House heavy-hitter BIJOU (Benjamin Dorman) continues to dominate the electronic music scene with his hip-hop and bass house-infused style, releasing countless bangers off of his very own label Do Not Duplicate Records, and strengthening the G-house genre with his constant production talents. This year is no different, with his new EP, Street Knowledgewhich was released on September 17th this month. The 6-track masterpiece features rhythmic bass paired with notes of hip-hop and rap, each song better than the last. Street Knowledge features a refreshing twist to the oversaturated bass music scene by adding rappers into the mix, including Rick Hyde, Tony Watts, Youngworld,ElCamino, and more.
House Heavyweight Brings the Heat
The Phoenix, Arizona-born house DJ has risen to fame in recent years and continues to push the boundaries of what defines house music in today’s growing electronic scene. “Roots are a nod to where it all started, and that’s what this project is all about. I took it to my roots in Phoenix and Buffalo. Two cities that are often overlooked and slept on,” saysBIJOU.
“I had the opportunity to work with some of my favorite rappers each one having their style while keeping things raw, street, and no BS. “Street Knowledge” is unequivocally every piece of me, what I’ve been through, and where I am now.”
We had the chance to chat with Ben Dorman (BIJOU) at Party Guru Press about the release of his EP. Check it out below!
Maddi: Thanks so much for chatting with us today. So this EP is a pretty big deal – 2020 was a crazy year for all of us, especially artists – and some might say 2021 has been equally as challenging. How would you say the past two years have influenced or shaped your sound? Or your vision for this EP? Dorman: I would say it really gave me more time to sit back and dial in a full-on concept. From the music to the art, to the artists that I worked with on the project, the vision included every single piece of the puzzle and allowed me to really flush it out how I intended to.
Maddi: Where do you see BIJOU heading next – any merch drops or concert tours we should be looking out for? Dorman: I’ve been on the road pretty much every weekend since mid-May its been CRAZY. There have been glimpses of time off but we’ve been full force playing shows to really get back into the market we didn’t have for almost two years. Merch wise we’re going hard this year. We did the BIJOU The Valley Jerseys last month and they sold out in 4 days. Next up we have hats and quite a few concepts this year. Everything is going to be super limited so once it drops you only can get it during that one time on sale.
Maddi: Where do you see yourself at the end of this year? What about in 5 years?
Dorman: At the end of this year I see myself really digging into the next body of work for me musically. I already have the concept dialed in so now it’s all about executing that vision. In 5 years I see myself deeper into the hip-hop world. It’s something that Has been part of the plan from the beginning.
Maddi: How would you say hip-hop has influenced your sound as an artist over the years? And how does this ties into Street Knowledge specifically? Dorman: I think it’s allowed me to think outside of the box. I bring sounds and different parts of that genre into what I do which is totally separate from your usual dance or house music lane.
Maddi: What would you say your number one inspiration in your life right now is? Dorman: My mom and dad. They continue to support and push me to the next level.
Maddi: How do you remain motivated to create? Dorman: My love for the music. I LOVE producing so it’s easy to sit down and be like okay I’m making this today. Part of it too is that I don’t only produce house music so I never really get burned out on one thing.
Maddi: Where is one place/venue you’d like to perform that’s on your bucket list?
Dorman: Tomorrowland – looks like such a cool festival.
Maddi: What is one goal of yours as a DJ?
Dorman: To have my own festival.
Maddi: Name 3 words you think best describe your sets. Dorman: Energetic, smooth, & intoxicating.
Maddi: The last question… do you consider yourself a true Party Guru? Dorman: You Know The Vibes.
BIJOU has been consistent in proving to his fans he is one to keep on the radar. We are so excited to see his international and national performances come this Fall. Be sure to keep up to date with his recent releases and all press coverage right here at Party Guru Productions.
Global Dance Festival is Colorado’s largest and most anticipated electronic dance music event of the year. After a year of waiting in solidarity, we are back. Thousands of EDM lovers from all across the US were eager to dance this year’s weekend away!
Being based in Denver, Colorado, Global Dance Festival has been held outside of Empower Field since 2017. Previously GDF could be found at Red Rocks, the festival was moved to expand capacity and follow sound limits. This year, the fourth official rendition of Global Dance Festival fell nothing short of amazing. The festival also exceeded all expectations – bringing some of the heaviest and biggest names in EDM today. Headliners for the two-night event included Excision, Doctor P B2B Funtcase, Zomboy, Kaskade, Illenium B2B Said The Sky B2B Dabin, Green Velvet, and Tchami (just to name a few)! The festival was filled with art installations, carnival rides, food trucks, bull riding, temporary tattooing, and much more. Stages were complete with full LED’s and high-quality sound systems. Those stages were where the experience and magic of the night really began.
Night 1 – Here’s The Recap
Night 1 started off strong with all four stages filled with different types of music. Each one holding their own unique vibe. Local heavyweights Paws, MPORT, Decadon, and Brondo were some of the openers with packed sets which filled all the way to the very back of the Northern Lights stage. If this wasn’t your thing, a silent disco was held at the Crystal Caverns stage. There was truly some place to be for every single person, no matter what your vibe was!
As the sun began to set, the Summit stage began seeing artists such as Tchami, who brought an insane house set complete with pyrotechnics. The Illenium triple B2B followed, which brought super peaceful, melodic bass music vibes to the main stage. Kaskade closed the night out at main stage with a garage-house infused set. Paired with all of his beautiful original songs, the crowd was singing at the top of their lungs. Meanwhile, on the Northern Lights stage, Funtcase and Doctor P were giving one of the heaviest sets of the weekend. Bringing their original filthy UK dubstep sound to Denver dubstep lovers. Be on the lookout for an interview coming out later this week!
Zomboy finished off the night by closing out with even more heavy originals and never before heard tracks. They don’t call Denver the bass capitol for nothing. This stage showed that all night! On the other side of the festival, Mersiv took over the Tundra stage and closed out the night with some crazy wubs and deep bass sounds. The eclectic mix of music selected this year was the perfect mix to satisfy any raver at any point in the night.
Global 2021 Was the Event of the Year
This year’s event felt much different than any before. Maybe because of the fact that music lovers were able to unite once again. It might have been the fact that this was the heaviest and most diverse group of artists to ever see the GDF lineup. The festival itself is always seeming to impress its guests. Being incredibly thought-out, it was musically balanced the entire weekend with a wide range of musical experiences to go see, and plenty of space to dance around at the stages. The festival is hopefully going to remain a Colorado raver tradition for many years to come.
There was something for everyone here at all times of the night – everyone was dancing, the vibes were high and the music was loud. This was an unforgettable experience. 2021 was one of the best years since its origin without a doubt! Colorado is proud to be the home to Global Dance Festival. We at Party Guru Productions can’t wait to see how the festival continues to grow in the future – what an unforgettable weekend it was.
If you live in or near Denver, Colorado, you’ve most likely heard of 128. This production company focuses on throwing extremely unique, immersive events and shows. Four core members make up the 128 team: Alex Padgett, Rob West, Brent Steinhause, and Wesley Padgett.
Now that Denver, Colorado is reopening and isn’t under any restrictions or regulations regarding COVID-19, the 128 team has become extremely busy. Luckily, Alex Padgett and Rob West had time for a phone call with Party Guru Press. Keep reading to learn more about the 128 team, their upcoming event series, “Oasis“, and what else they have planned for 2021.
The Start Of 128
Originally, Alex started 128 by throwing shows in Boulder, Colorado. Shortly after starting to put on events in the Denver area, he met Rob, and “the rest is history”. They were introduced by a mutual friend and together, were able to rebrand 128 and make it bigger and better than it ever was before.
With a background in the corporate world, Rob is able to focus on how to turn Alex’s vision into a profitable business that grows and differentiates itself from everything else in the market.
Community Strengthened By Music
One of the main focuses of 128 has always been on the people that come to the shows. Alex and Rob are great at connecting with everyone that attends their events because they are both party-goers as well. “We’re all there for the right reasons: we love the scene, we love the music, and we love the people in it,” said Alex.
“What we wanted 128 to be was a place that anybody could come to our shows and feel welcome and have a good time,” Rob explained. One of their goals is to have their various shows and events attract people from the Denver music scene while also reaching farther outside of the metro area. Their events are open and inclusive to everyone, even those not directly involved in the music scene. In fact, 128 is working on having campus ambassadors in both Boulder and Fort Collins to broaden their audience even more.
At each and every 128 event, Alex and Rob try and talk to everyone that attends. They are super easy to approach, and want to actively try to be a part of the community. According to Alex, they never know when they’ll meet someone who wants to DJ for an event or wants to work with them. Furthermore, they network at tons of other events in Denver.
(Good) Busy
This summer, events have rapidly started to make a return in Colorado. Restrictions and regulations regarding COVID-19 have been changing frequently, but full capacity shows are finally allowed to happen after waiting over a year! With these recent changes, the 128 crew has been super busy these last few months.
In May, 128 held various events at Larimer Lounge. However, they are already planning events throughout 2021 and even into next year. “It’s busy, but it feels good to be back,” said Alex. Rob went on to say, “I think we’ve given out about a thousand hugs in the last few weeks together.” Even when they hosted various successful Family Dinner events throughout fall of 2020, they just weren’t the same as these more “normal” events.
Rob went on to explain the differences including being able to hang out with their friends and fans in addition to seeing everyone’s smiling faces without wearing masks. “There’s literally a picture that somebody took on our first night back and this girl was crying in the crowd…I’ve never felt something more in my life,” said Rob.
Since 128 has the opportunity to help bring back events to the Denver music industry, they definitely feel like they have the responsibility to do so. Hence, why they’ve been working themselves like crazy.
Oasis
Having an event on Jackson’s rooftop in Denver has been a goal for 128 for a few years now. Since attending memorable events there themselves, they’ve always wanted to hold their own event on that rooftop in the heart of the city.
In 2019, Rob actually played two Electric Beach events at Jackson’s under his artist name, RC3. “It’s a great vibe and it’s a really cool location,” Rob said. He proceeded to talk about how holding their event in this central location can attract people walking by that may not have a connection to house music, but want to go up and see what their event is about after hearing the music from the city streets below.
What To Expect
Each individual Oasis event is going to feel like a mini festival. This is no surprise, seeing as most 128 events are both immersive and interactive. This will be one of their first opportunities to host a full-capacity show with a few hundred people getting to dance together again in Denver. Beautiful decorations, the Kinetic Spinners fire dancers, prizes, and more will all make up the truly unique experience of these events.
Did we say “truly”? Well, guess what, seltzer lovers. Truly Hard Seltzer is the official sponsor of the Oasis event series. You’ll be able to drink plenty of different flavors of Truly‘s at each event while getting to experience their big brand activations in person.
“That rooftop at Jackson’s is a small, intimate space that you can do a lot with, so we definitely want it to feel like an oasis,” said Alex. Each Oasis event will hold true to 128’s history by captivating attendees with a unique event that transports you to another world.
128 New Concepts
In addition to having their sponsorship with Truly, they have a few tricks up their sleeves. Alex said, “I want people to be surprised when they get there. There may be a little storyline, there may be some people running around when they get there, I don’t know. I’ll leave it at that.” Furthermore, Rob explained, “there will be elements of production that we’ve never used before. We’re excited about it.” After the first event, people will know more about the exciting, new elements that make up the Oasis event series.
A Bumpin’ Lineup
For the Oasis events, 128 fixated on bringing new sounds to Denver including talent that hasn’t yet played in the Mile High City. On June 26th, Kyle Walker will be headlining. July 31st brings DJ Susan of Hood Politics, and Masteria headlines on August 28th.
June 26th will be Kyle Walker‘s first headline show in Denver, and August 28th will be Masteria‘s Denver debut. Rob explained that 128 has been trying to get Masteria from Detroit to Denver for over two years now, so this will be quite the party this summer. Alex mentioned looking forward to seeing DJ Susan on the Oasis stage in July. Their crew is currently based out of San Diego and are doing a lot of the same work and concepts as them out in California. Even more so, they know a lot of the same people as the 128 crew.
Seeing as how Denver is such a destination location both for performers and music lovers, it’s incredibly exciting that 128 is bringing out insanely talented artists that Denver hasn’t yet seen before. Alex and Rob spent days and days brainstorming who to bring out to the Oasis event series, and “it just seemed to kind of all fall together,” said Rob.
Next For 128
Denver music lovers will be able to look forward to various 128 events at Larimer Lounge this summer. However, 128 will be kicking it into even higher gear in the fall by putting on a plethora of warehouse events in Denver, one of which will be their biggest warehouse event to date. These warehouse events will even continue into next year.
Words Of Advice
Party Guru Press asked Alex and Rob if they had any words of advice, or motto, to encourage everyone to remember throughout 2021. When asked this, Rob got pretty emotional when thinking about this past year. “We’re so lucky to live in a city that fosters music the way that it does. And, hug each other. We had a rough year. We lost a lot of friends, unfortunately. Hug people. Tell them you love them everyday,” Rob said.
Alex went back to an emphasis on community. “Communities work together and they build each other up. We’re not here to tear each other down, and I think that’s something that’s important. I think sometimes the ‘EDM community’ can get a little toxic at times, and we just need to remember that electronic music and dance music was built on community and togetherness,” he explained.
Thank You’s
Alex and Rob wanted to say thank you to everyone on their 128 team. Without each and every one of them, they wouldn’t be able to do what they do and have such a successful production company in Denver. Thank you so much for your incredibly hard work and everything that you do! “128 doesn’t go anywhere without our crew,” exclaimed Alex.
So, shoutout to Brent Steinhouse, Wesley Padgett, Sam Beranek, Aaron Polster, and Amber DeLisle.
Conclusion
To conclude the interview, Party Guru Press asked Alex and Rob if they would consider themselves Party Guru’s. After a good laugh from both, Rob replied, “hey, if you want to call us Party Guru’s, you can!” “Not going to say no to that,” Alex said.
Ever since their start, 128 has been quite the force to be reckoned with in the Denver music industry. Their unparalleled, breathtaking events barely even slowed down in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and they already have a full calendar for the upcoming year. Furthermore, they center their core values around community, kindness, and excitement for music.
We know that 128 is here to stay, and we’re so excited to see what’s in their future! We hope to see everyone at Oasis this month at Jackson’s in Denver. To get tickets to the events and keep updated with everything 128, follow their socials listed below.
Guitarist and producer Cory Wythe (A.K.A. Marvel Years) gave us a glimpse behind the curtain in this interview. In July 2013, Wythe had his first live performance supporting Pretty Lights in Boston, MA. Later that year he supported GRiZ on his Rebel Era tour. In the Spring of 2014, Marvel Years began his first national tour–The Retro Electric Tour. Fast forward and he has played with amazing acts including: The Floozies, Exmag, Break Science and even Gramatik.
The Beginning
Wythe began playing guitar at eleven years old. “I played in a few bands for fun throughout middle school and high school,” he said, “I started messing around making beats in my senior year of high school just to pass the time and ended up posting it on my YouTube channel.” This snowballed into his first offer to play a show in college and taking a leave from college and playing shows as his career.
When asked about his growth, Wythe said, “I just try to make music that I enjoy creating and listening to. I feel like you have a better chance to stand out making music that is true to yourself.” Obviously, a major part of the Marvel Years sound stems from guitar. “I try and make that a focal point throughout my work.”
Behind the Curtain
Next we ask, they can’t all be bangers right? “I just recently started to accept this fact,” Wythe said laughing, “I spent so much time lighting myself up when every new track I was writing wasn’t my best track.” In some regards, this can push an artist to be better. “I have accepted the fact that not every track is going to be amazing and that is ok. It’s all a part of the process.” he tells us. Wythe gains inspiration from traveling and experiencing new places. Additionally, his musical friends push him to work harder and keep pumping out music.
Wythe has said each song takes a different amount of time to finish. “It really depends on my creative head space at the time. Some songs kind of just flow out of you where you know exactly what you want to make. Other times I start with a cool idea like a guitar or drum loop and then build on it over time.” No matter how long the song takes, Wythe is confident in his music.
“What makes a good song is definitely subjective and different for everybody, but for me it’s the emotional reaction I feel,” he said. This holds true with his song, Friends–released a few months ago. The song originally began as a beat challenge Marvel Years put on Instagram. He later began the song and added his friends to it. “It ended up turning into a monster collab with 9 artists in total and it’s something I’m really proud of.” Wythe says.
Marvel Years has performed with legends like Pretty Lights, GRiZ, and Gramatik. He shared that all of these artists are major inspirations in his life and music. “It’s obvious that they are putting 100% of themselves into their [music], but it’s also the amount of time and effort they put into the behind the scenes that makes them the best in the game.”
Quarantine and the Road Ahead
Quarantine has affected us all. Marvel Years has stayed busy by performing ten live streams and he even played a socially distanced halloween festival. Wythe regarded his New Year’s Eve stream as his favorite.
“I’ve really been using this time to make music and collect myself mentally.” I’ve spent the last couple years on the road so it’s been nice to have some downtime and time to create.” While Wythe has stayed busy, he has many plans for the upcoming year including: New music, merch, and there have even been rumors of vinyls. “We are in the process of choosing the songs and getting the mixed and mastered for wax,” Wythe tells us. We are looking forward to everything Marvel Years has in store for 2021. Click the links below to learn more about Marvel Years and stay up to date on all of his plans ahead!
In 2008, Jordan Craft started expanding his musical status as a DJ, beginning in the bar scene and growing into the larger Colorado music scene. While he still performs at bars every now and then, DJ Craftmatic has performed in a variety of settings including weddings, fashion shows, and art showcases.
Who is Craftmatic?
DJ Craftmatic began his musical journey as a rapper when he was young. “I was in a group with my eldest brother and cousins,” he said. The group even went on tour with Bone Thugs n’ Harmony Jordan tells us. “Things never panned out so I transitioned to being a DJ in 2010,” said Craft. While this is an amazing beginning, Craftmatic kept growing. During his growth, Craft has used his own life as inspiration.
“My family, my surroundings, my experiences, my blackness–It’s all an inspiration to me.” DJ Craftmatic draws upon and looks up to many artists in the industry from all genres. For example: Prince, Roy Ayers, Flume, D’Angelo, and Todd Terry just to name a few. “I want to take bits of pieces of every musician and artist that I love and incorporate them into my sound and create a new sound–they all influence me,” he said, “It shouldn’t be about a banger all the time. If that’s what you’re hunting for, then you’re going to be miserable.” Jordan believes it is not always about bass and drops, the love of the music keeps him going. “Some will like it and some won’t but as long as you’re happy with it, then that’s all that matters,” he tells us.
When creating his own work, DJ Craftmatic looks for crisp and unique sounds with intoxicating rhythms. Some of his favorite producers like Timbaland, EPROM, Chris Lake, Dillon Nathaniel, Mr.CARMACK, or The Kount use what DJ Craftmatic refers to as “texture.” He said, “[It] could be something as little as including the old vinyl record sound lowly in the background to inverting, filtering and layering a kick drum to give you a certain depth on that sound. It’s a science.” While Craft believes he is just beginning on his “sonic journey,” he has already developed a unique and amazing sound.
Depending on his flow, Craft can pump some of his music out in a few hours, while other tracks can take days or weeks. “I really try not to force myself to finish anything because it messes up my creative process,” Jordan says. DJ Craftmatic likes to begin with foundations and loops then build upon the track, changing and adding sounds such as samples, drums, and sound textures. Craftmatic believes that a good song makes you feel.
“Melodies, groove, and swing bring that,” he said, “I am a sucker for live instrumentation and incorporating analog sounds to give the track warmth.” Personally, I knew this guy was a winner when he named two of his favorite artists as FKJ and Tom Misch–my top two as well. The top albums being French Kiwi Juice and Geography, respectively. Craft said, “Emotion intertwined and infused into the very fabric of the music–I love that kind of music.”
Events on Events
Craftmatic has performed at a variety of events so we asked him about how each of those differ. After performing in Colorado venues such as The Church, The Pikes Peak Center, Ophelia’s, and Marquis Theater, Craftmatic is ready for anything.
“I perform the same no matter the size. There could be one person there or 10,000. You treat it exactly the same, as long as one person enjoyed my music and set I’ve made an impact.” Craft has even hosted his own events, including a sneaker event, Beats, Eats, and Sneaks.
“Doing the sneaker event was actually more in my element to be honest. Events are events and hosting can be tailored to any event, but I think because it was my event, it added that extra spark. You believe in it a little more.” Overall, Craftmatic believes 2020 was a slow year, he was happy with his growth though. Jordan was excited to mention the Silent Disco events and “Doses and Mimosas” brunches with COATI Uprise. While many of these were before quarantine or limited due to restrictions, Craftmatic is excited for life to return to some sense of normalcy and get back to planning and performing at events.
Looking Forward
Craftmatic has plans for 2021 to be all about the music. He plans to drop three EPs of hip-hop, house, and EDM trap genres. “I want to show the versatility of my sound and show the rest of the world what I have to offer musically. Especially in the house scene. As black artists have become marginalized in a genre created by black DJs.”
Coming soon in 2021 is Craftmatic’s first house single, I Feel Like I’m on Dope. Be on the lookout for that dropping soon, you will not want to miss it! In the meantime check out more about DJ Craftmatic below.
