Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Irwin.
Hi Mark, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started listening to electronic music in the 90s, exploring the scene beyond just the radio hits. Growing up in Milwaukee, I discovered Drum n’ Bass, Hardcore and eventually Trance and House. In the mid-2000s, I had a simple CD mixer setup and was able to learn some basic but rather clunky DJ concepts. I even made some of my own music on Acid Pro mostly using loops and some of my own vocals. I played around with DJing and music making for a couple of years but started falling out of interest once digital music and iPods took over and I no longer used CDs.
As the rave era came to an end and electronic artists were primarily playing in bars and clubs, I wasn’t 21 and lost touch with the dance scene and found a new love in Indie Rock. I never stopped listening to music and building playlists. My good friend became a DJ, so I would get most of my dance music exposure by going out to see him while I lived in Madison, Wisconsin.
I moved to Austin in 2014 and became a manager at Sway shortly after, I was given the chance to curate playlists for the restaurant. I built three 50-60 hour playlists that fit the vibe of the restaurant based on the time of day and business level. I had fun creating special playlists of artists performing at ACL, SXSW, the full solar eclipse and for some Thai holidays.
A trip to Puerto Vallarta reintroduced me to dance music with its high-energy cumbia and Latin Circuit music. I started exploring the world of electronic music I had been missing for years and fell right back in love. A friend I made down in PV asked me why I don’t buy a controller and start spinning again, and it all started from there.
I bought a Pioneer SB2 controller and found a program called DJ Pro that allowed you to link your Spotify account through their program, giving access to millions of songs without having to buy to practice. I watched a few video walkthroughs then taught myself through trial and error. After a few months, I became comfortable enough to record some mixes and started posting them on SoundCloud.
A friend contacted me to say his business conference was looking for a DJ for their opening social. I was selected and had my first official paid gig. I almost couldn’t play because I didn’t have the right cords, but thankfully it was a tech conference, haha!
I sent my mixes out to DJs I admired, specifically Stan, Daddie Dearest (now ifeeluv), Steve, Dr, Beard and Filthy Rich. They gave me my first club booking for the monthly Final Friday event in Highland basement. I have to give such a shoutout to them all for helping me find direction and put myself out there and get booked for gigs. I was honored to play Ambrosia several times at Coconut Club, bringing a refined daytime Tropical House vibe.
Then Covid hit and I was permanently laid off from my job. During the months at home waiting for a call for a job in my field, I continued to hone my sound, creating sub-styles to fit different times and vibes and make me more versatile as a DJ. I started doing Facebook live streams DJing from home shortly before the shutdown but found a following doing online sets on weekends and some happy hours. I even had a few paid Zoom events. During this time, I recorded several mashup songs as well as 1-2 monthly dubbed “After Hours” mixes of my genre-bending blend of Tech House. Afro-Latin, Tribal, and Hard Disco House.
Once clubs started opening back up, I started getting booked live again, playing Coconut Club, Neon Grotto, Highland and eventually Harry’s Dark Bar at Oil Can Harry’s, where I’ve just celebrated my one-year residency. I also started DJ drag shows, including the annual Paws On Chicon Doggie Drag Show. I became a resident DJ for Eileen Dover’s Playdate at The Far Out Lounge and have built a wonderful family among the drag community and specifically with Eileen and her drag daughter, Cheri Bomb. I often even dress for the monthly theme and have even done some lip-sync performances myself.
I am starting to opening myself up to more opportunities and venues to DJ and am even offering my services for a friend’s wedding. Who knows, that could lead to a whole new venture. Down the line, I’d like to start my own corporate DJ business full-time but am happy where I am building a following, getting to perform in clubs for people and see them dance and have fun, and just being able to make a career out of doing something I love while never get tired of doing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Covid was one of the biggest struggles but biggest opportunities. I had specific plans for where I wanted to go with my DJ career and where I wanted to play, and that all fell through once the clubs all shut down. I was able to spend as much time as I wanted practicing and improving my skills. I also gained notoriety from my Facebook Live performances. Even after the clubs reopened, there were questions among DJs of is it right to be playing. Some planned events were canceled last minute. My first gigs were all outdoors at Coconut Club, Neon Grotto and Michelada’s Cantina but the transition back into clubs took a while. I found a home and residency at Oil Can Harry’s and was humbled when people would come up to me and thank me for my online performances, which helped them through the shutdown. I used this hard time to focus on my craft and grow as an artist and as a more confident person.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a DJ who performs in clubs as well as for drag shows. My sound, dubbed “Tropical Discotech” is a genre-bending blend of vocal tech and bass house, Afro-Latin, Tribal and hard Disco House. I’ve learned that a DJ has to be able to identify with their audience through remixes, vocals and samples of classic tracks, but also has an opportunity to play what the audience didn’t know what they wanted to hear. It takes reading the crowd and adapting to their desires while staying true to your sound to stand out, and my desire to grow and challenge myself has helped be more versatile. As a DJ for drag shows, what sets me apart is my dressing to the theme of the event (e.g., Hugh Hefner for the first Playdate, scenester for Emo Christmas, Billy Ray Cyrus for Hannah Montana vs Miley Cyrus). I also will lipsync a number sometimes.
Mark Irwin is also an artist name. My grandfather, Erwin, was an oil and pastel painter who shared a love of art with me. He spelled his artist name “Irwin”, so I took on his name to honor him. I also have an alter-ego Progressive-Trance style under the name ¿ami? (pronounced “M-I”). I chose that name because it can mean “Am I?”, “Are you my friend?”, “Do You Love Me?” “That which” depending on the language, or it could simply be MI, my initials.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My parents raised me to have a strong appreciation of music, and listening to and discovering new music brings some of the most joy to my life. I love sharing my love of music with others. Whether DJing or among the crowd on the dance floor, I also thrive by seeing people smile and having a great time. Life can become so stressed sometimes, but like my favorite DJ KC Lights song “Hold On” says, “When you feel like you’re falling down, jump into that sound. Turn it up loud now.” Get out, let loose, dance and let the music set you free.
Catch Mark live at one of his upcoming gigs. Saturday 9/17 Doggie Drag Show 11am-3pm @ Paws on Chicon South, Saturday 9/24 10pm-2am Harry’s Dark Bar at Oil Can Harry’s, and Sunday 9/25 Playdate 1-4pm @ Far Out Lounge.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djmarkirwin/?hl=en
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/djmarkirwin?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Image Credits
Ary Muse Instagram – @ary_inc (for first three photos)
