Culture
Sugar Nu-Metal party promises a unique and heavy twist on the standard DJ night
By: Nicholas Kobe
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CINCINNATI, Ohio (WOUB) — Heavy metal may not be the first thing you associate with DJs and dance parties. As they tour the country this spring and summer, the Sugar Nu-Metal Party wants to challenge that idea.
The Sugar Nu-Metal Party is a DJ-centric dance party that focuses on nu metal, a subgenre of heavy metal which blends traditional metal elements with genre conventions from other musical subcultures, such as industrial and hip-hop. Nu-Metal bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Slipknot dominated the airwaves in the ’90’s and ’00s.
Sugar Nu-Metal Party DJ Brian Howe describes the genre as being “the perfect amalgamation [… ]of all of the music that had been popular throughout the early to mid ’90s.”
While many remember nu-metal as a relic of the past, Howe points out how its popularity has persevered into the modern day.
“It’s so funny because you can go to a Slipknot show now and there will be a dad there with his kid and very likely it’s possible for his kid’s kid to be there as well,” he said.
Howe says he hears nu-metal elements in many contemporary bands, such as Columbus superstars Twenty One Pilots.
“I don’t know if that band could have existed without Linkin Park,” Howe said. “And Linkin Park wouldn’t exist without nu-metal.”
While dance parties may not seem like part of the metal or nu-metal culture (even though Howe points out many nu-metal bands had DJs in them) Howe said he hopes the event can create a sort of safe space for fans of the genre to really enjoy it among kindred spirits.
“People like to go out to dance events because it’s a little bit different than going to a live show,” Howe said. “It’s more like a hang with all of your friends.”
The Sugar Nu-Metal Party is touring across the nation, including a stop in Ohio at Bogart’s (2621 Vine St.) Saturday.