1. ENTREPRENEUR MATT SPENCER WANTS TO HELP SD NIGHTLIFE GROW UP
BY SARAH DAOUST PHOTOGRAPHY BY RANDY KAFOREY
Back in 1998, Matt Spencer might’ve
been dismissed as another punk kid
slapping flyers on windshields all over
town and calling himself a nightlife
promoter. Yet, motivated by the belief
that he had something different to
offer the local nightlife scene, Spencer
hustled to grow his then two-man
production company, DJhere, into
a compact powerhouse known for
facilitating some of the more creative,
experience-driven soirees around.
Celebrating his 35th birthday this month, Spencer is all grown up and heading
a young, close-knit crew who he refers to as the “new generation of DJhere.”
Meanwhile, his newly remodeled Aubergine Restaurant & Lounge in the Gaslamp
keeps packin’ in a socialite-laden crowd weekend after weekend.
In the nightlife world, where clubs and promoters come and go, DJhere has proven
its staying power. Consider last month’s buzzed-about Circus event at Stingaree and
SCOOP at the Bristol Hotel; Wednesday nights at Confidential, with the beloved
Scooter manning the DJ booth; Saturday nights at Aubergine, with lines wrapping
around the building in anticipation of DJs Mark Farina and Miguel Migs; or all those
cleverly themed parties at the W Hotel. DJhere is behind them all.
“Going out is evolving way beyond just checking out the latest club a couple
times,” says Spencer, a third-generation San Diego native. “People get bored.
They want more than just a DJ in a room. Events are now what drive the whole
nightlife vibe, not just the venue. When you go to a DJhere event, the vibe along
with the music and crowd are all tied in to create something special. Something
creative and memorable. That’s what we do. We create an elevated experience.”
944™ MAGAZINE / ISSUE 5.10 / OCT 06158
2. The “we” behind DJhere encompasses a team of photogenic 20-somethings who share
Spencer’s philosophy. Pat Eckstein has assumed more of a leadership role as head of
production and promotion. Todd LaSota designs some mean visuals and can be found
running the door at Confidential on Wednesdays and Aubergine on Saturdays, while Brandon
Thomason is head door man for DJhere events. Rounding out the crew are V.I.P. Host Jason
Mitchell, twins Pat and Chris English, and the lone female, Francisca “Frankie” Miranda.
“Frankie oversees our guest lists and essentially is my right-hand who keeps our office
[located above Aubergine] running,” says Spencer, who, when talking about his staff seems
more like a proud big brother than a boss. “They’ve brought a young, fresh energy to
DJhere, but they’re also polished and mature. Overall vision is mainly my thing, but the
guys and Frankie provide valuable input and execute that vision with style. We’re a tight
crew.”
DJhere favors quality over quantity when it comes to both staff and actual events,
seeking out smaller, eclectic affairs that show the company is serious about promoting. In
addition to its regular gigs around town, a new quarterly soiree called Rockstar recently
kicked off.
“Different people take away different elements from our events, but they still leave a
DJhere party feeling a certain connection that brings them back to the next one … Effective
promoting isn’t just 15 guys blanketing the city with flyers anymore. We’ve created a more
exclusive, underground A-list.”
While Spencer admits he doesn’t pay too much attention to what other promoters in
San Diego are doing, he has a lot of respect for Jason Overell of J.Overell Productions,
which has partnered with DJhere on several events; as well as Mauricio Couturier, owner
of Airport Lounge in Little Italy. “These guys get it,” he says. “They’ve explored major
nightlife destinations like Miami and understand that nightlife can truly be an enlightening
experience when executed with a little creativity.”
When he’s not working on events, Spencer devotes his time to Aubergine, which he
purchased with business partner Tyler Charman (also his founding partner in DJhere)
nearly three years ago.
The 14,000-square-foot restaurant and nightclub recently underwent a considerable
makeover, courtesy of local architect Aaron Anderson and interior designers Jason and Barbara
St. John. The new space is fresh, contemporary, more mature — reflective in many ways of
Spencer’s own growth over the last eight years.
Spencer acknowledges that without a good head on one’s shoulders, it can be easy to get
a little too caught up in the whole nightlife scene — which is why he works to stay grounded.
Regular trips to Barcelona, Spain to visit his 6-year-old son Marcos certainly help. For an
escape closer to home, Spencer heads to the desert or down to Mexico to test out his latest
toy, a dune buggy. “That or I’m at home watching the History Channel. Really.”
For more details, check out www.djhere.com
and www.aubergineon4th.com
![The “we” behind DJhere encompasses a team of photogenic 20-somethings who share
Spencer’s philosophy. Pat Eckstein has assumed more of a leadership role as head of
production and promotion. Todd LaSota designs some mean visuals and can be found
running the door at Confidential on Wednesdays and Aubergine on Saturdays, while Brandon
Thomason is head door man for DJhere events. Rounding out the crew are V.I.P. Host Jason
Mitchell, twins Pat and Chris English, and the lone female, Francisca “Frankie” Miranda.
“Frankie oversees our guest lists and essentially is my right-hand who keeps our office
[located above Aubergine] running,” says Spencer, who, when talking about his staff seems
more like a proud big brother than a boss. “They’ve brought a young, fresh energy to
DJhere, but they’re also polished and mature. Overall vision is mainly my thing, but the
guys and Frankie provide valuable input and execute that vision with style. We’re a tight
crew.”
DJhere favors quality over quantity when it comes to both staff and actual events,
seeking out smaller, eclectic affairs that show the company is serious about promoting. In
addition to its regular gigs around town, a new quarterly soiree called Rockstar recently
kicked off.
“Different people take away different elements from our events, but they still leave a
DJhere party feeling a certain connection that brings them back to the next one … Effective
promoting isn’t just 15 guys blanketing the city with flyers anymore. We’ve created a more
exclusive, underground A-list.”
While Spencer admits he doesn’t pay too much attention to what other promoters in
San Diego are doing, he has a lot of respect for Jason Overell of J.Overell Productions,
which has partnered with DJhere on several events; as well as Mauricio Couturier, owner
of Airport Lounge in Little Italy. “These guys get it,” he says. “They’ve explored major
nightlife destinations like Miami and understand that nightlife can truly be an enlightening
experience when executed with a little creativity.”
When he’s not working on events, Spencer devotes his time to Aubergine, which he
purchased with business partner Tyler Charman (also his founding partner in DJhere)
nearly three years ago.
The 14,000-square-foot restaurant and nightclub recently underwent a considerable
makeover, courtesy of local architect Aaron Anderson and interior designers Jason and Barbara
St. John. The new space is fresh, contemporary, more mature — reflective in many ways of
Spencer’s own growth over the last eight years.
Spencer acknowledges that without a good head on one’s shoulders, it can be easy to get
a little too caught up in the whole nightlife scene — which is why he works to stay grounded.
Regular trips to Barcelona, Spain to visit his 6-year-old son Marcos certainly help. For an
escape closer to home, Spencer heads to the desert or down to Mexico to test out his latest
toy, a dune buggy. “That or I’m at home watching the History Channel. Really.”
For more details, check out www.djhere.com
and www.aubergineon4th.com](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)