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Hi, I'm Jeopard, and I was wondering if anyone out there had taken any gigs on mountains or at snow sport events and how they'd gone? Are there any special precautions you should take regarding protecting your gear and if there are any special speakers you might recommend for dispersing the sound over a large area.
Depending on where you are and what you are doing keep all your gear off the ground obviously. So table, speaker stands, etc. If water or ice gets into stuff it could cause problems. If you are on a deck or something I would recommend getting gaffers tape and taping all cables down to avoid people walking over anything. With so many people passing by its easy for someone to trip on something.
check it...if you get the chance you gotta go in your lifetime. http://www.snowbombing.com/
Lived in Alaska,
Was good friends with a local hippy band.
Durring set breaks I played house music for the hippies. One time we managed to get the DJ kit up on top of the doorways folks entered the bar through at the base lodge.
Was an epic Halloween show. The hippies loved dancing to house music (I'm actually a dreddy dead head so I can relate to those folks)
On the negative I got booked to DJ the Red Bull Snow Thrill world extreme skiing competition in Cordova Alaska (accessible by plane only) back in 2001.
It was extreme skiing so I packed hard as nails techno thinking it would work well with the adrenaline thing. It was hard to get there so I left my house box at home.
The local town folks and event promoters were like WTF is this guy playing. The skiers were the minority but the Europeans loved it, I just wish I could have packed two boxes but I needed to bring my skis also.
Imagine playing hard techno in a small bar in a town of a few hundred where nothing happens in town. .. and then subjecting those folks to drumcode/hybrid type tunes.. :P
good times, I don't mind throwing some stuff at those old timers, it's fun. that said the reaction for that set was mixed.
oh, if you are actually playing in the snow set up in a pickup truck bed with the ability to pop an easyup in case it snows.
the hard part of DJing outside in the winter is that you'll not be able to feel your fingers... it's kind of tough if you use your fingers for platter control on a 1200.
I've never done it, but seen it plenty of times since I live in Denver and get up to the mountains a fair share for some snowboarding.
Popup is a must.
Teknik1200's idea of in the back of a pickup is a good idea since it gives you a bit of separation from the people wandering around. You think it's bad in a club where people wander up to the DJ booth? Now combine non-drunk people, families and 8 year old kids that are curious about everything.
And from most of what I've heard in these types of scenarios up there, hip hop/trap is going to be big for you.
I've had gigs at several ski resorts here in Tahoe. Most of the time you are setup under a tent or overhang, they are used to having to put people in these types of environments so it shouldn't be a problem. Do make sure this is something that is in the contract for the gig! You also need a bad weather stipulation in the contract that states that if bad weather hits and you do not feel safe for yourself or your gear, that you have the option of canceling the gig, without pay of course as this is considered "and act of god" and beyond control of anyone.
I'm mainly a breaks/ghetto funk DJ and I'll say that Ghetto Funk goes really well in the resorts. It's that perfect combination of new and old feeling music that gets people of all ages up to their 60s coming up to me asking for CDs of my mixes to listen to on their trip home because they love the remixes of classics I'm playing. Of course theres also those few old folks that tell me "Johnny Cash would be rolling over in his grave if he heard what you did to his song!" but they are few and far between, and whatever, I bet Johnny would actually love to hear new renditions of his song that appeals to an entirely new generation of listeners!
^^Ghettofunk and breaks all day baby :)
When i DJ'd in the snow all the people wanted to hear was "Vanilla Ice- Ice Ice Baby" i kept playing the George Michael song the original and limp bizkit version trolling them and finally mixed it in :P
yeah play "movin music" gotta get those people warm!