Columnist Spencer Patterson: Gear-shifting DJ takes a trip to Vegas

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 9:46 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears Fridays. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2309.

DJ Z-Trip has been called the "king of the mashup" since his collaborative mixtape with DJ P, "Uneasy Listening, Vol. 1," took the underground by storm in 2001.

So it came as quite a surprise when Z-Trip's major-label debut dropped in April -- at the height of the mash-up movement -- and consisted of 15 predominantly original compositions.

For the Los Angeles-based DJ, it was simply a matter of pride.

"I felt like so many people had me pigeonholed after 'Uneasy Listening' came out as being this mash-up guy. Like, 'That's all he does; he makes mash-ups'," Z-Trip, born Zach Sciacca, said.

"That was OK for the moment, but a lot of people put me in a category and left me there. And that bugged me, because I'm a DJ that can play and has played and will play whatever the (expletive) I want to play."

So Z-Trip set it out prove his doubters wrong, by demonstrating he could do more than mix Public Enemy with Naked Eyes or Bruce Hornsby with Newcleus, as he did on "Uneasy Listening."

"If I feel like people are looking at me one way, that's the most opportune time for me to turn and go, 'OK, here's a house set, or here's a drum 'n' bass set, or here's a reggae set,' whatever it is," Z-Trip said in an interview from a Dallas hotel room on Wednesday. "Something that shoves it right in their face and makes them go, 'Wow, I didn't know he could do that'."

Enter "Shifting Gears," Z-Trip's first release for Hollywood Records. Although the disc features the occasional recognizable sample -- such as part of Jethro Tull's "Teacher" -- its tracks are loaded with hip-hop party jams, topped by vocals from Chuck D, Aceyalone and Supernatural, among other MCs.

"I tried to say right off the bat, 'OK, everybody who's expecting a mash-up record or a mix record, this is gonna be different'," Z-Trip said. "I'm shifting gears, guys. I'm moving onto the next gear. You guys can stay in third gear, but I'm going to fifth gear."

Z-Trip promises to achieve yet another gear during his live show, which hits the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Thursday night. Doors to the 21-and-over show open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $22 on Thursday.

"This tour is probably the most extravagant thing I've ever put together," Z-Trip promised. "I've got video screens. I've got live drumming and percussion. I've got MCs. And there's a message. There's a lot of partying and people dancing and breaking and the whole hip-hop element to a live show, but there's also some consciousness to it. It's like a conscious party."

DJ Goldenchyld is scheduled to open, followed by hip-hop veterans Black Sheep, best known for 1991 rap classic "The Choice is Yours."

"To have (Black Sheep) open for me is an honor," the 33-year-old Z-Trip said. "Those guys have definitely got a bit more mileage under their belt than I do."

A fair chunk of Z-Trip's career was spent trying to gain permission from the many artists whose work he mashed into "Uneasy Listening."

But with heavyweights such as the Beatles, Madonna, Metallica, Pink Floyd, the Who, the Police -- not to mention John Williams' "Imperial March" -- in the mix, it was no major shock that the project never gained official release.

Instead, Z-Trip and DJ P pressed 1,000 copies for friends and family, then watched as their creation spread via the Internet.

"It was great that it came out the way it did," Z-Trip said. "It took on a life of its own, and it has remained timeless and will be sort of locked in a cage and preserved."

And though he worked tirelessly for over a year to secure rights for the borrowed music on "Uneasy Listening," Z-Trip looks back at the blocked attempt as a "blessing in disguise."

"I'm glad that I wasn't able to get those things cleared because it turned around and forced me to put out this record ('Shifting Gears') that was really true to who I am and what I'm about," he said.

As for the mash-up craze he is credited with kick-starting, Z-Trip isn't particularly impressed with many of the cuts he hears. And he certainly isn't interested in following the fad any further.

"I'm trying to find the next thing so I can continue to push boundaries and not sound like the rest of those people, because they're all starting to sound like me a couple years back," he said. "I'm not trying to just play in the pool that I helped fill."

Music notes

Special sign: Ever wondered if you can impact an act's live set by calling out for a favorite song? Monday's Interpol show at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel offered living proof that it can happen.

For much of the night, fans near the stage held aloft a sign splashed with the word "Specialist," a plea for a non-album cut the New York indie rockers rarely play in concert.

Sure enough, when the band returned for its encore, frontman Paul Banks announced, "This one's for the folks holding up the sign over there," before Interpol launched into the nearly seven-minute "Specialist" for only the second time this summer.

Hip-hop man of the moment Kanye West has announced a Dec. 7 Las Vegas date on his upcoming arena tour, though the venue remains uncertain. The Mandalay Bay Events Center and the Aladdin's Theatre for the Performing Arts are reported to be the two contenders.

Keyshia Cole, Fantasia and Common are scheduled to open throughout the tour. Ticket prices and on-sale information had not be revealed at press time.

Los Angeles rap crew Tha Alkaholiks bring their farewell tour to Jillian's on Tuesday night, with support from Basic and Jussoul. Doors open at 6:45. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 on Tuesday.

On sale

Keith Urban headlines the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Dec. 9, with opener Deana Carter. Tickets are $35, $45 and $65 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Mandalay Bay box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.

Dwight Yoakam plays the Mirage's Dannny Gans Theatre on Dec. 2 and 3. Tickets are $60 and are on sale now at the Mirage box office and by phone at 792-7777.

Liz Phair returns to the House of Blues on Nov. 17. Tickets are $22 and $30 and go on sale ta 10 a.m. Saturday through the House of Blues box office and Ticketmaster.

311 rocks the House of Blues on Oct. 21. Tickets are $32 and $35 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Marshall Tucker Band stops at the House of Blues on Dec. 1. Tickets are $22, $30 and $35 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Amanda Miguel performs at the House of Blues on Nov. 10. Tickets are $25, $35 and $45 and are on sale now.