Veronica Arvizo
Photo Editor

Australian-born DJ LO’99 is on his first U.S. tour — which stops in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, San Diego, New York City and Costa Mesa.

In the heart of Los Angeles, at the Avalon nightclub on July 1, LO’99 brought a unique mix of beats and songs that got everyone dancing on their feet. His house and bass sounds combined perfectly, and displayed his love for creating and performing music. Along with some of his own original songs and remixes, some of which are featured on SoundCloud, he threw in some clips of old songs like “Move B*tch Get Out Da Way” and “Jump Around” mixing them seamlessly.

Graphics, lights and lasers were displayed on the front screen of his DJ booth as well as on the venue walls, which enhanced and gave life to his performance in addition to enthused attendees. His name, “LO’99,” constantly flashed on the walls, along with a series of different colored lasers, depending on the track.

LO’99 is definitely an artist to look out for He delivers sick beats and has plenty more on the way.

How do you feel about your current tour and what are you most excited for?

Well I guess I am excited for all of it. It’s the first time I’m playing in America, and also I haven’t been here since I was seven. I don’t really remember anything except for like the Disneyland cup ride. It’s all like new to me, so I’m looking forward to exploring cities and all the shows sound amazing. Can’t wait to jump on the stage right now as well. I guess nothing super particular, but everything.

What is it like performing onstage? 

I love it. When you’re in front of a club and it’s going off and you’re playing your own music it’s a pretty good feeling, and DJ-ing is what I really enjoy and love doing and I guess I’m sort of okay at it, so I have fun with what I’m doing at the same time. It’s pretty cool.

Are you staying in LA [after the tour] and making more music or going back home? 

I’m staying until the end of July so I’ve got an extra week here. Just gonna be working on music and stuff. Got a few sessions planned like with Sinden, Bixel Boys. I’ve also got a lot of friends to catch up with and get dinner and get drunk.

What will you be doing with your spare time on tour?

Well mostly like buying clothes, eating at restaurants and drinking mad drinks at bars.

Who do you look up to or get musical inspiration from?

Uh, a lot of people, you know the list could go on forever, but I think I look a lot to the past as well because a lot of the stuff I do is inspired by sounds from like the last 15 years or so. It’s a hard thing to answer but like I look up to everyone — even my friends who are doing similar stuff to me. I look up to them for inspiration because they’re always doing amazing things and it’s like everything just feeds off itself you know?

What sound are you striving for? Are you trying to stick with a signature sound or mix it up?

I sort of stick to what I do but I’m definitely all about pushing boundaries and trying new stuff and I think I do that when I DJ as well. I wouldn’t mind playing something different than everybody else and then I can just mix out of it if it’s not working, and if it does then like cool I’m doing something new and different. I do the same thing in my production. So I always try to make something different that’s going to make a difference. There’s no point in making something that’s already been made. It’s always about creating new sounds, evolving and combining different genres and sounds and ideas. Making something new is cool — you apply some of the logic of what’s already here and then you add something new to it. And then you get something crazy.

How long have you been DJ-ing?

For a long time actually, maybe like over 15 years. I started when I was very young as well.

Do you have family support of your career choice?

Yeah, I have to say I definitely don’t think either my parents or myself thought that I would be DJ-ing, running a label or writing music for a career, but I knew I would be doing something in music because music was my main thing in school, and then I went to music university as well—all that kind of stuff. But the music I was doing then is very different to what I’m doing now. I was playing the saxophone, flute and guitar; and I apply all that stuff to what I’m doing now.

If you weren’t a DJ what would you be doing?

If I wasn’t a DJ I would like to be designing computer games. I still might do that as well.

What songs or artists are you currently listening to on Spotify?

I just got the new Skepta album — it’s pretty cool — and the new Miike Snow album. I don’t really listen to music I make on Spotify. I listen to more different stuff. The new Tourist album is sick! There’s so much music out there that’s amazing, but those three are like my most recent purchases.

Any new music for the rest of 2016?

Yeah there’s gonna be quite a lot — a remix with Low Steppa that’s just about to come out.  I’m dropping a club record on my label called “Make Me Feel” and then I’ve got an EP coming out with Aston Shuffle, and collabs with Taiki Nulight and Low Steppa. I’m gonna do some sessions here in LA. I think there’s not gonna be a spare gap while I’m here.

How was your first show in Santa Barbara?

It was sick! It was great meeting everyone there. The show was fun and the club was really cool.

Is LA the city on the tour that you’re most excited for?

Uh, maybe because all my friends are here, but to be fair everything is new to me so I’m looking forward to everything. But I guess a big thing here in LA is that all my friends are here which is great. I have a couple of friends in New York, but I couldn’t count how many here — there are so many.  A lot of my friends from Australia have moved here and then I’ve become friends with a lot of Americans. So that’s why I’m going to spend a lot of time here when I come back from the East Coast.