27 July 25th-July 31st, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | with the NS7 module and Serato program on her laptop, she purchased turntables and vinyl records. “When I did come across vinyl, I tried collecting them, and through the years, I was able to get enough,” she says. “I focused more on building my equipment for events.” As of late, Garza owns and uses two Pioneer PLX-1000 turntables and a Pioneer DJM-S9 mixer and still rocks the Numark NS7 controller she learned on. “I currently use Ortofon Scratch Concorde needles,” she adds. The issue with needles is that they get worn out from vigorous scratching, and “some concerts have stages where it’s too wobbly, so my actual needles would jump,” she says, meaning the music would abruptly skip or stop. So as a remedy, she added Phase remotes to her mixology repertoire, that mount on top of the records atop the turn- tables. Utilizing sensors, the remotes analyze the rotation, direction, movement, and speed of the turntables and records. Then, the sensors wirelessly transmit the musical information to the receiver. While using Phase remote units, Garza’s heart and soul still remain old school. “I prefer the touch of actual needles,” she says. In the last few years, through mentor- ships with concert promoter Chris Cano, singer-and-rapper MC Magic and Power 98.3’s DJ Nicasio, Garza has learned the professionalism that comes with being a DJ on the rise. She’s headlining some of the most significant events in metro Phoenix and beyond. “The best part of DJing is that you’re always learning something new,” Garza says. “You can have countless years into it, but there are always new combos or tricks that can spin the wheels in your head for wanting more.” But as mentioned earlier, there’s more to DJing than meets the eye — and, in this case, the ear. Garza’s dedication to her craft and love for vinyl set her apart, making her a standout talent in metro Phoenix’s DJ community. “Being a woman in the music/DJ industry can have its moments that can either make or break me, but having my family by my side through it all just moti- vates me to keep going,” she concludes. “There had been moments when people thought they were able to step over me or control me with what I do, but I stand up for myself because I never allow someone to think it’s their place to choose if I’m worthy or not in something I spent years into. “This is definitely a male-dominated industry, but times are changing, and I just want to continue to encourage and support more women who want to step in without fear to show that it’s not limited to a certain group that can DJ.” Angelina Garza spins at The Arizona Supershow on April 20. (Photo by Jeremy Garza)
