Age: 33
Occupation: DJ, talent booker and festival architect
Lives in: Winooski
All Brian Nagle wants to do is make you dance. Known to local music fans and club kids as DJ Disco Phantom, the Winooski-based mix master is one of the most popular in the area.
He dazzles audiences with his selection and skills, whether he’s spinning retro vinyl deep cuts at his recurring Selector Sets slot at the Monkey House or hot electro-pop while supporting cutting-edge indie bands at venues like Nectar’s and ArtsRiot. Just try to stand still while he’s behind the decks.
Nagle is also the talent buyer for the Monkey House, bringing some of the hottest local, regional, national and international talent to the nightclub. On top of that, the DJ cofounded a production company best known for throwing one of the biggest indie music festivals in the Northeast every May: Waking Windows.
Favorite places to DJ locally:
The Monkey House in Winooski. I have been playing there the longest, and it’s the spot that made me the DJ I am today. I can go all over the place with what I play.
Monkey House
[Another favorite spot is] Light Club Lamp Shop, because people go there to listen to disco and dance. What else do you want? Also, that’s where I got engaged.
Favorite place to hear
other DJs:
Light Club Lamp Shop. It’s always a treat to watch DJ Taka. He truly is a master of his craft.
Light Club Lamp Shop
Best local DJs:
DJ Cre8: Don’t miss one of his vinyl sets. He has jams for days.
Andy Kershaw: New DJ in town that has been in the game for a long time.
Also, check out Benge, Big Dog, C-Low, Cousin Dave, CRWD CTRL, Matt Hagen, Four-D, L’enfant Sauvage, Lee J, Mean Martin, Melo Grant, Ryan Kick, SVPPLY, Taka, the Real Housewife of Winooski, Two Sev, Vinyl Richie and Wobblyhead.
Top spot to buy records
locally:
Burlington Records. They have a great selection, and the staff is always super friendly and helpful.
Burlington Records
Favorite holiday to deejay:
New Year’s Eve. I feel that it’s always a good idea to end and start the year by doing what you love — and I love to deejay.
Special place to sit and think big thoughts:
On the deck of Burlington Bay Market & Café with a creemee in my hand.
Burlington Bay Market & Café
Best Vermont field trip:
Bread and Puppet Theater in Glover. There is nothing else like it, and the whole experience getting up there on a nice summer day is amazing. It’s truly a magical place.
Bread and Puppet Theater
This article appears in What’s Good 2019-20.
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