quote:

Jon this mix was spot on. I really, really, really love it how you went a little closer to the prog I play in the beginning of this mix (first few tracks). Maybe that's why I liked it so much Also I definitely find more of a groove/swing in this mix than other opening sets you have played before. One thing though, I personally might have found Glen Frantz - 4A or 7B a tad too "big" maybe to play as a fourth track. Too bad I couldn't have made it to more of your shows or a second recording going b2b with you! I'm sure we'll be meeting up one way or another though for a repeat performance xD P.S. forgot to mention, Sezer Uysal - Respire For Future (Rodskeez remix) is awesome

Cheers for the review. Good point about 4A or 7B, that is a bit massive really but it did seem to catch people's attention. I think it would have been a great track to play late in the set when everyone was already orientated to the tunes

Deffo a shame we didn't meet up a few more times while you were in the UK, was always a barrel of laughs

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I've listened to this all the way through now and I enjoyed it a lot. Good to see you getting away from that dark tribally progressive stuff, which in my opinion is not suited for a warm-up set at all. If I walked into an almost empty room and this kind of stuff was playing I would be happy to get on the dancefloor and ease into things. There's groove but there's also melody, which is important for me in a warm-up set as even if I'm not ready to dance I'll stick in the room early-doors just to have my ears tickled. And things get a bit more stripped down and sometimes quite techy in the second half, which builds tension in a good way. Without being in the room at the time it's impossible to truly know how successful a warm-up set was, but I can say with certainty it worked well at home. More of this shit, mate!

I guess I know what you mean, it's just a shame because I don't really love the style I play here. I definately think this is one of the most boring sets I've ever played, but recognise it's more appropriate to warm up to. Even though I do 'like' the tracks, to me it's kind of middle of the road

I'd argue being middle of road is a good thing for a warm up set though. I've seen some great super eccentric warm up sets as well but those were 3-4 hour sets and making that style work with just an hour is pretty much impossible.

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June 2018 mix

quote:

Originally posted by Woony I'd argue being middle of road is a good thing for a warm up set though. I've seen some great super eccentric warm up sets as well but those were 3-4 hour sets and making that style work with just an hour is pretty much impossible.

I was going to say the same thing. Although also I dont really think that warm up sets should be this short as no-one really has time to settle in, DJ or dancer

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Dave King - Tales Of The Future [Trance]
Dave King - Personal Classics
MIX ARCHIVE!!!

To be perfectly honest, I would say for the first 20-30 minutes of the night you should actively aim to play background music, unless the headliner is on an hour after doors and the club is going to fill up almost instantly. There's a reason almost nobody gets there so early: it's pointless, and anyone in the club straight away is almost certainly there to beat the queue. If I do go in as soon as doors open I want the music to be relatively quiet, I want to wander around the club, go to the cloak room, buy a drink, probably sit down and definitely chat to whoever I'm with.

Jon, I can understand the argument you always make - that you'd rather play interesting music right from the start, to reward those who do show up early - but I don't agree with it. You aren't into slower dance music or listening music, so the "interesting" music you play tends to be progressive house that was, really, written to be played at peak time and has a big, ethereal, thumping peak time vibe. I do find that style more interesting than some plodding 120bpm tech house, but I would still rather hear the tech house at the start of the night. Walking into an empty club to a peak time vibe feels inappropriate, it has the wrong atmosphere, and it can be intimidating. I'm much happier to stand on the dancefloor and tap my foot to low-key beats than venture out to some huge ethnic pad breakdown that makes the completely empty dancefloor feel like a vast savannah.

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Mixes:
> Maximum Elevation [Progressive House]
> DI.FM 26th Anniversary Guest Mix [Progressive House]
> Live @ Dance:Love:Hub London, 11.10.2025
> Higher Peaks [Progressive House]
> Dance:Love:Hub Afterparty (The Return) 23.11.24

Like these sets? Come see me play live at Kibosh in Manchester: https://www.instagram.com/kibosh.mcr/