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- USA - Texas & S. Central USA
-- 2005 Awards : TXTA DJ of the Year
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i voted for steven.

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Originally posted by Matthias I really really appreciate the kinds words from many in the thread. Personally, I voted for Lance Cashion cuz he was the Texas local whose sound influenced alot of what I played this year. I first saw him open for Tiesto in SA in 2004..and it was the first time I left a show thinking more about an openers set than the headliners. Saw him again in September 94 when he played alongside Jerry Bonham and van Dyk at Sky. Early this year he requested me to make an exlusive mix for proton radio which aired back in March. All in all..its why Lance gets my vote. I would like to hear more productions from the man though. Other honorable mentions from this year are Dave Molina and James packer who I've only gotten to see/play along side of once back in January. Cubano from the work I've heard from Dual Progress, Dirk for the similar taste in music, and Steven Hays for the Violet Crown sessions.

Appreciated man. Thanks for the kind words. That Tiesto show was nuts and a lot of fun. For people who are interested in the opening slot DJ position, I believe it remains the most important part of a successful night. The opener/warm-up DJ sets the mood for the evening. They set the up the headliner to take the music wherever they want. Anyone can come into a club and hammer it with 'Big Records', but isn't that the headliner's job?

Personally, I feel the opening slot is challenging and allows for more artistic depth (remembering that we're just mixing music). An opener must practice self control and hold back the ego. Nothing worse that walking into an event at 10 or 11pm and the opener is hammering at 130bpms. You have to get people interested in what you are doing without blowing your wad. The opener should build a bit of musical tension for the headliner. After all, the headliner is the one getting paid to hammer the crowd.

The best opener I have ever heard was Jimmy Van M at Twilo (NYC) from 1997-2000. I would fly up there about every month for Sasha and John's monthly residency. I would show up at 11pm just to hear Jimmy warm up for 3 hours. Deep funky, 118-124bpms... Sasha and John would go on at about 2am or 3am and play until noon the next day sometimes. Jimmy taught me how to honor the headliners and patrons musically. Get them interested and moving... Keep them interested and moving. I worked at this a Texture in Austin for 2 years. I would play from 9pm until 4 or 5am. I've never been into hammering it to much. However, at Texture on a Saturday night at about 2am... I would drop the hammer for 2 hours, playing the toughest records I had. Texture with 400-500 people... vinyl flying... girls dancing on speakers... nothing better than than that. I miss that place.

I could go on and on and on and on... but the important thing is. The opener. Matt, keep on doing what you are doing man. The TX TA board has a great group of DJs. Support eachother whenever you can. Encouragement from your friends is the most important part.

Didn't mean for this post to be this long... LOL

-Lance

ps. I'll be opening for James Zabiela on Feb 22nd @ Barcelona. I've opened for James more than any othere DJ. Always a challenge and pleasure

Well said Lance. The advice from you is always helpful and learning to open is something that I can honestly say is a concept I am just now starting to grasp.

See ya at Barcelona!!!

i just play songs and mix them together.

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Originally posted by Dirk W. i just play songs and mix them together.

LMFAO

Good post Lance, words of wisdom

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Originally posted by Dirk W. i just play songs and mix them together.

lmao sometimes I wonder if you and Nath (ballistic) are long lost sisters

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Originally posted by Slow Motion ps. I'll be opening for James Zabiela on Feb 22nd @ Barcelona. I've opened for James more than any othere DJ. Always a challenge and pleasure

That piece alone made reading through the whole post worth it to me. Now it's imperative that I make this show.

quote:

Originally posted by Slow Motion The opener/warm-up DJ sets the mood for the evening. They set the up the headliner to take the music wherever they want. Anyone can come into a club and hammer it with 'Big Records', but isn't that the headliner's job? Personally, I feel the opening slot is challenging and allows for more artistic depth (remembering that we're just mixing music). An opener must practice self control and hold back the ego. Nothing worse that walking into an event at 10 or 11pm and the opener is hammering at 130bpms. You have to get people interested in what you are doing without blowing your wad. The opener should build a bit of musical tension for the headliner. After all, the headliner is the one getting paid to hammer the crowd.

Ack..I suppose alot of this could be subjective, but I will admit that 130 is the average tempo of alot of my sets within the past year. Although, when I think of 'hammering the crowd', I think of sets that exceed 135 and in van Dyk's case sometimes 144ish.
It might be fair to say that in some ways I may fall into the catagory you mentioned; but I can maintain that I never play any faster, or harder than what feels right, given the time and place.

Not trying to be defensive here...just found a bit of irony in the above. I could always improve of course.. and 130 for me is alot slower than what I used to play circa 2001-2003, officially switching over to prog in jan 2004.As I get older the tempo might get slower...who knows, lol.

I hear what you're saying Lance, and I will take it as great advice. I'm sort of trying to build my reputation right now as a good warm-up DJ because I agree that it is a serious key to any party. I don't play much under 130 but I've slowed down considerably from when I first started. I don't know I guess if you're warming up for the man JZ who plays in the low 130s then you definitely don't want to push it, but as for me I usually open up for people who are playing at least 140 but I'm still always trying to find new music that I love. You've been an inspiration and I will definitely be there at the next JZ show to support, and hopefully I can make it early enough to catch your set.

Thanks for including me in the poll, even though I have no votes and I voted for another nominee, I am honored.

I have not done shite in the past couple of years, played a few gigs here and there and stopped the weekly radio mix show down south, kind of taking a break.

But 06 is coming upon us and the FX will soon be in the loop once again.

peace, love and gods


Laz

quote:

Originally posted by LazFX Thanks for including me in the poll, even though I have no votes and I voted for another nominee, I am honored. I have not done shite in the past couple of years, played a few gigs here and there and stopped the weekly radio mix show down south, kind of taking a break. But 06 is coming upon us and the FX will soon be in the loop once again. peace, love and gods Laz

dont worry, you and me both. Dirk W '06. watch out bitches. im coming out swinging.... whenever dave books me.

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