It starts with a beat... the kick drum, snare and hi-hat pulsing in perfect syncopation. Feet begin to instinctively stomp as if controlled by some subliminal aural force. Heartbeats hasten as limbs liven. Synths and samples join the fray. The pace hastens, and as the elements conspire to crescendo, body and beat become one.
It is the moment electronic becomes electricity, when impulses resonating through speakers become tingles coursing through veins. It is the hair standing at attention on the back of your neck, the metaphorical butterflies flitting about deep within your gut. It is the moment devotees of electronic dance music (EDM) live for, and a moment DJs seek to achieve every time they get behind the decks.
In a word, it is love… electronica style.
To achieve such unadulterated dance floor ecstasy even sporadically is a monumental endeavor at the very least. To attempt to do so every time a DJ puts needle to record, or CD in slot, as it were, is an exercise in futility. Or is it? Given the fickle nature and mainstream mindset of the modern clubber, it would seem so; however, Starry Eyed Music (SEM) is proving otherwise.
In a mere year-and-a-half, SEM’s founder Jon Dadon (pictured left) has taken the company from concept to club, showcasing not only his own talent, but also that of his gifted DJs (himself included). His current line-up includes Joey Jimenez, DJ Kurch, Ben Cohen, Don Santino (pictured below) and Mike Butler. Unless you’ve been under house arrest for the past few years, you’ve probably been blessed with an opportunity to be aurally pleasured by any or perhaps even all of the aforementioned talent at top San Diego clubs and parties.
“As owner of the company, it is absolutely necessary that all of the artists affiliated with Starry Eyed Music are masters of their craft, or at least strive to be,” Dadon passionately asserts. “I see the potential in all of my artists and it's because they love music more than anything. It’s really a way of life for us all, as cliché as that may sound. It literally doesn't leave our brains. For this reason, I can say with confidence that if none of us made another penny playing music, we would still pour our hearts into it.”
Of course, most any DJ will admittedly and openly laud his or her passion for all things beat-based, but few truly practice what they preach. A significant percentage of DJs claiming to “love” electronica are rarely seen, or heard for that matter, pursuing the genre they happen to be most passionate about. Most succumb to the pressure to “succeed,” in the sense of making a living plying their trade. Through no fault of their own, a number of San Diego DJs find themselves spinning hip-hop and/or mash-ups not for passion, but rather for pay. San Diego promoters and venues know such genres appeal to the generic masses packing dance floors on an almost-nightly basis. Thus, it would seem as though “success” and “selling out” share a symbiotic relationship of sorts.
SEM seeks to avoid such pitfalls at all costs, even at the expense of, well, expense itself, for lack of a better term. “It’s not for the money, it’s for the music,” is a veritable mantra for Dadon and company.
“That quote means a couple things to me. First, it’s just like you said… we want to avoid selling out at all costs. It's important that our first priority always remains music. A lot of companies out there employ DJs simply for their ability to pull a crowd. In my opinion, this is the epitome of selling out. What kind of DJ are you if you can't feel like the venue or promotion company is hiring you for your ability to rock the house? How far can you actually make it if you are not respected for your art form?
“Now with all that said, we are a company and money is what keeps us afloat, so it does play a role in Starry Eyed Music; but as the means not the end. If you checked out our bank accounts, you'd have proof it’s not for the money. Whatever money Starry Eyed Music makes, we use to further promote ourselves and spread our music.”
And like a wave of electronic euphoria infiltrating the San Diego club circuit, SEM is indeed spreading. The company currently has a residency at the W Hotel, and every Saturday SEM’s six DJs will be in rotation, two each week. They are also at the AC Lounge the last Wednesday of every month for What the F*** Wednesdays. Throw in their signature Desert Trails parties and warehouse events (both reminiscent of the good ol’ rave days of yesteryear), and SEM has literally left no EDM stone unturned. They even have a weekly podcast you can check out on their site, starryeyedmusic.com, where, according to Dadon, “We feature all kinds of music from minimal techno to drum ‘n’ bass and everything in between.”
For Dadon and crew, it’s about love… always has been, always will be…
“I am confident that as a group, we possess some of the best talent in San Diego. I am impressed every time I hear my DJs perform and I know the crowd is too. With a highly consistent performance, we can continually give the crowd the best quality product. Starry Eyed Music is based on hard work and passion, and we show that to the audience every time.”
View new photos from clubs and parties featuring Starry Eyed Music DJs spinning live in our San Diego nightlife photo gallery.
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