Music / IncomingPortland Special: DJ Hot Air BalloonWe speak to Steve Schroeder, Holocene's favourite DJ.ShareLink copied ✔️January 17, 2008MusicIncomingTextJohanna Lacey Party DJ, promoter, game show host, and founder of States Rights Records, if you're in Portland you can't ignore Steve Schroeder.Dazed Digital: How and why did you all end up in Portland?Steve Schroeder: I came here for college (Lewis & Clark). Didn't graduate, moved back to LA for a year and then came back here in 2000 and have been here ever since.DD: What's the best thing about Portland?SS: Probably fleet week. LOVE THOSE SAILORS! Um... actually... maybe the breakfast scene, it's a cool town to get a breakfast in.DD: What's the worst thing about Portland?SS: You become complacent living here and take the cool conditions and people for granted. Also, too many white people, not enough other dudes.DD: What was your most memorable Portland gig?SS: Maybe a bachelorette party at Holocene with projected gay porn and people partying so hard and just wanting Madonna so badly. Or maybe Yacht on a Yacht. That was pretty awesome.DD: What's your favourite Portland spot?SS: Pier Park in St. John's. It's like a cool forest and also has a fairly wicked Frisbee Golf Course.DD: What are the best Portland bands that we haven't heard of?SS: Flaspar, White Fang. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREK-pop has an AI problemCoals are kickstarting Poland’s dream pop sceneOnMeet the creatives turning up the heat in Lagos with Burna Boy and OnEvilgiane’s camera roll from his tour with Snow StrippersFinnish alt-pop star Pehmoaino: ‘Art helps us survive this dark country’10 great albums you may have missed in the last three monthsLamb is making ‘electronic lyrical’ music that sounds like no one elseArabic shoegaze duo Kiss Facility speak a language deeper than words‘Nazis can’t dance’: Photos from London’s House Against Hate protest rave5 tracks you can’t miss from March 2026ADL: The best and worst tracks on Yeat’s new album‘A cig in one hand and an inhaler in the other’: Fcukers know how to partyEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy