DJ nights you'd like to start

buttonbutton 1,475 Posts
edited March 2008 in Strut Central
If you could start a DJ spin of your choice what would it be? I've been itching to start a ska, r&b and rockabilly night, all on original press 45s of course. Which means for now it can only be a pipe dream.... until your rich uncle agrees to bankroll it for me.
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  • dstill808dstill808 704 Posts
    I've had several ideas that I'd like to pop off for a while. The tricky part is getting the right people to come so that it goes down the right way.

    I really want to do just a basic dance party that covers Motown era, girl group, French stuff like France Gall, good vintage ska, jump blues, and some poppy psychedelic stuff.

    I'd also really love to have a place to play more aggressive, b-boy style stuff, though unfortunately it seems like breakdancing just doesn't work at the clurb.

  • dstill808dstill808 704 Posts
    It would also be really fun to do an all Soundtrack night, but again, it would be all about getting people who would actually enjoy hearing that kind of music, and other DJ's to keep the music fresh.

  • BurnsBurns 2,227 Posts
    It would also be really fun to do an all Soundtrack night, but again, it would be all about getting people who would actually enjoy hearing that kind of music, and other DJ's to keep the music fresh.

    true,many of ideas,its all bout "if you build it will they come?" mentality. The sad state of djing.

  • tomasltomasl 315 Posts
    Why don't you start a night of stolen library records?

  • jaymackjaymack 5,199 Posts
    there was an ad for an irish pub in the area, and i was thinkin about proposing a van morrison night. but i never did.

  • There were two djs here who did a night of 'hand claps vs. cowbell,' alternating songs with those two percussive elements.

    I wish I'd thought of that.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Id like to have a night where I can play whatever the fuck I like and not be stuck in any genre.

    And the public knows this and bends to my mood regardless.

    "alright muthafuckas, im playing the entire muthafuckin Playgrounds/Zoom album and your gonna listen to it w/ me batches...."

  • Hotsauce84Hotsauce84 8,450 Posts


    "alright muthafuckas, im playing the entire muthafuckin Playgrounds/Zoom album and your gonna listen to it w/ me batches...."

    I would not complain.

  • jaymackjaymack 5,199 Posts


    "alright muthafuckas, im playing the entire muthafuckin Playgrounds/Zoom album and your gonna listen to it w/ me batches...."

    I would not complain.

    Me neither, I'd just quietly pay my tab and leave.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts


    "alright muthafuckas, im playing the entire muthafuckin Playgrounds/Zoom album and your gonna listen to it w/ me batches...."

    I would not complain.

    Me neither, I'd just quietly pay my tab and leave.


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  • buttonbutton 1,475 Posts
    Why don't you start a night of stolen library records?

    ooh, nice thread x-over. +5

    but really, the whole idea of not doing a night because nobody will come is kind of depressing (even though I'm guilty of that mindset too). I know a guy with a killer random rap collection who wont start anything for this very reason. You just gotta try it and not expect any kind of superstardom. Just enjoy getting free drinks and a few bucks.

  • DongerDonger 854 Posts
    I don't get it, why are these pipe dreams? No offense, but do you guys live your Dj lives solely on the internet and your private mind gardens? Why is it a "sad state of affairs" in DJ land if you have to put some hard work into it? It's called the real world, nothing comes free or easy. Just go out there and do it.

    Now just come up with your concept, find a venue, make a flyer and make this shit happen. I would check out any of these nights if you promote them properly.

    And don't forget to invite a lot of girls.

  • DJ_NevilleCDJ_NevilleC 1,922 Posts
    We've been doing a monthly psych night at Cafe Saint-Ex here in DC for the last year. Three DJ's showing off their raers and semi-raers and playing stuff you definitely won't hear anywhere else (Trifle, Badger, US 69, Osanna, etc).
    Some months we've had nice crowds, but on others its been us, the staff and a few friends. Still hoping we can hit critical mass. Enough folks come into to my shop looking for this kind of music but will they support a DJ night playing the same??? Anybody else on here have a night lke this?

    shameless plug: (our next one in this Wednesday).

  • PlantweedPlantweed 394 Posts
    Easy listening/exotica/crime-west coast jazz/soundtrack swankness. I don't know where the hell I'd do it around here. Gay bar? Aren't they all-techno?

  • MondeyanoMondeyano Reykjavik 863 Posts
    I've been wanting to start a regular nu-jazz/broken-beat/house/disco night for a while now. Unfortunately, where I live, clubs are overrun with bullshit "electro house" music and wherever you go it's the exact same music being played. Fuck Booka Shade and Trentemoller, I'm ready to hear something different. Unfortunately since I'm moving to Japan I won't be able to start it off but the plan is to kickstart something when I get back in 2-3 years time.

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    small place, low-lit, possibly in a basement, slow jams all night long, slow dancing all night long.

  • FrankFrank 2,370 Posts
    I haven't had a real job in 14 years. And no, my folks aren't rich and haven't supported my ass at all within the past 20 years.
    I did a Euro-Soft-Porn/French 60's Pop/Exotica night in Germany for 2 years, then the same thing in NYC and Philly for 4 years.
    Then I did a Funk 45 night in Berlin for 5 years.
    After that, I sold the night and went off to West Africa for 3 years.
    This summer I'm going to start an African night in NYC.

    If your concept is tight and you're willing to really work for it as in spending time and thought on decorating the place, slide and video projections etc and if you're good at promoting and designing flyers, it's likely to work out.

    If you do it right, a party can pay your bills and you'll have a blast on top of it.

  • Garcia_VegaGarcia_Vega 2,428 Posts
    small place, low-lit, possibly in a basement, slow jams all night long, slow dancing all night long.


  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    small place, low-lit, possibly in a basement, slow jams all night long, slow dancing all night long.

    from 10pm till 4am......

  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    small place, low-lit, possibly in a basement, slow jams all night long, slow dancing all night long.


    Nah - strictly for adults.

  • jaysusjaysus 787 Posts
    All instrumental 45s with live jazz flute cameos.



    Oh and a bluegrass/spirituals night with free bread and wine.

    st8 holy.

  • jinx74jinx74 2,287 Posts
    id just like to see a proper soul night started here in san francisco. while there are two (maybe more) nights like this they dont get a proper crowd that wants to hear the music and dance. its too bad really since we have some great soul/funk/misc djs out here.

    this is a radio driven market and im tired of it...

    ...or maybe i just dont get out enough

  • jaysusjaysus 787 Posts
    ...or maybe i just dont get out enough

    I think this is the reason most dj nights like the ones listed here don't pop off is the people into more obscure music are at home searing sesame tuna steaks and drinking grand marnier in their "listening rooms"



    And the chad/becky/oompas are out dancing every night of the week!

    Come on people, support your local djs.

  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    I really want to do just a basic dance party that covers Motown era, girl group, French stuff like France Gall, good vintage ska, jump blues, and some poppy psychedelic stuff.

    This sounds remarkably like Cheap Thrills A Go-Go here in Boston, sans the ska and jump blues, plus a little Bollywood. It works well, and the crowd is right. Hit up Beattrain on the PM about it if you're so inclined. It's his night.

    Oh, they also do some 16mm film projection stuff.

  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    I think this is the reason most dj nights like the ones listed here don't pop off is the people into more obscure music are at home searing sesame tuna steaks and drinking grand marnier in their "listening rooms"





  • I want to start a night where I play deep psychedelia to an opium den.

    So if any of you start an opium den, I'm yr guy.

  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    So if any of you start an opium den, I'm yr guy.

    PM sent.

  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    ...or maybe i just dont get out enough

    I think this is the reason most dj nights like the ones listed here don't pop off is the people into more obscure music are at home searing sesame tuna steaks and drinking grand marnier in their "listening rooms"



    And the chad/becky/oompas are out dancing every night of the week!

    Come on people, support your local djs.

    This actually pretty spot on.

    It is tough to 'custom-select' a crowd in this day and age. Hot spots are hot because 'everyone' wants to be there, and thus it becomes much more difficult to create a night that is specific to one genre. Genres that are, for lack of a better term, 'ethnic', like Salsa nights, Bossa/Brazillian, Indian/Bollywood, these can tap into a community that is looking for something specific in their night out, and can become great nights full of people who love the music. Funk nights, Soul nights, etc can be popular in a trendy kind of way, but it is really tough to sustain a crowd solely based on this, in my experience. The people who are really in love with this music are not often the same people who can sustain a club when it comes to filling it up and drinking all night.

  • PATXPATX 2,820 Posts
    I don't get it, why are these pipe dreams? No offense, but do you guys live your Dj lives solely on the internet and your private mind gardens? Why is it a "sad state of affairs" in DJ land if you have to put some hard work into it? It's called the real world, nothing comes free or easy. Just go out there and do it.

    Now just come up with your concept, find a venue, make a flyer and make this shit happen. I would check out any of these nights if you promote them properly.

    And don't forget to invite a lot of girls.

    Is this the kinder, gentler Donger? I prefer it when you just rant about mindgarden DJ haterz on Soulstrut.

  • verb606verb606 2,518 Posts
    Not so much an ongoing night, but I'd like to do a nightlong theme in a Kevin Bacon style. Meaning that the next record has to have an rapper, singer, producer, or central musician in common with the one before. This is easiest with hip-hop. Like if I play DITC "Day One," I can follow it with "Time's Up" but not "Ya Playin Yaself."

    Maybe a mix like this for my own private mindpub (serving food until 1am!) would be better for this.
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