Being a DJ in the vibrant chaos of nightlife, amidst the flowing drinks and energetic bodies on the dance floor, often leads to incredibly awkward – and hilariously funny – moments. Imagine controlling the music as the backdrop to the unpredictable theater of the night. We sat down with some seasoned DJs – DJ Hakan, DJ Castro, DJ Spark Madden, and DJ Ralphsta – to hear about the wildest things they’ve witnessed from behind the DJ booth. Prepare for some outrageous tales from the DJ’s perspective, including a story about a surprisingly intense amateur lap dance.
DJ Ralphsta: Stage Invasion and Center Stage Combat
“The craziest thing, and it still sticks with me today, happened right when I was starting out. I was headlining a sold-out event at the Durango Arts Center when someone decided they wanted to join me on stage. This guy thought he could show me how to DJ, right in the middle of my set. When I didn’t appreciate the unsolicited advice, things escalated quickly. Mid-song, a fight broke out then and there. So, what did I do? I just calmly knocked him to the ground and kept the music going. By the time security managed to get through the crowd – which felt like an eternity – I went back to him and just said, ‘You want to try to mess with my set?’ Since then, I’ve definitely become more structured and careful about the vibe I cultivate. Otherwise, you disappear for a decade, and that’s the only thing people remember about you.”
DJ Hakan Aybar: The Unexpected Bachelor Party Lap Dance
“Okay, let me tell you about this one time. A girl comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, my friend is getting married tomorrow!’ It was a bachelor party, as I figured. She asked me, ‘Can you play ‘Pony’ by Ginuwine? She wants someone to give her a lap dance.’ Now, I’m thinking, ‘Okay, this will be a fun, innocent lap dance.’ Boy, was I wrong. Turns out, there was a professional stripper, a dancer, in the crowd. He jumps in and starts dancing on her, and she just completely loses it. She starts taking off her shirt, rubbing herself all over him – I mean full-on going for it,” DJ Hakan recounted, demonstrating the motion with his hands across his chest. “She almost took her bra off! I was just standing there thinking, ‘Wow, I am genuinely scared for the future of their relationship.’ It was supposed to be a lighthearted amateur lap dance, but it turned into a scene I’ll never forget.” This unexpected turn of events highlighted how quickly a fun request can escalate into a truly memorable – and slightly terrifying – nightlife moment, all set to the soundtrack provided by the DJ.
DJ Spark Madden: Dancing in the Denver Downpour
“I was playing a show in Denver, outdoors on a patio, when it started absolutely pouring rain. Instead of running for cover, the crowd just went wild! Hundreds and hundreds of people just kept dancing in the rain. Luckily, I was under a big awning, so my equipment was safe,” he laughed. “But the crowd, yeah, they were absolutely loving it. It was right in downtown Denver. I think that venue might not even be around anymore, but the memory of that rainy dance party definitely lives on.”
DJ Fidel Castro: Atlanta Culture Shock and Hoodie Diplomacy
“There was this gentleman from Atlanta who heard me playing at a club here in New Mexico, and he approached me saying, ‘I would love for you to come to Atlanta sometime.’ This was probably about eight years ago, when I was still pretty young and eager to make it big. I thought, ‘Okay, why not? It’s an experience.’
So, I went to Atlanta to play at a club called Club Dream. The club was, and I’m not exaggerating, 99 percent African American. The other 1 percent? Maybe Hispanic or white, I honestly couldn’t tell because all I saw was the African American community.
Honestly, it was a little intimidating. I’m a hip-hop DJ, and going from playing in Farmington or Durango to an all African-American crowd, you start questioning, ‘Is my music going to connect? Will they get what I do?’
My initial thought was to just do what I always do, play my usual set. But one of the resident DJs at Club Dream pulled me aside and asked, ‘Do you have a hoodie with you?’ I didn’t – it was already hot as anything in there – and he just handed me his hoodie and said, ‘Here, wear this.’
Now, you have to understand, the Atlanta humidity – especially if you’re not used to it – is intense. Coming from Durango, it was almost unbearable.
So, I put the hoodie up over my head and started playing. I was sweating buckets, just dripping, and he explained, ‘The reason I told you to wear the hoodie is because I didn’t want them to look at you, see you’re not one of us, and reject you before you even start.’
I played like that for two hours, completely drenched, but the crowd was really getting into it. Finally, I decided to take off the hoodie. And I kid you not, you could have heard a pin drop. It was silent. Everyone just stared at me, completely surprised. But then, I just kept the music going, didn’t miss a beat. And in that moment, I knew I had reached a new level in my career.”
