Subduxtion is a unique DJ and music producer whose talent and skills are beyond limits. 

This is certainly evident with every release, where he showcases his impressive sound and style that has led him to become an eminent figure in the Electronic music world. 

Between his remarkable releases and projects like his weekly radio show ‘Dark Signals Radio’, this outstanding producer has a lot to offer and continues to amaze at his ability to push his own boundaries. 

We sat down with subduxtion to learn more about his experience and stories behind the decks. 

Hello subduxtion, how are you? 

I’m doing well, thank you. 

Do you remember your first live show ever? Where was it and how did it go? 

My first show was during my senior year in high school. My school had a basement auditorium called the ‘Speech Arts Room’. The school would allow students to put on shows during lunchtime in the room. I booked the band I was in at the time, ‘Primal Scream’ to play a lunchtime show. It went as well as could be expected. (LOL) We were a punk band and most of the students at the school were not punk rock fans. 

How do you prepare for a live show? 

First step is figuring out which songs I want to play. That can be guided by a few things, the club I’m playing, what time I’m playing, have I just released something that I want to promote. Once I figure out what songs I want to play, the next step is getting the order of the songs. Once I have the songs and the order the songs are to be played, the next step is to figure out the best way to perform each track. How much of the track will be left to Ableton Live and how will I perform live in the moment. After that, I get everything organized in Ableton Live and then it’s practice, practice and more practice!  

What do you look for in a track to add to a live set? 

Since I’m typically playing my own tracks live, when I add a track to a set, I’m thinking about how that track fits into the overall mood of the set. There are times that after building a live set I’ll think something is missing, maybe there isn’t enough dynamics or the set feels like it drags a bit, so I’ll look for a track to solve an issue I might have with the set. 

What’s your favorite thing about mixing / performing live? 

It has to be the crowd. It’s one thing to perform the set in my studio, it’s an entirely different thing to perform in front of a crowd. You can’t beat the energy / feeling of being in front of a crowd. Besides the crowd and what they bring to performing, it’s the ability to hear my songs in a club setting, I get to see in real time which tracks work and which one’s don’t. That’s some invaluable feedback, right there!  

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from performing live? 

The biggest lesson is preparation is key! That extends beyond just having practiced the set, it’s making sure all my gear is in good condition, replacing any faulty cables, bringing extra cables and a backup controller for just “in-case”. Just as big as these things are, always remember the “sound-person” is your best friend. Never underestimate just how important the sound-person is to your performance / set.  

Do you have any funny or remarkable anecdotes from a live show? 

I was playing a show at a club in Hollywood and Billy Idol was there. We happened to see each other in the lounge area, where he mistook me for someone else and ended up buying me drinks all night. This was the same night that some members of Guns and Roses came to see the band I was in to play but they had to leave early as people in the club wouldn’t leave them alone, so they bailed just to get some peace. 

Are there any new skills or gear that you’d like to incorporate to your live show? Which ones? 

Now that I’m doing a weekly radio show, ‘Dark Signals Radio’, I’ve been using Traktor a lot more. I’d like to see if I could incorporate Traktor into my live show setup. Right now, Ableton Live is the basis for my live setup. I’ve seen several artists use a combination of Traktor and Ableton Live and I’m curious to see if that combination can bring something new to my live sets. 

Where would you like to perform in the future? 

I’d love to perform in Greece, Brazil, Belgium. Those are the first three that come to mind as they are places I want to visit, so why not play a show or two while I’m there? 

What piece of advice would you give to a Producer/DJ that’s starting their live performance journey? 
My advice is to read/watch how others perform. Seeing how others are performing can be really inspirational in figuring how you want to perform. The other piece of advice is, don’t be afraid to experiment with your setup. Your live setup just like your studio is an evolving work in progress. Once you’ve found the “perfect” setup does not mean you stop looking at ways to improve it. The biggest names in electronic music have gone through a multitude of live setups and continue to look at what new technologies might have to offer them in terms of performing live. 

Subduxtion Online: 

Instagram | Audius | Soundcloud | Beatport