DJ Mad Mardigan Keeps the Party Going

by mollee-francisco | Dec 2023

Timberwolves fans look on as DJ Mad Mardigan takes over the court for a halftime show. Photo: Garrett Super

DJ brings the party and the passion.

For Nicholas Dircz, there is perhaps no more powerful force on Earth than music. It can bring people together, evoke feelings of nostalgia and even help win basketball games. To prove that point, Dircz is the proud owner of four Minnesota Lynx championship rings, despite never shooting a ball or even setting foot on the court during a game. The Plymouth resident may not play point guard or forward, but he does play music as the official DJ for the Lynx.

This year marks Dircz’s 16th season as the official DJ for both the Lynx and the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I’m shocked,” Dircz says as he counts the seasons on his fingers. “That’s crazy.”

Dircz, who is better known as DJ Mad Mardigan, is just as amazed by the number of years as he is by the fact that he has carved a wildly successful career out of what he once considered a fruitless hobby.

The Timberwolves’ halftime show gets an infusion of fun with DJ Mad Mardigan and Minnesota artist J. Plaza during the 2021–22 Timberwolves season.

Hip Hop Hooray

Dircz was a freshman at Winona State University when he had saved up enough money to buy his first set of turntables. “No one knew what a DJ really was then,” he says.

Dircz had been deeply inspired by the 1992 movie Juice, which featured Omar Epps as an aspiring DJ, who dreamed of using the turntable as a musical instrument and competing in a DJ battle. After seeing the movie, Dircz co-opted that dream for himself. “I loved hip hop and scratching,” he says.

Once Dircz had his own turntables, he trekked over to the university’s radio station, KQAL, and asked if he could have some of its records. “They had a whole collection they weren’t using anymore and said, ‘Take whatever you want,’” Dircz says. He loaded up and started practicing. “I just wanted to battle,” he says.

Eventually, he did square off against other DJs in battle performances and, though he never won, Dircz says he never lost his passion for it, even when college ended and the real world came calling. “I had to get a real job like everyone else,” he says.

Record Scratch

After school, Dircz ended up taking a job selling insurance for his stepfather, much to the chagrin of his younger brother, Elliot. “He was my biggest supporter,” Dircz says. “He thought I was crazy to give up music.”

But when Elliot was killed in a car accident in December 2004, Dircz began to rethink his life and wondered if his brother was right to question his decision to quit DJing. “I moved back home to be with my mom,” he says. With fewer expenses at home, Dircz booked a biweekly gig DJing at Tiffany Sports Lounge in St. Paul and quickly began to see the possibilities for a career. Dircz quit his insurance job and, a few months later, landed a much-coveted residency at The Imperial Room in Minneapolis.

It was during one of Dircz’s sets at The Imperial Room that he caught the attention of the game presentation manager for the Minnesota Timberwolves/Minnesota Lynx. Teams around both basketball leagues were starting to employ official DJs at the time, and the Timberwolves/Lynx wanted Dircz to originate the role for them. Sixteen years later, and Dircz is still spinning for both teams.

Dircz’s crowd-pleasing performances aren’t limited to the basketball court. He has become a staple at professional games around the Twin Cities, providing musical entertainment for the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota United FC, Minnesota Golden Gophers and Minnesota Wild in addition to performing at major events like Super Bowl LII, the 2019 NCAA Final Four, the 2016 Ryder Cup and the 2014 MLB All-Star Weekend.

DJ Mad Mardigan Timberwolves Vinyl

The Next Generation

For Dircz, the key to his success is one part good music and one part good show. “It’s a performance,” he says. “I approach it like a peak wedding set.”

It’s a formula he’s used to expand his reach and offer his brand of performance art to a wider audience with GenerationNOW Entertainment, a crew of more than 40 team members, primarily DJs, ready to bring the party to any event. “We take real DJs that mix and scratch and put them in weddings,” Dircz says. “We changed the industry.”

Dircz and his business partners have amassed a crew of 30 DJs, all with a minimum of three years professional experience, hand picked and trained by Dircz and his leadership team. “We’re keeping dance floors packed from start to finish,” he says. “We’re not giving them a chance to leave.”

Headquartered at the Parkers Lake Business Center in Plymouth, GenerationNOW not only provides DJs and cutting-edge equipment for a range of events, but it also offers private and group lessons for those looking to learn how to DJ. “We want to spread the love and passion of DJing,” Dircz says.

For Dircz, having the opportunity to show a new generation of music lovers that you can make a career out of DJing means everything. It’s also a chance for him to honor his brother’s life. GenerationNOW’s logo pays homage to his brother’s wisdom with the circle representing the circle of life.

“He knew better than I did,” Dircz says.

Get the Party Started

Dircz loves the motto: “No music, no party,” coined by GenerationNOW DJ Dudley D. Dircz, who considers good music, like good food, to be a crucial component to any holiday soirée. “Music fills those gaps, helps guide conversation and is full of nostalgia,” he says.

DJ Mad Mardigan spinning tracks during a Corporate Holiday Party at ARIA in downtown Minneapolis.

Dircz’s top advice for any party host is to understand who your guests are. “A DJ reads the crowd,” he says. “That’s the number one job.” He recommends considering your guest list and creating a playlist ahead of time that reflects the attendees. “Don’t exclude anyone,” he says.

Dircz loves an open format playlist with a solid mix of music from different genres and eras. For those planning a holiday party, he suggests looking for festive holiday remixes to add flavor. “There are so many holiday remixes,” he says. “I love a good holiday remix.”