Angie Spence helps people escape hard times as full-time nurse and weekend DJ

Coworkers like to tell Angie Spence that she’s “the party.”

That fits, because when Spence, BSN, RN, isn’t caring for patients on the Progressive Care Unit at Methodist Hospital, she’s likely honing her DJ skills.

“I love it,” she said. “It lights up my soul, and it’s a totally different take on what makes me happy.”

A Nebraska Methodist College graduate, Spence is in her seventh year as a Methodist nurse and fifth as a DJ.

Making a Difference

Spence doesn’t usually DJ at many weddings because they can be quite stressful, she said. But a particular wedding in September 2023 reminded her of how joyful they are.

During the first planning meeting with the bride and groom via FaceTime, the bride and Spence – wearing her Methodist scrubs after working a shift at the hospital – knew they recognized each other from somewhere. The bride, Kellie Corcoran, explained that she worked as a nurse in Omaha and that her father had been at Methodist as a patient for a few months. It didn’t take long for the pair to realize that Corcoran’s dad was one of Spence’s patients in progressive care.

“Instantly, I was so excited for the wedding,” Spence said.

The future Mr. and Mrs. Corcoran booked Spence as their DJ earlier in the year, before Spence cared for the bride’s father. 

“It made it all the more special, knowing that she had been a part of everything that we’d gone through,” Corcoran said.

About a month after the initial planning meeting, the big day arrived. The bride’s father was healthy enough to attend the wedding and reception, and the pair danced to “For Good” from the musical “Wicked” for their father-daughter dance as Spence controlled the sound levels.

“It was so special to have her play that song for us knowing that she was a huge part of the reason that he was able to dance with me that day,” Corcoran said.

At the end of the night, the father of the bride approached Spence.

“He came up to say goodbye,” Spence recalled while fighting back tears. “And he gave me a hug and said, ‘This is why I had to fight so hard. Thank you for everything you did at work, and thank you for everything you did tonight.’”

The bride’s father passed away a little over a month after the wedding.

“She became a very special person to us in a short period of time,” Corcoran said of Spence. “And she deserves to know how special she is.”

Changing Perspectives

Spence’s passion for electronic or “house” music started as a teenager. She’s attended multiple festivals and concerts, but it wasn’t until 2018 when one of her friends offered to teach her how to DJ that she stepped into the spotlight.

Despite not thinking she’d be any good at it, she started lessons and fell in love. Soon after, Spence started picking up small gigs around the Omaha area. She started gaining a following and eventually started getting booked for larger events.

Spence has showcased her skills at MAHA Festival the past three years, has provided music at several Omaha Fashion Week shows and travels somewhere within the state about once a month. She has even taken her talents across the country to events in Miami, New York and Austin, Texas.

Spence also has regular shows in Omaha. On Sundays, she provides music for Beats and Brunch at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel in the Blackstone District. She also performs monthly during VIBE at The Tavern in the Old Market. 

She said that some people are skeptical when she starts setting up on a Sunday morning to provide music at the hotel. But when she starts playing soul-filled music full of horns and percussions, the diners seem to lighten up. 

One morning, Spence was approached by an individual who wondered why she was there. After she was done playing music, that same person came back up to her and asked if she could share names of some of the artists she played because they enjoyed it so much. 

“I like when people come into an event thinking, ‘What did I just walk into?’ And I can change their perspective,” she said.

Spence also enjoys the uniqueness of playing at The Tavern. While she’s running her setup, a band including a percussionist, saxophonist and keyboard player is performing and interacting with the crowd. 

Healing Through Nursing and Music

Whether in the hospital or at a venue, Spence likes being at the forefront of making people feel better.

“People rely on you to help them get through whatever they’re getting through,” she said.

She admits that working on the Progressive Care Unit requires a lot of “mental gymnastics,” but she loves getting the opportunity to help people who are struggling with their health.

“Seeing them at their worst and then having them leave in better shape than they came in is really rewarding,” she said.

During an event, Spence loves looking out at the crowd that she can tell is having a great time. And she likes to feed off that energy.

“You know that whatever stresses they have in their lives, at that moment they’re not thinking about them,” she said. “When I can see that in the crowd, that’s how I’m also feeling.”

That sense of connection with the audience at a show is shared throughout the community of DJs.

Spence added: “We strive to make people happy and help them have a good time. When we see that, we get that same happiness.” 

Photos by Nick Bohan and Daniel Johnson