benny blanco's Page

What's in your crate?

House (Includes all types), Electro, Disco, Techno, Electronica, Jungle/Drum & Bass, Breakbeat, Downtempo, Trip-Hop

How would you best describe your industry role?

DJ, Artist

Please tell us about yourself.

Times may be changing. Technology is really forcing the
industry upside its head. Record shops closing, the general
public’s interest waning, yet there are more dj’s and music
coming out now than ever. Maybe not in the traditional
channels, but if you know where to look, it will find you. So
yes, the times may be discouraging as of late to some, but
the thrust to keep pursuing the beat never ceases, even if
the trend fades for a while.

Playing music for various audiences for 16 plus years and
collecting dance oriented music for even longer, a broad
based catalog challenges one to play a wide variety of sets
at any given time and place via the power of digital
technology. The combination of digital media, a powerful
CPU, a kick ass sound card, a choice of controllers (vinyl or
midi mixer) and the wide range of performance experiences
makes for one versital and powerful DJ. The ability to go
from the most mellow funky track and transition smoothly to
the most banging’ Peak Hour Dance Floor Record all resides
in the nimble mind of Benny Blanco®.

A graduate from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in
the early 90’s, Benny took to DJ’ing alongside electronic
music production and music synthesis education. The
numerous performances (DJ & Live P.A.’s) throughout
Boston Metro shaped him as an artist. Moving to NYC in
2003 made him really hone in and refine his skill set as
many of the listeners proved to be more demanding. Boston
gave way to creativity and flexibility on the airwaves, bars,
clubs, corporate tour legs and countless underground style
parties, while New York City and the downward trend of
dance music of the last few years cultivates one to really
learn to cope & understand the business tactics & clientel of
the NYC DJ industry. Make the most of what you can. Try to
make good friends and contacts. Get out when you feel
things start to get sketchy and kill it when things go bad in
order to start fresh somewhere else. If you can survive here,
the grass will always be greenier anywhere else.

QUICK STATS:

LIFELINE:16+ YEARS DJ EXPERIENCE

STYLES: HOUSE, TECHNO, ELECTRO, IDM, BREAKS IN
ALL FORMS, DRUM & BASS, DOWNTEMPO, TRIP HOP,
ACID, 80’S, CLASSIC RAVE & ‘ARDCORE, PROGRESSIVE
HOUSE & TRANCE.

RELEASES: ASTRALWERKS, SIRE, BMG, ELECTRIK
SOUL, RAMPANT, MOONSHINE & OHM RECORDINGS.
SWEET SMELLING SURFACES (NET LABEL)

PERFORMANCE ENVIRONMENTS: BARS, LOUNGES,
SMALL - MEDIUM SIZE CLUBS, HUGE CLUBS,
CONVENTION CENTERS, CORPORATE SPONSORED
TOURS, RADIO, WEB CASTS, ART EVENTS, BEACH
PARTIES, PRIVATE PARTIES, RAVES, OUTLAWS,
WAREHOUSE, LOFT JAMS, HOUSE PARTIES, OUT IN
THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE GENERATOR PARTIES,
CORPORATE EVENTS & CLOSE FRIENDS WEDDINGS.
DJ OR LIVE P.A.

MEDIUM & MEDIA: PREFER TO PERFORM OFF OF MAC
LAPTOP WITH TRAKTOR DJ STUDIO OR TRAKTOR SCRATCH
(VINYL CONTROL). COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH
ALL VINYL. NON CD DJ.

RESIDENCY EVENTS:
4 Year Radio show, Beyond the QE2 @ WZBC 90.3 FM
Boston Midnight - 6 AM.
All Phoenix Landing Gigs in Cambridge, MA
All the Venue Residencies and finally, the Boston DIY Party
dj’ing own music via Ableton Live
RADIO> BEYOND THE QE2 : WZBC 90.3 FM
BLANCODISCO SHOW ON ICAST.COM
CLUB/BAR> Boston: TRANSPORT, BUTTER, TRAINSPOT,
CROSSOVER & DEFMATCH.
NYC: MOVING, LIPSYNC, BREAKAWAY & DEPTH CHARGE

ALL TIME FAVS: A SMALL PORTION
DEPECHE MODE, NEW ORDER, THE THE, UNDERWORLD
WARP, SOMA, 2MANYDJ’S, ROB VAUGHN, MARK BROOM
MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO, NITZER EBB, FLOOD, CARL
CRAIG, KRUDER & DORFMEISTER PRODUCTIONS,
SIMON BERRY, THE ADVENT, ANALOG BUBBLEBATH,
AON “BE YOURSELF”, WILLIAM ORBIT PRODUCTION OF
ALL SAINTS’ “PURE SHORES”, LUKE VIBERT, CHEMICAL
BROTHERS, PAUL’S BOUTIQUE, RENEGADE
SOUNDWAVE, P.W.E.I., BABY FORD, BAUHAUS, TONES
ON TAIL, BBG “SOME KIND OF HEAVEN”, ORBITAL,
SLAM “POSITIVE EDUCATION”, CAJMERE “FEEL IT”

Career Performance Highlights Include:
OHM Recordings Showcase @ The Palladium NYC, DJ &
Live P.A.
Electric Highway Boston tour leg : DJ & Live
Opening Sets for Mr. C, Joey Beltram &
Trevor Rockcliffe @ Axis Boston.
All Redlight Loft Parties.
Captions, scored an original DJ performance to 2001: A
Space Odyssey @ Mass College of Art.
All Phoenix Landing Gigs in Cambridge, MA
All the Venue Residencies and finally, the Boston DIY Party
dj’ing own music via Ableton Live
Cooper Hewitt Design Museum Summer Sessions, New York City
CMJ Panelist on DJ'ing, New York City

Do you have an Official Website?

http://blancodisco.com