As You Like It & Fault Radio Present: Coast To Coast Washington D.C.
Coast to Coast
In Focus: Washington D.C.
August 13, 2020
Coast to Coast is bringing you to our nation's capital for a day of celebrating underground culture. Delivering some unforgettable performances we have Juana, Keenan Orr, Arthur Kimskii, Juan Zapata and One A
The impact from D.C's notorious parties and DJs of 90’s rave revolution were felt near and far. Artists such as Deep Dish, Scott Henry and Charles Feelgood were on the tip of the tongue of your average party kid. The legendary party 'Buzz' was named “best party” four years in a row by URB Magazine. The same holds true today. With a vibrant club world and the uniquely diverse underground, Washington, D.C still holds the pulse of the domestic dance community. Shades of house, techno, breaks, bass and rave keep the mixed dance-floors bumping weekly. We’re honored to host a cross spectrum of D.C's veteran contributors for the next installment of the As You Like It / Fault Radio's Coast to Coast sessions. As You Like It hopes to contribute to maintaining a domestic network, connecting us now and building toward a post isolation world. Take a moment and learn about each of the of our guests and join us August 23, on Fault Radio.
For this month’s edition of AYLI Coast to Coast, the artists will be accepting tips to their personal Venmo accounts. The artists have decided to donate 50% of all tips collected to be split evenly between two organizations:
SYMAL - a DC based organization that services the needs of LGBTQ youth by creating leadership development opportunities, after-school programs, and counseling services to empower them and educate their local community.
The Innocence Project - the goal of this organization is to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.
Juana
Juana has been a DC staple since 2004. Bored with her humble beginnings as a bedroom DJ spinning pulsating sweaty drug-fueled disco sessions alone in her Northside Chicago efficiency, she relocated to DC where she soon began playing top underground house clubs in DC-- Red, Dragonfly, and DC Sanctuary, and lots of places somewhere down on New York Avenue. Juana began to harken on the sweet, ethereal sounds that haunted her her entire life, making original tracks that would propel her into fame almost immediately.
Venmo: @Juana-Llorens
Interview:
1. Tell us about who you are as a DJ. What kind of music do you play and what inspires you?
I am inspired to one day give a really good interview. I am not great at this. Inspiration is everywhere though. I go on a lot of nature walks and I’m learning about wild edible plants. That's both a great thing for anxiety in difficult times and an excellent life skill for when the shit inevitably goes down.
Anyway, I have a perspective toward the music that’s my own and it’s unique because I bring all of myself into my sets, and fortunately, there is only one me! I’m from Chicago and my approach to techno is very much infused with the Black musical traditions of my hometown, from house to blues to R&B. I have a lot of respect for the soul and raw sensuality of underground dance music. So it’s not anything I’m trying to do, it just comes out like that, whatever “that” is.
2. What local projects (events, crews, labels, and beyond) are you involved with?
I have been involved with Sequence for 4 years both as an organizer and collective-mate, so that's still poppin’. Otherwise, I am just at the house learning and experimenting with music and learning about shaping sounds. I’m obsessed with tone. And drag queens. Tone and drag. That’s a good name for something!
3. What makes your local scene special?
I don't even know. These people are all crazy. I don't know how we get anything done. But, we are all friends. I mean not some perfect happy family, but I think in DC we all actually really love each other. So many crews here, but no tribalism at all really. It’s way too small for little petty stuff. We know we are all in the same boat ultimately and collaborate a lot on different things. I guess that's what makes it special. It's pretty loving across the board.
4. What do you hope to see happen once we come out the other side of this crisis?
Globally, more literal and figurative space for bipoc and femmes to do parties, create, express, etc. And freedom. Freedom from genre and format. I'm a Virgo and I love order, but I think it's time for a change and that means, I hope, more color and more femme energy. In my own community, I think we have good things going already and need to just keep bringing it. I love that we aren’t trying to fit into what Brooklyn or Berlin or anybody else is doing. I want to see everybody in DC continue killing it and owning who we are in our own way because there is just so much talent here and many many unique voices.
Keenan Orr
Keenan Orr has been DJing in Washington DC’s underground dance parties and clubs since the ’90s, including Buzz (DC) at Nation, Red, and Club Five. He has also landed residencies at a number of clubs around the city, including Marvin and Eighteenth Street Lounge. He co-created SLEAZE, DC’s monthly party, blending the darker sides of disco with forward-thinking techno. Over the past year, he has performed for promoters in The States, Canada and Mexico, as well as overseas, in London, Reykjavik and Berlin. Keenan, a former host on XM Satellite Radio, has also been invited to perform on Red Bull Radio, Rinse Radio, and The Lot Radio. Keenan is going to have a busy 2020.
Venmo: @keenanorrdc
Interview
1. Tell us about who you are as a DJ. What kind of music do you play and what inspires you?
I’m a versatile DJ that plays everything from hip hop/R&B to DNB, but I’m known for deep, jackin’ and Chicago house. I’m inspired by a long list of DJs and producers, but I get most of my energy from people on the dance floor, which is why this pandemic is especially hard for me creatively.
2. What local projects (events, crews, labels, and beyond) are you involved with?
I have a monthly party every first Thursday of the month called SLEAZE, which I co-produce with my DJ buddy, Steve Lemz. I’ve also started a mix series call Alphabet Soup during this crisis to keep myself busy. I’ll be making a mix for every letter of the alphabet. I would like to turn Alphabet Soup into a party when we are eventually allowed back in the clubs.
3. What makes your local scene special?
In addition to punk and gogo, which DC is known for, we have huge international influence that is very unique.
4. What do you hope to see happen once we come out the other side of this crisis?
Unfortunately, it looks like we’re going to see a lot of venues close across the DMV. With that, I hope to see parties go back underground. There is something special about a dirty, dark warehouse. I also hope that with the absence of huge festivals, people take a step back and realize there are amazing local DJs in their own communities.
Arthur Kimskii
Arthur Kimskii has been involved with electronic music for two decades. Between Seoul, New York and Berlin, Kimskii has managed to clock up quite a bit of notoriety. He enjoyed success in curating events in New York, which turned into production and label management before moving to Berlin. Having enjoyed several successful years curating events in New York, Kimskii turned to production and label management before moving to Berlin. Kimskii channels those international experiences into his production and his label L.A.G.’s aesthetic, which was charted by Radio Slave, Jamaica Suk, Stephanie Sykes, Alienata, among others.
Venmo: @Arthur-Charnesky
Interview
1. Tell us about who you are as a DJ. What kind of music do you play and what inspires you?
I collect all kinds of music, but I generally play Techno. My sets tend to be eclectic and will range from psychedelic, deep, dubby to harder, noisy and breaky. It all depends on the space, the folks that are there as well as the time that I’m on. My mood and where I’m at emotionally lends to how I play. I’m inspired by all kinds of different forms of art. It could be a book I read, a film , a television series or 50’s R&B and Rock & Roll.
2. What local projects (events, crews, labels, and beyond) are you involved with?
The latest series of events I took a big part of producing was Sprüdel. It was a sex positive, bi-pan queer friendly party open to all that are open minded with an emphasis on longer sets. We hosted guests such as Reka, Jamaica Suk, Vincent Neumann, Jett Chandon, Young Male, Juana, Rush Plus, And, Heidi Sabertooth, Tsurugi, and Tommy Cornelis to name a few. We took a short break and were supposed to bring Mary Yuzovskaya in April. The pandemic had other plans.
I’ve been lucky enough to play for Sequence where I got to open for Phase Fatale, Erika, and Sophia Saze on separate occasions. They also gave me the daunting task of playing right after DVS1, which was both exciting and anxiety inducing. In the past year, I played both U ST Music Hall providing direct support for Nina Kraviz as well as Flash, where I played a 3 hour opening set before passing the decks to Luke Slater. I was also lucky to play for Roam on NYE.
I released my “Vamps like Us” E.P. during the quarantine on Metro Xpress, Rush Plus’ band camp label. The 630 crew, The Grand Ancestor Crew as well as Andrew Grant (OGAG) and The Eaton Hotel have also been hugely supportive in providing various opportunities.
3. What makes your local scene special?
D.C. has always had a lot of killer DJ’s repping all kinds of sounds and sub genres. It also has a storied history going back to Tracks, Buzz, and the Catastrophic parties. There’s also a non-competitive vibe with lots of different crews bringing world class talent such as Sequence, TNX, L.E.N.G., Unseen FM, DMV Deep (Kori), Hot House, ROAM, Sleaze, and The Sticky Fingers Collective to name a few. We all hang out, support each other and often work each other’s events.
4. What do you hope to see happen once we come out the other side of this crisis?
It’s hard to say, without sounding too cynical. I’d like to survive and see all my friends again. Once we get to the point where we can gather in groups of 200 or more, it would be optimal to see more local and regional DJ’s tour the U.S. more. There’s a lot of talent in the U.S. and it’s a huge country, but it would be cool to make it smaller by inviting each other to play and participate in each other’s respective scenes.
A few more record shops opening would be great. I know there’s a sense that buying records is kind of bougie these days. For me, vinyl is foundational for this culture. The connections I made in record shops throughout the years tend to have a different energy than the ones made at parties. Not that I haven't made some lifelong friends at events.
Juan Zapata
Juan Zapata has been a purveyor of house music since the late 90s, where he began crate digging and collecting records to DJ at house parties. This soon led to playing at clubs up and down the east coast as well as internationally. Eventually his passion for music evolved into producing original tracks and producing remixes for other artists as East Coast Boogiemen alongside Ken Christensen and Team Zapata alongside his brother Hugo.
Venmo: @Juan-Zapata-2
Interview
1. Tell us about who you are as a DJ. What kind of music do you play and what inspires you?
My name is Juan Zapata. I've been playing music for quite a while. I was drawn to house music in the mid to late 90s. I have been a big fan of disco since I was kid. I try to explore the various subgenres of house there are to find something that appeals to me to try and create different moods throughout a set. I always mix in some disco wherever it seems proper, which is pretty much all the time.
2. What local projects (events, crews, labels, and beyond) are you involved with?
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to dabble in most music related things while living in Washington DC. Recently, due to the pandemic that we are experiencing, I've had to find different ways to try and continue to keep bringing something positive to the local scene. Along with the help of a couple of friends, we jumped in the dj/music live stream early on to focus on local DJs. We give them extended playing time in a setting in which they wouldn't have to worry about volume or time constraints to play selections they would not likely be able to play in a club setting with the time constraints that usually come from playing short sets at clubs, bars, etc. While it's difficult to do these kinds of projects from a financial standpoint, we've been fortunate enough to have some local supporters donate to our cause, we've been able to stay afloat in our warehouse/studio to be able to continue this program so far. I also continue to work on music with my brother Hugo. While we may not put out music out in the world, the experience of working with him is something that is fun and gratifying and keeps me loving what I do in the scene.
3. What makes your local scene special?
Washington DC is a great place. We have had a thriving club/music scene for many years. While we have venues that cater to more popular masses, our "underground" scene has been very instrumental in keeping different and exciting. I've had the fortunate opportunity to be able to participate in both over the years with the help and collaboration of some great and wonderful local DJs and promoters. From crews like Sticky Fingers Collective, Roam, TNX, Deep Secrets, and countless others, we have found a way to work together to help the scene in our small city.
4. What do you hope to see happen once we come out the other side of this crisis?
Social, economic, human rights etc, have been rampant throughout the world for many years and have taken center stage in our country at a more focused level recently. I hope that when this crisis subdues, we don't lose focus of the objectives that have been set out. While the current issues at hand are very important, they are small fights encompassed by bigger issues that need even more attention. The struggle is not over once it leaves our backyards and it's important that we continue to educate ourselves more and more to bring these bigger issues to the forefront and continue to grow as a community
One A
One A, also known as Gehno Aviance has been a member of the House of Aviance since 1989, which is one of longest continually active houses from the ball scene. He began DJing in 1992 where he began playing at legendary east coast parties and raves. In the early 90's he joined the Snowball Collective from NYC and DC and went on to throw some of the most-talked about underground and weekly parties in Washington DC. In 1998 he moved to San Francisco where he has continued to DJ and hone his talent. His sets incorporate deep tech, house, garage, breaks and techno into a seamless musical journey deep rooted in the past while always keeping his finger on the pulse of the future. He may even drop an original track or two. He recently started his own company-- a CBD wellness company called Cocoa Butter & Blunts.
Venmo: @oneaviance
Interview
1. Tell us about who you are as a DJ. What kind of music do you play and what inspires you?
I started DJing in 1992, so I would say that I play and have played all kinds of music, even rock and industrial. But I tend to gravitate towards syncopated beats, chordy stabs with a healthy dose of 303 basslines and 909 hi-hats. I play and produce trip-hop oriented beats, bassy, garage-driven tracks, acid breaks, dub breaks, deep house, jungle and techno-adject house… I could go on and on but I think the thing that unifies my sound is that “back-in-the day” feel. Every sound that I play, produce or sample comes from a deep reservoir of real-life experience, which allows me to access my raver “superpowers”. Sometimes I feel like maybe I got into the production game later than I should have, but I can say that what I play and produce comes from a genuine and love-filled place. Like they say: “You can’t fake the funk”. Ultimately, I was and will always be a raver and I believe that comes through in my music.
I find inspiration in many things, including pain and sadness. To be honest with you, it is the pain and depression that I felt in recent years that fueled my need to create and brought a more serious slant to my music. Music literally saved my life. Had I not been making music on that fated night, I honestly believe that I would not be here today. The Ghost Ship tragedy has impacted me on so many levels that I cannot begin to enumerate them. One of the things that I remember feeling is that the world was now going to miss out on so much talent, so much beauty and art. Like that there now is a vacuum. Maybe that is why in the last few years, I have been constantly in the studio. I needed to transmute the pain and anger into light and movement and honor the lives of so many that have passed on and maybe shine a little light in the dark places.
2. What local projects (events, crews, labels, and beyond) are you involved with?
I am a resident DJ at Housepitality SF, San Francisco’s legendary weekly. Housepitality has always been there for me and for the House scene in the Bay Area and I am extremely proud to be a part of that family. I also have a track coming out on Housepitality CHI soon. I am also part of Romper Room. Romper Room has dedicated itself to throwing vibey underground events in the Bay since 2012. I have been part of the House of Aviance since the late 80’s when I was a teen-ager. The “A” in “One A” stands for “Aviance”. We are over 500+ strong and have members all over the world but especially in NYC.
3. How did your experiences living in and contributing to DC impact who you are today?
I still call DC home. Before I had ever been to a club, I am talking like 1983, I was breakdancing in the streets of DC. Then before I ever went to a rave, I was dancing to acid house, new beat, industrial and voguing to House music at Tracks in the late 80’s. Tracks was a legendary nightclub and as a teenager I got my life there and would hang out with my Aviance family. But around 1992 people started talking about “rave” this “rave” that. And not soon after, I was at a rave. I was in heaven! All the music that I already loved; the electro from the 80’s, the house and industrial from the club plus all these funky breaks and techno sounds??? I was hooked. The early 90s DC and Baltimore scene had (to me) one of the most vibrant, diverse and just all-around awesome rave scenes. All types of people under one roof. Very quickly with the influence of my boyfriend, I began to DJ. Around ’94, I became part of the Snowball Collective. We were dedicated to throwing some of the cuttiest, illegal warehouse parties in DC. I got to DJ at Buzz quite a few times and Fever too. Those were world-known parties. Back in those days, there was a huge cross-over and cultural exchange between SF and DC. This was especially true with the Wicked Crew, Dub Tribe, Spun and a few others. I remember the first time I met Sunshine in 1993 when he handed me a demo tape to “I Want My Planet Back” at PlaySkool in DC at the Edge!!! My DC rave experience is what opened the door for me to come to SF. My first job in the Bay was working at TRC Distribution. That was in 1997.
4. What do you hope to see happen once we come out the other side of this crisis?
That is a hard question. I have so many hopes. One thing that I do hope to see is a return to basics at least in the underground. Somewhere along the way, a big portion of the scene got appropriated and commercialized by the greedy money machine(s). I in no way want to be a gate-keeper, but I hope that when we come out of this we can find a way to be a little more discerning and attract people who truly are interested in community building and “the music”. A lot of uncomfortable conversations are being had and I truly hope that something positive comes out of it. Like the Lotus Flower.
Oh. I would also like to see people dance more…
interviews by Chris Zaldua & Kylie-Ayn Kennedy
