This past Friday night, Dec. 14, I went to Woodruff's, a bar in the Depot Town area of Ypsilanti. I had gotten an invitation on Facebook to a show being presented by Wax Kings, a DJ collective from the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. I walked in and heard hip hop being played. I like hip hop, even consider myself an MC, so I was all about it.

The DJ, Prophet Ecks, was wearing a bright red shirt with bold white words saying, "I am Ypsi." He was playing his set off of pair of turntables and his laptop, the new-age DJ booth. The songs he was playing reminded me of 90's to early 2000's New York City hip hop. Artists played included KRS-One, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Gangstarr, Common and Masta Ace. As a hip hop fan, I couldn't ask for anything better.

The next DJ, Drew Maddox, stepped up to the stage and took charge immediately, closing the laptop and swapping vinyls and needles in preparation for his set. Playing entirely off of vinyls, he spun a techno influenced set with a minimal touch to it. Mistakes by him were rare, and I could see by his facial expression how annoyed he was, even by the slightest hiccups. He seemed like a perfectionist, and his set reflected that personality trait.

S.P. Chase. That was an interesting set. He started with pop influenced house music but quickly transitioned to synth heavy electro house combined with chorus sections of popular songs. Playing off of a pair of CDJ's (turntables with CD drives instead of vinyls), S.P. Chase bounced to the songs he was playing with a satisfied smile on his face and a silver chain around his neck.

Klaus vanDutch was my favorite set of the night. There are some DJ's who DJ, and some who make people dance. Klaus vanDutch is the latter. He played songs that made the listener feel happy, and it was quite obvious that he was a pretty decent guy himself. Originally hailing from the Netherlands, this Dutch transplant who has played in Europe and Egypt is quickly making a name for himself as one of the better DJ's in the area.

Woodruff's as a venue is a pretty nice place, with a decent amount of space for dancing, a good sound system and a big stage. With food located inside the bar, incredible french fries, a friendly staff and a pool table, I wouldn't have a problem going there again. All in all, I had a pretty good time, and here's the best part. There was no cover before 10.

If you would like to hear any of these artist's music, you can find it online at:

Prophet Ecks Drew Maddox S.P. Chase

If you would like to contact Woodruff's for booking, they can be reached at woodruffsbooking@gmail.com