That’s My DJ
By Jackson Shoaff-Bembry
Everything is pitch black. Suddenly a strobe light comes on. Hundreds of sweaty bodies are pulsating to a deep base, boom, boom, boom. Alcohol driven hands are rocking up and down as the music blares. In a chorus surprisingly in tune for the lack of sobriety, the crowd rhythmically chants, “go DJ, go DJ, go DJ.” Inside his glass box DJ Sick, Ryan Lewakowski, works his turntables with headphones on, catering to the crowd of onlookers. This he says is the reason he does what he does.
When it comes to the bars and clubs in Fort Collins Lewakowski is the DJ that has taken over. At one point working for five of the largest bars in town as well as doing major parties, Lewakowski and his personal company Sick Productions, cater to clientele all over town. Lewakowski and associate DJ Dane Quay have spun for parties from Denver to LA and hope to expand their market as far as possible.
Lewakowski never planned on becoming a DJ. After doing relief work in New Orleans for Katrina victims Lewakowski moved back to Fort Collins with no plans, no money and no place to live. A friend in need was looking for someone to DJ a wedding for $800 and asked Lewakowski if they knew of anyone. Still not sure what he was doing, Lewakowski used his savings to buy some DJ equipment and attempted to try and DJ the wedding. Thanks largely in part to the ever informative YouTube, Lewakowski successfully worked the wedding and form there a passion was born.
Thanks to a hook up from a friend, Lewakowski eventually became the resident DJ for Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill where he has kept a steady following of around 500 patrons. Some of the largest crowds the bar has seen are due in part to the success of Lewakowski. Through his success Lewakowski created Sick Productions out of a necessity to deal with all the business he began receiving.
“At one point I was working for Wash, Ti bar, Octane, Drunken Monkey and Sports Exchange,” Lewakowski says, “so Sick Productions was a way for me to have people work for me so I could handle all the business.”
It is not all fame and glory for Lewakowski and Fort Collins, he says, has also been one of the most challenging places to work.
“It’s hard when you’re having a rough night because any night can be a complete flop and it’s all based on you,” laments Lewakowski.
Not just a DJ, Lewakowski and his company have also set up other DJ’s for other bars in town such as Sports Exchange and 100 Octane. Running a business especially in Fort Collins has also been a source of stress for Lewakowski and Sick Productions.
“We set people up with jobs all over Fort Collins and it’s hard when people use our company just for a hook up and then don’t want to follow contracts we set up, ”says Lewakowski.
Having ones name all over town has its downside as well. Some people in the bar scene feel Lewakowski and Sick Productions has too much of the market share in town. As well some bar goers question his music selection. Colorado State University student Corey Huffman, a frequent patron of old town bars, has mixed feelings when it comes to Lewakowski and his music.
“I don’t hate the guy (Lewakowski) I just get tired of hearing house music and dubstep every time I walk into a bar he’s spinning at,” Huffman says, “Sometimes I want to hear an old school jam like Regulators.”
Lewakowski understands this pressure and definitely feels the stress from guys like Huffman.
“It’s definitely hard when you come off annoying to someone when in fact your just doing your job,” Lewakowski says, “sometimes people just don’t understand that and it gets pretty stressful.”
As difficult as it is to run ones own business at 24, Lewakowski says he is having the time of his life. Not only that but many of the parties he has set up have been ones to remember according to many Fort Collins residents, including bartender Taver Tor-Agbidye.
“The two greatest parties I’ve ever been to in Fort Collins were thrown by Ryan and they were the pool party at Rams Point and the CSU vs. CU tailgate,” smiles Tor-Agbidye as he remembers the parties.
Success hasn’t gone to Lewakowski’s head either and he is always eager to give credit where credit is due.
“I owe a lot of my success to Devin Norcross for getting me in the door and building my foundation of a crazy career,” Lewakowski says, “and most importantly Shane and Megan Belcher for giving me an opportunity.”
Lewakowski cannot imagine doing anything else and for as long as people will listen he plans on playing and doing his best to ensure that everyone is having as much fun as he is.
Places you may have seen or heard Lewakowski.
T.I. Bar
Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill
100 Octane
Sports Exchange
Drunken Monkey
Rams Pointe
Suite 200
Beta
Marriott Parties
Robusto Room
City Hall in Denver
The Aggie Theatre
Bondi Beach Bar
Shooters
Local house parties
Everything is pitch black. Suddenly a strobe light comes on. Hundreds of sweaty bodies are pulsating to a deep base, boom, boom, boom. Alcohol driven hands are rocking up and down as the music blares. In a chorus surprisingly in tune for the lack of sobriety, the crowd rhythmically chants, “go DJ, go DJ, go DJ.” Inside his glass box DJ Sick, Ryan Lewakowski, works his turntables with headphones on, catering to the crowd of onlookers. This he says is the reason he does what he does.
When it comes to the bars and clubs in Fort Collins Lewakowski is the DJ that has taken over. At one point working for five of the largest bars in town as well as doing major parties, Lewakowski and his personal company Sick Productions, cater to clientele all over town. Lewakowski and associate DJ Dane Quay have spun for parties from Denver to LA and hope to expand their market as far as possible.
Lewakowski never planned on becoming a DJ. After doing relief work in New Orleans for Katrina victims Lewakowski moved back to Fort Collins with no plans, no money and no place to live. A friend in need was looking for someone to DJ a wedding for $800 and asked Lewakowski if they knew of anyone. Still not sure what he was doing, Lewakowski used his savings to buy some DJ equipment and attempted to try and DJ the wedding. Thanks largely in part to the ever informative YouTube, Lewakowski successfully worked the wedding and form there a passion was born.
Thanks to a hook up from a friend, Lewakowski eventually became the resident DJ for Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill where he has kept a steady following of around 500 patrons. Some of the largest crowds the bar has seen are due in part to the success of Lewakowski. Through his success Lewakowski created Sick Productions out of a necessity to deal with all the business he began receiving.
“At one point I was working for Wash, Ti bar, Octane, Drunken Monkey and Sports Exchange,” Lewakowski says, “so Sick Productions was a way for me to have people work for me so I could handle all the business.”
It is not all fame and glory for Lewakowski and Fort Collins, he says, has also been one of the most challenging places to work.
“It’s hard when you’re having a rough night because any night can be a complete flop and it’s all based on you,” laments Lewakowski.
Not just a DJ, Lewakowski and his company have also set up other DJ’s for other bars in town such as Sports Exchange and 100 Octane. Running a business especially in Fort Collins has also been a source of stress for Lewakowski and Sick Productions.
“We set people up with jobs all over Fort Collins and it’s hard when people use our company just for a hook up and then don’t want to follow contracts we set up, ”says Lewakowski.
Having ones name all over town has its downside as well. Some people in the bar scene feel Lewakowski and Sick Productions has too much of the market share in town. As well some bar goers question his music selection. Colorado State University student Corey Huffman, a frequent patron of old town bars, has mixed feelings when it comes to Lewakowski and his music.
“I don’t hate the guy (Lewakowski) I just get tired of hearing house music and dubstep every time I walk into a bar he’s spinning at,” Huffman says, “Sometimes I want to hear an old school jam like Regulators.”
Lewakowski understands this pressure and definitely feels the stress from guys like Huffman.
“It’s definitely hard when you come off annoying to someone when in fact your just doing your job,” Lewakowski says, “sometimes people just don’t understand that and it gets pretty stressful.”
As difficult as it is to run ones own business at 24, Lewakowski says he is having the time of his life. Not only that but many of the parties he has set up have been ones to remember according to many Fort Collins residents, including bartender Taver Tor-Agbidye.
“The two greatest parties I’ve ever been to in Fort Collins were thrown by Ryan and they were the pool party at Rams Point and the CSU vs. CU tailgate,” smiles Tor-Agbidye as he remembers the parties.
Success hasn’t gone to Lewakowski’s head either and he is always eager to give credit where credit is due.
“I owe a lot of my success to Devin Norcross for getting me in the door and building my foundation of a crazy career,” Lewakowski says, “and most importantly Shane and Megan Belcher for giving me an opportunity.”
Lewakowski cannot imagine doing anything else and for as long as people will listen he plans on playing and doing his best to ensure that everyone is having as much fun as he is.
Places you may have seen or heard Lewakowski.
T.I. Bar
Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill
100 Octane
Sports Exchange
Drunken Monkey
Rams Pointe
Suite 200
Beta
Marriott Parties
Robusto Room
City Hall in Denver
The Aggie Theatre
Bondi Beach Bar
Shooters
Local house parties
For the most part, I enjoyed this story. I know about DJ Sick and it was cool to hear about his history and experiences. The story flowed well. You had some good outside opinions on him, too. There are some grammar and spelling mistakes, but those are easy fixes. I also would have liked to hear about what he plans on doing with his business in the future... will he expand outside Fort Collins, etc? Nice job though.
ReplyDeleteGreat story. The lead helps in painting a picture in the mind of the reader and is the right fit for a feature story.
ReplyDeleteGood mix of dialogue and quotes with commentary. Really cool idea for a profile story and that breakout at the bottom with places he has been is easy to relate to and it shows how "famous" he has gotten.
ReplyDelete