Connect

Memo of understanding

I treat this as a craft, and I take my performances seriously. I want to give any event the best possible performance I can, and there are some things that will help make this happen.

I know there are a lot of DJs nowadays, but I would like to think I offer a level of skill and professionalism, and a musical experience, that is shared by a very narrow subset of them; I've been doing this a long time—over 2 decades. Take me seriously and I will do the same for you.

My material is all from the 90s and 00s, with a bit of the 2010s here and there. That said, there is a lot of really good material from those eras, and I am constantly expanding my collection. My music is a bit niche, but within that niche, it's quite good.

The experience I create is the rave-classic seamless-blend long mix style that veterans of the rave scene will nostalgically remember, and nascent partiers have read or heard about.

Rates / compensation

I occasionally do open decks and free events for friends, but (unsurprisingly) would strongly prefer some kind of compensation for my time, particularly with how much time I put in to preparation.

My fee is negotiable; I take this work seriously, but it's not how I earn a living.

If you are doing a free event, or expecting me to play for free, I may be willing to do so if I'm available and it's the right vibe. No harm in asking!

If you are charging a cover, I expect to be given a fair portion.

What I offer

In ideal circumstances, I will give you a performance that is:

On time

I will show up at whatever time you need me to, for sound check. I've never been late to a gig, and usually show up early so I can read the crowd a bit first and review my material beforehand.

The requested length

I usually also bring enough material that I can go longer, which happens occasionally. Give me a heads-up during the event if this is needed! I practice my sets with a timer, and set a timer during my performances so that I can cruise in to the exact duration requested.

Highly curated

Generally, my sets have a narrative quality to them, energetically. The songs will be arranged in a way that they feel like a natural progression. The more I know about your event and the vibe you're trying to create, the closer I can deliver something that will fit that mood.

Seamless

I beatmatch and blend my music, often with lengthy blends (1-3 minutes) to create a "journey"-type experience. This layering creates new song experiences, even if you were previously familiar with the songs being played.

Focused

Stylistically, tempo-wise, and energetically, I will craft and build a set that feels cohesive.

I have been told that I rarely look at the crowd during my performances. I prefer to focus on the technical execution for greater precision.

Well-prepared

I will practice in my studio for 4-8 hours per week leading up to an event, and I will spend that much time or more studying and refreshing my material. (For a 1-2 hour performance, there is anywhere from 10-20 hours of planning and preparation I put into it beforehand. For larger paid gigs, with sufficient notice I will often order new material. Shipping can take 2-3 weeks as most vendors are overseas.

What I need

To deliver your crowd a quality performance, there are some critical things (these are the air, food and water of my performance that make it possible) and some preferable things (the comforts & luxuries that can make it be its best)

Critical

On request, I can provide decks, mixer, etc. See down below.

Professional-caliber Turntables and Cartridges

They must be high-torque and direct drive platters. Technics 1200 series are ideal. Reloop RP series and Vestax decks have also been fine previously. Audio-Technica have proven insufficient for blending in the past. Similarly, professional-grade cartridges, such as the Ortofon DJ series, are necessary.

House Sound

I do not provide speakers / amps / etc. Please provide whatever sound is appropriate for your venue. For best experience, please have at least one subwoofer, and use minimal compression; we can set the levels at soundcheck, and I will not redline.

Booth monitor ~3-5' from my head, at approximately head level

Floor monitors are insufficient; they are too far away. This is based on years of experience at many different venues. It is critical to be able to beatmatch accurately, I need to be able to hear the sound outputting to the house with as much precision as possible.

It takes sound 0.0045s to travel 5', and 0.03s to travel 10'. At 130 BPM, a beat is 0.46s, a 1/16th note is 0.115s. Drift of even 1/32nd (0.068s) is audibly noticeable.

I can provide a booth monitor if needed. Please inquire.

Stable Surface

Bumping or moving the table, heavy walking near the table on wooden floors, setting heavy gear down on a table that touches the performance table -- these will all cause record skips!

Many of my blends run long, often 1-3 minutes, and skips will throw them out of phase, sometimes unrecoverably.

To prevent this:

• Turntables must be on either a hard-surface table, or on a suspended surface.
• If the table is not on a stone surface such as concrete, particularly if it is a wooden floor, this should be addressed during soundcheck. Shock absorbing measures can be taken.
• Ensure nobody, even fellow performers / showrunners, bump, knock, move, disturb, or walk heavily around the table surface, regardless of how it is mounted.

If you are unfamiliar with vinyl performances, please ask questions!

Preferable

The more of these that can be provided, the better I can be prepared. In my experience, my performances are generally far better with more preparation.

Book 3 weeks in advance

I want to prepare and curate a uniquely special experience for your event. Around 3 weeks advance notice is typically sufficient for me to be able to do this. Last minute may be possible but will be more ad hoc.

Let me know slot information ASAP

I prefer to play at least 45 minutes, ideally 1 - 2 hours. I can do up to 2.5 or 3 hours with a single crate. Telling me this in advance will allow me to pace my set correctly.

Similarly, knowing when I'm playing (time of day, slot position, etc) will be considered when selecting what material to bring.

A general idea of vibe

Please review some of the demos so you know what kind of music I play. I have literally hundreds of records, but I can only pack about 55-65 records into my crate for a gig. Some prompts to consider:

• If my set were a movie, what movie would you want it to be?
• Are there specific genres you are wanting to hear?
• What are vibes / tempos that your crowd typically responds well to?
• What are other people playing this night?
• Am I intended to be background music or actively listened to?

No requests while playing, please :)

I generally don't take requests while playing. If someone brings a record and I can fit it into my set, I may be open to this, but I typically curate my sets, pacing, and timing down to the minute to start and end on-time

If I'm Providing My Gear

On request, I can provide:

• 2x Technics SL-1200 MK6 w/ Ortofon Concorde DJ cartridges
• Allen & Heath XOne 2:2 Mixer
• 2x XLR M-F cables (10' - 15') -or- RCA (this requires some gain boosting, probably around 6dB) for main output
• Sufficient power strips for all gear and a 50' 3-prong extension cord
• A booth monitor and riser
• A 3' x 6' folding table with black dropcloth

To do this, this is what I need.

Transportation Assistance

As of 2026, for health reasons, I can no longer move my gear solo.

Power

A single 3-pronged outlet is sufficient.

Sound

Let me know if I will be patching into XLR, TS (1/4") or RCA.

Space

A space 6' x 6' should be sufficient. The table is 3x6' and I need place behind it to stand and have my crate and monitor.

I can share my gear with other experienced performers, on request.