Texas Basketball's Longtime Official DJ Keeps the Beat

Longhorn basketball games at the Moody Center have a clear soundtrack. Squeaking shoes. The dribble of a ball. Cheers of “Texas Fight!” And in between all that, there’s DJ Mel in the booth, bringing the sounds of BigXthaPlug, Timmy Trumpet, and Enur to the Forty Acres. 

Mel Cavaricci, better known as DJ Mel, has been on some big stages. He’s spun records at festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits Music Festival, the X Games and multiple NFL Drafts—and earned the moniker of “Obama’s DJ” after playing Barack Obama’s second inauguration, the 2012 election night party for his campaign, the farewell address, and several White House Easter Egg Rolls. But one place you’ll find him consistently: the Moody Center, where he DJs for the Longhorns’ men’s and women’s basketball games.  

It remains a natural fit: Aside from being a skilled DJ, Cavaricci describes himself as a “sports nerd” who gets into the games just as much as the crowd does.

“I’m not this guy who’s not about it or not enthusiastic or not present at the games,” Cavaricci says. “I’m emotionally invested in both teams … and I’m emotionally invested in my job. I take my job there seriously.”  

Cavaricci got his long-running basketball gig after already being an Austin mainstay. He moved to the Texas capital in 1994 and started DJing here and there. Then in 1996, two breaks came for Cavaricci: He got a job as a buyer at Waterloo Records and took over DJing on Monday nights at Nasty’s, a now-closed West Campus dive bar. DJ Mel’s nights at Nasty’s became legendary, where UT students and Austinites converged at a hip-hop dance party for 21 years until the bar was sold in 2017.  

“These two things formed all at once and slowly became the foundation of just everything that I am now,” Cavaricci says.  

While still working at Nasty’s and after his big moments in D.C., Cavaricci came on as the official DJ for UT men’s basketball in the 2014–15 season, under what he calls a “revamping of the fan experience” at the Frank Erwin Center. Now, going into his 12th season, he’s seen a lot of change: two arenas, three athletic directors, and five coaches. And in the 2022–23 season, he also took on the women’s basketball games. As the official DJ, Cavaricci provides the music from start to finish, describing it as “live soundtracking” as if he’s watching a movie.  

Cavaricci sees his role as DJ as support for the Longhorns themselves, especially in helping to hype them up as players.  

“I’m there for the team. Before anyone even walks into the Moody Center, I DJ for them to where they feel like they can run through the wall. That’s my goal,” Cavaricci says. “Then when the game starts … I’m there to help create an inhospitable environment for the opposing team.”  

Guard Rori Harmon says the women’s basketball team is definitely one that appreciates and enjoys music. Most of their requests include hip-hop, R&B, and pop, but for Harmon, it’s more important that it’s loud, especially in the moments before a game.  

“I don’t normally get nervous, but sometimes you just start thinking,” Harmon says. “Having a good beat and it being loud enough to drown out my own thoughts … he’s pretty ideal.”  

Cavaricci takes inspiration from professional leagues into the college arena. A few years ago, he went to a Houston Rockets game with some people from Texas Athletics to take notes on how to bring that same energy to UT. Cavaricci thinks he’s succeeded in creating one of the best college gameday experiences around—especially when he sees opposing players dancing or looking around in shock at what they’re hearing.  

“I think what we do at Texas and what I do for both teams, it’s very, very close to an NBA game,” Cavaricci says. “That’s the one thing I do take pride in, is that we’re pushing the envelope a little bit.”  

When DJing at a sporting event, the most important thing is keeping the energy up. That means Cavaricci has to be ready to play at a moment’s notice.  

“One skill that DJ Mel holds: reaction time,” says Reagan Neely, the assistant director of marketing for Texas Athletics. “He is very good about playing as soon as there is a dead moment. Mel is good with having something in the can for hype moments to keep the crowd engaged.”  

It’s something Harmon has experienced on the court and in the stands. She says compared to other arenas, having a DJ means the sound is cleaner and the transitions are better. And with DJ Mel there, she says that she’ll get just as hyped watching Texas basketball as she does playing.  

“Sometimes being a fan and watching those games, I get the feeling that I’m the one who is about to play, because that’s how I feel when I am about to play,” Harmon says.  

For Cavaricci, the camaraderie and community are what keep him behind the booth at the Moody Center, ready to cheer on his teams.  

“I love Texas a lot, and I’m just incredibly grateful to be a part of it,” Cavaricci says. “It’s hard work—it’s not just me showing up and playing music, there’s a lot that goes on. But the biggest thing is being part of something that’s way bigger than any of us.”  

CREDITS: Texas Athletics; DJ Mel