Sound Check

If you've ever danced your ass off at the Chili Pepper, Bermuda Bar, or the Button South, chances are it was DJ Rick Von Halle who got you moving. In addition to serving as musical director at the Chili Pepper for the past five years, Von Halle is currently the house DJ at Gary's Sports Bar & Grill in Davie, where he spins every Thursday through Saturday.

What sets Von Halle apart from other South Florida DJs is his commitment to old-fashioned rock and roll. Despite current club trends that favor trip-hop, trance, and techno-influenced mixes, Von Halle always goes back to the source.

"I'm practically the only DJ in town that plays rock," he claims. "Rock and roll will never die. It's impossible. Everything is based on rock. It all comes back to rock."

Von Halle's dedication to his rockin' roots has landed him a weekly gig as a DJ Monday through Wednesday from 2 to 5 p.m. on BEACH-FM (96.9). And he freelances his club services, both locally and out of state: "I've worked at all of 'em. Club Nu, Cameo, the Whiskey, the Hard Rock Cafe in Australia. You name it." (Von Halle also reviews rock CDs for Flamingo Record Promotions' Website.)

When asked why he has made music his profession for the past twenty years, Von Halle confesses, "The thing I like best about being a DJ is the people I meet. I also just love music and how it affects people. It's like a language in itself. When I'm mixing I'm performing, and that's my way of communicating.