Dark Matter Series x Beats & Vibes Workshop

Beats & Vibes is a four-part series of live interviews and interactive skill-building workshops that spotlights Chicago DJs and producers, providing them with a platform to share insights into their creative practices and paths to pursuing DJing and production professionally. Co-presented by Calid Bowen of AfroBang, Alexandria Eregbu of Finding Ijeoma, and Sam Brown of The Sypher Productions, Beats & Vibes continues to bring The Drum Call web series piloted by AfroBang out of the digital realm into diverse Chicago event spaces for hands-on learning opportunities and community-building. Beats & Vibes incorporates a new DJ/producer-centered curriculum that centers Black and POC creatives, their voices, and programming in and for their communities. These workshops amplify the voices of artists from Chicago's African diasporic community and through resource/knowledge sharing, aim to improve the culture of navigating and accessing professional opportunities in Chicago's nightlife spaces. Episode 1 of the series will feature an up-close and personal conversation between our co-founders, Calid Bowen and Alexandria Eregbu, about their experiences as DJs and sound curators in Chicago, a DJ skill-building workshop, an "open deck" session for audience members to hop on the decks in real time, and close with a live performance by Calid.

Event Schedule

• Doors: 7 PM
• Calid & Alexandria Interview/Conversation + Q&A: 7:30-8:15 PM
• Open DJ Sets: 8:20-9:20 PM
• Closing Performance/Special Guest DJ set: 9:30-10 PM

Artist Bios:

Calid B aka the Plantain Papi is an eclectic, multi-faceted artist, producer, DJ, strategist, and professor in the Business and Entrepreneurship school at Columbia College Chicago. His music has its roots in Afrobeats, trap, and R&B although the sound travels even wider. His versatility is unmistakable and he doesn’t fail to show this in the records he’s put out thus far. Since 2016, Calid and his collective, AfroBang, have gone on an amazing run, building community in Chicago and beyond through music and experiences. Calid’s first three albums Afrobang Vol. 1 and 2, and 3Peat were all well received, helping him achieve international recognition for his music. He has five singles on the NBA2K video game series, making him one of the most featured artists in the game's history. While music has worked well for Calid, he is also developing projects dedicated to mindfulness, and growing the game of golf for marginalized communities.

Alexandria Eregbu is a curator of art, music, and community for FINDING IJEOMA. Past collaborations include Noname, Uncle Waffles, and 2woBunnies.

Collaborator Descriptions:

Afrobang was founded in Chicago in 2016 with the intention to unite the African diaspora through music and experiences. Since then, we’ve grown into a beautiful community of like minded individuals, offering creative production services such as event planning, curation, content development, and music production.

Finding Ijeoma
The Sypher Productions was founded in Chicago in 2023 to help creatives and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds and artistic practices use their work for community healing, social impact, and enacting change. We serve as a collaborative partner for creatives to turn to when they are feeling stuck about their next big idea by providing curatorial, event planning, and administrative services; along with customized project management and organizational support. We ensure that all of our collaborators can bring their creative ideas to fruition, no matter how elaborate, through our commitment to the power of the arts.

Ya’Shalan Nelson

Host or Publisher Elastic Arts