Theo Charles is a DJ's DJ. Bringing the bravado of turntablism to the timeless aesthetic of house and techno; never one to shy away from challenging the status quo, the Colorado DJ has formulated a distinctive signature sound behind the decks. From Aspen to Africa, Theo Charles has made name for himself.

Theo Charles cut his teeth training under such decorated DJs as Dirty Digits, TJ Mizell and DJ Esquire. As a result, where other four on the floor selectors build a long, gradual progression, his fast yet skillful transitions translate to a more engaging audience experience.

Theodore Charles Liebowitz (who simply performs as Theo Charles) was born in Denver, Colorado; he and his family relocated to the ski town of Aspen where he spent most of his adolescence. From an early age he favored more subversive styles of music, whether getting in trouble for listening to hip hop as a child or immersing himself in counterculture through punk rock as a teenager.

Charles snowboarded competitively during his formative years. In high school, however, he attended his first rave: Hallowfreaknween at the Palladium in Denver. After catching a performance by The Crystal Method (TCM), his primary focus shifted permanently to electronic music.

If The Crystal Method had gotten Charles into electronic music, Z-Trip got him into DJing when he found himself in the audience during the latter artist’s set in Aspen. He was also fortunate enough to witness a performance by the late DJ AM, which solidified his decision to become a disc jockey.

He moved to New York City for school and attended the famed Scratch DJ Academy, a school for turntablists that was founded by the late Jam Master Jay. During his time in the NYC battle scene he was brought into the culture of grassroots hip hop, art, finesse, and was afforded the opportunity to perform at the world-famous Webster Hall in 2011 as a newcomer in a city known for it's no nonsense approach to music and nightlife.

After returning to home, Charles reached another milestone when he was billed as the official DJ of the 2011 World Cup in Aspen. He also regularly performed at Belly Up, Aspen that same year, and delivered the first of what would turn into annual performances at the transformational festival Burning Man.

As he started taking his DJ career more seriously he relocated once again to Denver, as it stood out as a bigger hub for music of all kinds. During his time in the Mile High City, he’s performed at such nightlife destinations as Beta Nightclub, Vinyl, Bar Standard, The Church - as well as traveling to perform at such events as New Mexico's decomp event at Taos Mesa Brewing Company, Festivals such as Global Dance Festival, and alongside industry icons such as DJ Dan, Billy Kenny, Shiba San, Option4, Booka Shade, Kyle Watson, Left/Right, and even his hero Z Trip, amongst others.

In an era of pre-planned (and often even pre-recorded) sets, Charles differentiates himself by improvising every single performance. He only plans out sequences of tracks insofar as a boxer plans out one-two combos, leaving the audience in control of where each mix dovetails. In addition, the crowd’s response to his tasteful implementation of DJ tricks indicates that such novelties are certainly not lost on fans of house and techno.
If you fancy yourself a fan of real DJing in any capacity then Theo Charles is a name you need to know.

Contact: sirtheocharles@gmail.com

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