By John Hayden
The rooms are dark, but not so dark that you can’t get a drink. The air smells like alcohol, and your drink is cold. On a crowded night, you’re likely to accidentally (or maybe not-so-accidentally) touch other partiers. But the backbone of the sensory experience of a Friday night at Eagle Wilton Manors is the music.
DJ Mogote Coyote (Mogote rhymes with Coyote) spins at Eagle and quickly became a fan favorite. He’s been here about 15 years after growing up in New Mexico.
“I wanted to leave my hometown of Albuquerque to live in a bigger, gayer city,” Coyote, whose real name is Jason Gonzales, told OutClique. “Being that Fort Lauderdale was in the tropics, that solidified my decision to move here. I was also blessed enough to have a job offer from my brother-from-another-mother, Dr. Will Richardson, a dermatologist who started his own practice about six months before I moved here. He was integral in my relocation and I will always be grateful for that. I moved here on June 17, 2007.”
When Coyote was 20, he discovered raves and the lifestyle that comes with it.
“I discovered Paul Van Dyke, Armand Van Helden, Steve Lawler, and Danny Tenaglia on my own. I lived for trance music, but through that process, I discovered House music as well.”
The musical journey coincided with his personal journey.
“I came out of the closet as a gay man when I was 22 and discovered the gay dance clubs in Albuquerque. I made friends quickly in the scene, and was soon invited to attend my first circuit party: White Party Palm Springs 2001. That weekend changed my life forever. I have chills right now just thinking about it. I never felt so liberated and ‘part of’ a greater community who embraced me for everything I was. Every party was mind-blowingly amazing, unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. The music was different from what I was used to hearing at raves. It was different than what was being played at the gay club in Albuquerque. I couldn’t get enough of that music and it wasn’t easy to find in Albuquerque. I embarked on this gay dance circuit boy journey with my second boyfriend and long-time friend, Tom Rice. We both decided to do as many circuit parties and gay dance events as we could that year, and each year following for as long as we could.”
Today his influences include Abel, Manny Lehman, Mike Cruz and more, and his vocal muses include Deborah Cox, Inaya Day,and Tamara Wallace.
“There are so many more artists I haven’t mentioned here that were integral in my love for this craft. I’m grateful for all of them and the joy they bring to so many, including myself.”
Coyote’s first big engagement came in 2011 at Royal Palms.
“The managers at the time gave me the opportunity. They planned on doing a Sunday T-Dance every month at the resort. It was destined to be a success, they were the only gay guest resort on the beach at the time that had a full bar. Combine that with two pools in a location steps from the beach, and you’ve got a successful party. I attended the very first t-dance they had there after opening, and after listening to the music I knew in my heart of hearts that I could bring something special to this event.”
Once that gig ended, Coyote knew he had found his passion. All he needed now was another outlet. That happened when Eagle opened.
“I heard from a number of people how great the music is at Eagle, and that it was more of an underground vibe. I began seeking out and finding more driving and progressive tech houss.”
Mogote Coyote is a cool stage name with a cool story.
“I used to just go by my regular name, DJ Jason Gonzales. People would tell me all the time that I needed a ‘cool DJ name,’ but I never thought it was necessary. When I decided to make a comeback, I came up with Mogote Coyote. Mogote is a little village in Southern Colorado. It’s an area that was settled by my great-grandma and granddaddy Gonzales before Colorado was a state. The old family homestead is still there where my Uncle John has lived off and on over the years. We used to go up there a few times a year on fishing, hunting, camping, and wood cutting trips throughout my childhood and into my adult years. It has a special place in my heart and only holds great memories. Plus, it rhymes with ‘coyote.’ Coyote, being a species of canine native to North America and closely related to the wolf, only smaller and less aggressive, seemed appropriate for me and also played into the whole bear/wolf/pup/otter scene in a way. The coyote is more of an outsider, doesn’t really fit into that scene, but still feels welcome, which is symbolic of where I am and my place in all of it. There’s also something cartoonish about that name. I’m a big fan of Looney Tunes and the Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner shows. They’re hilarious.”
Coyote quickly found a following.
“I had guys coming up to me saying how refreshing it was to hear music that wasn’t typical of most other gay nightclubs. I get signals, gestures, and hand hearts from people on the dancefloor expressing their love for the music I play, as well as general compliments about the quality of the music.”
While the crowd feeds off his vibe, Coyote feeds off their energy too, and it makes for an amazing show.
“I have a lot of people out there who support me. My undying gratitude for them abounds. I am eternally grateful for all my supporters. I’m grateful to those who come out to dance when they know I’m playing. I’m grateful to those who never come out to see me, but always tell me they would if they didn’t go to bed so damn early. I’m grateful for all those who come out, have no idea who I am and don’t care, but dance to the music with their friends and have a good time. Thank you.”
