If you’re in any way a fan of the site, or a reader of my writing anywhere, you’re probably more than likely aware that I’m an avowed believer in the power of club music. If you asked me to narrow that down a bit further, I’d tell you classic Baltimore club music, the sound favored by the likes of Scottie B, Karizma, Frank Ski, Jonny Blaze, all of the Dew Doo Kidz, Rod Lee, Diamond K, and most specifically of late, James Nasty. James is the most underrated or not nearly checked for enough producer in Baltimore. Watching the man spin, he blisters the people with mountains of bass and breaks, but at the same time keeping it populist, and not deviating far from the club. Whereas a plethora of other DJs will take elements of Baltimore club and combine them with elements of electro, dubstep, or even now with Bmore club’s subtle crossover into the mainstream, top 40. But Nasty? No. He just gets deeper and deeper into the club, mining the vast history of Baltimore club music, and it’s perpetual invention, to find the answers to any dance floor he ultimately destroys and turns into a (no pun intended) nasty ball of sweat.
As of late, my favorite place to see him spin is at the University of Maryland – College Park campus, and their dive nightclub hangout, The Mark. Holding 300 people, there’s really nothing special about the spot. It’s owned by the same people that own the soon to re-open with a brand new setup Santa Fe Cafe, a well known and popular nightspot off campus with a stage that has the charm typical of your favorite bar you went to in college, that, upon further review five years later, is still solid, but not all that it was initially cracked up to be.
On every other Wednesday night, James Nasty combines with two University of Maryland students, DJ’s Soohan and Phil Real, to throw a college party. Yes, I’m sure this isn’t ground breaking news to anyone, but, in a current musical culture in which we say that club music is losing steam, or a niche market, to see 300 college students getting crunk on a Wednesday night? Impressive and a breath of fresh air to this reviewer. Nasty played early this Wednesday, an 11 PM-12 AM set that left me scratching my head. How would the two kids, Soohan and Phil (the closer), respond. By comparison, they have a thimble of experience, and frankly, I was shocked by the result. The kids had tracks (do check for Soohan’s “Combo Italiano,” a crunker than crunk blend of yes, Lil’ Scrappy’s “Money in the Bank,” and, yes, Rosemary Clooney’s “Mambo Italiano,” wow indeed), and the talent and competitive arrogance as selectors to step up to the plate. Since the last time I saw both spin (summer sets on a bill with Nasty, closed by Jonny Blaze, that should’ve been taped as a lesson to DJs anywhere), they’d markedly improved. While not on a level yet of any of DCs top beatmakers and booty shakers, they’ve got the passion and desire to be there, and frankly, that’s all I needed to see.
If not aware, the University of Maryland – College Park campus was the proving ground of development of local DJs with national reputations like Dave Nada and Steve Starks, and on any night in DC or Bmore, you are likely to find DJs with time spent in College Park, be it as student, resident, promoter (Puja “Senari” Patel, of “My Crew Be Unruly” and the “Panty Raid” event in Brooklyn, an alum as well) or party conductor somewhere on the bill. Having now spent some time there, and seeing the party scene, and the pure joy derived from throwing parties for these people, and their unadulterated glee, it’s clear as to why College Park produces such talent.
Having a rising talent like James Nasty around in the scene is a bonus to that college town these days. As well, having sellout crowds, like the one on Wednesday, even if they’re 300 of your friends who chant your name before your set like you’re a metal act playing at the Meadowlands in ’87, is a help as well, as, there were a few noticeable missteps in controlling the crowd with some forays into electro and dubstep that were a bit too much for the collegiate throng and didn’t keep them moving, they’re learning, and again, have the passion, and are grooming their talent in the right scenarios.
For the “hipster” and “dance” culture, which is all the rage as of late to have legs, it is my most fervent belief that the post-teens, the 18-21 college crowd, needs to be indoctrinated into the concept of appreciating the music and the scene, and realizing that it’s not about flourescent leggings from American Apparel, but about the limitless possibilities of music, and ultimately having entirely too much fun. Nothing lasts forever, and if you haven’t noticed, the hipster backlash is in full swing, and with the inundation of non skilled and unprepared DJs and producers into the realm of dance music renown, the full backlash isn’t far away from that realm either.
Let’s hope that kids like Soohan and Phil, the youth, the future, if you will, stay motivated and look to one day meet the standards of folks like James Nasty or Jonny Blaze, individuals they clearly idolize who perpetually have clubs in the palms of their hands, and once they ascend to higher levels of notoriety, that the kids, and the crowds they bring, will be there to occupy that space.
This neverending party we think we’re in, well, it depends on it.
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