There is a special event this Saturday: an important member of our community needs our help. For over a decade, Michelle Nguyen has influenced the Seattle dance scene. She has unfortunately received a cancer diagnosis. This upcoming Saturday, April 22, Monkey Loft will be holding a F*ck Cancer benefit event in her honor. Proceeds from the event will support Michelle’s cancer treatment.
This is a meaningful cause with outstanding artists and visuals in store, and most importantly provides a chance to support someone close to home.
Credit: Sean Majors, Slick Lasers
Upper Left has been a stellar promoter pushing forward the Seattle dance music scene
Michelle has been a part of Upper Left since its inception, and the same promoter is the host of Saturday’s event. She has also worked closely with Studio 4/4. Upper Left is an event promoter local to Seattle that’s put on countless shows at Q Nightclub for several years and has also hosted events throughout various venues in Seattle.
Upper Left closed temporarily in 2019, but partnered with Disco Donnie Presents for a glorious return in 2021 for Diplo’s Higher Ground in Seattle. Over the years, the contributions of Upper Left have solidified them as a pillar of the dance music scene here in Seattle.
Credit: Sean Majors
Getting to know Michelle, the beneficiary of the event
DMNW heard from Michelle about her role in the local scene and how it has evolved over the years.
“Before Upper Left officially launched in 2015, I can distinctly remember how elated I was when I heard the news from my longtime friend & mentor, Sean Majors, that he would soon align forces with Doug McIntyre, who is another hugely influential DJ/promoter in our local dance music scene. I wanted to be involved, in some way, somehow — I knew that Upper Left would change the way the Pacific Northwest viewed/experienced dance music, and I wanted to be a part of that magic. I didn’t care about a title or the capacity of my involvement.”
Michelle also recounted the first meeting of the promotion company. Its early days were reminiscent of an all-hands-on-deck crew. She remembers, “My first job with Upper Left resembled that of a ‘resident rave mom,’ and my very first task was to prepare a feast for the entire crew. I prepared about 15+ pounds of Asian barbecue for everyone at the meeting!”
As the company grew, Michelle remained closely involved. Officially, her title was Production Office Manager, but her scope of responsibility touched nearly all areas of Upper Left. “You need to be a Jack of all trades to work in this industry, so I was, and happily filled whatever position was necessary. I’ve bartended, managed merch booths, worked in the kitchen preparing items for Grillson, did special FX makeup on zombie cheerleaders at our Halloween event. You name it — I’ve done it.”
After the company’s temporary closure in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic was not far behind. While figuring out what her next step was, Michelle naturally knew that it was to get involved with Upper Left. “Sean officially promoted me to Director of Operations in April 2021, and we’ve since hosted the largest house music event in Washington state history with Diplo’s Higher Ground tour, our 3rd annual Black Book in the Park with Chris Lake, and co-collaborated with Insomniac for Day Trip festival.”
Pulling out a fantastic lineup for the Monkey Loft show, production includes curated lasers
Monkey Loft is a unique venue in downtown Seattle that features multiple stages, including a rooftop stage. For the F*ck Cancer event this Saturday, there are lineups for two different stages that will be utilized in this event. This will surely not be something to miss, as the lineup features 11 different artists from 10pm-4am. There are several b2bs, such as Jaderade b2b Jordan Davenport and GON3R b2b AiNSLEE. In addition, Fritz Carlton, ONHELL, Mark Starr, and Mar66 will all be throwing down as well.
Visuals will be provided by Slick Lasers. It’s done laser visuals for numerous festivals, namely, Shambhala, EDC, the now-retired Paradiso, and more. Slick Lasers is also local to the Seattle area, based in Tukwila, and is owned by Rick Hale.
Credit: Sean Majors, Slick Lasers
Michelle is a beloved member of the Seattle dance music scene. We want to do everything to uplift and support her during this tough time. This event boasts an amazing lineup and proceeds will go towards a good cause to support Michelle! F*ck Cancer at Monkey Loft is sure to be an event to remember.
If you can’t make it to the event but still want to support, you can also donate to Michelle’s GoFundMe.
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