Underground music is beginning to make a comeback in Auburn, and it was apparent at The Independent last week. On Friday, TKO, a collaboration of Alabama’s leading DJs on the tour circuit, mixed indie-pop dance standards with a variety of funky electro, house and hip-hop material, bringing an urban taste to the venue.

DJs Charles III, DJ Coco, Jimi Fritz, and WDPK felt out the crowd while taking turns mixing on a stage shared by many enthusiastic dancers and a disco ball. Although only one of the DJs will be making the monthly Auburn stop from here on out, the whole group decided to initiate TKO’s presence on The Plains.

Friday’s performance showed that TKO will continue to reimagine an ultra hyped, carefree disco era throughout their reign in the dance party scene. They are truly Kids Got to Disco evolved, and like their precursor, TKO’s energetic cross-genre fusions will keep crowds dancing until last call.

DJ Coco, a UK-native whose work was first featured in Manchester nightclubs like The Hacienda and Sankeys Soap, said that he hopes the group will be packing the house all summer long, mixing popular titles with new stuff coming out of New York, Los Angles and London.

“The music I play is mostly dance mixed up with mash-ups of everything, like Oasis mixed with Daft Punk,” said DJ Coco, musing about trying to broaden people’s horizons without scaring them.

“There used to be a real underground house party scene in Auburn about 10 years ago,” Coco added, speculating that the vibe died off when hip-hop became highly commercialized.

“I'd hear about it in Atlanta and come in for an eight-hour dance party with over 300 people.” he said.

Heath Truitt, owner of The Independent, said he recognizes that providing dance music to his bar-goers is just as integral to the space as providing an alternative venue for bands.

“It’s a good night, because I don’t recognize a lot of people,” he said.

Truitt said that he had heard of the work DJ Charles did with Kids Got to Disco and the popularity of his monthly performance at Birmingham’s The Bottletree.
“To an extent we are in elite company,” he said.

The atmosphere that accompanies a TKO party is what separates The Independent from other places, said Heath, exclaiming “for one thing, girls can show up and not feel like they are being grinded on.”

DJ Charles III agreed that establishing something new is TKO’s ambition.

“We are looking to do something different,” said DJ Charles. “We are trying to incorporate some hardcore bands which is not normally done.”
DJ Charles said their uniqueness is leading TKO out of their home in Mobile area, and into a steady tour between Alabama’s gulf coast, Auburn, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.

“We’re just trying to expand the party,” DJ Charles concluded.

To learn more about TKO or listen to their mixes, check them out at tkoparty.com, or visit their MySpace page at myspace.com/tkoatthemusicbox.

TKO is scheduled to perform again at The Independent on Friday, June 5. Cover is $5 at the door and $7 for those under 21.