DJ Tristan Jaxx is a man of many hats as you might say. The uber-talented and handsome DJ residing in San Fransisco has developed quite a name for himself in the SOMA area amongst others as well. Recently named one of the top ten DJ’s to watch, he is taking 2013 by storm by working at some of the biggest events of the year including Folsom and so much more. He recently took time to sit and talk with me about his professional experiences and where he sees himself going in the future. Take a look.
How old were you when you decided you wanted to become a DJ?
I have been building my music collection since I was a teenager but it was at 23 that I decided I wanted to share my collection and become a DJ.
Who were some of your influences?
Tony Moran, Joe Gauthreaux, Enrry Senna, Mauro Mozart, Peter Rauhofer, Paulo and Thomas Gold
How would you describe your sound for me, both when you started to now?
My sound has always been high energy, whether I’m spinning at a tea dance, primetime or after hours. I transition songs into each other so heavily that it keeps the energy constantly elevated. My brand of visceral house music is a blend of deep, pounding sound, larger-than-life vocals and vast & volumeous instrumentals. I spin a blend of house/top 40/after hours/tribal/progressive (and even a sprinkle of trance at times), while maintaining a signature sound that is easily identifiable as my own. I literally spend hours each day scouring the internet to keep my finger on the pulse of what is fresh, energetic and exciting and I never limit myself to specific DJ’s, styles, genres or geographic regions.
How did it feel to be Named one of Out.com’s “Top 10 DJs You Should Know”?
It was amazing, especially so early on in my career. I feel really honored that they saw something in my DJ style that they felt was worth putting me in the top 10 among such other talented DJ’s.
What has the DJ scene In San Francisco been like since you started there?
I love the music scene in SF. I don’t know many cities that can have a huge dance party every week. It wasn’t as frequent when I moved here but lately it’s been an explosion of awesome dance venues and events. People in SF live for great house music.
Tell me about the process of you creating your monthy circuit party “Chaos”?
It started when BeatBox, a new club that opened in the heart of the SOMA district in 2011, asked me about promoting for them, something I had no experience with. However, I do know music. I have always been pretty good at telling what songs go with what genre of event and at what time. My vision for Chaos is to keep it simple with the focus placed squarely on the music. I literally spend hours every day scouring the internet for trends in music and I watch closely for the DJ’s that play the non-stop, high-energy style that we require at Chaos. Some of the DJ’s we have featured have never played in San Francisco (or even the U.S.) before but I’ve built a reputation for Chaos that the music is always good, no matter what, and the crowd comes, whether they are familiar with the DJ or not.
Each month we spotlight each DJ with amazing sound, fantastic lighting and hot dancers, all geared to make it obvious from the second you walk in the door that you are simply there to dance all night. I further ensure consistent music by opening and closing the event myself each month. This way, the crowd gets the best of the headlining DJ (for three hours) and the energy rarely drops. Chaos has been a runaway success and that has allowed me the opportunity to work with amazing new upcoming talent, as well as seasoned artists. It’s been nothing short of an amazing experience.
What’s your opinion on DJ’s like DeadMau5, Skrillex and David Guetta for instance. Do you think they are sell outs because of how big they got?
I wouldn’t call them a sell out. I’ve seen DJ’s of all styles and walks of life make songs for artists that are just as diverse. I never judge other DJ’s choices because if people enjoy their music enough to go hear them, then kudos to them. I personally always spin my sets live and I have no clue what I’m going to play beforehand. I let the crowd help guide me on the journey.
Is there an artist or DJ you would love to work with and why?
I love dance diva Maya Simantov’s voice and would love to work with her. My boyfriend would appreciate me adding Mariah Carey, who does have an outstanding voice. As for DJ’s, there are so many I would like to work with that it would be hard to name them all. My previously named influences would be a good start. Who knows what will happen in the near future but I can dream.
What, in your opinion, is the “Jaxx Attack” experience?
Haha! The Jaxx Attack experience would best be described as simply having so much fun that you can barely leave the dance floor to go to the bathroom. You go out to the club to forget your worries and just take out your stress on the dance floor. I want to feed you energy. I dance, I sing along and feel the energy the songs are giving the crowd and I push harder to get them even more excited. At the end of the night, I just want people to leave feeling that they had a fantastic night and the time flew by.
What are your plans for 2013 and beyond?
I’ve started working on creating original mixes and remixes and hope to have my first one out this year. That’s my primary focus as I realize it’s a necessary next step to take my career to the next level. Other than that, I will continue to regularly produce my trademark mashups, reworks, and edits. We have some great DJ’s planned for Chaos this year and I’m also starting a new residency at 1202 in San Diego called Pump’d, where we’ll be trying to bring more of a circuit sound to the city. I’ll also be headlining CLIMAXX, the annual after hours party I produce to close out the Folsom weekend in San Francisco. Also, I’m producing and headlining a new event this year called Ascent that will be a high energy after hours party to close out the SF Pride weekend.
What is the one facet you want your audience to know about you more than anything and why?
I love my job. Anyone who comes out to hear me DJ knows there is no question that I love what I do and I work very hard to give everyone a great night every time, no matter where I spin. I can’t stop smiling the whole night and it’s probably the happiest people ever see me. I live to be a DJ.