 UCF students Melissa McAvoy and Kevin Harrell don’t only love electronic music, they have made it their mission to develop a scene for drum and bass and jungle music in Orlando.
Over the past year McAvoy, a marketing major, has developed Jungala, a “mobile distribution unit” that sells drum and bass records, incense and other products. She runs her business mainly over the Internet and she also sets up shop at different music events and concerts.
McAvoy met Harrell, also known as DJ “Circle K” in 1999 at EhJay’s, a local club that has since shut down. Harrell was a resident DJ at the club during its longest span of weekly drum and bass shows, and the two shared a mutual passion for the music.
Live performances are held every Monday from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at The Haven, located at 6700 Aloma Ave. at the corner of Aloma and Forsyth. Click Read More!!
Like its name, drum and bass is a style of electronic music that relies heavily on beats. McAvoy describes it as a constant heavy bass line with a fast snare line going through it.
“You could also categorize it by beats per minute. Hip hop would have about 90 beats per minute, but drum and bass has about 180 beats per minute,” she said. “Because the beats are so fast, you can dance fast or slow and tune into whatever you want to hear.”
Harrell and McAvoy knew that drum and bass music wasn’t exactly thriving in Orlando, but both wanted to develop a scene for it in the community.
Since there wasn’t a place for them to go to, they created their own event---“Torque,” a night of drum and bass music held every Monday night at The Haven in Winter Park.
Torque is now the only drum and bass weekly in Orlando, and is drawing crowds of about 130 people each week, including students from UCF, Full Sail and Rollins College. But the show wasn’t always so popular.
“Sometimes in the beginning, it was just us, but we didn’t ever close the doors,” said Harrell. “It’s been nice to see the progression of our night and watch people discover drum and bass.”
With its pool tables, full bar, dartboards, couches and dance floor, The Haven seems like a lot of other local clubs. But Torque offers music lovers a club experience without all of the frills of downtown nightlife.
“At other clubs, it seems like people are just there for dating purposes, looking to hook up. Our crowd is just about the music. You don’t see a lot of fancy clothes, people are just there to dance and have a good time,” he said.
County Chairman Rich Crotty’s proposal to thwart drug use by temporarily banning dancing at any new club in Orlando bothers both of them.
“Blame is getting placed on the wrong shoulders,” said Harrell. “These club nights are 18 and up, and it’s their own choice whether they want to do drugs or not. Club owners should not be punished for their judgments. These laws are hurting the chances for a full grown underground culture to develop.”
Harrell, who wants to promote and throw events as a career takes Crotty’s proposal very seriously. “I’ve wanted to do this all my life, I enjoy seeing people have fun. When they make laws discouraging dancing at clubs, it’s really like shattering my dreams.”
McAvoy thinks more undercover police officers and searches at club doors would do a better job at deterring drug use, although Torque has not had any serious problems with drug use.
“There is a lot less drug use in the drum and bass scene. I think it has to do with the music’s roots. If you’re a Jungalist, it’s more about being positive and not using drugs to enjoy the music,” she said.
The latest project behind Jungala is a new record release due in mid-March off the independent Jungala label. The album, 001 will feature songs by DJs Glitch and Stereo Stormtrooper.
Live performances are held every Monday from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. at The Haven, located at 6700 Aloma Ave. at the corner of Aloma and Forsyth.
Special guest DJs are also featured throughout the month. UFO!, a popular record producer and DJ will perform at The Haven on Feb. 26.
by Lisa Cericola www.centralfloridafuture.com |
