AnSounds Goes to Switzerland

After working all summer and going abroad. I came back fired up. I met so many cool people and was introduced to so many more styles of music. There was one guy I met that I still keep in contact with today…

Remember that one story I said I would tell from abroad? Well, this is it.

After the most surreal day of my life snowboarding the Swiss Alps, I went back to my hostel for some dinner, shower, change and all that shit. Me and a few friends heard of this hostel /nightclub place down the street. Balmer’s Hostel. Down a dimly lit staircase, we came to the basement of the hostel. We went in for a few drinks, and the place was actually really cool. It wasn’t a huge nightclub, but it was absolutely thumping.

I took a step outside to smoke a joint and there was a group of 3 guys walking past. They looked friendly and I gave them the ole’ head-nod.

That turned into them asking for a puff and a conversation.

They started by asking if I was visiting from the States. I told them I was from outside of Boston, and here for a semester. The same basic conversation you have when first meeting a new face. After a few minutes, one of the guys- (whose name is Lucien) asked me an interesting question…

He said, “So Nick... what do you do for work in Boston?”.

At first it seemed like a question I didn’t have an interesting answer for, but my answer change the outcome of the night. I could have just said I was student and didn’t work while I was in school. Instead, I told him I was a DJ. His ears perked up a bit. 

“If you’re a DJ, do you want to come hangout with us?”, he followed up with.

“Well, uhhh, where are you guys going?”. Thinking I was just going to play it off like it was too far.

“Balmer’s. Right here. We’re the DJs tonight”. My face LIT up. 

As we walked down the stairs I stared talking about my gigs, my mixes, setup. Anything that would just get these guys to keep talking, and take me seriously.

We walked right in waving at the security like I’ve been to this place a million times before, yet I still didn’t even know where the bathroom was.

We walk over to the DJ booth, Lucien took the middle. He had the Stanton vinyl turntables, needle and a mixer in the middle. To the left, his buddy opened up his computer to the visuals. This is the first time I realized how important lights are to a party. Then the best-worst thing happened. The third friend brings over two GIANT bottles of Jägermeister followed by a shot machine. Long story short, this ruined Jager for me til this day.

After the night wrapped up I stayed a little later to chat with Lucien and get his story.

Originally from Switzerland, Lucien started DJing young. He later moved to Miami with his wife and now does one tour a year through Europe.

He sent me back to my hostel at 3:30 am with a giant box of Brixon Hats, a co-sponsor from the night along with Jager. I must’ve had 30 hats in this box. I came back to my hostel to most of the other students in the lobby. My drunk ass walking in with a box starts throwing hats everywhere to everyone. I think I still have one.

It was cool meeting another DJ, learning a completely new style of DJing I had never actually seen live. IT made me realize something about DJing. There’s no right or wrong way to do something. There’s no limit on to what’s right or wrong. I mean, if it sounds like shit though, it sounds like shit. 

-NA