I was thinking the other day that DJs and crowds would be a lot better off if producers stayed in their studios and didn’t play gigs.
Disregarding the fact that DJing is a money-maker and this is how most producers earn their living, the biggest problem with producers playing DJ sets is that the crowd expects certain things from them. Irrespective of whether you’re seeing Tiesto, LTJ Bukem or Gui Boratto, the knowledgeable people in the audience will general be split into two opposing mindsets: ‘he didn’t play x and y classics that I wanted to hear’ and ‘he only played all his old shit that we’ve heard a million times.’
It seems to me that having prior experience with a producer’s work tends to ruin the experience of seeing them play, because you’re expecting something in particular from them and are likely to be disappointed.
Some of the best shows I’ve ever been to have been those where I’ve been completely ignorant of who I’m seeing and what kind of stuff they play. Shouldn’t the point of DJing be to hear a well-crafted, coherent set with all the elements being equal rather than waiting for a producer to drop his big hit and passing over everything else he plays? These days I’ve often found that the local nobody playing the warm up set entertains me far more than the international headliner, again the result of me having no prior expectations.
Perhaps this is my fault for pidgeon-holing producers without considering their overall merits, but I have noticed that most people tend to do this too. It seems a bit inevitable. To be clear, I’m talking about DJ sets, not live shows like Underworld and the like.
Thoughts?
Sep-24-2009 23:49
lenazi
Suspended User
Registered: Jul 2009
Location: 40lbs box of rape.
some of them can, most of them really can't
the dynamics of production and keeping a dance floor well fed for a few hours are really night and day.
a producer can make a great tracks.
he usually can't mix it in a live setting and have enough time to find other music to compliment said tracks and stay current because of the time involved in making good productions.
plus if i just want to see people show off their own shit, 2 girls one cup is usually more entertaining.
Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
No, but I also don't drink out of a fucking sippy-cup you goddamned Appalachian.
Sep-25-2009 00:01
Domesticated
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Feb 2007
Location:
quote:
Originally posted by lenazi
some of them can, most of them really can't
the dynamics of production and keeping a dance floor well fed for a few hours are really night and day.
a producer can make a great tracks.
he usually can't mix it in a live setting and have enough time to find other music to compliment said tracks and stay current because of the time involved in making good productions.
plus if i just want to see people show off their own shit, 2 girls one cup is usually more entertaining.
I'm not debating whether or not producers make good DJs. My point is that they could play the best fucking set in the world and the audience could still be dissapointed and complain that they didn't play their big hit from last summer.
I think you are being a tad harsh there, anyway. There are plenty of great DJ/producer combos. Adam Beyer springs to mind.
Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
No, but I also don't drink out of a fucking sippy-cup you goddamned Appalachian.
Sep-25-2009 00:04
woscar
Starstuff
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Guatemala, Guatemala
I'd go ahead and say that it's the party-goer's fault and not the producer's
Although, in some cases the DJ whores out his own productions in every gig he plays which creates expectations in the party-goers. PvD and Tiesto are perfect examples of this. I still can't believe Tiesto is still playing his remix of "Silence" in every damn set.
there are plenty of producers that are not trance guys that play more of their tracks then they should.
it is all about balance and knowing how to control a dance floor. If you pelt them non stop with what they expect is that really fun? No, take them on a ride with a few "hello you know this one don't you you bunch of cheeky monkeys" moment.
The best tracks of a dj set are the ones you don't see coming that still make the place lose their mind. I'm not talking being obscure for the sake of being obscure, but there is nothing wrong with taking your time with a captive audience and saying " don't know this one eh fuckerss? put down your pens, its time to groove".
Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On
No, but I also don't drink out of a fucking sippy-cup you goddamned Appalachian.
Sep-25-2009 00:09
Adam420
Trance Free Since 2003
Registered: Jul 2008
Location: Montreal, QC
I agree with Demoted. I never quite thought of it that way, but he's got a point. I've often had certain expectations when seeing DJs whose productions I know play.
I guess one just shouldn't have those kinds of expectations. The reason being is that it's very hard to pay attention to the music they're playing when you're expecting that one track. Hard to do, I suppose, but like you said, they have to make a living, and who says they don't necessarily DJ well either. And I think there's nothing wrong with asking a DJ to play a track if they produced it.
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Levels is...decent...damn better than a lot of the shite dominating the charts at the moment. It sounds absolutely nothing like...a billion and one similar tracks in this big-room style. I always had a soft spot.
Sep-25-2009 00:10
Domesticated
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Feb 2007
Location:
quote:
Originally posted by woscar
I'd go ahead and say that it's the party-goer's fault and not the producer's
Although, in some cases the DJ whores out his own productions in every gig he plays which creates expectations in the party-goers. PvD and Tiesto are perfect examples of this. I still can't believe Tiesto is still playing his remix of "Silence" in every damn set.
I agree. It is the party-goer's fault. However, as holding silly expectation is something I recognise in myself yet still do, perhaps it's an inevitable thing?
I also feel sorry for the producers who DJ though. There is huge pressure on them from promoters and clubbers to play 'that' track of theirs, and they lose a lot of creative freedom in their sets when compared with someone who has made none or few productions.
Sep-25-2009 00:11
lenazi
Suspended User
Registered: Jul 2009
Location: 40lbs box of rape.
did you go see brendan moeller?
he played nothing that i expected him too, and it was more memorable because of that imo.
Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Levels is...decent...damn better than a lot of the shite dominating the charts at the moment. It sounds absolutely nothing like...a billion and one similar tracks in this big-room style. I always had a soft spot.
Sep-25-2009 00:16
lenazi
Suspended User
Registered: Jul 2009
Location: 40lbs box of rape.
sorry to hear that he would have blown you away.
you want to know what you are getting go see deadmau5.
i'll take the talent and people who know what they are doing anyday over an artist that the edm noob is pissed at because he didn't play said track.
the whole concept misses the point on what a good party should be. Save the chin stroking and the train spotting for the dj promo forums, and let someone shine how they see fit imo.
"omg villalobos did not play the 808 bass queen"
i say fucking great, because he played some of the best house music that he did not produce from the decade past.
maybe it is just me. having a good time and listening to great music > track listing and waiting for that big cheap pop.
