Hidden away in Germantown sits Neuhoff Factory Party Stage, one of 11 venues in the SoundLand music festival. The run-down industrial complex, complete with broken windows and ivy covered steam towers, surrounds a fully modern stage and Royal Bangs is next in the lineup.
Adjacent to the stage is a massive truck resembling a small performance stage. Two large flat screen TVs hang from the hardtop covering and LED lights constantly blink around the four attached speakers.
One Belmont student stands in the middle of all this electrical equipment, calmly adjusting volumes and creating the perfect mesh in between songs.
Matt Lummis, a junior entrepreneurship major, got the opportunity to work as a disc jockey in between sets for the SoundLand festival.
“How I got this gig? Well, I’m good friends with Brad Gill. He works with Red Bull, knew I was a DJ. He asked and, of course, I said ‘yes,’” Lummis said.
This was his first chance to DJ a professional show.
“There’s some friends of mine that DJ. We all kind of do it together,” Lummis said. “It’s kind of nice to step out and kind of take a plunge.”
While this may be Lummis’ first major show, he is no rookie to the job.
“I started in January, just a few parties for some friends, it hasn’t been until this last month or two that I’ve gotten more serious,” Lummis said.
Lummis began developing this interest in high school, where he feels that his idea of becoming a DJ stemmed from his musical taste (electronic) and “being pushed more and more into finding other artists.”
The ability to take something and make it fresh is a favorite aspect of the job for Lummis.
“DJ’s can take something popular and turns it into something different,” Lummis said.
When not spinning Top 40 tracks at parties, Lummis works on developing a unique style or trying to “nail down” what he is doing.
“I started working on original material, or remixes, in July. Got a couple under wraps, trying to get a good collection and get it out in a month or two,” Lummis said. “Actually just finished Rihanna’s S&M.”
All of Lummis’ original works are released under the name Lou. He has already released two albums, “Nash-Ups” last October and “J26” in January.
Currently, Lummis has no set shows, although he said is talking to some people about doing work at the Limelight later this year.
Meanwhile, Royal Bangs finishes its last performance as Lummis climbs into the Red Bull sponsored beast of a truck to keep the music playing and focuses on “trying to play what they’ll appreciate.”