DJ Deanne bring her distinctive sounds to Market Days, Sunday, Aug. 11
Thu. August 8, 2024 8:58 AM by Ross Forman
dj deanne
photo credit // provided
‘Every time I play in Chicago, the energy is through the roof,’ says DJ Deanne
The atmosphere is what stands out to DJ Deanne when she stands in front of packed dancefloor, her distinctive sounds leading the charge.
“Every time I play in Chicago, the energy is through the roof. I have too many good memories to count, to be honest,” said Deanne, a Tampa, Florida resident who has carried the DJ title since 2001. “One of my recent gigs that stands out was the Sunday House Collective night at Hydrate Nightclub during ARC Festival weekend two years ago. I was able to dive into more of a tech/techno sound than usual. The room was packed with house heads, the walls were sweating and the vibe electric.
“Hydrate was one of the first venues that I played at post-COVID after I had made a shift in my sound. They gave me the latitude to be myself and deliver the music that truly defines me. I’ll never forget how validating and supportive that made me feel and still does. The Chicago crowd gets me. And that’s dope because they know their shit.”
DJ Deanne is back in Chicago for the annual Northalsted Market Days. The popular DJ will be on the ViiV Dance Stage, powered by Hydrate Nightclub, on Sunday, August 11. Her set starts at 5:30 p.m.
“Market Days is a destination party weekend and has been for some time. It’s just such a vibrant gathering of all kinds of people, celebrating and sharing good vibes. It’s one of my favorite events to attend for sure,” said Deanne, a resident DJ at Hydrate, thus, her sounds pump through the Lakeview club at least four times per year.
Her last gig at Hydrate was in June.
“Chicago is a home away from home for me and feels like I return to my family. I'm super excited to feel the love again,” she said. “This will be my second time playing the outdoor stage and I am pumped for my Sunday slot on the Hydrate stage, along with Nick Stracener and Nina Flowers. It’s going to be lit from the get!”
Deanne said her set will feature surprises, energy, new sounds and good vibes.
“I am a house music DJ,” she said. “For much of my career, I have played circuit sounds, but during the pandemic I stepped away from the typical circuit beats and returned to my house foundation. I work to keep the audience engaged and excited to hear a fresh take on a club night or big party and inspire them to really dance.”
DJ Deanne has a few residencies across the U.S., including Xion in Atlanta and Hydrate Nightclub, plus Masterbeat, Brüt, Eagle Wilton Manors and Eagle NYC.
“I don’t think there are many (DJing memories) that can hold a candle to playing at Space on the Terrace with a packed room for Winter Party several years ago. All the greats have played there and you can feel that history when you’re in that booth,” she said.
DJ Deanne came out in her mid-20s and moved to Tampa at the time, which is when she started going to clubs. “This was in the late 1990s, so I was hearing all those yummy house tunes, along with the big room mixes from Thunderpuss, Hex Hector, Junior Vasquez and so on. I was hooked,” she said. “I started acquiring all the music that I was hearing. I moved back to Indiana in 1999 to go back to school and started bartending at a small gay club called Bullwinkle’s. The DJs at the bar used to let me practice on the turntables before we opened. Eventually, I would play afterhours parties with all my friends, learning with an audience but without pressure. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was playing at that small gay bar in Indiana. It wasn’t until a few years later, when I was considering grad school, that I had a transformative DJ experience that changed my entire trajectory. I knew pretty much on that day grad school was out and DJ Deanne was a real thing.”
Her first gig as a DJ was a Monday night drag show at that small Indiana gay bar.
“I would play one hour before the shows started, about 30 minutes between each show, and two hours after the shows were over. Virtually no one was there except for my 10 friends on that first night,” she said. “I’m sure I train-wrecked more than once. But the very first track I ever played was the Francois K and Eric Kupper mix of ‘Forever More’ by Moloko. The memory is still fresh after all these years.”
THE SOUNDS OF … DJ Deanne
Inspiration: “Pushing boundaries and my commitment to being on the forefront of the evolution of the sound of our scene.”
Favorite DJs: Mark Knight, Chus, David Tort, David Penn, Nicole Moudaber and Mochakk
Three DJs To Watch: Josh Ruiz, Brady Prince and Karsten Sollors
A Good DJ: “Passion, humility, respect for the audience, respect for the pioneers of the industry, taking risks, having fun, a diverse and broad music library and a love for the music and the craft.”
Drinking In The DJ Booth: “I recently made the switch to Casamigos and soda, maybe one sugar free Red Bull and lots of water.”
Favorite Actor: Steve Martin, Robin Williams and Gene Wilder. Plus, Kate Winslet, Viola Davis and Emma Stone.
Favorite TV Shows: The Bear, Handmaid's Tail, Loot and Game of Thrones
Favorite Movies: True Lies, Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Marvel.
Favorite Sport: “I don’t really have time to play sports these days, but I used to play softball, basketball, golf and flag football. I was a bit of a jock.”
Hobbies: Bicycle riding, cooking, traveling and pool time
Little-known Fact: “I could say my ABC's backward before I could say them forward. I still can!”
If I wasn’t a DJ … “I would probably be a chef. I really love to cook.”
Boxers or Briefs: “For a while, it was neither. But a good low waist panty or brief is my jam. Comfort is key.”
The 42nd annual Northalsted Market Days, which is organized by the Northalsted Business Alliance, runs Saturday, Aug. 10 and Sunday Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. along N. Halsted St. from Addison St. south to Belmont Ave.
A $20 suggested donation is recommended. Donations support local nonprofits and fund community projects like the Chicago Pride Crosswalks. A $50 VIP Pass with express entry is available for purchase at northalsted.com.
“Every time I play in Chicago, the energy is through the roof. I have too many good memories to count, to be honest,” said Deanne, a Tampa, Florida resident who has carried the DJ title since 2001. “One of my recent gigs that stands out was the Sunday House Collective night at Hydrate Nightclub during ARC Festival weekend two years ago. I was able to dive into more of a tech/techno sound than usual. The room was packed with house heads, the walls were sweating and the vibe electric.
“Hydrate was one of the first venues that I played at post-COVID after I had made a shift in my sound. They gave me the latitude to be myself and deliver the music that truly defines me. I’ll never forget how validating and supportive that made me feel and still does. The Chicago crowd gets me. And that’s dope because they know their shit.”
DJ Deanne is back in Chicago for the annual Northalsted Market Days. The popular DJ will be on the ViiV Dance Stage, powered by Hydrate Nightclub, on Sunday, August 11. Her set starts at 5:30 p.m.
“Market Days is a destination party weekend and has been for some time. It’s just such a vibrant gathering of all kinds of people, celebrating and sharing good vibes. It’s one of my favorite events to attend for sure,” said Deanne, a resident DJ at Hydrate, thus, her sounds pump through the Lakeview club at least four times per year.
Her last gig at Hydrate was in June.
“Chicago is a home away from home for me and feels like I return to my family. I'm super excited to feel the love again,” she said. “This will be my second time playing the outdoor stage and I am pumped for my Sunday slot on the Hydrate stage, along with Nick Stracener and Nina Flowers. It’s going to be lit from the get!”
Deanne said her set will feature surprises, energy, new sounds and good vibes.
“I am a house music DJ,” she said. “For much of my career, I have played circuit sounds, but during the pandemic I stepped away from the typical circuit beats and returned to my house foundation. I work to keep the audience engaged and excited to hear a fresh take on a club night or big party and inspire them to really dance.”
DJ Deanne has a few residencies across the U.S., including Xion in Atlanta and Hydrate Nightclub, plus Masterbeat, Brüt, Eagle Wilton Manors and Eagle NYC.
“I don’t think there are many (DJing memories) that can hold a candle to playing at Space on the Terrace with a packed room for Winter Party several years ago. All the greats have played there and you can feel that history when you’re in that booth,” she said.
DJ Deanne came out in her mid-20s and moved to Tampa at the time, which is when she started going to clubs. “This was in the late 1990s, so I was hearing all those yummy house tunes, along with the big room mixes from Thunderpuss, Hex Hector, Junior Vasquez and so on. I was hooked,” she said. “I started acquiring all the music that I was hearing. I moved back to Indiana in 1999 to go back to school and started bartending at a small gay club called Bullwinkle’s. The DJs at the bar used to let me practice on the turntables before we opened. Eventually, I would play afterhours parties with all my friends, learning with an audience but without pressure. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was playing at that small gay bar in Indiana. It wasn’t until a few years later, when I was considering grad school, that I had a transformative DJ experience that changed my entire trajectory. I knew pretty much on that day grad school was out and DJ Deanne was a real thing.”
Her first gig as a DJ was a Monday night drag show at that small Indiana gay bar.
“I would play one hour before the shows started, about 30 minutes between each show, and two hours after the shows were over. Virtually no one was there except for my 10 friends on that first night,” she said. “I’m sure I train-wrecked more than once. But the very first track I ever played was the Francois K and Eric Kupper mix of ‘Forever More’ by Moloko. The memory is still fresh after all these years.”
THE SOUNDS OF … DJ Deanne
Inspiration: “Pushing boundaries and my commitment to being on the forefront of the evolution of the sound of our scene.”
Favorite DJs: Mark Knight, Chus, David Tort, David Penn, Nicole Moudaber and Mochakk
Three DJs To Watch: Josh Ruiz, Brady Prince and Karsten Sollors
A Good DJ: “Passion, humility, respect for the audience, respect for the pioneers of the industry, taking risks, having fun, a diverse and broad music library and a love for the music and the craft.”
Drinking In The DJ Booth: “I recently made the switch to Casamigos and soda, maybe one sugar free Red Bull and lots of water.”
Favorite Actor: Steve Martin, Robin Williams and Gene Wilder. Plus, Kate Winslet, Viola Davis and Emma Stone.
Favorite TV Shows: The Bear, Handmaid's Tail, Loot and Game of Thrones
Favorite Movies: True Lies, Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Marvel.
Favorite Sport: “I don’t really have time to play sports these days, but I used to play softball, basketball, golf and flag football. I was a bit of a jock.”
Hobbies: Bicycle riding, cooking, traveling and pool time
Little-known Fact: “I could say my ABC's backward before I could say them forward. I still can!”
If I wasn’t a DJ … “I would probably be a chef. I really love to cook.”
Boxers or Briefs: “For a while, it was neither. But a good low waist panty or brief is my jam. Comfort is key.”
The 42nd annual Northalsted Market Days, which is organized by the Northalsted Business Alliance, runs Saturday, Aug. 10 and Sunday Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. along N. Halsted St. from Addison St. south to Belmont Ave.
A $20 suggested donation is recommended. Donations support local nonprofits and fund community projects like the Chicago Pride Crosswalks. A $50 VIP Pass with express entry is available for purchase at northalsted.com.