BEN ANNAND
In his zone from deep house to techno, Ben Annand pairs impeccably smooth mixing skills with a dynamic style that keeps the music moving, often flowing over breakdowns and always spending most of his time in the mix.
“For me, a great mix is the interplay of 2 unique pieces of music, creating greater than the sum of the parts – and a great set weaves those mixes into a musical flow you can’t help but lose yourself in on the dance floor. Technology changed the game a lot but the goal remains the same.”
Ben fell in love with dancing and electronic music culture in 1995, and learned to mix in 1996. Just 2
years later he became resident dj at the famed Moontribe Gathering, and started his own production company, Tropical. The first half of his career was mostly focused on DJing abroad, with 13 trips to Moscow’s Propaganda club, frequent travel across Russia, Spain, and Mexico, an appearance at Wiggle at Fabric in London and two at the Labyrinth Festival in Japan.
In more recent years, Ben Annand became a top West Coast festival DJ, and played at 6 consecutive Lightning in a Bottle Festivals (CA, 2016-2023). He has also appeared at 2017’s Oregon Eclipse (OR), Shambhala and Motion Notion (BC, Canada), and multiple times at Sunset Campout, Stilldream and Desert Hearts Festival (CA), Photosynthesis and Cascadia (WA), and Esthetic Evolution and Konnexion Festival (ID).
Ben’s event, Tropical, is one of the most prolific and respected event brands on the West Coast, and has hosted over 100 events, not missing a year since 1998. Tropical’s mission is to bring festival-quality production in a spectacular location to a crowd of a few hundred people, while also benefiting those in need. Incorporated in 2017 as Tropical Since 98, the event series has donated over $35,000 to nonprofit causes since its inception, and is also known for hosting zero-waste events in Hawaii, and being among the first events to present a gender-balanced DJ lineup (NYE 2020).
Ben has hosted Tropical events, festivals, and retreats in California, Oregon, Washington, and 3 islands in Hawaii. Tropical celebrated its 26th anniversary in the mountains of Southern California at Camp Tropical last September, hosted NYE in LA, and then came back just 2 weeks later to host a successful benefit for 3 friends who lost their homes to the Palisades and Eaton Fires.
Ben’s latest project is ‘Bridge to Paradise Music-Friendly Venue Booking, (B2P) which connects
responsible event organizers with spectacular, often brand-new event locations, and provides consulting as needed to both sides.
Since 2020 he has grown B2P to book over 50 venues up and down the West Coast, from San Diego to Seattle and most everywhere in between. Whether on the decks, organizing a memorable event that gives back to the community, or bringing new venues into existence, Ben Annand is always contributing, and always thinking outside the box.