Allen Aucoin's alias, Dr. Fameus, suggests he's used to life in the limelight. Aucoin, "a born again DJ," has been famous for years - he's the drummer for the electronica band, The Disco Biscuits. But he decided to voyage into a new frontier while the band is on a break from touring.
On Saturday, Aucoin took the stage at DBGBs on Allen St. not as part of an ensemble, but on his own terms. To prove he's not simply a DJ, Dr. Fameus incorporates his talent on the drum kit into a whole new style of performance.
"It was the first time I ever saw a guy DJ while playing the drums for an entire set," said Ryan McHugh, a senior psychology major.
The performance was indeed different from other DJs who inhabit the Buffalo nightlife, as Aucoin played his drums for about two-and-a-half consecutive hours.
While jamming on the drum kit, Aucoin also had a small MacBook situated next to the kit. His ability to multitask during his performance was highlighted, as he'd periodically stop one of his hands from playing the drums to sync up a beat on the computer.What made this performer so versatile was his knack at keeping a dance groove the entire night. DBGBs was filled with people bopping along to the beat. Every hit of the drums was perfectly synchronized with the beats coming through the laptop.
It was a collaboration of music styles in every sense of the word, which is also something new for Dr. Fameus. During past performances, Aucoin took the generic DJ route and simply mixed music from his laptop and vinyl records. Lately, he has been merging his skills on the drums with traditional DJ styles to give him a more progressive sound.
Even before his solo career, Aucoin believed that to be a real electronic artist, one has to DJ. Aucoin began experimenting with electronic drums during his time with The Disco Biscuits to produce the types of sound the band wanted.
While working with the electronic drums, he started getting more comfortable with the idea of using samples in his music. He didn't perform as a DJ until 2008; he simply played around with the new types of sounds on his own and began to realize his potential.
"The solo career is kind of like playing a round of golf; if you mess up it's your fault," Aucoin said. "But if you come to play then everything should work out. And there's a much bigger sense of freedom to it."
This sense of freedom comes from playing various forms of electronica during his sets. Aucoin used to be very intrigued by the style of dubstep, which is growing in popularity within the electronic music scene.
However, Aucoin has recently moved on to what he calls "drumstep." This style is a blend of dubstep and the drum and bass style. It carries the sensation of heavy bass drops popular in dubstep, but it's delivered at a faster tempo and coordinates much more drumming into the mix.
"It's the best of both worlds for me," Aucoin said.
Aucoin has managed to find a technique that keeps him in the realm of the DJ world while allowing him to portray his true passion on the drums. A nickname Aucoin has acquired over the years, as the drummer for The Disco Biscuits, is "The Robot" - explaining why he can jam through an entire DJ set without a break from drumming.
"The man is a machine, a real treat just to watch. The crowd gives a warm welcome each time he comes to Buffalo," according to Mike Marshall, owner of MNM Presents, a local booking company.
Aucoin's set was sandwiched between two other DJs playing generic house music. Aucoin was able to show he has no problem mashing up with other performers throughout the night. As the first DJ was wrapping up, Aucoin began playing along with the groove so there was not a moment of silence the entire night.
The next drumming electronica show to hit Buffalo will be the group EOTO at Town Ballroom on April 26.
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