Do Big Name D.j's Really Attract The Crowds ?

[Dysonsoul]

mmm... been giving this " records are bigger than the d/j's " angle , well it ain't that difficult , without the music the d/j would be fucked and without the d/j the music would be fucked ( in the venues obviously ) at home music is king !

so we have the music and plenty of it , by far the most important factor from then on is having capable lads on who can actually do it right...

to me the easiest events to d/j at are oldies / popular nights - lets face it it's a absolute doddle , virtually anyone can do it and do - do it

me thinks the real skill is playing to a knowledgeable crowd who need to hear new and exciting tunes from 60's ,70's and 80's - correcct me if i'm wrong but that sorts the men out from the boys... thoughts...

[Chalky]

john you keep saying " these so called big names "  i can tell you for a fact so called big names put arses throught the doors at lifeline ! tell me who you'd replace and keep on for the ultimate upfront line up - i won't be offended in the slightest you have my word ! but thgink very hard who can play a hour of top notch unknowns ?

  has for money that don't come into it all my dj's are proper passionate that's why they keep finding things - strap back do you honestly think £100-150 is anything like appropriate wages ? it's a joke ! but that proves they aren't in it for the money - you can't cut costs at quality events ! fire away let's oen up.

link

Still waiting fo an answer to the first question above???

[Mike]

mmm... been giving this " records are bigger than the d/j's " angle , well it ain't that difficult , without the music the d/j would be fucked and without the d/j the music would be fucked ( in the venues obviously ) at home music is king !

so we have the music and plenty of it , by far the most important factor from then on is having capable lads on who can actually do it right...

  to me the easiest events to d/j at are oldies / popular nights  - lets face it it's a absolute doddle , virtually anyone can do it and do - do it

me thinks the real skill is playing to a knowledgeable crowd who need to hear new and exciting tunes from 60's ,70's and 80's - correcct me if i'm wrong but that sorts the men out from the boys...    thoughts...

link

dunno if just me, but find whole thread bit strange and bit my tounge a bit, but as off out on a high thought through up

disjointed thoughts

if want crowds in at soul events, answer is easy, call it a soul/motown nite, double the price, download top 500 mp3s and away you go

on "big boys" , could do with id-ing just who is meant here, most of whom I consider "big" djs are members of this forum so think only fair that at least give us a clue just who on about

on Andys bit above,

"any one can floorfill but theres not many who can do it with style" is a late nite quote

always feel if after a floor full 100% of time , then get down to yer local nite club

how many classics in past would never got off ground if djs didnt have bottle to keep hammering then

Andy mentions skill, and that to me is the key, there's a skill in dj-ing, flow, tempo, the build up or the bring it down, suprise, identity of dj - ie his/her stamp, passion and enjoyment

not just playing a record, but what to play after it , or before it, what if so and so doesnt work, what then ? you got depth in your box to recover,

wanna play this 45 , where gonna fit it in set and what 45s gonna use to build up to it,

are just some words that spring up and while should be put into a better statement but as am late above is as good as it gets, but hopefully get the gist!

have a good weekend

mike

[Guest martyn]

Have been reading this thread with interest,seems it could be simplified.;

It's not the 'name' of the DJ you look out for,rather the tunes this DJ will play that you are unlikely to hear at home on your vinylCD or tape,whether rare or not,& will get a chance to enjoy with your mates ?

Therefore,the lesser known DJs could play the best set ever,but it will take a while for them to 'get a following'???

[Len]

So surely by putting lesser names on it doesn't eat into the profits.

When you take into account that there is no evidence that Well known names do attract crowds, I really don't understand why promoters fall over themselves to put on these so called big names on.

JM

link

[John May]

Still waiting fo an answer to the first question above???

link

Mmm.......Still not covinced of the argument that "Names" bring in punters, I've never seen any evidence to prove it, and I feel the 100 club on Saturday was a good example, no familiar names on there, Musically excellent, and a terrific turn out too.

Lifeline actually is one of my Fav' venues, and I think everyone who goes there expects to see the line up that regulary plays there and yes the music is superb........keep up the good work.

[Chalky]

Have been reading this thread with interest,seems it could be simplified.;

It's not the 'name' of the DJ you look out for,rather the tunes this DJ will play that you are unlikely to hear at home on your vinylCD or tape,whether rare or not,& will get a chance to enjoy with your mates ?

Therefore,the lesser known DJs could play the best set ever,but it will take a while for them to 'get a following'???

link

One of the appeals of the Wilton niters was they always had, along side bigger name DJ's, lesser known's too. They might have been well known in the collecting circles but to the dancers relatively unknown as DJ's. As collectors and having an "ear" for a sound they often had a knack of playing records you would have thought, on paper, totally unplayable side by side but spun to great effect.

You need a balance if running a major night. Local soul nights folk will come along regardless, few pints, few dancers and home happy. At niters and major events you do need the names but you also need to give lesser known DJs a chance too IMO. Most of all you need DJ's who can work the floor, known or not...not some wanna be who just throws records on here and there, like Mike said it's got to flow, they have to get the balance between the tempos and styles right.

Edited January 10, 2005 by chalky

[John May]

One of the appeals of the Wilton niters was they always had, along side bigger name DJ's, lesser known's too.  They might have been well known in the collecting circles but to the dancers relatively unknown as DJ's.  As collectors and having an "ear" for a sound they often had a knack of playing records you would have thought, on paper, totally unplayable side by side but spun to great effect.

You need a balance if running a major night.  Local soul nights folk will come along regardless, few pints, few dancers and home happy.  At niters and major events you do need the names but you also need to give lesser known DJs a chance too IMO.  Most of all you need DJ's who can work the floor, known or not...not some wanna be who just throws records on here and there, like Mike said it's got to flow, they have to get the balance between the tempos and styles right.

link

In agreement there Chalky, all I would say is how do we know if a collector / lesser name can't keep the floor happy if they don't get the chance, alot of it comes down to experience, and the only way to get that is to get beind the decks, I know it's difficult to get the balance and from a promoters point of view, there is a lot to consider when picking the D.J's.

I don't know how Ady chose the line up on saturday at the 100 club, but it worked perfectly.

[Guest hammy]

mmm... been giving this " records are bigger than the d/j's " angle , well it ain't that difficult , without the music the d/j would be fucked and without the d/j the music would be fucked ( in the venues obviously ) at home music is king !

so we have the music and plenty of it , by far the most important factor from then on is having capable lads on who can actually do it right...

  to me the easiest events to d/j at are oldies / popular nights  - lets face it it's a absolute doddle , virtually anyone can do it and do - do it

me thinks the real skill is playing to a knowledgeable crowd who need to hear new and exciting tunes from 60's ,70's and 80's - correcct me if i'm wrong but that sorts the men out from the boys...    thoughts...

link

You've got a point Mr D. Upfront crowd can be very difficult to please - not to mention hard to get out of the armchair and into the venue. the 'knowledgeable crowd' can be tough to please (moaning fuckers a lot of the time actually lol) - the DJ jas to be all things to all people: fresh, innovative, and confident enough to generate excitement on the floor.

It seems a lot of people who don't go to the upfront nights assume that the dancefloor is ignored in favour of chin stroking - total wank if you ask me. Where the best guys (Butch, Andy, Kitch, etc ) triumph is that they have the skill, knowledge and guts to get the dancefloor going with little known stuff. That's no mean feat. It requires taste, a good ear and a heck of a lot of knowledge. The upfront scene poses the ultimate challenge for any northern DJ because it avoids the safe route /option.

Hammy

[Dave]

and I feel the 100 club on Saturday was a good example,  no familiar names on there,

link

Don't know how you make that one out

I unfortunately wasn't able to be there, but I thought Cookie and Jo Wallace, to name but two, were on?