After a decade-long residency in an East Village hub, DJ Mark Holcomb is now tearing up the hottest dancefloors across the boroughs.
Thotyssey: Mark, hello! Thanks for chatting today! How was your Labor Day Weekend?
Mark Holcomb: My weekend was magical! I celebrated my 40th birthday with my nearest and dearest in my hometown in West Virginia. I wanted to show my friends from all over where I grew up, and give them a taste of what West Virginia offers with a ton of fun mixed in.
Happy Birthday! What was the most fun thing you showed your friends in WV?
Can I pick two things? We celebrated my actual birthday date with a dinner at The Greenbrier, and on Labor Day we all went whitewater rafting down the New River.
Love! What was life like growing up there… and was music always a part of it?
It was a great place to grow up; I was able to be myself. I shared my love of music probably starting around fourth or fifth grade where I started DJ’ing school dances, my 4-H camp parties and friends’ birthdays and house parties — all the way through high school, and a tiny bit of college.
How did you come to find yourself doing professional DJ gigs, and becoming a New Yorker?
I went to college in NYC and started to explore, and get involved with NYC nightlife around 2003/2004. I hosted at a few clubs on the West Side when mega clubs were the thing, and around 2007/2008 started to play with Greg K from The Misshapes at Bedlam in the East Village. That led to a ten year residency every Friday night at Phoenix Bar for “Phoenix Fridays,” where I played with Michael Scanlon, Matt Kays, Greg K, and Scott Meriam on a rotating basis. We had fun!
Do you remember the kind of stuff you were playing then… and what is your DJ sound like today?
I’ve never been tied to one style. Early on, I played whatever would light up the dancefloor, and keep the party going until the lights came on. Now my sound has sharpened into its own lane of New York House, but it still carries the grit and energy of my downtown club and bar days.
What are your thoughts on today’s dancefloors? Is it a bummer that so many are antisocial and tied to their phones, or is it inspiring that the kids who want to dance to good music are finding it?
Honestly, it’s both. Phones are definitely part of nightlife now; you’ll always see people scrolling or recording instead of being fully in the moment. And sure, that can take some energy out of the room. But at the same time, the people who really want to dance, connect, and lose themselves in the music always find their way to the floor and take center stage. That hasn’t changed. The inspiring part is that when it clicks, and the track works, when the crowd goes wild and the phones go down, it still feels as electric and communal as it ever did. That’s the magic and moment I chase. New York nightlife is alive and well, and maybe the best in the world currently. We have been waiting years for this moment. Let’s not ruin it, kids!
On Saturday, September 13th you’ll be part of what will no doubt be an epic party moment: spinning the opening set for The Carry Nation’s fourth-to-last residency night at Good Room! How exciting is that!?
Very exciting! I’ve come up in New York alongside Will and Nita, and truly consider them and the whole Carry Nation crew family. This residency is legendary; it’s a party that shaped me and countless others. To be opening for them in their final run at Good Room feels full circle. My advice? Get there early, stay to the very end, and soak up every second of these last four Carry Nation nights at Good Room.
Anf just so you know, this is not the end of Carry Nation; it is only the end of their Good Room residency. Change is good, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Will and Nita and the rest of my nightlife fam.
We can’t wait to see what the future will hold for them! We know what your future holds: Saturday the 20th, you’ll be DJing the fan favorite cruisy dancefest “HARDER,” care of Ricardo Tavares!
I’ll be back behind the decks with Ricardo, Eric Umble and one of my besties and hottest producers out there right now, Michael Cignarale. We officially kicked off the new “HARDER” residency last month, and you could immediately feel the shift: fresh energy in the air, a reimagined design from 9 Bob Note, and a dancefloor that’s leaning even more music-forward. It’s just the beginning. Big things are happening at “HARDER”…watch this space!
What else is coming up for you?
Closing out the month at my home booth at Animal, where I’ll be playing September 27th. Stay till 4am, and then head to “They Went On Forever” at 5am for Carry Nation’s newest party! Summer’s over….let’s Carry!
Yazzzz! Okay, lastly: if you could give one big word of advice to some collective in NY nightlife — venues, partgoers, other DJs, etc. — would might that be?
Be yourself!
That sums it up perfectly! Thanks, Mark!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Mark Holcomb’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkTree and Soundcloud.
Thotyssey 