The anonymous artist known as 5QUAR3 is one of the most talented and interesting DJs in the Spokane area. Easy to recognize and hard to forget, this artist can be distinguished by his unique persona and undeniable skill. His performances are something to be cherished, not only for his abilities but also because of the vision that drives him.
5QUAR3 and I talked at length over facebook about his life in Spokane and history as a Pianist and DJ. Even through text, it became clear that this guy had a point to prove. He held his stake in electronic music in high regard and carried an unrelenting, even slightly stubborn attitude to prove his value.
But why is 5QUAR3 such a valuable artist? With his help, I was able to get inside his head, or helmet, and see a vivid picture of his artistic life unfold.
Listen to DJ 5QUAR3 – House Mix
https://soundcloud.com/dj-5quar3/house-mix-finally
DJ 5QUAR3: An Autobiography
My musical journey started with jazz piano when I was thirteen. I continued playing piano almost every day and quickly developed an insane love for anything that had keys or buttons. One day when I was seventeen, I was looking on Youtube and I found a video of a guy playing music on a launchpad. Right away, I decided to buy one. Soon after, I purchased Ableton Live and dove right in. I practiced constantly. It was an incredible new musical experience and I loved teaching myself by trial and error.
Everything was going well until, at eighteen, I got kicked out of my parent’s house. They were Christian and did not approve of my new taste in electronic music. I don’t really know why… maybe they thought it was the devil’s music. Well, maybe they were right because after that I raised hell. I began to focus all of my free time and money on improving myself as an artist. I wasn’t going to let anyone slow me down.
I bought a controller, a Pioneer DDJ-SR (I named him Steve), and began playing small shows at bars. I was happy to be improving, even though my stage fright made me an extremely nervous performer. I also knew absolutely nothing about the music industry, which made the business side of things tricky.
By October of 2016, I managed to buy and fix a pair of nonworking CDJ 2000’s. I then purchased a mixer and started to practice with my laptop and Ableton. I was working very hard to get by, but I was still happy. I felt like I was really achieving something, or at least doing what I loved.
Not long after this, I made a trip to visit a friend of mine. Upon leaving my friend’s house that night, I walked outside to my car, only to discover that it had been broken into. All of my music equipment had been stolen. My MacBook, CDJ’s, launchpad, they were all gone. I felt like I’d suddenly hit rock bottom.
Luckily I still had some cheap equipment in my home. I took a small break from doing shows until I had all the equipment I needed to perform again on stage. I never stopped producing. After about four months, I bought some new equipment and started playing more small gigs around Spokane. Slowly I began to build my skill as a performer and play bigger shows. By this time, I found myself facing another problem. As my performances became larger and more frequent, my stage fright began to get out of hand. I felt like my performances were suffering. I was scared for my future as an artist and didn’t really know what to do.
Inspired by one of my biggest inspirations, the skills in electrical engineering that I’d gained in college, and a strong ambition to keep my face hidden, I found the answer to my problem. I literally took a page out of Deadmau5’s playbook and “put on a fucking helmet.” That’s how 5SQUAR3 was born.
My first cube design was a bit clunky; I’d literally made it out of cardboard and a bunch of LEDs. I went to work, making a total of nine different designs of various sizes and pixels, trying to get the thing just right. Finally, I settled on an 8×8 design, inspired by my 8×8 launchpad. I also bought a MacBook and a Pioneer DDJ-SZ2 around the same time (I named her Sky).
With my new stage presence and identifiable nature, my fanbase also began to grow. I couldn’t believe that my hard work was actually paying off. I was soon playing at bigger events and festivals, such as Perspective Music Festival, Basstonic Island Festival, and The Takeover.
On July 4th, 2017, however, I had an unfortunate incident that would again put the breaks on my musical career. While on my way home from a gig, my car was T-boned by a drunk driver doing 60. Amazingly, I wasn’t really hurt other than a few bruises. However, my car was totaled and almost all of my equipment was damaged or destroyed in the crash. I was devastated. It felt like the whole universe was up against me.
Once again, I remained optimistic and continued pushing forward to reach my full potential. By September, I’d replaced my car and much of the equipment that I’d lost in the crash. Since then, I’ve continued busting my ass to get ahead. Sure, I know that the crash won’t be the last obstacle to get in my way. There will be many more. Still, every day I try to get a little farther ahead, a little better at what I do. I couldn’t be more thankful.
A lot of people would have given up at this point. But I will not be one of them. There’s just too much opportunity out there for me to give up. If you are an artist especially, this is an amazing time to be alive. Right now as I speak, there is some kid out there somewhere. Some kid that nobody has ever heard of. That kid’s in a garage or an empty room, producing music by himself with headphones and a junk laptop. He’s hustling while other people are sleeping. In a month or a year, or two years, that kid will be famous. His song will be the next big hit and his life will completely change. There’s something very magical about that thought. That’s why I don’t give up.
What Is 5QUAR3 Up To Now?
5QUAR3 is currently working on his first EP, which he will be releasing in 2018. He performs weekly shows at Paradise Hookah Lounge in Coeur D’Alene, as well as various other upcoming events. He remains constantly at work to improve himself as an artist, in order to move ahead of the competition.
Watch DJ 5QUAR3 On Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abqlC2iabj4&index=2&list=PLBGa9Dw6EApbiCatuDVsUGSYWKFiCXnOI
