In The Atrium

Who they are

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  BEIGE

  Detroit · 21 bookings since Aug 2023

  “BEIGE by name but definitely not by nature, the DJ’s 2022 set at the beloved Honcho Campout is a perfect example of their singular appeal.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  BEIGE by name but definitely not by nature, the DJ’s 2022 set at the beloved Honcho Campout is a perfect example of their singular appeal. A meandering journey through murky house cuts, swaggering funk, dreamy indie dance and unapologetic pop, it also never veers too far into chinstroke territory — Talking Heads, The Pussycat Dolls, Frank Ocean, Tina Turner and Dolly Parton all make unexpected appearances in various guises. “It’s about playing with tension and contrast,” says BEIGE, “bringing in things that the audience are familiar with and seeing how you can subvert them, so maybe you recognize the vocal but it's with arrangements you've never heard before.” Based in Detroit and vinyl-trained, BEIGE specializes in multi-hued, carefully considered and highly danceable sets such as this. Whether they’re playing smooth R&B and downtempo soul, crunchy electro, cheeky disco edits or oddball tech house, the only constant in their sets is quality. They made their club debut proper in Detroit in 2017, immediately grabbing the attention of the cognoscenti with their wide-ranging, on-point selections and silky, inventive transitions. Uninterested in gimmickry or self-promotion, they prefer to let their work speak for itself, collecting a growing number of fans and increasingly impressive bookings along the way. BEIGE grew up moving around the US but their musical journey really began in Melbourne, Australia, where they lived for a year after college in 2013. The Melbourne electronic music scene was thriving and BEIGE was introduced to festival culture and a spectrum of sounds they’d never heard before. They’d attempted to learn a few instruments while growing up but nothing stuck, and while music had always been a passion, expressed through making mix CDs for friends and scouring MySpace for new musical discoveries, they never aspired to a career as a DJ. That happened by accident, when they crossed paths with feminist DJ network Seraphine Collective in their new home of Detroit in 2015. Seraphine was offering sliding-scale vinyl DJing workshops, and BEIGE caught the bug instantly. “We would just go to each other's houses and spend hours round robining with random dollar bin records and it was purely for fun, which I’m grateful for,” they say. “If I ever had a notion in my mind that I was trying to do this professionally or for a particular reason I think it would have poisoned it from the start.” Before long, however, BEIGE graduated from playing friends’ parties to their first real gig at Detroit’s Temple Bar and shortly afterwards, an all-vinyl set at Marble Bar with the late, great Mike Huckaby in February 2018. It was a defining moment that also marked the beginning of BEIGE’s professional career — i.e. being paid to DJ in Detroit two-three times weekly, as well as more regularly in places like New York. They hold down a residency at Brooklyn’s renowned The Lot radio and are regularly booked for the city’s most forward-thinking parties at venues such as Nowadays, Good Room and Mansions. Their biggest boost, however, came via the support of esteemed DJs and producers Eris Drew and Octo Octa, who recognized in BEIGE a special talent. The T4T LUV NRG label owners began booking BEIGE to play parties and a Boiler Room with them, then released BEIGE’s AMEN! Volume 1 mixtape in April 2022. A showstopping devotional party mix covering more than three decades and many variants of house music, it highlighted BEIGE’s technical skill and savvy alongside their impeccable taste. They debuted at Detroit’s Movement Festival that same year and have been on a hot streak ever since, embarking on their first international tour early in 2023 which included stops at Berlin’s Panorama Bar and Amsterdam’s De School. BEIGE returned to Movement Festival as part of a marathon of gigging over Memorial Day weekend in Detroit this year, culminating in a sunrise back to back set with Octo Octa to close the celebrated Return to the Source event for New York institution The Bunker. Other scheduled 2023 highlights include a return to Europe to play Body Movements festival in London and Draaimolen Festival in the Netherlands, and their first appearance at the coveted Sustain Release festival in upstate New York. As likely to play a huge hit as to introduce you to your new favorite track, BEIGE occupies an important niche between their stuffier and less imaginative peers. When the conditions are right, they endeavor to create transcendental dancefloor moments akin to opening a wormhole, “where everybody in the room is collectively participating in this consciousness-melding experience and I'm just the conductor.” Armed with a healthy disrespect for genre and convention and a discerning but unpretentious music collection, BEIGE aims to please, but more commonly thrills, delights, and inspires.
  SoundCloud ↗Bandcamp ↗Discography ↗
  Their RA profile lists T4T LUV NRG.

  Recently at Paragon, Camp Kennybrook, BASEMENT · often with SPRKLBB, Josh Steers, tINI, none of them here that night

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  Justin Cudmore

  New York City · 74 bookings since Aug 2023

  “Justin's coming-of-age as a fan and creator of dance music took place amidst the wide expanses of central Illinois.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  Justin's coming-of-age as a fan and creator of dance music took place amidst the wide expanses of central Illinois. As a kid growing up in the state’s tucked-away capital of Springfield, he played drums as a jazz percussionist in school. While most of his peers were tuned into pop music, Justin was wearing out self-made mixes and classic disco compilations, workshopping new-wave influenced beats in bands and DJing college parties. A post-graduation move to Chicago led him to work for the influential dance music blog Little White Earbuds, opening him up to fully experience the city’s thriving underground house and techno scene. A Midwest-born and raised DJ, Justin has played at queer parties such as Wrecked, The Carry Nation, Horse Meat Disco, Honcho, and Club Toilet, and has gained a following all over the world with appearances at clubs like Smartbar Chicago, Panorama Bar, Is Burning Amsterdam, Razzmatazz Barcelona, DC10 and Lux Fragil. His bold, acid-flecked distillation of house and techno has found a home on the labels that are helping to shape the current landscape of transgressive body music, including The Bunker New York, Detroit’s Interdimensional Transmissions, and Honey Soundsystem Records. Justin's sound is defined by snaking acid lines, whip smart drums and offbeat rave melodies that have resonated with DJs and dancers from Detroit to Berlin. He has been featured in mixes for series such as Beats In Space, Truants, MixMag, Phantasy and The Bunker New York’s long-running podcast.
  SoundCloud ↗Bandcamp ↗Discography ↗
  Techno on 23, House on 20, Tech House on 10 and Acid on 9. styles on their catalogued releases

  Released on Acid For Trans Health (1), Spotlight Records (1) and The Night Institute (1); their RA profile also lists Turbo Recordings, Hotflush Recordings, Interdimensional Transmissions, Phonica White and 6 more. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profile

  Recently at Le Bain, Lillistar, BASEMENT · often with Mike Servito, Jeffrey Sfire, Kim Anh, none of them here that night

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  Sterling Juan Diaz

  New York City · 99 bookings since Aug 2023

  “Sterling Juan Diaz has an instinctive feel for groove.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  Sterling Juan Diaz has an instinctive feel for groove. Born in New York City & raised between there & the Dominican Republic, he was captivated by the percussive rhythms of hip-hop & latin music from a young age, fostering a diverse musical passion. Once he taught himself to DJ, his eclectic taste & skill quickly gained attention in New York City's queer nightlife, becoming a staple at parties like Nowadays Nonstop, Papi Juice, & BASEMENT’s resident party FIST. Diaz's insatiable appetite for music, discerning taste, & impressive mixing skills have solidified his reputation for delivering electrifying, sets consistently. His innovative, captivating style has earned him spots at festivals such as Honcho Campout, DWELLER, & Wire Festival, & has taken him to parties across the nation, including Atlanta’s Back Room & Washington D.C.’s Flower Factory. Internationally, Diaz has performed at The MECA Art Fair in the Dominican Republic, as well as at Buttons & Sysiphos in Berlin, Germany. In July 2023, Diaz was chosen as an opening DJ for Beyoncé’s New York City show during her record-breaking Renaissance World Tour, joining a distinguished roster of DJs celebrating the album’s tribute to Black queer & trans history. From his curatorial work as a resident DJ of Playground Radio & their annual Block Party to his recurring club night SIMPULSO at Bossa Nova Civic Club, Diaz has established himself as an unmissable voice in Brooklyn's new generation of young selectors. His sets range from chest-rumbling bass wubs to euphoric house keys, showcasing the rich heritage of the underground while exploring the depths of sound through the rhythmic threads of his Dominican roots. Sterling Juan Diaz has not only crafted a unique musical identity but also stands as a beacon of collaboration & community building.
  SoundCloud ↗

  Recently at Artsdistrict Brooklyn, Paragon, Bossa Nova Civic Club · often with Makadsi, ALEXIS DE LA ROSA, Sekucci, none of them here that night

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