These five local DJs are bringing soul music to the Triangle

The Triangle Soul Society is bringing a new edge to local DJ events.

The group, which began in April 2018, is comprised of five local DJs who promote soul music and live shows in the Triangle. They also make finding live events pertaining to soul music more easily accessible, and their Facebook page promotes soul music events in the area.

While the group currently only has five members, the society is not exclusive, and the group is open to meeting people who share their passion for soul music.

Brian Burns, a DJ in the society, said he is appreciative to have met a group of friends who share his passion for soul music and being a DJ.

“The camaraderie of it, all of the people in it are great, and we all just love geekin’ out about records. It’s hard to advertise yourself, and it’s hard to be inspired, but when you have a group of friends and you have people working together, it’s nice to have a crew to help you out," Burns said. 

The society began their monthly show, the Monday Mess-Around, when the members realized they did not have a night to play slow songs because most of the events were dance-oriented.

The Monday Mess-Around is a beacon for local talent, as there are often guest DJs at the event. The DJs are welcome to bring their own records and practice DJing in a low-pressure environment.

Montgomery Morris, another member of the group, said he reaches out to women, people of color and younger talent to DJ at the event.

“We want to be as inclusive as possible. We’re aware of the fact that we’re white guys in our thirties, and it’s predominately Black music. We love this music, and we want other people to listen to it and play it," Morris said. 

Craig Powell, a DJ in the group, said he enjoys soul music and primarily plays the genre because he believes it generates a diverse crowd. 

“I feel like it transcends a lot of generational and social divides, all kinds of people listen to this music — it’s not like it can only be played in one kind of bar or for one kind of person,” Powell said.

The group also bonded over their love of vinyl and all records the society plays are 45s — the most popular kind of vinyl, named for its play speed of 45 rpm.

The DJs share a love of vinyl records, Burns said, and enjoy the search for the records because it feels like a treasure hunt.

“It’s the idea of building a collection that speaks to the kind of stuff that speaks to you,” Burns said.

Brennan Barber, a DJ in The Triangle Soul Society, said finding records translates to his desire to share soul music with the public.

“I love sharing music with people. I love music and I have a huge push to want to share music with people so maybe they can catch a little glimpse of what I love so much about certain types of songs or certain artists,” Barber said.

Powell said the members usually choose their records according to the theme of an event, but seldom stick to a set list.

“It’s rare, and probably at this point in my DJing career almost never happens that I know exactly what I’m gonna play. It’s always more about the vibe in the room and trying to read the room and figure out what the right record is for that moment in time,” Powell said. 

Triangle Soul Society currently has three monthly events in and around the Triangle: the Monday Mess-Around, Big City Lights and One Track Mind.

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