Wick- It the Instigator, hailing from Kentucky, feels at home in the Ozarks at Wakarusa. Southern hospitality is alive and well at the festival where he played two sets. He braved the late night hours at the Satellite Stage, huddled in the woods, from 3:30- 4:45 am Thursday evening. Friday afternoon, he played a set at the same stage to a much larger and enthusiastic crowd. He was happy with his sets and praised Waka for the opportunity and experience. After three years preforming at the festival, Wakarusa has become a home. He was excited to reconnect with old friends and support other artists who have become family.
When asked how he feels about people’s need to record and have their phone in hand at concerts, he had mixed feelings. He appreciates people’s want to capture surprise moments and share, but feels people miss out on the “enjoyment of now” when they are concerned with snapping for the future. Fortunately, Mulberry Mountain offers an escape from technology, not to mention very spotty service. Few phones were even seen.
What makes Wick-It different from the many other electronica DJs that performed? He comes from a background of hip-hop DJ battles. This background gave him technical proficiencies in mixing and scratching. His music reflects this with hip-hop and rap samples. He likes taking older, less-quality recordings and changing them to stand up to the well-produced songs of today. The hip-hop scene, he said, was full of comradery that cultivated growth in technique and skills, along with a support group. He feels that many electronica DJ’s climbed the ranks alone, thus creating a somewhat cutthroat atmosphere.
Wick-It on EDM, “EDM is a little gray, spilling over into other genres. Electronic music is like religion, it keeps bastardizing into new things.”
Check out Wick-It the Instigator here: