Day and Night

Jeff Nieman might look comfortable in his suit and tie as he works in a courtroom, but on Friday nights he has no problem ditching them for a set of headphones and a turntable.

Nieman, a Chapel Hill native and an assistant district attorney for Orange County, has also worked as a disc jockey at Players for the past six years. During this time he has managed to find time to cater to his two biggest passions: music and law.

“Sometimes people will see me in Players and say, ‘Don’t I know you from somewhere?’ And I tell them, ‘I have a brother who looks a lot like me,’” Nieman said. “I just tell them that so I don’t have to go into explaining myself — I’m actually an only child.”

Nieman’s interest in music grew during his high school and college years.

“I guess I would say in high school and college I was a mixed tape guy,” Nieman said. “After a while I got more and more creative with the tapes I made for my friends, and that eventually progressed into DJing.”

Nieman, 32, attended N.C. State University for his first two years of college before transferring to UNC. All four years, he spun records at dorm parties, fraternity parties and even weddings. Once he started law school at N.C. Central University in 2002, he decided to DJ solely at Players in order to dedicate more time to studying.

“I was able to start my legal career and didn’t have to have the same level of work and coordination necessary to keep the private things going,” he said.

While Nieman said he gets satisfaction from helping the people of his hometown and county in legal affairs, he enjoys being a DJ at Players because he gets to pump up a room full of people with his very own music mixes.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling when you put on that song that seems to hit a chord with the crowd,” he said.

Aaron Cecil, Nieman’s friend who is also a DJ, said Nieman seems more natural in the DJ booth than when he’s arguing in front of a judge.

“He has a lot of fun DJing, but I think he’s super fulfilled professionally,” Cecil said. “He’s really focused and on the ball, standing up in front asking the judge all of these detailed questions.”

Drew Smith, co-owner of Players, said Nieman has always been a good DJ, playing a wide selection of songs and acting friendly with the crowd.

Smith also said knowing of Nieman’s other career only improved his positive perception of him.

“I know I’ve got some help if I ever need to get out of a traffic ticket,” he said.

Nieman plans to get married next year and eventually wants to start a family. For now, he said he’ll continue to DJ until it interferes with those plans.

Cecil said he believes Nieman will continue to DJ because he shows a lot of talent in the field.

“He’s a music guy, and I don’t think he’ll ever just shut that off,” Cecil said. “I think he’ll still find himself behind the turntables.”



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