How Do I Be a Good Opening DJ?
Hey everyone, so basically I have a decent shot at opening for a pretty huge DJ in my hometown and its an absolutely massive opportunity. (Most of you will recognize the name but I’ll keep it quiet for now). I’ll need some votes in a few days so I’ll let you know when I do…
BUT ANYWAYS
What is good opening DJ etiquette/need to follow rules? I know stuff like don’t play their tracks an whatnot but probably am oblivious to other practices.
Any help is appreciated.
It depends what style of music you play, but you should pretty much go for more obscure downtempo stuff within the same or similar genre. If you rate your music play 2 & 3 star tracks and maybe a couple of 4 stars but you never want to play any big tracks and you don’t want to crank the volume to the max, you need to leave volume and intensity for later in the evening.
You are essentially background music while people catch up and get drinks. If you notice a couple of girls start to dance by all means raise the intensity up a little bit but again no big tracks you will wear out the girls early and they will leave… leaving a sausage sizzle at about 3AM of guys who didn’t pick up or are messed up on drugs and alcohol, that is bad for everyone!
If you can don’t take a controller or your computer, use the CDJ’s.. no-one want’s to wait for the opener to pack down their equipment when they start, it definitely won’t win you any friends. If that’s impossible start learning to beatmatch now to help you in the future, It is also good to play your last track on a CDJ to give you time to packdown before the next guy starts.
Try not to be too nervous and don’t get too drunk etc.. no one is listening intently to the opener, if you fuck up don’t worry about it just move on to the next mix.
At the end of the set grab some girls numbers, talk to your friends etc… then make your way over to the promoter, don’t suck up their ass or try to be their best friend, just thank them and ask what they thought and if it fit the mood.
Finally go there and experience the atmosphere before the event for yourself, see what the first two guys play and try to match that intensity.
P.S. Don’t forget your headphone connector “I did for my first gig, I felt like a tool asking the other dj’s for theirs”
Myself and a Mate used to always analyze Warm up jocks, with the bad ones being summed up in 4 key terms.
Too Fast, Too Loud, Too Hard…Too Early
[QUOTE]P.S. Don’t forget your headphone connector “I did for my first gig, I felt like a tool asking the other dj’s for theirs”
[/QUOTE]
+1 … and if you are playing with a controller make sure and bring additional Cable, Connectors, Backup CD’s and USB Keys “just in case”.
And for your last track, just mix it in, welcome on the headliner and leave the area until he gets the first record on. Nothing worse than the previous DJ leaving a 30 seconds for you to get your Record on, cued up and mixed in.
When I am opening I always have a very different set than if I am playing peak time. If I am opening for a big name producer, it’s even different still.
I generally make a playlist of what I want to play. If I am the first DJ on for the night, you always have a little bit more wiggle room because you’re setting the mood for the night.
Basically, don’t blow your load early.
Go through your playlist and delete everything that you think the headliner may play. Everything. Even if they are your favorite producer, delete the songs that are hot. Use a lot of tracks that you might have spent time digging for on soundcloud (or other sources).
If you are playing right before the headliner, that’s when you need to be super careful. I’d suggest not even playing anything that’s come out in the last couple months. There is SO much good music that is older that there is no reason to play the newest stuff when you are opening for someone. Play some of your favorite tracks from a year or two ago, through in some really old school tunes. If there are a couple tracks that your really really dig, do it, but make sure it’s something different than what the headliner might play. Don’t play artists the collaborate with, or have record releases on the same label.
Basically: Be smart. Be different. Have fun.
if your playing before a headliner ignore my advice. BB is on point in that respect. Mine is for the first and second dj of the night.
Tons if great advise. The headliner plays mostly dubstep and drum and bass (not my choice set but they could play opera for what I care) so ill probably do an electro house set with lots of familiar songs that are a few years old, combined with a few of my own gems. I’ll throw up a mix later today as an example. Since our styles are different I think I’ll be safe, but I’ll dig into their record label to see who else is signed, that’s a good piece of advise.
(Note: this is assuming I actually get the gig, but I figure the thread could offer good ideas anyways.)
Very good tips in this article!
I haven’t opened for a big act before, but this seems like solid advice. Well stated, synthetic.
Start slow. Finish fast. Hype the crowd. Everyone says to not play tunes the headliner made. I disagree somewhat. Finish with a classic that the headliner produced, but ask him first. Ask him if he’s going to play that tune tonight. Finishing with a classic really hypes the crowd and it makes his opener energetic.
Nothing too hard. If its for a general crowd , stay away from obscure songs, and play popular music (not 128bpm remixes of popular music) and older hits can work well. Not there to try to rock the room or bore the either, but to get them in a “groove”. If you can do that, without making any rookie mistakes, and it looks and sounds like you know what you’re doing, then I personally would consider you a decent opener, and can’t see why they wouldn’t ask you to work again. Best of luck
100% gotta disagree both of your comments, its not your job to finish anything, the headliner should be able to jump on at any point during your set and start his/her thing.
Sure build it up, get a groove going, get heads bobbing but I personally would knock both the energy and tempo down a few notches that the headliners starting tracks so the crowd can be taken on a proper journey… nothing kills the energy in a room more than the headliner needing to take the tempo from 135 down to 128 because the support jock was playing way too hard, if a track is produced @ 128, I’ll take it down a notch to between 120-124 when supporting so everyone gets hyped up when the headliner slams his first record on.
With regards playing something from the headliner, really cheesy idea and cringeworthy in most cases.
Both of the above I’ve seen being done before with the result that and the supporting jock was relegated to supporting acts not associated with the headliner in questions management company, and TBH it was obvious why and embarrassing to watch.
A lot of it depends on the genre. I play 170 stuff and the headliners set is going to be 170 too. I should have prefaced my post with saying that I play drum and bass. It’s a completely different animal than 128. Playing a classic is a sign of respect.
lol me and another, were playing an opening set for Boregore, (if you have never heard of them, they are like dubstep/hiphop) I am really not a fan at all, and still not quite sure why the promoter asked me to open, I guess solely because he knew i could bring a crowd. So we play for 3 hours, just some awesome house stuff, from John Digweed to Fatboy Slim, to Marshall Jefferson, just pure awesome House, rockin a crowd of like 500 or so. so then main act comes on and they just come on so hard and fast, they crank the volume up in the red, and play every profane song they can get their hands on. So they pretty much cleared out the club in about an hour.
Lesson learned, play music similar to what the headliner is going to play, otherwise people will have a rude awakening.
Calzonetti. I know the contest you’re entering because I’m from Guelph as well. Play HEAVYYYYY my friend. The contest is for closing though no?
So far it looks like you’ve got a pretty good chance at winning. Crank out a heavy closing set and let the likes fly my friend!
know your place…
Cheers man. Thats what I was thinking haha people go fucking crazy at the concert theater. Submissions are due a month from today.
EDIT its an opener set for zeds dead
This is going to be a very generic answer but I’d say go with your gut instinct. Think about what you want to accomplish as a DJ opening for the party. Warm up the crowd, spread good vibes. I think that would be the point of opening. Execute that concept the way you would feel most comfortable.
Bangers man. Bangers. I work for the other company in Guelph so I can’t compete 
but I’ll definitely help you get a ton of likes dude. Message me on facebook when you submit the mix Facebook
Good luck man!
Thanks man! I’ll take you up on that. I’ll return the favour at anytime. Glad to meet a local.
I’d also like to thank everyone who’s contributed this is a pretty informative thread
Hours and Hours
There is not substitute for practice.