24 Nov 28th-Dec 4th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | SAT 11/30 SUN 12/1 FRI 12/6 SAT 12/7 FRI 11/29 BLUESMAN MIKE & THE BLUES REVIEW + FRIENDS 18TH ANNUAL TOY & DIAPER DRIVE DOORS: 5:30PM | SHOW: 6:00PM DALE WATSON & HIS LONE STARS WITH DJ THORNHILL DOORS: 7:00PM | SHOW: 8:00PM RHYTHM & BLUES HOLIDAY PARTY DON WILLIAMS & COMPANY DOORS: 7:00PM / SHOW: 8:00PM THE SUGAR THIEVES DOORS: 7:00PM / SHOW: 8:00PM - EARLY SHOW - 2024 HARMONICA SHOWCASE DOORS: 1:00PM | SHOWTIME: 1:30PM - LATE SHOW - HOUSE PARTY R&B DOORS: 7:00PM | SHOWTIME: 8:00PM On the Decks Phoenix DJ collective Ladies Who Brunch spin for a good cause. BY TOM REARDON I t’s the time of year when it’s nice to know that good things are being done by good people for a good reason. If you’ve been paying attention to musical happenings around town, you may have noticed something about the Ladies Who Brunch. These are good ladies, doing good things, for good people and spinning some amazing records along the way. If you love a good DJ or, in this case, three good DJs, then Ladies Who Brunch might be right up your alley. DJ Jasper K (Karen “Jasper” Cristobal Gacula), DJ Kate Scratch Fever (Katy Mason) and DJ M-80 (Mandie Smith) are the original trio who are bringing together vinyl records, chari- table causes and the latest craze, Brunch Rock (patent pending), to Valley restau- rants and music venues, and it’s all in the name of supporting members of our community who need a helping hand. As Gacula, a longtime music profes- sional, tells it, the idea of spreading the Brunch Rock fun to the Valley to help raise funds for local nonprofits was kind of a no-brainer. “I had done the Skate After School/ Long Drink Event at Night Owl Pizza & Drinks with Sidewalk Surfer (in August) and I learned a lot from that, as far as being able to provide opportunities for people to contribute and donate. With Ladies Who Brunch, we want to expand on that and bring in other local women DJs and give them a platform to play their music. We were very passionate about Joy Bus, and it was one of the places we wanted to try and help first,” Gacula says. The Joy Bus Diner serves Valley resi- dents who are battling cancer by providing daily meals and a human connection. Ladies Who Brunch will be having a big end-of-the-month event on Nov. 30, 2024, at Los Dos Molinos to wrap up their Joy Bus fundraising campaign and kick off their December fundraising for Cowtown Skateboards’ S.K.A.T.E. Skateboard Angel charity, which provides skateboards and safety gear to Phoenix-area children. For Mason, the connection between music, charity and brunch is huge. “Brunch brings people together. More friends can come out. The evening is a little harder for some people, so I feel like brunch is more family-friendly. I have a child, Jasper has a child, so it’s easier to get our families to show up. It’s a little more inviting and we all love a good brunch,” Mason says. Both Mason and Gacula are veterans of the Phoenix DJ scene (as well as San Diego for Mason and Los Angeles and Olympia, Washington, for Gacula), but Smith is a relative newcomer. One of the goals of Ladies Who Brunch is to get more women involved regardless of their DJ experience. “I get to learn from, who I feel, are the best DJs I know,” Smith says. She appreci- ates “the nature of what we are doing: (finding) other people who may have an awesome record collection but are new, like me, and want an opportunity to learn. I feel like I’m kind of a test case for the whole thing. This is very close to my heart. I get to enjoy my girlfriends’ company and be close with my records,” says Smith. Smith inherited the bulk of her records after the passing of her mother and grand- mother, so the experience of playing records takes her back to her younger days, spending time with her role models and listening to music they loved. It’s clear that Smith, Gacula and Mason all love music, and to hear them talk about their record collections is a treat. “We have such a vast variety of music that we can play, and that’s why I feel like this is the perfect group for us to curate our events and cater to all the different envi- ronments we work with to help these char- ities,” Gacula says. Each of the Ladies Who Brunch are excited about getting more women involved in their efforts; the trio has a goal of working with a different local charity each month in 2025. For those who want to learn more, check out one of the upcoming events and approach the DJ with a request for more information. All DJs love a good request. Upcoming Ladies Who Brunch events include Los Dos Molinos in uptown Phoenix on Nov. 30, Night Owl Pizza & Drinks on Dec. 1, Jobot Phoenix on Dec. 7, Sunny’s in Phoenix on Dec. 8 (with a special Ladies Who Brunch-inspired menu), and Casey Moore’s on Dec. 14, with more dates to come. Visit @ladieswhobrunchaz on Instagram for more information. From left, DJ Jasper K, DJ M-80 and DJ Kate Scratch Fever are the Ladies Who Brunch DJ collective. (Photo by Will Tynor) ▼ Music
