Be sure to wear as little as you can stand to Agitator, FFN5 weekend’s biggest party event, on Sat, Jul 21 because The Opera House will be dark, gritty, hot and sweaty.
Hot, sweaty and nearly naked is a perfect way to introduce this year’s headline DJ. Hailing from New York, the filthy gorgeous Scotty Thomson was late off the block but rose quickly up the ranks of the nightclub and party circuit.
“I didn’t get started as a DJ until later in life, around 2001,” says the 33-year-old Thomson. “Throughout the years my friends would always ask me to bring my music to parties. Late-night table dancing to my CDs in college and my car being nicknamed the ‘party taxi’ were pretty good precursors to my future.”
Influenced by such legends as Victor Calderone, Chad Jack and Danny Tenaglia, Thomson loves DJs who think of records as musical instruments and the DJ booth as a stage.
“A DJ should work in the booth, not just play records back-to-back,” he says. “I also try to get out and hear as many other DJs as I can. I learn something new every time I hear another DJ.”
Thomson passes what he learns onto his crowds.
“There is always some new trick to figure out,” he says. “I don’t think DJs should ever be comfortable with the fact that they can beat-match well. I always try to push myself beyond my skills. Sometimes this works really well and sometimes I make big mistakes, but in the end I’m happy. I try and keep learning. Beyond that, I feel like I’m increasingly able to succeed in getting my thoughts out of my head and onto the dancefloor simply because I have more experience.”
Thomson doesn’t like to label his music. He’d rather keep people guessing.
“Experimentation is key,” he says. “I like to test the waters and see what the crowd is looking for. In some cities one track might get the crowd crazy, while in others it might clear the floor. Many times I try to sample or mix in tidbits of songs to see if they respond well. If not, I know the whole thing won’t work. I think the most important thing to do, especially if most of the crowd hasn’t heard you before, is to reassure them that you’re going to stick with the groove you have.”
Trends on the dancefloor change as fast as tastes in designer wear, but Thomson sees a resurgence in the popularity of house music.
“For a few years hip hop and pop infiltrated most of the gay bars and small clubs,” he says. “People lost sight of the soul of house and the interest in the DJ. Electro has been crazy the last couple of years, but deeper, true house has been working brilliantly. People have been eating up some of the ghetto house I’ve been digging up.”
Known for expanding kink and fetish beyond mere leather and latex, the dress code for Agitator emphasizes sports gear, BMX and motocross. Thomson has been known to spin in a Speedo on occasion, so how naked will he be for the event?
“I have a huge underwear and swimwear fetish,” Thomson says. “I just got back from two weeks in Brazil with a whole backpack full of amazing swimsuits, all quite tight and revealing. You know how they like ’em down there. Sticking to the leather and fetish idea of the party, I’m gonna figure out some way to integrate both.”
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