Local artist Andre Waguespack, better known as Klutch, performed early in the day, but the crowd was large and his performance was well-received. The Daily Reveille sat down with DJ and producer Waguespack to discuss his set and festival involvement.
The Daily Reveille: You just finished up your set. How was it?
Andre Waguespack: My God, it went by too quick, but it was pretty euphoric. That’s probably the best word for it. It was something beyond — transcendent. Everybody was going crazy. I didn’t expect it at all. It was definitely a shock, and I’ve had some really fun, awesome shows, but I’ve never experienced that kind of energy.
TDR: How’d you end up playing BUKU?
AW: It was just a phone call. One of the guys who helps put on shows at Republic, who I’m kind of in touch with, gave me a shout and asked if I wanted to play BUKU. And I said, “Is the Pope Catholic?” It was that simple of a phone call.
TDR: How did you get involved with dance music?
AW: I’ve been doing live music since I was 10 years old in bands. There came a time with bands with four or five different people and four or five different egos, and they never worked out because of that. I kind of just said screw it, I’m going to take everything into my own hands, and I have the final say in what I play, what I sound like and the music that I put out. It was just a really easy way to get my complete artistic expression out there and have it the way I wanted to. Dance music is kind of one of the only ways to do that, except for a solo guitar act, but I didn’t want to do a solo guitar act. I kind of just fell in love with the music.
TDR: I saw you up on stage at the end of SFAM’s set. Are you all friends?
AW: Yeah, I mean that’s the great thing about this community. It’s a really tight-knit group of DJs and producers, and we all play the same shows and run into each other. We’re pretty much all friends. They come up during my sets, I come up during their sets. It’s all about having fun and dancing with your friends. That’s the bottom line. There’s no real separation, and nobody’s egos really get in the way. We’re all just there to do our own thing, and we’re all pretty different in our own way.
TDR: How would describe your sound?
AW: My favorite kind of music is bass music, any kind of heavier bass style. I mean, growing up on punk rock and metal, anything with kind of a broken beat. House is really fun, I love playing it and making it, but I’m really more inclined to the heavier bass sounds. I like to make it extremely broad, but it’s just heavy bass music.
TDR: A lot of the songs you played up there were pieces people recognize. How does that change the dynamic of your set?
AW: When people come to see me, I play the songs that I make, and so they all sing along to that. You don’t want to play everything that everyone’s going to know because it’s not a fun set if it’s expected. So, I like to mix it up so there’s a sing-along here and there for people who don’t feel that included or who are a little put off by some of the experimental stuff. It gets them a lot more excited to open up to the other kinds of music. You kind of just push them into the deep end with that one.
TDR: What’s the best part of what you do?
AW: I get to meet a lot of amazing people. Especially when someone comes up to me and says they’re really moved by a song I wrote or a performance that I did. Money’s cool and I’m not too big on fame or attention, but the reactions of making people smile or making people happy, that’s really in the long run, what all artists are in for — to evoke some kind of emotion from somebody.
TDR: Had you been to BUKU before this year?
AW: Yes, I went the first and second year, but I missed last year because I couldn’t afford it. I got to play this year, so that was an extremely nice surprise. I actually got paid to be here so that was really fantastic. I kind of helped put it on as well. All of the Special Moments, you know the people doing sword swallowing, the stilt walkers, and all the kreatures. I’ve been looking for different street performers. I also helped build The Front Yard as well. I love being able to create a vision and then play it, and you’re complete in the whole process.
TDR: What’s next for you after BUKU?
AW: Hopefully another festival because that was intoxicating. I’m kind of itching for another one. If I could play another set, that would be spectacular. You know, just continuing to play shows and expand to other states and hopefully the whole country. Playing Voodoo would be really nice too, but really just expand to the whole world.
TDR: Anything else you’d like to add?
AW: I love you guys. I love everyone who supports me and who’s here to dance with me because I like dancing with you.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Ronni Bourgeois

Klutch performs on day two of BUKU Music + Art Festival at the Back Alley Stage.