SIM SATURDAYS @ THE LOUNGE 03.20.10

As Sound In Motion continues their residency at The Lounge, it’s time to meet Cities of Gold who will be featured every 3rd Saturday of the month.

Confirmed rsvp’s here will be automatically added to the guestlist for the night, good until midnight. You can email guestlist@simshows.com if you need any +1′s or any special requests.

Nate Lee joins Cities of Gold in the main room.
The Cathedral Room features the 1048 Twitch with the Sexbots, Shamas, and more. We can open the Cathedral Room @ 11 PM if early birds come out to party, so come out early!

<<<CITIES OF GOLD>>>

Never content with mediocracy, Cities of Gold has come to signify a keen sense of quality, style, and energy in the Midwest DJ community. He quickly became a staple in Minneapolis nightlife after joining SIM almost a half decade ago. His rise started alongside Tyler Hampton as one-half of the popular DJ duo, The Hamptons. As for the last couple of years, he has focused on building the profile and success of his solo name, Cities of Gold. From opening for the biggest DJ’s in the world to holding down residencies on his own, Cities of Gold has brought a unique blend of House, Nu Disco, and Indie to the decks, opening a whole world of new music to unsuspecting audiences. He has the uncanny ability to get you dancing to the music you will love in the future, having a strong pulse on the life flow of dance music. You may have seen him DJ’ing alongside Bad Boy Bill, Ferry Corsten, D.Ramirez, Filo & Peri, hosting the summer rooftop Spectrum parties, for Puma, and now every 3rd Saturday of the month @ The Lounge in downtown Minneapolis. The future is bright for this rising star, as he ventures further into the world of producing his own original music. Cities of Gold defines his own standard, and we all have the opportunity to bask in the glow.

Here’s a recent interview of the SIM resident, Cities of Gold…

Q: What inspires you when digging for new music?

A: I have a really broad taste in music so it’s really easy for me to be inspired. I have a passion for fresh, new music so it’s not uncommon to hear completely different sets from me at back-to-back gigs. There will be times where a handful of new drum & bass or chillout tracks will inspire something in me and I’ll want to forgo playing what I normally play! I guess that’s something I’ll always deal with as long as there’s fresh new sounds to enjoy.

Q: What do you feel differentiates you from all the other DJ’s out there playing music?

A: Well, with everyone being a DJ these days it’s pretty difficult to stand out! I know from attending so many different parties that it’s easy to tell who is passionate about the music and puts in the countless hours of digging and listening. For a lot of DJ’s, I know Beatport is a first and last stop for them when it comes to what they play. Don’t get me wrong, Beatport is a great resource and many great releases are exclusive to the site–it’s definitely a regular stop for me. However, you’ll only find that a select few DJ’s in the Twin Cities are putting in the time to find more obscure or fresh talent and really evolve in what their sound is.

Q: Talk about your interest in backpacking. Any cool adventures you would be willing to share?

A: I’m really big into backcountry sports like hiking, biking, camping and so on. This past fall I spent some time in Costa Rica which is one of the most environmentally diverse and intense countries. I trekked across everything I could really and made my way from border to border. It’s very easy to get caught in some dangerous situations when you wander off the map. In CR, I needed some impromptu medical assistance from a friend when we were forced to cross a large brackish river at high tide, near dark. We were in some really thick rainforest and I accidentally brushed up against tall palm with thorns. I had probably 30 spikes in my right arm, each about 2 inches long! Some of them had gotten under the skin and were catching on muscle tissue which, for those who don’t know, is REALLY PAINFUL!

Q: How has being a “go-getter” provided opportunities for you in life?

A: I guess to be defined as a “go-getter” you have to maintain certain traits. Of course, I’m super outgoing and ambitious about things I have a passion for. But I’ve found that having a certain arrogance about your passion is critical too. There are way too many forces in life that can yank you down in a second. For me, being a little arrogant is a good way of deterring most of those forces. Once you find the right attitude you just have to really follow through in getting what you want. When I was 16 years old I only dreamed of playing with artists like Tiesto, Ferry Corsten and Bad Boy Bill. After getting my priorities in order as a teenager and really began chasing after that dream, I made it become a reality. Now that I’ve made this possible, I’m looking ahead and pushing for the next big thing I want to accomplish.

Q: How do you balance your involvement with the music community with the rest of your life?

A: It can get really tough at times when your juggling full-time work, family, friends with DJ’ing and producing. You never seem to get the right amount of each! Over the years I guess it evens itself out with less important things and relationships fading away. It can be sad to reflect on it at times but when you’re really following your passion, it’s always worth it.

Q: What is your favorite type of DJ gig? Why?

A: I enjoy a variety of types whether it’s a house party with friends or a huge event with three thousand people. Being able to play the music I love to people who are there to listen and enjoy life is really the only formula I need in a gig. I guess I would want good sound too!

Q: What are you planning to focus on with your monthly residency at The Lounge?

A: I’m planning on transcending a handful of genres throughout the night; mostly house, disco, and indie. There tends to be this stigma of indie and nu-disco music being something only “hipsters” listen to. At the Lounge, I really want to expose a more mainstream oriented crowd to a fresh alternative dance sound. Whether your open to that or not, it’s gonna be a party!

RSVP to the event for FREE cover before midnight or email Guestlist@simshows.com

The Lounge
411 Second Ave North
Minneapolis
http://www.theloungempls.com/