A disc jockey battle will be bringing local talent, music lovers and fans to Dixie State University as part of Dixie Fest 2K15.
The Dixie State University Student Association usually brings two artists to DSU as part of the annual Dixie Fest, but this year it will be trying something new with the DJ battle. Members of DSUSA will pick six finalists who will take turns flaunting their skills in front of the audience for a chance to win $1,000 on March 27. The DJ battle will be the opener at Dixie Fest for the featured artist — OCD: Moosh and Twist.
Jill Wulfenstein, a senior integrated studies major from Pahrump, Nevada, is the DSUSA vice president of student life and has been organizing the event.
“[The DJ battle] is a good way to create buzz for the concert and the local talent coming to Dixie,” Wulfenstein said. “It’ll also give the DJs a good opportunity to perform and get their name out there.”
Each DJ will have ten minutes to perform on stage. The winner will be decided by the audience.
The battle will be a great way to gain exposure for aspiring DJ artists, said DSUSA Marketing Manager Matt Devore, a junior integrated studies major from Mesquite, Nevada.
“It won’t be easy for [the DJs] to put themselves out there and get judged by their peers,” Devore said. “But it will be a great résumé builder for them. It’s a great way to get DJs involved in what they love.”
The DJ battle has also attracted some DJs from all over Utah. Dallin Keil is a DJ from Provo who owns his own DJ business and will be coming down to St. George for the battle. Keil attended DSU for a semester in 2013. He has been a DJ for three years now and has done parties, dances and weddings.
Jordan Nelson of St. George is another aspiring DJ who will be competing.
“DJ-ing and mixing is my passion, and I love being on stage more than anything,” Nelson said. “I entered to show St. George that DJ-ing isn’t just downloading illegal music and playing it off iTunes, but it’s a real art and a skill.”
Nelson said he hopes to walk away with a bunch of new fans.
A DJ battle in St. George will be especially good for DSU and the community, Keil said.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about DJs and what they do,” Keil said. “We do a lot more than just push buttons and change songs—we can make music too. St. George is kind of a closed-minded community as a whole, so it will be good for them to see what we really do.”
Keil is coming to compete in the DJ battle to have fun and showcase his talents, he said.
“DJ battles are always really fun for everyone,” Keil said. “[Dixie Fest] will be different with a DJ battle instead of having a second artist, but I think it will be worth it for everyone that comes.”
The other contestants failed to comment before this article’s deadline.
