Michael Aredes, currently at NYC's award winning spot Superbueno, has long worked and championed both bar and audio culture. He has presented a seminar on the link between the two and formerly crafted cocktails at James Murphy's (LCD Soundsystem) bar Nightmoves. This former Punch Bartender in Residence came from a very musical family: Michael played many instruments and sang. Now he channels that passion into amazing playlists for his queer Latino pop up, Noche Traviesa, which travels around the country. Check out one of those playlists here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4nVBo0ZgROpByAp0UTYWNZ?si=8f52f3940ff04c4a

Derrick Jones drums in a couple of bands when he's not crafting wild garnishes for the immersive tropical Seattle spot Inside Passage, which lives tucked away inside legendary bar Rumba. Following in his father's footsteps, the Hawaiian native was banging on pots and pans before learning to play drums in all sorts of genres, and currently can be seen on various Seattle club and festival stages. When he isn't there, he's setting up shop not only at Inside Passage, but Rumba and Life on Mars too. He talks about the intense link between music and booze in Seattle on this episode, and picks some tunes for you to listen to as well: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4a8OoHgwX2LlCdFCHTvQ60?si=f2fde51527ec408a

Austin Forshee was a booze slinger in Kalamazoo and then found himself in Grand Rapids, Michigan as part of the opening crew of the celebrated tiki palace, Max's South Seas Hideaway. He went from muddled old fashioneds to training with the legendary Martin Cate, and now balances out all of that exotica with metal (which actually isn't all that uncommon). From banging on the drums to learning all the r(h)ums, Austin tells us how he learned to tiki and also get his Tommy Lee on. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3NuKV8Vo8Y7wFP1KVjmj45?si=cc288188edb94e8b

Kat Bailey, one of the general managers of the Tonga Hut (LA's oldest tiki bar), started mixing tropical drinks there in 2018 after years of slinging martinis alongside wanna be actors and crafting menus for karaoke bars. A lifelong Angeleno, Kat was going to the Tonga Hut years before she actually worked there, and was a huge fan of LA's 90s alt rock scene too, as her devotion to locals the Red Hot Chili Peppers demonstrates. Check out her Tonga mix here, because it truly had a bit of everything: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yq2g5ZhdBgoWH8GsrMUbb?si=33be0f940e04448b

Nick Elam was deep into the world of tiki long before he was even old enough to drink - carving, painting, and even designing bar menus waiting for the day he could get behind the stick himself. He also learned to play several instruments, even becoming a pretty good surf guitarist on the way. Now he can be found at Huli Huli Tiki Lounge in Powell, Ohio, brainstorming new drink ideas with his bar team and educating his patrons on the wide category of rum. He made us a pretty surftastic (and more!) playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1uYMjOZqJ2a8TkPD4BudYc?si=5ff51443db254fcf

Maria Cabrero actually started bartending as a little girl... for her family! Now she is a co-owner of Cocomama Tiki Room in Cozumel, Mexico, one of several spots she currently or previously owned, including a beach front music venue. Coming from a house full of hosts and entertainers, you could say that bartending is in her blood, as was managing bands. She trained in Italy and brought that style of service back to Mexico, while immersing herself in classic tiki cocktail books so she could offer tropical drinks in her tropical paradise. Check out her Top 10(ish) playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/41S9I1sNeQvPt08cDRW1Lm?si=6726814066ae4898

Michael Stelzner made the pandemic move to Cincinnati and started working at Tiki Tiki Bang Bang. Now he owns the place! A Bay Area kid born with a love of tiki culture and music, he worshipped the Beatles just as much as My Chemical Romance and his parents took him to legendary SF tiki bars as soon as he was legal. He did a stint at Omaha's Laka Lono Rum Club as well as a spot in Lincoln considered for a James Beard award, which made him put aside playing in pop punk bands for a bit. He discusses bringing tiki back to Cincinnati, DJing emo nights, LGBTiki, and more on this episode. Check out his playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4X9NuxAxDZ20ENEHJEBNsB?si=47a19a37578749a5

Nikki Schultz of Los Angeles' Thunderbolt has found synergy in making music, crafting cocktails, and activism, which all have taught her lessons in how to give herself and others emotional space. (A revelatory stint in the funeral arrangement industry brought similar wisdom.) From her start in Minneapolis dive bars and music venues to a period creating drinks in a changing Seattle, she found herself arriving in LA to not only see what it could offer her, but what she could offer it. Turns out becoming part of an award winning bar team was just the beginning. Check out her playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gokXIdRcj6SKdfQqhLfeR?si=5cb8772588634c3e