Meet the artists behind Dirtybird Campout: Christian Martin
Last summer, Dirtybird hosted the inaugural edition of Dirtybird Campout — the California-based crew’s inventive spin on a music festival. Melding camping activities like hiking and kickball with an attractive lineup featuring everyone from &ME and Lee Foss to the label’s own stellar cast of talent, the festival proved an instant favorite among fans. Fortunately, thanks to the event’s resounding success, Dirtybird Campout is slated to return this year to Oak Canyon Park from October 7-9.
Ahead of the festival, we’ve teamed up with Dirtybird for an ongoing interview series spotlighting both the imprint’s own stars, as well as the myriad of world-class artists on the bill.
First up is Dirtybird co-founding member Christian Martin. Easily one of the most eclectic members of the esteemed crew, Christian is comfortable spinning everything from techno to drum ‘n’ bass (as evidenced by his early morning DNB set alongside Justin Martin at last year’s festival). Accompanying our interview with him, Christian has provided a pre-campout mix to get the hype train rolling.
Last year, the inaugural Dirtybird Campout had a profound effect on me. It captured a blast of innocence and joy like no other festival I’ve ever been to. The combination of beloved camp activities and earthshaking sound left me with an enduring sense of optimism that I carry to this day. I hope this mix conveys at least a tiny fraction of the love I feel when remembering last year’s Campout, and at least an iota of the anticipation I feel looking ahead to this October.
How long have you been DJing for & how did you get your start?
I learned to DJ in late 2002, thanks to my brother Justin. He taught me the basics of beatmatching with vinyl and gave me a ton of his older records so I could learn & practice. In 2003 I bought the system we used at all the first Dirtybird BBQ’s, and jumped right into playing in front of (not very many) people.
What was your first label release? Would you still play it?
Dirtybird 007 – The Martin Brothers EP (2006). I still play both tracks from the EP – Stoopit & Venus Flytrap. I think they’ve aged pretty well!
What has been the biggest breakthrough of your career?
I don’t consider any one moment a ‘breakthrough.’ I try to play every show like my life depended on it, treat everyone I meet with respect, and stay humble. Music has taken me all over the world, I have endless gratitude for that.
If you could be another artist for a day, who would you pick?
DJ Koze – I want to learn all his production secrets and raid his VST folder.
What are you looking forward to most about Dirtybird campout?
Kickball, the slip-n-slide, and FOOSBALL!!!
Who is your favorite Dirtybird artist to catch a set from?
J.phlip always brings the gnarly acid heaters that I want to trainspot! Plus she gets tons of extra points because I met my fiancé during one of her sets.
What are three essential items you wouldn’t go camping without?
– Water – hydrate or die!! Hydration is the main factor that will determine if you’ll have a good time or not in the great outdoors.
– Headlamp – the last thing you want to do is miss the rare morning hike to Bigfoot’s Kitchen because you bashed your big toenail off on a rock in the middle of the night on the way to take a pee.
– Bocce Set – this game is waaaay more fun out of the standard gravel arena or lawn – use Mother Nature as a backdrop, but stay away from cliffs & waterfalls.
Do you have a favorite (or funny) camping memory?
Burning Man 2012 – We told the guy we rented our RV from that we were taking it to Lake Powell, as he had a clear ‘no Burning Man’ policy. Before we returned it, we scrubbed & cleaned it so thoroughly, we even impressed the owner. I believe his exact words were: “You really did a great job cleaning my RV – it’s sparkling, thank you. Unfortunately, the GPS I installed showed you were parked at Burning Man for a week. I’ll be keeping your whole deposit.”