Not so long ago, in a galaxy about five miles outside downtown Indianapolis at the Speedway VFW Post #2839 . . . the ladies of Trinidad Traxx (Darla Kogan | Founder and Lea Kogan | Executive Administrator), threw an intergalactic birthday bash that was an out of this world good time.
The VFW may not be the first place you think of for a rave or party, but this event space has some serious perks. The staff are kind and friendly with prompt service, they have affordable food and beverage options, a large space for dancing, secure parking, a quarter pool table, and plenty of seating avaiable for those with tired legs. VFW offers many important programs for veterans and their families, so you can sleep well knowing that you’re supporting a good cause. The VFW mission: “To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.”
Lady L kicked off the evening with an all vinyl birthday set, showing off her newly refurbished Technic SL1200 M3Ds. (Shout out to Deckademics DJ School) Along with her trusty Pioneer DJM600, DJ Lady L provides an all analog sound, an increasing rarity in today’s electronic music scene.
Lady L has been collecting and spinning vinyl since 1999. She first got her feet wet in the Indianapolis electronic music scene as CrystalSky Productions by hosting ‘Synergy’ with co-host Unified Groove in Muncie. From there, she took on the persona of DJ Layha and played at events like ‘Get Laid’ and ‘Snap, Crackle, Pop’. Her performance at ‘Tri-State Love’ in Ohio, marked her first time on stage in the state.
Another important event in her journey was ‘Rock the Arts Park’, where she faced the challenge of dealing with the loss of a loved one. This event was a turning point for her, showcasing her strength and dedication to her craft.
Trinidad Traxx invited her back to Ohio for ‘Sinister Solstice’ as DJ Lady L, and later for ‘Down & Dirty: ReDuex’; further solidifying her presence in the scene. From track selection to implementation, DJ Lady L perfectly set the tone for the evening. She busted out fun and vibey tracks with well thought out transitions that had heads bobbing and toes tapping as soon as people came through the door.
DJSauceWaltzn came in next and wasted no time kicking things into high gear with high energy Electro and Breaks. His underground sound transported me back to a time of warehouses, glowsticks, and a lower back that didn’t ache so much. DJSauceWaltzn is a dynamic fun filled ride full of old school vibes and good times. Formerly known as DjDementia, is coming to us from Cincinnati OH. DJSauceWaltzn has been DJing since the late 90’s, however life took him in a different direction that demanded his time and attention, as life often does.
But the passion for the music and the craft never dimmed. In 2020 the opportunity to pursue his passion arose and he slowly began to wade back into the waters of the rave scene again. DJSauceWaltzn has done an amazing job of adapting to today’s sound while keeping those warehouse vibes.
Whether you are a veteran raver or a fresh faced first timer, you can get down with the DJSauceWaltzn sound.
This set was a long time coming for Spike Heart. I talked with him a little about coming in and out of DJing over the last 24 years and I’m using this opprotunity to give Spike Heart his well deserved flowers. Spike retired from his vinyl days in 2007, only to pick it back up in 2016 after things went digital. From 2016 to 2020, he had dropped 20 mixtapes proving his skills across multiple genres, from House to Techno, to even Industrial music. Spike had also been broadcasting livestreams on social media and now defunct internet radio station KLST in that timespace, later using the radio station to promote DJs from all across the world on his “Graveyard Radio” banner.
In 2020, Spike was finally ready to make his debut in front of a dance floor having his name being published on 2 flyers for the shows that didn’t happen due to the pandemic. 4 years, 2 hard drive crashes, a divorce, and a career change later, Spike had finally put himself in a space to make that long awaited comeback, and boy was it worth the wait! I believe it was risky business and a challenging task to go with such a genre change, knowing how dark some of Spike’s techno could get. For as long as I have known him, Spike Heart has always had an edge of opinion and a story to tell. So, knowing all of this, if you were thinking he was not going to absolutely bring it, then you would be dead wrong. At first things started with more of a darker type Tech-House vibe on his tracks, starting out with the Dennis Cruz track ‘Mad’ that features sampled audio from the 1976 film ‘The Network’ that has a ‘media is the opiate of the masses’ kind of message. He then proceeded to bless us all by dropping that stunning NIN Tech-House remix of ‘Head Like a Hole’ as well as that beautiful Bootleg of Tool’s ‘Schism’ by Entel. You can hear the cheers of approval in the video below we copped from Tally G.
This is how Spike hooked us all in before he made use of flowing transitions to easily guide listeners to a dark and brooding, deep and driving set of scathing Techno tracks! He did not miss a beat in doing so.
Spike continued his narrative dropping Romario Lopez’s remix of Pleasurekraft’s “Corpse Reviver Number 1″. This track featuring another bleak commentary. It was not all doom and gloom however, Spike was asked to extend is set for an extra 10 minutes to which he turned to the crowd and shouted, ” They want me to play longer, are you guys cool with that?” All the patrons in the rooms yelled with a roaring cheer before he dropped another bootleg. This time, a versions of Lords of Acid’s hit ‘Pussy’ to gleeful cheers.
They say good things come in small packages and when it comes to Tally G it definitely holds true. Her bright, up beat and downright bubbly personality may lull you into thinking that her set may have the same kind of vibe. But this Regular Sized Rudeboy (per her amazing stickers) packs a serious punch more akin to the feeling of an oncoming storm.
Her set was a whirlwind tour of the subgenres of Jungle and Drum and Bass. Tally G balances power with an elegant hand. Through her use of long transitions and well planned phrasing, I found myself enjoying tracks that on their own I would have normally considered too hard for my ear. Coming all the way from San Diego, CA, Tally G has residencies with various music collectives and record labels across the United States.
These include Boomslang Recordings (USDNB), Siren Project (NYC), Luna Wave Collective (CA), Proper Chicago, The Distinguished (CO), Syncopationdnb (AZ), and THC Kru (USDNB). It also includes the San Diego offshoot of our very own NAP DNB, SAN DNB that is headed by Aaron Schaffer. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for (and is a founding member of), Siren Project.
The headliner for the evening was Indianapolis vinyl legend DJ TopSpeed. Known for his excellence in Hip Hop and turntable wizardry, DJ TopSpeed is the genuine article. If you truly love or have and respect for this culture then you are doing yourself a disservice by not seeing, studying, and appreciating his skills.
Take note kids, these are your roots! In a day in age where big festivals allow their performers the option to play pre-recorded sets with no disclosure to attendees, all while charging you exorbinate ticket prices, true talent and skill the likes of DJ TopSpeed are sadly in the minority. One might even argue it is the systematic erosion of the roots of electronic music culture.
From flawless transitions to next level scratching techniques DJ TopSpeed laid down a truly immaculate and unforgettable set. He laid down classic tracks like ‘Rock the Funky Beats’ by Natural Born Chillers that had the B Boys breaking, as well as more recent tracks like ‘25 Lighters’ by Lil’ Keke that got the crowd singing along and getting down.
DJ TopSpeed has been perfecting his art since1985. He has competed in numerous DJ battle championships including the Red Bull 3Style, a DJ competition focused on versatility and technique, in 2015. He currently holds multiple rotating residencies throughout the city, has his own mural on Mass Ave in Indianapolis, and is an instructor at Deckademics DJ school in Indianapolis.
This living legend is in our backyard and you can see his artistry throughout the city on various nights of the week, and often for free. Keep that in mind when buying your next big festival ticket.
A huge “Thank you!’ to Trinidad Traxx for putting this event together and sharing your co birthday celebration with us. This LGBTQ/women owned and founded promotional talent agency was founded in 2000 with a mission to “encourage Unity in the Global Dance Village, utilizing the most UniverSoul Language…Music.” You can follow them on Instagram and on Facebook to find out more about upcoming events and all the other shenanigans they get up to.