Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Tyler Tastemaker

"The What the Festival pool parties were another level—4,000 people dancing in the sun, in a giant pool. What else could you ask for?"

By Matthew Singer
(Courtesy of Tyler Tastemaker)

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Years DJing: 20.

Genres: Bass music (hip-hop, trap, jungle, footwork), house, techno, boogie.

Where you can catch me regularly: The Liquor Store, 45 East, Holocene, Wonder Ballroom, Roseland Theater.

Craziest gig: Probably a toss-up between sets at the Crown Room and the What the Festival Splash Pool. The Crown Room gigs were wild because we had developed a real family that wanted to turn up week after week and support both the club and the events. The What the Festival pool parties were another level—4,000 people dancing in the sun, in a giant pool. What else could you ask for?

My go-to records: Mungo's Hi-Fi, "Ing"; B.O.B. feat. 2 Chainz, "Headband (Instrumental)"; Prince, "I Wanna Be Your Lover (Dimitri From Paris Remix)"; Kanye West, "Ultralight Beam"; Fleetwood Mac, "Dreams (Mike B Edit)."

Don't ever ask me to play…: Anything that sounds like it would be played at Electric Daisy Carnival.

Explore more on:

45 EastHoloceneNeedle Exchangeportland djRoseland Theaterthe crown roomThe Liquor Storetyler tastemakerWhat the FestivalWonder Ballroom

Matthew Singer

Matthew Singer

A native Southern Californian, former Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Singer ruined Portland by coming here in 2008. He is an advocate for the canonization of the Fishbone and Oingo Boingo discographies, believes pro-wrestling is a serious art form and roots for the Lakers. Fortunately, he left Portland for Tucson, Arizona, in 2021.

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