The millennials around town are invited to what the artist describes as the “party to end all Thursdays.”
The DJ Barticus Y2K Millennium Dance Party is a free event hosted by The Union Bar & Grill in collaboration with DJ Barticus. The turntables will start rotating Thursday at 9 p.m.
The Union Bar & Grill is back on the social map after an 18-month hiatus caused by an unexpected fire on a cold fall evening. They have decided to start the school year off by inviting hometown disc jockey Michael Bart, who goes by the stage name DJ Barticus, back to Athens.
Eric Gunn, the co-owner of The Union Bar & Grill, is particularly excited about the event.
“DJ Barticus always draws in a good crowd,” he said.
An alumnus of Ohio University, DJ Barticus said students used to schedule classes Monday through Thursday and take Friday off. This resulted in an early start to weekend parties.
“I want to bring back the Thursday nights,” he said. “The trend has disappeared, and the party is an attempt to bring back those ... nights.”
Nostalgia brings joy along with it, Barticus said. It is that very factor the DJ hopes to explore. “People are always looking for songs from when they were younger,” he said. “It brings back memories.”
The Y2K Millennium Dance Party will focus on rap and dance music from the late 1990s up until 2005 featuring artists such as M.I.A., Missy Elliott, Ludacris and OutKast. Barticus said along with playing mashes, he will also be taking requests on stage.
Rachel Couch, an Athens resident, considers herself a regular at DJ Barticus’ shows. Her passion for social dancing takes her all over town searching for great music and ambiance.
“Athens’ doesn’t have a dance club,” she said. “Dance parties such as this fills that void.”
DJing is a tricky job in more than one respect. Barticus said some DJs will often find a formula of songs that work and stick to it. This method eventually makes the performance uninteresting.
Couch said tailoring a playlist on stage to the temperament of the crowd can prove to be daunting, but DJ Barticus does an excellent job of it.
Barticus said that DJing is about reinventing yourself and the music constantly.
The DJ has a unique sense of style — he is always seen around town in jumpsuits and a battered snapback — and is a fan of uniforms.
“The (uniform) brings out my personality,” he said. “I am inspired by some of the great cartoon characters like Bart Simpson and Fred Flintstone.”
Couch said the town is indebted to artists such as DJ Barticus who have invested a lot in forming a musically rich culture.
“The town has its characters who are unique and are doing their thing,” she said. “He is definitely a part of Athens that makes it quirky and memorable.”
