Philadelphia Weekly

My jacuzzi weighs a ton: Turbocharge takes a refreshing soak after a hard night's discoing.

"No man is an island," said John Donne. Turbostation would agree. Crawling from the wreckage of a too competitive and way too serious scene, a handful of the best young Philly DJs and artists have joined forces to shake up the city's nightlife.

The story begins at the end of last summer when friends Steven Bloodbath and Johnny Woods were contemplating a scene that had gotten too cutthroat and boring. "I thought people who said they were friends were actually friends," says Bloodbath, the DJ behind the Monster and Mo Money No Problem parties.

"I realized there were frenemies everywhere, people talking behind your back rather than supporting. Philly is a rough town for that." So Bloodbath and Wood came up with the idea of bringing together a group of real friends to throw parties, release music, and make videos and art.

Turbostation consists of the Strawberry Mansion DJs, Sgt. Sass, Oh Murder! Inc., Shawn Ryan and Jacci Stallone, plus the two founders. All of the DJs have established their own parties, from Ryan's Hurrah party at Medusa Lounge to the popular Oh Murder! Inc. bowling alley bashes. And their musical tastes run the gamut from hip-hop club bangers to dirty rock 'n' roll to acid house.

What brings the 13 friends together is a desire to escape the backstabbing that goes with putting on a party in Philadelphia. Most of them are in their early 20s, new not only to putting on parties but also to the politics of the club scene.

The somewhat older Bloodbath sees the collaborative as a way to shield younger members so they "don't have to deal with this [drama]. This cooperation is a new concept for Philadelphia, which has always been about individual DJs and promoters."

The communal age-of-aquarius vibe behind the group is complemented by a dedication to fun. Bloodbath references the golden age of Philly nightlife, from 2000 to 2004, when Hollertronix and Dave P were putting on legendary parties. Lately it seems like everyone is more concerned about being photographed for various websites than actually enjoying the party.

As Bloodbath says, "The reason Philly was great back then, why people were always coming down from New York, was because people didn't care. It was all about getting sweaty and losing your mind. We're trying to get back to that type of fun."

Turbostation are bringing that old feeling back with a monthly party at the Trocadero where the concert hall gets turned into a giant two-floor dance party with various Turbostationers positioned upstairs and downstairs. Bloodbath and the Strawberry Mansion DJs control the main room, spinning hip-hop- heavy sets designed for maximum dancing.

Upstairs, Shawn Ryan, Oh Murder! Inc. and the newest member of the crew, Diamond Girl, provide a room for electronic music fans. For the third edition this month, there'll even be a rotating cast of DJs in the lobby, providing an eclectic soundtrack for those who want to hang out and not dance.

Beyond Friday night, the group has big plans for the future. There's an EP of Steven Bloodbath and Johnny Woods' productions in the works, a Turbostation remix of a Hail Social song that'll be released on Flamin' Hotz Records, and a mixtape compiled by the whole crew and mixed by Bloodbath that'll be available on the website and at future events.

Most of all, Turbostation will continue to provide a new model for those looking to create and have fun in this city.