Ever wonder about the guys who rock the DJ booth at the most popular Tallahassee parties and nightclubs? Brian Kerr, more commonly known around here as DJ Kurr, is one of Tallahassee’s most well-known and sought-after entertainers.
When he was in the 5th grade, Brian and a friend began looking to work on a community service project in order to satisfy his bar mitzvah requirement. (Yes, ‘Noles, DJ Kurr is a member of both tribes!) Oddly enough, he was inspired by the DJ at a classmate’s elementary school graduation party. After that, Brian taught himself how to manipulate music and equipment in a way that keeps crowds on their feet and coming back for more.
A native to sunny Miami, Florida, Brian chose Florida State because of Tallahassee’s relatively warm weather. As a third-year student at FSU, Brian studies entrepreneurship. While FSU offers many academic majors, minors, and other programs, there is currently no “Nightclub and Party DJ” degree offered. (I guess that’s why they call it “nightlife.”) He doesn’t quite have life-after-FSU figured out yet, but explains that DJing is his dream job, and, well, he’s living it!
Typically, Monday through Thursday, Brian focuses on school and the business aspects of his DJ career, although it isn’t rare that he will have to work at a special event during the week. Other than DJing, Brian spends time skateboarding (though he claims not to be very good), playing basketball, or filming with his GoPro. He admits that he does spend a lot of his free time practicing in his room. Brian is also a brother of the on-campus fraternity, Delta Tau Delta.
“I work solo, but collaborate with a lot of different artist. Mainly in Tallahassee you can find me spinning alongside DJ Journey. I am inspired by REAL DJ’s. To name a few: A-Trak, Vice, Enferno, Diplo and basically anyone who doesn’t follow the norm.”
Friday nights, you can find DJ Kurr in the booth at Bajas Beachclub on Pensacola Street, and on Saturday evenings, he works at Coliseum off of West Tennessee Street. After working these light-night clubs, Brian sleeps through most of the next day. (Even the professional partiers need their rest!) In addition to these Tally venues, DJ Kurr does a bit of travelling. In fact, he will be on a four-date Florida tour with Juicy J in November. Then he’ll be performing in Washington, DC in December. This won’t be DJ Kurr’s first time on tour, though…
“One of my favorite moments was while I was on tour with The Red Cup Nation. We were traveling to some of the top party schools in the nation to perform, and I headlined a night at Indigo Nightclub at Penn State. Just headlining a packed nightclub in a place I have never been before was amazing. Check them out at Theredcupnation.com”
‘Noles, you may have noticed a difference in spelling between Brian Kerr and DJ Kurr. No, it’s not a typo. Yes, this is the same person. Brian explains that when choosing a professional identity, he and his friends agreed that DJ Kurr was more visually appealing when spelled with a “U”. Thoughts?
Speaking of “professional identity,” DJ Kurr is rather popular around Tallahassee. The more-humble-than-expected DJ reveals that while he does know lots and lots of people, he does not feel like a celebrity. The people he meets and networks with while working as a DJ become friends, and he is proud of (and really enjoys!) that aspect of his job.
To wrap things up:
Favorite Song: Impossible for me to say just one favorite song because I like way too many different types of music. My favorite song is constantly changing. But at the moment I am listening to a lot of Hip-Hop. Current favorite song is “Lovely Day” – Vic Mensa
Outrageous Fan Story: Nothing too crazy. There is always the person who is way too drunk in the DJ booth, which happens just about every time I DJ.
Favorite Part about Your Job: The best thing about it all is I get paid to party. There are many hours of work and practice it takes to get to that point, but while I am physically DJing, I am partying! I also get to travel quite often, and I get paid. That is one of the main things that motivate me, a job that allows me to travel and experience new things.
DJ Kurr’s Future: As of now I envision growing as a brand and continuing to use DJing as a way to make money and network. But ultimately, I want to use my skills in entrepreneurship to transform into more of the business aspects of nightlife and entertainment.
Million Dollare Question: Single or taken? Taken
Facebook.com/DJKurr Twitter.com/DJKurr Youtube.com/DJKurr