What’s a celebration without some music? At the National Center’s Native American 40 Under 40 Awards reception in December, DJ Gordon Beaver—music alias Beevsta—provided the music to celebrate the night’s awardees. We heard many stories of resilience, innovation, and leadership throughout the night, and the man behind the entertainment is no exception. A professional DJ in the Phoenix area since 2011, DJ Gordon—San Carlos Apache Tribe—spent almost a decade playing live venues before COVID-19 forced the entertainment industry to shut down. Not willing to let a global pandemic stop him, DJ Gordon started performing virtually, eventually partnering with others in the industry to turn the livestreams into miniature events. DJ Gordon is now featured in a two-hour monthly segment on Recordbar Radio and encourages Indian Country youth looking to enter the entertainment industry to take risks and practice your craft.

Keep reading below to learn more about DJ Gordon Beaver, including how you can hear him on Recordbar Radio!

• Tell us about yourself and your business?

My name is Gordon Beaver, I’m a Gilbert, Arizona-based DJ who has been playing professionally in clubs and venues around the Phoenix metropolitan area since 2011. I’m a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe here in Arizona and take great pride in being one of the few young Native American acts in the local Phoenix DJ / electronic music scene.

I started DJing events while I was attending Arizona State University and started regularly playing clubs in the downtown Phoenix, Tempe, and Oldtown Scottsdale areas in 2011. In 2019, I was part of a team that threw a regular, reoccurring club night every Thursday at Monarch Theatre in downtown Phoenix called Rumble, focused on electronic music.

I have played major Arizona music festivals in Phoenix and Flagstaff, and have thrown events at popular venues such as Shady Park in Tempe and Bar Smith in Phoenix. I’m currently a resident DJ on the local Phoenix-based internet radio collective Recordbar Radio, while continuing my work with the Rumble and Insert Sound teams to produce and execute events focused primarily on electronic music in venues throughout the Valley.

• How has your work been affected by COVID-19?

COVID-19 has been extremely difficult on the entire entertainment industry, and Phoenix has not been an exception. For the majority of 2020 through the beginning of 2021, live music events of any kind were shuttered as all local venues were temporarily shut down due the restrictions and health risks posed by the virus.

•  How has the pandemic changed your business model?

As a result of the prolonged closure of all music venues in the state, DJs such as myself were forced to get creative with technology in order to stay connected with our audiences through the worst of the pandemic. Utilizing livestreaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube, I was able to stay connected with regular broadcasts and live sets. These livestreams eventually became miniature events of their own as I collaborated with local production companies such as Gestalt Theory in order to bring full stage production and visuals to the broadcasts. This all culminated with my inclusion as a resident DJ on the Recordbar Radio roster, broadcasting a monthly scheduled two-hour performance alongside a bevy of local Phoenix talent.

• What advice would you give to aspiring Native entrepreneurs, especially those looking to enter the entertainment industry?

My advice to any Native interested in becoming active in the entertainment industry is simple: perfect your craft through practice, don’t be afraid to take risks professionally both in performance and production, and build a team of driven individuals to help deliver the vision you have for an audience’s enjoyment.

• How has the National Center helped in the development of your business?

The National Center presented me an opportunity to provide my service for their 40 Under 40 Awards event at Harrah’s Ak-Chin, and I was happy to accept. I look forward to the celebration of top Native American leaders and am excited to provide some music for the occasion.

• How can our readers stay connected with you and your business?

Anyone interested in keeping up with my personal performances, events I’m throwing locally, and music I release can follow me on all social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud) under my artist alias Beevsta (@beevsta). Any booking inquiries can be sent to g.beaver@hotmail.com, and be sure to tune into recordbarradio.org to catch my monthly livestream to enjoy my selections from the comfort of home.