Reuter, who also goes by DJ moniker “Shazam Bangles,” had recently founded a vinyl music and dance party called Vibes On Logan with his collaborator David Hernandez, aka “DJ D.R.E.A.M.” The duo turned to this new community and hosted a “rent party” for Reuter. Friends and supporters showed up in droves and donated enough funds to allow him to keep his apartment.
That example of community-driven support perfectly encapsulates the ethos of the ongoing summer series that is now in its seventh season of showcasing Chicago DJs on the boulevard of Logan & Rockwell in Logan Square. Hernandez and Reuter—both Chicago natives and curators of Vibes On Logan—describe the party as an attempt to bring people together through music, joy, and mutual aid. The Vibes On Logan Instagram bio line invokes that mission with this phrase: “Radical Unity, Joyful Solidarity, Vibe Curation.”
Those first two concepts have always stuck with Hernandez after he heard them from a guest pastor at the church that he and his wife attend. As for the “Vibe Curation” mantra, anyone who has been to a Vibes On Logan party can attest to the organizers’ thoughtful efforts. Local food and art vendors line the perimeter of the boulevard as the selectors of the day traverse house, hip-hop, jazz, funk and soul records. The multi-generational crowd pairs eclectic tunes with picnics, lively conversation, and dancing. In between emceeing and DJing, Reuter and Hernandez make their rounds to warmly greet family, friends, and newcomers alike. Strangers become neighbors over the course of the afternoon. It’s a representation of Chicago hospitality at its finest.
The act of providing mutual aid for the vibrant local DJ scene clearly resonates with the Vibes On Logan audience. Supporters have already contributed over $1,500 to fully fund port-a-potty rentals for the entire summer. This may seem like a mundane logistical item, but this type of support ensures that attendees from all over the city can come enjoy the full slate of DJs spinning throughout the afternoon. This is on top of the donations that pour in at each event to support the DJs, gear, graphics, and photography. “The party is community funded, so it’s people understanding the work and the labor it takes to do that and respect that, and are willing to donate generously. We suggest $5 and oftentimes I come back and see 20s [in the bin],” said Hernandez.
The partnership between Hernandez and Reuter traces back several years prior to launching Vibes On Logan, and each has their own path in becoming a vinyl DJ and party organizer. Reuter recalls the Polka party his grandparents hosted at Major Hall on Grand Ave as an early influence. “That introduced me to hosting parties and bringing happy people together in joyous revelry with a focus on community and music,“ he said. From there, his parents’ jazz, Motown, and disco records introduced him to a love of vinyl and collecting music. In the early- and mid-90s, Reuter discovered college radio and underground music, began building his vinyl collection with trips to Chicago staples like Gramaphone, 2nd Hand Tunes, H-Fi Records, and Tower Records, and started seriously learning how to DJ with the 1200s he bought just before graduating high school. Reuter eventually would find success playing parties in the city, forming crews such as Cuts On Cuts and Boogie Munsters with other local DJs.
For Hernandez, the journey started with roller skating at Fleetwood Roller Rink on Harlem and Archer in the late 80s where a resident DJ would spin classic house hits on Friday and Saturday nights. This shaped his early love for vinyl and dance music. He was eventually able to invest in software and equipment in his late-20s and started growing his vinyl collection with weekly trips to Out Of The Past Records.
Hernandez had some DJ opportunities around Chicago by the early 2010s but was having difficulty finding consistent gigs. That would change once he met Reuter after attending local parties and events for many years. Having similar musical tastes and an affinity for collecting vinyl, the future collaborators formed a strong bond. Hernandez credits Reuter as his mentor who helped him break through the often-difficult Chicago DJ scene. “Mike ended up taking me under his wing. [He] graciously would say, ‘Come open for me.’ And that ended up building camaraderie between me and Mike,” said Hernandez.
Once the pandemic hit, Hernandez and Reuter wanted to create something that could spread that spirit of camaraderie. Around that time, Logan Square resident Sergio Castro had started hosting concerts on his lawn to support out-of-work jazz musicians. Hernandez was inspired by the DIY, community-funded initiative which would later grow into the weekly series known as “Live On Logan” in Palmer Square. Along with local DJ Material—who would go on to co-found the Durty Truth party with legendary Chicago DJ Darryn Jones—he organized a group of DJs to play records on the boulevard to entertain his Logan Square neighbors and to support struggling DJs while bars and clubs were shut down. Remembering how Reuter gave him opportunities to open, Hernandez invited Reuter to join Vibes On Logan and rallied the community for his rent party. Soon after, Reuter became a permanent fixture of the Vibes On Logan crew.
While the party has persisted and grown out of the pandemic era, Hernandez and Reuter have maintained its original purpose of authentically spreading joy through music. They deliberately choose the lineup on any given day by focusing on platforming DJs that, regardless of their profile or prestige, share an appreciation for collecting and playing a wide variety of music and also want to build community while bringing joy to the audience.
“We want to be very intentional with the bookings, but we also want to make sure that it's community-based. We’re not trying to bring in ‘such and such’ a name just so people are interested in the party. We want it to intrinsically have a more heartfelt tone,” said Reuter. That is a sentiment echoed by local DJ and record producer Tim Zawada, with whom Reuter had previously founded Boogie Munsters and who was a guest DJ at the most recent Vibes On Logan on June 14. Zawada speaks highly of the party as an opportunity to meet other DJs in a less commercial, more community-friendly environment that is welcoming to all.
Aside from Vibes On Logan, Reuter and Hernandez have established a monthly residency at The Whistler called “Classics” where they play some of their favorite high-energy records that exemplify the famous Chicago sound. The audience has likely never heard many of these songs—which Reuter affectionately describes as “megamall bangers”—due to not having Chicago roots or not yet being born when they were released. The pair looks forward to passing these hits down to a new audience while also reveling in the nostalgia of decades past. “How do we reintroduce this music to a generation that doesn't have that exposure?” said Hernandez. “How do you transport people back to what it was like then? And I felt like it's naturally through music.”
The environment at “Classics” may be a bit different from Vibes On Logan, but Reuter and Hernandez maintain the throughline of building a shared space where the dancegoers connect through the music. Whether it’s a sunshine-filled day on the boulevard at Logan Square or at the nightclub atmosphere of The Whistler, one thing is for certain: Reuter, Hernandez, and the Vibes On Logan crew will have you grooving to a deep house cut one minute and vibing to a beloved funk jam the next, and you’ll be itching for the next party.
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Supporters can catch Shazam Bangles (@shazam_bangles2) and DJ D.R.E.A.M. (@d.j.dream) at Logan Square Arts Festival on Saturday, June 27th at 2pm.
You can also see them spin vinyl along with local guest DJs on select Sundays this summer at Vibes On Logan (@vibesonlogan) at West Logan Blvd and North Rockwell St in Logan Square. Be sure to stop by the CHIRP Radio table to collect station SWAG!
The duo also plays their “Classics” night every second Friday of the month at The Whistler.