I’m on my lunch break at work, walking around the building, and there are two dead squirrels on the ground. That’s… unfortunate. But since I’ve got a few minutes, it feels like the right time to sit down and reflect on everything that happened this year. Slime Pit 2 is officially in the books (click here to read the recap), and now that we’re at the end of Q4, it’s hitting me just how unbelievably productive this year has been for me as a DJ and promoter.
Two Headliner Shows in One Year
I put on two headliner events this year—both under my own direction.
- The Awakening in March, featuring Discognition
- Slime Pit 2: Attack of the Grime, headlined by Partnerz in Grime
On top of those, there were multiple house shows, pop-ups, and one of my personal favorite projects: Gem State, my monthly residency show on Atlantic Progression. Gem State has become one of my personal favorite projects — partly because it’s the purest version of my sound, and partly because it has evolved into something much bigger than just a livestream.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Gem State is my 4+ hour progressive house livestream, broadcast on Atlantic Progression’s Mixcloud and Twitch channels every first Friday at 9 PM Mountain Time. Ninety percent of the time, it’s just me doing what I love most: building long-form journeys through underground progressive house, melodic house, electronica, and whatever deeper textures I’m experimenting with that month.
Occasionally, the format shifts. Sometimes I bring on a guest DJ. Sometimes I paint a piece of art during the show and raffle it off. Very rarely, Gem State becomes a full live event, like it did on September 6th at The Gem — a multi-DJ, multi-artist showcase with painters, lighting, and a full curated production around it. That was a special one, and absolutely one of the standout nights of the year.
Gem State started as a livestream idea, but this year it really cemented itself as the backbone of everything I do as The Idahoan. It’s a platform. It’s a creative outlet. And it’s become one of the defining pieces of underground progressive house streaming coming out of Idaho.
And of course, I also produced Doused in House at Misfitz back in July—a huge success and a direction I want to keep pushing.
Don’t forget, I helped to raise over $1,000 for Children International during my 3rd Annual Independence Day Fundraiser Live Stream.
My First Festivals Ever
This year marked a massive milestone: my first festival performances.
Both were incredible experiences, and I’m extremely grateful to Sam and Dustin for giving me those opportunities. Being able to finally step onto festival stages and represent East Idaho’s underground house community was surreal.
Releases, Labels, and Momentum
Shoutout to every label that signed my music this year:
Your support means everything. As I write this, I’ve got at least one upcoming release on Prognosis—my remix for Last 2 Standing. And hopefully more to come.
Local Shows and Community Wins
I stayed busy. Really busy.
I performed all over Idaho, including Coeur d’Alene, which is something I honestly didn’t expect to happen this soon.
And earlier in the year, I hosted Triforce: The Fist of Power — the bass show. Loud, gritty, energetic, and a completely different flavor from my progressive house projects. It set the tone for a very diverse year of bookings and creativity.
Still waiting on that Space Banana booking in Boise… 👀
And yes—if they’re ever looking for an East Idaho progressive house DJ, my hand is up. Always.
I’m also still waiting on my first out-of-state EDM show. Weddings out of state? Sure. But an actual EDM event? Not yet. Hopefully soon.
Learning the Nightlife… and Learning the Business
This year has been a crash course in understanding how nightlife operates at a deeper level. I have been fortunate to be able to network and work with some of the biggest names in the region.
This year I made one of my most treasured connections regarding my musical journey. Being able to finally meet, work with, and party with Chad (not just once, but TWICE) has made all of my trials, tribulations, and triumphs worth every second. Chad is one of my biggest role models in the scene. He is genuine, sincere, caring, and focused on the right things. I know he will do big things and I am honored to be able to call him a “friend.”
I’m finally starting to really grasp:
- What makes a show successful
- How to manage artists
- How to set expectations
- When business stops and personal life begins
- When to say yes—and when to say no
This entire ecosystem is challenging. But it’s incredibly rewarding.
In my 20s, the dream was to go to shows, get wild, and have a crazy time. Now? It’s work. Hard work. Meaningful work. And I genuinely love it.
Putting on a great party is one thing. Putting on a great party with a purpose—like charity fundraisers—is something else entirely.
Building More Presence in Pocatello
I definitely need to lean harder into SEO for Pocatello, so let me state this clearly:
I regularly DJ in Pocatello.
I play underground house, progressive house, and electronic events in Pocatello.
Keywords I want to target moving forward:
- Pocatello DJ
- Pocatello Progressive House DJ
- Pocatello Underground House DJ
- Pocatello House Music Producer
Misfitz has basically become my second home outside of Idaho Falls, and I want to keep expanding my footprint there in 2026.
Gratitude for This Community
I already did a huge Thanksgiving thank-you mix—but I’ll say it again:
I am incredibly fortunate to be doing what I’m doing.
The support from the East Idaho music community has been unreal. Even though I’m 44 with a full-time job, a family, and more responsibilities than I can count, I still get to be part of something special here.
I’m blown away by how far things have come.
Looking Ahead
My next scheduled show is Soirée d’Amour—the Valentine’s Day event at Misfitz in Pocatello. I’ll link to it in the blog version.
More shows will come.
More growth will come.
More music will come.
And as long as East Idaho keeps pushing for underground house, I’ll keep pushing right back.
