The Wookies and Andre VII Give Us a Local’s Guide to Mexico City

It can be exhausting trying to spend your downtime around a multi-day festival by doing the whole sightseeing routine. But if you’re planning to head over to EDC Mexico—you should really spend some time getting to know gorgeous Mexico City. Real talk. No one in their right mind would want to miss out on the many explorations awaiting you, which include but are not limited to mouth-watering food, vibrant art, and storied landmarks galore.

If you’re still not sold on doing some touristing, we got with a couple of DJs from EDC Mexico 2016 and grilled them to find out a few of the ins and outs of their home turf. It’s a locals-only look at Mexico.

So Mexico City, what’s the local music scene like?

The Wookies: Mexico City is really unique and a great place to develop music projects; lots of youngsters are really eager to get new music. There is a cool underground scene, many clubs and places to play.
Andre VII: There is a mix between commercial and underground clubs; both have their crowd. In the last couple of years, though, we have seen the underground scene grow bigger, with a lot of new places and DJs, all because the people are hungry for this kind of music instead of wanting to go and listen to some EDM.

Music aside, what does the city mean to you?

The Wookies: Mexico City has a big energy. There are a lot of cultural movements going on—especially when it comes to music, food and art. Everything moves so fast here; it’s exciting to be part of the local scene.
Andre VII: I love it. I’m from Guanajuato, so coming to the capital was a big change for me—the food, the people, the streets—everything about it is so big, there’s always something to do.

You always hear about the police, what are they like?

The Wookies: A mix between dumb oafs and crooks. It’s one of the things we hate about our city.
Andre VII: It’s a mix. I feel safe when they’re around, but sometimes you know they’re the bad ones.

Other than the police, is there anything about the city you’re not feeling too much?

The Wookies: Posh people, feeling insecure (there are still a few places where it isn’t safe to go), and traffic.
Andre VII: Yeah, the traffic is insane.

What are some of the things you love about your city?

The Wookies: Latin girls, food (especially seafood), the markets, and Día de Muertos in downtown.
Andre VII: Winter (for the clothes you can wear), the city colors, the Christmas vibe, the food, Museo de Diego Rivera, Casa Azul de Frida Kahlo.

What’s a good spot to just hangout?

The Wookies: We like to hang out at La Lagunilla Market (the biggest city flea market); you can find a bunch of crazy stuff like records, old toys, books, glasses, and so on. Museo Rufino Tamayo has an amazing park outside; it’s a great place for picnics and walking your dog. I love to spend my off weekends there, but being “off” is pretty rare.
Andre VII: There’s something about Xaman Bar—the lights, the low ceiling—it just puts you in a trippy state of mind. They just redid Fuente de Cibeles—it’s lit.

What about people watching?

The Wookies: The view from Torre Latinoamericana in downtown—it’s such a beautiful city from the air.
Andre VII: El Zócalo, Coyoacán, Ciudad Universitaria.

What about shopping, what are the good markets?

Andre VII: Mecado de Sonora and Mercado de San Juan—you can find EVERYTHING, from lion meat, a pet monkey, to the most gourmet ingredientes.

Any good record stores?

The Wookies: La Roma Records is a local store in Colonia Roma; Discos Chowell is a vinyl store in downtown and a great place to find real classics.

Where do you like to take friends out who are visiting?

The Wookies: We like to take friends to Chopo, a punk rock market where all the weird people from the city hang out. It’s really exciting for people from around the world to look at the Mexican interpretation of the punk rock scene. I once saw Jerry Only (Misfits), or a look-alike, hanging out there.
Andre VII: Restaurants, of course. There’s Azul y Oro, and El Pialadero (my favorite place to grab a bite on the days I’m hungover), and definitely grab some street tacos.

Yes food, where are some other spots to hit up?

The Wookies: Mi Gusto Es is an excellent seafood place. Try an Aguachile!—shrimp with lemon and cucumber. It doesn’t really get better than that.
Andre VII: Comidas corridas—these are the places you go for lunch on workdays; they have Mexican comfort food. Máximo Bistrot is great. My girl and I love the food there; we go once a month. It’s like our place.

What about club nights, what are some good venues to check out?

The Wookies: Rhodesia is a really special club for us. We do our yearly WookieXmas there. It’s got a great vibe. The crowd is young, and they love our music.
Andre VII: Mono, Rhodesia, Xaman Bar, Louie Fresco, and Climbers are all good spots.

Is there a great place to catch the sunrise?

The Wookies: I particularly like Downtown Mexico City to watch the sunrise, but any rooftop in Mexico City at an after-party is a great place—a perfect moment to share with friends.
Andre VII: The after-parties in the city are always nice.

Complete this sentence:

The Wookies: When in Mexico City you must never drive a car, traffic is awful. You absolutely have to come during Dia de Muertos
Andre VII: When in Mexico City you must never walk alone in La Doctores. You absolutely have to eat something from the street.

Follow The Wookies on Facebook | Twitter
Follow Andre VII on Facebook | Soundcloud