Craig Beeman (left) and Donny Dread (right)
NEDERLAND — Craig Beeman describes himself as a full-time father and part-time DJ. He moved to Nederland with his wife and three kids a few years ago and has made sure to put them first.
“I’ve toured the United States with a couple of bands, and through my twenties and thirties, I definitely was 100% music,” says Beeman. “Then we started having babies, and it took a back seat to being a good dad and present for my family.”
After he and his family moved to Nederland, he’s been able to perform music in the community more frequently as his kids have gotten older. He particularly loves being able to collaborate with other artists and bring their ideas to life as a producer, sound designer, and audio engineer.
“My theory is there’s a good song in every genre, you just have to find it,” says Beeman. “I love being a medium for other artists, especially new artists that are maybe a little uncomfortable in the studio or it’s their first time recording, to be able to bring what’s going on in their heads to life.”
He’s worked in various styles, including (but not limited to) psychedelic southern rock, heavy metal, Americana, and alternative. Over the last few months, he’s found an opportunity to provide for his family consistently, performing in a weekly dub set at Busey Brews.
“They’ve got great views out on the deck, great beers, the reggae music and down tempo fits the vibe, and it kicks off the trivia at 6:30, which brings out a pretty big local crowd,” says Beeman. “It’s been going great, so I’m hoping to keep that going.”
Beeman is a “selecta” for the dub night presented by Conquering Lion Soundsystem, along with Donny Dread, also known as DJ Datura. The two also plan to perform together as a duo act named Cloak and Dagger, and Beeman works with other DJs to perform dubstep and bass-leaning music as Lost Boyz Productions.
Beeman initially moved to Colorado from Florida in 2011, settling in a home in Blue River. He feels his time in Colorado has expanded his musical palette in ways he’d never expected.
“Everything I did was really structured. It was the same ten songs in a warehouse three times a week played the exact same way,” says Beeman on his time in Florida. “When I came to Colorado, it opened me up to the whole jam band concept of being a conduit for the music to come through you.”
He continues, “Colorado, for me, has everything to do with me learning how to improvise and tap into the music, tap out of overthinking whatever’s going on in my day-to-day life, and use it for medicine. It’s being able to unplug for a little while, play some music, and not have any pretentious expectations or ego involved.”
Craig Beeman hosts DJ dub nights with Donny Dread at Busey Brews, located at 70 East First Street in Nederland, every Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m.
