Sights and sounds of Detroit, Chicago, and New York
A love link letter: Here's some music as a balm for the soul.
I’m still processing my feelings about this last week. So I wanted to keep this week’s On Beat short.
Between experiencing my and other groups’ events (Sunset Sound System at Yerba Buena Gardens was a dream in particular), returning to production school, making music, and processing The Last of Us (again) and Sinners (again and again), I’ve felt more scattered than centered.
That’s when I turn to listening.
So this week, I wanted to try something different: I wanted to share some performances that have inspired me lately. Often whenever I’m reading and writing, I listen to music. That may sound distracting to some, especially when the songs have lyrics in them. But just as playing and making music taps into the creative explorer inside, listening to music and watching others’ perform helps calm my soul. It gives me time to get lost in the rhythms.
It allows us to slow time down in a fast-moving world. It gives a window to observe life in all its stillness.
If you like the music recommendations, let me know. I often share these sets in the group chat but maybe I’ll make this a regular series.
Who I’m Digging
First, Stacey Hotwaxx Hale. I can’t wait to see the Godmother of House music at Movement in just a few weeks. Here’s an interview with her, too. Such a fascinating figure.
Next up: DJ Lady D, one of the all-timers from the Chicago House scene. Along with her, a fellow Chicago legend, Terry Hunter. If you haven’t watched the Elevator Music series, you’re in for a treat.
Finally, the inspiration behind my first Paradise Found party in May: Natasha Diggs at Glitterbox in Sydney in 2023. The glitz. The glam. The energy. The love. The soul. That’s what love on the dance floor is all about.
To end it off, I figured: Why not share a set of mine? Here’s my support set from that time I played at New York’s House of Yes with the Bubbles & Bass crew.
A quick aside: I’d love for you to subscribe to this little meditative experience called a newsletter. If you’ve been to my shows as Black Panda, you know I love to stay connected to the people around me. Much love.
What’s Next?
It’s Taurus season, folks. We’ve got a whole lot cooking in May, including the first-ever Paradise Found. I’ve also got my next release coming on the amazing
May 1 - May 4: UnSCruz @ Santa Cruz Fairgrounds (CA): When I’m not curating and DJing parties, I’m also a resident at Heavy Petting Zoo, an amazing Burning Man art car community that hosts free and family-friendly events around the San Francisco Bay Area. I’m excited to be one of the leads for their crew for the Burning Man regional event. It’ll also be my birthday weekend. Maybe as a present: Buy a ticket to my actual birthday celebration, Paradise Found?
May 11: It’s Giving Mother @ Hibernia Bank. Daytime rooftop party? C’mon now. More to come. Save the date.
May 18: Soul Salon @ ???: We’ve got a special pop-up edition of Soul Salon. Will it be outdoors? Will it be a house party? Stay tuned to find out. Subscribe to On Beat, and I’ll keep you posted.
May 21: Pandamonium Takeover @ F8: An Ode to Detroit House and Techno with Strut SF. I’m excited to share more about this. We’re properly preparing for Movement with all the sounds inspired by the birthplace of Techno. More to come. Save the date.
May 24 - May 26: Movement Festival Detroit: This is the Mecca of Techno. I can’t wait to finally go on this pilgrimage to Detroit to get inspired. I’m especially excited to check out the Detroit Love, Defected, Black Techno Matters, and KMS Records after parties. Hit me up if you’re going, and let’s revel in it together! And if you happen to be a promoter reading this, here’s my press kit (EPK).
Saturday, May 31 - Pandamonium Presents: Paradise Found @ Bergerac (SF): This one’s massive. It’s my first ticketed event, and we’ve got a jam packed lineup. I want to bring the immediacy and intention I saw in Sydney and elsewhere into Bergerac that night, just as we do in every dance floor we grace. We’ve got audiovisuals from DJ Maculate, go-go dancing from Voluptuous Vibes, and dancing from the incredible drag queen, Amyl Westwood. We’ve also got a stellar lineup of dear friends who are doing amazing work in the San Francisco Bay Area dance scene from Charles Hawthorne (subscribe to their newsletter!) to Bay B Sol to GOMA to NISA. Get your tickets now for $10.
Let’s Not Forget
As a treat for making it to the end, here’s a pic of Nano.
Edwin “Eddie” Rios is a Brooklyn-born, Oakland-based freelance writer and DJ/producer (Black Panda). You can find his writing life here. You can follow his musical journey here. Here’s his SoundCloud and Spotify. Share this with your friends.