opener dj

[Duff McKagin]

okay, i got a gig next month to open up for an apparently well known and respectable dj. i've played at parties and small bars before, but this will my my first time playing at a real club where people are paying money to get in and are actually there for the music. this being my first time, i'm not really sure about etiquitte regarding an opening dj. i know that it is my job to warm up the crowd, but to what extent? should i email the guy to see if there are any tracks that he wants to play that i should stay away from? should i be playing "filler" tracks? or should i just say fuck it and play the best shit i have? this is a big step for me as a dj and i definetly want to do it the right way, so if anyone has any advice for me it'd be greatly appreciated because right now i'm freaking out.
peace,
ryan

[remoh]

Re: opener dj

since this is a first time gig play the best you have and overshadow the resident...i would... once you become a resident opener then you can "warm up" ... for this gig start somewhat mellow and build from there play at least a hard/peak time hour ...you want to be noticed... im sure if they booked you, you and the main dj have similar styles. go for it and leave everybody saying ..fuck who was that guy who just got off....

when i was a resident i was an opener so i worked my way up and played harder pending crowd reaction... when i go on after someone i try to make a statement y playing the hardest most banging track i have at the moment... that way you turn heads and everybody knows there is another dj playing!!!!

go for it!!

[asdf_admin]

Re: opener dj

play your fucking heart out and guide the people to having some fun.

forget all rules and laws, and show them what your are about. be respectful and polite. and the rest will follow.

[Caley Martin]

Re: opener dj

play your fucking heart out and guide the people to having some fun.

forget all rules and laws, and show them what your are about. be respectful and polite. and the rest will follow.

couldn't have said it better myself...

[jabondan]

Re: opener dj

hey man a couple of months ago I read an Interview of Hernan Cattaneo which he said that the clue for good opening set is to never overshadow the main dj. Keep your good well known track for another occasion. Play some good music so that people can chill, drink and talk before the main act.

Best Opening Dj's : Hernan Cattaneo and Luke Fair. Stay under those lines.

[Jibgolly]

Re: opener dj

play your best music the best you can. and no other way.

[Chatterbot]

Re: opener dj

I?ve once heard an opener (he was new to our town) that did
go that way: he played banging peak-time-monsters at 10pm

I couldn?t do other than ask myself "what the hell does he want?"

So my suggestion:
play the best records you have, but beware of the peak-time-records.
stay groovy, get the people on the dancefloor.

The best flow on a good night is always from groove to peak-time to mindfuck..
IMO

[remoh]

Re: opener dj

dude if you play peak time at 10 oclock then you are an idiot...
a good opener does not overshadow the main dj...fuck that bang it out and the main dj will wake up .....

see how long you have to play and build up to your last hour ..then bang it out... when the main guy comes on it should be peak time ....

be noticed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pataky P]

Re: opener dj

Good links,and good topic!!

[jeffrey collins]

Re: opener dj

never play faster than 126. I repeat NEVER play faster than 126. Unless you are opening for a trance dj. Than stay at 135.

People like digweed and pappa will get very mad at you if you don't show them respect by playing a proper opening set. How do you think Fair, Howells, Lisle got there breaks...by playing a proper opening set for the big dj. Then they got the respect from the headliner and the next time the headliner came around...who did they ask for to warm up for them.

You gotta think of this as it will play out for you in the long run.

[Yao]

Re: opener dj

LMAO, good luck choosing either of the two options: lick ass or kick butt....

Personally, I'd let it depend on the flow. If the flow is easy going, go easy and leave it to the main DJ to create a peak. If peepz are willing to follow you to a (small) peak, do it. A good DJ can continue from there, and you could create a breakdown after your peak making it easier for the main DJ to build his own set...

[the sun the sea]

Re: opener dj

play your fucking heart out and guide the people to having some fun.

forget all rules and laws, and show them what your are about. be respectful and polite. and the rest will follow.

yeah, when james zabiela opened for sasha a while back when nobody heard of him, he played a great opening set, but he did it his way, and people were like, oh shit, who the fuck is this guy? he blew everybody away.

same thing when desyn opened for digweed back in september in l.a., desyn rocked the house and people were fucking amazed. it was awesome.

[horsack]

Re: opener dj

okay, i got a gig next month to open up for an apparently well known and respectable dj. i've played at parties and small bars before, but this will my my first time playing at a real club where people are paying money to get in and are actually there for the music. this being my first time, i'm not really sure about etiquitte regarding an opening dj. i know that it is my job to warm up the crowd, but to what extent? should i email the guy to see if there are any tracks that he wants to play that i should stay away from? should i be playing "filler" tracks? or should i just say fuck it and play the best shit i have? this is a big step for me as a dj and i definetly want to do it the right way, so if anyone has any advice for me it'd be greatly appreciated because right now i'm freaking out.
peace,
ryan

who's the dj?

[FM]

Re: opener dj

Relax...the first hour half the time the crowd's light enough as is so you don't have to stress it too much.

How long do you have roughly to play?

[Duff McKagin]

Re: opener dj

i have to fill 2 hours....10-12pm..