From the group that brings you Frenzy Afterhours, Back to Basics at the legendary Monday Night Social in LA, and Avaland, just to name a few, 6AM Group is hosting Battle For Frenzy Live Mix Competition. This live DJ competition is seeking to find the brightest up and coming star in LA’s always competitive and ever-growing EDM scene. FestivalZOO’s own Ernie Bumps (who beat out 60 other entries to earn a spot as one of the three finalists) is set to mix live on October 11th at Busby’s in LA (5364 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA). We thought he should have a chance to talk about this opportunity, his game plan and whatever else is on his mind.
FestivalZOO: How did you hear about this Battle for Frenzy Live Mix competition?
Ernie Bumps: Being as passionate as I am about the scene, I am always keeping an eye out on promotions in “all” areas (laughing)! Particularly here in LA, there is so much going on and keeping an eye out on promoters’ activities allows me to better understand the scene and how I would like to position myself. I caught wind of this event through Facebook and immediately set a reminder for the deadline… and boy did that help! I absolutely forgot about the competition until my phone alarm went off and reminded me at work the day of. I was so thankful for the reminder as now I am very pumped to be part of an elite group of artists!
FZOO: How would you describe the sound of your set that you submitted to the contest?
Ernie Bumps: After hours at Frenzy has always had a more upbeat sound, very techy some would say. Considering my passion for deep/tech, I made sure to incorporate my sound with a bit of an edge. So you will detect influences from my early beginnings and my love for balaeric beats. It’s really a mosh posh of my love for HOUSE and everything in between!
FZOO: In what ways do you think your sound will compliment 6AM Group and their various events?
Ernie Bumps: If we are talking about the future of house, I think my sound is on the cutting edge of new sounds! Always staying on top of my artists and labels, it is easy for me to stay on top of new production trends and deliver a cutting edge sound to my fans. From what I have been able to observe with 6AM Group, these guys look like they are committed to delivering a quality product, and I’m just hoping my sound aligns with their goals.
FZOO: What is your game plan for the live event on October 11th?
Ernie Bumps: Game Plan…(laughing), you know me all to well! My competitive nature won’t let me rest ‘til it’s game time, but my game plans always get interrupted once I hit the venue! I always seem to have a sound in mind, only to change it up once I get a feel for the venue and vibe. So my game plan these days is to throw a crap-load of amazing tracks in a folder and let my crowd dictate the flow! Crowd control will be a big part of the judge’s decision, so my game plan is also to get as much support there as possible.
FZOO: It’s not just whoever plays the best overall set on October 11th, right? Please explain how the judging is broken down.
Ernie Bumps: Basically there are 3 categories: Promotions, Crowd Control and Skills. This day and age, you aren’t getting bookings without a following, so promotions is a very important piece to the puzzle. No people, no vibe, no party! So it’s going to be exciting to see the 3 artists get their promotions out and to allow my music to be shared with other people’s friends! This opens up a whole new door to new fans and supporters. Crowd Control is basically how I handle the crowd. My mixes need to create energy, be on point and connect with the crowd. I believe this will be a big part in determining the winner. As for skills, I’m pretty confident in everyone’s skills…I’m sure they came out in the mixes!
FZOO: In your opinion, what do you think is going to be the deciding factor in this competition?
Ernie Bumps: Crowd Control is something I will be focusing very heavily on. A few “hands in air” moments followed by some continuous grooves should get the job done. Something you can’t teach a “bedroom DJ” is crowd control, so understanding how to read your crowd and incorporate your skills will be a huge factor in deciding the winner.
FZOO: How exactly can festivalZOO fans show their support and help you win this thing?
Ernie Bumps: Considering this an LA event and our fans are around the world, those not in LA can best show their support by visiting our events page HERE and leaving comments to show some love. FZOO fans can also follow my music at www.soundcloud.com/erniebumps. And lastly in the works is Dirty Work - a new project with my brother, Chuckie Moon, a very talented up and coming artist in his own right. We will be unveiling new music productions and an amazing mix with some original work very soon - http://soundcloud.com/dirty-work-la. Look out for Dirty Work at a club, festival, label near you!
Exciting stuff from Ernie Bumps! Do your thing Bumps! We know you will bring the house down next week.
If you are in LA, all of us at festivalZOO ask that you come out and support Ernie Bumps as he walks away the Battle For Frenzy Live champion!
Related posts:
- Help Your ‘Zookeepers’ Win the Chance to Play with Sharam @ Avalon Hollywood
- fZOO and Bamboocha Radio present 13th Floor - Live Streaming Video
- Listen Live! Detroit’s Movement Electronic Music Festival 2011 Will Be Streaming Live Audio
- Kaskade Fire & Ice Live Stream TONIGHT 7PM PST/10PM EST
- ON REPEAT - ZOO PICKS - WMC SAMPLER 2012
