The Cool Kids Special Guest At DJ A-Trak & Travis Barker Fool's Gold Showcase

Photos:
Nah Right - Travis Barker x DJ A-Trak at SXSW

Kid Cudi & Lil Jon Join In At Travis Barker And DJ A-Trak Hollywood Show Report

via MTV

Fans who packed Hollywood's Roxy Theatre on Wednesday night (March 10) to catch Travis Barker and DJ A-Trak's second-ever performance no doubt left the place feeling like the dynamic duo had rehearsed their airtight set to within an inch of its life. But, in actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.

"We pretty much came up with everything in the past couple of days," A-Trak told MTV News. "Like, we came in with nothing."

This is nothing new for Barker and Trak, who decided to perform together after a lengthy jam session last fall. So it was somewhat fitting that their "rehearsals" for the Roxy gigs flowed in much the same way.

"[It was like] the earlier times when we had gotten together. It was jamming. It was just ... seeing, like, what song he would throw at me and what I would do. Just seeing what the chemistry was like," Barker explained. "And now it was like, you know, piecing it together. And we found that we used a bunch of my remixes and his remixes, [plus] some of his original songs, so it's really cool."

And while the duo were cuttingly precise Wednesday night, there was also a liberating looseness to their set. And that's what really got the crowd — which included Kanye West and girlfriend Amber Rose, Tim Armstrong and Rob Anton from the Transplants, Samantha Ronson and onstage guests Kid Cudi and Lil Jon — moving. Because despite the fact they were watching just a drummer and a DJ, the Roxy gig seemed more like a genuine, honest-to-goodness show, be it rock, hip hop or something in between.

"I think the show is really, like, a concert performance. It's a spectacle," A-Trak said. "It's, like, really condensed and in your face, and I think that every minute, every moment is like a slap in the face. That's how I described it."

"There's something for all music fans. If you're a fan of music, you'll dig it," Barker added. "And then if you're a fan of A-Trak and all his music or you're a fan of me and you wanna see us just mash, then I think you'll be stoked to see it."

Photos:
MTV - Travis Barker, DJ A-Trak Play Hollywood (night 2)

Related:
Travis Barker & DJ A-Trak Concert At The Roxy In West Hollywood, CA (night 1)

(video courtesy of dloc311 & TheBeatsnBeats)

Travis Barker & DJ A-Trak Concert At The Roxy In West Hollywood, CA

1st night of the newly formed live pairing of Travis Barker & DJ A-Trak at the Roxy on March 9.

Photos:
Film Magic

(video courtesy of mixmason & vickuno)

A-Trak & DJ Reflex Bring Their Party Club Soundtrack To L.A. Radio Station Power 106

via Urb Magazine

Fool’s Gold head honcho and upcoming Travis Barker collaborator A-Trak stopped by at Power 106 in L.A. along with DJ Reflex and both spun a set that ranged from party bangers to hip-hop tunes of booty-shaking glory. DJ Reflex was nice enough to share the entire experience to the interwebs both audibly and visually. Reflex provides both mixes available as one download as well as a documentary-style clip of the proceedings at Power 106. Check out the mix link below.

DJ A-Trak Los Angeles Times Feature Story

A few years ago, the majority of kids turning out for DJ A-Trak shows were what he called “uber DJ fans” who preferred to film him for YouTube clips, as opposed to doing what his mixing suggested: dance.

But more bodies have been moving in the last couple of years, according to A-Trak, the 27-year-old DJ born Alain Macklovitch in Montreal. The wunderkind turntablist began winning international DJ awards at age 15, making him one of the youngest, greatest masters of the decks. He will bring his ever-evolving mix of rap, breakbeat, techno and house to the HARD New Year’s Eve DJ party on Thursday.

The Brooklyn-based DJ has a new look (think maturing hipster: Beard and fedora have replaced baseball cap and sunglasses), and he's pushing his sound further into the realm of the international dance charts in an attempt to further blur genre classification.



“This time is reminiscent of the mid-'90s, where hip-hop guys were making house music," he said during a tour stop in Mexico City. "That’s what allows me to play this Jeezy record or this Gucci Mane record next to some weird German techno record, because to me they make sense together.”

A-Trak started his indie imprint Fool’s Gold Records in 2007, toward the end of his 4-year run as Kanye West’s official tour DJ. He’s always kept busy with dance-worthy remixes, most recently of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll," but his latest focus is on planning his next album.

"It's kind of a blank canvas," he says. "It's my production, turned into song structure. Halfway between rap and electronic and whatever else I listen to. I'm not trying to make an esoteric, weird DJ record."

Read the full L.A. Times feature story here:
DJ A-Trak: Blurring the lines and building a global picture

DJ A-Trak: Kanye West DJ Hits Europe For Tour

via DMC Update

November 27 - Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefahrlich Hamburg

November 28 - Berlin, Germany - WMF

November 29 - Glasgow, Scotland - ABC

December 1 - Leeds, England - Bigger Than Barry

December 3 - Lisbon, Portugal - Lux Lisbon

December 4 - London, England - Matter

December 4 - Brighton, England - Honeyclub

December 5 - Birmingham, England - Custard Factory

December 10 - London, England - Notting Hill Arts Club

December 11 - Manchester, England - Warehouse Project

December 12 - Paris, France - Nouveau Casino/Le Charbon