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David Hollands: NYCs Mindful Mack Daddy of Mood |
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 | Throughout
David Hollands' career as a DJ and mood conductor, he's played in just
about every venue known to man that could host a crowd and a set of
turntables. No matter what the setting, from tropical beaches to
cavernous, pulsating Gotham nightclubs to intimate lounges and
frolicking pleasure boats, Hollands does what he does best: move bodies
and stimulate minds with eclectic, intuitive sets of potent,
cutting-edge dance music.
(Full Biography)
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 | He's earned a rightful reputation as a party-starter who connects with
his audience on a fundamental level. For Hollands, each set is a
chance to open up new ears to the DJ culture he's been so heavily
involved in fermenting. He refuses to adopt the been-there,
done-that mentality that leads to stagnation. |  | That was one of the reasons why David Hollands recent project was so
groundbreaking. For 3 years, Hollands served as the musical
director and resident DJ for De La Guarda's DJ Connection, helping the
long-running Off-Broadway phenomenon expand its audience and evolve its
performance by incorporating live DJs in to the show. Running
weekly throughout the summers and staging special performances during
the rest of the year, De La Guarda's DJ Connection was the rare
occurrence where two cultures (theater and nightclub) had the chance to
mingle, exchange ideas and cross-pollinate new audiences.
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project earned rave reviews from Time Out New York, URB Magazine and
Billboard. In addition, De La Guarda's DJ Connection was
nominated for the "Best Event" award at the 2004 Dancestar USA Awards
held at the annual Winter Music Conference in Miami.
|  | De La Guarda is a high-flying acrobatic spectacle that features
perfomers racing through the sky suspended by wires and harness flying
around the theater. Their physical energy is supplemented by
heavy-duty sensory overload: steady streams of water, flashing lights, wind and
a renowned original soundtrack. For De La Guarda DJ Connection,
Hollands, alongside partner Elan Akerman of New York's Matter:/Form,
worked with the Argentinian troupe that developed the original show to
form a script that integrated live sets from guest DJs. The result is a
seamless fusion of the energy and sounds from the guest DJ with the
essential elements from the original |  | The De La Guarda DJ Connection soon became a sought-after entry on
every
DJ's resume. Top international DJs including Josh Wink, Derrick May,
Ralph Lawson, Satoshi Tomiie, and John Acquaviva have joined the show,
all hailing it as a unique experience that's more challenging than your
typical nightclub performance. The creative talents saw the event
as chance to test their skills in truly unfamiliar territory while
interacting with a live multi-disciplinary performance.
|  | David's work on De La Guarda represents the latest phase in a career
marked by evolution and development. The Indiana native cut his teeth
Djing at parties and clubs throughout the Midwest, amassing a huge
record collection that spanned almost all of dance music's derivative
genres and styles. Moving to New York City in 1995, Hollands
immediately immersed himself in the Big Apple's club culture and
quickly earned a loyal following and several regular residencies. He
launched his own label Minimal Wage in 1997 and was named one of URB
Magazine's Next 100 in 1998 . |  | Now
having completed DJ Connection's 3rd summer season,
Hollands is also at the helm of several other regular parties in New
York City. Alongside his fellow resident Francis Harris,
Hollands has been carrying the party into the wee hours
of Sunday morning with his signature sets of textured, vibrant house
music and contemporary club anthems. The events serve as a focal
point for New York's undergeround dance industry, presenting
international talent like the UK's Mr. C, Layo and Bushwacka! and
Richie Hawtin.
With recent "event projects" like Sugar Punk and Burning Man
Decompression being held at the developing Brooklyn Sugar Venue, things
are only getting more interesting. Check the Calendar section for
updated info on these and other events.
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The Brooklyn Sugar events represent another aspect of what Hollands
can do: put together a righteous party. For several years, David's
intimate Sunday night sessions at SoHo's Novcento were the stuff of
legend, a weekly gathering of music industry heads, nocturnal downtown
denizens and diehards who couldn't bear to see another weekend come to
a close. Hollands was right in the middle of the madness, hand-picking
the guest DJs, crafting wide-ranging sets of funky house and techno
classics, and overseeing and energizing the overall vibe of the party.
It was a venue the size of an average living room, but the energy of
those Sunday parties rivaled most mega-clubs.
|  | But that doesn't mean that he can't translate his talent to the
big stages. Hollands had several epic sets at New York's storied
Twilo, warming up and shutting down for techno legends Richie Hawtin, Laurent Garnier
and Jeff Mills on numerous occasions. Guest sets at New York's Avalon,
Centro-fly, Arc, plus tours to Russia, Germany, England, Barcelona,
Mexico have cemented Hollands position as one New York's most beloved
ambassadors of sound.
Whether it be collaborating on a Broadway show, hosting
his own party, providing musical direction for corporate functions or
throwing down behind the decks, Hollands brings his years of
experience, refined taste and fundamental understanding of dance
music's many nuances to everything he does, categorically defining him
as one of the underground's true renaissance men.
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