okay, i got a gig next month to open up for an apparently well known and respectable dj. i've played at parties and small bars before, but this will my my first time playing at a real club where people are paying money to get in and are actually there for the music. this being my first time, i'm not really sure about etiquitte regarding an opening dj. i know that it is my job to warm up the crowd, but to what extent? should i email the guy to see if there are any tracks that he wants to play that i should stay away from? should i be playing "filler" tracks? or should i just say fuck it and play the best shit i have? this is a big step for me as a dj and i definetly want to do it the right way, so if anyone has any advice for me it'd be greatly appreciated because right now i'm freaking out. peace, ryan

Re: opener dj

since this is a first time gig play the best you have and overshadow the resident...i would... once you become a resident opener then you can "warm up" ... for this gig start somewhat mellow and build from there play at least a hard/peak time hour ...you want to be noticed... im sure if they booked you, you and the main dj have similar styles. go for it and leave everybody saying ..fuck who was that guy who just got off....

when i was a resident i was an opener so i worked my way up and played harder pending crowd reaction... when i go on after someone i try to make a statement y playing the hardest most banging track i have at the moment... that way you turn heads and everybody knows there is another dj playing!!!!

go for it!!

Re: opener dj

[b]play your fucking heart out and guide the people to having some fun. [/b]

forget all rules and laws, and show them what your are about. be respectful and polite. and the rest will follow.

Re: opener dj

[quote=asdf_admin][b]play your fucking heart out and guide the people to having some fun. [/b]

forget all rules and laws, and show them what your are about. be respectful and polite. and the rest will follow.[/quote]

couldn't have said it better myself...

Re: opener dj

hey man a couple of months ago I read an Interview of Hernan Cattaneo which he said that the clue for good opening set is to never overshadow the main dj. Keep your good well known track for another occasion. Play some good music so that people can chill, drink and talk before the main act.

Best Opening Dj's : Hernan Cattaneo and Luke Fair. Stay under those lines.

Re: opener dj

play your best music the best you can. and no other way.

Re: opener dj

I?ve once heard an opener (he was new to our town) that did go that way: he played banging peak-time-monsters at 10pm :|

I couldn?t do other than ask myself "what the hell does he want?"

So my suggestion: play the best records you have, but beware of the peak-time-records. stay groovy, get the people on the dancefloor.

The best flow on a good night is always from groove to peak-time to mindfuck.. IMO

:D

Re: opener dj

dude if you play peak time at 10 oclock then you are an idiot... a good opener does not overshadow the main dj...fuck that bang it out and the main dj will wake up .....

see how long you have to play and build up to your last hour ..then bang it out... when the main guy comes on it should be peak time ....

be noticed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: opener dj

Good links,and good topic!! :lol:

Re: opener dj

never play faster than 126. I repeat NEVER play faster than 126. Unless you are opening for a trance dj. Than stay at 135.

People like digweed and pappa will get very mad at you if you don't show them respect by playing a proper opening set. How do you think Fair, Howells, Lisle got there breaks...by playing a proper opening set for the big dj. Then they got the respect from the headliner and the next time the headliner came around...who did they ask for to warm up for them.

You gotta think of this as it will play out for you in the long run.

Re: opener dj

LMAO, good luck choosing either of the two options: lick ass or kick butt.... :D

Personally, I'd let it depend on the flow. If the flow is easy going, go easy and leave it to the main DJ to create a peak. If peepz are willing to follow you to a (small) peak, do it. A good DJ can continue from there, and you could create a breakdown after your peak making it easier for the main DJ to build his own set...

Re: opener dj

[quote=asdf_admin][b]play your fucking heart out and guide the people to having some fun. [/b]

forget all rules and laws, and show them what your are about. be respectful and polite. and the rest will follow.[/quote]

yeah, when james zabiela opened for sasha a while back when nobody heard of him, he played a great opening set, but he did it his way, and people were like, oh shit, who the fuck is this guy? he blew everybody away.

same thing when desyn opened for digweed back in september in l.a., desyn rocked the house and people were fucking amazed. it was awesome.

Re: opener dj

[quote=Duff McKagin]okay, i got a gig next month to open up for an apparently well known and respectable dj. i've played at parties and small bars before, but this will my my first time playing at a real club where people are paying money to get in and are actually there for the music. this being my first time, i'm not really sure about etiquitte regarding an opening dj. i know that it is my job to warm up the crowd, but to what extent? should i email the guy to see if there are any tracks that he wants to play that i should stay away from? should i be playing "filler" tracks? or should i just say fuck it and play the best shit i have? this is a big step for me as a dj and i definetly want to do it the right way, so if anyone has any advice for me it'd be greatly appreciated because right now i'm freaking out. peace, ryan[/quote]

who's the dj?

Re: opener dj

Relax...the first hour half the time the crowd's light enough as is so you don't have to stress it too much.

How long do you have roughly to play?

Re: opener dj

i have to fill 2 hours....10-12pm..

Re: opener dj

[quote=jeffrey collins]never play faster than 126. I repeat NEVER play faster than 126. [/quote]

That is way too slow. I repeat, that is way too slow. I wouldn't dip below 128 and wouldn't head above 131.

Re: opener dj

Great topic.

I echo the query - who's the DJ? Have you met him or her before? Always try to be respectful, but goddamn it, you need to have fun too so you don't get bored and blow a mix!

I would go with the Danny Howells rule. For his "live at Stalker set" (IMHO one of the best 4 hour sets in a long time) even he kept it at or below 128 for 2 hours before he banged it out - and it was class stuff, clearly danceable. I think 128 should be your upper limit and maybe start at 125/6. Banging tracks at 126 will sound different than at 133 - so I don't think you should shut the door on a few well known gems.

Re: opener dj

I am a resident Dj for a night club here locally I open for 2 nights every weekend..

You do set the mood for the night, if you are not having fun the people will know it.

Spin your heart out and have a blast!

Re: opener dj

fuck 10 - 12 am doesn't give you much time ... just work your way up .... depending on closing time peak time wont start untill 1230 am or 1, you wont get to bang it out to much... so just feel it out and always build up ..

Re: opener dj

just blow everyone away with a nice build up, (relax and be origional) then break it down for the main dj 8)

Re: opener dj

[quote=hulkhuss]just blow everyone away with a nice build up, (relax and be origional) then break it down for the main dj 8)[/quote]

good luck too :)

Re: opener dj

I forgot to mention...couple shots of Jager beforehand always does the trick..:lol:

Re: opener dj

the guy;s name is josh "the funky 1". he's from chicago or something. i've never met or heard of him before but i'm pretty sure thta he plays funky house and electro, so that's what i am going to play instead of the deeper progressive that i like. here are some of the tracks that i'm thinking of playing in no particular order: martjin ten velden-revolution sureshot luke fair-doin time luke wan-the wish (i dont know which mix though) full intention-la musique alter ego-rocker steve porter- vodka cranberries (grayare mix) yes-owner of a lonely heart (max graham mix) still on the fence with this one deepsky-talk like a stranger (faniculli vocal mix) harry peat- affrodiziac (pos both mixes) alter ego-rocker

here are some track sthat i'm staying away from for now: yoshimoto-du what u du (trentmoller mix) bluehaze-into nothing (vocal) pob and taylor-aura nirvana-come as you are (breaks mix) benz and md-radience (introspective mix) phil k & habersham- cloud break

what do you guys think about the direction i want to take as well as my track selection....any recommended tracks? any tracks to stay away from?

Re: opener dj

oh and by the way, i do drink a lot when i play...it's the only way for me to calm down...this gig is more than a month away and i already cant sleep thinking about it. so i'm sure i'll be about 8 deep by the time i take the decks...haha

Re: opener dj

Don't drink, take some Valerian. Calms you down, but does not have the side-effect of drowsiness....

I also drink when playing out, but moderately...just enough to take the edge of my nervousness, cos being nervous is normal and keeps you sharp, which may be a little advantage (you'll never fuck up a mix because you weren't paying attention, lol...)

Re: opener dj

congrats, ryan. so, where do you live?

Josh the funky 1 has been around for a while, but not at the top tier ... I saw him on "rave" lineups for a couple of shows in canada recently ... if I were you, I'd stick deep, funky house ... good luck and let us know how it goes!

Re: opener dj

if its "Josh the funky 1 :roll: " i would just play an impressive set and not worrry about him :lol:

Re: opener dj

[quote=DocWashburn][quote=jeffrey collins]never play faster than 126. I repeat NEVER play faster than 126. [/quote]

That is way too slow. I repeat, that is way too slow. I wouldn't dip below 128 and wouldn't head above 131.[/quote]

are you from canada??? :lol:

Re: opener dj

126 is not too slow. John Debo played here and he didn't go above 127 which he did for his last two tracks. The crowd was still getting into it. Hell the guys before him were playing at 122 and it was still rocking.

I say for Josh the funky 1, play around 130 as he will play a bit faster then that.

Re: opener dj

:lol: @ some of the suggestions in this thread.

Re: opener dj

lol, just fucking bang it out! 140 BPM industrial techno all the way!!! :twisted:

Re: opener dj

i'm actually from buffalo where there is no progressive scene, and very little house. the house that is around here is that fucking happy hardcore shit. but this guy is getting a huge response on the local forum around here [url]www.wnysor.net....people[/url] seem super stoked that this guy is coming out to play..

Re: opener dj

[quote=chemicalbeavis]lol, just fucking bang it out! 140 BPM industrial techno all the way!!! :twisted:[/quote]

or throw a curveball with some jungle!!!!!!! :twisted: :twisted:

Re: opener dj

[quote=Jenks]:lol: @ some of the suggestions in this thread.[/quote]

jenks you always laugh at everything .. :roll:

Re: opener dj

[quote=remoh][quote=Jenks]:lol: @ some of the suggestions in this thread.[/quote]

jenks you always laugh at everything .. :roll:[/quote]

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

Re: opener dj

see !!! :cry: 8)