The Serato crew came to Los Angeles this week to take part in a very special series of events at Guitar Center Hollywood. Kicking things off around 3pm was the induction of three legends of DJing into the GC Rock Walk - Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizzard Theodore and Grandmixer DXT. It's crazy to think about how their experimentation with this art form back in the 80s was so influential in the development of DJ culture and technology today. They spoke very wise words and gave the entire room a history lesson alongside the hosts of the evening, DJ Jazzy Jeff, QBert, Biz Markie and Herbie Hancock! It was definitely a great experience for us, as these three legends planted their hands into the concrete and their legacy into the history.
The second part of the evening was the unveiling of our second Serato store within a store concept launched initially in Brooklyn, this concept is all about us providing a uniquely Serato experience within Guitar Center, where DJs can see our latest software in action, get hands on with new gear and check out all the latest Control Vinyl and merch on offer.
Lastly, came the performances! This was a public event, which even included a giant monitor outside the store on Sunset Boulevard. You could basically drive past and see DJ Jazzy Jeff tearing it up if you wanted. So great to see so many DJs showing their skills! Mr Choc opened and was followed by D-Styles who managed to even re-create the routine he performed for the performance video we filmed back in 2012. After that came Shortee, who filled the room with energy just before the host of the evening, DJ Jazzy Jeff, gave a masterclass. One of the highlights, DJ Numark, came next with his infamous "toy set". If you haven't seen it before, it's really something to witness and a great example of how you can differentiate yourself - he is a true performer. Nick Hook played next, one of the very first times the Pioneer DDJ-SZ has been used publicly. A club DJ usually, Nick gave the crowd a taste of the music he's part of.
It keeps going...
Next up came Rhettmatic and Eric Bobo as Cypress Junkies. This was a great live performance, with Eric on the bongos, cymbals and hats, all led by Rhett who was moving his way through classic breaks, funk, house and hip hop. Gaslamp Killer did what he does every time, he turned the energy in the room up 100. At one moment, he was holding the Pioneer DDJ-SP1 like a guitar, hitting cues and using loop rolls and FX to shake the entire room. Lastly, Mike Relm played his signature Serato Video set - an amazing mix of music, humour and skill, before P Trix and Dynamix then finished things off with super tight sets to round out the evening.
So there you go... Too much to even talk about properly! Make sure to head down if you are in the area and check out the Serato interactive area - we have Control Vinyl, tee's hoodies and caps available as well as the Pioneer DDJ-SZ, Numark NS7 II, Serato DJ and Serato Remote available to play on and try out. Also look out for the video wrap up of the event, coming soon.
