Attack of the Killer DJs
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What’s bringing the superstars of the dance underground to Chicago en masse? Cold hard capitalism, the music lovers who booked them will be the first to tell you–and they’re happy to take advantage of it. “The high-profile names are more about branding than making money,” says John Curley, talent buyer and resident DJ at Karma. A scene vet who spun at the opening of Shelter nine years ago and was still with the club when it closed last spring, he says nightclubbers tend to be drawn more toward a particular club than a particular DJ. But by consistently booking hot DJs, a club can develop the right reputation, making it worthwhile to lose money in the short run. And lose money they may: Curley says that when Sasha spins with partner John Digweed (who isn’t part of the Karma gig), the duo commands a nightly fee of $10,000.
Elliott, a product of the rave scene, started booking after-hours parties in 1992, and by 1996 he had worked up to a weekly series called “Juice” with popular local DJ Terry Mullan at the now-defunct Gotham. Together they brought in big acts like Josh Wink and Laurent Garnier. When that club closed he took the series to House of Blues, and began organizing events at Mad Bar, Metro, the Dragon Room, and the Dome Room. In the summer of 1997 he helped promote the Chicago stop of the BF Goodrich-sponsored Electric Highway tour, a sort of Lollapalooza for electronica.
McBride, 26, had been a messenger for six years and was riding in to work that morning from his home in Oak Park. On the 5300 block of West Washington, in front of witnesses, he was cut off by 28-year-old Carnell Fitzpatrick, who was driving a 1997 Chevy Tahoe. After McBride hit the truck with his hand, Fitzpatrick slowed, apparently to let him pass, then bumped him several times. After McBride fell, police say, Fitzpatrick ran over him and drove away. McBride was pronounced dead on arrival at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Nathan Mandell.
