Ariel Publicity

MoPo (aka Robbie Kowal) is one of America's most versatile, experienced and flat-out joyous party rockers. His decade long mission is to 'put the party back into the party', and to connect the casual music fan with the hard core dance music mavens; proving that music is more than just beats. San Francisco’s bootleg indie remix partypusher, is known for a rare ability to play exactly the right music for the moment and an expertise with a wide variety of genres that he seamlessly melds into a coherent blend. Since breaking out as a rare groove Dj in the 90's he has spent the 21st Century defining a sound he calls “Electric Nostalgia” using eclectic club styles, break beat, trip hop and tech funk as a backdrop for his genre-bending experiments.

From a near religious love of funk and hip hop, to a lifetime study of rock and roll to a massive aptitude for latin, reggae and other outernational formats, MoPo incorporates bits and pieces of music culture into electronic edits that slam the dancefloor. As a backdrop, he creates, edits or chooses only the biggest baddest breaks, hooks and drops to create a sound that truly slams. To the dancer, MoPo is a breath of fresh air, often transforming a room into collective song or crowd chant that connect the audience to the DJ.

These abilities have seen him preceding, following or tagging with a who’s who of breakbeat heroes like Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Icey, Cut Chemist, Grandmaster Flash, James Lavelle, Bassnectar, Pendulum, DJ Vadim, Tipper, Kraak & Smaak, Aquasky, Fort Knox 5, Z-trip. He’s also been among the first DJs to play many a rock festival including an unprecedented 6-year run at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and the first DJ sets ever at Gathering of the Vibes, High Sierra, Berkfest, Caribbean Holidaze, Mid Atlantic Music Experience, and Rothbury festival. He even played at Govt Mule’s legendary “Deepest End” show, called one of the Top 10 shows of the Decade by Jambase. A live turntablist for the indie techno circus The Mutaytor, MoPo has sat in with Parliament-Funkadelic, Galactic, Rebirth Brass Band and BLVD. He has opened for live music legends like James Brown, Maceo Parker, Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident, Phoenix, Femi Kuti, Sheryl Crow, Spearhead, Jurassic 5, Isaac Hayes, and Blackalicious.

2010 is promising to be a massive year for MoPo, kicking off with an appearance at the West Coast’s premier party “Sea of Dreams NYE.” In February, he relaunced MotionPotion.com as an online Ning community for remix lovers. In March he launches the first of a 3-EP collection called “Electric Nostalgia” and then heads out on a 2 month tour that includes stops at SXSW Austin and WMC Miami. The 2nd half of the tour will be a “Silent Soundclash” featuring MoPo facing off against local DJs on wireless headphones (similar to the ones he has helped make famous in the Silent Disco of Bonnaroo).

The Electric Nostalgia Tour will kick off on March 5 at San Francisco’s 103 Harriet with EOTO, moves on to the “Dark Sparkle” party in Davis, CA on March 6 and on to Austin Texas for as many as 6 appearances during SXSW. The next leg of the tour will encompass the Silent Soundclash Series. With the help of hundreds of Silent Events wireless headphones MoPo will be joined by Djs in 20 different markets for dance-floor excursions that put the choice in the hands of the listener. The Soundclash concept goes back to the earliest days of Djing in Jamaica and New York, where Djs would face off at free outdoor events in a “winner takes the soundsystem” battles. “The “Silent Soundclash Series” updates this concept and allows the listener to choose with the flip of a channel switch. The “Silent Soundclash Series” kicks off at WMC Miami on March 24 at K17 Beach Club, then heads out across the US to spread this unique musical experiment. Finally, in late April, MoPo returns home to San Francisco for a series of shows with legendary dance-music figures like Tipper, NAPT, the Breakesta and Fort Knox 5.