Kike Roldan has built his own path to success as a producer, promoter, and one of Miami’s most talented DJs.
We sat down with him to talk about his latest project as Director of Music and Entertainment at the prestigious club Treehouse in Miami Beach.
EG: Hi Kike, welcome back to EG. How were the end of the year celebrations?
Kike Roldan: Hello EG family! Thank you for having me back. Well, December is usually pretty busy with many things going on in the city like Art Basel, Christmas, and NYE festivities.
EG: What have you been up to lately?
Kike Roldan: Right now I’m very focused on a new project. A pretty big leap in my career. Since December 2022, I’ve been working with Treehouse Miami as their new Director of Music and Entertainment, and together with management we’re working on giving the venue a brand new look and a fresh image this year.
EG: What have you found is the hardest of curating weekly events?
Kike Roldan: The most complex challenge I’ve encountered so far has been reconnecting the club with the different booking agencies, as everyone thought the club was closing for good. Luckily, I’ve had good connections with many of them, and have also been building strong new relationships. On the other hand, when you are a DJ and become a booker, you kind of have to put personal feelings aside and keep an open mind for the sake of the club and the audience.
EG: With so many clubs in the city, how do you plan to keep the club growing and moving in the right direction?
Kike Roldan: I’ve been a DJ and promoter in Miami for over 15 years. Having played in every club in the city, I’ve always had a deep connection with Treehouse. I started going and playing there in 2010, and for the past 13 years, I have been able to see all of the strengths and weaknesses of the brand, which puts me at an advantage when it comes to understanding and applying new ideas. Knowing the ins and outs of a venue is crucial for developing and expanding a vision and I think this will be a great era for us here at the venue.
EG: Has the club had any renovations or upgrades? What does Treehouse have that other clubs don’t?
Kike Roldan: Yes, part of the plan when I was hired was to give [the club] not only a broader and new direction in the musical aspect, but also to revamp the entire space, because for many years, the club’s infrastructure had not been touched and it was starting to feel a bit worn out. Right now, while still fully operating, we are upgrading all of the rooms in the venue. We recently switched out the old sound and installed a Danley sound system which has already given both the front and main room a different feel with a rich and abundant sound. We are getting 3 new bars [for the inside rooms and the patio], state-of-the-art DJ booths, modern furniture pieces, as well as switching up the floors, bathrooms, and walls. It’s a whole revamp process which I’m really excited about. We really want to give the DJs and customers the best experience, and the people that have been back have already started to notice. We will also be utilizing the patio space differently this year, with outdoor musical gatherings and events on weekdays until 10 PM. Something that distinguishes Treehouse from the rest of the clubs, I would say, is our commitment to supporting local talent and pushing different subgenres within electronic music. Soon it will become a place for day and nighttime gatherings.
EG: What have been some of the most successful nights so far?
Kike Roldan: Thankfully, we’ve had really good nights since reopening. We have already hosted legends like Josh Wink, Chus, Wally Lopez, Tini, and Rhadoo, as well as Nox Vahn and Hoomance. We are looking forward to having Davi (Crosstown Rebels), David Hohme (Anjunadeep), Rebolledo, Timo Maas, and Simon Vuarambom (All Day I Dream) next, and also building a program around supporting the local talent, which for me is very important. To answer your question, I would say, NYE with Tini, Chus with Patrick M and Nox Vahn as well as Wally Lopez with Ivano Bellini have been all amazing nights.
EG: Has this new work positively or negatively affected your DJ career?
Kike Roldan: This has definitely had a positive effect on my career, as I see it as a way of taking a break from DJing for the past 12 years. I’m being more selective with gigs as I’m focusing on other projects, and it has also helped me tremendously in growing existing as well as building new relationships with artists and promoters around the world.
EG: What coming events should we keep an eye for?
Kike Roldan: You should keep an eye out for the programming during the whole month of March as we’re putting all of our efforts into finishing the renovations before the start of the month. We will be hosting Treehouse Music Month with many exciting events. I hope that the people in Miami will enjoy it, and above all, that all of us who have been a part of this at some point return to their favorite club in the city and feel that this is their home.
EG: Who would be your dream night? No budget capacity restrictions.
Kike Roldan: I like this question! I’m very grateful I have been able to accomplish many of my dreams and goals right here in this club. Being able to play with many of the DJs I admire such as Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Guy J, Dave Seaman, Danny Howells, Davi, Timo Maas, Roy Rosenfeld, Khen, Guy Mantzur, and Jody Wisternoff, to name a few, I’ve had numerous dream nights. If you ask me on a deeper personal level, I would love to have Sasha back-to-back Digweed with an opening set by Kike Roldán, which has been a dream of mine since the start of my career, lets’s see!.
EG: And how about your dream rider? Let that imagination go! Lol
Kike Roldan: (Laughter), well, If I could ask for anything I would, first, have a personal AC in the booth. Second, a motion-detecting sensor that can identify dancers with requests. And lastly, a massage therapist, ‘cause why not! That’s my dream rider!
“Becoming more aware and conscious of creating a safe space for dancers and ravers is crucial”
EG: How do you think Miami’s dance music scene can become better?
Kike Roldan: The Miami music scene is constantly changing, which kind of makes it hard to stay relevant if you’re not consistent and disciplined. The public has also become more demanding in recent years, and, as more young people get involved in the scene, it is up to all of us to ensure we are providing a positive environment. Becoming more aware and conscious of creating a safe space for dancers and ravers is crucial. I would also love to see more promoters and bookers working together to create an overall united front in the scene.
EG: Production wise do you have any work on the horizon?
Kike Roldan: Well, studio time has been limited recently due to new developments and priorities, but I gave myself a goal to start building my studio here in Miami along with Domingo+ in March. We recently got the chance to play together at Treehouse for the first time and it felt so comfortable and natural that we have been talking about working on new projects and collaborations since, but definitely hoping to start executing these ideas in March once we are done with renovations.
EG: Thanks for chatting with us, and see you around Treehouse!
Kike Roldan: Thank you guys for your support all these years. I also would like to invite all readers and listeners to catch their favorite acts soon at Treehouse. I’m sure it will be one of the best clubs in the city and we are excited to share it with all of you.
Follow Treehouse: Facebook I Instagram I Soundcloud
Follow Kike Roldan: Facebook I Instagram I Soundcloud
