Music pulled him out of a dark place and into one of Brooklyn’s most sexy and popular recurring events. Freak out to the beats of DJ ShamanLove!
Thotyssey: Hi Shaman, Happy New Year! So how did you ring in 2026?
ShamanLove: I had a great new year. I went to a nice dinner, then met up at my friend’s house in Brooklyn to watch the ball drop and fireworks from their roof, then went out to “Merge” to dance.
Sounds great! How was the music? Do you find yourself “judging” the DJs when your out at places, lol?
I try not to, but I can’t help it sometimes. I don’t want to be too judgmental about transitions and stuff, but I am more about are these DJs bringing the right vibe and energy. At “Merge,” Boris was amazing. His set was very, very good. I did find myself more judging the sound quality in the large techno room rather than the DJ. It was a techno room, but the sound in that room was escaping the dancefloor… so you couldn’t really feel the energy that that type of music should give.
Acoustics are key! How might you describe your own DJ sound as far as genres, style, etc.?
I am primarily in the house / disco / techno family, but I tailor my vibe to whatever party I am spinning at. I can do dark and sexy tech house for my jockstrap party, or retro / pop / house and disco remixes for my disco party. Regardless, I always try to keep it fun. I like my music to have a positive message overall, so even my dark music doesn’t have a negative message.
Where are you from originally, and was music always a big part of your life?
I’m from Long Island. And yes, music was a huge part of my life. My parents told me that as a child, I used to run around the house with a toy guitar singing “Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi — which is funny, cuz when they told me this when I was older I didn’t even know the song! I played sax in high school and was in band, orchestra, jazz band and marching band. And I was also in a (terrible) punk and ska band in high school with my friends.
How did you get into DJing?
Well kind of a long story, haha. But let’s say I had a big New York downfall, and found myself in a rock bottom type situation. I was at Bellevue, and had all my freedom taken from me. There was nothing to do there, and all I could think about was music and certain lyrics that taught me life lessons. I had always been mystified by DJs but never believed it was something I could do. With nothing to lose, I decided when I would get out that I would dedicate myself to music. I found a new addiction, and it was music.
Coincidentally (or maybe it was fate) a few days after I got out, I was gifted my first mixer. I started playing around with it, and taught myself how to DJ. I would sit at coffee shops and bars and steal Wi-Fi to download music. I would sit at home and make SoundCloud mixes. Eventually I would invite my friends over for house parties and DJ, spinning for three people in my apartment, haha. I kept believing in myself and showing the universe I was serious.
Eventually after Covid I ended up booking my first gig, and from there started my journey of actually DJing in bars and clubs.
I remember you being on The Q’s DJ lineup. The Q was a brief and chaotic moment in our city’s nightlife history, but it was a great time for DJs in which they were well paid and well exposed!
Yes, I loved The Q for giving me my first chance to DJ and having me back every week. I got to meet so many people in nightlife by working there. I’ll never forget just my roots of spinning in the bathroom every weekend for all the queens running into the stalls to do their thing, haha.
We can’t sugarcoat it… it’s a strange time for nightlife these days. On one hand, so many bars are losing money because people aren’t coming out and buying drinks or paying covers the way they used to. On the other hand, raw dance-centric venues are getting cult followings. What’s your opinion on how things are going now?
Hmm. Well I think things are still going okay in a way, but in another way are not great. There’s a very diverse scene with tons of room for different types of events in nightlife. Personally as a clubgoer, I think the big event prices have become insane. Where I used to be able to pay $60 or $70 for an event five years ago, that same event now is $140 first release. At the same time, for new DJs it’s very hard to make money on a bar gig when they just wanna pay you 10% of the bar tab for a weekday. And as an event producer it’s also hard to get people to come to a new party. So I urge everyone reading this to check out new parties, support your DJ and performer friends, and go out and dance!
You helm a sexy recurring event in Brooklyn that’s pretty long running by today’s standards! “Hump Day” is a jockstrap party at Rash that returns this coming Wednesday night. What’s made this night such a success? And, is it a challenge to not get “distracted” when you’re trying to DJ there, lol?
Haha, yes sometimes. But we try to keep it pretty foggy so you can’t see more than five feet in front of you, and I’m normally distracted enough with running the lighting and fog machine while also DJing.
I think it’s been a successful event for consistency in marketing, thanks to CircuitDad for our flyers each month. And our promoters Lomi and Macho have always brought in great people. It’s both very sexual, but also friendly and intimate compared to the larger Manhattan jockstrap parties. The location in Brooklyn is also surrounded by gays who maybe don’t want to travel all the way to Manhattan for an event like this. And the decor and lighting of Rash are both sleazy with graffiti all over and also high end with very cool lighting design. Lastly, I try to keep the price low to be fair to the customers. We also get a diverse crowd of body types and races, so I think that’s helpful, too.
Oh, and I guess also the music, haha! I hire up and coming DJs and always try to play sexy stuff.
You have another party at All Night Skate (also in Brooklyn), “8 Bit Disco!”
I love All Night Skate. It’s such a cool bar with such fun decor. I love this event because I really just DJ to the decor: 80s and 90s remixes, roller disco, synthpop, etc. It’s both specific, but also a wide range of music. I can play “Total Eclipse of the Heart” into the Star Wars disco version into ABBA into a Backstreet Boys remix into jazzy nu disco into Pet Shop Boys. So much fun! I love the staff there so much, and they have amazing craft cocktails and tacos. Make sure to get a crunchadilla next time you go. I’ll be back there January 30th for the next “8-Bit Disco!”
Before that, you have another Brooklyn event coming up on the 11th.
I’m doing Rebecca’s Bar this Sunday for “Sunday Kiki.” It’s an earlier event, but should be fun. Its a great way to decompress from the weekend, have a few drinks with friends and dance it out to a chill and soulful vibe.
What else is coming up for you?
Well, I have a new party coming up this month at C’mon Everybody that we are calling “Chewbaccus” (a portmanteau of Chewbacca the Wookie and Bacchus the Greek God of wine and orgies). So its a bear / otter / wolf etc. focused party with a Greek and Roman mythology theme. It should be very cool. That’s on January 29th.
I’ve also been involved with “Slayground” at Wiggle Room last year, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back… but it’s a very fun event.
I also have my big party February 20th at Red Eye. It’s a blacklight party called “Power Up.” We have blacklight body painters and a whole bunch of other fun things planned that I don’t want to spoil just yet. That’s February 20th.
Lastly, I can’t wait to be back at Camp Out this summer. I’ve been there the last three years in a row, and I just love the gay campgrounds.
Yay! Okay, to close… what’s your best advice for a baby DJ who wants to make it in NYC?
Believe in yourself, treat others with respect. Don’t get discouraged when you post your first mix online and two people listen to it (and it’s your mother, who’s only feedback is that it’s too loud). Or when you finally get a gig, and have to DJ to an empty room. Its all part of the process. Learn from your mistakes, and keep going.
Thanks, Shaman!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for DJ ShamanLove’s upcoming appearances, and follow him on Instagram and SoundCloud.
Thotyssey 