In celebration of our 10th Anniversary, PAAFF will be throwing a very special After Party Saturday 11/18 at La Peg Braserie. The party will feature two well known names from Philadelphia’s dance music scene: P@KEO (Pat Keo) of WhiteRice and ILY (Will Hoover) of Left Rite. PAAFF caught up with the djs to find out more about the men, their music, and what they have in store for us tonight.
Pat “P@KEO” Keo started djing in 1999 when he was living in the Washington DC area. After a brief hiatus, he began pursuing music again around 2015. In 2016 Pat teamed up with fellow dj Bruce Petaccio to form WhiteRice—a due known for Flaunt, a monthly party that showcases some of Philly’s best techno and house producers and djs. Pat describes his style of dance music as “deep soulful house” and cites both 90’s jackin’ house and UK garage (2-step) as two other regional house styles that are often present in his sets. When I asked him if he had any musical influences that might surprise people, he mentioned that R&B, Hip-Hop, and Soul Music been mainstays in his track selection from the very beginning. When asked, “What is your dream venue?” not surprisingly, he said he’d love to play the Smart Bar in Chicago, adding, “The energy there is something else!”
“A lot of the djs and promoters in the scene regularly mingle at each other’s parties and support each other.”
Like Pat, Will “ILY” Hoover is another longtime dj. Citing, deep Pennsylvania roots, Will noted that he grew up in central PA where “there wasn’t too much going on at the time,” As a result, Will started his music career both organizing and playing parties. When I asked him how those days compare to Philadelphia now, he had nothing but praise for the Philly dance music scene: “A lot of the djs and promoters in the scene regularly mingle at each other’s parties and support each other. People frequently cooperate on events too, which helps everyone to throw really great parties and maintain such a wonderfully diverse and vibrant scene.” In fact, Will is part of an electronic music collective in Philly called Left Rite that throws parties featuring house and techno djs every 1st Friday at Irish Pol in Old City and every 3rd Friday at Kung Fu Necktie in Northern Liberties.
I’ve often attended parties where djs will disappear to chill between sets, so I couldn’t help but ask both Will and Pat if they like to dance. Will answered with an enthusiastic, “I love dancing!” Pat not only expressed the same sentiment, but he also offered up a fun fact: “I used to dance semi-professionally while living in DC. Dance culture is what actually introduced me to the underground dance music scene.”
Le Peg Brasserie is known for its dramatic views, meticulously sourced menu, and extensive craft beer selection. And PAAFF is thrilled that they will be hosting our party.