A crowd of University students and Charlottesville locals gathered Thursday inside the Jefferson Theater to revel in a DJ set by Alex Dougherty — known colloquially as Big Red. Dougherty is currently on his “Day Made” tour, DJing live around the country, primarily in college towns. Before coming to Charlottesville, Dougherty had recently performed in cities including Athens, Ga. and Oxford, Miss., selling out both shows. For the chronically online, Big Red’s “Day Made” tour lived up to its name.
Dougherty has been an internet staple long before he began his DJ career. The 20-year-old rose to fame around seven years ago as the oldest of ten kids in the “Dougherty Dozen” family. Hailing from outside Rochester, N.Y., parents Josh and Alicia Dougherty raised a family of ten adopted and biological children, leading to the name “Dougherty Dozen.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alicia began posting time-lapsed videos of her massive meal-prep routine for her family, and quickly went viral. The Dougherty Dozen account continues to be active on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, and have amassed over 11 million followers across the three platforms.
Alex Dougherty is the most individually famous of his siblings for his dancing videos and “Big Red” persona, which has helped him build his own audience separate from the people who enjoy the family-centered content on the main account. Dougherty said that his videos appeal to a college-aged demographic, which informed his decision to tour in college towns…