The Beatdown

Leave it to a Texan to blast away the stylistic strictures of spinning, mixing and scratching and to do so with a Lone Star twist. Appearing as part of a long national tour with Of Montreal, Grand Buffet and MGMT, DJ Jester--aka The Filipino Fist, aka Mike Pendon--sees just about everything as grist for the mix: TV show themes, indie rock, country music, cheesy pop, metal, even the bleating of workout queen Richard Simmons. You name it, Jester may well have fed it into his ingenious and visionary mix 'n' mash Cuisinart. And all without forsaking the soul, techno and hip-hop foundation of dance music with a mighty groove. A first-generation Filipino-American from West Columbia, Texas, who almost single-handedly kick-started the San Antonio DJ scene, he brings such Texcentric touches to his sets as snippets of Willie Nelson, George Strait and Sir Doug. And don't be surprised if the theme from Dallas pops up in his Big D set. As the name implies, this Jester injects a cheeky and offbeat sense of humor into his soundscapes, as well as a wild spirit of sonic adventure and a command of those butt-shaking beats per minute. A genuine original with smarts and turntable savvy, Jester truly spins for the people--all of them.