Last weekend, we decided to make a completely impromptu trip to Austin to check out Dj Dan and Donald Glaude. We’ve managed to miss Dj Dan when he’s rolled through town (how does that even happen??) and normally catch Donald Glaude when he rolls through, so this seemed like a no brainer to us when we caught wind of this tour.
We rolled into Kingdom just before midnight, while Ramsey was still killing the decks. If you’ve never been to Kingdom, it’s reminiscent to the main room of an array of older smaller clubs, with a relatively low ceiling and unadornment versus its more modern counterparts. With the emphasis it seems these days on aesthetic and polish, as well as massive roped off VIP areas, this raw feel invoked a serious nostalgia and instant love of the venue.
Our friend remarked how the sound was really low and how things hadn’t really kicked up yet. “Just wait until they come on… it’s going to be badass!” As evidence that we were able to hold a conversation on the actual dance floor, things were nice and chill as we slowly danced our way close to the front. Then Dj Dan and Donald Glaude appeared behind the decks, taking turns to peek out at the crowd and check out Ramsey. Every time we saw either, the crowd went absolutely insane.
The insanity only got more intense once the duo hit the decks. The lights became active and synced, the volume went way, way up, and the dance floor that was once nicely full, became packed with ecstatic, sweaty bodies. This was epic go time, and the crowd was ready for some serious education.
Normally this would be the part where we would talk about the particular tracks played, the genres touched on, or the specific things that made this night special. This time, that’s simply not possible because we were dancing so hard, and so in our zone that there were no notes taken. The only thing that we really remember is how Donald’s scratching was simply flawless, and what an incredible duo they made. It was an intense, sweaty, upbeat set, that was simply the best of both behind the decks. We danced nonstop for the entire set, less only a water refill or bathroom break. We were high fived by random people, we got random hugs from new friends, and were even told that we were good dancers on occasion.
When we finally filtered out at the end of their set, and walked off to find some late night breakfast, all the crew could say was “Wow. That was fucking incredible.” Yes. Yes, it was.
Dj Dan and Donald Glaude will be at Proof Rooftop Lounge on October 9, 2016 (get tickets here). Check them out! It’s seriously not to be missed.
Journalist/blogger since 2009 and music lover since 1980. Bex now travels the world and writes and takes photos of dance events, creates art in various media, sings quietly to her cat in the shower, and occasionally builds something that tends to involve a blowtorch. She can usually be seen hiding behind some sort of camera rig.
