In the birthplace of house music, two DJs are proposing that audiences do something different: sit down.
Drishay Menon and Glenn McGraw of Synchronized Swimming will launch HeadRoom, a new DJ-centered listening concept and event this weekend at Spot! Vintage.
The premise? HeadRoom bills itself as a seated, intentional listening session where the headlining DJ performs at the beginning — not the end — of the night. Guests are encouraged to show up on time, as the event starts promptly, and to consider their seats thoughtfully, as this is more of a listening experience than a raunchy night on the town. At HeadRoom, the stories behind the music — the creators, the selectors, the everyday experiences soundtracked by music — are what make the night special.
Created by two “island boys” (Menon is from Indonesia and McGraw is from the Florida Keys) with a shared love of house music here in Chicago, HeadRoom is a hi-fi listening event that sits at the intersection of DJ culture, performance and an ever-growing desire for intentional, community-centered and alcohol-agnostic nightlife.
“It started as a passion to share incredible DJs and incredible stories on a great hi-fi system, and it evolved into something a little more than that,” Menon said. “At its core, HeadRoom touches on three things: DJ culture and music culture, the DJ-as-performer format — which is more popular than it’s ever been — and a shift in how people want to experience that music.”
Traditionally, DJs perform in clubs, where the focus is largely dancing, drinking and the people around you. The DJ was setting the stage, not commanding it. But that position has shifted massively.
“The DJ has elevated into a performer, someone people come to see, to watch, to see what they’re going to do next,” Menon said. “More than ever, DJs are seriously curating a journey from the first song to the last. We wanted to create a space that gives that performer the significance their time and effort deserves.”
As well, nightlife culture has shifted for audiences, too. Guests want nights to feel more memorable, and less centered on substances. HeadRoom aims to respond to that by highlighting the stories and people behind the music.
The trend has grown around the world, with similar experiences in cities like New York and Los Angeles, as well as in spaces around Japan. Now, it’s making its way to the city where house music was born.
“We don’t want to come across as bashing the dance floor. We are very much club kids. I played a set at a club just last Saturday. There is absolutely a time and place for that,” Menon explained. “But we wanted to create another space, an opportunity to intentionally enjoy music and absorb the nuance in those songs.”
A night at HeadRoom will go something like this: The doors will close about 15 to 30 minutes after the evening begins. And the headliners for the evening (Blesstonio, Jesse de la Peña and Mochi) will perform first, not last. Think of their performance as less of a traditional DJ set and more like a “music-accented TED Talk” or an evening at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, said Menon. The DJ will speak to the audience and share their stories, and histories around their song selection.
What’s more, the event is age-agnostic by design. “We want 21-year-olds there. We want 55-year-olds there,” said Menon. “Moving the performance earlier in the evening makes it more accessible. Younger folks can enjoy it and go on with the rest of their night. Older folks can come in, make it their night, and head home, or keep going.”
In order to accommodate their plans, all three nights of HeadRoom will take place at Spot! Vintage. It’s an unlikely but ideal venue, with a living room-like atmosphere and an abundance of seating. To address its irregular acoustics, Synchronized Swimming brought in Midnight Audio to create a hi-fi sound system.
“I genuinely believe that some of the best music in the world you’ve never heard — it’s been played in closed sessions, behind closed doors,” Menon said. “This felt like an amazing opportunity to give people a peek behind that door.”
Hearing music played out loud at this quality and in this environment allows the listener to feel it in their skin. It’ll move you emotionally, most likely, through its sound waves and knowing the stories behind how or why it was created, and what makes it special. And once you’ve had that moment, all you want to do is find it again.
“Our hypothesis — and this is a massive city with some true music legends — is yes,” that Chicago has the appetite, said Menon. “So this starts as a three-event experiment. … The final dream would be a space custom-built for this kind of experience.”
Britt Julious is a freelance critic.
If you go
HeadRoom by Synchronized Swimming runs from May 29 to June 1 at Spot! Vintage, 329 W. 18th St. #840; tickets $45.32 (ages 18+) at dice.fm
