For an outfit called Cross Border Warriors, you might suspect that they’re concerned about certain political issues.
You’d be wrong. Although the name accurately describes their Mexican origins and their current hometown of Dallas, the Cross Border Warriors guys don’t bother themselves with the happenings of Washington. They’re all about the music, specifically techno. But don’t mistake that for apathy. It’s the unshakable belief that they’re contributing to the fabric of America through the unifying power of music and dance.
And what a party they throw. Their group, founded in 2016, has quickly garnered a legendary reputation among the Dallas techno underground. We spoke with founder Murad Gastelum about the origins of Cross Border Warriors, why he chose to settle in Dallas, and more.
Check out some upcoming Cross Border Warriors shows.
Tell us a bit about Cross Border Warriors. How did you get started?
The whole process actually started with my birthday celebration! After booking my birthday party, I felt the enthusiasm and excitement to bringing a completely fresh sound to Dallas, so I went with it.
Your name refers to you being immigrants from Mexico. How did you end up settling in Dallas?
I first moved to Kansas and stayed there for a while. I finished school there and decided I wanted to be somewhat closer to home. Dallas seemed like a perfect fit. So far, so good!
What’s the Dallas techno scene like? How does Cross Border Warriors fit in that?
The scene was pretty much non-existent prior to starting Cross Border Warriors. We came into this project knowing the task at hand: to build the scene from the ground up. A lot of work, sacrifice, and dedication has gone into this company, and we will continue to strive to be the top promotion company in North Texas.
Tell us a bit about putting on parties at The Secret Factory. What do you like about the venue?
We have a unique sound system that is perfect for our events. Our CBW family loves the location, and atmosphere of The Factory. That works for us as well.
Can you tell us a bit more about the Cross Border Warriors team? How did you build such a great roster of resident DJs?
Everyone that is part of the team did their absolute best by sending in their prime mixes. 90% of the crew is from the area where we grew up in Juarez and El Paso, so there was an immediate understanding of the sound we wanted to showcase here.
What would be a dream artist to play your event?
Richie Hawtin, Mind Against, Recondite, and Stephan Bodzin.
What’s your personal take on the current immigration debate and climate in the U.S., particularly how it relates to the music scene?
We are not interested in the politics of what is going on in our government. What we do notice is that on the dance floor, there are no borders… there is no hate, no racism. Just lovely souls dancing the night away. That is the beauty of this culture – we all respect and love each other.
What are your favorite things do you do in Dallas when you’re not working?
We like to discuss more ideas and anything related to bringing up the company. We take our jobs very seriously, so we live, breathe, and eat Cross Border Warriors. We all have day jobs, so other than that… we are completely dedicated to providing the best underground music to Dallas.
See all their upcoming events on the Cross Border Warriors website!
