If you’re looking for music that’ll make you smile, we’d like to introduce you to RoadHouse. As the first DJ duo to be signed to a Nashville record label, they’re kind of a big deal. 

In fact, you likely already know them. Successful DJs in their own right, DJ IKON and Dee Jay Silver have joined forces to bring us the ultimate good-time shit show. 

“That’s our intro. Welcome to the shit show: ROADHOUSE,” laughs Dee Jay Silver in an exclusive interview with L.A. Weekly. “If it makes one person that was not having a good time smile, then I feel like we did our job.”

“RoadHouse will be known for always throwing a party, having a good time, and always pushing the boundaries of music. Our music is full of collaborations and musical features. You never know who’s gonna show up at a RoadHouse show,” he says, promising to always surprise us. 

The newest members of BBR Music Group, RoadHouse is feeling the love with all the support and positivity coming their way. 

“The whole BBR team has been family to me for a while,” Silver tells us. “Really means a lot that they would take a chance on us and this project! BBR isn’t afraid to take chances and they really believe in us!”

When he’s not spinning at festivals and shows across the country, Dee Jay Silver is working at his residency at Hakkasan in Vegas or as country legend Jason Aldean’s DJ (partnering with the star since 2009). He has become a top-touring DJ, producer and performer – playing to every major market in North America. 

DJ IKON’s work has been recognized with several industry awards over the years, including Remix Club DJ of the Year, Las Vegas Top 30 Under 30, and Bar and Nightclub DJ of the Year (twice!). He also enjoys Las Vegas residencies, including Hakkasan. 

Despite their successes, 2020 has proven difficult for the two, as, like most artists, they are desperately missing live shows. 

“There’s nothing better in the world than playing a song and 28,000 people put their hands up,” reminisces Silver. “Knowing that you touched that many people. You share a moment, and that’s nothing you’re going to be able to recreate inside a studio.”

“It’s rough, it’s not fun for me, it’s not fun for IKON. Sitting there playing music by yourself,” he laments. “It’s fun to play music, but after awhile you’re just like ‘this sucks.’”

Sponsored by Monster Energy Music, Silver recently finished a six-week online residency, playing Facebook and Instagram live every Friday. IKON has also been keeping busy, with countless streaming shows. 

The online loophole to restricted performing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, however, as each platform is plagued with their own issues. 

“It’s just so hard for us because they’ve cranked down so much on restrictions – always bumping us off for copyrights,” sighs Silver.

“Yeah, it got so hard with the music,” agrees IKON. “Every time you get kicked offline everybody has to log back on – it just becomes a real hassle. The whole streaming thing for DJs is kind of a nightmare because there isn’t a platform specifically designed for us to livestream. Even Twitch now is kicking people off. And that was like everybody’s kind of go-to for the last month, and now that’s become something you can’t use anymore. It’s kind of a tough situation.”

“I don’t mean this in a bad way, but I feel like those record labels and artists should be begging us to play their music,” argues Silver. “Because it’s the only way of reaching people right now.”

However, that still wouldn’t be a solution to streaming issues. “Even my records, that I produced and wrote, were getting flagged and getting kicked off!” exclaims IKON. 

With their new record label by their side, they were slated to debut RoadHouse in a big way, playing shows and festivals throughout the year. While they’ve been able to celebrate their signing by releasing a remix of LOCASH’s hit, “One Big Country Song,” COVID has definitely interfered with their plans. Is there any chance of being able to make one or two shows this year? 

“Nah, we’re done,” mourns Silver. “Coachella, Stagecoach, they’re all gone.”

“It was a gut punch when it got moved back then cancelled,” says IKON. 

“You saw it coming but you just didn’t want to believe it,” continues Silver. “Something as iconic as Stagecoach and Coachella … it’s not just a Southern California thing. For a lot of artists that’s their goal.”

Hopefully the outcome for 2021 is different, but the artists are weary and cautious after the disappointments of 2020. 

“[Signing RoadHouse] is something that’s been about a year in the making,” explains Silver. “To backtrack a little bit, I walked into BBR and sat down with Jon Loba, the EVP of BBR Music Group, and he was like ‘I love the idea of RoadHouse, let’s do this.’ But then the international phenomena of Blanco Brown hit. So I was like ‘let’s let Blanco Brown cool down a bit then we’ll get RoadHouse in.’ Finally, once we were all set up and ready to go with RoadHouse – we had this whole strategic push laid out – COVID hit.”

Not ones to be anything but positive, RoadHouse took the hit in stride and happily pivoted strategies. 

“So I’ve taken the time – Aaron (IKON) and I both have taken time – to finish our album. We want to come out with a push. We put out our first remix introducing who we are with “One Big Country Song” with LOCASH and it’s the number one song in the country right now,” says Silver. 

“So we’ve just taken this time, we’ve got an EP coming out in September with all original music,” he continues. “We dreamed it up with some of the best writers in Nashville, some of the biggest artists, some friends of mine. We can’t wait to show it to you.”

The EP is slated to drop on Silver’s birthday, September 21st – also known in Vegas as Dee Jay Silver Day. (No joke, look it up.)

While they top the country charts, RoadHouse is adamant that they are genre-less; offering something for everyone, regardless of musical preference. 

“I just think people are doing themselves a disservice if they say ‘I am this’ or ‘I just listen to one type of music,’” highlights Silver. “I feel bad for people that won’t give another form of music a shot, because they’re missing out on a lifetime of memories.” 

“That’s what our sets are like,” interjects IKON when Silver brings up memories lasting a lifetime. “You know every word to every song, you’re singing every word to every song, and every song touches you in that way that brings back a memory. Two hours into the set you’re like ‘oh my god I don’t want this to end! That was so much fun!’”

For RoadHouse, their sets are a lot more than just good tunes. 

“For us, music is positivity, music is love, music is energy,” expresses Silver. “That’s all we want to do: have fun, put positive vibes out there, and make big, loud, good music. We want to do fairs, festivals, we want to do the Stagecoaches of the world, but we also want to do Hakkasans of the world. We also want to do E11EVEN in Miami, or The Grand Boston and then go back to play The Wharf in Orange Beach or the Staples Center in L.A. We just want to bring the party everywhere we go!”

When asked about their hopes for 2021 touring, RoadHouse is quick to reply: “We want everyone to walk out with a smile on their face and a hangover in the morning.”

After the horrors of 2020, I think we’d all love to take them up on that offer. 

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