The Dirtybird JD Explains Why Guest DJs Can be a Waste // 

Christian Martin will play well over 150 gigs this year around the world. Some will be solo, but many will be as part of the Dirtybird crew, which Martin founded with his brother Justin and friends Claude Vonstroke and Worthy. Today, they might all be international headlining DJ, but when Dirtybird began as an intimate daytime BBQ party in Golden Gate Park, and then a residency at San Francisco venue Shine, the four core DJs kept the decks to themselves.

"We wanted to sink or swim on our own merits," Martin reflects, adding. "I wanted us to have our own unique sound."

That attitude continued, even as the crew began to grow. Dirtybird parties started to pop-off around the world, and while the members started to play out on their own, they still managed to perform together often, creating one of the strongest house music brands in all of the American dance scene.

That DIY attitude is more relevant than ever. As dance music continues to grow, pushing DJ fees higher and higher as it goes, there's starting to be a sense that the bubble could burst. That's why the lessons in independence that Martin tells are so essential. You can hear them all on this episode of the Rave Curious Podcast.