San Francisco DJ Viceroy brought the feeling of summer to Washington, D.C. Thursday evening.
He took the stage at U Street Music Hall shortly before midnight and played a set that lasted more than two hours. The tracklist featured originals, including “Back at the Start (feat. KFlay)” and his new single “Next Escape (feat. Patrick Baker),” as well as his remixes of popular songs like G-Eazy’s “Me, Myself & I” and Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me.”
The venue, while small for the popular dance music producer, was packed with enthusiastic fans, many of whom sported Hawaiian shirts for the occasion.
In the world of “tropical house” music, Viceroy has been around longer than most of his competitors, including Kygo, Matoma and Thomas Jack. For years, he’s been remixing popular songs as part of his successful Jet Life remix series, which adds a completely new and upbeat vibe to tracks like The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Going Back to Cali” and Wiz Khalifa’s “This Plane.”
We caught up with Viceroy, the Sultan of Summer, to ask what advice he had for the summer ahead.
Q: What are your favorite summer drinks?
V: I’d say a Pimm’s Cup #1, or a Negroni … it’s all about that [lemon] zest.
Q: Favorite beach in the world?
V: Favorite beach in the world … I mean if I was to come home, Stinson beach, absolutely. If I’m gonna say international, I’d have to say somewhere in Australia maybe, maybe Perth? Perth has some of the best beaches in the world.
Q: Favorite summer road trip album?
V: I’d say, like, a CCR album or Steve Miller Band album for sure. Just cruisin’.
Q: Favorite convertible?
V: Tough one … I’d like a Bronco with its top off. With beach wheels.
Q: How do you feel about salmon shorts?
V: My favorite thing in the goddamn world.
Q: And how about sandals and socks.
V: Sandals should never be worn by men in public. No sandals for men.
Q: Favorite summer vacation?
V: I went to Ibiza and Positano … I played in Ibiza last year at Pasha with Steve Aoki and then I went to Positano. I love the Amalfi Coast of Italy.
Q: What do you think of people who compare you to Kygo, Matoma and other “tropical house” artists?
V: I think a lot of those guys are based off Kygo’s sound. I think my branding is what they base everything off of. I’ve been doing it a lot longer and I love those guys … they’re good guys, but I’ve been doing my own thing for a while.
Q: What are your biggest musical influences?
V: I’d say new disco. I’d also say Grateful Dead … Oliver, Tribe Called Quest, Jimmy Buffett, [the genre of] Yacht Rock, all that kind of stuff.
Featured Photo Credit: San Francisco-native DJ Viceroy poses for photos outside U Street Music Hall after performing for more than two hours. (David DeWeaver/Freelance Photographer)
David DeWeaver is a freelance photographer and can be reached at daviddeweaver@gmail.com.
