DJ Janky becomes Hydrate's newest resident DJ, debuts 'Social House Friday', July 23

Cenk Duman, the popular DJ known on the local scene as Janky, started his residency at Hydrate Nightclub in Lakeview this past March – and he's set to spin at the Lakeview club on Friday night, July 23, for 'Social House.'

“I'm so grateful to become a part of the Hydrate team. Being brought on as a resident DJ was a huge opportunity to finally share my music with my community in the North Halsted neighborhood. Hydrate was one of the first dance clubs I experienced when I turned 21, so it's full circle for me,” said Janky, 29, who has been a DJ for six years and a DJ in clubs for the last three years.

He will be at Hydrate at least every three weekends and other times too, when invited.

“I've been a regular at Hydrate for years. I've been friends with lots of the staff and management; I've DJ'd there in the past and one day the general manager shot me a message, extending an offer to become a resident.

“I ecstatically said, 'Yes.'”

Janky said the residency gig does not come with added pressure – rather, the opposite.

“Getting booked there as a guest was pretty nerve-wracking, as it was a one-time thing and you really had to over-think to do your absolute best,” he said. “Being a resident now, I'm much more comfortable in the DJ booth because it feels like home.

“The DJ booth is truly like home to me. I get to see all the smiling faces and sweaty patrons, dancing shoulder to shoulder from my birds-eye view.”

Janky said his favorite Hydrate gig was, well, not too long ago.

It was, the first Saturday night, in early June, with a full dance floor post-pandemic.

“It was such an exciting experience to finally play for a full dance floor for the first time in over a year,” said Janky, whose sound ranges from deep tech to minimal, from house to techno, from tribal to deep house. “I'm able to switch things up pretty seamlessly to feel out the room and set the mood for whatever I feel is necessary to keep the party going.”

Related: GoPride.com events calendar