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There must be something with the month of December but there are quite a number of Anniversary Celebrations shows going on in Long Beach. To continue this weeks string of quality shows we sat down with Dan Kawai from White Denim and Imonni[voted the Best Vintage Store in Orange County by the OC Weekly and Best Shopping on Yelp] to talk about their one year anniversary celebration with local band We Barbarians.
Nativity: Congrats on White Denim's One Year Anniversary. Can you start off by shedding some light on what your role is with White Denim and Imonni? How did the White Denim & Imonni shows start?
Dan: White Denim started as a strictly party jam party last year, and it has grown a lot since then. I work over at Imonni and a lot of different types of people roll through the store. I was looking at cooking up an event that could clique bust and take down the usual walls criss-crossing the Long Beach scene. Imonni was a perfect catalyst for this, so we decided to join forces and throw fun, hyped, and far reaching parties.
Photo by: Oh Snaps I was there!!!
Nativity: Aside from maybe fashion shows and smaller type events, I don't know too many independent clothing shops throwing together events like these at venues. Is this something you've always wanted to do, bring the clothing element and the music together?
Dan: Yes yes yes. Long Beach has it's own unique flavor/style. You've got the mods, the hip hop heads, hipsters, the bustling skate scene, fixed gear kids, punks... basically everything. Musically, the DJs at White Denim have to be able to mix everything, and mix it well. Adaptability is sorely missing on the turntables these days, and you've probably experienced it at a party where every one is a mod and the DJ is blasting hard house.
Nativity: With We Barbarians on board with the show, it'll sure be a fun party. They just finished a tour with Cold War Kids, and are currently on tour with Passion Pit at the moment. How did you get them on board w/ the show?
Dan: I've always thought that We Barbarians are SUPER underrated, and I'm glad to see them touring with national acts and getting the cred they deserve. I used to do a lot of shows with Sparrow Love Crew, who are close to all the Cold War Kids, Delta Spirit, and We Barbarians guys. One of the SLC homeboys hooked me up with the guys from We Barbarians and now I'm super hyped and looking forward to the show.
Nativity: Do you tend to look for more local talent for your events or are you open to anything just as long as you like the music and it fits with the party? Are you open to receiving music/demos for future events? If so, where do they send them?
Dan: Local talent is always good. From a promoter perspective, Long Beach kids are sometimes apprehensive towards outside talent, or aren't tuned in to say, the LA scene or DJs that are killing it in Orange County. I'm always open to new talent, and am always hunting for bands to feature. As far as demos, they can come by the store at Imonni and drop me a CD. I'm open to anything, but it has to be banging.
Nativity: Speaking of music, you also DJ. What type of music can we expect from your set that night and for the whole night as a whole? Do you tend to lean on a specific sound or do you let the crowd dictate which direction you'll lead them to?
Dan: At White Denim we try to cover a large spectrum of music to keep the night interesting. You can expect a lot of party jams from the 80s and 90s, electronic, 90s house, electro etc. Basically like Marky Mark said, it's all about the good vibrations and the sweet sensations.
Nativity: Thank you for doing the interview. Is there anything else you'd like to share? Any other special info we need to know about the event?
Dan: Come. Grab a Colt 45 tallboy. Eat Korean BBQ tacos. Listen to We Barbarians.. and bring your dancing shoes.
Download: We Barbarians - Headspace
12/10 White Denim & Imonni Present: We Barbarians @ The Basement Lounge | Event Information
<->Nativity<->
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