Fresh Beats: Meet DJ Andre Acosta

If you’ve frequented the high-energy disco nights at Skate Time in Accord NY or asked for a recommendation for the best German Riesling at Kingston Wine Company, you probably know Andre Acosta. 

This amiable Cuban-American “crate digger” with a passion for spinning vinyl has led an intriguing life—born in Miami, raised in North Carolina, then moved to New York City, the West Coast and now settling in the Hudson Valley.

Read the below to find out how this former sushi chef transitioned to life as a popular Hudson Valley club DJ and where you can catch him next.

INSIDE+OUT: Give us a mini-biography – where you were born, where you live now, and what you do outside of DJing.

Andre Acosta: I’m a first-generation Cuban-American born in Miami. My family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when I was 12, and I grew up there before heading to New York City at 22. At the time, I worked as a sushi chef, but the pace was too hectic while trying to enjoy my twenties in the city. So, I transitioned to men’s apparel and managed shops around Soho and Brooklyn.

After a decade in NYC, I was offered a job in Los Angeles, so my wife and I moved. We spent seven years in L.A. but eventually craved a change of pace. We wanted to buy a house and start a family away from the hustle and bustle of city life. That’s how we found ourselves in Olivebridge. Aside from DJing, I sling wine at Kingston Wine Co. and curate music and playlists for hotels, restaurants, and retail shops worldwide.

When did you first become interested in music, and how did you start your DJ career?

Andre Acosta: I’ve been surrounded by music for most of my life. I played in punk/hardcore bands from middle school into my mid-20s. When I moved to New York City, I became friends with some record collectors/DJs and fell in love with the culture surrounding it. I started collecting Soul 45s, and from there, the addiction just grew. Eventually, my partner (now wife) told me that if I wanted to keep spending money on records, I needed to make money from them to support the habit! That’s when I started DJing as a side hustle!

Describe what makes you unique in the DJ space, your favorite music to spin, and your favorite kind of place or event to work.

Andre Acosta: I exclusively play vinyl, which is (kind of) unique these days, but my primary focus is on spinning and introducing rarities—tracks people might have never heard of but have always wanted to. My sets can vary depending on the gig, but my sweet spot is Disco from around the globe. My favorite gigs are those where people are open to dancing to unfamiliar tracks and let me take them on a journey with the records I’ve carefully curated.

What have been some of your favorite experiences DJing in the Hudson Valley?

Andre Acosta: Since moving to the Hudson Valley, I’ve checked off a big bucket list gig by playing at a fantastic skate rink called Skate Time in Accord. Dropping fun Italo Disco tunes on that floor and watching people skate and dance to them is pure magic!

What is your go-to song to spin when you need to pump up a crowd that’s not feeling it?

Andre Acosta: I have a few go-to tracks, but one trick that usually works is throwing on a crazy cover of a popular song sung in a different language. That’ll usually do the trick!

What are your three favorite desert island discs?

Andre Acosta: That’s such a tricky question, and I never know how to answer it! My choices will probably change tomorrow, but for now, it’s Radiohead’s OK Computer, Portishead’s Self-Titled and The Smiths’ Louder Than Bombs. These aren’t tracks I’d necessarily play at gigs, but they’re albums I’d want for nostalgia and personal enjoyment.

Follow/Connect with Andre Acosta via  Instagram | SoundCloud

Photos Courtesy of  Andre Acosta
Contributing writer Sal Cataldi is a musician, writer and former publicist living in Hudson Valley NY.

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