Rex Theater

January 31
9 p.m.

Battling is an art that’s central to DJ culture and come Saturday night the competition will be fierce when the Red Bull Thre3Style rolls into town. Facing off in the regional leg of the world’s largest DJ competition will be three Pittsburgh-based DJs, along with mix masters from Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

Two-time defending Pittsburgh champion DJ Petey C, a local winner in 2011 and 2013, will compete against fellow hometowners DJ Bamboo and DJ Midas. Rounding out the impressive roster will be acclaimed East Coast producer DJ Charlie White, along with Philly’s own DJ Bonics, who is Wiz Khalifa’s tour DJ and the 2010 Pittsburgh champion.

How does it work? Each DJ gets a 15-minute shift. DJs can play any material they choose, as long as they combine at least three different styles or genres of music. Featured DJs will be judged on technical ability, crowd reaction and overall originality. The last DJ standing will advance to the Red Bull Thre3style US championships in Phoenix, AZ, set for Spring 2015. From there, one DJ will head to Tokyo to represent the US in the 2015 Red Bull Thre3style world DJ championships.

Competitors in the Pittsburgh battle were chosen by legendary musicians DJ Jazzy Jeff, Four Color Zack, DJ Hedspin, Skratch Bastid and Z-Trip, who reviewed dozens of mixtapes, videos and custom remixes submitted by top DJs from around the Eastern seaboard.

Judges at the Rex are the 2012 world champion Four Color Zack, 2013 East region champion Matthew Law (aka DJ PHSH) and veteran DJ and production guru ENFERNO. Hosting the night of dance floor mayhem is The Mayor Mike Jax.

Founded in 2006, the Red Bull Thre3style began as an underground experiment in Western Canada, going global in 2010 by pitting 10 countries’ top DJs against each other.

The event is free to ages 21 and up.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.