DJ of the Week — Roy G Biv

qPDX is starting a new feature! Every week we will introduce you to a local LGBTQ party DJ and ask them about their experiences in the scene and feature an audio mix they’ve made. If you’re interested in being featured contact alley@qpdx.com.

This week features DJ Roy G Biv aka Katey Pants. You can catch her party Bent, which we named best new club night of 2010, this Friday September 9th. This special edition will feature a preview of multimedia performer Kaj-Anne Pepper‘s GenderFantasy. She has also appeared at many other popular club nights including Blow Pony, Gaycation and others.

When and how did you get started DJing?

In Portland; I started DJ’ing at BENT. This was nearly 2 years ago and since then I’ve learned a lot; have challenged myself; and have humbled myself a lot.

How did you get your DJ name?

Roy G. Biv is a mnemonic for the sequence of hues in the visible spectrum and in rainbows. It’s red/orange/yellow/green/blue/indigo/violet. It’s also the colors of the queer flag. It’s also the name of one of my favorite songs by my favorite electronic group- Boards of Canada. It’s also the name of an emotional spectrum from the critically acclaimed Geoff Johns version of The Green Lantern comic. The name for me ultimately unites my love of science, The Gays, electronic music, and being a major nerd.

What parties/clubs do you currently DJ?

I have my night that I run with Jodi Bon Jodi in North Portland called BENT. It’s the 2nd Fridays of the month at a little hole-in-the-wall called The Foggy Notion. BENT has been going on about a year and a half and was created more or less out of the void that was in my heart about Fruitcake disappearing. A little after doing BENT- I was brought in as a resident for Blow Pony and have been there over a year now and am still going strong. I have worked a lot of parties, benefits, house shows, art/fashion shows, happy hours, after-parties, book releases, proms, basketballs games, and box socials.

What genres of music do you like to play?

I really enjoy playing hard electronic music for hard motherfuckers. This goes from indie-electronic like Crystal Castles and The Twelves; Italian Disco like Retro/grade, Boyz Noize; 130PM generation of music such as Nguzunguzu and Kingdom; and B-more club like Rye Rye. Diamond K, and Aaron LaCrate.

I also like shitty electronic music like The Bloody Beetroots or the garbage that comes out of Ibiza club scenes (I like it, so what?), house, down-tempo, ambient, and experimental music. Anything that involves a keyboard; experimental sound; and makes my brain feel like it is on fire.

With that said- what I enjoy and what I play really depends on who I am playing for. I think there is a vast difference in being hired for as basketball game or a fashion show and then playing my own night. I want to create good life affirming safer spaces everywhere I play my music- so understanding crowds wants and needs are important to me. This means not making people feel embarrassed if they don’t know what you’re playing or asking for something different. Am I always going to honor request? Absolutely not; but I don’t want people to feel embarrassed or humiliated for asking.

However; I keep a large arsenal of music with me at all times. My databases and hard drives and hardware are divided up by genre and sub-genre. Anywhere from 1930’s Jazz Standards, Motown, Country, 1970’s Funk, Acid Jazz, Classic Rock, Hair Metal, 1980’s Post Punk, 80’s New Wave/Pop, Golden Age Hip Hop, Current hip hop, top 40 organized by decade, ambient music, day time techno, electronic music, acid house, new disco, Tropical Bass, bounce, Baltimore Club, cumbia, reggaeton, mariachi, whatever- really.

What are some of your current favorite tracks?

Nguzunguzu’s mixtapes this year have blown my fucking face off. I also cannot get enough of Pictureplanes new album Thee Satisfaction.

But to play- I this month- I cannot get enough of Diamond K’s Go Down; Rye Rye’s Hardcore Girls, SSION’s PSY-CHIC, Corcovado’s Ring My Bells, DJ Riz and Chris Moody’s Daddy Cool, Fare Solidi, and I never tire of the legend Sylvester.

What do you wish would stop being played out right now?

I don’t know. I really enjoy being in places where each DJ is playing what they want heard and what they enjoy. Regardless of my personal preferences; I like the organic nature and working class politic of our queer music scene. If you can steal music and if you have the heart- chances are someone in this town will teach you to DJ.  I take my music seriously and how I work seriously. But I don’t myself seriously.

To actually answer the question- I could do without most of my request being Lady Gaga- but I try and take it with a grain of salt.

What are your main pieces of equipment and your favorite?

I work off of a laptop and when I can I use an external controller. I would love to have a suitcase of money to buy a turntable set.

What else do you want qPDX to know about you?

I work a lot with the love of my life (Mr. Charming) through promoting events and DJing together. It’s great to be able to have a relationship based off of doing what we love the best, working hard, and supporting one another creatively. Our most bitchin’ accomplishment this year was working with Spinderella, Seattle Pride, and we’re hoping to be playing some parties in Palm Springs this November. If we can actually take a break from our real jobs and get to work- I am hoping to start making our own music together. Kind of like The Twelves or Hologramz. But lesbians. Catch my drift?

Listen to Roy G Biv’s mixes below and on her SoundCloud page: http://soundcloud.com/mr-roy-g-biv

Daytime Techno by Mr. Roy G Biv