By OutClique writer
CS: Tell us your history, how did you enter the world of nightlife?
AF: In my late teens, I was in college attending the Art Institute for Visual Arts and began playing music during my gallery exhibits as an experiment. Shortly afterwards, I started fusing live performances of playing music during the exhibits as a regular thing. This sparked my interest to pursue it full time. After Arts College, I entered music business and music theory, and finally broadcast journalism, which really made me go for it as a profession. I have always loved music and had been ingesting music for decades, so it was a natural progression. I also love making people happy and dancing!
CS: What’s your background?
AF: I am a native of Miami, 3rd generation Cuban American, and grew up here in the 80s. I have French, Spanish, and Italian heritage. Culturally, I was very lucky to have experienced all the music movements spawned in the “Magic City.” A large influence in my sets today.
CS: We know you’ve been a staple of the South Florida nightlife scene. Tell us a bit of your history. What stands out for you?
AF: I’m very proud to say I’ve headlined almost every major festival and pride event in Florida several years in a row– Winter Party, White party, Miami Beach Gay Pride, Stonewall Pride, Florida Aids Walk and Music Festival (9 years straight), Pride Fort Lauderdale, OUTshine Film Festival, Gay Days FTL and Orlando, Gay 8 Festival, Come out with Pride Orlando, etc. I’ve also traveled to other cities to headline like St. Pete Pride, Atlanta for Atlanta Pride, NYC city Pride, and MadBear Madrid, Key West Bear Weekend, Denver Pride and more.
I have been fortunate to have held down residencies at almost every major venue in South Florida over the decades. Living Room, Score South Beach, The Palace, Twist, House Nightclub, Southern Nights Wilton Manors, etc. I’ve played at The Manor, The Griffin Seminole Hardrock, Hunters (and boom before that), Georgie’s Alibi, The Eagle Wilton Manors, Parliament House Orlando, The Royal Palms famous pool parties, The Clevelander, Exit 66, Rodman’s Rehab/Off the Hookah, too many to name. It’s been an amazing journey growing my sphere with each new residency. I am pretty sure I have well over 250 venues under my belt.
CS: What do you consider to be your edge?
AF: I’d like to think that because of my diverse musical knowledge that I have less boundaries and more space to travel sonically during my sets. I truly feel I can play to virtually any crowd both underground and mainstream. In the LGBT/circuit industry, it’s rare for DJs to cross over and play “straight” events, music or festivals etc. Many times I’ve held down residencies in both Gay clubs and mainstream clubs week to week. I use a lot of nostalgia and revisits in my sets – a lot of vocal throwbacks to the late 80s, 70s disco and early 90s house movement. On the flip side, I know how to create driving, sexy, darker atmospheres with more austere music. I am so excited about each event I get to play at and the many different crowds that may be in front of me. I truly believe in playing to the crowd while passionately expressing myself by music choice.
CS: We’ve recently noticed an uptick in your presence and performance schedule, tell us about your experience as a DJ/Producer coming out of the pandemic?
AF: All of us in the entertainment industry, particularly DJs, felt a huge sting from not knowing what would happen next during lockdown in 2020. Many times, I questioned what I wanted to do next considering we were all relegated to streaming from home. I learned to just believe in myself and my craft and let the universe unfold as it would. In the past year there’s been a huge boom for me and this year alone I’ve just had nonstop monumental sets and appearances, my return to Miami Beach Pride for their VIP affair, Florida Aids walk (after a year break) opening for Deborah Cox, Jessie J, the recent Labor Day Splash for Pride Fort Lauderdale, Flockfest, and my headline event for St. Pete Pride, (clocking in over 4k people at its peak.) It all boils down to gratitude. I’m just grateful for each event I am able to take part in. I’ve reached a whole new renewed level of passion for my music expression and craft. I’m renewed.
CS: Give us some inside view at who you are outside of the DJ Booth?
AF: I have really warmed up to physical fitness and sports, it’s become a center for me and a break from all the hustle and flow of running my record label, producing and doing brand/design for my company 8025 Promo. I love running; it’s become my meditation. I also love theory and philosophy, mind expansion, spiritualism – all of it. I am also a severe thalassophyte and enjoy sunrises at the beach, it’s truly one of my favorite things to do! It helps to slow and smell the flowers, so to speak. I am also a huge geek – I read comic books and I’m obsessed with Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
CS: Tell us what you have planned musically at your upcoming appearance at DUNE for their Halloween Afternoon Tea event?
AF: The vibe at DUNE is unlike anything in Fort Lauderdale. The menu and atmosphere rival Ibiza or Capri. I’m going to draw from an eclectic palate of sultry European houses with world flavors. Sophisticated melodic house and instrumentation with a summery vibe. I’m particularly looking forward to the upcoming Halloween Tea, celebrating fall in true South Florida style with an “endless summer” approach.
CS: Describe yourself in 3 words?
AF: Loyal, loving and dedicated.
CS: What does the future hold for you?
AF: Like I mentioned earlier I’m experiencing a renaissance in my passion for music and events. I’m digging very deep into my repertoire for my weekly shows “subWOOFer” Hour on CueTheMusic.online with a weekly broadcast clocking into thousands of listeners on every continent currently being serviced with house music from choice record labels every Saturday night and on my mix cloud, SoundCloud channels.
I am also the current Program Director at the station, working closely with a team of amazing individuals who are all in key markets of the United States, Europe and Canada, streaming 24/7 and expanding soon to live stream events, and more. The station is run and executed by seasoned DJs and experienced media experts.
I’m currently booking and licensing my brand subWOOFer to other cities and seeking to work with more promoters outside of the U.S. I have upcoming appearances in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Belize for Bears on Deck Cruise on the Celebration of Seas, Key West Bear Weekend, appearances in Nashville, returning to St. Pete for a Halloween event, New York City for a festival, World Bear Weekend, and many more. I’m also deep in the studio and producing original music again. Full disclosure, I’m still debating Tik Tok content (evil grin.)
CS: Where can we find more on you and what you have coming up?
AF: I always update my latest events, upcoming shows, new podcasts, and anything upcoming on my website www.AlexFerbeyre.com. There, you will see links to my socials, podcasts, music videos, etc. Always new fresh content.
