djs

DJ Collective Noche Libre Uses the Songs of Their Childhood to Build a Forward-Thinking Community

“It’s kinda like putting a message in a bottle and throwing it out and seeing if my people would come,” says Mendoza, who DJs under the name Lucha and is best known as the frontwoman of Y La Bamba. “And then they find it and are like, ‘Oh my God, that song!’”

After Losing Its First Location, Electronic Music Venue S1 Is Still Fighting for Underground and Underrepresented Artists

While other nonprofit arts spaces struggle to stay afloat, S1 has lasted four years. This weekend, it’s celebrating by hosting a series of performances and workshops. The anniversary also marks almost a year that S1 has been at its new location, squeezed in between a dive bar and vape shop on Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 73rd Avenue. Last spring, S1 was forced to move out of it Hollywood District basement due to tighter fire-code regulations put in place after the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, which killed dozens of people.

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Pocket Rock-It

“Another memorable one was playing a gay speed-dating event that I left almost immediately because someone threw a bag of lube and condoms at me for playing my music too loud.”

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Brother Charlie

“They would always try to get us drunk playing quarters. We’d blast the worst music way too loud, something like Frampton Comes Alive, and play video games like Asteroids. It was awesome. I got paid like $15, got free burgers and got drunk.”

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Dubblife

“I’ve never gotten so much love from total strangers in my life.”

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Taylor Hill

“By the end of the night, the dance floor was covered in flower petals and broken glass.”

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Dr. Dakar

“I spent a couple years living in rural Appalachia for a job and took up throwing a monthly funk dance party for kids called “Kinderjams” at the organic farm up the road. The pigs were loose on the side of the dance floor, and I got paid in kombucha and duck eggs!”

Willamette Week

djs

DJ Collective Noche Libre Uses the Songs of Their Childhood to Build a Forward-Thinking Community

After Losing Its First Location, Electronic Music Venue S1 Is Still Fighting for Underground and Underrepresented Artists

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Pocket Rock-It

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Brother Charlie

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Dubblife

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Taylor Hill

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Dr. Dakar

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Nara

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Chaach

Needle Exchange: A DJ Questionnaire with Fritzwa

Willamette Week

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