Competitive athlete turned DJ &Drew (that’s “Andrew,” get it!?) is popping up all over the city, getting hitched, and giving you life!
Thotyssey: Hello &Drew, thanks for chatting today! How and where was your Halloween?
DJ &Drew: It was good! Halloween was a crazy weekend! People were ready to dance, and so was I! I spent Thursday through Saturday nights at The Dickens DJing multiple parties. The Big Apple Rec League Halloween Party was Thursday, and it was a ton of fun! Friday and Saturday I helped host some of our Halloween parties with Adriana Trenta and Audrey Phoenix. Monday Izzy Uncut and I were at Barracuda and surprisingly people were still out from the weekend ready to get wild. On Halloween itself I was at Hardware all night! I had a lot of fun with all the queens and staff that night!
Wow, that is a busy weekend! I understand you also DJ a lot of tours and festivals. Are those always fun experiences, or is there sometimes stress involved?
I actually just did a little mini-tour in Colorado this fall, and did several shows in Denver and in Boulder. The most stressful part is the travel for me, and making sure all my equipment is there and in one piece. The shows themselves I usually am pretty well prepared ahead of time for, and have an idea of what I am going to play that night… which takes a lot of the stress off. Very excited for this next year coming up, I have some plans and bookings for some festivals. I don’t know what I am allowed to officially say yet, but keep your eyes pealed for the first half of next year. I’ll be doing one of my first international festivals!
Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from, and if music was always a big part of your life?
So I actually grew up in Colorado. I started music at a very young age, and it has always been a big part of my life. I started in classical music in elementary school through college, and played clarinet and tuba. I did marching band in high school and college, going to multiple championships and state honor bands and orchestras. I studied classical music when I was in college. This is also when I was first introduced to EDM and dance music. Colorado has some of the best dance artists in the world, and the culture and family there is one of a kind. You can hear how both of these have influenced my music and how I DJ.
When did you actually become a DJ and a New Yorker?
So I learned how to DJ and did house parties and events in college. Several of my friends that I did parties with ended up blowing up; these are the same friends that are still in the festival scene today. I didn’t see it going anywhere at the time for myself, so I decided to go into business.
I moved to New York in January of 2020 for a job (I know, worst timing in history); at the time I was managing a software sales team. Less then a year into moving here, I became really close with the Astoria gay community and was asked to DJ to fill in at Icon. That eventually grew to doing gigs at Icon, Kween and Albatross on the weekends for fun as I worked my day Job. This last year I decided to leave the stress of sales to really double down on my passions and go full time. I have to give credit to Petti Cash, Audrey Phoenix and Nicole Anadyme for really encouraging me and pushing me to what &Drew is today. You can catch me DJing around five days a week all over the city.
Is “&Drew” a name you came up with strictly for DJing, or did you used to use it for other things?
The “Ampersand-Drew” is something my friends and I came up with for DJing; all of my friends just call me Drew. It’s become a running gag in the friend group when I work with new queens or venues on who will get the &Drew, and who won’t. It took a couple months of working with Bootsie LeFaris before she realized “&” and “Drew” is just pronounced “Andrew.”
I must confess it took me a minute the first time, too! What are your favorite music genres or artists to play from the booth, when you have the freedom to do as you please?
Oh, that’s a great question! I personally love lighting up a crowd and creating a vibe. I might have that EDM / house background, but I always want my audience to be singing along to music they know. It gives me energy! On my dance floors you are going to hear a lot of Gaga, Nicki, Rihanna, Miley, Abba and other LGBT divas mixed with EDM drops or house beats. You’ll hear a lot of influence from Tiesto, Galantis, Diplo, Kygo, Calvin Harris and more in the background and drops.
I also love to play what I call “jokes or gags” in my sets to keep everyone on their toes. This might include playing Mariah Carey Christmas in July, Rick Rolling everyone, combining Lil Jon’s “Shots” with the Ghostbusters theme, or other fun mashups. I mixed Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to Cardi Bs “W.A.P.” this weekend, and everyone went wild! My top genres would probably be pop, dance, house and disco.
Besides DJing, it looks like competitive athletics are also a big part of your life.
That part of my life has passed, but still has a huge influence on me. I used to be a professional obstacle racer. I was fortunate enough to race in seven world championships. I got to compete all over the world including London, Greece, Abu Dhabi, and Toronto. The obstacle racing community is a lot like the queer nightlife community–it’s very diverse, and has all walks of life. They are also some of the most resilient people on the planet, much like the queer community. It takes a lot to be able to race in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet, which includes running up some of the highest peaks in a snowstorm, or tracking through some of the biggest sand dunes in the Arabian desert in 96 degree heat.
Amazing! Did I hear that you were involved in a certain marriage proposal, by the way?
It was at Icon Astoria; I just proposed to the love of my life. He is one of the funniest, sweetest people I have ever met. He cried for two days straight from joy after he said yes. It’s been a running joke for Catrina Lovelace and Petti Cash to ask him if he’s still crying every time they see him. He wants to have the rehearsal dinner for our wedding at The Dickens!
You’re actually often at The Dickens in Hell’s Kitchen, spinning the weekend parties or brunch shows. That’s still a relatively new post-lockdown venue… how do you like it there?
I absolutely love it there! I am the resident DJ for the space, and it’s been a lot of fun. The Dickens being a gay owned and operated bar has something for everyone. The main floor is a cocktail bar / restaurant by day, but turns into a dance party at night. The second floor features two bars that are more quiet and intimate. The third floor is more of the club level, where we have all the lighting and parties. Then there is the rooftop, which has been absolutely amazing this last summer. The frozen espresso martinis on the rooftop are top notch! The Friday night, dance vibes on the main floor have been my absolute favorite; Adriana Trenta hosts and does some popups. Brunch with Jacklynn Hyde is also a wild ride. If you haven’t seen Jacklynn’s brunch yet, it’s a must see!
And you still often DJ at Icon.
Icon is one of my favorite spaces to DJ; it’s an intimate space, but the crowds and energy in Astoria are always right! I used to be their resident DJ with Jax on Saturdays before moving to The Dickens. I Just did this last Saturday, and ended up playing until 4am because we were having so much fun. The date isn’t picked out yet, but I should be back for my monthly Boiler Room set / party. On a Sunday at the end of this month / early next month. Those sets are not to be missed. I actually move a DJ booth in the middle of the dance floor with my lasers and full set up. It’s so much fun with everyone dancing behind and around the booth.
And Mondays you’re with Izzy Uncut at Barracuda.
Izzy is an absolute rockstar! She’s one of my favorite queens to work with. She’s professional and fun at the same time. It doesn’t matter if she’s on TV with Andy Cohen and Cardi B or if she’s twirling on a Monday at Barracuda, she always gives 100% her all and you will be entertained! She’s also become a friend and a great person to talk to when it comes to advice with nightlife. She’s just a great person.
What else is coming up?
Just my normal gigs and corporate holiday parties through the end of the year. But keep your eyes out for some big news getting announced for next year! Very excited to get the opportunity to play some bigger stages.
Werq! Okay, lastly… DJ song request etiquette! Is there a right way folks in the venue should be approaching you with song requests, or should we be weening the kids off this practice entirely?
Oh now, that’s the million dollar question… and I think every DJ has a different approach / opinion on song requests. I don’t know which is the best practice. I know many DJs do it to make more money and have their Venmo signs. I might get in trouble for my answer on this… but at that point, are you actually DJing or are you being a jukebox?
For me, I think it depends on the venue and setting. If it’s before / after a drag show and the drag show is the main focus, I think it’s perfectly fine to ask a DJ for a song request with a dollar or two. If the DJ is doing a dance party or setting the entire vibe of a venue, it gets a little more challenging. Our job as the DJ is to read the room and get them singing and dancing. We want to keep them on the dance floor drinking as long as possible, and make sure everyone has a great time. At the end of the day, these venues are businesses and they will look at numbers and drink sales when comparing DJs.
With song requests, that gets a lot harder… because sometimes the song requests can completely kill a dance floor, and you can see a mass exit. Is it worth it for a few bucks? It might be to some; we all have bills to pay. For me, my goal for every dance floor is to read the room so well that I don’t get any requests and have everyone on the dance floor. I would like to think I play music they would probably request anyway by looking at my demographics in the room.
In short, I think it just depends on the place and DJ. If they have a signup for requests, then I think it’s totally fine to go to the booth and ask. If they don’t, I would look around the room before asking. Is it busy? Are people dancing and singing? If so, you might want to just let the DJ do his thing and keep the party going. That one Adele sad ballad or Nickleback request might not be the mood for the bar.
It’s always good to end on Nickleback, lol! Thanks, &Drew!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ &Drew’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Instagram.
Thotyssey 