We are embarking on a 3 part series where we interview the established talent in the Atlanta EDM scene. Not only will we cover every aspect of the scene from the DJs point of view. We will review the top venues in Atlanta. The best venues, the truly underground venues. The CrowdBlur crew uncovers where to go and where to avoid. Real boots on the ground and no bullshit or pay to play…only the real.
First up Midnite Panda and Squad
On a cold blistery winter night in Atlanta I had an opportunity to speak 3 dj’s entrenched in the Atlanta scene. We all sipped Heinekens and on the patio as chicken and beef shish kabobs cooked on the grill. We were in the heart of downtown next to the Atlanta HBCUs…as students straggled by we all chatted about the scene…The Atlanta EDM scene and it’s evolution.
Seje better known as Midnite Panda has played at CounterPoint, TomorrowWorld, Imagine Festival, Kingdom Rave just to name a few. He holds down various residencies/weekly’s around the city and he took time out of his busy schedule to chat with CrowdBlur a few hours before an upcoming gig at Tongue & Groove a posh nightclub located in buckhead. Also one of the longest running clubs in the ATL.
All four of us chatted about perspectives, culture, music, promoters, clubs and the overall general scene in Atlanta. One that is in transitions and suffering from the money grab. The idea that turning a dollar is more important than anything else. Even if it means sacrificing the scene itself in a cannibalism of sorts for capitalism. There is an agreement that the scene is in transition and in order to survive DJ’s need to get into production. They also can’t be one dimensional especially since Atlanta is in a strange state of saturation. Cali the Kidd analogized it as the Atlanta music scene being a donut made of Hip Hop with all the other music genres as icing on top of the donut…and maybe some sprinkles.
We debated about the best venues in Atlanta for EDM and settled on the following. Opera as the undisputed venue. Every major EDM act on tour stops here. The Liquified productions are always on point and the ambiance of an old opera house is unrivaled….curtains and all. And of course they have a real VIP section. This is one the top spots for EDM and one of the places I have heard locals recommend for EDM shows.
The Live Nation hub Tabernacle is well known for putting on a massive amount of headline acts consistently. Rounding out the top venues is T-West a.k.a Terminal West.
Honorable mentions go to Aisle 5 and Masquerade. The last of which is a long standing venue of over 25 years the last reminder of a gentrified area known as the Ponce Street Market. There are constant rumors that Masquerade will close and just as many saying it will remain open. One thing is for sure. Most people who love live music in Atlanta have memories there and it makes them feel some type of way. It is one of the neatest buildings in Atlanta and many would hate to see it go. If that ever seemed imminent a grassroots movement is sure to spring up in it’s defence. There was some reminiscing of Wobble Wednesdays at Inferno Lounge in 2010 when peeps like Travis Porter would show up in a music mesh of Hip-Hop and the Rave scene.
With a disdain for one dimensional DJ’s we talk about how spoiled we are here in Atlanta since virtually every tour stops through here.
Is production a necessity in order to break into the scene now? If so that won’t be a problem for this crew with dual studios to handle everything from mashups to original tracks. Speaking of mash-ups one thing a good DJ can do is turn you on to music you previously didn’t like. Something about a Young Dro’s shoulder lean beat under a Bruno Mars track makes it go from intolerable to a subconscious head nod. But that’s what make Seje so skilled at his craft. The multidimensional and broad musical selection…as he zips through numerous tracks on rekordbox in preparation of tonight’s virtual crate. We hear everything from dubstep to oldies.
We chat about the Quad relocation and how National Geographic’s Drug’s Inc. was one of the worst things for the Atlanta scene….
Midnite Panda has gained a lot of traction in the Atlanta scene and stays booked. One of the reasons…He plays for the crowd which is the difference between being a DJ and really performing. Some advice parting advice from Midnite Panda…Be genuine and do it for the music…For example Mark Martinez of Subset made a name for himself from an authentic nightly that was dedicated to the music. Our short time together doesn’t do this man justice. Do yourself a favor and go see him live.
Midnite Panda on the web….
SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/midnite-panda
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/djmidnitepanda/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/midnitepanda/
ReVerb Nation – https://www.reverbnation.com/djmidnitepanda
Twitter – https://twitter.com/midnite_panda
Cali the Kidd – https://www.facebook.com/Cali-The-Kidd-441049099348590/
Don Chido – https://www.facebook.com/MiamiInchido/