Bio

DJ David Knapp - resident, TOWN - DC, and SPLASH - NYC, Internationally Renowned Circuit DJ

“David incorporates into his sets a mixture of early-night pop remixes, tribal-electro, and nonstop energetic, work-it beats with the occasional hot vocal tracks!”-Ed Bailey

“David’s mixes are so amazing. He can blend anything together. He is a human Metronome.”-Manny Lehman

As the original Circuit DJ, David Knapp has assumed many similarly flattering characterizations during an illustrious career that has spanned two decades. Often referred to as The People’s DJ because of his unique ability to make each crowd feel like it’s the most important party he’s ever played, David is truly there for the audience as much as they are there for him. In the midst of South Beach’s rebirth in the early 90s as the inevitable international nightlife mecca, David Knapp graduated from the University of Miami Law School and passed the Bar Exam. While he could have easily pursued a lucrative career practicing law, he instead decided to follow his passion for music. And he hasn’t looked back once yet.

David’s first career-defining residency was the renowned Amnesia Tea Dances in Miami Beach. While at Amnesia, David became exceptionally known for his 8 year run of New Year’s Day and Winter Party (after party) Tea Dances. It was also in 1992 David first got involved with Miami’s White Party, the annual series of benefit events held during Thanksgiving week. David went on to headline the party like no other dj, his international draw helping to transform it from a one-party event to a weeklong affair that showcases a multitude of deejay talent. Moving on from the mixtape, David is credited with the creating the very first ever gay circuit mixed compilation cd back in 1994 (for the White Party), and every major circuit event and star dj soon followed the trend. David held court at the signature Sunday night party at the lavish waterfront Italian Renaissance-style palazzo, Vizcaya, for an astonishing 10 years. With White Party widely considered the crown jewel of the gay party Circuit, David became its honorary, albeit disarmingly humble, king.

DAVID LOVES NYC- While traveling the world making appearances at the multitude of similar Circuit weekends that popped up across the country and around the world, the Billboard-reporting DJ forged key relationships with some of New York’s heaviest hitters. Having duly impressed legendary DJ/producer Junior Vasquez on several occasions, David was invited by the master himself to guest DJ at Palladium and Tunnel, and eventually landed the ultimate guest residency at Twilo in 2000. He was also at Boy’s Life, Limelight, the Empire State Pride Agenda benefit, Heritage of Pride’s Pier Dance, and has the distinction of being the first non-New York-based DJ to play the Saint-at-Large Black Party two years in a row. David currently has a monthly residency with promoter John Blair at Splash. David started his prolific alliance with über-promoter John Blair while working at the Palladium, and this resulted in David sharing a 2-year residency at Roxy with Victor Calderone. David mixed the first official John Blair Roxy cd, and has mixed 8 White Party benefit CDs, as well as others in the Global Groove and Party Groove series. Gentleman’s Quarterly named David one of the six most influential DJs in America in its July 2000 issue. David was also featured alongside Danny Tenaglia, Eddie X, Junior Vasquez and Victor Calderone in the 2002 documentary about global DJs called Dance Culture In The Mix.

DAVID LOVES ATLANTA- With past and present residencies at many of North America’s most influential nightclubs under his belt, including San Francisco’s Sanctuary parties, Coliseum in Fort Lauderdale, Hydrate in Chicago, as well as past regular trips to spin at Le Queen in Paris and Dome in Tel Aviv, David also enjoys working in his current hometown of Atlanta at Opera and Wetbar. Having established a family in Atlanta with his partner Scott, adopted son Ryan (who, incidentally, celebrates his birth day close to Winter Party Weekend), and adopted daughter Kira, David has set up studio and plans to produce and remix music exclusively for his sets. David has debuted original remixes of Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Ultra Nate, Rihanna, P Diddy & Keisha Cole, and Princess Superstar. David also headlined the prestigious Joining Hearts event two years in a row and rocked the official afterparty the past two years. This year, David will be playing the weekend’s closing party for Chris Coleman at Opera.

DAVID GOES TO TOWN- Having worked with Ed Bailey of TRAXX, Millennium at the 930 Club, and Velvet Nation throughout the last 15 years, David was brought on board to commandeer the beautiful, wooden dancefloor in the main room of TOWN DANCE BOUTIQUE last November. Together, they have endeavored to create a feeling that unites the community, circuit and barfly alike, and combines the old-school feeling of TRAXX with Nation experience. The result has been a guaranteed, weekly Saturday draw of 1400 of DC’s most fun and fabulous. Musically, “David incorporates into his sets a mixture of early-night pop remixes, tribal-electro, and nonstop energetic, work-it beats with the occasional hot vocal tracks!”

There remain few parties or cities David has yet to play, but among the many highlights are parties most recently were the main event at Whistler Winter Pride, as the official Winter Party after-party dj at the National Hotel, as the official “DJ Dad” Rosie and Kelli O’Donnell’s RFamily cruises, and at the South Beach nightclub closing party of Jungle Weekend in Houston. In 2008, David had his most busy season ever as the headliner on Centaur Music’s Global Groove Tour, supported by his new smash compilation of the same name. He is currently enjoying many recurring gigs in NYC, San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Chicago, and many other cities. David, who is the longest running dj in Gay Disney’s history, will be playing for Johnny Chisholm at the main Saturday Pool Party during Gay Disney as well as in Pensacola for Memorial weekend. David will also be returning to play his trademark 9th performance in Ptown on July 3rd at the Crown And Anchor.

A highly accomplished and archetypal DJ who helped frame the modern party paradigm, David Knapp is a legend in his own right who continues to influence trends in music while entertaining legions of fans around the world. And he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
– Written by Matt Kalkhoff, with updates by David Knapp