DJ culture is everywhere.
While all-night parties in clubs and warehouses continue in cities worldwide, electronic music also is a choice form of music to serve as the backdrop for plenty of things far away from a sweaty dance floor.
Locally, DJ Nick Gould, aka “Niko,” incorporates the music he makes into his job, playing music at morning yoga sessions and recording his sets to play while he teaches spin classes.
Niko will be performing tonight at the post-Snowdown Parade “Electric Safari” party at the Lost Dog Bar & Lounge. Also performing will be former Durangoan and now Denverite Brian Stevens, aka Brian Ess, and Greg Eversoul, also from Denver.
Brian Ess remains a favorite for Durango electronic music lovers, coming back to the Southwest at least twice a year to spin. During his time here, he was the resident DJ and party host behind the electronic music series titled “Down” that ran at the old Abbey Theatre.
Eversoul is a heavy-hitter in the Denver scene. He began his career 22 years ago in Denver; since then, he’s held residency at clubs in San Francisco and performed worldwide. He is one of the go-to DJs to support international touring performers when they play in Denver and is highly touted by the two with whom he’s sharing the bill.
Many genres remain the butt of musical jokes, with some of them deserving of those jokes, and electronic music is both a loved and, at times, misunderstood art.
It’s more than someone standing behind turntables and electronic gadgetry. Conversations with local DJs always reveal a love of the style, and a desire to master the craft.
Like anyone learning an instrument, there’s a fierce dedication to figuring it all out. While technology in the instruments has changed from the early days of using LPs and turntables to using electronic mixing decks, electronic music continues to be all about the art of matching beats.
“To me, the whole point of DJ-ing is riding that groove,” Gould said from the KDUR studios. “You can screw up. All of a sudden, your beats are off, and you went from having a beautiful musical journey to shoes in the dryer. When you’re in sync with it and those two beats are together, and everything layered over one another and the melody is perfect and you’ve created a new sound by mixing two things together, it’s really cool. That’s the essence of being a DJ.”
Durango is very supportive of the style. It continues to be a draw in local venues, at times bringing an older crowd that may not regularly patronize bars and clubs.
“I like that people come out more for the dancing than the partying,” Gould said. “There is an older crowd here. People are getting lost in the music, which is what it’s supposed to be about. Its not about the enhancements; the music is the enhancement. Everything else is just a bonus.
“It’s cool, a lot of my clients in their 30s, 40s and 50s will come out to see me DJ. They won’t go out to a bar ever, but they’ll come just to get their boogie on, which is great to see.”
Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager.
Bryant’s Best
Today: Lawn Chair Kings will play rock music, 8:30 p.m., no cover, Carver Brewing Co., 1022 Main Ave., 259-2545.
Today: Electric Safari party with music by DJs Niko, Brian Ess and Greg Eversoul, 9 p.m., $5, Lost Dog Bar and Lounge, 1150 Main Ave., 259-0430.
