AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988
FALL 2019 ISSUE VOLUME 32 NUMBER 7
CLUBWORLD INSIDE NYC’S EZOO & B.C.’S BASS COAST 1988 2018
DJ EXPO ’19 WRAP-UP: BIG IDEAS, NEW TECH, TOP DJS GET MORE GIGS – HERE’S HOW!
GARY RICHARDS’ NEXT ACT +++//N O R A E N P U R E //6 B L O C C //A K G D M S W I R E L E S S //K A L I A U D I O M O N I T O R S //T E E N - T I TA N M O B I L E
1988 2018
AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988
FALL 2019 ISSUE
VOLUME 32 NUMBER 7
REDEFINING THE WAY DJS DISCOVER MUSIC
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Enter! Attendees bum-rush the show. Josh Kerman
NOTABLES…MILESTONES NEWS
DJ EXPO ’19: INDUSTRY THRIVES AT ATLANTIC CITY SHOW Keynoter: Z-Trip makes a point. MetroMix Media
Electric Youth: DJ Sophia in the mix. Ronald Mungo
Pioneer DJ (DJM-S9 mixer, PLX-1000 turntable, HDJ-X10-K headphones, and XPRS10 loudspeaker system). The Reaction: “We were very pleased with Year 2 at Harrah’s,” said Jim Tremayne, Editor of DJ Times magazine and a show organizer. “As a host hotel, Harrah’s has it all, and we believe we gave exhibitors, attendees and the DJ industry another quality show. As always, the staff of DJ Expo and DJ Times thanks the exhibitors, sponsors, perSoul Clap: formers, panelists and attendees for their continued support. Additionally, it’s Booty-shaking funk. their dedication to the industry that makes DJ Expo possibleXavier and has helped Cuevas the show continue to grow since its 1990 inception. Stay tuned for announcements about DJ Expo 2020.” Response from exhibitors was upbeat and effusive. “The clientele for the 2019 DJ Expo was one of the best groups ever – hungry for real knowledge and willing to listen,” said Randy White of Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center in Wheaton, Md. “As always, the networking was in high gear.” Added David Arevalo of Pioneer DJ Americas in Torrance, Calif.: “Bigger and better this year, DJ Expo continues to help Pioneer DJ get up close and personal with the DJ community and allows us to effectively showcase our latest offerings, such as the DDJ-1000SRT controller, which was a big hit for us at the show.” Expo keynoters offered praise. “I’m so glad that my keynote was a success and people had great feedback,” said Z-Trip, whose session drew a standingroom crowd. “I’m glad we got to experience DJ Expo and connect with a lot of East Coast friends and colleagues. We would definitely love to come back another year!” (continued on page 42)
FALL 2019 ISSUE
Expo Stage: DJ Throdown gets busy. Josh Kerman
DJ TIMES
Atlantic City, N.J. – Now in its 30th year, DJ Expo showed its time-tested experience by delivering another winning trade show/exhibition at the East Coast gaming capitol. Held this past Aug. 12-15 at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, DJ Expo presented the DJ industry’s top combination of technology exhibits, educational seminars and sponsored parties. Produced by DJ Times magazine and its publisher Testa Communications, DJ Expo filled the Harrah’s exhibit hall with nearly 100 brands working more than 150 exhibition booths. The show drew nearly 6,200 badgeholders (mobile/club DJs, remixer/producers and upstart/bedroom jocks), representing a 5-percent increase from the 2018 show. With its 34rd show since 1990, DJ Expo remains the industry’s longest-running and most-successful trade show/exhibition. The Show: DJ Expo delivered a deep slate of exhibits, seminars and parties that enjoyed participation from exhibitor/sponsors like ADJ, American Music & Sound brands (including Allen & Heath), BASSBOSS, BPM Supreme, Bose, Chauvet DJ, D.A.S. Audio, Global Truss, inMusic Brands (Denon DJ, Rane, Numark), Mixware brands, Odyssey, Peavey, Photobooth Supply, Pioneer DJ, and RCF USA, among many others. In addition to a schedule of topical seminars benefitting mobile, club and studio jocks, DJ Expo presented special keynotes from industry notables. To a packed house, turntable legend Z-Trip detailed his illustrious career, offered an informed tech talk and gave seasoned advice to upstarts. The following day, disco pioneer Nicky Siano recalled the genre’s early days in NYC with stories of his influential club The Gallery and the legendary Studio 54, plus his mentorships to future DJ-legends Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. DJ Expo’s always-entertaining evening events livened up a pair of venues inside Harrah’s (The Pool and Eden Lounge), plus another (Haven) at the nearby Golden Nugget. At parties sponsored by Chauvet DJ, RCF, Peavey, Bose, and Photobooth Supply, Expo attendees enjoyed performances by diverse talents like Mel Starr, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Skribble, Keith Shocklee, Velvet Code, DJ Throdown, Sussie 4, and Oscar Troya. On the Expo showfloor, attendees caught sets by Biz Markie, QBert, Pho, Pri yon Joni, GrandMixer DXT, Shani Barnett, 11-year-old DJ Sophia and more. The Winners: On Aug. 14, Artem Lomaz of Ninety-Three Entertainment in Roxbury, N.J., won the “Entertainer of the Year” competition for the second consecutive year. Hosted at Haven nightclub in the Golden Nugget by Jake Jacobsen of Affair 2 Remember Entertainment, the annual event bestowed awards in a variety of categories to the best of America’s mobile entertainers. With the victory, Lomaz earned an impressive trophy, plus gear prizes from Chauvet DJ (FX Par 9 light) and RCF (a pair of HD-12-A MK4 active speakers). Cliff Masina of Everything Entertainment in Washington, D.C., was the competition’s runner-up. Also, at show’s end, Christi Weitzel of Reading, Pa., had her entry ticket randomly picked and she won the Ultimate DJ Giveaway. The winning system included gear from the following sponsors: ADJ (Focus Spot One Moving heads and a myDMX Amigo software controller); Bose (S1 Pro loudspeaker); Global Truss America (GLO TOTEM truss kit); Mackie (a pair of DRM212 loudspeakers and DRM18S subwoofers); Photobooth Supply (Salsa photo-booth system); and
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1988 2018
VOLUME 32 NUMBER 7
FEATURES 14 Take Two
After Three Decades of DJing & Creating Successful EDM Brands, Gary Richards (aka Destructo) Now Enters His Second Act BY BRIAN BONAVOGLIA
18 DJ Expo Highlights
DJ Expo Lit Up Harrah’s in Atlantic City – It All Looked Like This BY DJ TIMES PHOTOGRAPHERS
22 Digital Chops
Are 75% of Your DJ Gigs Generated Thru Referrals? That’s Too High – Here’s How to Change That BY JORDAN ST. JACQUES
DEPARTMENTS 9 Feedback
Praise for DJ Expo – Aug. 12-15 in Atlantic City, N.J.
28 Making Tracks Kali Audio LP-6
30 Sounding Off AKG DMS Wireless
32 Mobile Profile
Teen DJ Charts Career Choice
33 Business Line
What’s Your Biggest Challenge?
34 Gear
New Products from Pioneer DJ, ADJ & More
38 Grooves
Phat Tracks from DJ Spen, Andrew Bayer & More
41 Club Play Chart
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools
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Special Section: ClubWorld 24 Spotlight Electric Zoo Evolved, NYC’s EDM Festival
SAMPLINGS 10 Nora En Pure Branded Purified
12 In the Studio With… 6Blocc
26 Hot Shots Bass Coast Fest & The Librarian
Cover & Contents Images by Brian Ziff
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FROM THE EDITOR
Destructo, DJ Expo & More
Gary Richards (aka Destructo) has been on our cover before. In 2015, we told his story as a pioneering promoter who evolved into a successful DJ. But since then, things have changed. After parting ways with HARD, his former brand that brought us a slew of popular events, he’s become the President of LiveStyle North America, whose festival entities include Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening and more. As Destructo, he still DJs, but now he’s created newly branded events under the All My Friends umbrella for a newer generation of EDM fans. Our Brian Bonavoglia spent some quality time with Richards during NYC’s Electric Zoo: Evolved festival to see just how much has changed since 2015 and to get his take on the immediate future of DJ-driven electronic dance music. Also, it should be noted that this is the first issue we’ve completed since the conclusion of DJ Expo 2019. So, of course, we offer plenty of coverage from the show, which took place this past Aug. 10-13 at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. In the News section, we hit the highlights – the showfloor, the winners, the responses. Then, on Pages 18-21, we offer four pages of action-packed photos from the show, thanks to Natural Aura’s Ronald Mungo, Church Street DJs’ Josh Kerman and MetroMix Media’s John Hohman. As always, we offer big appreciation to our attendees, exhibitors, presenters and performers. (For the latest on DJ Expo 2020, please visit Page 42.) In Samplings, our B.C.-based scribe Ryan Hayes connected with South African-born/Swiss-based DJ/producer Nora En Pure to discuss her place within the modern world of deep house. Also, L.A.-based Amanda Chavez goes into the studio with Angelino mainstay 6Blocc, who explains his place in that city’s rich drum-n-bass history. In our technology reviews, Detroit-based DJ/producer Erik Miller took a pair of Kali Audio LP-6 monitors into his studio for evaluation in the Making Tracks column. And for Sounding Off, Twin Cities-based DJ Deets put AKG’s DMS wireless microphone systems through their paces. On the mobile-entertainer front, new magazine contributor Jordan St. Jacques kicks off the first in a series of “DJ-digital-marketing” stories. Attendees of the past two DJ Expos may recognize the Ottawa-based tech wiz for his informative seminar presentations on the same topic. With his mobile-DJ and club-promotion background, St. Jacques offers a unique take on the digitalmarketing efforts for jocks of all stripes and we welcome him aboard. Also, on the mobile front, for the Business Line column, we ask mobile jocks about their biggest challenges and try to find out how they confront them. In Mobile Profile, we visit with Dawson High, a talented 14-year-old St. Louis DJ who works for High Class DJs, his father’s company and one he hopes to one day operate. In this month’s ClubWorld special section, we present the pictures from Electric Zoo: Evolved, NYC’s biggest annual festival – and there was plenty to see at Randalls Island this past Labor Day weekend. Not only did our cover subject (Destructo) run his own curated stage, but some of EDM’s biggest stars – Armin Van Buuren, Zedd, etc. – brought their best beats. Also in ClubWorld, Michigan correspondent Ashley Teffer headed to the Pacific Northwest for the Bass Coast festival, where she sat down with co-founder Andrea Graham (aka The Librarian). Now in its 11th year and held in Canada’s British Columbia, Bass Coast offers a wonderful environment for those seeking a less-frantic festival experience – organizers cap the ticket sales at 8,000 and the outdoor vibe is second to none. Enjoy.
editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com assistant editor Brian Bonavoglia bbonavoglia@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Wesley Bryant-King Chris Caruso Amanda Chavez Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis DJ Deets Tony Fernandez Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Mike Gwertzman Jennifer Harmon Josh Harris Ryan Hayes Greg Hollmann Mike Klasco Michelle Loeb Erik Miller Lily Moayeri Jeff Stiles Bruce Tantum Phil Turnipseed Curtis Zack President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
Cheers,
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Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times
DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications ClubWorld Blue Book America’s Best DJ The DJ Expo IT/AV Report Convention TV News VTTV Studios
director of integrated advertising Paul Bozikis pbozikis@testa.com art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com digital art director Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com social media coordinator Amanda Mullen amullen@testa.com traffic manager art production assistant Jeannemarie Graziano jgraziano@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York, USA 11050-3779. (516) 767-2500 • FAX (Editorial): (516) 944-8372 • FAX (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-9335 • DJTIMES@TESTA. COM Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, NY, USA, 110503779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care an d should be accompanied by return postage. DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) is published monthly except for February, July, September and December for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779. Periodicals Postage Paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2019 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www.djtimes.com and www.testa.com Fall 2019 Issue
visit our website: www.djtimes.com
FEEDBACK
30 YEARS STRONG
history of our industry from a man who was at the forefront.” – Mike Walter, Elite Entertainment, Tinton Falls, N.J. “The show was a big success and look forward to attending again next year.” – Nicholas Hernandez, Mixware, Sun Valley, Calif.
1988 2018
AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 DJ EXPO 2019 ISSUE
VOLUME 32 NUMBER 6
HOW TO MAX OUT AT D J E X P O T I P S O N S AV I N G YOUR HEARING PLUS: N I I K O X S WA E AT L I E N S N U M A R K S C R AT C H I K M U LT I M E D I A U N O D R U M A M E R I C A’ S B E S T D J T O U R
“Yorkville Sound has been exhibiting at DJ Expo for many, many years, and this year’s show was the best ever.
T H E S TAT E O F T H E S C E N E 7/15/19 3:23 PM
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7/19/2019 3:16:10 PM
This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the ques‑ tion that is not asked. DJ Expo: A Look Back Presented by DJ Times and Testa Communications, DJ Expo ran this past Aug. 12-15 at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. When it was over, we were flooded with communications from exhibitors, keynoter/panelists and attendees. Here’s a sampling of what we received: “Nothing has been lost with age when it comes to DJ Expo 2019. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Celebrating 30 years of Expo with old and new friends and getting my hands on the latest equipment is always a highlight of my summer. Plus, the opportunities to win free gear are everywhere!” – Howard Kessler, HK in the Mix, Minneapolis, Minn. “This year was one of my best DJ Expo shows ever. We came with two full trucks and we sold almost 85-percent of the items we brought. The venue was great – easy to load-in, easy to loadout. I loved the location – it was great.” – Gabriel Menashe, ProX Live Performance Gear, Bayonne, N.J. “It’s a testament to DJ Times – and how thorough their education tract is – that my favorite moment happened in a seminar. I got to hear [keynoter] Nicky Siano re-live the glory days of disco and how club DJing began back in the early ’70s in New York City. It was an absolute thrill to hear the true
[Having a demo room] was the best thing we could have done. We were in control of our own sound levels and could easily have conversations with our customers. I can’t wait for next year’s show!” – Steve Hendee, Yorkville Sound, Niagara Falls, N.Y. “We had a great time, as always, at the 2019 DJ Expo. It’s a lot of fun to be part of an event that is strictly focused on DJing – you get to learn
about all the different businesses that orbit around the DJ world. The panel we spoke on [‘Remixes, Productions & Mixshows’] was very diverse, and it’s refreshing to bounce ideas around, and hear about the experiences and perspectives that industry veterans and newcomers alike can offer. Plus, it was fun to answer questions and interact with the attendees who par‑ ticipated and were looking for advice.” – Sleepy & Boo, Basic NYC, Jersey City, NJ
DJ TIMES
NORA EN PURE: THE DEEP END
SAMPLING
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Purified: Nora En Pure has taken her brand global.
If the modern version of deep house music gets you going, if melody matched with ultra-groovy sounds is your thing, then you’ve got to love Nora En Pure. The South African-born, Swiss-based DJ/producer (born Daniela Niederer) has made a considerable name for herself in six short years. After breaking big in 2013 with the willowy “Come With Me,” she followed up with other faves like “Morning Dew” and “Lake Arrowhead.” Her productions and remixes, like her shimmering re-rub of Sofi Tukker’s “Fantasy,” set her up for festival slots at choice events like Cali’s Coachella and Belgium’s Tomorrowland. Her Purified brand has graced stages in Ibiza, Las Vegas and New York and her branded show airs on SiriusXM’s Chill channel. This year, she delivered a pair of strong singles – the deep, bumping “Heart Beating” and the gorgeously melodic “Birthright,” both on the Enormous Tunes label. Now a new round of remixes has been released for “Birthright,” offering club jocks three great options: Dosem’s deep, late-night mix; Danijel Kostic’s brighter, uplifting effort; and Marius Drescher’s bass-pumping rumbler. We recently caught up with Nora En Pure to discuss her career. DJ Times: How do festival audiences react to your deeper Purified brand of house music? Daniela Niederer: Regardless of where I play, I always try to stick to my sound – but festival sets are usually a bit more focused on the spectrum of house music. They are groovy and more diverse. I jump from house to tech-house to deep house, and back house again. I tend to go deeper and get a little more progressive in my longer club sets. DJ Times: What’s in your DJ booth? Niederer: Three to four Pioneer CDJ2000NX2 units and a Pioneer DJM-900NX2 mixer. At times, I use a Pioneer RMX station, and I work with rekordbox to organize folders/playlists. No matter what, I always request a minimum of three CDJs because I often need longer looping, as many of my tracks have long breaks, which might be too calm in certain moments. Also, my tracks are usually mastered a little louder and tighter than most deep-house tracks, so to keep transitions smooth, I might need to loop a little longer. At times, I play nature samples or vocal pieces on the extra player to keep things feeling fresh. DJ Times: Can you outline your journey from small clubs to the main stages? Niederer: Honestly, I think it had a lot to do with timing. Right when the hype around melodic deep-house was really peaking, and people were constantly looking for new chilled music after the heavy EDM and big-room phase, I was there. DJ Times: But, you had been putting in the work for years. Niederer: Yeah, I had already been making that style of music for a long time. Because of that, I was sort of in front of that wave of new producers. “Come With Me” was picked up by many acts across different genres back then, and that break opened the door for me to actually getting bookings. From then on, it was all about relentless touring and really hard work. There was small, but steady growth. My team and I stayed very true to our music. We didn’t follow the evolving trends – I think it’s crucial nowadays with the overflow of DJs/producers. Once you have found your niche – and I think Nora En Pure music is quite unique – you should definitely stick with it and not chase the latest sound. DJ Times: What goes into the curation of a Purified event? Niederer: I want to keep them special, so I only do six to eight events a year max. Musically, the events represent, more or less, the content of my radio show. So, joining me are guest DJs, whose music I frequently play, or whose music I really like. Eventually, to complete the brand, besides the radio show and events, I want to do a (continued on page 42)
IN THE STUDIO WITH... events were held in L a t i n o n e i g h b o rhoods, so naturally they were in major attendance. Also, the influence of graff writers and breakdancers brought in m o re b row n r av ers back then. Many now that are older will see me at shows and tell me that was a special part of their lives. It’s become our oldies, like the soul songs of the ’60s were to the generation before us.
For more than two decades now, Los Angeles has been the epicenter of U.S. drum-n-bass. With a robust DJ and party scene, the genre continues to thrive – and it’s longtime, area talents like 6Blocc that keep things vibrant. A certified SoCal treasure, 6Blocc (aka Raoul Gonzalez) came out of the DJ battle/hip-hop scene, gained notoriety as a hardcore/jungle mixer on KDAY radio, and eventually began to perform under the R.A.W. (Rules All Warehouses) moniker. And today, he maintains a busy DJ schedule and he’s still cranking out new digital releases, like his frantic remix of The Dumbsteppaz “Amen,” and sample packs, like “B-Boy Jungle Breaks.” We recently caught up with 6Blocc.
DJ Times: You were one of the first DJs… 6Blocc: Shortly after I started playing jungle music, other Latinos started playing it as well, like Oscar da Grouch, Curious, The Chemist, Machete, Noface and probably hundreds more around the city that we’ll never know. But it’s definitely the backbone to the L.A. jungle scene. Some of the shows were in really bad neighborhoods and the Latino turnout would be 90-percent, so yeah it’s definitely a Junglist, Graff, Cholo, B-Boy thang. DJ Times: What are your studio tools? 6Blocc: For now, I’m on Cubase 9.5. I’ve been strictly Steinberg for many years now. It just feels right, like a drawing board and not a program that throws too much at me. Basics… all I need is the scissors and a little bit of glue. I bought some rackmount hardware last year: Yamaha A3000 sampler, Akai S2000 sampler, Korg TR-Racks, Roland JV1080 and an Alesis synth. But dammit, I still haven’t brought myself to actually set it all up with my computer. Software and Macs have made me so impatient with the older process of music production. I hope to set it up one day [laughs]. DJ Times: In recording, what has changed most and what hasn’t changed at all?
DJ Times: When did you get started in music? 6Blocc: In third grade, I started playing drums in a marching band. By sixth grade, I was the drum leader. From there, I joined my junior-high jazz band playing drums and then I played timpani and cymbals for the orchestra. Around 1986, I discovered a Synsonics drum computer and a Yamaha synth—it’s been digital music ever since.
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
DJ Times: How important was music to your family growing up? 6Blocc: I remember hearing James Brown, Little Richard and tons of rock-n-roll 45s being played in the house when I was young. I also remember hearing albums by Chicago, Tierra and Santana. Music was always something I was aware of in the house because it was played loud… pretty typical in a Latino household, music when you cook, music when you sweep [laughs]. DJ Times: The Chicano jungle scene has always been big in L.A., from the beginning to present day… 6Blocc: All the original warehouse
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6Blocc: His latest sample pack rocks jungle breaks. Hakkasan DJs: (from left) Niiko & SWAE.
6Blocc: What’s changed the most is time. Now you can do so much in so little time, which is good for output. But I’ve found myself very impatient with older hardware – small windows/ multiple sectors to scroll through. What hasn’t changed is the influence (continued on page 40)
6BLOCC: L.A.’S D-N-B TREASURE
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If anyone knows how to navigate the shifty waters of the American EDM scene, it’s Gary Richards. Not only has Richards enjoyed a viable DJ career for nearly three decades, but he remains one of the very few event promoters who has maintained his magic touch. How did it all happen? Following his father’s footsteps with a career in the music industry – his dad, Barry, worked in the concert/ radio-promotion business – he fell in love with electronic dance music. By the early ’90s, the L.A.-based Richards began hosting a weekly club event of his own, “The Sermon,” which would quickly give him the opportunity to produce monthly events throughout California. In the mid-1990s, he would begin performing as a DJ, under the name Destructo. He quickly earned a reputation for having a good ear for music and launching new artists with his events, so the legendary Rick Rubin called on Richards to handle A&R duties for the electronic music division at his Def American Recordings. But eventually, Richards returned to his roots by launching HARD Events with a festival in downtown Los Angeles. HARD would later blossom into a powerhouse of a brand, hosting some of the scene’s most prominent events, like HARD Summer, HARD Day of the Dead, and the beloved electronic cruise-ship extravaganza, Holy Ship! In 2012, HARD Events was acquired by Live Nation Entertainment with the intent of expanding its music events into new international markets. The last time DJ Times caught up with Richards, we featured him on the cover the August 2015 issue. We discussed his rave roots, his emergence as a leading DJ/ promoter and his views on EDM’s future. Since then, a lot has changed for Richards. In 2017, he parted ways with his long-time brand, HARD Events, and became President of LiveStyle North America. In this newly created position, Richards would be responsible for working all the company’s current U.S. festival operations. For LiveStyle (rebranded from the former SFX), those entities include Made Event, React Presents, Disco Donnie Presents, Electric Zoo, Spring Awakening and Life in Color. Having built such a strong relationship with both his DJ/ peers and fans alike with his curated events, Richards would launch the All My Friends brand, which would begin hosting one-off events, a festival in California festival and, of course, a four-night cruise aptly titled FriendShip. DJ Times recently connected with Richards at New York City’s Electric Zoo: Evolved festival, which saw the debut of the All My Friends stage. Running all three days of the Randalls Island festival, the stage presented top talents like Golf Clap, Walker & Royce, Malaa, Dombresky, Dom Dolla, Wax Motif, Anti Up (Chris Lake & Chris Lorenzo) Nora En Pure, Camelphat and, of course, Destructo. After the festival fun, there were afterparties, one of which saw Richards go B2B with Chris Lake, Wax Motif and Chris Lorenzo. So, not only did we have the opportunity to chat with the electronic icon, but we spent the weekend getting a behind-the-scenes look into the life of Gary Richards. It went like this: DJ Times: You just hosted a curated stage that ran all three days of Electric Zoo. That’s going to be followed by the All My Friends Festival in October. Then, the FriendShip cruise will be underway in early 2020. How do you juggle it all? Richards: I have an excellent team of people. We all work well together and are able to get a lot of things done. I can never do it without them. We also have Freaky Deaky coming up in Houston at the end of October, so there’s always something big in the works. It all revolves around our people, and there are some solid people in our company and are lucky to have them. We all come from the scene and have a passion for the music, so we’re all coming from the right place. DJ Times: You kicked off the weekend with your set at main stage Friday. What preparation goes into that early-
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evening slot on the festival’s first day? Richards: I always feel like the opener is important. It’s important to set the mood and not go too hard, but welcome people. That was the first time I ever played on a Friday like that, so it was kind of interesting. But yeah, I just kind of grooved into it and got things moving. DJ Times: Similar to your DJ sets, your original productions are always unique and refreshing. Where does your inspiration as a producer come from? Richards: I’m always listening to music. I’ve always got my head in the game musically – and I think that’s my edge and I’ll never give that up. As an artist, I’m always aiming to try to create something different. I have never, ever gone into the studio and said to myself, “I going to make this record, for it sounds like this.” I never try to copy. I just think outside the box and look to create the type of stuff I want to play out when I DJ or that moves me. It will always be more about art. DJ Times: What went into the curation of the artist lineups for each day? Richards: It sounds kind of cliché, but it’s mostly my friends. All My Friends – the vibe is really house music and national house music, and it’s people that I actually made music with or DJed with or just artists that I’m a fan of. I’m kind of like DJing the DJs. It’s guys like Chris Lake, Wax Motif, Malaa and artists I have been working with for years and years, so it’s just building a new vibe with a new brand. DJ Times: You’re always one to keep the party going. AMF made its way to Avant Gardner Saturday night for an official afterparty. Dating all the way back to your days in the warehouse rave scene of the early ’90s, you just can’t say away from playing those sweaty, intimate settings, huh? Richards: [Laughs] Yeah, I like that much better. For me personally, if I’m DJing, I like to be in a dark club surrounded by people that were having fun. I think me and Lorenzo, Lake and Waxy… we were all on the same page, so it’s always fun to do those random back-to-back sessions. That’s actually how I met Chris Lake for the first time. I was playing in Vancouver and someone was like, “Oh, we’re going to go to a club,” and he was playing and somehow I jumped on with him. We just realized, “Wow! We’re on the exact same page.” DJ Times: There’s just a different vibe to these AMF parties – you never know who might show up. Richards: At the end of the day, I try to keep it fun and try to remember why we’re lucky enough to be in this industry. It’s about the party and making people have a good time through music. I try to keep that wherever I go. I feel like, other than being a dad and being a good husband, that’s my mission in life. It’s to produce good times for people, whether it’s a small, little house party for 10 people or tens of thousands at a festival or on a cruise ship. I was born on New Year’s Eve, so that’s kind of my thing. [laughs] DJ Times: It was a full All My Friends invasion of New York this past Labor Day weekend. What does NYC’s electronic scene mean to you? Richards: It’s really special. I’m a West Coast guy. Although I was born in Maryland, I went to high school in L.A., and my whole club career DJing music has been on the West Coast. From time to time, I made my way to New York. Back in the day, I played at NASA and Disco 2000 with guys like Moby and Deee-Lite. Throughout the years, I’ve always made it to New York. But to now (continued on page 40)
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Scratch Legend: DJ QBert cuts it up. Ronald Mungo
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Rane Booth: No, not that Tommy Lee. Ronald Mungo
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Elite Opener: Mike Walter kicks it off. Ronald Mungo
Gear Lust: New technologies at DJ Expo. Ronald Mungo
Disco Legend: Nicky Siano tells a tale. MetroMix Media
Go Viral: DJs start recording. Ronald Mungo
Kid Stuff: Philly’s DJ Sophia, all lit up. Ronald Mungo Phased: Biz Markie tests the new tech. Ronald Mungo
Giveaway: Expo attendees line up for swag. Ronald Mungo
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Eden Lounge: Skribble lets loose. Ronald Mungo
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Bose Party: Oscar Troya on the decks. Ronald Mungo
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Pool Party: Kid Kasper on the decks. Ronald Mungo
Afterparty DJ: Canada’s Velvet Code. Ronald Mungo
Floor Scene: A young DJ tests gear. MetroMix Media
DJ Times Square: Pho gets going. Ronald Mungo
Magic Touch: Sophia Lin on the showfloor. Ronald Mungo
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Show Standoff: Sound Police Vs. Scratch Police. Pioneer DJ
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Peavey Booth: GrandWizzard Theodore. Josh Kerman
Sponsored Session: Joe Bunn talks efficiency. MetroMix Media
Detroit DJ: Recloose at BPM Supreme booth. MetroMix Media
Christi Weitzel: Ultimate DJ Giveaway winner. MetroMix Media
Busy Bee: Showfloor DJ tests the toys. Josh Kerman
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inMusic: Melissa Nikita rocks it. Ronald Mungo
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Golden Nugget: Entertainer of the Year event. Josh Kerman
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ADJUST YOUR DIGITAL MARKETING THINKING After every one of my seminars, DJs from all over the country approach me to ask my advice, which is my favorite part of the show. Not only do I get my hands dirty in analyzing the various digital footprints of DJ companies from across the country, it allows me to spot trends that are taking place in the industry. After the past few years, it seems as if this is how DJ companies are executing their marketing mix: • Referrals still make up about 75-percent of the new business generated. • Most of the serious DJ companies employ some sort of SEO supplier, for between $500$1,000 per month. • Social media is almost always executed by the DJs themselves, with only the top-end multi-system DJ companies having the scale to hire a part-time social media person. • Bigger companies are known to use a one-size-fits-all office professional who takes calls, make calls, posts on social media, deals with contracts, etc. • Industry directories such as The Knot/Wedding Wire generate “some” business, but most DJs are not happy with the R.O.I. that these directories generate. For referrals to be responsible for 75-percent of new business is just too high of a percentage – it should be 60-percent or lower. Although I’m sure there are some of you out there who think that’s great, to me that’s just a missed opportunity, and shows that whoever you’re paying to help you attract customers with SEO or social media isn’t providing value to you... which brings me to the main point of this article. DON’T THINK OF IT AS JUST SEO Google rankings are affected by a lot more factors than the cookie-cutter SEO services supplied by the existing professionals that most of you deal with. Remember from my seminars that in 2019 and beyond, your SERPs (Search Engine Results Page) factor in between 200-300 factors into their ranking calculation – including onsite code issues, site speed, mobile responsiveness, backlinks, directory placements, etc. – with posts and profiles from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and Pinterest now being included in those factors. Therefore… HIRE A SUPPLIER FOR A DIGITAL MARKETING CONTRACT... NOT JUST FOR SEO. Going forward, your own personal efforts on social media simply aren’t good enough anymore. They need to be planned in an approach that meshes with SEO strategy (social media for SEO involves hashtags and backlinks); that takes into account some great growth strategies (like targeted tagging and again hashtags); and finally, that addresses competitive marketing (inspection of the social media for your competition, and targeting their follower base in order to sell to their customers). Anything less than that and you run the risk of being left behind. Here are some items to look for as you change your mindset and look to accentuate your marketing mix. • Don’t settle for the usual SEO campaigns. An increased ranking doesn’t necessarily translate to sales. Try and find a supplier that not only analyzes your brand, but also the brands that you’re competing against. • Try and find a supplier that understands who we are as DJs, not just some corporate entity that has never handled the marketing for a DJ company before. • Look for a supplier that understands growth hacking – it’s a red flag if they don’t understand this word, and we’ll go into this in a future article. • Above all, try and find someone to work with who will handle everything – the big five pillars of web, search, social, email and possibly mobile – and not just the SEO. Nice to see all of you who were at the DJ Expo, and for those who weren’t, stay tuned to DJ Times for help every new issue on these topics! Jordan St. Jacques owns digital marketing agency Digitera Interactive.
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WHO IS JORDAN ST JACQUES? By way of background, I am Jordan St Jacques from Ottawa, Canada. I spent 15 years as a mobile DJ operating out of the Toronto market, leaving that business in the early 2000s to move into promotions. In 2004, I was one of the first people in the world to build a MySpace profile over 1,000,000 friends and use it to drive attendance to concerts and clubnights, eventually becoming the biggest “Teen Night” promoter in the world, with monthly nights in operation in 24 cities at one time or another. I left the entertainment industry for good in 2013 and have been full-time in digital marketing and tech since then. Most relevant, I’ve been the speaker on all things digital marketing for the DJ Expo since 2017. What’s enjoyable for me personally in being a speaker for the DJ Expo is seeing old friends, having a nice week away from home in Atlantic City, and most of all, imparting digital-marketing tips and tricks to mobile DJs to help them along the way. This most recent year, though, one of my seminar attendees came up to me after the session
was over to express how much he enjoyed my talks (which I like), but that he wished he could be receiving more knowledge along these lines throughout the year (which is a problem, of course). Our goal in these articles is to solve exactly that problem, to be able to offer help to the DJ Times’ audience throughout the year, in addition to the great value provided every year at the DJ Expo itself. Over the coming months, we’ll address topics including websites, SEO, social media, email marketing and native mobile apps – the big five pillars of digital marketing.
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George Costanza from TV’s “Seinfeld” said it best: “Why must there always be a problem?” He could have been talking about anything in life, of course, but… for sure, his statement applies to the mobile-DJ industry. Having been a DJ in a past life, I remember the challenges well. Undervalued and overworked, putting up with questions such as, “Johnny down the road will do my wedding for $500 – why are you more expensive?”; dealing with the expense of maintaining gear and vehicles; sacrificing time with family, etc. Add in all the new digital problems that have sprung up in the last 15 years – digital marketing, SEO, social media, email, website maintenance, etc. – it’s a wonder there aren’t dedicated DJ mental-health professionals out there already! To help ease your burden on such challenges, this new series of “DJ digital marketing” articles will offer solutions in the digital realm, with the goal of saving you time and money – and increasing your bookings – so that you aren’t the first one to go looking online for a DJ mental health professional!
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DJ / CLUBWORLD / Spotlght Photos by aLIVE Coverage
7 Ka-Blam: Mija throws down on the big stage.
2 Bangin’: The evening madness begins
8 AMF Stage: Born Dirty gets in the groove.
3 Destructo: Daytime set on the AMF stage.
9 Satisfaction: Benny Benassi in the mix.
4 Zedd: Evening headliner rocks it.
10 Festival Friends: Shaq & Zedd yuck it up.
5 Trance Talk: Armin van Buuren on SiriusXM.
11 Headliner: Eric Prydz at the Pryda Arena.
6 Dallas Duo: Tritonal drops a big beat.
12 Dog Blood: Skrillex steps out front.
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1 NYC Skyline: EZoo fans enjoy a gorgeous day.
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New York City – While most people prepared to enjoy a sunsoaked Labor Day weekend with traditional activities like BBQs or beach trips, devoted dance music fans invaded New York’s Randalls Island for Electric Zoo: Evolved. In its 11th year, New York City’s longest-running and largest electronic music festival hosted over 107,000 fans throughout the holiday weekend, featuring arguably its most impressive lineup to date. With each stage receiving a complete makeover alongside awe-inspiring production, festivalgoers were treated with a diverse array of artists to provide the buzzy soundtrack to their weekend. Whether you’re a fan of the wonky barrage of bass set forth by DJ Diesel (Shaquille O’Neal) B2B Borgore, riding the emotional rollercoaster with Alison Wonderland, entering A State of Trance with Armin Van Buuren or closing out the weekend with the return of Dog Blood (Skrillex & Boys Noize), Electric Zoo simply had something for everyone. It all looked like this:
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DJ / CLUBWORLD / Hot Shots
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Andrea Graham: Festival organizer.
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Late Night Action: Fans get loose.
Coldwater River: Bass Coasters get wet.
here we hard to learn the site, so we call it our awkward teenage year, because we didn’t quite understand where people would flow. We kind of needed to get a year under our belt to watch and learn how our site works. So that was the biggest growing pain. Luckily, we’ve been here for the last seven years and every year we try and fine-tune the experience, and it’s really improved year upon year. That growing pain forced us into a better situation. DJ Times: Bass Coast is run by you and two other women. Something about this festival that I’ve noticed is the great attention to detail. There’s something about women running a festival that makes the details great. Graham: We have an incredible team and quite a few of our department leads have grown up with us and moved into that role and they do happen to be women. Everyone is so passionate about making their area of the festival better each year and so that’s where the attention to detail comes from. Everybody cares a lot. All of the volunteers care a lot and we just really appreciate that passion that has helped us move forward. DJ Times: What’s the future of this festival? Graham: We really want to protect the vibe, and that’s a hard thing to really define. But what we’ve come to realize, after years of searching for the meaning of vibe, is that it’s everybody that comes to the festival and that community we were speaking of. So, we cap the festival each year and just slowly intend to grow and feel it out and if any point in that growth we’re feeling that that vibe is changing, then that’s going to be noted. And we’re going to either figure out how to move forward or that will be the cap of the festival. We don’t have intentions of growing into a massive event. We’re happily a boutique event. DJ Times: So, in addition to being one of the founders and facilitators of Bass Coast, you are also a genre-bending DJ, The Librarian. How do you balance both Bass Coast and your DJ career? Graham: Both are very time consuming, and I’m so fortunate to have great teams behind both projects. With Bass Coast, we have an incredible group of people that have been with us for years. And so, this year has been the first time that I’ve really felt that I had a little more freedom to focus on music… which is why I’ve been getting back in the studio after four years of taking time off. Also, for The Librarian, I have an amazing team behind me there and they’ve been really helpful to foster the creativity and to support me in getting back into the studio and also with all of the shows. It’s really only possible with both teams. DJ Times: So what is your next step for The Librarian? You seem to be getting increasingly popular. You had two sets at Electric Forest last month with large crowds. Graham: It was such a great opportunity to play Electric Forest – I loved it. I see the next two years involving more studio time. I would like to put out more music, more regularly... that, combined with continuing to tour, because I generally tour throughout the year every weekend and I come home and work week days on Bass Coast. I love to travel. I love going to new places––I’m open. I want to take advantage of the momentum while it’s here and also try and create more time for the studio. So that’s basically my vision to have a little more balance of studio time and touring.
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Merritt, B.C. – Nestled in the mountains alongside the Coldwater River in rural British Columbia, Bass Coast is the Narnia of music festivals. Established in 2009, owned and operated by Canadian artists, this fully independent festival is known for its interactive art installations and strong festival community. Despite its growing popularity, it has retained its boutique status and commitment to giving its patrons an intimate experience by capping ticket sales at 8,000 this year. With four themed stages, including the Cantina, which hosted a Boiler Room takeover, fans and artists alike were in for a very special and unique experience. The 11th annual event – held this past July 13-14 – brought in over 130 heavy hitters from across the globe including Nightmares on Wax, Madam X, Orson, Courtesy, Alix Perez and Shanti Celeste. The lineup included more house music this year than in prior years with fans dancing to North American acts Claude VonStroke, DJ Heather, Skiiitour, Smalltown DJs, Noah Pred and Jubilee. Unlike larger festivals, the music never stops, DJs continue to spin tunes through sunrise at 7 a.m. each day. During the festivities, DJ Times sat down with Andrea Graham (aka The Librarian), co-founder of Bass Coast to get the scoop on this sublime event. DJ Times: How did Bass Coast get started? Andrea Graham: Bass Coast started in 2009. My best friend, Liz Thompson, and I had been creating art together music, videos, all different types of projects in Squamish and Whistler in communities where we lived.We have had and have a strong community of artists around us there. We didn’t have any avenue for us to get together and have a platform, so we decided that we need to create one. DJ Times: So how does this strong sense of community play out in your festival? Graham: Bass Coast has a really strong sense of community and we’ve always tried to honor and foster that over the years. Our concept is that Bass Coast is sponsored by you and that is the audience, ticket holders, volunteers, artists, every single person here is what makes it happen. We’re an independent festival. I think by really creating that feeling of community, it allows people to feel that Bass Coast is theirs – so Bass Coast is sponsored by you. DJ Times: What growing pains have you seen in your festival? Or what changes have you made. Someone mentioned you once had an edible stage? Graham: [Laughs] Well, we ate the stage, so that was a growing pain. Yeah, it was amazing, that was year one. We had carrots, peas, different vegetables all planted in the stage. So, if you were hungry on the dancefloor the solution was right there. It was – it was great. But yes, we have experienced growing pains and the biggest one was in year five, because we started in Squamish.The festival grew and at the end of year four we could no longer use the site there and we had to find a new home for the festival and that was really difficult. DJ Times: Tell us about your old festival home? Graham: Our old home was this beautiful location of the Squamish Valley with a glacial river coming by. It was stunning, but it was small.We just outgrew the site, so when we were on the search, we were so fortunate to find this incredible venue in Merritt. It took a long time, but we made it. The first year
Bass Coast: Daytime at the Radio Stage.
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MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…
KALI AUDIO LP-6: SOLID FOR THE STUDIO By Erik Miller When DJs, producers, and audio enthusiasts think of studio monitors they often consider worthy brands like Yamaha, JBL Pro, KRK, Adam Audio, and more. But there’s a newer name to the market that music makers will want to consider. Pasadena, Calif.-based Kali Audio was introduced to the world in January, 2018, with an employee base that has decades of pro-audio experience. So far, their products are named after cities in California. For example, the LP in LP-6 studio monitor stands for Lone Pine, a Cali town from which mountain climbers would begin their journey to the summit of Mt. Whitney. To Kali Audio’s founders, it was an apt metaphor for their new journey into the world of pro audio. (In addition to the active studio-monitor range, Kali offers wall-mount accessories and the MV-BT, a unit which links Bluetooth devices to pro-audio gear.) So now that you’ve had the company history lesson, let’s jump into the specifics of these impressive powered monitors. Upon receiving, I found the monitors’ packaging very nondescript, and once you pull the LP-6s out, you realize they are a lot bigger than you expect them to be.These beauties stand at 14-1/8-inches tall by 8¼-inches wide and 10¼-inches deep. With a 6.5-inchj32 woofer and a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter, these dimensions compare in size to similar models by Yamaha, KRK, and Adam Audio. However, by offering an 80-watt driver, it falls short of the 90- to 100-watt average speaker size usually seen in the market. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you should count these out, but it is something to note when talking about the capability of the LP-6s. (It should be noted that the LP-8,
LP-6 Monitors: Good price, extreme clarity.
The Kali Audio LP-6 monitors are crafted extremely well and bring so much more bang for your buck than you would expect in this price range. However, design-wise they fall pretty flat to me. If you only bought studio monitors based on looks, then we would all end up with a very different quality of sound; so for me personally I look past this, but for some it is important. The units are available in black and also in white. Conclusion: The Kali Audio LP-6s offer extreme clarity in sound not
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“THERE IS NO COLORATION OF SOUND FROM THESE MONITORS, SO YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU PUT INTO THEM.”
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with its 8-inch woofer, has 100-watt output.) On the back of the LP-6, you find a set of RCA unbalanced inputs, a set of TRS inputs, and also a set of XLR inputs. From there, you find something really interesting – a set of dip switches that are boundary EQs for ensuring you get the best sound, based on your placement of the monitors. Settings include on-stands, against-the-wall, wall-mount, on-the-desk, and more that you can customize by looking at the diagrams on the back of the monitors and moving the dip switches. Looking at the maximum sound-pressure levels, which determines how many decibels the monitors can take without distorting, these beasts can go up to 112 dB.When comparing that to other monitors in its class, you don’t find too many that come close to it for the pricing and size, but also for the quality and level of sound that is produced. Another thing to note is the clarity of the low end on these monitors because they are very accurate and, being front-ported, it helps users who have limited space in their studio and may need to put these against a wall or configured in a similar way. Now, you get all of that and more for $149 each, which is fantastic for value and quality. (The LP-8 retails for $249 each.)
seen in this price range and class of monitors. With the wattage being lower than other contenders, you may be a little iffy of buying them – but don’t be. There is no coloration of sound from these monitors, so you get exactly what you put into them. You hear all the issues in your mixes, you hear all the distortion and everything that is going on in your production as clear as day, so it helps you to correctly identify issues and create sonically well-done pieces of music. You have ample control of your monitors with the dip switches and that can help in so many facets of crafting the best sound in your studio and eliminating as many issues caused from the room through that. I am extremely pleased with the capabilities of these monitors, the quality of sound, and, of course, the price. One thing I would love to see in the future from Kali Audio would be a sub that is designed to go with the LP-6s or LP-8s – that is something I would purchase for sure. I cannot wait to see the future growth of Kali Audio and what new products the company releases going forward. If you have any questions for Making Tracks, please send them to djtimes@ testa.com.
All the Music. One Source. Now in an App. Introducing the BPM Supreme Mobile App – the new app that is redefining the way DJs discover music. Stream high quality audio, add to your crate, get inspired with curated sets, create custom playlists, read the latest industry new, and much more. www.bpmsupreme.com/app
Roland DJ-707M DJ Controller for Mobile DJs Built from the collective voices of mobile and event DJs, the Roland DJ-707M DJ Controller packs serious power into an amazingly portable size. Unlike any other DJ controller, the DJ-707M combines the capabilities of a pro audio console with a 4-channel, ‘DVS Ready’ Serato DJ Pro controller for smoother, better sounding events for Mobile DJs and DJs on the move. www.rolandus.com/dj707m
EON ONE Compact All-In-One Rechargeable Personal PA The JBL EON ONE Compact packs a professional-grade loudspeaker, a full-featured 4-channel digital mixer and Bluetooth audio streaming and control into our most compact battery-powered PA yet, weighing in at just under 18 pounds. www.jblpro.com
SOUNDING OFF PLAYBACK…PRO AUDIO…PROCESSING
By DJ Deets From AKG, a Harman brand known for creating reliable microphones for a variety of professional applications, comes the DMS100 and DMS300 – allnew entries into the world of wireless. Not just for mobile-DJ/entertainers, AKG’s DMS range is aimed at livesound performers, presenters, meeting spaces and anyone looking for an easy-to-use wireless microphone solution. The DMS range comes in two flavors: the DMS100 and the more-capable DMS300. Each ships with either a wireless handheld microphone or a wireless body pack. The body pack can be connected to an AKG clip-on or headset microphone as well as electric/ acoustic guitars, basses and more. Most DJs purchasing the DMS system, I’m sure, will opt for the microphone. Both offer high-resolution 24-bit/48kHz audio quality and global licensefree operation on the 2.4GHz wireless space. Perhaps not too important to many DJs, but the microphone features advanced AES 256-bit encryption for secure or confidential communications. Users can also use multiple units together: a DMS100 setup can support up to four DMS100 units at the same time, while a DMS300 setup can support up to eight synched DMS300s. It is highly recommended by AKG to use only DMS100s together or DMS300s together at the same time. The all-black microphone body is made of plastic and, while that might not sound great on paper, it certainly felt like it could withstand frequent use. Even though it was hard plastic, it felt ergonomic and didn’t feel slippery. I would, however, hesitate before allowing users to satisfy their urge to “mic drop.” There is a small screen on the DMS300 microphone, which provides connection status and battery level. There is a single button midway down the microphone that controls whether or not the microphone is on, muted, or live. I would’ve liked to have seen an on-off switch, as the sliding motion from off-to-on and vice versa feels really natural when using a handheld
microphone. Regardless, the mic has a decent weight to it, and it never felt too heavy or unwieldy. The microphone requires 2 AA batteries (included), and they can be installed by unscrewing the base of the microphone and installing them in a handy battery cradle. AKG quotes 12 hours of use per pair of batteries for both the DMS100 and DMS300, and I found that to be a reasonable estimate. It will be interesting to see if those figures might change in very hot or cold outdoor environments or with great distances between the receiver and the microphone. It should also be noted that the microphone head is conical and covered in a black metallic mesh. The receiver is also made of plastic and is remarkably lightweight, which will make transporting the unit a breeze for mobile DJs. There is a simple black-and-white screen on the front, which can display the connection status of the input, the battery level of the input, and the level of the input. The back of the receiver has a balanced XLR jack and an unbalanced TRS jack to send a signal to a mixer or PA system. Between the two output connections, there is a switch that allows the user to switch the output level from mic-level to line-level. There are two RJ12 sync ports, which facilitates the linking of simultaneous DMS300 devices. At the far right, there is a 9V power connection. Personally, I would’ve preferred a slightly longer power cable, but a short power cord can easily be solved with our best friends: extension cords. Also, the DMS300 receiver has two antennas on the front, one at each side. Connecting the receiver with the included microphone was incredibly easy. All I had to do was turn on the receiver and turn on the microphone. Within seconds, the receiver recognized the microphone, and I was able to send signal to my mixer. The microphone itself sounded good... really good... unbelievably good for a wireless microphone. (continued on page 40)
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WIRELESS WONDER: AKG’S DMS RANGE
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DMS300 System: Supports up to 8 synched mics.
Bose S1 Pro Multi-Position PA Sound great anywhere with the ultra-portable Bose S1 Pro Multiposition PA. Designed for musicians, DJs and general PA use, the S1 Pro is the ultimate all-in-one PA, floor monitor and practice amplifier that’s ready to be your go-anywhere Bluetooth® music system. www.professional.bose.com
RCF HDM 45-A Active Two-way Speaker
One of the most powerful speakers in its category, the HDM 45-A provides a clear, accurate sound. Made of lightweight composite material, it boasts a supercharged two-channel amplifier and RCF Precision Transducers. Easy to deploy, it’s designed to provide years of audio and performance. 2,200W Peak Power 133 dB Max SPL 1.5” Titanium Compression Driver, 4.0” Voice Coil 15” Neo Woofers, 3.5” Voice Coil RDNet Networked Management FiRPHASE Technology www.rcf.it/en_US/products/product-detail/hdm_45a/1013924
DAS Audio's Action 500
The NEW Action 500 is an evolution of the Action series, delivering the same active or passive sound with enhanced design and performance. Integrated DAScontrol™ DSP interface with presets and LCD screen for easy setup and adjustment. Perfect for any event that needs a powerful portable sound system that is easy to adjust. www.dasaudio.com/en/products/systems/action-500-series/
MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES
By Stu Kearns St. Louis , Mo. – For any veteran of the DJ game who’s serious about the industry, it’s always a relief to see young DJs, the new blood, enter the fray. It’s what will keep it going. So with that in mind… when we were talking to a veteran DJ recently, he made us aware of Dawson High, a 14-year-old DJ from St. Louis. “He’s amazing,” said the longtime DJ. “If the future of our industry is in the hands of kids like him, we’re in good shape.” So I reached out to High, who started DJing as a 10-year-old with his father Chris’ company, High Class DJs, and asked him about the challenges, rewards – and future employment prospects – in the DJ industry.
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TEEN DJ CHARTS CAREER CHOICE
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DJ Times: You’re one of the youngest DJs we’ve ever featured. How’d you get into DJing? Dawson High: I got into DJing in 2015. My father is a professional DJ, so I’ve grown up being around music and learning the art of DJing by watching him. I started by going out with him to events like birthday parties, high-school dances, etc. As I began to learn the craft and, with lots of practice, I would soon take over the DJ responsibilities for all of our wedding clients. My dad is now the MC and I DJ the events. What’s your role in your dad’s company? I do run some of our day-to-day operations for the company, but I really focus on the music. I practice in my studio as often as I can to work on different genres and styles of music to incorporate into my sets. Eventually, I will get into the business side more, but my primary goal right now is keeping the music fresh and exciting for my clients. Tell us about how you got your gear together for your DJ rig? How’d it come about? My father has been a DJ for 24 years. So since I had a lot of gear at my fingertips, I started out using his equipment. As time has gone on, I’ve experimented with various, speakers, controllers, software, etc. My current setup consists of a Pioneer DJ DDJ-1000 controller using rekordbox software in a Toadmatic booth and Electro-Voice Evolve 50 speakers. Our lighting packages will vary per each of our client’s needs. Have you worked for any other DJ companies? I have not. My father started our company in 1995 and he is very successful. I’ve never had a desire to switch to another company because I know that I wouldn’t have all the connections and dope opportunities that have come about by working with my dad. It’s a family business and we like it that way. At kids’ parties, one of the challenges is keeping kids off their phones. Do you have that problem? I really do not have that problem too often. However, I try to incorporate different fun things using their cellphones, just because I know some kids are going to be on them no matter what. I often set up a text messaging system for kids to use to text requests. I also do different games on their cell phones, almost like scavenger hunts. How do you keep kids motivated to party? Do they trust you more because you’re a peer? How do you interact with them? I mostly try to play what they want to hear. Some of the modern music isn’t “kid-appropriate.” I do think there is a higher level of comfort with me spinning for other kids, just because they know that I’m a peer to them. As far as
High Class: Dawson High looks to inherit dad’s DJ biz.
interacting, I’m not into a lot of the games. I try to let the music do the talking when it comes to the party. If I play good music and I know what they want to hear, I don’t feel like I need to interact as much. I just go out and rock the party. Similarly, how do you get older folks to trust you and book you? I try to keep things very professional as most of our business is DJing for weddings. I think it puts parents and older folks at ease knowing that I’m working every week for other adults at weddings. Because this is one of the biggest days of my client’s life, I have to be on my game. I think the respect comes from them just watching me at 14-years old working the room like a veteran DJ would. As far as the booking process, I send them to my website first. I keep it very professional and clean. I try to be as helpful as I can during the consultation to build their level of trust. I ensure all my clients that, although I may be young, that I take my job seriously. I provide them with excellent service and commitment. At 14, are there any employment issues/certification you have to deal with? In my state, the Missouri labor laws apply to youth under the age of 16. Anyone under the age of 14 are not permitted to work any job unless it is in the agriculture, entertainment industries or casual jobs. How many gigs are you doing in a year? I will do 53 events this year. Can you tell us about the music? What styles are you working on? How do you work on them? Where do you get your music from? How do you work on your sets? I always keep it fresh and fun for my clients. I play almost a club/East-Coast kind of vibe at my events. I get all my music from either remix services, record pools, Amazon MP3s, or iTunes. I work on my sets by determining the best places to mix in and out of each track and also which tracks fit well together to keep the energy constant. As far as reading the crowd, I identify the age groups of the guests and then try to determine what genres and songs will work best based on the guest response that night. Do you see DJing as a future employment opportunity? Yes, I definitely see DJing as my future employment. My long-term plan is becoming the owner of our business. At some point down the road, I will take over all of the operations of the company when my father thinks I’m ready. Basically, I plan on DJing until I can’t physically do it anymore. I love the excitement and the driving rush I get when I’m rockin’ the dancefloor. It is a different party every week and it never gets old. High-class all the way!
SALES… MARKETING…SOLUTIONS… BUSINESS LINE
YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES? DJ-BIZ OWNERS SPILL THE BEANS nars and meetings to stay relevant,” he says. Booking more business is a frequent challenge – it is for DJ Kris Szanto in Atco, N.J., who “is always trying to keep up with different types of social media and learn how to effectively use them” to book more gigs. “I watch a lot of YouTube advice and instruction, too.” Mike Demby, aka DJ Demby from Jersey City, says his challenges are “As for delegating responsibilities, we create running checklists where each team member has daily/weekly/monthly responsibilities.” – Kevin Ramaley, Wind Gap, Pa.
“It’s a full-time job trying to educate the client on the benefits of a legit, experienced reliable company.” – Bob Morgan, Vineland, N.J.
fairly common ones: increasing inbound leads through marketing with ads and social-media content and getting more clients to consistently understand his value, thus leading to more call-backs. How does he face these challenges? “The same way most other DJs handle them… grind, grind, grind… and be as professional as possible,” he says. “I am constantly trying new
“How do I make this experience for my crowd memorable, cathartic, fun, and also get them to see music from my point of view?” – Rich Kaufman, Howell, N.J.
techniques and focusing on a valuebased marketing strategy.” Kevin Ramaley, owner of multiop Rockin’ Ramaley in Wind Gap, Pa., says his biggest challenges are a reflection of the size of his company. “As a business owner,” he says, “my chief challenges are training and staffing our team with the right qualified members to represent our brand correctly – also, being able to delegate responsibilities to team members to alleviate tasks that only an owner can do.” For training, Ramaley creates and implements a process for each job/ task within the company – from DJs, MCs, photo-booth attendants, lighting and computer programming to cigar-bar setups and education. “We also thoroughly interview each team member before we officially bring them onboard,” he says. “We also offer job-shadowing to MC/DJs to see firsthand what our brand and company is all about before they make the commitment to join us. We care about their happiness in a career as much as we care about having the right candidate for us. “As for delegating responsibilities, we create running checklists where each team member has daily/ weekly/monthly responsibilities. We frequently follow up daily with the lists, as well as at our weekly team meetings. We consistently hold the team accountable to complete tasks on time and constantly evaluate and follow up to ensure they are on track to successfully completing assignments and their responsibilities.” DJ Steve Cie from Keansburg, N.J., is retired from the DJ life. But while he was doing it, his two chief challenges were marketing and planning events. “I dealt with these challenges by educating myself on the utilization of the internet, specifically website SEO,” he says. “And for the planning end of the business, harnessing the various tools afforded me via the WE DJ planning and management program.” And where did Cie learn about the DJ planning program? “Oh, at the DJ Expo in Atlantic City.” Of course, of course – it’s the first place DJs should go to solve their business challenges.
DJ TIMES
All business owners have challenges, but DJ-business owners have unique ones: You’re part-business owner, part-entertainer, which means a lot of your business relies on your performance ability – and the ability to train your staff to perform, too. We spoke to several members of the New Jersey Disc Jockey Network and asked them about their business challenges. Rich Kaufman from Rich Kaufman Productions in Howell, N.J., says one of his biggest challenges is related to the “day of.” Says Kaufman: “How do I make this experience for my crowd memorable, cathartic, fun, and also get them to see music from my point of view? What can I do to make things ‘bigger’ or ‘more’? How can I do better for this crowd and this moment?” Kaufman says he practices and talks with as many DJ-friends as he can and shares experiences, song sets, and equipment information. But he says another challenge is communicating with clients and team members using ever-changing technology. “If you use emails and phone calls, that’s one thing,” he says, “but I have young staffers, each of whom has taken on part of this everchanging technology. One will work my Instagram, another Facebook or Twitter.” He says that using staff gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership. “They feel part of the company,” he says, “and it also shows them how much you value them.” Bob Morgan at BME Event Group in Vineland, N.J., says his No.-1 challenge has not changed in years: “People shopping by price still,” he says. “It’s a full-time job trying to educate the client on the benefits of a legit, experienced reliable company. Sometimes you never even get the chance to explain. They just want a price without giving us any information, such as location, type of event and times.” His second-biggest challenge is keeping up with changing demands for modern couples. “What worked a few months ago might not necessarily work today,” he says. “You have to stay on top of things if you want to stay in business.” How does Morgan deal with these challenges? “Keep attending semi-
FALL 2019 ISSUE
By Stu Kearns
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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
UDG Gear
Native Instruments
Pioneer DJ Americas
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
Accusonus
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Serato Go!
Gear Fab
Bundles of Joy
Massive Aggressive
Pioneer DJ Americas 2050 W. 190th Street Suite 109 Torrance, CA 90504 (424) 488-0480 www.pioneerdj.com
UDG Gear Industrieweg 18-21 3846 BD HARDERWIJK The Netherlands www.udggear.com
Accusonus 17 Carley Rd Lexington, MA 02421 (617) 982-1241 www.accusonus.com
UDG released the Creator Pioneer Toraiz SP-16/ Roland TR-8 Hardcase Black. Constructed from durable lightweight compression molded EVA material, the case not only fits the Pioneer Toraiz SP-16 of the Roland TR-8 but also has room for extra cables and a power adapter, with a removable divider included for storing those items. Available in black, the case features a laminated nylon exterior that protects against drops, scratches and liquids. The case also comes with a shoulder strap and carry handles, as well as a soft fleece interior and a protective eggcrate foam that is designed to prevent damage from vibrations and shocks.
The ERA 4 Bundles (Enhancement and Repair of Audio) from Accusonus are a collection of single-knob audio cleaning plug-ins for video editors, audio engineers and podcasters. There are currently two bundles available—the Standard Bundle and the Pro Bundle—both of which are fully supported by a variety of audio editing programs such as Avid Pro Tools 12.6, Apple GarageBand 10.3.2 and Ableton Live 9.The Standard Bundle includes a Noise Remover, Reverb Remover, De-Esser, Plosive Remover, Voice Leveler and De-Clipper, while the Pro Bundle adds the ERA De-Esser PRO.
Native Instruments 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments. com
Pioneer DJ has released the DDJ-1000SRT, a professional CDJ-and-mixer unit developed specifically with Serato users in mind. The 4-channel unit also adds 16 RGB backlit performance pads for controlling eight Serato DJ Pro modes. Other highlights include Serato virtual decks with important track information in full-color via hi-def LCD screens in the center of each jog wheel. Pioneer DJ’s sound-color and Beat FX are also built in. The unit also includes dual mic inputs, USB ports, XLR and RCA master outputs and four line inputs with two phono options for DVS compatibility.
MASSIVE X is the new flagship wavetable synthesizer from Native Instruments. It features a new oscillator section with dual wavetable oscillators and 170 wavetables. Users get 10 different oscillator modes, each with their own submodes, as well as three primary sound sculpting controls and two additional custom parameters for each mode. MASSIVE X features a variety of modulation sources, with nine slots for creative LFOs or envelopes, four Tracker modulators, Voice Randomization and three Performer modulators. Additional features include switchable filters, noise generators, insert effects, master effects and a comprehensive preset library.
AUDIO‌LIGHTING‌STUFF
GEAR
Numark
Yamaha Corporation of America
American Music & Sound
Scratch the Surface
Blaster of the House
So Happy I Could Burst
Yamaha Corporation of America 6600 Orangethorpe Ave Buena Park, CA 90620 (714) 522-9011 www.yamahaproaudio.com
Numark 200 Scenic View Drive Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 658-3131 www.numark.com
American Music & Sound 925 Broadbeck Dr. #220 Newbury Park, CA 91320 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com
ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com
The STAGEPAS 1K portable PA system from Yamaha features a 1000W Class-D amplifier, a 12-inch subwoofer and a highfrequency array speaker with 10 small-diameter 1.5-inch drivers. Located in the back of the subwoofer is a five-channel digital mixer that features three channels of mono microphone/line inputs and stereo inputs, in addition to a variety of sound engineering tools, including one-knob EQ, SPX digital reverb and an output mode feature to adjust optimized compression settings. With the free STAGEPAS Editor iOS/Android app, users can operate their remote parameter adjustments of volume and EQ.
The Numark Scratch mixer includes the full version of Serato DJ Pro and the complete DVS Expansion Pack. The unit sports eight performance pads for accessing hot cues, rolls and samples, as well as six direct access software FX buttons with dual paddle launch triggers and Dr y/Wet FX Control, and a Low/Highpass filter that is not software-dependent. Features include a 108dB S/N ratio, true balanced high level XLR outputs, separate Zone/Booth control and a professional standard innoFADER crossfader with reverse and slope control.
The Reloop Groove Blaster BT is a portable 100W loudspeaker with a high sound pressure level, 100W max output and massive bass performance thanks to its six-inch low-frequency driver. The unit features a built-in Bluetooth 4.0 interface that allows for a transmission range of up to 30 meters, as well as an integrated, rechargeable Li-ion battery that offers up to 10 hours of operation. The Reloop Groove Blaster BT sports a metal grille that protects the speaker chassis and it feature a detachable carrying handle.
ADJ expanded its Encore Burst Series to include three new single LED wash fixtures, each of which sports die-cast metal housing and a flexible multipurpose bracket. The Encore Burst 100 IP comes equipped with a 125W warm white CREE C.O.B LED and features a 50-degree beam angle, variable speed strobe and pulse effects. The Encore Burst RGBW IP has a 150W CREE C.O.B 4-in-1 RGBW LED light source with a 50-degree beam angle and features a strobe effect. The Encore Burst UV IP features a 50W C.O.B. ultraviolet LED, with a wavelength of 365nm. It is designed for large venues including nightclubs and concert stages.
DJ TIMES
Exit STAGEPAS Left
FALL 2019 ISSUE
ADJ Products
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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Roland Corporation
TASCAM
IK Multimedia
I’m OK, You’re IK
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
IK Multimedia 590 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy. Sunrise, FL 33325 (954) 846-9101 www.ikmultimedia.com
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IK Multimedia’s iLoud MTM is a compact reference monitor with a symmetrical design that the company says “provides point-source performance for superior imaging, even at close distances.” The unit features 100W RMS power and a 40 Hz to 24 kHz frequency response. It comes with the company’s ARC System and an included reference microphone for selfcalibration. iLoud MTM uses a midrange-tweeter-midrange symmetrical design, with a pair of 3.5-inch high performance woofers and a one-inch high definition tweeter.
Blinded by the Lightshow VocoPro 1728 Curtiss Court La Verne, CA 91750 (800) 678-5348 www.vocopro.com VocoPro’s DJ Smart Lightshow is a five-in-one smart club-like LED light show that operates in a variety of play modes, including auto, sound activated, master/slave and DMX512. It features a two-stage sound-activated control, each with nine sound sensitivity levels. Water Wave and Moonflower effects are pre-programmed into the unity, which also features UV, strobe and lasers.
VocoPro
Neutron Bomb
Like a Roland Stone
TASCAM 1834 Gage Road Montebello, CA 90640 (323) 726-0303 www.tascam.com
Roland Corporation 5100 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 890-3700 www.roland.com
TASCAM and iZotope have collaborated to include a free full version of iZotope’s Neutron Elements mixing software with TASCAM’s SERIES 102i and SERIES 208i audio/MIDI interface units. Neutron Elements integrates a Compressor, Exciter, Transient Shaper and EQ with Soft Saturation mode into a single interface. It also features a Track Assistant feature “that can listen to audio and dial in a custom preset array of plug-in parameters for an optimal mix,” according to the company. Users are able to use the Track Assistant feature to record directly into a DAW through the two TASCAM models, both of which feature integrated MIDI functionality and built-in processing.
The DJ-707M DJ Controller is a four-channel, four-deck Serato DJ Pro controller from Roland. It features a built-in 24-bit/48 kHz audio interface, as well as built-in automatic feedback suppression. The unit offers loudspeaker management that includes separate four-band output EQ, multiband compressor and limiter on each of the Master, Booth and Zone outputs, each of which can also be saved and recalled with 10 Scene Presets. The controller comes with dedicated Serato DJ Pro controls, a Filter/FX knob and a variety of on-board OSC sound effects including sweepers and synth stabs.
AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
GEAR
Start from Scratch BPM Supreme 101 West Broadway #1300 San Diego, CA 92101 (888) 723-7878 www.bpmsupreme.com Music delivery website BPM Supreme has partnered with DJ QBert to introduce Scratch Tools, an exclusive collection of scratch samples, sounds, and breakbeats curated by Qbert & Skratchy Seal. There are 10 unique Scratch Tools audio tracks that were created specifically for scratching. Each contains ready-to-use preset cue points, as well as either a string of sound FX samples or four-, eight- or 16-bar drum loops. The collection is available to both Standard and Premium members.
Radius GaGa MasterSounds www.mastersounds.co.uk MasterSounds’s Radius Two Valve is a two-channel compact DJ mixer that features two dual triode valves, two fully-featured channel strips with Aux send and three-band asymmetric EQ. The unit, which is based on the company’s flagship Radius 4V DJ mixer, is hand built in the UK. It comes with two 36mm illuminated analogue VU meters, Master and Booth level controls, an illuminated input select switch, a large illuminated Cue switch and ALPS rotary faders.
Throw the eBook at You
DJ TIMES
Your Mix Sucks (Waves Edition) is an e-book by award-winning mix engineer and music producer Marc Mozart. Available in ebook and PDF formats, the title offers a complete methodology of the technical, artistic and personal sides of the mixing process from preparation to delivery, integrating Waves Waves plugin examples and suggested settings throughout its 14 chapters. The book is designed for users of all DAWs and it offers a variety of mixing techniques and principles in easy-to-follow steps with life-long free updates for readers.
FALL 2019 ISSUE
Waves 2800 Merchants Drive Knoxville, TN 37912 (865) 909-9200 www.waves.com
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TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS “THE CALL UP” u Luis Radio u Soulphuric Deep Italian producer Luis Radio brings the goods for all you deep-house heads. This is a smooth, hypnotic, sexy number with jazzy, melodic keys and a deliciously swirling bassline. Super tasty.
Sophie Lloyd
– Tommy D Funk DIFFERENT STROKES, VOL. 3 u Dr Packer u Glitterbox The Australian nu-disco maestro is back with four more re-rubs on the hottest label around. The pick of the pack here is his sleek rework of MuthaFunkaz/Marc Evans’ “I Don’t Want You Anymore.” But don’t sleep on the new version of the Arthur Baker cut, “No Price.” – Curtis Zack “BOTTLE TOP TRANCE” u Andrew Bayer u Anjunabeats Another thumper from the Anjuna family, this has classic trance elements, while skillfully mastering a futuristic electro feel. The descending arpeggiated melody is catchy without coming off as cheesy. Worth a good spin. – Jennifer Harmon ALL Q’D UP, VOL II u John Morales u Quantize A long player of exceptional quality from a legend of the production world, Morales’ latest serves up 13 superb disco-house cuts here. Featuring a range of world-class vocalists like Natasha Watts and SuSu Bobien, this one will lift you up. Make sure you check the pumping, Watts-fronted “I’m Giving All My Love.”
– Curtis Zack “CAN’T DO WITHOUT YOU” u ALIA u Broken Records This vocal-driven, soulful house cut features a pair of wonderful remixes by the mighty Demarkus Lewis. Check the “Deeper Remix” and the “Deeper Dub” for some genuinely uplifting flavour. – Tommy D Funk
“RAISE ME UP” u Sophie Lloyd feat. Dames Brown u Classic Music Company Looking for a raging slab of uplifting gospel-house? Look no further because Lloyd drops a winner here. With Brown out front with a soaring vocal performance, a rhythmic bassline meshes with slinky organ chords for a track that will unite your dancefloor. Check the “Alan Dixon 12-Inch Version,” which pumps plenty hard.
– Tommy D Funk
“STRETCH ME OUT” u Antton u Tropical Velvet Ibiza resident Antton delivers a disco delight on London’s Tropical Velvet imprint. Taking its lead from The Trammps’ “Rubberband,” this release suits the poolside and eases into the club equally well. – Curtis Zack “INSIDE OUT” u DJ Spen & Reelsoul u Quantize Taking a hefty slice of inspiration from Vincent Montana, Jr.’s “Goody Goody” cut, this bumpin’ instrumental track is an essential groove and one that won’t fail to move your floor. Sleek and slinky. – Curtis Zack “GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER”
u Babert feat. Andre Espeut u Midnight Riot! The quality keeps coming from this label with the Italian talent Babert teaming up with Andre Espeut for this breezy groover. DJs get three mixes to choose from and I give the nod to the Original Mix – check its killer bassline. – Curtis Zack
Guest Reviewer: Graeme Park
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
“JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE” (REMIXES)
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Roy Davis, Jr. & Terry Dexter Griffintown Records Chicago's Davis teams up with Detroit's Dexter for a wonderfully appealing and highly delicious groove that comes in three glorious mixes. The “Original Mix” is a joy, with Dexter's soaring vocals sitting beautifully over Davis’ tough beats and totally addictive synth stab Graeme Park driven groove. Lonely C provides a more laid-back and quirky mix with some wonderfully weird synths that get right into your brain. Finally, the “Kenny Dope Remix” will have you heading straight for the dancefloor with its jazzy chords and chunks in beats and rhythms. Across all of the mixes, Dexter's superb vocal shines as the melody takes over – you'll be singing the chorus in no time.
“I WANNA LET YOU KNOW” (REMIXES)
u Immaculate Styles feat. Lisa Shaw u Two+Twenty
Featuring Shaw’s ever-sublime vocals, this bumpin’ track gets the Sebb Junior remix treatment, which takes it to another level. With its sleek, funky groove and those powerful vocals, this winning blend creates a little slice of dancefloor heaven.
– Curtis Zack
Lisa Shaw
“HEAVEN” (REMIXES)
u The Vision feat. Andreya Triana u Defected This funky-house original gets some top-quality remixes here – check the pair from Leeds lad Nightmares on Wax. Both are jammed with jazzflavored, funky grooves. Also, don’t sleep on the Mousse T’s “Disco Shizzle Extended Remix” – it’s a whopper. – Tommy D Funk “THE ONLY ONE”
u Micky More & Andy Tee u Glitterbox
Luis Radio
Roy Davis, Jr.
Art of Tones
An irresistible disco-flavored, feel-good house bomb from the Italian studio duo, this stringfilled stomper features outstanding vocals from Angela Johnson. Don’t sleep on this one.
– Tommy D Funk “SO SWEET” u Art of Tones u De La Groove France’s Art of Tones (aka Ludovic Llorca) delivers on every release and this latest one is no different. Utilizing a vocal not too dissimilar to Tramaine’s 1985 gospel-dance classic “Fall Down,” this is an irresistible groove with bass, keys and strings swirling around the mix to great effect.
Dr Packer
Andrew Bayer
DJ Spen
– Curtis Zack “PUMP IT UP” u Endor u Defected Endor returns with another killer floor-banger. With whopping beats, anthemic vocals, and a rumbling bassline, you have a thrilling track that’ll rock your floor and put hands in the air. – Tommy D Funk Babert
John Morales
Antton
Endor
Sounding Off
(continued from page 30) I would go so far as to suggest that it might even be able to hold its own with a condenser microphone. The sound was warm, energetic, and wellbalanced. It performed well when connected to a DJ mixer, an analog mixer, and directly into a PA system. I found the pickup to be very concentrated towards the head of the microphone, which minimized amplification of background noise. Even speaking into the side of the microphone dramatically reduced the volume. That being said, the microphone head can always be swapped out, if a different model has a more appealing sound
pattern. I think the highest praise I can give the unit is that I didn’t need to really think about it when I was using them. The DMS300 worked flawlessly, and I didn’t have to drastically change how I did my craft with it thrown into the fray. Latency and range issues were a worry of mine going into this, but I never found either of those to be issues when using the DMS 300. AKG attests that the microphone’s latency is below the threshold of perception, which means that humans cannot detect any delay – most impressive. The DMS range competes with oth-
er wireless microphone systems from Shure, Samson, Sennheiser, VocoPro, and more. However, I think prospective buyers might also be considering traditional wired microphones as well. In my experience, mobile DJs largely see the value in going wireless with their mics, but some club or bar owners might find the switch to wireless a tough sell – especially considering the higher starting price. (DMS100’s MAP is $219, while the DMS300 goes for $299.) I could also see live-sound and production companies investing in these to keep with their rental and event fleets. Finally, I could see venues – ho-
tels, resorts, bars, places of worship, conference centers, event spaces, and destination venues – purchasing these to offer their clients an easy-to-operate audio solution. With a target market so big, the use cases are almost limitless: club DJs might be using these to tell people to put their hands up, wedding DJs might be handing these to best men or bridesmaids to give speeches, and business professionals might be securely revealing their latest products to high-profile clients. Both are exceptional choices in the world of wireless microphones.
DJ Times: What are your favorite breaks? 6Blocc: “Think” [from Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It)” in 1972]; “Amen” [from The Winstons’ “Amen, Brother” in 1969]; and “Funky Drummer” [from James Brown’s “Funky Drummer” in 1970]. DJ Times: Of course, you’ve been doing sample packs for a long time now. What’s your curation process? 6Blocc: I start with an idea that I feel people could use at the time or something different to have fun with. Then I either go through my hard drive for sounds to manipulate into new ones or sample from my old
hip-hop records for drums, vocals or stabs. I edit and reprocess the sounds into something useful, bump up the levels, check for clicks and pops at the end of the samples for clean-up. After that, I group them into various categories and making sure all the file names are easy to understand. DJ Times: What are some essential plug-ins for making jungle? 6Blocc: Any good envelope shaper for the drums. FabFilter Pro-L limiter for bringing up the breaks, FabFilter Timeless for cool delay effects, Brainworx BX Digital 2 for cleaning up the frequencies in the mix and the SSL GChannel for its powerful EQ to make
things pop out. DJ Times: What your DJ gear? 6Blocc: I’ve been playing on Pioneer DJ CDJs and Rane mixers for the most part. That seems to do me right. I do need a mixer with effects and filters, though. DJ Times: Any advice for young producers? 6Blocc: Work as much as you can on music. Ask for help when you need it. Visit other producer’s studios and just hang out, so it becomes your natural environment. YouTube tutorials are the best and join a site like Splice for sounds and tips. – Amanda Chavez
Richards: It’s difficult now because everyone’s trying to do it. Everybody wants to DJ. Everybody wants to be a photographer. Everybody wants to be a promoter, but it’s really it’s a lot of hard work. I love it so much, and I work so hard to get it right, but a lot of people just see the final product and think, “Oh, it’s easy; I’m just going to do this and that,” which end up being a lot of average things that don’t really work out right, which kind of taints it. It’s really just being on your game, keeping it fresh and never giving up. DJ Times: You’ve always managed to bring the underground to a larger audience. What’s your view on the commercialization of electronic dance music, especially the rise of festivals? Richards: It’s funny because when I was 18 to 20 years old, I used to be like, “Oh man, this is lame! It can’t be commercial. It’s underground – how could they be using a breakbeat track on an Egg McMuffin McDonald’s commercial? This isn’t cool – it’s supposed to be underground.” DJ Times: What changed? Richards: I came to realize that was a selfish approach because this
music is fun and really good, so why should it only be underground? It should be available to everybody. I think it’s just how it’s presented. I think sometimes people get a view of electronic music that it’s cheesy or it’s repetitive or it’s not musical – and they’re just getting hit with the wrong things. Every slice of music now has electronic music in itself – there’s no stopping it. DJ Times: The music’s stronger than ever. Richards: I think it’s better that it gets out wider because more people that are interested in it and more people who like it just fuel the fire, and it gives you more. Look what I’m doing. I’m working on festivals in Houston, New York, L.A. and Dallas, and Chicago. I would never be able to do any of this back then, so I think it’s only a good thing. The key to this is you got to still try to keep the quality. While you’re building these things, you can’t just build them to build them; they’re going to still have the essence of why we started. That’s quality music, good DJs and good people. If you keep that in check with the business, then you’re really doing something. It’s very hard to do to
keep all those elements in line at the same time. DJ Times: Going off that a bit, where do you see the electronicmusic landscape five years from now? Richards: People always thought it was a fad that would continue to get bigger and then just go away. Erol Alkan once told me, and you can quote him on this: “Electronic dance music is like the flu – it goes away, but always comes back stronger!” I used to fight with people all the time about how there’s hip-hop, jazz, rock, R&B and then there’s electronic, which most believed wasn’t a real genre. But luckily we’ve crossed that bridge. DJ Times: So you think it’ll get bigger? Richards: Is it going to be bigger than it was two years ago? It really depends on the artist. Could Skrillex drop a record that can blow everyone’s mind? That could happen. Could there be some new kid that comes along and changes the game with their records? Of course. It all really depends on the artists when it comes to where it’s going to go, but it’s going to be more of the same. You’re never not going to have people who want to party and have a good time with
6Blocc
(continued from page 12) from other producers. I used to say I’m not influenced by anyone, but now I realize everything we do and hear is an influence… from the noise in the city to the music we hear from friends or at the club. DJ Times: With all the breakbeat sample packs in use now, how does a producer keep an authentic sound? 6Blocc: To me, it’s about new patterns—it’s why I love jungle. It’s about the patterns of the drums that keep it moving forward and exciting… although there is also something to say for clean, snapping liquid drum beats or finely squashed d-n-b bigroom beats.
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
Destructo
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(continued from page 17) be able to be a part of Electric Zoo to the level that I am… I never really would have dreamed that because I’ve only really been involved in the things that I’ve created. I feel like I’m embraced pretty well now in New York after playing there so many times throughout my career. It has such a rich history and to be embraced by the city and the people there… it’s awesome. DJ Times: What would you say has been the key to success and longevity? Richards: Obviously, you have to produce great events, but what it comes down to is you got to keep them fresh. Dance music, in my eyes, has always been about what’s new. When I was an 18-year-old DJ, I wanted to be that guy to play that white label that no one else knew about for the first time, and leave people asking, “Whoa! What was that?” That’s really the essence of it. You can’t get comfortable. You have to keep trying to figure out ways to do similar types of things, but in a different way that keeps it fun and fresh – and you got to pick the right music. DJ Times: Easier said than done these days, right?
Compiled As September 27, 2019
C LU B P L AY C H A R T
NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART 1 Shawn Mendes & Camilla Cabello 2 Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 3 Lizzo 4 Billie Eilish 5 Katy Perry 6 Kygo X Whitney Houston 7 Taylor Swift 8 Madonna 9 Tony Moran F/ Jason Walker 10 P!Nk Feat. Cash Cash 11 Boston Bun 12 Jesse Saunders F/ Cassandra Lucas 13 Laverne Cox 14 Mari Burelle 15 Jonas Blue 16 Billy Porter 17 Benny Mardones 18 Mark Ronson F/ Camila Cabello 19 Jimmy Cypher F/ Michael Keith 20 Sting 21 Shawn Mendes 22 Sam Feldt F/ Rani 23 Kendra Erika 24 Dave Mathias F/ Makeba 25 Avicii 26 Allegra 27 Celine Dion 28 Gorgon City 29 Temmora F/ Karma 30 Anggun 31 Khalid 32 Mabel 33 Tiesto, Jonas Blue / Rita Ora 34 Gorgon City + MK 35 Gryffin & Carly Rae Jepsen 36 Jaguar Grace 37 Martin Garrix F/ Macklemore 38 Eddie Chacon 39 David Guetta F/ Raye 40 Panic At The Disco
Most Added Tracks
1 Piper Madison 2 Above And Beyond 3 Ashley O 4 Lodato 5 R3hab & A Touch Of Class 6 The Chainsmokers & Bebe Rexha 7 Camila Cabello 8 Post Malone 9 Kidd Leow F/ Ashley J 10 Above And Beyond
REPORTING POOLS
n Gary Canavo n Blake Eckelbarger n The Dance Environment n Manny Esparza n Howard HK Kessler n Dan Mathews n Brian Stephens n Peter K. Productions n Steve Tsepelis n Ilan Fong n Kidd Leow n Alan Chasan n Rafy Nieves n Sam Labelle n John Hohman n Carlos Cabrera n Chris Egner n Randy Schalger
Senorita I Don't Care Truth Hurts Bad Guy Never Really Over Higher Love You Need To Calm Down I Rise Perfect Bitch Can We Pretend Don't Wanna Dance Higher Welcome Home Let’s Hear It For The Boy I Wanna Dance Love Yourself Into The Night Find U Again A Horse With No Name If You Love Somebody ... 2019 If I Can’t Have You Post Malone A Deeper Love Madness And The Dark Heaven All About Us Flying On My Own Go Slow Fire Perfect World Talk Mad Love Ritual There For You OMG To All The Boys Summer Days Rumors Or Lies? Stay (Don't Go Away) Look Ma I Made It A Little Bit Of Rain See The End On A Roll Home All Around The World Call You Mine Liar Circles Film Noir See The End
Masspool Dj Stickyboots Powered By Spectrio Nexus Radio In The Mix With HK Klubjumpers / RHYTHM 105.9 FM KRYC Mixxmasters Peter K Pacific Coast DJs Kahoots Vindictive Vendetta O.M.A.P. Cyberbiotics Soundworks Metromix DJ Casanova Victor's Soundtrack Your Band
Epic / Republic Def Jam Atlantic Interscope Capitol Rca Republic Interscope / RCA Radikal RCA Republic Broken Smirnoff Lit Lyfe Capitol Butler Silver Blue RCA SERE Interscope Island Spinnin' Dauman Dauman Interscope Radikal Columbia Astralwerks Arommet April Earth RCA Capitol Musical Freedom Capitol Geffen Jaguar RCA Radikal Warner Brothers Big Beat Bug On The Camel Anjunbeats Rca Overdrive Casablanca/Republic Columbia Epic Republic Vindictive Vendetta Anjunbeats
Saugus,MA Syndicated Los Angeles, CA Chicago,IL Minneapolis,MN Sacramento, CA Lithonia,GA Syndicated Long Beach,CA Columbus,OH Tampa, FL Washington, DC Syndicated San Francisco, CA Pittsburgh, PA Nashville, TN Milwaukee, WI Seattle, WA
NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1 Hector Acosta 1 Luis Fonsi y Ozuna 2 Amarfis & La Banda Atakke 3 Ely Holguin 4 Andy Andy 5 L. Fonsi, S. Yatra & N. Jam 6 Jehu El Rey 7 Edwin 8 Thomaz 9 Grupomania 10 Elvis Crespo 11 Ozuna 12 Marc Anthony 13 Mike Towers feat Farruko 14 Alsikiatra 15 Tito Peluca 16 Mario Ortiz 17 Charlie Cruz 18 Prince Royce & Marc Anthony 19 Wisin feat Jon Z, & Don Chezina 20 Daddy Yakee feat Snow
Antes Del Lunes Imposible Calma Desilusion La Manzana Date La Vuelta Despues Te Perdi Que Te Lo Crea Tu Madre Al Natural Tocaito Abracadabra Te Sone De Nuevo Un Amor Eterno Si Se Da Polola Wacateezeey Fuego Tu Con El Adicto 3G Con Calma
El Torito Ent. Universal Amarfika Cookie Empire Wepa Music Universal Unlick Music LMM Latina MM Sony Sony Sony Casablanca Swing Factory On Top Planetary Music CC Sony Sony El Cartel
Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5
Rauw Alejandro Baby Rasta y Kendo Kaponi Lisette M & Reinier B Tony Succar feat Angel Lopez Miles Peña
Detective Rompe El Sue Salsa Medley Mas De Mi Ven
Sony Universal La Mulata Del Sabor Unity Ent. Pinchardo Music
REPORTING LATIN POOLS n Latinos Unidos Record Pool n Salsamania Latin Record Pool n Lobo/Bass Record Pool
n Urban Tropics Music Pool n North East Record Pool n Mixx Hitts Record Pool
n n n n n n
Ritmo Camacho Record Pool Ritmo Internacional Record Pool DJ Latinos Record Pool Mass Pool Record Pool Latino V.I.P. Chicago Record Pool.
ATTENTION DJ TIMES READERS: DJ Times is currently looking for DJs that are interested in reporting to the DJ National Dance/Crossover chart and the DJ Times National Urban Dance chart. Reporterships are open to Record Pools and individual DJs. For more information contact: Dan Miller, dmiller@testa.com
friends and enjoy good music. That’s been going on since like caveman days. I’m sure they all got together and banged on a rock somewhere. [laughs] That’s just part of being human, getting together and dancing... it’s tribal, you know? DJ Times: What advice do you have for anyone who hosts their own parties, or any aspiring promoters out there? Richards: I always say the same thing: “Be original and be relentless.” You got to have good idea because there’s a million parties going on in a million cities – so what makes you special? What are you doing differently? When I first started, we started at 6 a.m. on a Sunday, and me and my buddies dressed up like priests, and we went around telling people to come to the sermon. We just had a funny and interesting idea, and it caught on. DJ Times: That’s certainly one way to get attention… Richards: I think if you have a unique little angle to present things in a new way – whether it’s producing a show or making music – come up with something new. If you really have something of quality and interesting, don’t give up on it and never stop because, eventually, it will catch on. Even when people say it isn’t going to work, keep at it if you genuinely believe in it because that’s when something really great comes through. DJ Times: Originality always seems to be the key to success. Richards: Most of the time, people just copy, like… “This guy has a party at a water park, so I want to throw one at a water park.” Well, why not go to an amusement park or some other place? Lots of people like to party and not a lot of people have original ideas. But if you do have
good, original ideas, eventually they work out. It’s not that easy to be original these days because a lot of the ground-breaking stuff is taken now, compared to 10 years ago. So you have to dig a lot deeper, but that’s where the most innovative ideas lay. DJ Times: When it comes to being a DJ or a promoter, would you say you need a certain “hustle mentality” to succeed? Richards: Well, I can definitely say from my end, yeah. [laughs] When I had my own record label and working with other artists, I would always say, “Just because you get signed to a major label, they’re not going to sprinkle some fairy dust on you that turns you into a massive superstar.” You have to hustle; you have to constantly self-promote because you’re going to care about it more than anybody else, no matter what angle in the industry you’re coming from. However, you better be beating down the door with something you genuinely believe in or is good, or else you’re just wasting your time. DJ Times: What can fans expect from All My Friends and Destructo in the near future? R i c h a r d s : We a c t u a l l y j u s t launched a show up in Seattle with Fisher, Claptone, Idris Elba, Weiss, Taiki Nulight, Little Fritter and Sean M a j o r s a t Wa M u T h e a t e r. T h e n there’s All My Friends Music Festival in Los Angeles, which is a big one with Justice, Black Coffee, MK and a whole bunch of others that should blow people’s minds. FriendShip is going to be great, and I’m always looking to expand on the boat. In 2020, we’re looking for new markets, so we can host events similar to the Seattle event and continue to keep building all while redefining the sound n and breaking new artists.
Nora En Pure
(continued from page 10)
Purified record label. So, at that point, Purified events will also turn into a sort of a label showcase. The musical direction would be that more powerful melodic deep-house sound. DJ Times: What’s your main studio set-up? Niederer: I work mainly on Logic X, and I have a basic set-up on my travelling laptop. Since I am travelling a lot, I often just work on drafts or ideas while on the road and continue working on them when I’m back home. While I’m in the States, I often stay in Nashville where a studio partner of mine lives. So when it comes to hardware, I am limited to my Apogee Duet card, my UAD card, and a Mac laptop. DJ Times: Plug-in synths? Niederer: I stick with the basics – Sylenth1, Serum and NI Kontakt. We have the Komplete 11 bundle. My studio partner has a collection of Kontakt libraries, which I like. At home, I have a Roland RD2000 and a Fame DP6000 digital piano. The latter is more for relaxed playing and trying out melodies and ideas. I have the Roland Cloud installed as well, because it gives me the option of all those beautiful analog sounds and samples. We also have the full Spectrasonics bundle with Omnisphere, Trilian, Keyscape, and Stylus RMX. DJ Times: What are some pitfalls young producers should try to avoid? Niederer : The first mistake, probably, is trying to make money. Focus on music. If music is your passion and you persevere, you’ll get your chance. Making money off of it should not be the main goal in creating music.
DJ Times: Where do you fit on the house music spectrum? Niederer: I would fit my sound between melodic deep house and house. Some tracks lean into the progressive end of the spectrum. But, as I’ve said, I really feel like I don’t belong to a genre – I think that’s actually a good thing. Just file my music under Nora En Pure. – Ryan Hayes
News
(continued from page 5) Added industry-legend keynoter Nicky Siano: “It was my first visit to the DJ Expo and I was inspired by the options and information available. It opened my mind to possibilities I would not have heard about otherwise. It’s a must for DJs, producers, performers and music enthusiasts. I don’t know of any other event that offers that many options under one roof.” Panelists and longtime attendees also offered praise. “The DJ Expo continues to be a focal point in my career development as a professional DJ for weddings and corporate events,” said Jerry Bazata of DJ Jaz Music & Entertainment in Ogunquit, Maine. “This year, again, was no disappointment with a variety of seminars offered and the ability to speak with manufactures on the newest in DJ gear.What is most memorable for me about the DJ Expo is the ability to connect with other professionals, networking and sharing ideas to help me both professionally and personally.” Added DJ Staci Rivera-Nichols of San Diego, Calif.: “I highly recommend the DJ Expo! The Expo floor was full of high-profile DJs spinning, crazy deals on gear, and great networking. The seminars are super-valuable, too – and c’mon, the parties are legendary!”
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OK, DJs… here’s the news: We’ll see you in Atlantic City! ’20 Expo, Harrah’s, Aug. 10-13.
Ronald Mungo
DJ TIMES
FALL 2019 ISSUE
2020 DJ Expo: Show Dates Announced
2020 DJ Expo, The Place to Be!
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