The Knox Student

Although the beats were massive last Saturday night at Union Board’s DJ Spin-Off, the audience didn’t quite rise to the challenge. Despite a $250 light show, a booming PA system and a slew of talented spinsters, party attendance hovered delicately around non-existent.

“I think it wasn’t advertised that much,” party-attendee and freshman Claire Healy said. “I didn’t really think about it until a good friend of mine invited me to go.”

“Maybe they [students] don’t properly appreciate the beauty of basement DJ spin parties,” she added.

But the lack of turnout didn’t prevent those present from having a good time.

“It was really nice in that it was not super crowded,” Healy said. “Without being shoved up against other bodies, we could really just enjoy the $250 light show and dance like silly human beings.”

The event, co-sponsored by Union Board and Club DJ, hoped to incite buzz about both organizations.

“If it goes over well, then we’ll have more money coming in so we can hopefully keep putting on events,” said Club DJ President Trevor Sorenson, ’10 before the doors had opened.

By working with other organizations, like Union Board, Sorenson hopes to gain additional funds. The DJ Spin-Off, for instance, cost $400, a price tag too expensive for the new club to fare alone, with a term budget of $150.

Of course, the Union Board had reasons of its own to partner with Club DJ.

“We ended up collaborating with them because Union Board has been trying to find a new track to appeal to students more,” Union Board member and senior Eric Ballard said.

Results, of course, were muddled, but over the course of the night, a slew of Club DJ members sent their tracks spinning, regardless of who heard them.

“I build a feel when I play,” said sophomore DJ Miles Reisbach during a smoke break outside of the Seymour Union basement. “I start off with things that are easier to get into and try to build upon it in terms of emotion—and build it up to a climax. And when I get to that climax, I beat them over the head with it.”

Reisbach, who was introduced to electronic music via metal music, sees electro as an emerging movement in our times.

“Dance music in this point in music history is exploding,” he said. “Just the fact that it’s so easy to create and share and re-mix electronic music makes it the most agile, flexible kind of music out there.”

Another attraction of electronic music is its diversity—ranging from quainter beats to what Reisbach describes as “the nastiest, grittiest, saw-tooth bass” imaginable.

This diversity in style leads to diversity in approaches. Reisbach, for instance, brings very little pre-planned transitions when he steps to the stage. Sorenson, on the other hand, labors over his set hours beforehand.

“I’ve been freaking out all day trying to put together a set,” Sorenson said, “It’s surprisingly involved.”

Reisbach disagrees.

“DJing is so much easier than it looks like,” he said. “There’s very little talent involved.”

But ignoring all arguments over approach, the audience seemed to respond to each DJ’s originality.

“It was not the same typical dance music you hear again and again,” Healy said. “There was one that sounded like an underwater pulsing—it was really good.”