DJ Willyum, a regular at Phoenix Bar & Nightclub: 'I enjoy interacting with the crowd'
Sun. October 13, 2019 8:57 AM by Ross Forman
Justin Reeves went to the legendary, long-running B96 SummerBash in 2003, his first-ever concert, with DJ Flipside working his magic. Reeves was hooked. "(Flipside) made me think. 'I want to do that someday.'"
Flash-forward to 2019. Reeves is the real-life DJ Willyum, who spins at Phoenix Bar & Nightclub, Wally's Bar and Atmosphere Bar.
Reeves, 31, live in: Lake In The Hills and has DJ'd on the Phoenix Bar float in the Chicago Pride Parade and at the Woodstock (Illinois) Pride Glow at DC Cobbs 2019, among other noteworthy events.
He was born in suburban Elmhurst, then moved to Waupaca, Wisconsin. He returned to the Chicago area after graduating high school in 2006.
"I've always liked music and art, and the small-town upbringing has kept me grounded in the big-city life. I'm able to see both sides of life, and the music and culture that pair with both. It's a gift that enables me to tailor my music to my audience," he said.
"The Chicago Pride Parade (was amazing) ... seeing over a million people having a great time celebrating and enjoying the music, jumping up and down as we (drove) past (them).
"I enjoy interacting with the crowd. I have been a resident DJ for many years and more recently I've been doing gigs/shows at various nightspots around Chicago and surrounding states."
He started his own mobile DJ business last year, with his own equipment. "That's enabled me to really expand into places that don't have everything needed to put on a show and offer top-notch sound and lighting," he said. "I do a lot of my own promoting as well. When I have an event coming up, I create the ad that really pops and share it with the venue so we can promote together. My goal is to make it in a win-win for myself and the venue. I've matured and become more comfortable in my career, so I can breakout and showcase my talents at some of the bigger music fests and events."
Reeves tagged Deadmau5 as his favorite musical act and he recently attended a Dua Lipa concert – "I really like her musical style, lots of energy paired with incredible vocal talent."
DJ Willyum's first DJ gig was at a small bar called, Courtside, in Waupaca, Wisconsin. And yes, he was nervous, very nervous.
"That gig came from a bar manager attending a house party I was doing," Reeves said. "She asked if I'd like to DJ at her bar. After that I heard a song at Hunter's, (as Phoenix was formerly known), the manager asked if I could ask the DJ (Lawrence K) what song it was; this was before Shazam, mind you. The DJ wrote the song down and I still have that paper, to this day. I ended up doing lights for him and he showed me the ropes as a DJ. I soon got a night of my own at Hunter's."
DJ Willyum said the key to DJ success is staying relevant, and listening to relevant music has really helped. "I keep abreast of top 40 (songs); I listen to a bit of country in the car; I love hip-hop and my real joy is Tech House. I enjoy that trial sort of beat and the energy that (it) can create in a crowd.
"I've also stepped out of my comfort zone. I did a 1980s party at a club in Detroit, and I wasn't even '80s, so I had a limited recognition of the music besides the classic disco hits.
"You really have to study and prepare for an event like that, and that took weeks reading recommendations, listening to samples and putting together play-lists. I've also grown by being prepared – with redundant equipment, extra cables, extra mics, and a back-up computer and mixer. I treat every event like I'm performing for a room full of critics and aim for perfection."
Admittedly, Reeves wasn't always DJ-driven. Growing up, he wanted to be a fighter pilot or nurse.
But yes, he's doing quite well in the DJ booth.
"My style is open format," he said. "I suppose we all have our specialty or particular type of music we love. I'd have to say mine is, house. Artists such as Dom Dolla, Chus & Ceballos, Ralphi Rosario and Paul Johnson have really captivated me. But I think my style is to play from the heart. I listen to hundreds of tracks before every event and feel it, like literally, I feel it. The hair on my arms sometimes raises up and I say, 'That's it ... that's the shit!'
"I play to the crowd. A packed dance floor is the best sight for any DJ. I like it loud and I like the audience to feel the music and the bass. I really like mash-ups, too."
Reeves has brought his craft to weddings and boat parties, not just clubs.
"One time I was going boating with friends, (so) I decided to bring sound and a generator and do a show on the lake," Reeves said. "I played dance/EDM versions of top 40 (songs). The sun was shining on a Chain of Lakes in Wisconsin. I did an impromptu show on the sandbar. Dozens of boats were there and people had a blast playing and dancing in the water. That's the type of events that really get me going and keep me wanting more out of this career."
Reeves said, yes, it definitely is different DJing in Chicago versus the suburbs, where they tend to like a more rock 'n roll style and often request older music and classics. The city crowd will often request cutting-edge brand-new music or even songs I haven't yet discovered, he said.
Now Spinning ... DJ Willyum
Idols or Role-models: DJ Ron G, Lawrence K, DJ Flipside, Deadmau5, Paul Johnson, Ralphi Rosario, Steven Redant, Amine Edge, Low Steppa and Dom Dolla.
Personally Speaking: "I love to have fun. If I'm not laughing out loud every day, then I'm doing something wrong. I joke around and (truly) try to be the life of the party. I'm a very visual person. I watch people, their expressions, their mannerisms, and aim to make those around me happy. I love photography. I'll be walking in a park and see a puddle of water on the ground, I see the reflections in the water and I'll stop to take a picture of it. I really like to just be creative."
Short-term Goals: "Continue to explore music, to create some of my own music possibly."
Long-term Goals: "Grow as a DJ and play some big events. Share music with as many people as possible."
Flash-forward to 2019. Reeves is the real-life DJ Willyum, who spins at Phoenix Bar & Nightclub, Wally's Bar and Atmosphere Bar.
Reeves, 31, live in: Lake In The Hills and has DJ'd on the Phoenix Bar float in the Chicago Pride Parade and at the Woodstock (Illinois) Pride Glow at DC Cobbs 2019, among other noteworthy events.
He was born in suburban Elmhurst, then moved to Waupaca, Wisconsin. He returned to the Chicago area after graduating high school in 2006.
"I've always liked music and art, and the small-town upbringing has kept me grounded in the big-city life. I'm able to see both sides of life, and the music and culture that pair with both. It's a gift that enables me to tailor my music to my audience," he said.
"The Chicago Pride Parade (was amazing) ... seeing over a million people having a great time celebrating and enjoying the music, jumping up and down as we (drove) past (them).
"I enjoy interacting with the crowd. I have been a resident DJ for many years and more recently I've been doing gigs/shows at various nightspots around Chicago and surrounding states."
He started his own mobile DJ business last year, with his own equipment. "That's enabled me to really expand into places that don't have everything needed to put on a show and offer top-notch sound and lighting," he said. "I do a lot of my own promoting as well. When I have an event coming up, I create the ad that really pops and share it with the venue so we can promote together. My goal is to make it in a win-win for myself and the venue. I've matured and become more comfortable in my career, so I can breakout and showcase my talents at some of the bigger music fests and events."
Reeves tagged Deadmau5 as his favorite musical act and he recently attended a Dua Lipa concert – "I really like her musical style, lots of energy paired with incredible vocal talent."
DJ Willyum's first DJ gig was at a small bar called, Courtside, in Waupaca, Wisconsin. And yes, he was nervous, very nervous.
"That gig came from a bar manager attending a house party I was doing," Reeves said. "She asked if I'd like to DJ at her bar. After that I heard a song at Hunter's, (as Phoenix was formerly known), the manager asked if I could ask the DJ (Lawrence K) what song it was; this was before Shazam, mind you. The DJ wrote the song down and I still have that paper, to this day. I ended up doing lights for him and he showed me the ropes as a DJ. I soon got a night of my own at Hunter's."
DJ Willyum said the key to DJ success is staying relevant, and listening to relevant music has really helped. "I keep abreast of top 40 (songs); I listen to a bit of country in the car; I love hip-hop and my real joy is Tech House. I enjoy that trial sort of beat and the energy that (it) can create in a crowd.
"I've also stepped out of my comfort zone. I did a 1980s party at a club in Detroit, and I wasn't even '80s, so I had a limited recognition of the music besides the classic disco hits.
"You really have to study and prepare for an event like that, and that took weeks reading recommendations, listening to samples and putting together play-lists. I've also grown by being prepared – with redundant equipment, extra cables, extra mics, and a back-up computer and mixer. I treat every event like I'm performing for a room full of critics and aim for perfection."
Admittedly, Reeves wasn't always DJ-driven. Growing up, he wanted to be a fighter pilot or nurse.
But yes, he's doing quite well in the DJ booth.
"My style is open format," he said. "I suppose we all have our specialty or particular type of music we love. I'd have to say mine is, house. Artists such as Dom Dolla, Chus & Ceballos, Ralphi Rosario and Paul Johnson have really captivated me. But I think my style is to play from the heart. I listen to hundreds of tracks before every event and feel it, like literally, I feel it. The hair on my arms sometimes raises up and I say, 'That's it ... that's the shit!'
"I play to the crowd. A packed dance floor is the best sight for any DJ. I like it loud and I like the audience to feel the music and the bass. I really like mash-ups, too."
Reeves has brought his craft to weddings and boat parties, not just clubs.
"One time I was going boating with friends, (so) I decided to bring sound and a generator and do a show on the lake," Reeves said. "I played dance/EDM versions of top 40 (songs). The sun was shining on a Chain of Lakes in Wisconsin. I did an impromptu show on the sandbar. Dozens of boats were there and people had a blast playing and dancing in the water. That's the type of events that really get me going and keep me wanting more out of this career."
Reeves said, yes, it definitely is different DJing in Chicago versus the suburbs, where they tend to like a more rock 'n roll style and often request older music and classics. The city crowd will often request cutting-edge brand-new music or even songs I haven't yet discovered, he said.
Now Spinning ... DJ Willyum
Idols or Role-models: DJ Ron G, Lawrence K, DJ Flipside, Deadmau5, Paul Johnson, Ralphi Rosario, Steven Redant, Amine Edge, Low Steppa and Dom Dolla.
Personally Speaking: "I love to have fun. If I'm not laughing out loud every day, then I'm doing something wrong. I joke around and (truly) try to be the life of the party. I'm a very visual person. I watch people, their expressions, their mannerisms, and aim to make those around me happy. I love photography. I'll be walking in a park and see a puddle of water on the ground, I see the reflections in the water and I'll stop to take a picture of it. I really like to just be creative."
Short-term Goals: "Continue to explore music, to create some of my own music possibly."
Long-term Goals: "Grow as a DJ and play some big events. Share music with as many people as possible."