John Chamberlain, also known as DJ Fullbody, curated the Break Through DJ set that will take place at Cafe Bourbon Street Saturday. Credit: Courtesy of John Chamberlain
DJ set Break Through will put the sound barrier to the test with its fleet of beats Saturday.
The event will take place at Cafe Bourbon Street, located at 2216 Summit St., beginning at 8 p.m. DJ Swap Meet, DJ Airwalk, Deionyx, Dr Coop and event curator Fullbody will carry the crowd with club tunes throughout the night, with music running until 2 a.m..
Fullbody, whose real name is John Chamberlain, is from Dayton, Ohio, but they said their first event was in Columbus. In 2024, they said they threw Goblin Rave — a DJ show where costumes were encouraged — at Garage 129 with graffiti artist Lisp Goblin, which solidified their love for DJing.
“It was a ridiculously successful show for what we were expecting — I think it sold out,” Chamberlain said. “It was a lot of fun, so I’ve been pretty much DJing ever since then.”
Chamberlain said their sets consist of rave-inspired music such as Breakcore and Jungle, inspired by artists like DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn and Machine Girl. They said they command respect for the rich electronic and dance music culture in places such as Chicago or Detroit.
“I’m never really the type of person to be singing along to songs — lyrics don’t really stick with me as much,” Chamberlain said. “I feel like with music like that, it’s more about the beat and the rhythm, how the music makes you feel and how you want to dance to it … I’ve always really gravitated towards it ever since I kind of discovered it.”
The event’s headliner is Atlanta DJ Swap Meet, or Evan Jones. Their sets incorporate sounds of Jungle and Drum and Bass, but Jones draws influence from various genres, they said in an email.
“I’ve been a musician pretty much my whole life, and if it sounds good to me, then I’m inspired,” Jones said in an email.
Starting out as a DJ in Birmingham, Ala., in 2015, Jones said old school hip-hop attracted them to the DJ scene at a young age.
“I really liked the emphasis on cutting and scratching, not to mention how instrumental it once was to a hip hop live show,” Jones said. “Later on though, it was hearing the way people would mix random styles together that made me want to try [DJing]. Eventually, I had the same level of fascination with people that know the ins and outs of a specific genre or movement.”
Chamberlain said their interest piqued after attending a dance party at The Union in Athens, Ohio, where their friend was performing. They said the experience of being in a room of people dancing to electronic music was unlike anything they’d ever experienced.
“It just really inspired me,” Chamberlain said. “I was like, I would love to be able to do that myself and be a part of it, and kind of curate those spaces for people as well.”
Chamberlain said they were ecstatic to see rave culture thriving in Columbus after briefly living in the city.
“Ever since I started throwing parties, I really wanted to be a part of Columbus however I can,” Chamberlain said. “I don’t ever feel like an outsider in Columbus, I feel like the scene has been really kind to me.”
Chamberlain said they’ve hosted numerous events in the past at Cafe Bourbon Street, including an Emo versus DJ night.
“That’s — to this day — my favorite show ever, and Cafe Bourbon Street is one of my favorite places to play,” Chamberlain said. “I have so much love for that place, and so many other Columbus artists.”
Chamberlain said their main goal for this year was to bring as many out-of-state DJs to Ohio as possible.
“Bringing people from out of state is really important for growing the scene,” Chamberlain said. “Not only does it put people on to new artists, but I feel like the more artists that you bring in and have good things to say about Ohio, it only makes more people want to play here.”
For Jones, he said this is their first time playing in Ohio. With this being their first time stepping foot in the Buckeye State, Jones said he is looking forward to coming out and spinning music with everybody.
“I want to see everyone dancing and enjoying themselves, and I want it to be fun for everybody,” Jones said.
Having deep admiration for the music, Chamberlain said it’s satisfying to see people dancing along and making memories.
“I know how formative of an experience seeing music live can be, so just knowing that me and my friends can all have a part in kind of creating those kinds of memories for people, putting people onto new music and all that kind of stuff is really cool,” Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain said they love letting go of their worries on the dance floor and aim to provide others the same opportunity.
“Especially now, in the world we live in — the country we live in — it’s just really important to give people an outlet,” Chamberlain said. “I just want to be able to provide an escape, I guess, and for a place for people to go and have fun and be surrounded by like-minded people.”
Admission is $10 at the door.
