Not many things in the world rival that feeling of going crazy on the dance floor with some incredible music. Although some might say people don’t go out to dance as much as they used to. The UO community is here to change that.
At 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21, the UO Music and Concerts team will put on The Silent Disco in the EMU Redwood Auditorium. The event is free to everyone, including non-students.
One of the most unique musical experiences, a silent disco is an event where people dance to live DJ sets with a twist: everyone listens through Bluetooth headphones the event provides. The Silent Disco on Friday will feature three DJ sets performing all at the same time, and you choose which DJ you want to listen to by switching channels on your headphones — a musical choose your own adventure, if you will.
Kendall Porter, the chair of UO Music and Concerts, said the university has not had a silent disco in years. In fact, the Willamette Valley Music Festival used to be UO Concerts’ only focus as far as throwing music events until about five years ago when the team decided to branch out
With far fewer COVID-related social restrictions this year, Porter knew it was time to try something new that students would love.
“We realized that DJs in the community have not really been represented through our programming,” she said. “It was definitely a genre that we wanted to start throwing events with — they all have awesome music and there’s so many of them.”
The Silent Disco will feature three concurrent DJ sets, including UO graduate DJ Pavhi, current UO senior DJ WRLCK and Noche Libre, a Latinx DJ collective coming from Portland that consists of DJ Mami Miami and DJ Lapaushi.
DJ WRLCK, otherwise known as Noah Jamieson, kickstarted his career during quarantine when he purchased his first DJ deck, a Pioneer DJ DDJ-200, for $100 off Craigslist. With a deep admiration for the European house and garage scene, he decided to try his hand in the craft. After more than two years honing his skills and gaining confidence, he’s become a regular performer doing shows in the local area, with The Silent Disco next on his lineup.
“That first time you’re playing at a party, people really get into it,” he said, “and that’s when you’re like ‘oh okay, maybe I’m starting to get good at this.’”
As for performing and curating mixes live, Jamieson is not a strict planner. While it’s important to stay true to one’s style and personalized sound, a major aspect of DJing is having the keen ability to play for the crowd.
“I feel like so much of being a DJ is being a crowd pleaser,” he said. “You kind of have to read what people are going to like, what they’re not, when to throw things in. You have to find the balance of playing what you feel is authentic to your sound, but also something that’s fun that people are going to enjoy.”
DJs such as Tommy Holohan, Mall Grab and DJ BORING remain Jamieson’s core inspiration for the sound he tries to emulate in his mixes. As for The Silent Disco, he plans to incorporate a lot of house music of many styles, as well as some techno, garage and even some of his own remixes. No matter what he plays, DJ WRLCK wants you to let loose on the dance floor.
“One of the reasons that I wanted to start DJing is that I was tired of people not dancing anymore,” he said. “We gotta bring dancing back. I want people to feel happy. I just want to make people feel the groove, like I want people to get moving.”
The event is all about having a good time with your friends, Porter said. With dancing as a dying activity in local nightlife, The Silent Disco is a chance to bring that experience back.
“There’s not a ton of places to go and genuinely dance in Eugene,” Porter said. “I think that’s something that we as humans kind of miss. There’s something about it — dancing is so fun.”
If the event is a success, UO Concerts hopes to incorporate as a potential an annual event.
“Listening to a really good song or a really good mix and dancing with a bunch of your friends is honestly one of the best feelings in the entire world,” Jamieson said. “Just like the euphoria you feel from like really feeling the beat and the groove of a song. Music makes you lose control.”
