DJ Ruben Mancias is changing the way people listen to House. His choice of deep beats and sparkling grooves, overlaid with lush vocal lines and staccato treble kicks, has attracted packed houses of discerning partiers up and down the West Coast. Intelligent, seamless mixing and a passion for the bass have allowed him to build an appearance schedule that often extends across the entire week. His current Sunday night weekly, Devotion at the legendary EndUp in San Francisco, is the city's top draw for deep house fanatics -- straight, gay, locals, tourists, slicksters, club kids, whatever. The turntables, in his control, become a unifying force to the city's often-disparate underground scenes.

Ruben is credited with helping to keep the underground scene alive through San Francisco's economic boom and turmoil of the late 90s, with his clubs Breathe Deep (surely one of the most fertile House clubs in West Coast memory, in terms of pure innovation and solidifying the careers of fellow DJs) and Anthem (which brought a deeper, more minimal feel to SF's then-retro lounge inundated larger clubs). These days he can be found regularly at Fag, the city's most popular gay house club; Faith, a progressive-influenced mixed club for tomorrow's scenesters; and the above-mentioned Devotion, which is earning a reputation for expanding San Francisco's knowledge of the global scene though guest DJ spots and Ruben's smooth yet eclectic style. Appearances throughout America, Europe and most recently at New York's internationally renowned "Club Shelter" keep his style fresh and exportable.

New horizons loom in Ruben's future. "After Midnight" became a best-selling mix cd across America. "Peace" the debut release on his new label "Devotion Records" has climbed charts on both sides of the Atlantic, and new releases are slated to appear regularly in the coming year. He is building quite an impressive discography, gaining respect of fellow artists worldwide. But it's his love for House -- deep, garage, classic and joyful -- that keeps his hands on the tables and ours in the air. Ruben's youth, energy, and immense talent insure that this is only the beginning of a fierce career, and a wonderful contribution to the story that is House.