Have you ever wondered why does he or she dance like that? As I have often been attending events in New Mexico for many years I am taken back by the different styles of dancing. People are so good at creating their own style and it’s often an interpretation of what they’re feeling. People in general are good at communicating how much they like the bass with the movement of their body. Its seems that dancing is a constant part of our routines and depending on what time of day it is you can gear up with a head bob in your car or fit you dancing shoes on for the floor.

The local DJ culture is filled with such a rich history of talented people and some unforgettable sets. I myself have witnessed some of the most amazing DJs right here in New Mexico and I think that our local talent is often overlooked when it comes to the quality and the skills of our local heads. There have been many influential people that help cast the mold for the younger generation here in New Mexico and I thought it would be important to shed some light on just how talent some of our local artists are.

The old days consisted of a number of people that are no longer involved or for the most part stay behind the scenes. Those people are still around in some way and have had such a huge impact on me as a person and I feel that some of their traits should be passed on. There are many local DJs that have inspired me to do what I do and I wish that some of them were around to share their thoughts on our current state. The complex mixture of artist in this states history really is a prime example of just how colorful our tastes are.

The founding fathers of our our local dance scene can vary from person to person depending on who you ask so I will not go into depth on that topic. What I will talk about is the era of DJs that I think was most important in creating a foundation for the talent in New Mexico we see today. Some of the most influential DJs in my life would be my local hometown heroes and if it weren’t for our local talent this scene would be nothing. People often forget that even when you book a headliner you local guys can show them up {most of the time}. Our local New Mexico flavor is so diverse when it comes to genres and I am so happy that we have so much to choose from.

Below I have composed a list of most influential DJs that I have had the pleasure of working with locally and this is in no way a list to pursue favoritism. This is simply a list of the people that in my opinion helped pave the way for younger DJs and producers.

Brad Cole, Leo Matthew, Chris De Jesus, Garza, Jonathan, Justin O, Jacobie, Sebastian, John S, The Rev, Amani, Devin, Kena, Phil {Pure Energy}, Sin Seven, Emotion, DJ Ona, Central Activity, Travis Williams, B-phonic, Kairo, B12, Grant aka Hotfoot, DJ JoJo, Mike T, DJ Trama, Eldon, Pete, Kiddo, Chevy {Taos}, Donovan, DJ Three, Dave 12, Mickey Angel, Feaster, DJ Kryst, and DJ East

There are some of the people that musically inspired me to keep on Djing after all these years. I think our locals continue to break the barriers of all genres and I look forward to the future of New Mexico’s top talent. There is such a huge growth when it comes to new DJs and the outlook is positive for all those involved. Mad love to all our local deck rockers and keep making them sweat!

The Albuquerque club scene has really been non existent for many years. There are very few venues that actually mimic a real nightclub. I had the pleasure of attending an event at a local club this weekend {One Up} in downtown to watch Scumfrog and friends in the mix and I must say I really enjoyed the environment. The drinks were good and the atmosphere was wonderful. As I was sitting there I envisioned a huge sound system and some banging music and definitely could see this place having great potential. I decided that I would take a look around and really enjoy their patio area. They also had a cool menu with some great selections and the prices were reasonable. My friends and me really enjoyed ourselves and would attend other events there in the future.

So will New Mexico ever have a real nightclub? The answer lies in many circumstances and there are a few things you have to take into account. Is there enough of dance music crowd that’s over 21? I think if that I was to speculate I would say that there are more then enough people to pack a dance club. There are so many over 21 people who will not attend raves for the simple fact that the age mixture does not interest them. I do think that if someone took the time and effort to market a real nightclub with a progressive format it would do extreamly well.

So what does the future of club life hold in Albuquerque? I would say that in our current economic state it would be hard to overcome the investment challenges that it would take to throw a real venue together. I have wished for the day where I could walk into a legit nightclub that possessed a mixture of good music, beautiful gogo dancers and a big room feeling I get when I visit other cities. I understand we are not Denver or Phoenix but we do have the population of dance music lovers to supply a venue that could offer that format. People always complain that we don’t get a good selection of world class talent and having a real and established venue is one of the reasons why that is the case.

The age barrier in the scene is variable when it comes to the local scene here in New Mexico. Lets first discuss the reasons why age plays such a big role in the events as they stand. I think in my own personal opinion the music keeps us together in one way regardless of our age. I think that when we are younger we are typically more on the wild side and tend to experiment and condone a faster type of lifestyle then when we get older. I recall when I was a young raver my world was very narrow minded and uneducated when it came to things related to the scene at the time. Life was about the party and not so much about the music. As I grew older I started to enjoy the party less and the music more. It was kind of like a switch was turned on hence the reason I became a DJ.

As I started playing out more the crowds grew bigger and the kids got younger. I think that in a young person’s world the rave scene can often become a thing of addiction because it’s naturally a killer party for someone who is 16 and is used to boring house parties. Just think back to when you were in high school and you were looking for a sick place to jam out. Can you really blame these youngsters for paying 20.00 a head to jam out to a loud sound system with some funky music? I often hear the older crowd bashing the younger people, but they too often forget they were once in that arena and in due timing the young people will evolve in too something different and fresh. The rave scene in New Mexico is kind of like a washing machine as it comes in cycles. Most of the young people that are here today will be gone tomorrow and very few will stick with their love for the rave scene and grow more towards loving the music.