YAY!!! First Gig. Help Needed!

Hi All,

I just wanted to let you know that I have my first gig Feb 21. I'm so excited and can't wait to share with you the details of the night. 2 hours background music on the piano 2 hours on the vci-100 and traktor. I have so much to do still.

It's at a business function. I'll be playing for 35+. I've been working with breaks up until now. Any chance you guys can lead me in the right direction in terms of song selection? There's a sound system at the hall. That's all I know for now. I'll be speaking with the organizer tomorrow for the rest of the details.

I still have over a month to prep. I'm not worried with the piano part but the djing side...well that's another story. I haven't been doing it for long at all but I thought that I just had to jump at this opportunity. What should I look out for in the sound system? Should I expect to come with just the VCI-100 laptop and audio interface? 35+ was what the organizer told me that's it so what songs should I choose? Do you guys have any samples of contracts you can offer me? In other tips and tricks would greatly be appreciated!

Andrew

p.s. I've also been following the guides written on djforum.com in the mobile dj section

Dont forget to take a power strip and spare audio cables.

As for song selection you will probably be safest playing pop music - try to get a top 40 list or something from a popular radio station in town.

It might not be a club enviroment but this is a great article to help you setup to a mixer if they have one.

http://www.djtechtools.com/2008/03/0...-up-in-a-club/

if i in 10years start to listen to strictly top 40 ill have myself permanently sedated

I think that's how we all feel.

Keep in mind that if they are 35 now they were born in 1974, meaning they were teenagers in the 80's. Cheesy 80's tunes might work, as well as some of the lighter stuff from the 90's, mixed with stuff from today.

yea... not so sure about the top40 thing... 80s all the way. if you could get enough breaks remixes of 80's tunes you'd be set.
oh and
Funk always works :D

there are lots of covers and remixes of 80's tracks floating around you can dig up. :)

The more I'm paid for gigs like this the more I dumb it down . Unless I get a really good feeling from the client .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct

I think that's how we all feel.

Keep in mind that if they are 35 now they were born in 1974, meaning they were teenagers in the 80's. Cheesy 80's tunes might work, as well as some of the lighter stuff from the 90's, mixed with stuff from today.

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THE HUMANITY! ;)

DJ Swindle - 80 Cent (50 Cent Meets the 80's)

http://www.last.fm/music/80+Cent+-+Dj+Swindle

i ll probably suggest remix of all 80s and 90s song there are great depeche mode or soul diva been remixed that was on top of charts at some point.
beatport is a great source of different types of music if you are really looking for this kind of thing
hoped it helped

hope everything will be perfect when you gig ;-)

If they are in there mid 30's

Depeche Mode (Pre Violator Album)
Just Cant Get Enough, Enjoy The Silence, Personal Jesus, World In My Eyes, Get the Balance Right, Behind The Wheel, I recommed to look at the Singles 81>85 & 86>98

Other music (Freestyle)

Silent Morning Johnny O
Spring Love Stevie B
If You Leave Me Now Jaya Feat Stevie B
I Wonder If I Take You Home (feat. Full Force) Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam
Point Of No Return Expose

New Wave (Not too chessy)
Holiday Madonna
Dont You Forget About Me Simples Minds
Don't You Want Me Human League
Into The Groove Madonna
Goodbye Horses Q Lazzarus
It's my life Talk Talk
The Walk The Cure
Blue Monday New Order
New Year's Day U2
Sweet Dreams Eurythmics
Planet Earth Duran Duran

Faster New Wave
OMD - Electricity
Berling - The Metro
Aha - Take On Me
Devo - Whip It (Chesse)
Sex Berlin
Tainted Love Soft Cell
Suedehead Morrissey
Nowhere Girl B Movie
White Wedding Billy Idol


80s Disco (from Canada/Europe)
Living On Video Trans X
Danger Extended The Flirts
My Forbidden Love The Tapps
Two of Hearts Stacey Q

If you need more music let me know, I have alot of 80's music

Since this is a business function, id stay away from remixes, breaks, or anything else that might otherwise be played at a rave. i dunno, that's just my take. I'd think more along the lines of frat party, then "party" party.

top40, 80s and 90s hits (originals), and hip-hop (clean versions)

Fuuuunk

Funk is good too...Flashlight, Atomic Dog, Cutie Pie, The Breaks, I feel Good, and so on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aiden

Since this is a business function, id stay away from remixes, breaks, or anything else that might otherwise be played at a rave. i dunno, that's just my take. I'd think more along the lines of frat party, then "party" party.

top40, 80s and 90s hits (originals), and hip-hop (clean versions)

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You got it right man

Start playing anything you really would like to hear if you were in that situation, feel free, like DvlsAdvct said, to mix old and modern stuff, and look at the crowd, their answer will show you the way to swing all night long. But allways try to feel good with yourself, try to don't play tunes you don't wanna hear, 'cos this will drive you in a bad mood, and the bad mood comes out of the speakers too. Adapt your taste to the crowd, not the taste of the crowd to you. That's what i do since i started in 1986, but i've never been more than an amateur dj who helps to sell more drinks to be called again to play more music to the people that come to the club to have some drinks to...
some dj's are called artists, others are only workers, others are workers who love his own art. Be music my friend.

I hope that anyone who reads this understand the simply things i wanna say. Sorry about my poor english...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aiden

Since this is a business function, id stay away from remixes, breaks, or anything else that might otherwise be played at a rave. i dunno, that's just my take. I'd think more along the lines of frat party, then "party" party.

top40, 80s and 90s hits (originals), and hip-hop (clean versions)

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This is the way should do it. I've done a couple of business parties with the same age group, you will get a lot of requests from the + group, so some disco wouldn't hurt either, maybe even a couple of mashups they get peoples attention. Wouldn't worry too much about using your VCI, if you have a DVS system that would be best, people get excited when they see turntables and vinyl.

Also if they are drinking (which they most likely will be) keep an eye on their drinks when they come up and make request. I always direct people to the side instead of in front of you, and politely move their drinks if they set them on the table.

I actually agree with the "DVS" thing. Turntables and all look a lot cooler to people who don't know what's going on, and could influence future bookings. I'd say covers of 80's songs, maybe even fade from that absolutely horrifying Hillary Duff track into the Depeche Mode original, same with that Rihanna song and Tainted Love... THat could get people excited.

But yeah, nothing too extreme unless it starts getting really asked for. I know the DJs at the corporate parties my place throws are pretty awful cause it's all pop hip-hop and they forget acoustics and just turn it up and the bass is painful. So the people who are into that stay, and the rest of us go to a different room and drink.

Granted, one time there was an 80's DJ and I think I danced all night long. Well, at least until 10 when it closed and we moved the party to a bar and proceeded to get shitfaced.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct

...Hillary Duff track into the Depeche Mode original..

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Hold your horses, you think the Riots at the Gun'N'Roses & Metallic concert was BAD, pull that one here in L.A. and see what happens!

I know what you mean by...play TOP 40 with a classics, but leave DM out of this one.

hehe... For you and me I agree, but for the majority of people who are in the corporate world, they might not even recognize it.

Or just play Depeche Mode twice. That's always a good sell

Thanks for all your help! I think I'm going to go mainly pop for this one. The organizer wants me to have swing and other genres for the older guests. One great thing is that I'm not the only form of entertainment. There's like 7-10 other activities aside from dancing for the party guests to do. Last time they held an event like this, the organizer said that there were barely anyone on the dance floor so meh.

It's going to be a great experience just to be there and spin for other people. Although the song order shouldn't be set in stone, should I have like a playlist in my head and arrange it as I see what happens on the dance floor?

An idea is to have little sets, 5-8 songs long, with different energy levels. So if you have people wanting to swing you can do a few swing songs that you know work well together, and then fade those into something that's more jazzy or poppy.

Although, walking in with no plan can keep you from falling back to the pre-arranged sets you had, forcing more creativity.