DJs as Placemakers
Let me set the cue point here by saying, I have the unique opportunity to work within a specific geographic place for my day job within Memphis’ Medical District, as well as the chance to travel across the country as a touring DJ. Without some context, the two jobs may feel disparate, but the heart behind them is the same: a love for finding what makes a place both unique and good, and how I play a part in honoring that.
There are a few things are happening within our culture that make this conversation feel important, relevant, and hopefully fun:
The formalization of “placemaking” as a concept, and often a career opportunity in our current landscape.
The lack of a sense of place in our built environment.
Some examples of how this manifests is the proliferation of music festivals in almost every city and region within the United States, and how DJs play a role in curating a sense of place.
The resurgence of the disk jockey in popular culture.
All throughout music venues, community events, and social media we see how popular DJ culture is in a variety of forms.
Placemaking and placekeeping (of which I’ll use interchangeably), has been happening for all of time. We’ve always shared stories about what happened, and what people made it happen within a prominent space. Moreover, we’ve recently seen countless communities adopt place-based strategies to attract talent, increase investment, and actualize economic gains (even the UK government established an Office for Place in 2021). But before we had our modern digital marketing strategies and fancy viral slogans, it was the DJ that was gathering artists and people in a common, public space to experience the environment and gain a sense of place and freedom. It has long been the tandem mission of both the DJ and emcee to put on for their neighborhood and city, even with all of the challenges within that place.
DJs occupy an important cultural space. It is the goal of most musical artists to entertain fans by sharing their story and perspective, but DJs have a specific duty to curate a set based on the specific place they are within, and let the dance floor become the focal point. Similar to those that have placemaker in their title, the objective is to magnify the voice of people within a place and to take a backseat to personal gain for the enjoyment of the collective community. I typically don’t measure my success as a DJ and placemaker based on the personal metrics gained, but rather how well I can help tell the stories of other people and places.
When I’m planning for an event and activation as a DJ, I typically ask myself (and others) these questions:
What people have done the most to contribute to the artistic space of this community?
What is a track, artist, or cultural element that would be primarily appreciated within this community?
How can I honor this place and put a spotlight on the people that made it what it is today?
If I were approaching a similar event or planning activity with “placemaker” in my title, I would likely be asking the same questions: What people have made this place what it is today, and how can my work compliment their dedication and efforts?
Just this weekend, I was showing a local restaurateur a space within Memphis’ Edge District, and as a veteran DJ he couldn’t help but reminisce about the parties that used to be thrown within the neighborhood. Even the real estate broker had to chime in about what used to go down in this specific place, and the fun that was had, as well as the opportunity that still exists within the place. I couldn’t help but think that if this entrepreneur had not enjoyed many evenings creating a sacred space for other people decades ago, he wouldn’t be drawn to creating the same thing today in a slightly different context. DJs partner seamlessly with the built environment to put on display the potential within a given place. Whether the stage is a park or parking lot, warehouse or iconic venue, we’re showing up alongside you to bring the people and the party.
In conclusion, I write this partially as a nod to my fellow DJs, and partially to those who have been creating a sense of place for decades. I have to think these placekeepers rarely realized the impact they had on a neighborhood, district, or city, but their multifaceted artistry paved the way for many other concepts and people. Oftentimes we find the most valuable keepers of place in the most unlikely spaces: our barbershops, front porches, and DJ booths. With that, cheers to all of the DJs, artists, and placemakers who continue to do the work out of passion for place. Cheers to the Kool Herc’s of the Bronx, Jared Boyd’s and Capital A’s of Memphis, and the future generations using the power of sound and story for neighborhoods across the world.
Peace,
–Travis
