DJ XIII--A Drum 'n' Bass Bio

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Gabriel Rowe, better know as XIII (thirteen), relocated and made his home in Chandler, Arizona. Spinning now for three years, XIII decided to become a DJ because he wanted to give back to the rave scene that inspired him. "I felt I had the music ability, and I wanted to become a part of the scene--not just be the guy who parties and gives light shows," he said.

Liquid drum & bass is his favorite genre of electronic music to play. To XIII, it is the best of both worlds. "I feel liquid drum & bass embodies two important things: dance-ability--it's music you hear and want to dance and groove to, and musicality--it's well organized and doesn't just sound like noise."

As far as influences go, Pac D, Estefex, Marky, and Nu:Tone are the four main DJs that have made a mark on XIII. "They both have the ability to always pick the right tracks and they have the perfect flow." Liquid drum & bass producers Marky and Nu:Tone are what XIII says are the best in the league and can play both jazzy, atmospheric sounds and the opposite end of the spectrum, heavy-hitting, jump-up--well. "Every drum & bass DJ should have a couple of their records in their collection," XIII said.

XIII's popularity in the Valley has increased--it's apparent in his busy schedule. He has gone from playing three shows total the year he started spinning to three to four shows a month this year.

His newest mix, "A Different Beat," which can be found on Soundcloud, was inspired by a quote from Henry David Thoreau and is, in his own words, easy going and lighthearted.

XIII has incorporated dubstep into his sets due to its popularity among ravers in the scene, but he hopes that he can help get more people interested in drum & bass again. Within the next few years, XIII hopes to reach a goal he has for himself--being booked out of state for shows.

When asked for a random fact about himself, he answered with his two favorite video games: Team Fortress II and Oblivion. But when XIII was asked about the most important skills for a DJ to have, he was all business. "Three things: the ability to beat match, mix, and network. Plain and simple."

Look for a new mix from him every month.