Pumps Monthly Party Puts Women in Electronic Music at the Forefront

Grrrls to the front! The ladies of the Pumps Collective are here to give Miami a monthly ritual that guarantees good vibes, female empowerment, and groovy dance-floor beats: Pumps, presented by Mashene Radio. From Miami to NYC, the party has had many iterations. It'll return April 6, beginning at Wynwood’s Electric Pickle.

The Pumps crew will take over the Bolero Room upstairs next Thursday night with an eclectic set of electronica by Laura of Miami, Heather Holiday, Phaxas, Cuci Amador of Afrobeta, Angel Boi, and Hiltronix.

Although the party doesn’t have a permanent home just yet, Mashene Radio’s DJ Heather Holiday and Phaxas will continue Pumps’ monthly rotation around the 305.

Vivian Valdes, AKA DJ Heather Holiday, recently gave New Times the scoop on Pumps.

New Times: What was the driving force behind the Pumps party?
Heather Holiday: Back in 2008, when we started doing monthly parties in Miami and New York, there weren't any that solely showcased female DJs/performers. So we joined forces to bring the girls to the forefront. We have so many talented women producers, DJs, and performers who were scarcely given the opportunity to be highlighted. So this became our means to promote and create a community of strong, fierce music-makers who are badasses at their respective craft. We’re an all-inclusive collective platform. We love our male counterparts and want to create the opportunity to share the music bill.

Who are the people directly involved with the party?
Pumps is cofounded by Vida Ventura (DJ Vida) and me. The original crew is a talented group of DJs and producers, such as Phaxas, Cuci Amador of Afrobeta, Hiltronix, Laura of Miami, and Hannah Rad.

How did the Pumps Collective start?
The Pumps crew started out of a love of playing quality tunes and uniting a special breed of females that do this well together. Pumps is a collective of subgenres delivered by a diverse lineup of women producers/DJs. We have been charming and empowering audiences since 2008. The name "Pumps" came about by weighing on female iconography (pumps/heels) but also plays heavily on the diverse bass sounds that pump through a system. Each of the talents on the roster brings something different yet evoking to the stage. To put this all more simply: Pumps is the heartbeat of a culture based on love and rhythm.

What can we expect from Pumps?
Pumps has a built-in crowd of exceptional people. There is no bottle service and no attitude. Creativity, artistry, and camaraderie are celebrated, all while not getting too heavily disconnected or bohemian. The music is usually dance-floor-driven, with current underground house and techno, with a tendency to pepper in some old-school Miami bass and current hip-house and disco. The Pumps crew would like to continue to carve out a lane for DJs who use musical talents and obsessions as central focus of the DJing craft.

Pumps
Presented by Mashene Radio. 10 p.m. Thursday, April 6, at the Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-456-5613; electricpicklemiami.com. Admission is free.