03/31/2026
It has been heart shattering to hear the news of Dan Wherrett’s passing. It’s been a doozy and very heavy to process, as the shock waves around the world continue to be felt.
We had so much excitement anticipating having him join the stage this year on our Friday night format. Over the last few months, we shared several fabulous and hilarious phone chats with this gem of a human. His joyous heart was truly infectious. He treated us like family—sharing stories and anecdotes that left us in stitches of laughter and deep appreciation for his gift of being one of the most genuine, nicest humans in the world of professional DJs. If he had a bad day, he’d let us know by calling it “a hair do”… not quite a perm—but a couple hair do’s in one day was his way of putting a positive twist on things.
Our history with DJ Dan began in the early 90s as super fans, committed to traveling up and down the West Coast to every rave he played—often alongside Donald Glaude in the Funky Tekno Tribe era. Hands down, he was one of the best DJs, curating magic on the turntables for us enthusiasts of dance culture. Before tiers and time slots became the norm in today’s festival formats, DJ Dan was steering the ship deep underground, without any attachment to social score. Always for the LOVE, not for the likes.
The giant love bomb happening on our Friday format will now carry a whole new meaning, as we celebrate his life and give him a proper send-off. In addition to his main set, Dan was excited to offer a second secret set—a Tribute to JB throwback.
While it’s been tough for us to accept the timing of his departure, we find peace in knowing he shined too bright for this current reality.
Stay tuned. All who loved him will have an opportunity to participate in celebrating this legend.
Rest in Paradise Dj Dan 💙🧡❤️
(The undisputed QUEEN👑 of the west coast underground movement)
