With techno being in the forefront of the music industry, these days, it was refreshing to have a veteran DJ and Detroit techno pioneer Derrick May grace us with his knowledge of the craft and the spirit of the vibe of Detroit. This was definitely a night to remember. Houston based promotion team Sonido is the one to thank for making this night happen, as well as Vao, a day/night club, for making their home our home for music and dance. As I walked up to the venue I noticed a silence, as I was a bit early for the event. Nonetheless, I was greeted with friendly service right away from the Vao staff. Every one of the staff was friendly and helpful making the night even more enjoyable. I pressed on to the bar where the craft beer was already flowing, as promised.
I shared a few greetings with my fellow Department of Dance staff members and spotted a few friends near the bar, too. I ordered a Blonde Bombshell at the same time the openers of the night fired up the decks. Marcus Starkist took the stage and set the mood, and JJ Malave acted as direct support for the Detroit legend. Both DJs did an outstanding job at setting the musical mood of the night by bringing their own eclectic sounds of techno, tech house, progressive and minimal. However, the man to blame most for my good time was none other than Detroit techno pioneer, Derrick May. People packed out Vao night club on Friday the 13th early, eager to get a listen to good music. May represented the embodiment of a true techno DJ by playing everything under the sun as far as techno goes, from the colorful south African tribal beats to the dark and grimy Detroit sounds, swapping back to funky Chicago loops back to a thunderous, melodic grind of the low end bass, high hats, and ominous noises. He tweaked every high hat possible and brought the vibe back to life with a smooth landing as he captivated the audience, conducting the room. May is the type of DJ that utilizes every instrument at his disposal to deliver his message. He even brought in a tidbit of his vinyl collection to display the roots of his DJ culture.
While I was on the side of the DJ booth, May caught me taking a photo of him pulling through his records and he quickly looked up gave me a firm sincere handshake with both hands and went back to work, showing the humbleness of his character. Derrick played for a solid 2 hours, which was probably a blink of an eye for him, but left a lasting impression for the crowd that night. Everyone was celebrating and chanting along as Derrick May played the Pied Piper for the night leaving me, and Houston, inspired. In conclusion, the night went very well overall. The venue was great, the sound by Baud optics was on point, as usual, and the people I got to share this moment with are amazing. Another big shout out to the DOD staff and Sine family for seeing my way through this weekend, as well. Peace out, Weezar.
DJ, Nerd, Gamer, music Fan for life!
