SEXCOLUMN: Doing it in the dorms. SEE PAGE 6B.
Movie Review: Jay and Silent Bobfull of cheap laughs. SEE PAGE 3B.
TALK TO US: Contact Kimberly Thompson at (785) 848-410 or jayplay@kansan.com
JAYPLAY
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30.2001
Dancers move to the beat of music created by Josh Erbmann, known as DJ Pharoah during performances. Erbmann spun hip-hop and house music Tuesday evening at his residence along the 1200 block of New Jersey Street.
THAD ALLENDER/KANSAN
Rockin' the house
Musicians sound off on the best party music
BY MANDALEE MEISNER
Todd Wilkins can't remember the last time he went to a house party where a DJ was playing.
Free State Band members, from left, Tim Bradley, Lawrence, Andrew Neukirch, Lincoln, Neb., sophomore, Justin Hosek, Lawrence sophomore, Chris Reinhard, Lawrence sophomore, and David Gnojek, Lawrence senior, rehearse in the basement of the Hosek family home. The group has been playing together for three months.
Wilkins, 19, said he goes to parties about once a week, but won't step foot in a house without a live band.
J. E.WILSON/KANSAN
"There must be a band playing or else I won't go," he said. "Live music just makes things more entertaining."
KU students and younger Lawrence residents bring their share of musical tastes and talents to theLawrence party scene. While some—like Wilkins—prefer bands at parties, others prefer dancing all night long to the beats of a DJ.
"DJS have a broader variety of music and just a different sound." Tisha Warner, Florence sophomore, said. "Plus, they take up less space."
space With electronic music becoming increasingly popular among both producers and listeners, and with anything from house to hip hop thrown into the mix, many area DJs are finding ample opportunities to play weekend house parties.
Marcus Flores, Kansas City junior, has been involved in the Lawrence electronic scene for nearly four years. He's also thrown his share of house parties and recognizes a good
DJ when he hears one.
He said th a t since
"What's funny is that people go to house parties and (the DJs) are just background music." Flores said. "And then they can go out to clubs in KC and can see the same DJ playing. Normally you'd have to pay to listen to some of the music you hear at parties in Lawrence."
Lawrence is ripe with internationally acclaimed DJs, many house parties are well worth the cover charge.
benefits. "Although I've never seen a band play until 6 in the morning, DJs can go all night long," Angulo said.
"You just get a bold of
Jeffrey Angulo, San Diego junior,
regards DJs and bands as equally popular,
but thinks electronic music has its
"I've never seen a band play until 6 in the morning. DJs can go all night long."
Jeffrey Angulo San Diego junior
a crowd, and take them where you want them to go."
Angulo DJs under the name Sexual Chocolate, and said he played up to 10 parties in a month.
Chicago sophomore Josh Erbmann, who spins under the name DJ Pharoah, also said he thought electronic artists
traditional bands at parties in some respects.
took the upper hand over
respects.
"I've noticed that DJs are showing up more and more at parties than live bands," Erbmann said. "They have more to work with and can set the music to the crowd, while a band plays their songs and it's always what they sound like."
Shaun Fortuna, rhythm guitarist for the band Six Year Sophomore, said he thought bands like his could be just as versatile as DJs at house parties.
"When people go to a party with a DJ, they're usually there to drink and to dance," Fortuna, a Parkville, Mo., Junior, said. "If you have
If you have band.
there are all types of images you can portray from country western to heavy metal.
"Also, when a band is up on stage performing, that's an event in itself. Inside a party you can drink and you can dance, but when there's a band you may just want to stand there and watch."
"A band's good at a party 'cause they bring energy and personality," said Justin Hosek, 19-year-old bass player for Free State Band said. Although his bias may be toward live musicians as opposed to mixers, he believes the union of the two makes for the best entertainment.
"People like DJs and people like bands." Hosek said. "So if you put everything on stage people like, more people will come."
Flores has combined both DJs and bands at parties in the past, and agrees that the pairing is beneficial for both the artists and the audience.
"Some people just have to see someone doing something, and having band members play guitar with DJs in the background makes people realize that DJing really is live music." Flores said. "Live bands will be around forever, but dance music and rock 'n' roll are just different. Putting the two together makes for the perfect party and gets everyone involved."
Contact Meisner at 864-4810
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