Charlene and Mike share a kiss at the DJ stand.

They truly are soulmates, aren’t they? | Photo by @steezc

Mike and Charlene Alcanices, or better-known as SOULMAT3S, have been rocking Downtown San Jose’s nightlife scene + beyond since 2016 as the only married DJ duo in the Bay Area.

Through 23 years of marriage, the couple has found themselves raising three children, managing a female-first DJ club, running a plant store in Campbell, and sharing their love of music throughout the South Bay.

Let’s dive into the first installment of our series, “Local Love,” with a couple who’s become trailblazers in the San Jose DJ scene.

DJ YOUCANTSTOPMIKE plays on his turntables. — Mike, doing what he does best.

🎧 Getting into the scene

Before Mike met Charlene, he was heavily involved in the DJ, hip-hop, and breakdancing culture of the mid-1990s. However, after the couple became parents, he was forced to sell his turntables.

It wasn’t until 10 years later that a family trip to the Tech Museum inspired a reentry into DJing. “The Tech Museum had a little controller and my kids were playing around with it. I was like, ‘this is pretty cool and the kids love it, why don’t we get one for our living room?’” Mike said.

As Mike found his footing on the turntables again, Charlene kept him booked and busy at several local nightclubs + lounges — but Mike soon realized he didn’t want to go without her.

A man and wife walk hand-in-hand in Downtown San Jose wearing the "SOULMAT3S" sweatshirts. — Introducing: SOULMAT3S

🖤 Becoming “SOULMAT3S”

Understanding that being a nightlife DJ could affect his marriage in the long term, Mike convinced Charlene to take a spin in his role — thinking it could be a fun hobby to do together (and having a backup to relieve him every now and then didn’t hurt either).

It became clear that Charlene was a natural, and the couple knew their place was behind the DJ stand, together. “Me being also very business-minded, I was like, ‘I think we could do this together and book ourselves.’ But never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be where we are now,” Charlene said.

"SOUL" MUCH MORE

EVENTS

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Wednesday, Feb. 8

Satchmo at the Waldorf | Wednesday, Feb. 8 | Times vary | The Stage, 490 S. First St., San Jose | $38+ | Catch this one-man, three-character play in which the same actor portrays Louis Armstrong, Armstrong’s manager, and Miles Davis.
Open Mic at the San Jose Improv | Wednesday, Feb. 8 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Improv, 62 South 2nd St., San Jose | $5 | The stage is yours.

Thursday, Feb. 9

Disney On Ice Presents Road Trip Adventures | Thursday, Feb. 9-Sunday, Feb. 12 | Times vary | SAP Center, 525 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose | $20+ | Embark on a wild ride to your favorite Disney destinations.
Air Supply | Thursday, Feb. 9 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Civic, 135 W. San Carlos St., San Jose | $51.50+ | Jam with this iconic Australian pop/rock duo.

Friday, Feb. 10

The Purple Ones - Insatiable Tribute to Prince | Friday, Feb. 10 | 8 p.m. | The Ritz, 400 S. First St., San Jose | $20 | This tribute band delivers their own spin on Prince’s classic hits.
Friday Night Party | Friday, Feb. 10 | 10 p.m.-2 a.m. | Branham Lounge, 1116 Branham Lane, San Jose | Free | Dance the night away and enjoy great drinks + no cover fee.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

FEB HAPPENINGS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

66º | Sunny | 4% chance of rain

Civic

Santa Clara County sheriff Robert “Bob” Jonsen was recently sworn in at the Board of Supervisors chambers, and is the first newly-elected sheriff in our county since 1998. Sheriff Jonsen previously spent time with the LA County Sheriff’s Department and was also the former police chief in Palo Alto + Menlo Park. 🚔 (The Mercury News)

Tech

Local tech company Transform is currently working on a $1.6 million project to create an app that will allow tenants + landlords to manage and rent out parking spots. Parknav, another local tech company, is working to provide a real-time parking heat map of San Jose’s downtown area. A timeline for the app rollout has not been announced. 📲 (The Mercury News)

Cause

The San Jose Quakes have partnered with Nirvana Soul + the AACSA for a “Community Grind” event this Saturday, Feb. 11. Fans are encouraged to donate toiletries for babies and toddlers, and in return, will receive a 10% discount at Nirvana Soul that day. 🤝

Read

In celebration of Black History Month, San José Spotlight rounded up 15 local Black leaders who have worked to boost equality within the community. Learn about figures like LaDoris Cordell, the first Black female judge in Northern California, and Milan Balinton, the executive director of the African American Community Service Agency. (San José Spotlight)

Sports

This Saturday, Feb. 11, the San Jose Barracuda will host its “Pink in the Rink” night to honor breast cancer patients and survivors. The first 2,000 fans will receive a rally towel, and proceeds from the auction + the game’s Chuck-a-Puck will go to the Asian American Cancer Support Network. 💕

Drink

Beer Week updates ahead. DTSJ Brewing will release two new beers made with 100% California malts from Admiral Maltings in Alameda. The first, to be released Friday, Feb. 10, is a Belgian Trappist Style Quad. The second, to be released Friday, Feb. 17, is the Ampelmänn, a traditional Berlinerweisse. 🍻

Try This

Ahead of Women’s History Month, History San José will host San Jose Creative Ambassador Suhita Shirodkar for a 90-minute sketchwalk exploring the stories of Carmela Fallon. Participants will learn sketch techniques while drawing several artifacts and rooms on the tour. Spots are limited, so register now for the free event. ✏️

Wellness

Not feeling like yourself lately? Talkspace makes getting help easy and convenient. With live chat, video, and audio sessions, starting at $69/week, it’s affordable for everyone to fit therapy into their lifestyle, with or without insurance. Start feeling better today with Talkspace.*

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HOLIDAY

‘Tis the season of love 💘

A bouquet of roses and a heart chocolate box pictured in front of a window showing Downtown San Jose.

Bring on the love, San Jose. | Photo via Yan Liu

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, our great 408 has you covered with a variety of events to attend with your special someone, or your group of besties. Here’s our roundup of 20 events for the holiday.

💕 Fun for everyone

🍰 Seasonal specials + menus

Marrakesh | Voyager Craft Coffee | Made with rose water, almond essence, espresso, milk, and housemade brown sugar simple syrup.

Valentine’s Dinner | Hotel Valencia | Saturday, Feb. 11 | Expect an extravagant prix fixe menu with scallops, lobster, and red velvet cake.

🌹 Shop for your sweetheart

Bloody Valentines Market | Sunday, Feb. 12 | 1-8:30 p.m. | 31 Post St. | Shop Valentine’s Day gifts with a dark twist.

14 MORE EVENTS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Alyson.

Editor’s pick: Did you all enjoy Mike and Charlene’s story? I certainly did. Our interview was all laughs + fun, and the couple’s love is something you just have to witness in person. As a matter of fact, see it for yourself this Saturday, Feb. 11, 12-4 p.m., at Momstera — Charlene will host a one-year anniversary party at the shop, which will include ukulele + acoustic sets, live paintings, and of course, a DJ set by Mike.

Missed the last newsletter? Learn about how you can join one of San Jose’s 27 boards and commissions.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Alyson Chuyang, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Julie Brown | Advertise with us.

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