from Space and that’s when people started paying attention and getting notice worldwide.
DJ LIFE: And radio always meant a lot to you, right?
Schulz: When I moved to the U.S. from Germany, I didn’t really know English and I was really introverted. But I listened to music and that was my escape, my connection and it was always a one-on-one experience. I would be listening to the radio and I felt like the DJ, whoever it was – Tony Humphries, Shep Pettibone or the Latin Rascals –they were talking directly to me. So, when I had the opportunity to start doing a radio mixshow, that was my mission. I wanted to give that feeling, too, to somebody out there that needs that as well. I don’t know how many people are listening, but I know
somebody out there needs this right now, and that’s always been my philosophy.
DJ LIFE: Let’s talk about your musical output – there always seems to be a balance. You’ve got Dakota tracks for late night, but you’ve also got big, almost cinematic collabs like “Through the Galaxies,” plus poppier things like “Into My Arms” with Emma Hewitt… what’s your approach in the studio?
Schulz: When I was doing these eight- to 10-hour sets at Space in Miami, and even when I was learning to DJ, you’d have a certain sound in the beginning, then a cer tain sound for the peak, and another sound for the afterhours. So, all of my produc tions that I do, I always go into the studio with a frame of mind, like… what part of my sets is this going to live in? Is this track going to be in the peak of my set? Is this going to be one of those warm-up tracks? Or is this going to be one of those weird, twisted rabbit-hole tracks in the wee hours? It seems like, “Oh, he’s really eclectic,” but when you zero in on it…it’s for three different parts of the set. When I do my marathon, 12-hour sets, it’s broken into those parts.
DJ LIFE: I really dug that collab with William Schneider, “Through the Galaxies,”
and you’ve brought back the Dakota persona.
Schulz: That’s the first track for a new collab series called “X,” where I do a collab with a variety of people, like Arkham Knights, BT, Paul Oakenfold and Ferry Corsten. And Dakota is more for the after-hours, some thing that I purposely resurrect ed. My Dakota alias that I used way back in the day was for deeper, darker productions.
DJ LIFE: OK, now the fun questions… what are your three favorite clubs and why?
Schulz: Stereo in Montreal be cause of their afterhours scene – I start at 2 a.m. and play until noon. Ministry of Sound in Lon don because of their incredible sound system. Also, Avalon in Los Angeles for those legend ary, legacy nights – the most fun nights I’ve had in my career were there.
DJ LIFE: And three festivals?
Schulz: Transmission Festival in Prague – one stage and one amazing laser show. EDC in Las Vegas – for meeting friends from all over the country. And Electric Forest in Michigan! I played here this summer for the first time and I was blown away. What a vibe! It’s like To morrowland without the main stream.
DJ LIFE: Three tracks, but not yours, that are always in your box?
Schulz: “The Age of Love” by Age of Love – the Jam and Spoon mix. Even before the 2022 remixes, this song was an all-time favorite. “Crossfade” by GusGus – the Maceo Plex mix. It’s the true definition of a Markus Schulz afterhours anthem. Hmm, how ’bout a festival anthem? “Out of the Blue” by Ferry Corsten’s System F. That melody withstands the test of time.
DJ LIFE: Studio gear, the ba sics – what are you using?
Schulz: Ableton Live is my go-to DAW and it’s absolutely essential whether I’m produc ing or doing my radio show. ADAM Audio studio monitors – they make me feel like I’m in the club. Also, I’m back into the vintage preamps for micro
phones – my Manley VOXBOX is back in my favorites list.
DJ LIFE: What about plug-ins?
Schulz: Favorite synthesizer plugins? Serum by Xfer Records, Diva by u-he, and then Omnisphere by Spectrasonics. My favorite production plug-ins would include the FabFilter plug-ins, especially the limiter. Mbassador by Melda Production – this is es sential for the techno world or making afterhours tracks. Also, OTT [compressor] by Xfer Records.
DJ LIFE: Let’s move into the DJ gear. Has anything changed?
Schulz: I’m in love with Pioneer DJ’s CDJ-3000s. There’s just so many hidden things you can do and the ease of them at the festivals is amazing. All the things that they’ve added to it… just stunning. For mixers, the DJM-900NXS2 still works for me.
DJ LIFE: And how are you DJing?
Schulz: So, for my 10-hour, 12-hour open-to-close sets, I use recordbox on my laptop into the hub – so I have access to my entire library. Then, for the festival sets, I use an SD card, and then I prep it with recordbox.
DJ LIFE: Any DJ product you’d like to see invented?
Schulz: I’d like a harmonic analyzer, not just a key analyzer, but a harmonic ana lyzer, so I can see all the subharmonics that are in a song… like in techno, they use the kick drum in different keys. That would be helpful. That’s what I wish was invented, but I’m told that it’s too-niche of a product. Only the ultra-DJ-nerds would appreciate that [laughs].
DJ LIFE: Which DJs are you feeling now?
Schulz: I really like what Adam Beyer is doing with his Drumcode label. There’s just so much fresh music coming from his label and from that camp of producers. This year, I’ve really grown to appreciate Solomun and this vintage ’80s vibe that he’s doing. It reminds me of the gay clubs back in the late ’80s/early ’90s. It’s kinda like that Italian vibe. He’s been playing this stuff at Pacha in Ibiza and, man, it’s just blown my mind. I’ve been listening for something to play the last two hours of my sets and that’s some thing that I can get into.
DJ LIFE: And finally, advice for DJs who are just starting out, for someone who dreams of being a global DJ?
Schulz: Be original. You know, we have our agency, SMG [Schulz Music Group], and this is what I tell all the young DJs that we bring on: A good agent can get you booked anywhere in the world once, but it’s all about the re-bookings – and re-book ings are your responsibility. Re-bookings is when the fees go up and the fanbase goes up. You do everything you need to do to get the re-bookings, everything from your attitude to your sets, everything you bring to the table. Ultimately, it’s on you.
As we all know – and I preach this every year at DJX in Atlantic City –SEO is vital to a strong marketing campaign for your DJ company.
Ranking on Page 1 for Google in your area for the various businessgenerating keywords in the DJ industry is one of the two major drivers of new bookings – the other being world-of-mouth, of course. Almost every serious DJ company has some sort of an SEO program in place, and rightly so. These efforts take time and resources, of course, but are well worth it in the long run.
Unfortunately, as with anything digital, there are many different ways to fight the business fight against your competition. Some of them are ethical in nature – for example, simply just doing a better SEO job to outrank your competitor organically. However, other methods are less scrupulous. We’ll talk here in this article about protecting your brand’s digital footprint against something that is used far too often in the digi tal world, on the topic of…
Simply put, Negative SEO refers to a grouping of methods that a brand can use in order to maliciously bring down the Google rankings of its competitors. It’s not ethical, but also not necessarily illegal either. Even if you are an ethical operator and choose to avoid such methods, you should at the very least know how to protect yourself from other brands trying to use these methods against you. Let’s take a look at one widely used method and run though the cause, as well as the solu tion.
Back in the 2000s, gaining SEO-boosting backlinks was an extremely easy task. It didn’t matter where the backlink was located; if Google could see it, then it counted in your PageRank SERP calculation. How ever, SEO-spammers took advantage of this backlink weakness over the years, and content-farms arose, mainly in Poland and other areas of Eastern Europe.
For a few hundred bucks, you could have 3,000 to 5,000 backlinks posted up within a week, and outrank your competition significantly… therefore, skipping all the usual hard work that a proper organic web site puts in over the years to obtain their ranking ethically.
Google was inundated with complaints, and changed its algorithms drastically in 2011 (Panda ) and 2012 ( Penguin ) in a variety of ways. The most significant of these changes is putting relevance into the calcula tion, so that a backlink by itself isn’t enough anymore. The backlink has to be hosted on a site that is also weightier by a relevance legitimacy factor.
For example, a DJ-company backlink hosted on a local DJ directory is positively relevant; whereas a DJ-company backlink hosted on a site that is just a collection of unorganized backlinks coming from a server located in some country on the other side of the world is not relevant So, now – and here’s the most important thing to realize – a backlink on such an irrelevant server/site will actually cause you to take a Google penalty!
After the Penguin algorithm update was implemented, it wasn’t long before those unscrupulous SEO marketers learned that they could ex ecute on a Negative-SEO campaign simply by posting the URL of their competitors on such irrelevant servers/sites, and this method is still used today. Fortunately, there are ways to defend against this attack, and DJ LIFE is happy to show you how.
First, you need to check what backlinks might actually be causing you problems. Some of the major SEO tools that are used out there ( Moz, KissMetrics, Semrush, Serpstat, SE Ranking , etc.) all have backlink checkers that will provide assessments of the backlinks that Google has indexed for your website URL. For now, though, let’s show you a fool proof method “from scratch” (no pun intended).
Checking Google Analytics for my new website, the following screen
Acquisition/Referral Traffic… in other words, your backlinks.
Most of these links, I’m familiar with (especially the third link in that list). However, the link at No. 4 is unknown to me. I’ve never posted a backlink on that site, and up until a few hours ago I’ve never even heard of that site. That backlink may very well be causing me prob lems. So, what to do?
Using the Google Disavow Tool, you can essentially tell Google to “ig nore”
positive or negative aspects from a particular backlink. See
Note that this tool is connected to Google Search Console, and you can get to this page while logged into GSC as well.
There are lots of articles out there online about this subject. So, feel free to do your own research, of course. My own personal policy is to go “zero-risk” on these. If there’s any possibility of harm, then just disavow it. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. No matter what your preferred plan is, you should pay attention to your backlinks at least once a month, preferably twice a month. Knowing the problem is there allows you to prevent damage and keep your rankings where they need to be.
Jordan St. Jacques is the President/Lead Digital Marketer at Digitera. Interactive in Ottawa, Ont., Canada.
Boston’s Joe Bermudez hasn’t yet accomplished everything he wants in his DJ career, but he’s gotten off to a pretty good start.
After launching his journey in the early 2000s by spinning events and clubs in the New England area, the Maine native began to make big waves on the radio and from the studio. Beginning with his syndicat ed “Open House Party,” Bermudez later hit with his long-running “Mass Movement” mixshow, which spread his brand and helped increase his gig opportunities. Abroad, he did dates in Europe with Avicii and Da vid Guetta; at home, he opened for Madonna on her “MDMA Tour” and played Ultra Music Festival in Miami.
Additionally, his remixes for top
ings, his approach to music videos, and how he’s succeeded as a DIY DJ.
DJ LIFE: Musically, what were your first influences? What made you want to pursue music?
Bermudez: I grew up on classic rock. AC/DC and Van Halen were huge influences on me. It’s prob ably why I like using guitars so much in my music. They were also playing massive stadiums, so they designed their music to have an impact on those types of venues. That taught me the simplicity of just a kick and bass can be more powerful than hundreds of elements stacked to gether.
DJ LIFE: Which DJs do you admire and why?
acts like Rihanna, Britney Spears and Kelly Clarkson set the stage for a series of well-received produc tions. Indeed, his collabs with Louise Carver – 2016’s “Sunrise” and 2018’s “ Crazy Enough” – topped the Bill board Dance Club Chart. And now he’s returned with “Lose My Num ber ,” another pop-dance winner with the South African vocalist on his 617 Records – and check the re cent video with Bermudez playing a well-intentioned burglar.
We recently caught up with Joe Bermudez to discuss his latest do
Bermudez: Kaskade – his music is timeless. He doesn’t chase trends and does it his way. Zedd – I love how he voices his songs. There’s always an unexpected 13th chord or something. David Guetta, I admire his work ethic. He is straight-up drop ping bangers weekly.
DJ LIFE: Creatively, how did you approach your recent single, “Lose My Number”? What was the pro cess of making it with Louise Carver?
Bermudez: This was the first one I started during lockdown. It was also the first song I’ve written remotely. Usually,
I’d be in a room with some one, and we’d hash out all the ideas face-to-face. But, for this one, we never saw each other, not even on Zoom. It was all done through email. I came up with a rough backing track idea and sent it to Louise. She came up with a rough topline idea, and sent it back. I came up with a rough concept, and sent it back. And we kept emailing melodies and lyric ideas back and forth until we had something we were happy with. She recorded the vocals in Johannesburg, and I comped and mixed everything in Boston. The song went through a ton of revisions, and you probably wouldn’t even recognize it if you heard the original demo.
DJ LIFE: Tell me about the video and where that idea came from.
Bermudez: I like to have fun with my videos. For “Teach Me,” we took over a class room at Berklee College of Music and turned it into a fullon rave. For “Ghosting,” we did a live-action Pac-Man chase around the city of Boston. But this one took some time to come up with something clever and different. We ended up shooting an “Ocean’s Eleven”-type heist where I break into a mansion to steal my number out of the phone from a crazy ex, who won’t leave me alone.
DJ LIFE: How did you get through the lockdown? Did you do it creatively?
Bermudez: At first, I was making tons of edits to play in my sets. Then, when we found out the lockdown would be longer than a few weeks, it didn’t make much sense to continue doing that, as I couldn’t play them any where. It was really rough at first. I was in a dark place, like most, but managed to push through and start col laborating with people all over the world. Getting back into some sort of routine helped my mental sanity a lot. It gave me a purpose again.
DJ LIFE: Were you streaming during lockdown? What do you think of that platform for DJs?
Bermudez: I personally didn’t stream, but would have them on in the background while I worked. DJs aren’t always the most exciting people to watch, and I didn’t think people would want to see me mixing in my living room without pyro, strobe lights and go-go dancers.
DJ LIFE: How has it been like returning to the clubs/ events?
Bermudez: It’s been great. People were cooped up for so long that they’ve been going extra-hard making for some of the most fun shows of my career.
DJ LIFE: What are a few tracks that you always have at-
the-ready in your DJ sets?
Bermudez: “We Found Love” Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris… quite possibly the greatest dance song of all time. “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. It never fails to get everyone singing along at the top of their lungs. Also, “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled. Living in a sports town like Boston, this one comes in very, very handy.
DJ LIFE: In the DJ booth, what’s your gear? What’s your approach, as a DJ?
Bermudez: My set-up is pretty simple. All my music is on USB flash drives and I use two Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000s linked together to manipu late everything. My style is smooth. Once I’ve hooked you on the dancefloor with your favorite song, I want you to get lost in the music and not realize I’ve mixed out of it until at least four or five songs later.
DJ LIFE: For years, you had a radio mixshow. Prep-wise, how did you approach it and keep it going?
Bermudez: Yes, my radio station in Boston fell victim to the pandemic, so I’ve been doing lots of guest spots around the country until I find another slot locally. Prep-wise, if you’re playing out on the regular, all that work is pretty much done. I do a live set, like I would in a club. I could do it in Ableton Live, but feel like it would take me longer to warp all the tracks than to just mix it live.
DJ LIFE: What’s your main studio gear?
Bermudez: I’m in Pro Tools. It’s not the most dance-friendly of DAWs, but it just makes sense for me. I started doing pro duction for radio stations and am used to working with au dio. Even though the MIDI may suck – I don’t think they’ve up dated it since 1981 – the mixdown engine is unmatched. I’m also a big fan of the playlist options when tracking vocals and guitars. My favorite plug-in is the AIR Stereo Width. Being able to quickly switch and hear things in mono at home has really helped my productions shine on a club system.
DJ LIFE: Which producer/remixer do you most admire and why?
Bermudez: Max Martin – everything in his tracks has a purpose. Even though there’s a lot going on, you can hear every element clearly and, if something were muted, you’d know something was missing.
DJ LIFE: What’s next for you?
Bermudez: Lots more music, for sure! I wrote a ton dur ing the lockdown and am starting to release them all now. We’re about to shoot another music video for the next single, called “Tug of War.” I don’t want to give too much away, but it will be the craziest spin class you’ve ever seen!
Los Angeles – They don’t call him The DJ Coach for nothing.
The fact is, Hapa Perdue (aka DJ HAPA) has blended his 20-plus years of experience as a DJ with a deep passion for teaching its craft. In addition to sharing stages with artists like Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars and Drake, his clients include Microsoft, ESPN, and The Grammys – so his impressive list of accomplishments gives him a unique standing in the DJ space as a mentor.
HAPA’s DJ-class teachings (online or in-person) are informed by the fact that he’s always been on the cutting-edge of music, education and technology and is well-versed and certified in every ma jor hardware or software brand in the DJ space – and now his attentions are expanding to VR and the Metaverse. His inspiring, personal story of overcoming the life-threatening obstacle of epilepsy lays the foundation of a career that’s as much about paying it forward as it is his wide-ranging musi cal accomplishments.
Beginning his journey in the Bay Area in the midst of America’s turntablism revolution, HAPA rose in the ranks to become one of the country’s more in-demand DJs, but also an educator of remarkable breadth. Now based in Los Angeles, HAPA, 42, has launched a variety of DJ-education projects that he believes will teach the newbies, while also preserving DJ culture. As he prepped for his Keynote Q&A at this year’s DJX, we connected with The DJ Coach.
DJ LIFE: Which places of higher education are you currently working with?
HAPA: I’m a professor in the Music Department at Mount San Antonio College out in Walnut, Calif., where we have a two-year Audio Arts Degree Program that is part music production, audio engi neering, and DJ performance. I also have spent the past 17 years working on building DJ educa tion and cut my teeth building a brand called Scratch DJ Academy from 2004 to 2019. I’m currently working on a new online education solution for DJs called DJ University where we not only teach the technical skills, but also the business side of DJing and how to build a brand and potentially turn your passion into a career path.
DJ LIFE: Musically, what were your first influences? What made you love music and want to pursue it?
HAPA: I came up in the era of cassette tapes and recording songs off of the radio with my boom box. I remember hearing DJs mixing songs together and had no idea how they were doing it. I would try and emulate that and tried to “mix” by not pressing play down all the way, so it slowed the music or pressing pause instead of stop, so it cued right up to where I wanted it. I was then trying to hustle tapes in high school, but still had no idea how DJs were scratching until I was put onto the Invisbl Skratch Picklz by my friend’s older brother, who told me to see how “real DJs did it.”
DJ LIFE: And what did you think?
HAPA: I was skeptical, thinking these guys couldn’t even spell correctly… my friend and I went down to the De Young Museum in San Francisco one afternoon and saw QBert, Apollo and Mix Master Mike playing the turntables together like a band – and my mind was blown! At that moment, I lost interest in drumline and was saving up for the Gemini “DJ in a Box” package that I saw on this mail-order catalog. When it came in, it took me months to figure out some of the fundamentals that we now teach in a matter of minutes, but it was so fulfilling when I finally understood how to beat
DJ LIFE: How did you progress?
HAPA: DJing really started to click though when I got around some older DJs in college and was the tenth man in a DJ crew called Exquisite Sounds. Learned so much off of the guys and girls in our crew and soaked up as much knowledge as I could. We would go and do mobile gigs, frat par ties, club gigs – anywhere we could book – and all of the money went back into records, new equip ment or late-night meals. It was such an incredible experience and, still to this day, I recommend this type of camaraderie to DJs I mentor. The commu nity and the culture is what made me stick with it and is honestly why I am still so passionate.
DJ LIFE: What has your DJ evolution looked like?
HAPA: I used to own a vinyl-record store with some friends called REHAB Projects in Los Angeles and I was a huge fan of collecting vinyl. I was also one of those DJs who said I would never use a lap top to DJ, which is laughable now… since today, I am one of the people pushing technology in our space from my involvement with software brands like Serato, Algoriddim djay, rekordbox, WeDJ, DJUICED, Traktor, Ableton – all of which I have built courses for. And now I’m working on a project with a company called Tribe XR where we have built the full CDJ-3000 kit in VR!
DJ LIFE: What gear are you using these days?
HAPA: My weapons of choice these days really do vary and I think it’s essential that professional DJs get exposure to all sorts of gear that exist in our space. I love Pioneer DJ’s CDJs with rekordbox, but also just got the new REV7 with Serato and that’s become a favorite tool of mine recently. I also re ally enjoy pulling out my phone and mixing on Al goriddim djay software on-the-go and, of course, DJing in VR with Tribe is next-level! I still have my Technics 1200s and my vinyl collection is still about 50,000 records.
DJ LIFE: How did you make your career progress to a place where you were playing events for big brands, etc.? How did you make that happen? How does it happen now?
HAPA: I think no matter what kind of DJ you wish to be, there are some really important steps that you should take. First, you’ve got to make sure you have the fundamental skills down. I see DJs want ing to shortcut this step and this is the foundation! At the same time, it’s important to not obsess over
being “perfect.” We like to say, “We focus on progression not perfection.” You are going to make a ton of mistakes live, and the goal is to minimize those, but I don’t think I’ve ever played a “perfect set.”
DJ LIFE: What else?
HAPA: Secondly, you’ve got to build a brand. These days, there are so many DJs and even more people jumping into the DJ pool than ever before – which is a good thing, in my opinion – but because of that, you have to stand for some thing and can’t be the “jack-of-all-trades” DJ. Now, don’t get me wrong – I do think DJs should be versatile and should be willing to try new things and say yes to a variety of op portunities, if you wish, but the sweet spot is niching down to who you are and playing music that makes you come alive.
DJ LIFE: Who are you and what is your sound?
HAPA: I describe my sound as “feel good,” and those are also the types of events and brands I like to align with. It fits me to my core to be at a Target pop-up with families and a Ferris Wheel playing dance remixes I made of Rihanna and mixing that into Stevie Wonder into Kaytranada into Avicii.
DJ LIFE: In 1998, you were diagnosed with epilepsy – how did that alter your life and career? How did that impact your attitude moving forward? What did you learn?
HAPA: Epilepsy has been the biggest teacher in my life. I’m so grateful for the disease that almost killed me multiple times because it taught me a lot about being present, push ing my limits, and following my passion. It has completely changed my outlook on life and forced me into space of needing to lean into my faith and be in a position of fully
surrendering. There are a lot of stigmas attached to seizures and epilepsy, and I’m trying to help change that within our lifetime.
DJ LIFE: How did you get involved in education for up-and-coming DJs, and why do you see it as so important?
HAPA: In 2004, myself and my business partners were sitting around in our record store/community center in L.A., which was the home of our company DJCity and we vowed we would provide value for the community beyond just selling vinyl records because we could do that with minimal overhead online. As we are sitting in this brainstorm meeting, the idea comes up to start a DJ school and everyone was excited about it. About 30 seconds later, we all looked at each other question ing how to even start a DJ school. I remember hearing about Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC being involved in starting Scratch DJ Acad emy out of New York and the guys urged me to cold call them, so I did.
DJ LIFE: So, what hap pened?
HAPA: Long story short, we brought Scratch out to L.A. in late 2004, and that was the start of my teach ing career. We changed so many lives and empowered so many people to explore this passion that they had for music, but didn’t know where to start or how to express themselves and I’m forever indebted to Rob [Principe] and the team at Scratch for helping me tap into this passion that I didn’t know I had for helping to create that “lightbulb mo ment” in people.
DJ LIFE: Sounds like that was a “lightbulb moment” for you, too.
HAPA: Just like knowing your brand as a DJ, I’ve figured out that I have been given a gift for em
powering passionate DJs to unlock their passion. I was working with some pro athletes, who wanted to get into DJing, and several of them started referring to me as “The DJ Coach” and the name stuck. Currently, we have intro courses at TheDJCoach.com and we have students we serve from over 122 countries and now we have new programs with DJUniversity. com where we are help ing DJs level up. My goal is to teach the world to DJ and to elevate DJ educa tion everywhere. I believe that we, as educators and schools, need to collabo rate and work together to help legitimize DJing as a career path and, at the same time, preserve DJ culture.
DJ LIFE: Your Hal Leonard book, The First 50 DJ Tech niques You Should Know, is fairly extensive What was your approach to this book?
HAPA: I wanted to create a resource that anyone who is learning to DJ or teach ing someone to DJ could lean into. I wrote it with the beginner in mind, but also was considering the veteran DJ that learned by trialand-error, like me. I see this book being something that is a great complement for someone who is buying that modern day “DJ in a box” like I did, and really hope that, with the support of our publisher Hal Leonard, this helps legitimize DJ educa tion as a whole.
DJ LIFE: Advice for young DJs?
HAPA: Young, middleaged, or old, I think my biggest pieces of advice are you need three people in your life: a mentor, a mentee, and a friend. Find someone that you can learn from, find someone you can teach, and find someone who will be there and support you on your journey.
“I’m really excited for what is to come with the Metaverse and how DJs will be able to participate in reaching virtual audiences and be ing an integral part of virtual events.”
For the past half-dozen years, bass music has been the runaway festival favorite in the ent out there to fill the stages, it’s still the genre’s true innovators who continue to push the sound forward and rise to the top of those festival billings. Hayden Capuozzo, better known by his stage
Growing up in Houston, Texas, Kayzo was a serious hockey player, but he moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to concentrate on music full-time. He enrolled in L.A.’s famous electronicmusic production school, Icon Collective, to hone his craft and, in the very same year, he would win Insomniac’s Discovery Project. This allowed him to perform at Escape from
He quickly making ripples through the dance-music blogosphere, but it would be his ,” where he managed to fuse the worlds of bass music and big rock, that took him to a new level. By seamlessly blending dubstep, trap, hardstyle, and even psy-trance with the menacing sounds of metal, he would quickly
, on his powerhouse imprint Welcome Records, showcases that broad range of styles, with a mix of tunes that go from ”) in ap proach. As he prepped for tour dates that will take him through the fall, the 30-year-old to discuss his approach to music and more.
to outside of dance music, really – tons of when I’m on the road for a lon , I always find myself com ing home with tons of inspiration from the crowds I play for, the cities I explore, and the
Ableton Live, full maxed-out new Macbook Pro, Focal SM9 monitors, UAD Apollo on my first studio, fully treated with a walk-in iso
I’m pretty simple when it comes to in the booth needs. A couple bottles of water
You seem to collaborate a lot with other artists. Why do you choose to go that
I wouldn’t say I collaborate more than writing on my own. I think I find myself col more with either bands or vocalists from bands or solo projects than just other producers. That’s really where I get most excited. Being able to get in a room and track that into my production and sound
There are many innovators in electronic music, but your ability to fuse the worlds of metal and bass music is simply in a league of its own, as signature sounds go. Why do you think that hybrid style works so well together? How do you get that sound?
I found myself uninspired back in 2016 with what I was writing. At that point in time, I was writing strictly electronic music without really pulling much inspo from outside genres of music. I remember driving home one day and decided to put on all my old al bums and songs I enjoyed – bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Underoath, A Day To Remem on the melodies, the riffs and thought, “Wow, this really isn’t too far off from a lot of the production and writing that goes on in dance music.” Biggest difference is that we call things builds and drops and bands terms like pre-chorus, chorus, etc. We are all really saying the same thing, though, and that’s what got me excited to start experimenting. to the scene
sound itself is really trial-and-error, still to this day. I’d be lying if I say I have rtist with a “sound” because I feel like, if I myself acknowledged I had a sound, then I would end up re-using and rinsing it out too often – and that would lead to all my stuff sounding the same. For me, person ally, I go into every song with a completely fresh template. I have guitar and drum racks for things, but the sound for my songs really comes from experimentation for that record
DJ LIFE: You’ve been a part of this music-making scene for almost a decade now – what are some changes you’ve noticed over the years?
Kayzo: I think the most obvious changes are the ones that surround the social and marketing aspects of the music industry. There are so many different tools to market yourself, and yet I think it’s harder than ever. So much is happening at once and being digested by fans and followers – I think it can be superdaunting for up-and-comers. Aside from that, there are some pretty awesome changes, I think, too. I feel like, now more than ever, we are in a place where experimenting and trying new things musically is praised, which has led to some pretty awesome music sometimes from unexpected places.
DJ LIFE: How has the bass music scene, specifically, changed since you first emerged onto the scene?
Kayzo: Piggy-backing from above, but I think bass music now is at a really interesting crossroads. I think masses may think of bass music as just dubstep, but now I think bass music has found itself as this really interesting tree with more branches than it had 10 years ago. Some older branches could resemble some staple sub-genres of bass music, but those branches now have grown tiny branches off the older ones, which have led to some incredibly cool and unique takes on genres of bass music, some even creating new, stapled sub-genres.
DJ LIFE: What has been the key to success and longevity?
Kayzo: For me, it has always been the long game. I really have never been one to be wide-eyed by a moment or falling into what’s “hot.” For me, I’ve always looked at my career as a house, but the house needs really, really solid founda tion, so it’s been a brick-by-brick approach. I would never want to be an artist that blows up too quickly and ends up sort of like a house on glass stilts. Without that foundation of time to build a true brand and identity with your listeners, I think things could become unstable. Me as a creative is more of the approach of, like, an app. I have always looked at myself as an app in beta mode. Always being updated like a V1.1.1, V1.1.2 type of mentality. I’ll never full be complete be cause, with art, the possibilities to grow and learn are always there.
DJ LIFE: You’ve released plenty of tracks and two albums over the years, but NEW BREED is quite a project. What was the process like putting this 20-track album together?
Kayzo: New Breed reminded me a lot of my first album, Overload, in regards to the approach of how it was made. I had no intentions of creating a third album when I first started writing the first songs that ended up being on the record. COVID gave me that time off from touring to sit back and really take my time with music and experiment without the lingering stress of always having to have music ready for the next show or festival. I think that’s more apparent in this album than any of my last. I was able to write music with different intentions than just being banger-ready for a crowd, and that really was a breath of fresh air for me.
DJ LIFE: If you had to pick one, what would you say is your favorite track of the album?
Kayzo: Super-tough, but I’ll go with “Love Me Hate Me” [featuring CRAY & De’Wayne]. That demo was all but dead for the better part of a year and came together literally in the ninth hour of this album. Obviously, Cheney [aka CRAY] and I have always wanted to write a song together and, to be honest, we al ready had. We had a really good one, too, but I think we both knew it could be better and our first song together out there as a couple needed time to come together organically. I also have always wanted to sort of have, like, a duettype song with a male and female vocal kind of call-and-responding off one another. I had a session lined up with De’Wayne in Malibu and Cheney always loved the demo instrumental we had for the record, so I thought what better song to experiment with. It ended up being one of my favorite writing/recording sessions I have ever done vocally.
DJ LIFE: When it comes to label releases, what do you look for in a production for it to get a final Welcome Records stamp of approval and get signed?
Kayzo: First and most importantly, I welcome all types of music to the label. This isn’t just a bass label or dance label. Welcome, just like the name hints at, is for everything and anything. We’ve released full rock-band records on the label, as well as dance stuff across the entire spectrum of sound. I really just look for artists of any size that are willing to push the envelope creatively.
“COVID gave me that time off from touring to sit back and really take my time with music and experiment without the lin gering stress of always having to have music ready for the next show or festival.”
BY JIM TREMAYNE
On Aug. 5, 2017, at New York’s Highline Ballroom, DJ Perly made history by becoming the very first female DMC U.S. champion.
After a controversial ending to the previous year’s U.S. Final saw Perly come up just short, the Poughkeepsie, N.Y.-based battle jock stood tall that night, taking the generous prize package, and accepting the responsibility (and the plane ticket) to represent her country at the DMC World Finals in London later that year. She would finish fourth there, but she’ll tell you that the entire experience was a life-changer.
Post-lockdown, Perly (aka Natalia Perlz) has continued to thrive as a DJ and, of course, as a battle jock. Though most of those competitions have been online affairs, she’s con tinued to place high, making the World Finals again in 2021 and most recently placing third in the 2022 DMC World Beat Juggle category.
Away from the battle scene, she’s played private events, mix spots on SiriusXM, clubs, and outdoor park jams. In 2019, she also joined the prestigious Heavy Hitters DJ crew. Ear lier this year, she released Turnstyle Breaks, her first battle breaks record.
Ladies first? You
better believe it.
We recently connected with DJ Perly to discuss the battle scene, its evolution, and her career so far.
DJ LIFE: What started you on your musical path?
Perly: I’ve always loved music as a kid. I’ve always watched MTV as a kid, TRL, Beavis and Butthead etc.. Even when I wasn’t allowed to, I still watched something music-related or had music in the background playing while I was either drawing, playing outside or doing homework, which was a bad idea because I would get lost in the music and sometimes forget about my homework from school and end up finishing it late at night. There hasn’t been a time when music wasn’t a part of my life – it was always there.
DJ LIFE: Was there a song or an artist that caught your attention?
Perly: The artists that got me more into music were probably Joe Cuba, Tito Pu
ente, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley. I had congas as a kid and I would always play my congas alongside Tito Pu ente and Joe Cuba songs, pretending as if I was a part of the band [laughs]. But, in reality, I was learning about rhythms and how to play an instrument by ear. With MJ, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles, it was more of an awakening to my curiosity
Heavy Hitter: DJ Perly can both battle & party-rock.of music and pop culture of the 20th Century.
DJ LIFE: How and when did you become involved in DJing?
Perly: I started out DJing when I was 12. I didn’t know any DJs or anyone with turntables other than my parents’ record collection and turntables. My dad has his record collection and my mom had hers. My mom was the one that got me into music, and she would play music every day. I re member her playing music from her favorite artists and songs from when she grew up – Motown, Salsa, Elvis Presley, Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, The Beatles, funk, etc.. even some songs that reminded her of Studio 54 and park jams from when she used to go back in the days. To me, my mom was the DJ. My dad was more of the Duran Duran, De peche Mode New Wave ’80s type.
DJ LIFE: How’d you first get your hands on turn tables?
Perly: My dad had turnta bles, but he was busy work ing and never really used them. I eventually took over and taught myself how to DJ. I wasn’t allowed to use my dad’s records, so I had to save up and buy my own. Around this time, You Tube was in its early, early stages and there wasn’t anything much really about DJing.
DJ LIFE: How’d you learn?
Perly: I taught myself about mixing and scratch ing. It wasn’t until I found out about Mark Ronson’s online radio show on East Village Radio called “Au thentic Shit” that I heard a DJ mix. I listened to that show religiously every Friday night and learned how to DJ – mix, blend and scratch – from him and Aaron LaCrate, who also was a part of the show. I tried to remember tech
niques that they would do or a scratch that I’d heard and try to practice it on the weekends. It was like my own version of “The Stretch & Bobbito Show.” As time went on, YouTube started adding more videos and I stumbled across DJ QBert scratch videos and A-Trak’s winning DMC videos. From there, the rest is history! Five to seven years later, I found out about Scratch Acade my and Dubspot in NYC and eventually went to sharpen my skills.
DJ LIFE: When you started, did you have any female role models to look up to?
Perly: When I started out, I didn’t know any female DJs, or had any female role models other than my mom and my abuela. They have been my inspiration and an example of what strong women are about. I’ve heard their stories and learned about their struggles, and it made me proud to know that they are examples of strength and courage. And to know that they are fighters and badass women makes me proud to know that it runs in the family.
DJ LIFE: Any on the artist side?
Perly: The only artist I looked up to, and still do, was and is Lady Gaga. I’ve been a Little Monster, a fan of hers, since the beginning of her career. To me, Gaga is the best exam ple of a strong woman in the music industry. Seeing how she overcame many obstacles in her career and how she’s been told “no” countless times and still followed her dreams and came out winning is inspiring. Gaga is has been a beacon of light and hope when there were times I wanted to give up on everything in my music and DJing.
DJ LIFE: Did you see anything that particularly moved you?
Perly: I never forget the time at her Fame Monster Ball Concert at Madison Square Gar den back in 2010, that she told a story of her struggles and how she never gave up and ended up selling out MSG. She was basically telling everyone in attendance that nothing is impossible. That struck a chord within in me and, ever since, I always think of her speech as motivation to keep going. I haven’t met her yet. But just by being a Lady Gaga fan for so many years, I’ve learned so much from her and I’m truly proud to say that Gaga really changed my life and made me become that unapologetic badass artist that I am today and forever. Pssstt… Gaga, call me!
DJ LIFE: Was there a DJ scene where you grew up?
Perly: I was born and grew up in The Bronx and upstate New York. In The Bronx, well, every block in the city was playing music. From the cars passing by the street to a part jam in the parks, I’ve always been exposed to various genres of music. I didn’t specifically know all the genres exactly, but to me it was all good music. There were DJs at the jams and then there were times it was just people playing their CDs on their boombox at the parks, and everyone had a good time. While upstate, nothing was going on – just a quiet and dull – the complete opposite of what I was used to.
DJ LIFE: What are your best music memories in The Bronx?
Perly: My best memories as a city kid was seeing that every block had something different playing, one block salsa being blasted out someone’s apartment window to someone with a pimped-out car and bass-boosted speakers blasting hip hop on Hot 97. To me, the people were my DJs. And to me, that made me excited about music. I was just inspired by being a fan of music, an observer of what was going on around me. Just being in the moment and listening to what’s being played out loud while walking around the blocks was the best part about New York City.
DJ LIFE: What gear did you start DJing with?
Perly: I started out on vinyl and my setup was a Gemini TT-02mk2 turntable and a Gem ini PS424X mixer. It was originally my dad’s set-up, like I said, but since he was busy work ing and never used his set-up, I took over. I saved up and bought my own records and a couple years later, I used Serato Scratch Live for a good amount of time. Then the cross fader on the mixer started to bleed out from the scratching I was doing, and it was just not working out for me. I eventually saved up for a Rane Sixty-Two mixer and upgraded to
U.S. DMC Champ: Perly with Rane’s DJ FatFingaz in ’17.
Technics turntables. Since then, Technics and a Rane mixer has always been my go-to.
DJ LIFE: Anything else?
Perly: If I’m at a gig, the Rane Twelve turntables setup or sometimes Phase. Us ing these set-ups at gigs really saves time and headaches with setting up and troubleshooting. You have no idea how many times a ground wire messed up my flow in setting up for a gig. I know a lot of people don’t like embrac ing new tech and want to keep it old-school, which is fine, but honestly, when something goes wrong and you don’t have time looking for a back-up turntable with a working ground wire… Phase and Rane Twelves are truly a life saver.
DJ LIFE: Outside of battles, where are you playing?
Perly: Yup – I can partyrock! I’ve DJ’d at Donuts Are Forever, Summer Stage in 2019, Tools of War Park Jams and DJ’d with other DJ friends in NYC. Since lockdown, I’ve done guest mixes for SiriusXM, and did some live guest mixes on Twitch for some of the fel low DJs I know, Soul In The Horn, Club House Global, etc. Basically, I like to mix it up. I like expanding out ward to other genres and just get lost in the good vibes. I’m an open-formattype of DJ and I like to mix the classics with today’s jams. But I do have a soft spot for house, funk, and disco – Studio 54 vibes. I guess it’s because my mom used to go to Studio 54 often and that’s the kind of music I grew up listening to as a kid when my mom used to play her records and CDs at home.
DJ LIFE: How did you pre pare for corporate events, like the HBO Max party?
Perly: For the HBO Max Party and events like that, I put myself into the listener’s
point of view and asked myself, “If I was attending this party as a guest, what would I like to hear?” I try my best to get a good col lection of various genres of music and make sure I’m prepared for the unex pected request. Like any DJ prepping for a gig, I do research and make sure that the songs I’m gather ing will be a good fit. At the end of the day, it’s all about having a good time and everyone goes home with a smile on their face.
DJ LIFE: How do you prep for a competition?
Perly: Before a competi tion, my main goal is to practice, practice, prac tice. When it comes down to the performance side of it and the message, I think about what I want to say through the music. The songs that get chosen basi cally become my voice –an extension of my soul and spirit. Whether it’s intention al or not, each song/routine has a message behind it in some shape or another.
DJ LIFE: So, what’s the overall message?
Perly: All of my routines come from my heart. As cliché as this may sound, but everything is made with love. I just basically want to show how badass I am through my skills and love for music. My main focus, overall, is to be my unapologetic self and to make sure that I’m having fun performing my routines on/off stage, and that people like it. For example, my Amy Winehouse routine, my message in that was, basically… I like to do inter esting things with songs and flip it in unexpected ways. Overall, I’m an unexpected type of DJ, I like to keep the listeners on their toes won dering, “What’s next?”
DJ LIFE: What do you think impresses battle judges?
Perly: Honestly, it’s hard to say, really. Every judge is not the same and each
one has their own likes and dislikes. So, it’s really up in the air. But if it’s one thing that judges look for, it’s creativity. To me, in my sets, I’m just being myself and doing and giving my best in a performance that’s entertaining and fun to perform for everyone. Plus, I also like to try to do the unexpected and keep everyone on their toes in a short amount of time as much as I can.
DJ LIFE: What did it mean to you to win the USA DMC title in 2017?
Perly: It meant every thing to me in 2017! The year before, in 2016, was a crazy whirlwind of confu sion from the mix-up in scores, that I don’t like talking about still, but that moment, and moments after that, kinda made me feel like I wasn’t worthy or good enough to win and rep the USA in the World Finals. It was a rough moment in my life. But then to hear that I had the opportunity to battle again in the USA Finals that year was like a blessing… a moment of the utmost gratitude to show and share my skills with every one again. It was almost like that moment was a way for me to show every one that I have the skills to do great things. Until this day, I’m forever grateful for that opportunity that I was given.
DJ LIFE: And then, mov ing onto the DMC World Finals, what did it mean to you to finish so high?
Perly: I don’t think there’s a word to describe the feeling I felt placing 4th in the world! [laughs] The feeling was a mixture of excitement, tears of joy and a healthy mix of adrenaline added. On the flight back to NYC from London, the adrenaline was dying down, jet lag was kicking in, and I was in disbelief that I was at the
World Finals and had made it, done something that a lot of people doubted me that I couldn’t do, but I did it. It was, and still is, the fire I needed to keep working hard and never giving up on reaching my goals. Fast-for ward to 2022 and I placed third in the DMC World Beat Juggle category, and I’m just overjoyed with gratitude! Hard work and determina tion pays off.
DJ LIFE: DJ competitions have really evolved – from straight vinyl and a 2-chan nel mixer to software and tricked-out mixer options. What’s your take on that?
Perly: Yes, indeed the competitions have evolved with technology. With tech nology evolving and forever growing in the music world and overall in the world in general, I think in terms of creativity, how can we grow as creatives? I see the new technology as an extra extension of our creativity. There’s still nothing wrong with the traditional way of classic vinyl, a 2-channel mixer, and Technics turnta bles set-up. I just see the use of technology as a natural evolution for everyone.
DJ LIFE: Tell me about join ing the Heavy Hitters crew.
Perly: I became a member in December 2019, months before the pandemic lock down, and I was excited and truly in awe to officially become a member. I heard my name being announced on Hot 97 by DJ Enuff and Pretty Lou. I was elated with joy and, of course, speech less. During my time as a member, I’ve learned a lot so far, and still learning a lot, about everything music. What inspires me the most is seeing Heavy Hitter members’ passion and love for music.
DJ LIFE: What’s next?
Perly: What’s next for me is to just keep creating and keep going. I’m just inspired to just keep working and growing as an artist. Stay tuned!
Club Impresario: Dave Peña.
What’s your background in nightlife?
By Jim TremayneAtlantic City, N.J.
–
Anybody who works in club land knows that when a venue can mark a decade of operation, it’s quite an accomplishment – in deed, it’s the very definition of success.
This past spring, Boogie Nights – the retro-themed disco inside The Tropicana Atlantic City – celebrat ed its 10-year anniversary with a big weekend bash that filled the house and kept it shaking until closing time.
At Boogie Nights, it’s a concept that works in a big way. Not only do its DJs spin the most-loved dance music from the past, but its patrons can enjoy a spacious layout with a variety of “lounges,” a superb sound-light-and-video system, and funfilled interactions with a troupe of in-house char acters (from Roller Girl to the mirrorball-headed Mr. Boogie) and celebrity impersonators (from Britney Spears to Michael Jackson).
And on Aug. 10 at DJX – DJ LIFE ’s annual trade show/exhibition – Boogie Nights will host the mobilecentric “Turning the Millennium” party featuring Joe Bermudez and co-hosted by Jake Jacobsen and Mike Alevras.
We caught up with Boogie Nights impresario Dave Pe ña and a pair of the club’s DJs, Jimmie Pa lumbo and Gabor Kiss, to find out the secrets to the venue’s ongoing success.
Dave Peña: I got my first taste of the industry as a DJ in a rock nightclub in New York at the age of 15. I went on to spend years in television as a producer. Then, in 2001, I opened Planet Rose Karaoke Bar in New York City and then at The Quarter in the Tropicana Casino, Atlantic City in 2004. In 2007, Boogie Nights was launched in markets in Atlantic City, Indiana, Baton Rouge, Biloxi, Miss., St. Louis, and Lake Tahoe. Currently, we are working on a Boogie Nights pop-up tour around the country, as well as addi tional residencies.
What was your original concept for Boogie Nights?
Boogie Nights is the Ultimate ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s dance club. Boogie Nights is like Studio 54 meets Disneyland. Yes, there’s been retro concepts like Polly Esther’s and 8TRAX at Disney World, but I think Boogie Nights takes it to the next level with an experience like no other. We take all the best elements: visual, audio, and décor, and add in our Boogie Nights crew of characters: Mr. Boogie, Roller Girl, Mirror Man, The Boogie Beaver, Hula Girl, Sparkle, and much more that warp guests back to the retro years.
Which elements of the room and the general party atmosphere, do you think, most resonate with the clubgoers?
I believe it’s all the elements we created in Boogie Nights combined with the energy of the guests and the characters that together makes Boogie Nights a club like no other. You feel it the second you walk in with the music, the lighting, the video montages, the characters, the light-up dancefloor, and the largest disco club you’ve ever seen. In addition, we have themed VIP booths ranging in décor from The Awesome ’80s Lounge, Love
Shack, Lava Lounge, to Miami Suites and more that guests can reserve and generally plan their attire to match their themed areas.
In the club, what has changed over the years?
I am a strong believer in never straying away from the brand that people expect, but always keeping it fresh. Ev ery two years, we like to do a refresh, whether it’s lighting and audio, décor, or expansion. Over the years, we have added an additional dancefloor, the Hi-Fi Lounge, Peak-ABoo Lounge, VIP booths upgrades, the projection screen, and constantly updating our lighting and sound.
What’s your sound and lighting set-up now?
For the main PA, it’s JBL’s TR Series. For the supplemental dancefloor PA, it’s JBL’s SRX Series tops and subs. Every thing is powered by Crown Macro-Tech and I-Tech amps. We also use Behringer crossovers and a X32 mixer. For lighting, it’s lots of Elation Lighting – things like ACL 360i luminaires, Spots, and Atomic Strobes. We have two Base Hazers and an [MA Lighting] grandMA2 ultra-light.
You get people into the club who are staying at The Trop, but I also notice a good amount of locals. How do you maintain the local regulars?
We have always focused on the return customers and that is what separates us from every other clubs. We keep our admission cost at a reasonable price, a loose dress code where flip flops are welcomed and costumes are en couraged, and a genuine warm welcome and welcome back. We remember our regulars, most of which are locals and we thank them each time by name for coming back. This loyalty and respect combined with non-stop entertain ment is what keeps our guests coming back and are locals feeling appreciated.
What’s the key to the club being able to celebrate a 10year anniversary?
For a nightclub to celebrate 10 years, it’s true milestone and honor. Consistently, loyalty, dedication, and passion combined with overall great entertainment is what keeps us going.
What are some of the club’s special nights, in terms of themes?
We have the fan-favorite Cougars & Cubs Ball, which occurs the first Friday of every month in all markets across the country. Women 40-plus and men 21-29 receive free admission before 11 p.m., and at midnight, we crown The Cougar and The Cub of the month. We’ve also added a monthly Stoplight Singles Mixer where guests get a green glow necklace at the door if they’re single, red if they’re taken, or rainbow for LGBTQ. In addition, our two biggest nights of the year are Halloween and New Year’s Eve where we guarantee a party like no other!
How do you oversee the DJ situation? What’s the formula for keeping people in the club and enjoying themselves?
Our DJs are the quarterbacks of the team. I am thank ful to have our house DJs that have been loyal to Boogie Nights – some since Day 1 and others for many years. We have a well-oiled machine and a formula that keeps guests on the dancefloor. Every 10 minutes, there is a changing of genres, so that everyone gets a taste of what they enjoy and like.
You told me that you’re a metal guy – any chance of do ing a metal-friendly venue at some point?
Metal and hard rock have always been a passion of mine. I started as a hard-rock DJ and still love it to this day. Hopefully, someday soon we can make that rock-and-roll dream come true.
Boogie Crew: The gang’s all here.
Boogie Nights DJs like Jimmie Palumbo and Gabor Kiss keep the joint jumping with select tunes from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Working on state-ofthe-art gear and with a variety of themed char acters, the jocks maintain the retro vibes three nights a week and keep the customers happy. Just th anniversary at The Tropicana, we caught up with the DJ duo.
Jimmie Palumbo: A Rane MP 2015 rotary mixer, Technics SL-1200 turntables with Ortofon needles, Pioneer DJ CDJs also. I spin regular vinyl records, CDs and I also use Serato DJ software.
Gabor Kiss: Technics SL-1200 turntables with Serato/Video, Phase DJ, and a Pioneer DJ DJM-S9. We also have two Pioneer DJ CDJ-900 decks for back-up.
Palumbo: Judging by the screams, these are the three staple songs and crowd favorites: Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
Gabor: Also, I’d add The Weather Girls’ “It’s Rain ing Men,” which is an upbeat, high-energy dance tune that brings out everyone to the floor, while bubbles and snow fall feverishly from the ceiling.
Palumbo: I program on the fly, while always be ing mindful of the crowd, the floor, and the room. Being able to mix this format comfortably allows me to go in and out of the ’70s and ’80s without losing the energy or having what seems like one genre falling off a cliff getting into the next one. That, in itself, is an indispensable tool in the booth.
Gabor: I don’t plan any set on any night. The crowd’s age ranges from 21 to 61, so you just have
to pay attention to who’s dancing and who’s not. I tend to play classic disco and funk songs earlier in the night and then fun sing-alongs later in the night.
Are there any programming challenges?
Palumbo: When spinning at other venues that have, say, an open format – it might take a bit to feel out your crowd to see what they are going to respond to. But Boogie Nights is its own animal. Patrons know what to expect before they go in.
Gabor: The crowd loves our impersonators, and they specifically come out to see them. Musically speaking, all the genres go over very well at the club and anything they can sing to, or hustle to –yes, we have them – keeps the energy flowing all night from start to finish.
Why has the club has succeeded for so long?
Palumbo: Three things… one, Boogie Nights is a great concept! It’s fun, nostalgic and the club’s retro decor has the unique ability to transport our guests – both young and old – back to a time when disco was it. Two, the unwavering dedi cation, support, and professionalism from both the casino management, staff, and the Peña Productions crew. And three, extremely talented dancers, performers, and well-versed DJs of ’70s disco and ’80s dance music keep the crowd want ing more!
Gabor: The music, cast, decor, entertainers, videos, and one-of-a-kind experience is why the club has been around this long. Boogie Nights has a strict musical policy for each night that keeps it unique and entertaining. On Friday and Satur day, we only play records from 1970 to 1989 with a sharp cutoff before 1990. This is because on ’90s and 2000s Thursdays, they will have a totally dif ferent experience. I have been the resident DJ for Boogie Nights since 2008 and I make sure the experience is one-of-a-kind every weekend.
Nearly eight years ago, I had the opportuni ty to build a new home. I’m not sure it’s some thing I want to put myself through a second time, but I nevertheless don’t regret it, and key among the reasons was the opportunity to customize a basement bedroom to serve as a dedicated home-studio space.
While it sounds straightforward enough, one of the biggest challenges involved the home studio build-out was room treatment — the term people use to refer to “tuning” the monitoring environment. In short, it’s making sure that audio frequency ranges are neither tamped nor accentuated by the design of the room, its finishes, or furnishings. Much of the process involves installing various types of sound-absorption material to control reflec tions. But short of hiring a team of experts and spending a small fortune, there’s not much of a chance of achieving perfection with a more cost-effective DIY approach that most people (me included) likely take to creating a home studio.
From my very first attempts at mixing and mastering in my shiny new studio, I knew that things weren’t perfect. Good? Maybe. Per fect? Definitely not. Thankfully, some years after we moved in, I was introduced to Lat vian software company Sonarworks and its offering, Reference 4. I was, to put it mildly, an immediate, diehard fan. Not long ago, Sonar works rolled out a new version of its solution, with a new name: SoundID Reference. Given the difference that the old Reference 4 made in my studio work, I was anxious to give Soun dID Reference a try, and recently had the chance.
So, what is it, exactly? In short, SoundID Ref erence is comprehensive package of room analysis and compensation tools that both accurately measure how your monitoring environment behaves through a combination of hardware and software. Then, via software, it provides inline adjustments for the audio, allowing you to hear a corrected, true, and accu rate version of the audio you’re
producing, mixing and/or mastering — free of the frequency peaks and valleys caused by the room itself (or as I’ll explain, the headphones you might be using).
It all begins with room analysis, and the complete SoundID Reference package includes an individually numbered, calibration microphone. After downloading, installing, and activating the software, you start the analysis process with the microphone connected to your audio inter face. After entering the mic’s unique serial number, the software will download its profile and guide you through the process.
One of the best parts of Sonarworks’ solution has always been the
software, and it appears that the company spent a considerable amount of time making SoundID Reference even more robust, both in its look and feel, as well as its function. The analysis wizard includes video clips that show you visually what to do, along with polished graphics and easy-to-follow instructions.
It uses audible pings and measurement of sound wave propagation delays to know where in space the microphone is located, initially making uncannily accurate measure ments of the distance between the left and right monitors, and the distance to the speak ers from your listening position. It then takes you through a 37-point room analysis process, where you move the microphone around your monitoring environment to specific physical points (you’re guided by interactive visuals in the software), and using frequency sweeps, the software learns the response characteristics of your monitors and the room itself.
When you’re finished, the software displays a visual response curve, and prepares an op posing correction curve that’s then used for correction.
The SoundID Reference solution includes a two-part system for calibrating audio. One, appropriately called systemwide, applies the correction curve to all general computer au dio, in the process appearing to the operat ing system as an audio device itself. It allows routine OS audio from applications (audio players, streaming services, etc.) to be cor rected.
The second is a DAW plug-in, which is placed on the master track of your projects. Because DAWs “talk” directly to the audio interfaces, this allows correction to take place right at the source during your various audio production steps. Before rendering a track in your DAW, the plug-in must be bypassed so the resulting audio isn’t colored by your own room corrections being applied to the output files.
It’s worth noting that SoundID Reference can’t make up for shortcomings in your studio monitors’ frequency response range. If the low-end of your monitors only goes down to (for example) 55Hz, SoundID Reference calibrations aren’t going to magically extend that lower; only adding a studio subwoofer can. What it can do is boost or cut the areas of the audible frequency spectrum that are overly absorbed (or overly reflected) by your room.
While the microphone and analysis soft ware are essential for room correction, for
those doing mixing and mastering with headphones full- or part-time, Sonarworks has you covered, too. SoundID Reference includes support for a broad and always growing array of headphones, including models designed specifically for studio work, as well as popular general models. As of this writing, it offers 532 different headphone profiles in the software. Sonarworks has analyzed countless headphone examples in its labs, and for each supported model, an average response curve profile has been created and can be applied in the same way as the monitor profiles cre ated during the analysis process.
For the most part, everything I just outlined applied equally to the company’s prior version, Reference 4. But Sonarworks has added some interesting new functionality to the solution in the move to SoundID Ref erence.
On the surface, it’s hard to miss that the company has done a slight rebranding. From the packaging of the product to the software user interface, everything is refined, polished, professional, and brand-forward — as if they may have borrowed a page from Apple’s playbook. It’s clear the company has an eye for details that carries over to the software itself and the attention paid to creating a slick, inviting user experience.
But the changes are not just skin deep. New in the software is an abil ity to create custom target profiles in addition to the product’s standard “flat” profile. With the new capabilities, you can selectively apply cor rections starting at specific thresholds, or tweak things as you see fit with tools typical of EQ plug-ins.
Also new are what the company calls Translation Checks. They’ve created a series of profiles designed to shape the audio to emulate a number of different listening situations, including various car-audio en vironments, home-theater environments, and even mobile devices and popular earbuds. While most producers will mix and master based on an accurate, flat listening environment — the main point of SoundID Refer ence, actually — being able to preview a mix in other environments can nevertheless influence mixing and mastering decisions. Doing these previews in software, rather than rendering a potential mix and physi cally taking it to other environments or devices to see how it sounds, is a massive time-saver.
Also new are several improvements for users on Windows computers. As a Mac user, I’ll confess that I didn’t dig into these improvements per sonally. But the two operating systems have fairly different technology models for audio handling, and the company appears to have invested a lot of effort in enabling Windows users to take maximal advantage of SoundID Reference and its myriad benefits.
I’m a confessed fan of Sonarworks’ studio solutions; I use them in every studio monitor review I do, as a way to confirm factory-stated frequency response. It’s also a key tool in my own home studio day-to-day, and it’s great to see work and refinement continuing on what was already a very capable way to ensure the accuracy of one’s mixing and master ing efforts.
SoundID Reference offers a range of improvements for existing us ers, starting from a low $39 upgrade price point for headphones – the full-version upgrade is $89. Of course, now with its improvements, So narworks provides new users more reasons than ever to get on-board. SoundID Reference is available in a “headphones-only” version for $99, with the “full speakers + headphones version,” with calibration micro phone, for just $299.
In my experience, it’s a low price of entry for the long-term benefits you can achieve through its use – your mixes will truly be better for it.
The Ready from Germany’s Reloop is a portable controller for Serato DJ, Algoriddim DJay, and Virtual DJ software that fits an important niche among controllers on the market, and gets the job
in Bloomfield, Conn., the Ready has two plat ters, a full eight performance pads per deck with eight pad modes, FX controls, hi-pass/lo-pass filter knobs, two-band EQ, gain knobs, a reliable crossfader, and long-throw tempo faders.
To my ears, it has the best sound quality of any controller I’ve heard that could fit in a backpack. It’s built to match the size of a 13-inch laptop, and easily fits into my Jetpack backpack that I use
Overall, the controller works great and feels solid, especially for its size. It outputs audio via a single pair of RCAs, and has an 1/8-inch jack for headphones. It connects to laptops via USB-B, and connects to phones and tablets for Algoriddim DJay via a USB-A port. It has no audio inputs.
The Reloop Ready ships with Serato DJ Intro included, and the option for a paid upgrade to Serato DJ Pro. It is natively compatible with Virtual DJ, as well as Algoriddim DJay for an even more
Reloop Ready:
The weeks I had the test unit happened to be a particularly busy stretch of gigs for me, with a variety of situations. My first time bringing it out was for a silent disco, where the lack of microphone input seriously hampered me, and I had to switch out controllers partway through. Most often I’m plugging my controllers into a DJ mixer or mixing board, where you can still use a mic and this isn’t an issue. Still, at my very first gig, I al ready ran into the Reloop Ready’s limitations.
The condensed layout works for my larger hands, though at first, I frequently bumped the volume faders down while using the filter knobs. The platters work unexpectedly well with a light touch, yet I found they would stick if I applied excess pressure downward. On turntables and CDJs, I frequently beat match via the tempo faders, and working that way on the Reloop Ready felt easy and fluid.
As an open-format DJ, I rely on mid-band EQ fre quently to blend songs from different eras and produc tion styles, or to cut overlapping vocals. While testing the unit, I must admit I shied away from playing tracks that I knew could benefit from using the mid-band EQ, and I ran into transitions where I wished I could filter the vocals. If there were alter natives on the market with a similar size and full 3-band EQ plus gain, I wouldn’t be so critical about mid-band EQ being missing on this controller. However, I must note that the Reloop Ready is the closest thing we have to a professional, portable Serato controller still on the market.
Some controllers in the past have succeeded in being compact, while retaining the full traditional mixer panel and a microphone input. The Novation Twitch had a similar form factor with 3-band EQ, gain, and a mic input, though it traded platters for touch strips. The Korg KAOSS DJ, recently discontinued for Serato yet still working for Virtual DJ and Traktor, managed to have 3-band EQ, gain, and a microphone input in an even smaller package than the Reloop Ready. In the early days of Serato controllers, the portable Vestax line managed to have full 3-band EQ, gain,
a microphone input, and mechanical platters.
Over time, controllers aimed at professional DJs seem to trend larger and heavier, prioritizing chan nels, options, screens, and bonus features like full drum sequencers. This must ap peal to a large segment of DJs, presumably those who focus on mobile gigs, play open-format sets, own cars, and rarely fly for gigs. In contrast, DJs who work as touring artists, or those who play specific genres, seem to have, in large part, made the switch to USB sticks via rekordbox long ago, avoiding the need for laptops and controllers altogether.
I myself straddle these worlds. I need a profes sional controller with the full conventional knob and fad er layout, that fits under an
who doesn’t own a car, frequently flies for gigs, and uses a laptop. I often play in circumstances where I can’t confirm the equip ment ahead of time. I do mobile gigs and tour as an artist, as well. In clubs and on festival stages that have equipment budgets, I often have the luxury of using my preferred setup: a Pioneer DJM-900NSX2 as my au dio interface for Serato DJ Pro, along with CDJs. Yet I always need to be ready for less-than-ideal circum stances, as my career colors outside the lines of conven tional venues.
USB sticks can’t handle the variety of events that I do, at least not with any efficiency, and they don’t help at all when an event has non-standard equip ment. On the other hand, I struggle to carry most large
and I’m not a small person. It’s one more thing to pay attention to, plus walking
don late at night obviously carrying musical equipment can make me a target for theft. Furthermore, when
I fly to gigs, I don’t trust my gear under the plane, and I often need as much space in my carry-on as I can get. Few full-featured controllers even fit in a carry-on, and when they do, they take up the same space as a week’s worth of touring outfits. So, that leaves me with few choic es in today’s market.
If I stick with Serato and use a controller than fits in a backpack, the only other options still available for retail purchase would be Numark Party Mix II/ Live, the Numark DJ2GO2 Touch, and the Hercules DJControl Starlight. How ever, for professional use, none of those controllers hold a candle to the Re loop Ready, in my view.
I’ve used Serato since the black and white Rane boxes, essentially since Serato Scratch Live launched, and I love the workflow. I desperately don’t want to switch. If I were to switch to Virtual DJ or Traktor, the options open up a bit: the Reloop Beatpad 2 should barely fit under an airplane seat and has all the features a professional DJ needs. Alternately, you could go smaller with a Traktor Kontrol Z1 or a Reloop Mix tour, both of which have 3-band EQ and gain. If Se rato still sold a controller of that size and style, like the discontinued AKAI AMX, I’d be content, as I’m very comfortable mixing with Serato’s internal mode hotkeys, when necessary.
for sale, but it again comes frustratingly close to good enough, as it leaves out gain knobs. Both the Reloop Ready and Pioneer DJM-200 could easily be marginally bigger and include the full traditional mixer panel. If manufacturers are reading this, I beg you, please make a professional-grade con troller that fits these param eters. I’m certain I’m not the only one with these needs.
If you’re a professional DJ and Serato user looking for a backup controller for critical gigs, or for an easy travel controller just in case a gig pops up, the Reloop Ready is the best choice available. If you’re a profes sional touring Serato DJ and still use a laptop like I do, and you need to be ready for absolutely any tech situation, then the Reloop Ready is literally your only practical option. If you use Virtual DJ or Traktor and prioritize portability, the Reloop Ready will serve you well. If you prefer an iPad/ iPhone style setup, the Re loop Ready with Algoriddim DJay seems like a fantastic choice.
If the Reloop Ready fails to meet manufacturers’ expectations, controller companies might assume the consumer doesn’t pre fer professional-grade, truly portable controllers. Ironi cally, one more knob could make all the difference in its success and in the success of the portable controller market. I know I would buy one – or several – if they made it.
Reloop’s versatile, ultra-portable controller.
Speaking of rekordbox DJ via laptop, the situa tion is just as grim. The only controllers not discontin ued are too large for my travel standards. Though discontinued, the Pioneer DJM-200 is still available
Still, for its size, build, sound quality and support for most DJ software on the market, Reloop Ready –which can be purchased for about $379 – might still very well suit your particular needs.
San Tan Valley, Ariz. – Michael Cataldi started DJing in clubs in Wilmington, Del., in the late 1990s. Today, he’s in Arizona, doing private events for Elegant Entertainment and Direct Sounds DJs. Believe it or not, his previous experiences still inform his current endeavors.
Beatmixing music and bringing a nightclub vibe to his events in San Tan Valley – a picturesque, Pinal County com munity an hour southeast of Phoenix – Cataldi’s talents have fit right into his newer environs. We recently caught up with the East-Coast transplant.
I started in the nightclub industry as security, and I also worked in a kitchen – this particular club had to serve some food up until a certain time at night. And then after my shifts were over when I worked in the kitchen, I would go and hang out with the DJs because I thought it was really cool, and they were all nice guys. So, they let me come up and hang out with them.
I have a musical background. So, you know, I hung out with them enough to be able to see what they were doing. And at one point, one of the DJs just asked me straight out: “Hey, it looks like you’re taking some interest in this. Is this something you would be interested in doing?” And I said, “Heck, yeah! I would love to do this.” So, for about the next year, they al lowed me to come up and they just taught me how to how to mix — and this was back on vinyl. They taught me how to listen for the key of the music – so, I started mixing in key before that was even cool. I was able to count BPM. They taught me basically everything I needed to know in order for me to be a club DJ. And about a year after that is when I started to get some rotations there at that same club as a DJ.
When you moved to Arizona, how did it strike you as a dif ferent DJ market from the East Coast?
When we moved here in 2006, country music was something that I had next to zero knowledge
about. It was never big in the Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey areas that I worked in – and I was not a fan, personally. That is a much different case in Arizona, so that was a big learning curve that I faced when first doing events here. Also, the typical wedding timeline is very different in Arizona than it was in the Philadelphia market. It is much simpler here, but I really miss the early, open-dancing sets that used to be part of the East Coast timelines. Lastly, there are very few weddings, at least that I take part in, where the ceremony takes place at a church or other spot and then the reception happens in a different venue. Here, everything happens all in one venue, typically.
How did you become associated with Elegant Entertainment?
The owner is a friend of mine, and he knew that I had been a DJ and had pulled me aside and said that he had some contracts with couples that he needed some help with and asked me if I’d be willing to help them out for a little bit. That was in 2017, and I’m also with Direct Sounds, too.
We use Vibo as a platform, and I typically do anywhere from two to three meetings with the client. I’ll do an initial meet-and-greet, walk them through Vibo, explain ing how it works and what they can do and what they can’t do. And then, usually within about 45 days before the wedding or so, I’ll reach out to them again and we’ll
walk through what they’ve already put into Vibo. I’ll ask if they have any questions. If they’re having a hard time selecting music, I’ll help them out with some playlists.
I know you’re big on music programming. So, when you go through Vibo and you see a playlist from a client, what kind of feedback will you give them?
One of the questions I always ask them is: What type of party, what type of vibe do they want when it comes time to open up to the dancefloor? And I’ll also ask them a follow-up ques tion: If they had to rate their group that they’ve invited on a scale of one to 10 –with one being a toddler’s birthday party and 10 being a raging frat party – where would their group fall into? I use that information to then steer them when it comes to the songs that they put on there.
So, if I look at their list, and I see that there’s a lot of low energy, I’ll ask them: Is this really the vibe you’re look ing for? Or can I shift some of these things maybe into dinner? We’re into another part of the evening where it would make more sense for them to fit in and then we do some higher-energy stuff for your dancefloor. I really just want to make sure that I’m giving them the exact party that they want. And if it’s a chill party, then that’s cool.
How do you integrate your club-DJ experience into a mobile event?
I feel that having been a club DJ has definitely helped me provide great experienc es on the private-event side, simply because you learn how to read a crowd. You learn how to mix music very, very slowly. And you learned
how to mix music in multiple ways…. whether it’s actu ally been mixing it in, whether it’s dropping it, whether it’s scratching it and whatever the case would be. You can provide that really cool party experience for the group that’s in front of you. I feel it gives me an advantage over those that maybe don’t have that experience. But at the same time, that experience is not for everybody – not every couple wants that. And so, what’s been cool is that, over the last few years, I’m getting referred by other couples, specifically for the style that I bring. I would say probably 75-percent of the weddings I do are with people who want what I deliver, specifically. And so, that’s kind of a cool place to be.
When it comes to beat-mixing music at events, what would you tell other mobiles as to why it’s useful to have that skill?
I see this debate happen often and I understand both sides of the argument. What I will say is that today’s average bride and groom have grown up in the era of the “superstar DJ.” They grew up to DJs doing mixes and grew up to the DJ taking center-stage on TV and on social-media platforms like YouTube. I feel like the expec tation is for a DJ to be able to mix music. I feel it definitely elevates my performance level and allows me to better cater to the shorter attention spans of today’s couples and guests by quickly getting into and out of songs, as needed. Also, using things like wordplays and live mashups throw those pleasant surprise “curveballs” that really energize the dancefloor, especially later into opendance sets after grandma leaves.
I am using a Rane One controller, in an Odyssey case, with Serato DJ Pro. I also have Virtual DJ and am start ing to get more proficient with the ins and outs of that software. My backup controllers include a Denon DJ MC6000mk2 and Hercules DJControl Starlight. I use Sennheiser G4 mics – I have wireless handheld, lavalier, and headset set-ups. I also use a wired Shure SM58 for quick announcements and it’s a backup to the wireless system.
For my ceremony set-up, I use two QSC CP8 speak ers and a Yamaha mixer, along with a Hercules Starlight controller and Serato software. For my main set-up, I have RCF EVOX J8 line-array speakers and RCF ART 912-A speakers, as well as an Electro-Voice EKX15SP powered subwoofer to help provide some more bottom end. For lighting, I am using two Chauvet DJ 4BAR systems and 36 uplights from Both Lighting.
What’s your market of San Tan Valley like? What makes it unique?
Being a milder climate that has some really killer views, we do quite a bit of destination weddings here. It is not uncommon for me to have a bride and groom that do not live in Arizona and discovered their venue either by referral or by just looking online. Having great relation
ships with venues is a must out here!
Wedding season, in my part of Arizona, runs from September through May, with a few happening in the hotter months of June through August, but not many. If one is willing to travel, wedding season gets busy in the northern part of our state during June through August, due to the much cooler climate up there. I usually take the time off to recharge and prepare for the next big season.
How do your DJ services get marketed? How do the companies you work for get their brands/names out there?
Outside of the companies that I sub-contract under, I market myself mainly through social media and referrals from previous clients – my own – and my friends and family. The companies that I work with use a combination of social media, sites like Wedding Wire, and have themselves on preferred-vendor lists at several venues across the Phoenix area.
What’s the most fulfilling aspect of DJing — why do you do it?
Just the look on people’s faces. When they’re just having the absolute best time out on the dancefloor, they’ve forgotten about whatever baggage they may have dragged into to the night. That’s all gone now. They’re just having a great time. And just being able to get a high five or a hug from my couple at the end of the night – since I’m doing mostly weddings now, saying that – you know, they just had the best time. That, for me, is the best feeling.
It’s commonly known that if you can get your website ranking on Google Page 1 good things will happen. This holds true for almost any business, but is especially important for DJs catering to mobile enter tainment.
Page 1 rankings on Google will get you more leads, and hence, more business. Unfortunately, almost every DJ company out there doesn’t have a multi-search engine program out there, and this is a seriously missed opportunity because Google is not the only search engine out there. Indeed…
Actually, there’s some toss-up currently as to which engine really is the No. 2, as the internal Amazon engine has gained ground over the last few years. For our purposes, though, we’ll slot YouTube in its familiar No. 2 spot, as the YouTube search engine aspect is public-facing, as opposed to Amazon’s internal-based search engine (i.e., – only good for finding products listed on Amazon).
Now, YouTube rankings are not the same as Google itself. Where Google uses a pagination system requiring a user to click to get to Google Page 2 and beyond (which over 75-percent of people don’t bother with), YouTube is more of a constant-scroll method, where the user just has to roll the wheel on his/her mouse to go down the rank ings. There’s still some serious benefit to ranking “above the fold” (the videos viewable immediately before you have to start scrolling), but there’s not as much drop-off when the user has to start scrolling down as there is on Google from Page 1 to Page 2. Still, your goal with You Tube videos is this…
To do this, you need to use a method called YSO (YouTube Search Optimization), which is very similar to SEO, except for YouTube videos. Below, we’ll go over two tools that I use on a regular basis to optimize for rankings, as follows: www.tubics.com www.biteplay.com
Although there’s some overlap between these two tools, they’re both worth having. Let’s dive into each of them:
Tubics is basically a tell-you-what-to-do tool that, if you follow their instructions, your videos will be optimized the way YouTube likes to see them. If you plug in the keywords for the search term that you’re trying to get your video ranked for, then Tubics will tell you what Things To Fix, and keep a list of what you’ve already fixed just in case. Tubics makes optimizing your videos really easy…. just follow their rec ommendations exactly, and then sit back and enjoy!
Other great Tubics features…
Ideation Section
Thumbnail Uploads
Tubics Templates
Direct YouTube Uploads
Wheres Tubics is a simple, yet effective tool to help optimize your YouTube videos, BitePlay takes it to the next level with respect to growth hacking your video rankings. Here’s a list of their current and upcoming features:
Current Tools
Find video influencers in your niche
Track your competitors on YouTube
Video Placement Search
Channel Placement Search
Scrape Channel Videos
Find Similar Videos
Video Alerts (Topic Tracker)
Conversion Tracking
Keyword Tracking
Tag Creator Video Rank Checker
Similar Videos Videos by Keyword
Track Video Performance
Track Channel Performance
Upcoming Tools
Similar Creators
Compare Channels
Find Similar Channels
For us, we use BitePlay every week to see what successful channels are doing out there, and what videos are working for them. We also use it for good Keyword ideas, and then take those Keywords back to Tubics and plug them in there, so as to better optimize videos for clients and our own internal channels. In certain cases, we use the Influencer Search function, where we’ve had some success in getting Wedding Influencers to advocate on behalf of our Wedding DJ clients. For the future, we’re looking forward to their upcom ing Compare Channels function, just to make sure we’re doing what we need to do to stay on the right track.
Each of these tools is worth putting into your workflow. Tubics does a better job of helping you optimize your videos for organic rank ings, whereas BitePlay is better at helping you do the marketing for your videos and your channel with advanced metrics to help you see what’s going on out there. Use both, and you’ll outperform your DJ company competi tors in no time!
Jordan St. Jacques is the President/Lead Digital Marketer at Digitera.Interactive in Ottawa, Ont., Canada.
Pioneer DJ has released the DJM-S5 scratch-style, 2-channel DJ mixer for Serato DJ Pro. The unit inherits a familiar layout to the flagship DJM-S11 mixer and features a vibrant red-glossy design revealing the ornate construction of Pioneer DJ’s MAGVEL FADER PRO. The large effect levers on the DJM-S5 are the same size as the S11’s levers and control up to 57 different effects in Serato DJ Pro, including paid expansion packs. The new mixer also provides four performance pads on each channel to control pad modes, including Hot Cue, Sampler and Scratch Bank. Features such as MAGVEL FADER PRO elevate the scratching experience while Feeling Adjust enables artists to adjust the crossfader resistance to their individual preference. The brand-new Scratch Cutter feature applies the artist’s choice of six cutting patterns to the sample or track in time with the track on the other deck without crossfader movement. The DJM-S5 mixer also boasts the new Crossfader Hot Cue feature allowing DJs to create a scratch-like sound with the crossfader.
Pioneer DJ Americas 2050 W 190th St #109 Torrance, CA 90504 (424) 488-0480
Numark has released the NS4FX, 4-channel controller optimized for Serato DJ. Each deck has dedicated, premiumquality volume faders, large high- and low-pass filter knobs, and a 3-band EQ. Crossfader assign ment switches on the front panel can assign each channel to side
A or B – or bypass the crossfader entirely. The unit’s 6-inch capacitivetouch jog wheels sport multicolor displays, show ing track position, BPM, pitch range and time. A layer button on each deck allows each side to toggle between multiple decks, letting DJs layers and mix up to four tracks simultaneously. Addition ally, every deck features a long pitch slider with selectable range, offer ing ultraprecise control of tempo when mixing. Sixteen Performance Pads with selectable pad modes like Cue, Auto Loop, Fader Cuts and Sampler give the NS4FX powerful versatility for any workflow.
Numark/inMusic Brands 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02863 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com
Chauvet DJ has released the SlimPAR Pro par, outdoor-rated, quad-color LED wash light. Perfect for outdoor parties, this weath erproof fixture features a robust housing that repels water, snow, dirt and sand. The unit’s flicker-free operation makes it powerful on camera and it provides smooth and even coverage while nearly eliminating multicol ored shadows. An innovative, touch-sensitive digital display is on-board and an integrated GORE valve eliminates internal humidity and pressure.
Chauvet DJ 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com
V-MODA has launched its Crossfade 3 Wireless headphones, the new flagship model in the Cross fade series. Favored by top DJs and club music fans, Crossfade 3 Wireless elevates the highly rated V-MODA sound with new audio refinements that deliver the most immersive club experience ever. Us ers can listen on the move with extended battery life (up to 30 hours on a single charge) and the leading high-definition codecs or go wired for the ultimate sound quality at home and on stage. New color options and subtle design enhancements also bring stylish updates to the classic V-MODA look. Light and durable, weighing only 11 oz., the unit has a strong, flexible metal headband and large memory-foam cushions that offer long-lasting comfort and superior isolation while performing and listening. Users can fold down the phones with the patented CliqFold hinge and nestle them in the included carrying case for on-the-go protection. V-MODA/Roland Corp. U.S. 5100 S. Eastern Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938 (323) 890-3700 www.v-moda.com
Germany’s Reloop has released the TURN 3 MK2 premium hi-fi turn table with digital USB-audio interface. Distributed Stateside by American Music & Sound, the unit’s heart is a synchronous belt-drive, powered by a low-vibration DC motor (produc ing minimal noise). The TURN 3 MK2 is equipped with a pre-assembled, high-quality Ortofon 2M Red pick-up system. Features include: Revised tonearm construction; headshell con nection equipped with a GM/SME mechanism; electronic speed control for 33, 45 and 78 RPM; semi-automat ic stop which allows the unit to stop at the end of a record; USB recording function allows users to digitize their record directly onto a computer in CD quality; high-end pre-amplifier; precision-manufactured die-cast alu minum turntable; anti-skating wheel; gold-plated connections; shockabsorbing feet; and solid base with piano finish.
Reloop/American Music & Sound 310 Newberry Rd. Bloomfield, CT 06006 (800) 431-2609
IK Multimedia has released Beat Machines for SampleTank4 – an extensive collection of 1.6 GB or round robin samples from 100 vintage analog drum machines and rhythm units, along with over 300 MIDI pat terns. From ’60s swing to ’80s hip hop, ’90s house and beyond the iconic machines included here have shaped the course of music history. From the earliest Ace Tone machines to the es sential TR-808 and TR-909, plus esoteric novelties, far-out drum synths and even modern designs, this anthology is packed with endless inspiration, each carefully studied to capture its most recognizable sounds. Over 200 kit presents are mapped to the General MIDI drum mapping standard so that users can drop them into any DAW session and instantly put these classic sounds to work. The GM map ping is also consistent with the other drum kits available for SampleTank4, so users can mix and match kit com ponents or even layer entire kits.
IK Multimedia 590 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy Sunrise, FL 33325 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com
Eplex7 DSP has released the Psyche delic FM Superesonator plug-in VST synthesizer. Psychedelic FM Superesona tor does not create FM razor sounds with basic oscillators but use special super additive oscillators where users can “draw” their own oscillator with 128 highresolution drawbars available to create almost unlimited sound variations. Other features include: 13 high-quality filters based on DSP hardware chip synth filters and vintage analog filters; cutoff and resonance knobs; two oscillator detun ers; two oscillator volume knobs; precise amplitude envelope (attack, decay, sustain, release); precise filter modula tion envelope; output volume knob; LFO filter modulation; 3D ping-pong delay; and preset manager with 72 designed presets for a variety of genres, ranging from psytrance to Detroit techno.
Eplex7 DSP www.eplex7.com
ADJ Lighting has introduced the Encore LB15IP professional linear wash fixture, which can generate both static washes and animated effects. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, the Encore LB15IP features 15 separate high output 4-in-1 color-mixing LEDs that each incorporate individually controllable red, green, blue and lime elements. Each LED is rated at 20 watts and offers a wide variety of color options achieved through mixing the four primary colors at varying levels of intensity. These include white light with a variable color temperature of 2700K to 7000K, which can be easily selected using either linear control or one of six preset macros. Inclusion of the lime LED element boosts both CRI and perceived brightness as well as filling in gaps in the color spectrum. Also, 16-bit fine control over the four primary LED elements allows for a huge variety of color possibilities, while 64 built-in macros facilitate easy selection of popular options.
ADJ Products, LLC 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.adj.com
G-Sonique has released the Analog Tape ASX-72 plug-in. For the many producers who need versatile analog tape plug-in that can emulate vari ous types of analog tapes and their electronics (recording electromagnets, pre-amps) from various ages 1960 to warm 1980 and clean 90s, Analog Tape ASX-72 offers a variety of solutions. Features include: Drive/warmth control; fatness knob; flutter knob; wow knob; bias control; feedback control; drive switch from low to high; Emphasis, which boosts trebles and transients at the same time; Type of tape selector – Tape A421 or C24; device clip; device limiting; hiss control; tape speed selector – 30ips/15ips; output volume knob; and power (bypass) switch to compare tape sound/dry sound.
G-Sonique Digital Instruments Holubyho Street 921 01 Piestany Slovakia www.g-sonique.com
Gismart, a developer and publisher of entertainment-fo cused apps and mobile games, has announced the integra tion of its app DJ it! with global music and entertainment streaming platform TIDAL. The integration will provide users with a quick and easy seamless connection of their TIDAL and DJ it! accounts on both iOS and Android. The will now grant access to a variety of different tracks, which can be used to create the user’s own unique DJ masterpiece. All DJ it! users with TIDAL subscriptions will now be able to enjoy a library of over 80 million licensed tracks with hi-fi and master quality sound, along with powerful music discovery tools. Users will be able to utilize their existing TIDAL account, as well as subscribe within DJ it! app itself. Released in 2019, DJ it is DJ setup for both begin ners and professional DJs, and it allows users to play and mix music without additional equipment. Users can work with tracks created exclusively by Gismart sound producers and third-party musicians, as well as add their own personal tracks from cloud storage.
NUGEN Audio has released Halo Vision, a customizable, realtime visual analysis suite designed for 3D, surround and immersive audio workflows that operates in up to 7.1.2 channels for AAX, VST3 and AU formats. Inspired by the brand’s renowned Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix solutions, Halo Vision features a variety of modules that provide audio professionals with a clearer un derstanding of every aspect of their sound. Among the available tools are a Correlation Matrix, Correlation Web and Spectrum, as well as expanded versions of NUGEN’s Frequency Haze and Lo cation Haze functions, and a True Peak meter for each channel. These modules all support mix engineers in their decision-making and troubleshooting process, allowing them to pinpoint problem areas that might be missed using ears alone.
NUGEN Audio Airdale House Business Centre
Burley, Leeds
UK W1F
Roland continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the unveiling of the INSPIRE THE MUSIC: 50 Years of Roland History anniversary book. In collabo ration with renowned publisher Bjooks, the 400-page, beautifully photo graphed hardcover book celebrates the culture, people, and technology that has shaped the brand over the past 50 years. INSPIRE THE MUSIC is a fun, engaging, and informative tour through evolution and revolution in beat making, keyboards, pianos, synthesizers, guitar and bass products, drums and percussion, music production, and more. Readers will enjoy more than 70 colorful interviews with world-renowned artists and Roland design ers, discussing their relationships with the instruments and making music. The book offers deep insights into the worldwide Roland culture, and a timeline traces Roland’s history from its humble beginnings under founder Ikutaro Ka kehashi to its current place as a worldwide leader in music technology. In terviews include Richie Hawtin, Orbital and Jazzy Jeff. Roland 5100 S. Eastern Ave. n Los Angeles, CA 90040-2938 (323) 890-3700 www.roland.com
Melding Ali Love’s breezy, croon ing vocals with a downright hooky acid-house backdrop, this one oozes seasonal, outdoor, by-the-water vibes. If you so desire, there’s also an instru mental mix that rides the 303 to good effect.
– Jim TremayneLenny Fontana & Vangela Crowe Karmic Power
Jumpin’ and pumpin’, “Hell Yeah” is a floor-pleasing, call-and-response houser from genre vet Fontana. Loaded with old-school signatures, this one ought to shake some asses. Of course, check the “David Morales NYC Club Mix” and his dub, which add some lush vibes to the rock-solid grooves – sweet, tough, and soulful.
– Jim Tremayne
On this techy deep-house cut, the whop ping groove pulls you in, the effects and filtered vocals sprinkle flavor, but ultimately it’s the unrelenting rhythm that wins you over. Minimal, but quite effective.
– Jim Tremayne
Over an insistent groove and some wellplaced vocal stabs, “Love Desire” builds to a crescendo and unleashes some satisfying diva moments – old-school and tasty. The Vikthor remix punches with techno fury, while Pierre’s “Wild Pitch Mix” gets plenty soulful and funky.
– Jim TremayneSlushii
Dim Mak
Coming as part of his summer-long series where Slushii drops a new original every Friday, “Forgive Me” is a boom ing bass behemoth that ventures into the realms of both trap and dubstep. Showcasing his versatility and produc tion prowess, this hard-hitting single even sees Slushii deliver his own vocals over a menacing beat. Always one to keep dance fans on their toes, “Forgive Me” serves as a bone-rattling roller coaster ride of a listening experience, one that really packs a punch.
– Brian Bonavoglia
Ovum
Gorgeous and hypnotic, this techhouser offers plenty of dancefloor thump to go with its more ethereal moments. Bewildering effects and almost-detached vocals heighten the mood, but the rhythm never lets up. And check the nervy Audion mix, which takes the tune to an alternate universe entirely.
– Jim Tremayne
French DJ Dombresky teams with Spanish jock Crusy for a tasty Latinhouse/Afro-beat salvo. Complete with Spanish vocals and irresistible percussion, “El Beso” delivers perco lating rhythms and wild flavors. A real floor burner.
– Jim Tremayne
A monster melodic techno bomb, the title track rises with vocal stabs and euphoric synths, then gets seriously busy with piston-like kicks and an even wilder synth riff. Meanwhile, the B-side “Main line,” along with its Sam T Harper remix, burns with caustic intensity – both are perfect for late-night dancefloor action.
– Jim Tremayne
Tazmania Records
Catchy and ebullient as ever, Star ling delivers a hook-filled, pop-dance shaker with a release that includes a dozen remixes for various tastes. Check “Stonebridge’s Anthem Remix” and Chris Cox’s mix for that energetic, hands-in-the-air vibe. Meanwhile, the “Country Club Martini Crew Mix” offers a groovier, more underground take on things.
– Jim TremayneLuxury
Loud
On this madly melodic single from the Canadian duo (Andrew Fedyk and Joe De Pace), sugary sweet, but affecting vocals work over a solid EDM-pop soundtrack that’ll have you humming the hook before the tune ends. Catchy as it gets.
– Jim Tremayne
Lizzo
Harlow
Styles
& B.
Tukker
My Soul
Damn Time Atlantic
Class
It Was
& E.
Hype & Miggydela Rosa Ferrari
What Love Can
In New York
Of
Cross
Drake Massive Republic
Harris, Dua Lipa, Young Thug Potion
Kate Bush Running Up That Hill Warner
Company B
Shane Codd
Harry Styles
Starling
Tiesto & Charli Xcx
bbno$ & Diplo
Just Dance
Be Alone
Night Talking Erskine
Alive
In It Atlantic
Of Pride Music
Capitol
Kim Cameron Perfect Side FX Partners
Yung Gravy Betty (Get Money) Republic
Swedish House Mafia Heaven Takes You Home Republic
Lady Gaga Hold My Hand Interscope
Post Malone F/ Doja Cat I Like You (A Happier Song) Republic
Mike Izon Summer Days Are Here Again
Nicky Youre & Dazy Sunroof Columbia
KX5, Kaskade & Hayla Escape
Diplo & Miguel
Alesso & Zara Larsson Words
Forget My Love Higher Ground
House Music
Imanbek & Byor Belly Dancer
Megan Stallion & Dua Lipa Sweetest Pie 300
Saucy Santana Ft. Latto Booty
Mike Izon Another Rainbow RSM
Latto & Mariah Carey Big Energy RCA
Black Eyed Peas & Shakira Don’t
Sasha Anne Catch Me
Imagine Dragons
France Joli
Gypsy
O. Heldens
Rob Moore F/ Kiva
&
Marshmello
Brown
Numb
DJ LIFE READERS: DJ Life is currently looking for DJs that are interested
reporting to the DJ National Dance/Crossover chart and the DJ Times National
Dance chart.
are open to Record Pools and individual DJs.
Dan Miller, dmiller@hazanmediagroup.com
