36 mixes and growingBear Cole & The Party Animals
Play every current mix by playlist, right here on the site.
Enter the mix archive ↗
Arizona · Selecting records since 1993
Music first.
Always.
DJ · MC · Producer · Educator01EventsSelective live appearances, streams, and event work.↘02DJ MixesOpen-format journeys across genres and generations.↘03KnowledgeLessons, stories, history, and practical music-industry insight.↘04MerchPanda goods and artifacts from a life behind the music.↘
New identity study
Panda signal / 001
Panda signal / 001
The story
A music fan first.
A DJ second.
Bear Cole has spent decades reading rooms, connecting generations, and learning what makes music matter to people. Today, DJ Bear Cole is less about chasing another crowded calendar and more about preserving the knowledge, stories, and sound of a life spent behind the decks.
He began DJing as a teenager in 1993 and entered professional club work in 1997. His path grew through residencies, concerts, private events, touring, production, promotion, audio engineering, and event leadership.
Bear calls his approach Shuffle Play: open-format record selection that treats genre and decade as possibilities rather than walls. The goal is not to show off equipment. It is to understand the room, choose the right record, and create a feeling people remember.
I’m Bear Cole, also known as Bear Gallagher-Cole. DJing and making original music are part of my work alongside web development, technology, and operations. I own and operate Free the Line with Deidra Cole. Visit my professional profile for that side of my work.
Play the DJ mixes ↗Listen to my original music ↗
More than a DJSelector.
Selector.
Producer.
Teacher.
Music lifer.
Behind the decks
Reading the room.
Shaping the night.
From focused preparation to the middle of a live set, the booth is where selection, timing, and instinct become one continuous signal.
Listen
Open-format journeys.
No genre walls.
Meet Bear Cole and The Party Animals across eight playable Mixcloud playlists. House, hip-hop, indie, global rhythms, funk, and beautiful wild cards all have a place in the pack.
36 mixes and growingPick
your animal
Every Party Animal has a musical point of view, from House Husky to Grimehall Giraffe.
Meet the full pack ↗New sounds.
Same Bear.
The archive stays connected to Mixcloud, so the newest uploads join automatically.
Follow on Mixcloud ↗
Events & live
Fewer dates.
More intention.
After decades of playing clubs, concerts, weddings, corporate events, school functions, bars, and private celebrations, Bear now focuses on occasional appearances, select event work, live streams, education, and projects where his experience can make a real difference.
Decades in the rooms
Record selectorDJ & MCProducerAudio engineerEvent managerPromoterSongwriter & performerTrainer & consultant
The tools changed.
The job did not.
The first sets
Begins DJing as a teenager and starts building a lifelong relationship with record selection.
Professional rooms
Professional club work begins, growing into concerts, private events, touring, production, promotion, audio engineering, and event leadership.
Resident era
Head resident DJ with lighting and sound responsibilities at Martini Ranch and The Shaker Room in Scottsdale.
Experience, transmitted
Selective events, livestreams, education, training, and consulting—fewer dates, chosen with more intention.
From the rooms
The room
remembers.
Words from venue managers, entertainment professionals, event clients, dancers, and people who spent real time in the rooms.
“Dj Bear Cole is a phenomenal artist and human being. It’s truly a pleasure working with him on a weekly basis. Words can’t articulate the the dedication this man puts in to his craft and the results he produces. You have to be a part of it first hand.”
“The guys got jams! Seriously entertaining with an eclectic talent of mix of a genre’s. �����”
“Best DJ I’ve ever had the pleasure of rocking out to. On top of that, he is an amazing person.”
“He's a great guy! Makes the room lively and creates a good atmosphere! Can't help but have a good time when he's playing his music!”
“So much fun! He really interacts with the crowd and gets hem pumped!”
“DJ Bear Cole is seriously the best!! If I could have him be at every location party/location/bar/work/life I would!!! It’s really hard taking a break on the dance floor when he plays every single song you can get down to! You’re amazing DJ Bear!!! Keep doing what you’re doing!”
“There is not enough words to describe DJ Bear Cole! He DJ’d at our wedding and it was EPIC! We highly recommend him for all occasions he is phenomenal!!”
“DJ Bear is a music lifer and total pro! His knowledge of tracks spans decades and a wide variety of genres. Over a decade of club, events, and music production work had given him a fine tuned eye for reading any crowd. I’ve personally referred him to many clients looking for a top notch DJ experience, and have never had anything but rave reviews post-event. He’s got the technical expertise to do a variety of complex performance transitions, and a huge library with something for everybody.”
“DJ Bear Cole is amazing! He plays to the crowd and keeps the party going. Whatever event you are hosting, he is your man. You cannot be in the room without dancing!”
“We used the services of Peaks ProEvent for our ceremony music, lighting, sound, and reception entertainment. Bear’s service was amazing!!! We met with him in advance and explained our plan for the ser vice and style for the reception. We had so many complement us on the music and how fitting it was for us and for our guests!! During the ceremony we had my Mother-in-law sing and she had a sound check with Bear the day of — he adjusted for her vocal power and the sound and song were amazing!! He also maintained a great flow for the evening and accommodated any of our ad hoc adjustments with easy! A true professional!! We also had extra lighting for our outdoor tent and it was amazing!! I highly recommend Peaks ProEvent Services!!”
“I’ve never been disappointed by DJ Bear Cole’s skills, I’ve always been able to bust a move and dance my heart out every time he spins. Thank you for bringing good music back to downtown Flagstaff.”
“I cannot praise DJ Bear Cole enough! We met him a while ago as he was a DJ at a local Flagstaff bar and we knew one day we would want him for our wedding! He made our wedding the most fun! He was so i ncredibly organized and made everything run smooth. We danced straight for a couple hours and it was so fun, he’s incredible at his craft!”
“Dj Bear Cole is one of the best djs I have had to pleasure to listen to, and become friends with. He always has the freshest music, along with perfectly mixed in classics, making for the best dance party possible! Every other dj will now be compared to you, which will be an impossible act to follow!!! Keep up the amazing work, Bear!! You have a lifelong follower!”
“DJ Bear Cole is professional, entertaining, and versatile! From his smooth transitions to his abundant library of classics and hits from the funkiest genres, he is sure to provide an outstanding addition to any event. He’ll add the groove to every party and has made dancing with me girls a real treat!”
“Awesome DJ, always playing the best dancing music!”
“Best DJ around!! He knows how to bring the party, and doesn't let it stop!”
“Dj Bear Cole is really what it's all about! I have been dieing to find somewhere to dance and DJ Bear Cole makes it happen no matter where hes at!”
Knowledge desk
The blog is not filler.
It is the point.
DJ Bear Cole documents the practical craft behind record selection: reading a room, programming across genres and generations, preparing for events, protecting sound quality, and adapting as music technology changes. These are field lessons earned through clubs, concerts, weddings, radio, livestreams, production rooms, and event leadership.
What makes a record selector different?
Why knowing the music, reading the room, and building the emotional arc matter more than the latest gear.
New editorial seriesFrom vinyl rooms to livestreams
What changed, what did not, and what decades of adapting can teach the next generation.
New editorial seriesCelebration is a craft
The invisible work behind making a room feel effortless, welcoming, and alive.
New editorial series
Panda archive
The old mark becomes part of the story.
The original panda remains a piece of DJ Bear Cole history. The new Panda Signal identity moves the brand forward; future merch can celebrate both eras.
Merch collection · Coming laterKeep the signal moving