By Alison Seagle

Staff Writer
The bass was booming, the lights were flashing and the crowd was dancing and cheering Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Typhoon Saloon in Pacific Beach for the Red Bull Thre3style University DJ competition.

The competitors included one student each from UCSD, SDSU, USD, while CSUSM had two students representatives; Alec “T3chF4LL” Pagliaro and Edric “Reekz” Quintong.

DJ Alec “T3chF4LL” Pagliaro was selected to be the first performer of the night, of which he said, “I’ve got to set the bar pretty high,” and acknowledged that it was a real “privilege and an opportunity” to get to participate at such an event.

DJ T3chF4LL has performed on many occasions at the Belly-Up Tavern in Solana Beach, as well as DJ’d at clubs in downtown San Diego, Los Angeles, and at events on the CSUSM campus.

Pagliaro said, “vibe and the energy of the club,” is what pumps him up when he is on stage performing. His friend and mentor, DJ Devon Hodgen came to the event support Pagliaro and listen to his interesting set transitions.

“His set has a lot of energy and it’s an emotional roller coaster of genres, and he might even get you to sing along a bit,” Hodgen said.

DJ Edric “Reekz” Quintong was the fourth artist to perform at the event. He has previously competed in the DJ takeover competition, as well as at the Red Bull DJ contest that had taken place last semester.

Before Quintong’s set, his roommate, Bryant Force, said he had listened to DJ Reekz work on his set in the garage a lot, and “I think he has a good chance [at winning], and we support him a lot.”

After each of the five DJs had their 15 minutes to showcase their talents, the panel of judges chose their winner: DJ Eric Love from SDSU.

The party continued though as Red Bull National Thre3Style San Diego Sub-Qualifier winner, DJ Chris Cutz, kept the music blasting and mass of club-goers pulsing into the wee hours of the morning.