Erik Thoresen was committed to the daily grind, spending his days working at a bank, while many of his friends were spending theirs preparing DJ sets for long nights in the clubs around town. Then a series of events threw him for a loop -- he lost his job, moved to Miami, and then moved back to Dallas.
Unsure of what the future had in store, Thoresen made a tape and brought it to the club where his friends were currently working. He was hired by the end of the week.
It was his segue into what would become a lucrative DJ career.
A huge jazz and bebop fan growing up -- he bought every jazz and bebop CD he could get his hands on, he says -- Thoresen now says he's heavily influenced by Armand Van Helden and anything that's rhythmic. And it's apparent in his DJ sets.
He's currently a weekly resident at Station 4 on Cedar Springs, plays video happy hours at JR's Bar & Grill, and will be opening up for Australian pop sensation Kylie Minogue at the Verizon Theater on May 18. After the jump, we get more into his personal tastes and history as a DJ. There, you'll also find his DC9er mix, which he's calling "To The Left, Vol. 1." Enjoy!
For how long have you been DJing at this point?
Nine years.
What was your first gig like?
I played happy hour at a video bar where you mixed music videos from SVHS tapes. Seemed strange, but was just how it was done.
How would you describe your personal style?
I don't really know. Someone called my early hip-hop sets "party-style," so I'll go with that.
Which DJ's do you follow? Do you have a favorite?
I follow my friends and co-workers in town, see what they're up to.
What's your favorite genre of music, both to play and to listen to?
My love is electronic music, and specifically house music. My sets are
rooted in house, but it can turn into a mash of anything. Not afraid of
pop either. Oldies radio plays in my car, though, because the station is so
random.
How do you decide what songs you're going to play?
I just feel my way through it. Doing seven-hour sets, the clock honestly
has a lot to do with it. Songs heard at 2 a.m. probably won't be heard
at 10 p.m., and vice versa.
How much preparation goes into putting a set together?
I dig for music from every source I can. I do some listening through the
week, but nothing in the night is planned, I'm winging it.
What are your main objectives when it comes to playing music? (Are you
looking to entertain the crowd, educate them, or something different
altogether?)
Entertain! It's all about having a good time. The Internet and blogs are
educating people so much nowadays. People get on the floor to party.
What can someone expect when they come to see/hear you play?
Bass, videos, confetti, bangin' beats, lasers, bass, people buggin', strobes, snares, booze. Did I mention bass?
What kind of equipment do you use?
At the club, we have Pioneer DVJ-X1's decks, Pioneer DJM-3000 mixer for
video mixing. I use Traktor Scratch Pro 2 with a Kontrol X-1 for track
mixing.
Requests. Love 'em or hate 'em?
It depends. At the happy hour bar gigs, if someone just asks for a track
and is cool about it, that's fine. At the club gig? In the middle of the
show? Shoving cell phones up in my face? not fine.
If you could play a gig anywhere, with any other DJ/music act, with whom would you play and where would it be?
In the middle of a LMFAO show at the Palms Casino, that would be a good time.
What sets you apart from other DJs in Dallas/Denton/Fort Worth?
[Laughs.] When I read this question, I was gonna' say "nothing." But,
every weekend, the three of us in the booth at Station 4 put on a show
with music, lights and video that is on par with the big-room Vegas
night clubs I've been to.
When/where will you be playing next?
I'm opening for Kylie Minogue at the Verizon Theater on May 18, run video
happy hours at JR's Bar & Grill, and run my weekly Saturday-night
residency at Station 4.
What can Dallas expect to see from you in 2011?
More remixes, more mix shows, more surprises, less sleep.
DC9er Tracklisting:
1. Manon feat. Joanna Krupa - I'll Be Around (Hefty Lefty Remix)
2. Jason Dottley - Hit Play (Twisted Dee Remix)
3. djBlaine & Barona feat. Lane McCray - Pump It (Solar City Remix)
4. Tony Moran & Ultra Naté - Destination (Lost Daze Ext)
5. Jeremy Word feat. Deanna - Hear You Hum (Audé & Garcia Mix)
6. Jipsta - Nasty Boy (Hefty Lefty Remix)
7. Erika Jayne - One Hot Pleasure (Dave Audé Remix)
8. William Umana - Xta-Sii (Edson Pride Remix)
9. Dave Audé feat. Isha Coco - Figure It Out (Ralphi Rosario Club Mix)
10. Consuelo Costin with Massi & De Leon - Naked (Oscar Velazquez Mixshow)
