if the dj isn't bringing it everything else is harder

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Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Right, so you went to Shambhala (and what a world-class line-up it looks like, I might add). I remember you once memorably berating me for lecturing on things I hadn't experienced (namely scenes in other cities). Now you're passing judgement on the entire state of DJing based on one annual excursion to some shitty second-rate Canadian music festival and probably a few podcasts (which generally have nothing to do with the art of DJing).

Well, to be fair, I have nearly 20 years experience at this while you have less than 5. All your comments, by the way, are completely insulting and unfounded.

Typical brit.

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Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Regarding this "read the crowd and tell a story" notion... I think "reading the crowd" can be over-emphasised. If you're playing peak time to a busy dancefloor and you've been correctly booked by the promoter (and especially if you're a big name DJ) you're not going to have to worry too much about losing their attention unless you get it drastically wrong.

I agree with this, If you're the headliner in 734 3d point font on the flyer scheduled to appear at peak hour, you can bash your elbows on the decks like John Lennon at Shea Stadium -- it don't matter, people will love you.

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Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Reading the crowd is most important for DJs who need to win the crowd over initially

Which is something every headliner oughta remember and not rely on to coast on their prestige and hype. Unfortunately, few seldom do that.

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Originally posted by SYSTEM-J But overall, as for the question "is a DJ actually needed anymore?", surely you're suggesting that DJs are needed more than ever?

Good DJs are definitely needed. Unfortunately, there are very few DJs who understand what that means, what that entails or what is required to facilitate that outcome.

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Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Well someone who went to the last one just told me that every DJ he saw there sucked, so you should probably be arguing with him.

They did suck, but for none of the reasons you think.

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Originally posted by Psyshell Obviously sometimes people goto music events for the people/vibe, but what's wrong with going to music events for good music sometimes?

What good music?

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Originally posted by Ishkur Well, to be fair, I have nearly 20 years experience at this while you have less than 5.

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Originally posted by Ishkur What good music?

The music you're too cynical and jaded to enjoy anymore.

There's some rather good techno, psy & drum n bass in Melbourne these days. I dunno if there is where you live. Also, how's your guide going? Is it at all? I think it'd be great if a new version was made

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Originally posted by Dykes_on_Jay i agree with him to an extent though. people make the party, not the dj. that being said, why waste time and money going to events you are sick of? if i'm not working, i rarely go out. why? because i've seen enough people dancing like beaker of the muppets to last a lifetime. a good dj can make the good party great. that is why they are still relevant.

What makes you think all events with electronic music are like that? Maybe that's what your local scene is like but suffice to say there's plenty of music events which feel nothing like a "chicks with fake blonde hair getting drunk and dancing to house music" style clubs.

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Originally posted by Ishkur Well, to be fair, I have nearly 20 years experience at this while you have less than 5. All your comments, by the way, are completely insulting and unfounded. Typical brit.

My my, Kent complaining that people are being insulting. You must be getting old!

I'm well aware you are a lot more experienced than me (although you're certainly massaging the data with those numbers). You are well aware that you're appealing to your own authority, and that people with decades of experience can frequently painfully embarrass themselves when trying to assess the State Of The Scene. You might have too much about you to fall completely into "back in the day" stereotypes but I also know it took you about three years to hear Burial, which suggests a man whose finger slipped off the pulse sometime midway through 2005.

And really, this old Ishkur trick of making oblique statements like 'They did suck, but for none of the reasons you think' to try and regain rhetorical control of the debate before unleashing the inevitable sophist essay isn't going to cut it. I think it's perfectly fair to say the art of the DJ has been diluted due to inevitable changes in the conditions of the music scene. In fact, I've already said that in this thread. But you've done what you always do, the blockbuster-tagline attention-grabbing overstatement THE ART OF THE DJ IS DEAD, which is really just a bit silly because there are evidently hundreds of brilliant DJs young and old, famous and unknown, playing out today. And it's also pretty clear that your problem stems from the fact you don't party much anymore, you're stylistically detached from modern movements and you don't really know where to go to hear the good shit.

Because I'm right, aren't I? That's the Shambhala line-up. If you had a comprehensive list of DJs you'd seen in the last 12 months that reveal a man still vibrantly interacting with the many strands of dance music, you'd have posted it.

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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/

Excellent post system-j. Suffice to say Ishkur's not the only one around here (or in life generally) that tries to pull that line of argument either.

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Originally posted by Psyshell What makes you think all events with electronic music are like that? Maybe that's what your local scene is like but suffice to say there's plenty of music events which feel nothing like a "chicks with fake blonde hair getting drunk and dancing to house music" style clubs.

You really are an idiot. You are a child trying to argue with someone who has been at it for a while (1996 was my first party...a big one) and gets paid to do this type of thing now. Go back to playing connect 4 with your grandma. I don't even know what you are responding to. It's why you are a bus boy.

Quit putting words in my mouth and back to putting bread baskets on tables. Some twat from buttfuck australia is trying to educate a guy from one of the best cities for all electronic music in NA. You should have a blog.

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Freak Out Tóng Zhì

Wow, it just got really good in here. And fuck, I knew Ishkur was old, but, sweet Jesus, he's fucking OLD.

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"fake blonde hair bla bla bla" vs "sausage party with 150+ bpm music".

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Freak Out Tóng Zhì

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Originally posted by Dykes_on_Jay "fake blonde hair bla bla bla" vs "sausage party with 150+ bpm music".

Almost all of the music parties I goto have a higher female to male ratio than most house music clubs actually.

Again, nice try dykes on jay

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I saw Ben UFO on Saturday, Jay. Aren't I a big boy now?

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