Manchester DJ helps turn voting into a party

DJ Allen Keys is excited about helping nonprofit, non-partisan organization DJs at the Polls bring the party to the polling place on Nov. 5.

“I think it’s a pretty cool concept,” Keys said. “During the primaries, it turned out even better than I expected. Voters said ‘It’s different, it’s fun. I hope you’ll be here in November!’” 

Indeed he will. Keys is joining 3,500 DJs playing family friendly music at more than 7,000 polling sites in 11 battleground states on Election Day, including New Hampshire.

The work has two goals: Get out the vote and celebrate America’s free and fair elections.

“I try to keep everything upbeat, clean stuff that nobody’s going to be offended by,” Keys said. “Music that’s going to be fun, that’s going to make people want to move. And I did see some people holding their signs and dancing with the music (during the primary elections)—it was nice to get that response.”

“My goal is to create a fun vibe,” he said. “I want to make it something that people will look forward to.” 

Music In His Life 

A lifelong musician and avid dancer, DJ Allen Keys, aka Tim, has played saxophone, marimba, piano, and drums since he was in high school, when his band appeared at Tanglewood and in the movie “Lethal Innocence.”

Read More: Local DJs to provide the soundtrack at New Hampshire polls Nov. 5

Five years ago, Keys noticed that some DJs’ moves made music harder to dance to and thought, “You know what? I’m going to learn how to DJ and do it the right way.” Since then, he’s served as the resident DJ at Manchester’s SOHO Bistro & Lounge, has worked with DJ Prodigy, and appears at McGarvey’s and other area nightclubs, as well as parties and dances at his local American Legion post. 

Born in Finland, Keys and his family moved to Massachusetts when he was 2 years old. Growing up, he didn’t expect to be a DJ—after he left college, he joined the US Army for six years, serving in the field in South Korea and Bosnia.

It was not scary, he said, though he did get “a bit nervous” hearing North Korean artillery fire in the demilitarized zone. He also got “tense” when one Bosnian villager fired a machine gun at American peacekeepers. “There were a lot of innocent people around and I couldn’t see who was shooting,” he said, “so I didn’t fire back.” 

“I just ducked lower behind the sandbags with my head sticking just above ‘em trying to find the source,” he said. “It was kind of stressful.”

After the Army, Keys moved to New Hampshire because he loved the Granite State’s “Live Free or Die” spirit. There, he learned to dance and still dances 10 hours a week. As a DJ, his favorite styles are salsa, bachata and house music with its steady, propulsive beat. 

The Vibe On Election Day 

Like all the DJs who will be playing at the polls, Keys said he’ll “read the room” and play what works for his audience. During the primary election, two skeptical 80-something men asked Keys if he could play Michael Bublé or ‘50s music. Their moods brightened when he obliged. “I was glad I could play something for them,” he said.

In November, he hopes to bring a portable dance floor to the polls so voters can hang out and dance. 

DJs at the Polls will boost turnout, he said. “More people, especially younger people, will want to come out for the music as well as to vote.”

Keys likes that DJs at the Polls can make voting more joyful. If your vote is based on hating the other guy, he said, “it’s like a political defense. Sometimes people get a little too serious.”

“Music helps to get people’s mind off the negative, especially when what you’re playing is fun and upbeat.”

Read More: Local DJs to provide the soundtrack at New Hampshire polls Nov. 5