BOSTON PRIDE: The second time’s a charm for superstar DJ Kimberly S.
Literally and figuratively, Kimberly S. is an ass-kicking DJ.
A part-time Karate instructor, the West Coast-based head-turner has an impressive circuit resume that boasts multiple, headlining gigs at One Mighty Party in Orlando, White Party Palm Springs, Girl Bar Dinah Shore Weekend Palm Springs, New Orleans' Mardi Gras, Southern Decadence and Halloween; Columbus Chrome Party's Closing Party; Sundance Russian River Party, Altitude Eleven & Twelve at Whistler Resort and Chicago's Fireball.
She also has three commercially-released CDs to her credit, including 2001's The Factory LA Presents Kimberly S, and the more recent One Mighty Weekend, Vol. 1 and Global Groove: Kimberly S., both from Centaur Music.
Last Friday, the heavily scheduled DJ headlined The Girls in Wonderland Party in Orlando. This weekend, she stays put in Orlando to serve up an effervescent soundtrack for the Reunion Pool Party during One Mighty Weekend. On Thursday, it's back to LA where she'll play harder for Instinct Magazine's Pride Kick-Off Party at The Factory.
With a scant 24 hours to recharge, Saturday morning finds Kimberly boarding yet another cross-country flight, en route to yet another gig. Luckily for us, she's heading to Boston to spin Pride after-hours at RISE. Beginning at midnight, she'll embark on a lengthy eight-hour set which will also serve as her RISE debut.
Two years ago, Kimberly - the S is for Spalding - drew raves of her performance during David Flower's Boston Pride celebration at the Opera House. That year, she almost didn't make it Boston when a medical emergency grounded her plane. Somehow - after arriving an hour late and understandably frazzled - she tapped into her source, dismissed the stress and played beautifully.
EDGE recently checked in with Kimberly, 40 (but clearly the new 30 in her case), for several non-confrontational questions, since she can kick like a mule if provoked.
How has DJing evolved for you over the 19 years that you've been spinning?
"My style has changed. I played for girls for a very long time which is different than boys. As time goes on, if you are professional and an artist, you have to evolve and grow. As far as the craft goes, mixing is the most important. I put a lot of elements into by set. There are a lot of different tricks I used to do with Hip-Hop that I used to do for the girls, but that doesn't work for the boys. I have to change as music changes. I'm not into becoming a re-mixer or producer, I'm into the turntables. The old school DJ is about making people dance. I don't want to behind a computer. Even though making music is great, I don't think I need to do that to become successful. I've gotten very far without having to do that."
What have you been most proud of in your work over the course of your career?
"I could give you a bunch of parties, including one that brought me to tears during a five- minute ovation. But the real thing that makes me proud is the correspondence from fans or those that get something out of what I'm doing. It's three to five hours of journey and if they have some sort of enlightenment out of that, I think that's amazing. Maybe, there was some magic in the show and brought someone to another state of mind. That makes me feel good. For me, DJing is not about celebrity, what I'm doing has to make an impact."
What's a signature characteristic of a Kimberly S. set?
"There are particular songs that I play. In my sets it's a particular way of feeling. I don't spin dark, I spin a positive vibe. Even if it's a sexy vibe, it's still positive. I don't put anger in my sets. No drums with scary voices."
What do you think the current state of the circuit is? Many are saying it's on the decline, some say new talent might be reviving it.
"It is different, it has declined. It's about evolution and that what the circuit is going through. Like a baby, you learn to walk and you go through puberty. Everything has to grow and change. There's a lot of new talent coming through. Even the company I founded that my girlfriend runs has guys that are just amazing that are going to be where I am one day. I know there is hope. The artists have to evolve. Younger boys have seen a trend toward pop and hip-hop . A lot of the guys that where really into the circuit in 1998, 1999, 2000, they are really growing up now. I'm not going to go into a big drug thing, because it's been talked. I've been sober for 15 years. You look back in history and every decade has it drugs in the clubs and they do effect it. But it's about more than that. 9/11 hit, and things starting getting kind of weird. There was the whole drug thing. You know what, things are better financially and the girls are going out and going to there parties. The Dinah Shore weekend was higher than ever. Numbers at the Gay Day party for girls were higher."
Considering your tenure as a DJ, you must have seen some pretty crazy stuff. What are some of your favorite moments, good, bad or just odd?
"New Orleans. From that DJ booth I've seen. New Orleans has gotten a little bit cleaner. I've seen some crazy stuff. Let's just say major sex play on the floor on Southern Decadence. In plain view. Bam, there it is. It's interesting to watch a dance floor because everyone dances a different way."
No fights?
"Boys don't fight. Girls fight. One time - at this bar I DJ'd at eight years ago - I saw this glass hurl pass the DJ booth. It hits this girl in the forehead, she's goes running with her fist in the air. Pulling hair. That was ages ago. The boys don't fight. It's never, 'stop lookin' at my boyfriend,' It's probably more like, 'come on in and join us.' I did see one guy propose to another guy on the dance floor. That was pretty cool. That was very sweet."
You will be making your RISE debut on Saturday. Anything special planned?
"I've got a couple of classics that people are going to say "Oh my God, I haven't heard this in so long," some really great new stuff. It' will be on the positive edge and just kick their asses. I want to try to make it a party they never forget."
For more: Kimberly S
To purchase Kimberly S. music: Centaur Music
For more about her June 9 RISE performance go to: RISE