DJs on the Up and Up
OONZE OONZE OONZE OONZE, the flick of the wrist, and the iconic hand movement on the turnboard are just a few things that come to mind when someone brings up DJs. Recently, I have noticed an epidemic of DJ’s in the music scene, especially within the college atmosphere. Everyone wants to be the next Dom Dolla, Chris Lake, Fred Again or FISHER, and why wouldn’t they? These artists have flown all over the world to perform their mixes. From Ibiza, the party destination, to Tomorrowland in Belgium, these DJs make upwards of $80,000 per night just to get booked at these events (CTI). To really understand the lore of the turntable, I decided to interview some infamous college DJs at the University of Oregon. I asked them a series of questions asking what being a DJ has taught them, how much they spend on equipment, and when and why they started.
First, let’s talk about terminology. Decks are what DJs play on. They are the typical set up that you see with the turntables, and there are usually two decks and a mixer connected into one unit. The mixer allows a DJ to play two different songs essentially at the same time. Most decks connect to a computer, where software holds the music.
Next, let's discuss the Up and Up Festival. I talked to Maggie Morford, a senior at the University of Oregon who currently works for Up and Up. She explained that, “Up and Up is a company that produces music festivals empowered by student communities to rally and win them. Each semester, they host a 48-hour pre-sale composition for students across the country to bring a headliner to perform at or near their college.” Most recently, the University of Oregon rallied to have Disco Lines come and perform in May. The top colleges (the colleges who sold the most pre-sale tickets) then get to host the DJ. Up and Up has sold over 85,000 tickets and has over 100 participating schools all over the United States. They also host an event where student DJs can compete to be openers for the headliner. Maggie said that Up and Up is a special and valuable experience for college DJs, by “really immersing them into the environment and getting the community involved in the excitement of it all.” Maggie said that being a part of Up and Up has taught her that the success of events really lies on community participation and support.
I wanted to hear it straight from some student DJs on campus. I talked to Riley Davis, a senior who DJs with Katie Shannon, her best friend since junior year of high school who also attends the University of Oregon. They have been performing together since 2022, and their duo name, which was just announced on March 5th, is RKADE. I also talked with Beck Blau, A junior in Sigma Chi who started DJing his freshman year of college. I wanted to hear from someone who is new to DJing, so I interviewed Emma Roensch, a junior who started DJing at the beginning of February 2024.
I was curious as to why these artists started DJing in the first place. Beck traded in his Xbox for a DJ board having no idea where to start. In 2018, he went to Spain with family and stayed in Formentera, an island just off of Spain. The town threw a huge party with various DJ’s and that was the first time he heard, saw, or experienced anything like that. “It didn’t matter how old you were, what you looked liked, or where you were from, everyone was there for one reason; the music,” said Beck. He is now one of Disco Lines’s openers in May. Emma started because her brother was a DJ. She has always had a good relationship with music, but she doesn’t know how to play an instrument. She stated that DJing to her is “controlling songs I don’t have to make.” Riley, on the other hand, learned how to DJ from her crush at the time. She wanted to impress him, and now she is opening for Disco Lines.
Talking to Riley and Emma, the theme of being a girl in this field was alluded to often. Emma brought up the fact that most of her guy friends have boards, and are constantly asking if she needs help, thinking she won’t be able to figure it out herself. Riley said, “It depends, I found for the longest time up until last term, I was not taken very seriously.” RKADE started by DJing for Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) Fraternity. She expressed that they felt undermined, as many people thought they were DJing just to impress the men. All they wanted was recognition, as they are the only female DJ duo in Eugene. Now they go to bars and make up to $120 a night plus tips.
While being a DJ is a cool gig, I wanted to know how much one spends on all the gear. Riley said that Katie bought their board for $400, Emma got hers at a discount for $80, but it was originally $250, and while Beck got his board as a trade, he has since spent around $3,000 which includes a new board, speakers, production software, etc. Riley elaborated on prices, saying that most nice speakers are around $1,200. Just for little equipment such as cords can add up to $45, and all of these prices are out of pocket. Unless you are playing at a bar and getting paid, it doesn’t even out. These DJs also have to provide their own equipment at their gigs.
So is the price worth it? It sure seems like it when I asked Emma, Riley, and Beck what they experience by being in front of a crowd. Emma and Riley discussed the initial fear and intimidation aspect, but the feeling they get seeing people enjoy their music eases those feelings. Riley said “it’s kind of like being a parent and your kid looks up to you”. She went on to share a story about a couple who was dancing in a corner to one of Riley’s favorite songs, that not many people would have danced to, especially since the crowd was around ten people at that time. She felt as though she bonded with that couple just over a piece of music. Beck said that being in a crowd is one of his favorite sensations. His favorite aspect is not knowing what he is getting himself into. He elaborated by saying, “You could write a book about being in the crowd and would still fail to describe it.”
DJing is not just about mixing music, or standing in front of a crowd looking cool, it also brings a lot of hidden skills. Emma said that she has learned a lot about how to read a crowd. Riley has learned about social media advertising and marketing. She now understands that in order to promote yourself you have to be consistent. Riley and Katie have also had to learn how to set up equipment. This requires a lot of problem solving and puts into perspective how much time and effort it takes to put on big concerts. Beck discussed the networking aspect of being a DJ. To be a successful DJ, one must establish strong connections with as many people as possible. This business is truly about who you know, and what you can create.
As a college student myself, I often hear the stereotypical statements made about DJs. “Djs are just frat bros”, or “men used to build pyramids and now they mix music for a living”, or “is DJing even a real job?” I asked the three DJs what they thought of these stereotypes. Beck said that DJs aren’t respected as much as they should be. He also went on to explain the music scene in Eugene. House music is not as big as it is in Miami or Ibiza, however it is growing. He said that the DJs there are seen as “mystical gods”. Riley elaborated on Beck’s point, saying house music has started to flourish in Eugene, making more people want to become DJs. She said that she always plays music that she wants to hear, so she is excited to play it regardless if people are there or not. Beck agrees, saying “It was never about me, it was always about the music.”
After texting, talking to, and keeping up with these students, they honestly got me feeling like I should buy a board myself. Riley kept reiterating in her interview that “If there are any aspiring DJs, especially girls, just do it”. And why not? I mean… DJs are on the Up and Up!