Today we’d like to introduce you to Rocky.
Hi Rocky, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started out going to The Orlando Hound Pound events and meeting beautiful people (and dogs) and making great connections. The founder, Odin, really curated a social space that allowed me to spring off into the nightlife scene as a pup.
In junction with that — I also started playing open mic nights at Winter Park’s favorite coffee shop, Austin’s Coffee.
Eventually, I started planning, managing, curating, and hosting my own shows there. There’s an unbelievable amount of talent in that tiny coffee shop. It’s truly a beautiful community. Through my work there, I gained my first Downtown residency at The Healthy Buddah Downtown with a show called Camp Collective, hosted and run by my dear friend and frequent collaborator Kyrova. He has such an eye for talent that I truly admire.
Now I’m DJing for Orlando’s next hottest drag show Totally Ghoul, hosted by local legends Opulence Black & Davi Oddity. We just had our first show on 3/16/23, and it was a major success. Much more to come of this!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been an easy road to where I’ve gotten myself today, but it’d be dishonest of me to say it’s been a struggle. I love what I do, and I think people can sense that energy.
It’s hard to say things have been difficult when everything I’ve done has come from a place of passion and love. I want to keep that energy as I move forward, but my mind is always on the now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a music lover.
I trained in school as a classical cellist for several years and was part of my school’s top orchestra. That built the foundations for my work ethic when it comes to music.
Now I play and host rock shows and do DJ sets around town. There’s such a beautiful alternative queer scene in Orlando that I see to be blossoming, especially with Black Haus Creature Feature — Opulence and Victoria Black have truly created a space where I feel most at home. It feels safe, and I feel protected there, a stark contrast to how I feel in the rest of the gay scene in Orlando like at some of the local bars and clubs where I find myself getting grabbed at or touched without my consent. I’ve never had that issue when those two are running the show. I’m extremely thankful for them curating such an amazing space.
The elephant in the room, though, is that I am a leather dog, DJ. You don’t see much of that in Orlando (yet). I feel like my style, sense of music taste, and ear sets me apart from your average gay club DJ. No shade to them, though, there’s plenty of room in this city for all of us to entertain and create memories for those who come out to the clubs or shows!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Love.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/badpuprocky
- Twitter: twitter.com/badpuprocky
- SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/badpuprocky
Image Credits
@lilsatan.vikka
