Hundreds gathered in the SUB ballroom on Thursday to enjoy music from internationally-known disc jockey Salva and local DJ Nathan New last Thursday.
More than 550 people attended this year’s dance party — a number that has steadily grown since the inaugural event in 2012, said Simon Kessler, director of student special events and promotions.
“We think that there is an awesome music scene here in Albuquerque, but a lot of times people don’t get the really new stuff — the stuff that’s groundbreaking sounds,” Kessler said. “This is huge for UNM because it’s a new chapter for us and shows what we want to do here.”
The Red Party planning committee wanted to find an artist that students would love, but someone that they might not have heard of, in hopes of expanding their horizons, he said.
“I don’t think it’s possible to box Salva into one genre,” Kessler said. “You listen to his stuff and it’s a lot of trap, techno, house, EDM ... I think he likes to dabble in a lot of things.”
Kessler said people he spoke to were excited to be at the event, and people who knew Salva were even more enthusiastic.
DJ New, the opening act for Salva, said he was thrilled to be invited back to UNM after playing Fiestas last spring.
“Being entrusted to throw another party at UNM was really flattering ... this was probably the biggest audience we’ve had indoors,” he said.
New said it was an honor for him to play with Salva because he really appreciates Salva’s production values.
New produces a lot of alternative and trap music, and college students are his demographic. He encourages aspiring DJs to create as much music as possible and practice, he said.
“There’s the adage that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master ... keep trying new things and mess around with the software,” New said.
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Ashley Hawney, a sophomore sign language interpreting major, said she would like to see changes in the future for the Red Party. Holding the event at The Pit to draw an even bigger crowd and more musical options could make a difference too, she said.
“I think that bringing more DJs allows people who like all different types of music to come ... It’s not just one type of sound,” she said.
Hawney said she had not heard of DJ Salva prior to the event, but she enjoyed his music.
Kyle Biederwolf, a sophomore business major, said he came to the Red Party as a fan of DJ Salva’s and was not disappointed. The event, he said, has the potential to be very popular.
“All of the Lobos coming together — it’s very traditional — every year it just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and more people want to come,” he said.
Meagen Twyeffort is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
