Family Ties: A Night at Galaxie with VCTRE

What a night!

Now that was one Saturday our city truly needed! It reminds us that talent has always been here, and shines light on the journey ahead for our music scenes in the Greater Cincinnati area. From seeing the Covington restaurant family conversing in the lounge, to seeing many familiar faces of the historic Mad Frog era scattered around the bar. There was a stronger sense of community than I've seen in years. The music, the people, the heart-felt energy. A Universe of worlds interconnected through each individual. Dive deeper with me in this walk-through of an evening that left us all inspired.

@Vusive, spinning as direct support for @vctre_ at the new Galaxie Bar @galaxie_cov // Photo Credit @Rudy Frank

Walking into Galaxie, the energy was unmistakably electric–and the staff radiated love. Loudspeakers were pumping powerful bass & intricate melodies from the back, beyond the curtain; Will Webb warmly welcomed Andrew and I on through to begin taking photos for Beyond The Stage. 

Fog wafting in the air, beams and rays of cool cosmic colors firing overhead. You could feel the magic. Upon entering I saw flow artists lighting up the room to the sounds of Thelonious Mung & Vusive dropping original music. The Top Tier Productions crew were soaking in the atmosphere, while everyone else was fully immersed in dance. That’s when Andrew wandered off into the collage of humans to take photos, while I began to make my rounds to connect with the crowd.

@Specter (left), @Thelonious Mung (middle), @Vusive (right)

Looking around, I felt a sense of belonging, and could see that this particular EDM venue was full of music patrons from all walks of life. Including Margo, a talented poet and published writer, made her way through the entrance. We caught up on new happenings with Beyond The Stage, and where she might just fit in with the BTS Universe.

Moments later, a close friend Jenn Welch twirls toward my direction gracefully, and spins to a stop beside me. I ask for a quick quote about VCTRE and she shouts “He’s an absolute Angel Baby!” then begins to describe their meeting back when she worked in Artist Hospitality.

Making my way towards the dance floor, I caught up with VIPeach. She was looking fashionable as always and just returned from Florida. Her experiences of EDM parties in St. Petersburg & Tampa left her yearning for more. "I wasn’t sure how to get involved, but I saw so much support for this event from people I knew, so I had to check it out!" she tells me.

We can expect an EDM album from Peach in June, titled Brave Beach.

By this point in the night, I couldn't be happier for Thelonious & Vu. As an artist myself, watching two of my best friends open up for one of our favorite producers left my heart more full than I can describe. From tonight’s direct support sets, to releasing some of their best work to date, these two have made continuous strides upward. They even have a head-bobber collab which was self-released entitled Floasis, and you’re highly encouraged to give it a listen!

VCTRE the sound selector at Galaxie Bar with a unique backdrop // Photo Credit @BeyondTheStage | @Andrew Isler

Wrap-Up in the Green Room.

While this energetic night begins to wind down, and patrons are swept towards the exits, Andrew and I execute the final mission: gathering in the green room for a family photo with the DJ’s.

Everything I’d heard about VCTRE was true—he was down-to-earth, humble, and all about the music. I remember the shift in the music’s energy when his set began—blending genres across spectrums such as Hip-Hop, DnB, and even a splash of House music. 

He truly brought a little something for all of us. We talked about hip-hop influences and the “classic bounce” used in many of his tracks. I admitted, he was in fact one of my favorite producers, and that it was an honor to be doing a write-up for his stop in Covington. Copycat and him just opened for Melodic Bass icon Slander in Phoenix, Arizona. “We had so much fun!” he tells me, still buzzing from the experience.

Benmolio, Thelonious Mung, VCTRE, Vusive, & myself - all smiles in the Green Room. @King George Photography

Leaving Galaxie that night, one thing was clear: this venue is more than just a club—it’s a home base for the electronic dance music community. No matter where you come from, stepping into Galaxie means stepping into something bigger than yourself. "This place is only going to get better," - Germane (AKA @G4Greatness)

The final moment of the night is us walking out the door with Justin, a key-player the Kentucky EDM Family. Alongside Jamebo Untamed, Justin delivered an unmatched light show for us all. As we say our goodbyes, I ask for his quote of the night. He turns to me with an ear-to-ear grin stretched over his face —”party on.”

Special thanks to my Editor and partner in life, Lyndsey Valentine—

If anyone can make me better at what I do despite my stubbornness, it's you babe.

One more special thanks to my best friend & business partner Andrew Isler for believing in me until I could believe in myself again.