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Programming and bookings
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| Big Boss |
Things have changed a lot in the scene, but I have an issue with programming and bookings of DJs and I hope I’m not the only one.
It seems in this day and age most parties you go to, there are WAY TOO MANY DJS booked for the party. For example you have a 5 hour time slot from 10pm to 3am. Why is there the need to book more than 3 DJs for the party? Even 3 DJs is a lot!
The art of DJing is telling a story with music. You start off at a certain level at the night, and due to the programming of the DJ and his ability to select music that enhances the party it creates a vibe with the crowd and brings the night to a totally different level. At least that’s the way it used to be.
A Tenaglia night is a perfect example of this method. He takes you on a journey, starting the night with warm up tracks, setting the mood with current hits, dropping some bombs and ending the night with classics. With a track being anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes it takes time to tell a story.
But these days looks like you get 5 DJs in a 7 hour slot, or 3 to 4 DJs in a 5 hour slot. How can you tell a story in this time? The flow of the night is thrown out of whack. Think about it, in a night you can have 3 different transitions in a 5 hour set with DJs coming on and off changing the flow of the night.
I like what Footwork does when the book someone like Carlo Lio all night long for a 7 hour set. Something like that really appeals to me because I know this is a long haul set where I’m going to hear different sides of the same DJ in that set. It’s not really a party for me when a DJ comes on, plays for 90 minutes and then another DJ comes on. But this is Toronto…
What is the rationale for this move? I think some organizers are booking DJs in efforts that they are promoting the night as well, but still, if everyone wants their full fee for the night and you have 3 DJ in a 5 hour set (and really it’s more like 4 hours because 10 to 11 is dead) you are paying too much and not going to throw that good of a party due to disjointed sets.
And programming, where do I start? Play for the room and play for the time slot!
There's an 11:30 pm sound! There's a 1am sound! There's a 4am sound ! There's a 7am sound (my favorite, Peak time @ Stereo, Montreal)! If you don't know that you shouldn't be DJing. |
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| Cribby |
| quote: | Originally posted by Big Boss
Play for the room |
I agree with everything you've said, except I have problems with this sometimes. I've found that some deejays are not staying staying true to their sound when they try too hard to play a room/crowd. As a result these sets usually tend to suck. There should be a good balance. |
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| jon jon |
well not every night in the city can be a Tenaglia or Carlo Lio marathon... :p
At least for me personally I want some variety in an entire night, especially a bill with local DJ's... it's less about the "journey" on those nights, more about hearing new tunes, enjoying the vibe, seeing friends, like that...
I hear what you're saying OJ, I come from the school of 1 opener, 1 headliner lol I just think in general people want a different format than that...
great thread btw |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Big Boss
And programming, where do I start? Play for the room and play for the time slot! |
I could write a book on this topic lol (as I'm sure Button could as well) |
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| ChemEnhanced |
| quote: | Originally posted by Big Boss
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+1
It seems that DJ Sets are more about big tunes then taking the crowd on a journey and telling a story through music. |
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| *~LiSa-LoO~* |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cribby
I agree with everything you've said, except I have problems with this sometimes. I've found that some deejays are not staying staying true to their sound when they try too hard to play a room/crowd. As a result these sets usually tend to suck. There should be a good balance. |
Balance is definitely key. Some DJs I find stay SO true to their sound that they don't give a if the crowd is feeling it or not and they play more for themselves than the people. But then on the other end, some DJs play purely for the crowd and then lose their sense of individuality.
Good post Big Boss.
IMO a 3 hour time slot should be the shortest time slot available. My preference would be 5 on average. |
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| samhouse |
| quote: | Originally posted by jon jon
well not every night in the city can be a Tenaglia or Carlo Lio marathon... :p
At least for me personally I want some variety in an entire night, especially a bill with local DJ's... it's less about the "journey" on those nights, more about hearing new tunes, enjoying the vibe, seeing friends, like that...
I hear what you're saying OJ, I come from the school of 1 opener, 1 headliner lol I just think in general people want a different format than that...
great thread btw |
i agree top thread. Its a tough call really. I too enjoy longer drawn on sets that allow a DJ to really show their creativity in terms of track selection and story telling. However I feel Jon is right and that the majority of parties out do tend to become about displaying new music and trying to take full advantage of the slot given to you.
The real talent shows when someone takes these shorter sets and STILL manages to deliver that feeling of calculated direction. It does still happen and there are a few great DJ's in the city right now who are adept at it. |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by samhouse
The real talent shows when someone takes these shorter sets and STILL manages to deliver that feeling of calculated direction. |
well said |
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| iant56 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cribby
I agree with everything you've said, except I have problems with this sometimes. I've found that some deejays are not staying staying true to their sound when they try too hard to play a room/crowd. As a result these sets usually tend to suck. There should be a good balance. |
I agree with finding a good balance. If a DJ decides to just pander to the crowd you probably won't get many "wow now thats something I haven't heard before" moments out of set. I would prefer the DJ just do their thing and play the music that he/she is digging.
I know playing to the crowd and playing what you wanna play are not mutually exclusive but I'd take somebody who pushes their taste over somebody who's acting like a tool wedding DJ. |
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| KeepItMoving |
| quote: | | Originally posted by jon jon |
Its ez to laugh apocolipto when your industry/mod buddies ban my account after I say some truths
Tell ppl why you book 10 djs a night
its because you pay them peanuts & want them to bring ppl to fill the venue so you meet your quota & get paid
You shouldnt talk about music or bookings you dont know about either keep booking yourself & your friends
You already know musically your milli vanilli the music you spin & the money you get from music prove that so dont talk tell your Bff
ban this account & toomuchslack as well mods the truth is offensive |
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| PivotTechno |
Bringing in multiple DJs from multiple camps = broader promotion = better turnout.
These days with so many people fighting for such a small slice of the pie, this has become the standard business model for filling club space. And for the better part, it does suck - great for people with short attention spans ("hey, if this guy isn't doing it for me, the next one's on in 60 minutes!"), not so much for those of use who are used to and still enjoy being taken on a journey.
And by my definition (of a boombastic jazz style)...
Jukebox = someone who stands there in the booth playing "this killer track", then "that killer track", ad infinitum, relying on the flavour of the moment to (hopefully) keep people on the dancefloor.
DJ = someone who takes individual tracks and thinks to themself, "how can I make this my own?", following that process through the entire length of their set.
The majority of Toronto nightclubs are filled with unimaginative, safe-playing Jukeboxes. |
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