To some, Joe Gambardella is a rising senior on the UMass Lowell Hockey Team. To others, he goes by a different name; DJ Joey Gamz. Gambardella has enjoyed spending his free time as a DJ since it all started as a family affair.
 
"My older brother started when he was 15," Gambardella stated. "He came home with these old school turntables. My older cousin had taught him and I would hang around egging him on. My brother picked it up pretty quickly. I would tag along with him to be a party motivator/dancer."
 
Much like his brother, Gambardella landed his first gig when he was 15.
 
"It was a backyard birthday party with about 150-200 people," Gambardella described. "It was comprised mostly of family and friends. I could not get my equipment to work at first, so I had to call my brother. He came and got it turned on, and people said they had a good time."
 
Make no mistake, being a DJ is not all fun and games.
 
"Lights, turntables, speakers and subs are just part of what is necessary for a gig," he described. "It took me a ton of time to practice the setup for my first gig, and I still had to call my brother."
 
That is only the beginning of a typical gig.
 
"I need to show up 60-90 minutes early to make sure everything works," Gambardella explained. "Not only on my end, but in the place I'm performing too. I could perform for up to three or four hours, and with setup and breakdown, it can easily be an eight hour day."
 
With that kind of commitment, there is no chance Gambardella can perform during the UMass Lowell hockey season.
 
"Hockey is a big commitment and I can't DJ during the season," he said. "Being a DJ is an offseason thing. I usually have one or two gigs a week. This summer however, I have spent my time mainly focused on hockey because I am going into my senior season."
 
Gambardella comes from Staten Island, N.Y., and that is where he commonly performs.
 
"When I go home, I usually go into the city or go to New Jersey to perform," he mentioned.
 
His favorite all-time gig actually happened in New York.
 
"My favorite gig I have probably done was at EDC New York," Gambardella detailed. "The first time I went there was as a person in the crowd. The next time I went I was on the other side of 50,000 to 75,000 people. I got to see the full effect. It was incredible being able to control the energy of the crowd, but also tough because if something goes wrong, it is on me."
 
That may seem like a lot of people, but Gambardella has his sights set on a crowd even bigger someday; Tomorrowland in Belgium, which can easily hold over 200,000 people.
 
"I would love to someday perform at Tomorrowland in Belgium, because it is such a loud and energetic environment, but that is down the road after my hockey career."
 
While his focus is on hockey, he will also continue his music career.
 
"I want to help my brother going forward, whether it is with small gigs or helping set up," Gambardella stated. "I love learning new things and I want to stay around the music business because it has always been a part of my life. I plan on DJ'ing on the side, keeping it somewhat of a hobby."
 
It seems like a lot to handle, but Gambardella loves it.
 
"We love what we do because we do what we love," he shared. "It never seems like it is a lot."
 
While DJ Joey Gamz does DJ for fun, he had a serious message to share.
 
"To all the music people out there, get involved," he stressed. "There is no wrong answer. Find the right tune, beat, sound, instrument, acapella, or whatever it takes. I encourage people to get into it and try it."
 
If he can handle being a Division I hockey player for one of the most successful programs in the country and DJ'ing on the side, anyone can handle putting some time into pursuing a passion of their own.