Scratching the Surface

Female DJs are often regarded as, well, female DJs. Seldom given the same respect as the old boys’ network that dominates clubs and festivals, many rely on certain physical attributes to gain any attention at all. Sandra Collins is the exception — and has been since the day she first stepped behind the decks, in 1988. Collins demanded to be taken seriously, earning her reputation by rocking her crowds hard. Her resumé reads like a veritable history of dance and rave culture in the States. When the U.K. scene made its way across the Atlantic in the early ’90s, Collins was right there. She played Frankie Bones’s seminal New York Storm Raves in 1991, and since then has headlined massive raves on both coasts, even playing with Moby at Woodstock ’99. Collins is a real presence behind the turntables, and her popularity is tied to her ability to connect with her audience. A Denver favorite since the early rave days, Collins returns this Saturday, October 16, for the grand opening of the newly rebuilt dance floor at Vinyl.