Street: How did you start getting into djing?
Stephen Pintauro: When I joined St. A’s, I started to get into the music our dj was playing and I always thought I’d love to learn. By junior year I was just like: “Fuck it, I’m going to regret this if I don’t at least try it out,” so around Christmas that year, I bought a controller and that was pretty much that.
Street: Where are some venues you've played at?
SP: In Philadelphia, I opened for Afrojack at the Theater of Living Arts and for Le Youth at Coda. Other than that, I’ve played at Ultrabar and a lot of fraternity parties. This past summer while I did community development work abroad in South Africa, I played at places like Beerhouse, The Side Show, and The Dragon Room.
Street: Favorite experience as a dj?
SP: I dj a lot at Vanderbilt because I’m from Nashville and my brother really likes the same music as me, so we put together a set and played at one of Vandy’s biggest fall parties during fall break this year. It was his first time djing and he did an unbelievable job.
Street: Favorite place to play at?
SP: Any college party with friends. It’s a lot better to play in front of my friends and in front of a lot of college students than to be opening for a really famous dj like Afrojack. Afrojack is really cool to talk about, but when you’re playing for a hundred high schoolers who don’t really give a shit, and you have to play kind of chill music, it’s definitely not as good of a feel.
Street: Advice for making playlist?
SP: Know what people like and know what the mood is for the night. This week is going to be really EDM–heavy because of Halloween so the following week it’s better to have sing-along classic songs and rap.
Street: Your favorite new artists?
SP: Oliver Heldens–he was up and coming and now is pretty established. Very different, cool sound.
TIMO ODV–he’s a dj that produces and sings his own songs. In my opinion, he has the potential to really revolutionize the music scene. He’s not well known outside of South Africa, but he’s amazing.
Street: Your musical guilty pleasure?
SP: KE$HA, Carly Rae Jepsen, Taylor Swift.
Street: Your favorite out-there musician?
SP: Jauz. I love his music, but if I ever played this with someone in a car they’d be like “what the fuck is this.” His music has the most hardcore drops I’ve ever heard someone produce.
Describe your ideal party.
SP: Past midnight, elevated dj booth, rave colors, packed with people that are very very intoxicated. And friends. A lot of friends.
You are the dj for Amy Gutmann's 66th birthday party. What song do you immediately go to?
SP: “Salt Shaker,” Ying Yang Twins.(Ed. note: Spot. On.)
Catch Stephen opening for SBRN this Friday, 10/30, 11:30pm-12:45am at District N9Ne. Check him out on SoundCloud here
