DJ contest - what to do?

HonkyFippleHonkyFipple 418 Posts
edited May 2007 in Strut Central
A local club offered me to enter a DJ contest. I told them that I'd be interested in playing old music. Most likely groovy Jazz or Funk. The owner was really nice to me and said that he's looking for a DJ like me. But I'm supposed to enter a contest for House and Electro DJs. It sounds totally stupid to me. Should I go for it? I told him that I can't play House. I have no clue about House music. The contest is for House and Electro DJs only. I'm confused. It's a live contest. There will be many people who are expecting to hear good House music. The club pays good money and it's a nice location. They have two projectors with huge screens and a friend would even make a 3D animation for me and a logo. Even flyers. But I don't know if I can enter that contest. It sounds awkward to me. Would the people dance to my music? Are people who like House music easy to please? Are House DJs strong technically? Can they mix? It's neither a famous, nor a big club. I'm living in a students town. It's a fancy place though. Mostly business students and law students. I'm new to DJing, so please don't hatt.

  Comments


  • DelayDelay 4,530 Posts
    walk away, jan. walk away.

  • TREWTREW 2,037 Posts
    Are House DJs strong technically? Can they mix?


    a good house dj can ride out a beatmatch like nobody's business.. that and, at least in chicago, will know how to flex their EQ/phaser/filter/delay muscles incessantly...

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    i will get back to this after I get home from working 8 hours behind a bar.

    I have some good points and can head you towards some good records to use for a mix.

    Since you are new, do you use only vinyl or have microwave?

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    house is really easy to mix/play,etc. No worries on that part. Just practice your beatmatching and when to drop. Its important to know your records.

  • HairyBelafonteHairyBelafonte 1,202 Posts
    walk away, jan. walk away.

  • HonkyFippleHonkyFipple 418 Posts
    i don't get it.

    seriuosly, it's not a good thing to do, right? i wouldn't play house. the owner said that he wouldn't mind. but the audience would. so i'd only embarrass myself.

    Please explain, Tom
    I can't impress any House DJ with my raers?

  • fejmelbafejmelba 1,139 Posts
    what are the other djs playin ?
    if there are only house and techno heads spinnin, people might not appreciate your tunes. if its a mixed lot. have a try.

    btw plans are being made for sugerfactory.
    save your raers for december.

    servoes jef

  • HonkyFippleHonkyFipple 418 Posts
    the other DJs are playing House and Electro ONLY.

    jeff, i'll send out the record for you next week. play it. i'm pretty sure that Dutch people will like it. they'll understand

  • piedpiperpiedpiper 1,279 Posts
    walk away, jan. walk away.




    there are quite some jazzy, funky "raers" that will work in this context. i.e. "mathar" and related stuff usually works for a house crowd as well. however, there is a huge risk that people don??t care about your stuff and you won??t have fun.

  • crossingscrossings 946 Posts
    DON'T
    DO
    IT!!!


  • fejmelbafejmelba 1,139 Posts
    danke jan
    ich hatte gestern etwas fur dich gefunden.

    nice secret spot near my new house. big untouched collection of 45s.
    thanks to nzshadow for that one btw.

    dont invest time on something that aint worth it.
    too bad. was there a lot of eurie to be won ?

  • HonkyFippleHonkyFipple 418 Posts
    it's a strange contest anyway. the contestants are the judges. not the crowd.

  • HonkyFippleHonkyFipple 418 Posts

    too bad. was there a lot of eurie to be won ?

    no. but the winner gets to play there regularly. they pay good money. and the place is very close to my home.

  • fejmelbafejmelba 1,139 Posts
    shade.... better luck next time bro

    got a new monthley starting the 2nd of june in the east-part of town.
    not a lot of eurie to be made. but free beers for the dj.
    and a crowed judging the dj.

  • FunkoffFunkoff 65 Posts
    I would do it, it seems as an exciting challenge
    if you gonna spin raer only than selection is the key, you can forget about mixing as long as you know what Gain & EQ is
    other djs may look at you as a clown but remember You'll be the only one of them who'll not be pushing the same BPM for entire set
    if you prepare good set with stuff that wont scare people (charly antolini drum freakouts? not this time) but make them dance you can win
    fast & groovy latin/bossa/jazzdance/some afrobeat will work
    I wish You luck

  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    If you are not rattled by people not necessarily digging your sound, then go for it. You might end up getting regular gigs out of it if the owner digs what you do.

    On a related note, I am actually entering a DJ comp at a local bar tonight. Most of the DJs in this comp will be playing house and hard dance, but I will be playing a mix of hip-hop, funk and breaks. I won the comp last year and I think I can win it again!


  • SyminSymin 999 Posts
    how long are the sets usually for these comps?

  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    how long are the sets usually for these comps?

    each person tonight has 20 minutes. It depends how many DJs you got in the comp. I've been in comps where you get 15 minutes, and sometimes even up to 30 mins or an hour. Just depends how many other DJs they have to get in over the time period.

  • SyminSymin 999 Posts
    is it more straight mixes or juggle,scratch etc?

  • KineticKinetic 3,739 Posts
    Beyond the DMC type format, most DJ comps I've seen or been in are based on presenting a really cohesive mix/set, but the tasteful bit of scratching or trickery usually goes down well. It goes down teirrbly though when people try this badly, or do it 'ad nausium.'

  • prof_rockwellprof_rockwell 2,867 Posts
    I understand the walk away sentiments, but seriously, what will you lose if you do enter it? A couple of hours out of your life? Besides, even if you don't win, it's good experience, and you just might meet someone who digs your style and wants to book you somewhere else.

    Rock some hot dancefloor jazz or disco - Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, etc. etc. Stuff that people would know directly or from samples.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Rock some hot dancefloor jazz or disco - Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, etc. etc.

    Exactly.

    If the audience is a close minded Electro/Techno crowd - Fuck Them. Show them the roots of there own genre. You can keep that shit uptempo on some ole school steez. It just 15 minutes.
    I would be less enthused if you were trying to get your Math Rock on in a Techno DJ comp. Stay away from over used breaks and dont be too familiar. "Name that sample" is too easy.
    I'm not sayin u can win, but i would be the monkey wrench in the set and make muthafuckas remember who I am.

    Do You.


  • inVrsinVrs 687 Posts
    which club/ which town is this in? i think i know what kind of house/electro u mean.. i hate this kind of stuff.. but please bare in mind that there are house dj`s that would totally KILL you. not only technically.. you should listen some chichago/detroit heads. that`s proper house music. my vision of clubbing in general is that u can go to a certain club and listen to all kinds of good music.. from jazz to techno. a shame this doenst work out anymore.

  • HonkyFippleHonkyFipple 418 Posts
    i have no idea who the other guys are. the town is marburg/hessen

    i just found out that i need to send in a mix-cd first anyway. soothing! i'm relaxed now.

  • nzshadownzshadow 5,518 Posts
    Fuck walk away man...

    RUN AWAY!

    You already know this is a bad idea. You could play the best set you have ever played, but if the audience didnt come to hear your style of music... who the fuck is gonna care.

    Run the fuck away.

    P.S Fej': Theres a couple more spots over your way...

    we'll talk soon, whens your night in Oost? ill bring some peoples.

  • djdazedjdaze 3,099 Posts
    Are House DJs strong technically? Can they mix?


    a good house dj can ride out a beatmatch like nobody's business.. that and, at least in chicago, will know how to flex their EQ/phaser/filter/delay muscles incessantly...

    dude, you been to one of the Sound Republic's nights out there? those fools are sicc wid it.

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    Are House DJs strong technically? Can they mix?


    a good house dj can ride out a beatmatch like nobody's business.. that and, at least in chicago, will know how to flex their EQ/phaser/filter/delay muscles incessantly...

    dude, you been to one of the Sound Republic's nights out there? those fools are sicc wid it.

    those be my boyzzzz.

    crazy parties in my loft with them...missing those days sometimes.

  • djdazedjdaze 3,099 Posts
    Are House DJs strong technically? Can they mix?


    a good house dj can ride out a beatmatch like nobody's business.. that and, at least in chicago, will know how to flex their EQ/phaser/filter/delay muscles incessantly...

    dude, you been to one of the Sound Republic's nights out there? those fools are sicc wid it.

    those be my boyzzzz.

    crazy parties in my loft with them...missing those days sometimes.

    I miss Chicago

    I just got to see them a couple weeks ago for the first time out here in LA and now I wanna go back to chi every 2 weeks just so I can check out Grizzled at the new Lava. haha...fuck, I hate the house scene out here.

  • fejmelbafejmelba 1,139 Posts

    P.S Fej': Theres a couple more spots over your way...

    we'll talk soon, whens your night in Oost? ill bring some peoples.

    does die stripboeken(ruil)winkel op de jan van galen straat hide any goodies ?


    zaterdag 2 juni 11 uur.
    flyers will be ready soon.
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