Wednesday: Steve Aoki @ Stoli Hotel
Arguably, 2007 was a good year for Los Angeles DJ Steve Aoki. On the heels of the indie/hipster fad he rose to the top of the pack to be one of its iconic deck masters. But it was only last year that Aoki experienced true mainstream success. Rumor is that most indie parties couldn't even afford him if they wanted to because he now commands quite a sum. Last year alone, Aoki stopped by Miami to spin at Mansion and Dek23, venues that are very much on the other side of the spectrum. So it makes me wonder, how much is he getting paid to spin Wednesday at the Stoli Hotel?
There is no denying he is on top because he posses talent. Even if nepotism helped him somewhat (his father is Olympic wrestler turned restaurateur Rocky Aoki, founder of Benihana, while his sister is Devon Aoki, the model/actress), there is no denying he is a smart businessman. He founded his own record company, Dim Mak Records, signing artists like the Klaxons, Whitey, Bloc Party and the Gossip. And just last week he released his first album Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles, which features guest appearances by the likes of Uffie, Mickey Avalon, Kid Sister, Pase Rock and Spank Rock.
So if you want to catch the indie DJ wunderkind, make sure to check him out this Wednesday at the Stoli Hotel at Ice Palace Film Studios, 1400 N Miami Avenue (invite-only, RSVP required). Aoki will also be back in town February 15 to take over the decks at Rokbar.
