Grooveeffect Artist Pages - Featuring The Beta Theta

The Chicago underground dance scene is brewing up a whole new set of players and The Beta Theta DJ's are worth keeping an eye on. These electro DJ's bring a fresh new sound to the nightclubs in Chicago and beyond. Check out what they had to say when we asked them...

Tell us a little bit about yourself...

Brock: We started The Beta Theta parties almost 4 years ago in Chicago to contrast the larger Electro/Club parties we were throwing at the time. They started off as a place to play records uninhibited by labels. Since then Tobias had moved to Portland and hosts a monthly called Risk VS. Reward, works on countless music projects, and does his industrial design thing. I continue to run The Beta Theta events here in Chicago, as well as several design related projects. We still get together a few times a year to throw blow outs with the entire original crew.

How would you describe your sound?

Tobias: Our sound is a reflection of our refusal to commit to any specific genre. We play an amalgam of cohesive songs that have dance friendly and psychedelic tendencies. We use irony sparingly, but have a sense of humor.

Who are some of your favorite music artists and why?

Tobias: Syd Barrett and early Pink Floyd, Optimo, Chicken Lips and their off shoots, Ron Hardy, Velvet Underground, Stooges, Kraftwerk, Silver Apples etc...

Brock: Lately I've been into Wire, The Glimmers, Goblin, Talking Heads, Punks Jump Up, Tomboy, The Emperor Machine / DC Records Creepy Stuff, Happy Mondays, Lee Hazelwood. Kind of a lot of different stuff actually. I really can't stick within genres.

Tobias: The reason we have such respect for these artists is their archetypal creativity. The music that these artists create or created was/is unconventional for its time, but ended up being hugely influential to in the grand scheme of musical progression.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Tobias: Trees

Brock: David Cronenberg Films, Anxiety, and Frank Stella.

Anything new on the horizon?

Tobias: Ongoing musical projects... Risk Vs. Reward monthly at Rotture in Portland, GOvsGO, Farewell My Lovely, The Verner Pantons.

Brock: I am running the monthly Beta Theta party in Chicago still - Every 3rd Friday and going on 4 years now. DJing in LA at "The Top Floor" interactive dance party thingy on March 1 and will make my way up to Portland for some gigs TBA as well. Some ongoing Music projects / Remixes / Edits always in the works.

Visit www.myspace.com/thebetatheta