Colored lights spin across the ceiling, and the bar shakes with the vibrations from the bass. Alone in front of the dance floor is DJ Marty McSuperfly, effortlessly spinning hip-hop, house and dubstep.
McSuperfly, also known as finance senior Martin Dyer, is the disc jockey on Tuesday nights for Dub Night at Bogie’s Bar and Grill.
Dubstep is a style of electronic music that emphasizes heavy synth bass lines and long percussive patterns.
Dyer was first introduced to the genre in Austin, Texas.
“I had heard of it before, but there are a couple of spots that play it a lot,” Dyer said. “I think the first night that I went it was some random guy spinning. I thought it was amazing, seeing everyone dancing and having a good time.”
Shortly after hearing the music in Austin, Dyer began learning to play the music himself.
“I got into the DJ software in the beginning of the summer. I was raised playing drums and the guitar, so I was familiar with music software, but not DJ software,” Dyer said.
After learning the tricks of the trade, Dyer approached long-time friend Aaron “Mugsy” Saulnier, owner of Bogie’s Bar and Grill, about DJing at the bar.
“He loves music, and he’s open to any kind of music,” Dyer said or Saulnier. “I pitched the idea to him, and he ran with it.”
Saulnier said he liked Dyer’s idea and gave him a shot.
“I thought he had a pretty good idea, and that’s how this got started,” Saulnier said.
Saulnier said he had not heard of dub or dubstep before hearing Dyer play the music.
“I can barely turn up the radio at the bar,” Saulnier said.
According to Saulnier, the crowd for Dub Night has been steadily growing.
“It’s gaining from week to week. The more people see what he’s doing, the crowd keeps growing,” Saulnier said. “It’s a good thing he’s trying to get going.”
Word is spreading around campus, and students who have never heard of dub are experiencing it for the first time.
International trade and finance senior Frankie Matto III said he had never heard of dubstep until he attended Dyer’s show one Tuesday.
“I like the music, and if there’s a bunch of people then this could be a big hit,” Matto said.
Dyer hopes Dub Night will continue to catch on.
“Every time we’ve had it, there have been people there dancing and having a good time,” he said. “People can come to a place on Tuesdays and listen to dubstep.”
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Contact Andrew Price at [email protected]