By Mikkel Hyldebrandt
Photos Courtesy of the Technosexual Order
Atlanta’s vibrant underground techno and dance scene has a new order – the Technosexual Order. Initiated by veteran DJ Mike Bradley and his husband, Mark, the new DJ collective and party phenomenon aims to revitalize the scene with all-inclusive parties that celebrate all aspects of queer culture, above all, music.
We had the opportunity to speak with Mike about the new order, what it means to him, and how they plan to introduce it in a big way during this month’s Pride celebration.
Mike, you have been DJing and curating parties in Atlanta and beyond for a long time. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
I’ve been DJing for 28 years and have been playing out in Atlanta since 2004. I started promoting parties in the mid-2000s as Diagnostik. Our parties were about everyone being welcome and reaching out to every promotion group to bring unity to the house/tech house community. I started playing mixed and straight parties and played a good bit with Alley Cat Music Club. I took a long break and started promoting queer parties with my husband, Mark McEwan, in late 2024.
Most recently, you hosted a party called Let’s Dance, which has now been rebranded as Technosexual Order. Tell me about this rebrand and why you chose to do it.
We named our party Let’s Dance at first because Mark would always post my DJ flyers with the tag “Let’s Dance”. It made sense at first, but we decided we wanted something a bit edgier. We want our parties to have a more edgy vibe, both in terms of music and atmosphere.
What kind of party is a Technosexual Order party? What can you expect?
Technosexual Order parties will have a vibe where everyone is welcome. We aim to create a safe space for the entire queer community. We are creating a vibe like we encounter when traveling the world and attending queer festivals and parties. We want the music to be open format with everything from house to techno to broken beats all with a tech-forward vibe, but still fun and sassy.
You have already introduced new and exciting DJs into the Technosexual Order. Can you tell me about them – and how do you plan to expand the order?
The Technosexual Order currently has three members. Mark McEwan is the heart of the party. He’s the needed promoter that doesn’t DJ. His infectious personality draws people in. DJ Neighbor (Daniel Hudgins) is an up-and-coming DJ who is honing his sound and skills by playing all types of parties in the Southeast. His more uplifting sound balances the more techno-forward music I like to play.
Atlanta Pride is almost here, and you’re introducing the Technosexual Order in a big way with several big parties. Can you tell me about them?
We are so excited to be partnering with Club Saturn at a new venue, 404.exe, which occupies the former MJQ space. It’s always been one of my favorite spaces in Atlanta. We are planning to hold events on the second Saturdays of the month through the end of the year at the space. We have booked two headliners for the party:
Jellyfish – we’re so excited to welcome from Pittsburgh the Atlanta Debut of this electrifying duo Jellyfish. Their sets morph between Italo, house, melodic techno, disco, electro, and beyond! So come prepared to sweat. They just recently destroyed the dance floor at Honcho. Their music vibes are stellar.
Asphodèle – all the way from LA, we have the Atlanta debut of the incredible sound technician. Her sound is creative, experimental, heartfelt, genre-bending, high-energy, and we are so excited to get lost on the dancefloor to Asphodèle’s selections.
I’m also DJing at Woof from 5-8 pm on Saturday. Mark and I also have our fourth annual Pride pool party, which has become legendary with global talent DJing.
Why do you think it’s important for Atlanta to have a queer DJ culture right now?
I think it’s important to create safe spaces for everyone. We want diversity on the dance floor, including – but not limited to – race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity. It warms my heart that our trans friends tell us how great it is to feel safe at our parties. I hope that we can create a space where everyone feels comfortable being their true, authentic selves.
What is your vision for the Technosexual Order?
Our goal is to continue the monthly parties we started with Let’s Dance. We also want to collaborate with queer DJ collectives to break down separation in our community. I think Atlanta’s dance scene is too segregated. As a DJ, I’ve always tried to push the idea of better music for queer people. Globally, tech-forward music is embraced by the queer communities. Let’s make Atlanta a queer house/techno/broken beat music destination. There is so much queer musical talent in Atlanta. Let’s embrace it and celebrate everyone.
Please let us know where to follow you and how to obtain tickets to your parties.
Tickets are available on Resident Advisor, and you can connect with Technosexual Order on our socials on Instagram and Facebook.