Chances are you’ve enjoyed the stellar sights and sounds of DJ Joe KC and DJ Ice Kole at any number of prominent events around the metro over the years, some of those including Boulevardia and Irish Fest at Crown Center, Third Thursdays at The Nelson-Atkins, Enchant Christmas at Legends Field, Planet Comicon at Bartle Hall, and the 2023 NFL Draft and Super Bowl Parade at Union Station. Likewise, you may have danced the night away to their memorable music lineups at a friend’s wedding, your company event, a school dance, or a family party.
“We have been blessed to be a part of so many core elements of growth in Kansas City; not only new venues but also staples like Union Station, The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, and so many more of our beautiful venues.”
Let us formally introduce you to Kansas City’s married and wildly entertaining powerhouse behind 2 the MAAXE, which has been lighting up dance floors since 2016! Most notably known for their DJ monikers, Joseph (the mad scientist) and Nikol (model by day) have also taken bringing audio-visual services to events to a completely new level; we’re talking silent disco parties, and 360 video booths at music festivals, galas and professional games, and standout deejay performances at corporate celebrations and formal school dances and beyond.
“What makes us do what we do is not only the passion for the music but for being able to simply create. They call me DJ Joe ‘The Mad Scientist’ because my house used to be covered wall to wall in deejay gear, TVs, and smoke and lights everywhere,” Joseph says. DJ aside, he’s also a drummer, so naturally the “creator” that he is, he brainstormed putting the two together and conjured up an entire drumming DJ show to add to their service list.
All of the lights, the noise, and the madness, if you will, are rooted in their love for creating and engineering a complete “journey” for their audience, no matter the size. The mentality is “whether there are 5 or 5000 people, they’re getting a 5000-person performance.”
It’s that curated journey that continues to expand its extensive events list into venues like The National Golf Club, H&R Block, Kansas City Country Club, and the Intercontinental Hotel. It’s also a testament to his popularity that DJ Joe has one nationwide client who has used him every year for over a decade, going so far as to include him in their annual company recognition program.
When you get behind the scenes to understand the business, you realize what makes 2 the MAAXE even sweeter is the family affair it encompasses. DJ Joe actually got his start around the city in 1997 as an independent performer, but as fate would have it, he and DJ Ice Kole met at a Nelson-Atkins event they were both working, soon blending their families and meshing their entrepreneurial spirits and skills into a full production company, including two of their children who also deejay at events alongside them.
When asked what some of their favorite events are, they shared “Boulevardia is the most fun creatively because we get to showcase the energy of the equipment AND our individual music tastes. It’s our Super Bowl!”
The company motto is to always give them more than what they paid for. They make booking with them any easy one-stop shop, providing fair pricing, timely arrivals, and an outstanding musical performance that will not be forgotten. As Joe stated specifically about weddings in particular, “There are three things everyone remembers: 1) How beautiful the bride looked in her dress 2) Whether the food was terrible or great 3) Whether they had a hell of a time or a terrible time at the reception/party, and that’s our baby.”
They have quite literally been a part of almost every journey throughout the growth of the metro in recent years, and this is your memo to ensure you follow along for their upcoming events AND book them for your next event for a guaranteed GREAT time!
Website: www.2themaaxe.com
Instagram: @djjoekc
Facebook: @djjoekc
