Athfest 2013: Getting wild at Wired

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 
 Wired Electronic Dance Festival

There's no better place than Athfest to delve into new tune-filled experiences! For the first time in the five years that I've been attending the festival, I discovered Wired, New Earth Music Hall's all-day electronic dance party.  The venue was separated into two different dance areas that fed off of each other as DJs on both sides spun their creative beats and tunes for the crowd.  As I entered New Earth, I was enthralled by the spectacular mix of color and sound that surrounded me.  My friend Tatiana and I chose a prime spot in front of DJ Sorted, one of Atlanta's best, and immersed ourselves in the amazing music and the dance, forgetting everything else.  Too often, we miss celebrating all of the talented DJs in the scene, but truly, this adventure proved yet again that what they create is more than just layers of beats and tones.  It's an art form!

For all of our massive coverage of Athfest 2013, from preparation guides to articles on some of the best featured bands and shows, click here! More entries on all the bands and madness of the festival will be posted daily, so be sure to check back often. Plus, soon you'll be able to check out our show footage and Athfest vlogs up on the Echoreyn of Athens YouTube channel as well!

This DJ Knows How to Spin 'Em

Normally, I stick to writing about the bands I’ve had the pleasure of seeing and hearing here in Athens. Occasionally, though, I feel the draw of popular music and must feed my need for some generally mindless dancing by moving to some DJayed tunes.

DJRX, also known as Brian Gonzalez, is a great reason to don those dancing shoes and head downtown. His DJaying skills and quirks set him apart from the average Athens DJ. First of all, he plays a rather unique mixture of music. He doesn’t hesitate to move from pop to rock to country to hip hop without a pause in between. Now, usually I’m not a fan of country, but he layers his own wild dance beats into these songs, making even the most stubborn country music hater start moving their feet to the rhythm. And there’s his trademark inclusion of a remixed Free Credit Report dot Com song. While most newcomers to DJRX’s events stand around in confusion while this song plays, all of his seasoned dance fans anticipate this moment and sing along with gleeful expressions on their faces.

DJRX also encourages dancer involvement by motioning to the audience and by dancing himself. He takes cues from famous bands as well. During several of the songs that he played last Saturday night including Lil’ Jon’s Get Low, he would pause the music and point the mic at the audience so that everyone could shout the lines back to him. These little things maintain the energy of the night and help to increase everyone’s excitement.

Last Saturday’s event was a packed one. At one point, the dance floor was so thick with people that, had a band been playing, the floor could have appropriately been called a mosh pit. Several people, mostly men curiously enough, enjoyed the music so much that they leapt onto chairs and onto the stage and began mouthing the lyrics for all who were dancing. Everyone in attendance seemed to be having the time of their lives.

There was only one slight downside to this entire event that is worth mentioning. A few of the songs played earlier in the night were heard near the end once again. Most people tend to stay for only the first or second half of the night, though, so this only affects some of the more hardcore dance fans like my friends and I. The unique mixes and unending dance opportunities, however, largely outweigh this minor issue. Essentially, DJRX is the DJ to see if you’re in town. Catch him again at Sideways on April 18th. Trust me, if you enjoy dancing at all, this is one event you won’t want to miss! I know I’ll be there, having an incredible time! :