Tips for Opening DJs – Josh Wink, Hector Romero, Mike Huckaby, DJ Dan, Shiftee +
^^^
Found that a really good read, and something that more people really need to understand. At home, you can do whatever you want. But when it comes to the club, I see SO MANY DJ’s just trying to bang it out as hard as they can all the time.
One of the nights I’ve frequented for years now is Elements (in Cambridge). It’s a little Drum and Bass weekly that probably have some of the most talented resident opening DJ’s I’ve ever seen. And it keeps me coming back again and again. Because it’s not banger-banger-banger, they build up the night slowly and set the mood right for the headliner that they pull in. I mean, I also love me some DnB, but there is truly something to be said for having solid OPENERS as well as bringing it when the time is right.
And it almost feels like a lost art at times these days, except for a few unique spots that absolutely are treasures. A proper opening DJ is something that may not be the talk of the night, but sets the mood perfectly. It’s a skill I’m working on myself, because it’s such an important part of the nights I love to frequent. I could care less about hearing the same top 10 beatport tracks day in and day out as a listener, I love to hear someone building up a night proper for the people later on the bill.
I also feel it’s a tragic loss from the availability of becoming a DJ these days. Not that I mind the technology, but there comes a point where I look at the kids who are just turning 18 and have hardly been to clubs at all, trying to make it as DJ’s, and not throwing down the proper respect as openers. I’m not even spinning out yet and I see this, because I go to a LOT of shows as a promoter. Just something I’ve noticed myself.
its funny you can tell people this stuff alllll day long, and at the end of the day they come back and never learn, until they aren’t booked again.
I mean I had a kid playing Levels at like 10 o’clock to an empty room and people just left. Same with 11:30 another guy did it. I just shake my head and move on.
So right about a room needing to be warmed up and guided to the point where the headliner wants to start. But you can see why some want to play their set how they want. They’ll be worried they won’t get noticed, won’t get bigger opportunities otherwise. It might not be right but you can understand it to an extent.
I mean you can understand it to an extent, but it’s one of those things that doesn’t get overlooked by the promoters or other DJ’s. Seriously.
No matter how much someone wants to just kill it with their set, if someone builds it up for the next DJ? Total fucking win all over the place right there. And it also builds the crowd up, instead of smashing them too early. It’s a tough situation for getting yourself known, but it’s also what I consider somewhat of a “minimalist” approach to it. Paying your dues proper if you will. If you can’t do that, you don’t deserve a headliner spot in the future, even on an off-night.
Funny how some people look at it, personally I’m on board with the opener setting the stage for the next DJ.
I remember there was a little discussion about it on twitter awhile back where Wolfgang Gartner talked about how he wholeheartedly supports openers going all out, saying how you’ll never make it anywhere if you don’t just go for it.
Yeah anyone can lay down bangers after bangers. Opening is an art that’s being lost. i love a good warm up dj. opening is my favourite spot to play on a night.
I know this guy who is supposed to open a night and as soon as he gets about 3 people on the floor dancing suddenly it’s "his time to shine! " Jesus poses and all. And from that the next dj’s struggle to get things back on trak for the headline act.
There are a couple reasons why I think this is being ignored.
Instant gratification: unfortunately our society has turned into a bunch of crazies demanding everything now, now, now. This is why you’ll see those who are inexperienced trying to bring the roof off before the limes are cut. I don’t know about you guys but where i’m from, whether you get booked again is determined usually by the other DJ’s in town. They likely will have heard something about you and usually be a trusted source on whether to book you or not. So stepping on that headliners toes doesn’t get you far here. Again this comes from very short term thinking. An opener figures this is my one shot ever so I have to make it count. Play your cards right and you’ll do fine.
Management: This is something I experienced recently and it could just be an isolated incident but bear with me. A new club opened in town recently and was going for pretty progressive music. I eventually got a spot opening for the headliner on saturdays (another local dj/friend). Whenever I opened I would just try create a feel good vibe so i’d play some classic hip hop, older top 40, some disco house knowing that he plays pretty hard bangers. And I would always get flack about the music and be told to play some uptempo music by management (basically wanting heavy electro). Bear in mind it’s early people are all just getting warmed up/having a few drinks. Basically the message was to throw banger after banger at them from open till close. I know better, the management didn’t.
I hate these situations. I play regularly in a bar in my town which is pretty much the only venue for live music here. And the guy who runs it knows NOTHING about music but this does not stop him from doling out advice/criticism after every gig. I do like feedback and I know he can be right about stuff like when it might have been shaky, but he lets his own taste dominate. You have to leave nearly all, if not all, of your preferences at the door if your in management. (Just to clarify it’s bands I play with in this bar, I’m only starting to DJ and probably won’t gig for a good while yet.)
What do you guys like to spin when you’re doing an opening set? There’s a great bar in the city nearby that has DJs and I always like to go just for the early sets. The best part is when you’re waiting for a drink and you realise your ass has been bopping for the last 10 minutes
BOOM, sums it up nicely. The thing with a lot of new DJs is they don’t have the depth to be able to open properly. They only know about “their” style music, i.e. BANGERS! So of course when they get a chance to open that’s all their going to play.
How often have we seen a thread on here “I just got a gig being the opening DJ, need help finding music now!” Just a lack of knowledge and ignorance. They really should make a rule where you can’t DJ in public unless you’ve been a bedroom DJ for three years.
I was 1 of the guest headliners at a local electro event the other week. This night is only 0900 - 0300, so peak time is anything from 12 - 3.
I started setting up Traktor & controller (out of the way of the DJ already on) at about 11:15, just so its ready and I can iron out any issues.
THIS GUY WAS PLAYING @ 134bpm!! I asked him if he could slow it down a little toward midnight and he just looked at me and grunted. Not to mention, he pretty much played the top 20 Trackitdown tracks.
When I came on I looped his last record over 32 beats and slowly turned the bpm down over a minute to around 127bpm. The crowd carried on dancing, they didnt know any different! I played fairly hard, but at a decent BPM, so as to let the last 2 DJs smash it out for the last 2 hours.
People like this should be educated and bollocked by the promoter/not booked again.
More seriously, I don’t see how someone can think it’s a good idea to land a gig when they are just starting out. I’ve only been doing this seriously for about 4 months, I have about 60 tracks that I would consider to be quality, maybe 5 of them would be appropriate for use in an opening slot. How does someone possibly think they can just pick up and DJ, technique aside it takes a shit load of time just to learn your music.
Technology allows for short cuts. Short cuts most times (not all) are BAD.
Back in the 80’s and 90’s. You did not have computer softwares, pirated music and youtube. In order to DJ, you had to learn from someone that is a DJ. Typically, you did not only learn DJing, but you learned the lifestyle and the business aspect of it by being taught first hand and not by watching a video or reading a blog/forum.
FFWD to today. One can youtube how to be a DJ. Save up $300, buy a controller, dnld some songs and maybe a pirated version of VDJ and viola. You are a DJ. No knowledge of etiquette, and worse, no business savvy in the art of negotiating. So now this person is a “DJ” and goes up to his promoter buddy and does a gig for free or a bar tab. Which totally undermines other DJs pay. Also called under cutting. And since said DJ was never mentored or schooled in the art of DJing and DJing etiquette, he does what he has seen on videos and stuff he has read about ragin parties done by other DJs; Bang out all the hits thinking that if he does his best and gets the floor packed at 9PM, he will get a regular gig. After all, how many posts do you see or read about playing for an empty floor at 9PM and their hot set of old school classics? Unfortunately, this is the same DJ that has no clue how to read a crowd. Comes with a pre canned set. Can’t take request cause one, he has set all his cue points to the songs he knows and that is it. Any deviation and he won’t know what to do. And two, he does not know music outside his genre and/or the 0-3yrs span he’s been dreaming about being a DJ.
Its a sad state for DJs.
Great for clubs and promoters. Cause now, they not only have a line of people wanting to get in and party, 30% of the people in that line are DJs waiting to work for free or a bar tab and sync their way into fame and fortune.
I would bet you can go to any club in the US right now with the capacity of 300+, and you can ask how many are DJs, you will have at least a dozen people raise their hand if not more. Some will probably be good DJs and better than me or some on this board. But I would bet none have the business acumen for DJing nor have a clue about etiquette.
same thing happened with golf…tiger woods brought a huge influx of players to other game. None of those MF’ers can fix a ball mark on a green or rake a trap…
