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DJs...whats the climate like out there?

The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
edited June 2009 in Strut Central
been hired to play a July 4th Soul show...I was hired to play raer 45s and the like, but Im thinkin' the MJ requests will be plenty...even if I bring the odd J5 45, I know that will not suffice...so Im thinkin that I will just stick to my guns and play what I was hired to play.I just want to know how agressive the MJ requesters have been, and will it be a long night if I dont bring any. I dont want to bring and MJ, because "thriller" bumped up next Kim Melvin and the Living Us would sound like poo...I havent Dj'd since dude died, so I dont know what it is like out there at the moment

  Comments

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I think you could easily put together a '70s-based MJ/J5 set and that'd be a happy compromise.

    That said, who is the crowd?
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    I dont know what the crowd will be like for certain, but looking at the band line up(chitlin circuit soul-blues)...its going to be mainly 40ish to 60ish black folks
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    I was midway through playing "Human Nature" EARLY in a set last Sat when a young douche baguette came up and stated, "I know this is a MJ tribute and all, but can you play the hardcore stuff"... and by hardcore, she meant "Thriller".

    I plan to play plenty of MJ this weekend as well.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    I dont know what the crowd will be like for certain, but looking at the band line up(chitlin circuit soul-blues)...its going to be mainly 40ish to 60ish black folks

    Ah, yeah, I wouldn't necessarily anticipate folks trying to holler at you to play "Remember the Time." Drop some J5 and that should do it.
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
    ...its going to be mainly 40ish to 60ish black folks

    You better have the cupid shuffle and the cha cha slide ready.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    When I DJed on Saturday night, I had one hipster chick ask if I could "play some old-school Michael Jackson," so I spun "ABC" to get it out of the way, and that was the last I heard of it all night.

    I intentionally didn't tell this story in the "DJ MJ" thread, because it's not much of a tale. Although the place was crowded, it wasn't really a dance crowd and we were just background music. I can't speak for the other two DJ's (both Soulstrutters), but I brought a couple of J-5 albums for backup and didn't play one song from them until I was asked to.
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    ...its going to be mainly 40ish to 60ish black folks

    You better have the cupid shuffle and the cha cha slide ready.

    I started to say. If we were DJing for that kind of crowd in Chicago, we'd have to play a lot of stepper's cuts and deemphasize the Kim Melvin.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    ...its going to be mainly 40ish to 60ish black folks

    You better have the cupid shuffle and the cha cha slide ready.

    nah...the promoter billed me on the poster as spinning rare 45s...so nothing like that...although not raer, Johnnie Taylor satiates the citlin circuit crowd...Ive played these type of shows before and the requests are usually pretty decent once they know Im just doin' mainly 60s stuff..
  • pickwick33pickwick33 8,946 Posts
    I was midway through playing "Human Nature" EARLY in a set last Sat when a young douche baguette came up and stated, "I know this is a MJ tribute and all, but can you play the hardcore stuff"... and by hardcore, she meant "Thriller".

    I plan to play plenty of MJ this weekend as well.

    Now that the smoke is clearing, I am slowly realizing that when "Becky" and "Zoe" (Becky's indie-rock little sister) ask for some MJ, they mean THIS:



    and not THIS:

    (although you might slide by with "ABC," "I Want You Back," or "The Love You Save"):

  • vinylstalkervinylstalker 397 Posts
    I dont know what the crowd will be like for certain, but looking at the band line up(chitlin circuit soul-blues)...its going to be mainly 40ish to 60ish black folks

    Ah, man.
    I cut my teeth playing to this crowd.
    My first "residency" was at an out-by-the-levee old folks blues bar.
    This is like '94, but the set was mostly Malaco-type blues/r+b, sprinkled
    with QuietStorm stuff.
    Around midinight you could play TooShort and the place would be rockin.

    Yeah, toss in ABC in the first hour and don't think of it again.
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    Bring a grip of J5 45s and don't touch them unless you HAVE TO.
  • prof_rockwellprof_rockwell 2,867 Posts
    bring any and all MJ you got just in case. I had people walking out on me and being EXTRA douchey last Thursday cause I wasn't playing MJ all night long. I mean, it's not like I knew he was gonna keel over on my way to work, and came prepared with his entire discography.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Well, that was Thursday. At this point, the expectations might be a bit dimmed esp. as people are likely beginning to suffer from MJ fatigue.
  • holmesholmes 3,532 Posts
    Since you are billed as rare 45s for an Chitlins type R&B crowd you may be safe with a bunch of J5 45s.
  • prof_rockwellprof_rockwell 2,867 Posts
    Well, that was Thursday. At this point, the expectations might be a bit dimmed esp. as people are likely beginning to suffer from MJ fatigue.

    this is true, but I try not to underestimate the doucheyness of any crowd.
  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Well, that was Thursday. At this point, the expectations might be a bit dimmed esp. as people are likely beginning to suffer from MJ fatigue.

    this is true, but I try not to underestimate the doucheyness of any crowd.

    Word but I'm saying - come prepared but just realize that it may not be as hectic as it was six days ago.
  • prof_rockwellprof_rockwell 2,867 Posts
    Well, that was Thursday. At this point, the expectations might be a bit dimmed esp. as people are likely beginning to suffer from MJ fatigue.

    this is true, but I try not to underestimate the doucheyness of any crowd.

    Word but I'm saying - come prepared but just realize that it may not be as hectic as it was six days ago.

  • pointmanpointman 1,042 Posts
    Friday in Austin I played a couple J5 tunes. The swarms began soon there after. I've never had so many requests and never had requesters be so damn persistent. I had to stiff arm a couple folks. I hope Houston is over the MJ memorial dance floor by the 4th of July or it's going to be a long night.
  • The_Hook_UpThe_Hook_Up 8,182 Posts
    alright, a copy of "The Love You Save" is in the box...
  • Emile BerlinerEmile Berliner 100 Posts
    Bring a grip of J5 45s and don't touch them unless you HAVE TO.

    Your avatar is outrageous.
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