Playing what you consider to be some great stuff to an empty floor surrounded by people talking and drinking. Do you:

 

Carry on and just play what you want to hear

 

Panic and start looking for sure-fire stuff in your box

 

Get on the mic and berate the crowd for their lack of taste

 

Burst into tears, storm off stage and vow never to DJ again

 

or...?

Spot on Matt. Great DJS empty the floor all the time as they try new things. Rocking up and playing the same 20 records to a full dance floor is being a human jukebox rearranging tunes in a different order. Far to cosy and fluffy.

And just because a floor is empty don't forget some of us are loving it and running round asking what the record is.

Nothing wrong with an empty dance floor. DJs aren't slaves to the dancers. They should be pushing the envelope. I miss the days when DJs were people we looked up to, who played new sounds that we never heard anywhere else and we'd dance to for the first time, dare I say they 'educated' us.

 

The best spots I've heard are record after record of brilliant sounds I'd never heard before. I probably didn't dance to them all but that doesn't mean I wasn't having the best night ever.

 

It's all a bit cosy and predictable if the DJing is trying to guess what people want all night rather than concentrating on playing their A1 set. It's the pipe and slippers, and a comfy cardigan school of DJing.

Spot on Matt. Great DJS empty the floor all the time as they try new things. Rocking up and playing the same 20 records to a full dance floor is being a human jukebox rearranging tunes in a different order. Far to cosy and fluffy.

And just because a floor is empty don't forget some of us are loving it and running round asking what the record is.

 

You've cracked it son.... whether the dance floor is full or empty a dj has done a blinding spot

We all know roughly where a northern tune is going so there is no excuse . Personally I love hearing and dancing to new stuff ,We are not all like Shredded wheat boy reliving our youth.

So many quality tunes out there that never get a look in iit really is a shame .

Somewhere on SS is a review of a Rugby niter when I did an early spot. I've always felt the early spot is one where the DJ needs to get people dancing.

On this particular night it just wasn't working. I tried Oldies, R & B, uptempo, mid tempo,, you name it.

The review though, and I can't remember who wrote it, noted this, with a considerable amount of amusement, saying something like " we watched with glee as Dave tried different styles and tempos, with a panicky look on his face, but still couldn't get the dancers up"

So it just goes to show that sometimes, no matter what you play, people just won't dance !

On another occasion I was told "they don't like R & B here". Of course they did. I filled the floor with an R & B spot.

I guess what I'm tryingbto saybis a good DJ should be able to read the floor, and change their spot accordingly, but there's no guarantee that will work either !

In my experience over the years you would travel to hear tunes that certain djs would play.Now anyone can take a bunch of played out oldies & fill any dance floor.Surely the scene wasn't based on this ?or maybe it suits the masses.

 

That doesn't answer the question. Floor is empty, what does a DJ do ?

We all know roughly where a northern tune is going so there is no excuse . Personally I love hearing and dancing to new stuff ,We are not all like Shredded wheat boy reliving our youth.

So many quality tunes out there that never get a look in iit really is a shame .

 

Many, many years ago when Dave Rimmer were a lad    he wrote a post on an old, maybe the very 1st internet soul forum. Dave's wise words were. "Basically there are 2 types of soul fans who go to soul events. The first are returning soulies out for good night, perhaps reliving a part of their youth. The second type are those who want to hear the rarer records and aren't too bothered about the dancing aspect" Wise words indeed sir. The message must be get the right DJ for the right event, I know when I look at the DJ line-up whether is something for me or not.    

That doesn't answer the question. Floor is empty, what does a DJ do ?

 

That doesn't answer the question. Floor is empty, what does a DJ do ?

As a manager, your team is losing 3-0 at half time, what is the solution, change tactics/one or two players, but go on to lose the game 5-0! Dj-ing can be a thankless job at times Chris.... hit & miss

As a manager, your team is losing 3-0 at half time, what is the solution, change tactics/one or two players, but go on to lose the game 5-0! Dj-ing can be a thankless job at times Chris.... hit & miss

 

Not sure how you compare a football team/match with DJ-ing

Put a few hundred quid behind the bar, a few beers seems to get people up dancing!

No 4 - “As a Dj surely your there to play what the punters want not what you want to hear”

 

I say think again (meant in the nicest possible way) If anyone goes over the same ground (nice ground that it may be) over and over again, they will get bored of it in the end (human nature) So people trying to make things more interesting are just ‘trying to make things more interesting’

 

Whilst keeping it entertaining of course

 

Creativity is what makes things last.

 

All the best,

 

Len  

I understand what your saying Len and I would sooner be in a rare room than the top 500 room personal.

 

About 10 years ago I put a soul night on in Nottingham and Rob Thomas volunteered his services for the first night, as all DJs were booked I shared my spot with him. He played things like Marrying Kind, Hey You, Oh Baby, Whats Your Game etc etc. It was 100% brilliant. Unfortunately it emptied the floor and gave a feeling of no atmosphere. Time for safety and back to the oldies - Full floor

Robs record selection was ace but not right for this night. So I see it as if your going to DJ at a venue where people are paying there hard earned cash and want to dance to top 500 then its your duty to do so even to the extent of playing a record you dont like yourself.  Remember there the top 500 for a reason. Even though Robs session was awesome.

You could blame me for being the promoter and putting Rob on - and I would say it was the first night and I had no Idea 250 would attend all wanting big oldies  

 

Mick

I understand what your saying Len and I would sooner be in a rare room than the top 500 room personal.

 

About 10 years ago I put a soul night on in Nottingham and Rob Thomas volunteered his services for the first night, as all DJs were booked I shared my spot with him. He played things like Marrying Kind, Hey You, Oh Baby, Whats Your Game etc etc. It was 100% brilliant. Unfortunately it emptied the floor and gave a feeling of no atmosphere. Time for safety and back to the oldies - Full floor

Robs record selection was ace but not right for this night. So I see it as if your going to DJ at a venue where people are paying there hard earned cash and want to dance to top 500 then its your duty to do so even to the extent of playing a record you dont like yourself.  Remember there the top 500 for a reason. Even though Robs session was awesome.

You could blame me for being the promoter and putting Rob on - and I would say it was the first night and I had no Idea 250 would attend all wanting big oldies  

 

Mick

East Midlands  why am l not shocked 

You are either at the wrong event, or you are a shit Dj. 

Now,now Phil behave.    

You still gotta know how to play em  

 

Len  

Come on Len, with Butch's box? You are joking aren't you?    btw Len I get your point about "Covering the same ground" but that's our small band of open minded Soulies, try explaining to the Oldies crew that it gets boring, it'll fall on deaf ears.      

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by spot

Or as a certain DJ used to say I think, "Dance ya fu**ers!"

Yes Matt seen that on more than one occasion, that really endears them to the people wanting to dance, the one I remember vividly did it twice (Second 1 was about the gear) needless to say he got very few spot's after that and vanished up his own ar*e, having said that he is not missed at all. I love listening to new stuff and old and the Dj should remember he's there to entertain and not educate, as Busted said, "It's what I go to school for", no reference to your occupation Matt.  

Spot.  

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by spot

Not sure how you compare a football team/match with DJ-ing

I think you get the Gist of it, it's about changing tactics to suit what the paying punters want/would like

I understand what your saying Len and I would sooner be in a rare room than the top 500 room personal.

 

About 10 years ago I put a soul night on in Nottingham and Rob Thomas volunteered his services for the first night, as all DJs were booked I shared my spot with him. He played things like Marrying Kind, Hey You, Oh Baby, Whats Your Game etc etc. It was 100% brilliant. Unfortunately it emptied the floor and gave a feeling of no atmosphere. Time for safety and back to the oldies - Full floor

Robs record selection was ace but not right for this night. So I see it as if your going to DJ at a venue where people are paying there hard earned cash and want to dance to top 500 then its your duty to do so even to the extent of playing a record you dont like yourself.  Remember there the top 500 for a reason. Even though Robs session was awesome.

You could blame me for being the promoter and putting Rob on - and I would say it was the first night and I had no Idea 250 would attend all wanting big oldies  

 

Mick

Mick, Rob would would empty the floor to to show he can if he feels that way out, I've seen him do it many time, it's the only thing that makes him happy some night  and yes he has some fabulous records.  

Spot.  

Put a few hundred quid behind the bar, a few beers seems to get people up dancing!

 

I understand what your saying Len and I would sooner be in a rare room than the top 500 room personal.

 

About 10 years ago I put a soul night on in Nottingham and Rob Thomas volunteered his services for the first night, as all DJs were booked I shared my spot with him. He played things like Marrying Kind, Hey You, Oh Baby, Whats Your Game etc etc. It was 100% brilliant. Unfortunately it emptied the floor and gave a feeling of no atmosphere. Time for safety and back to the oldies - Full floor

Robs record selection was ace but not right for this night. So I see it as if your going to DJ at a venue where people are paying there hard earned cash and want to dance to top 500 then its your duty to do so even to the extent of playing a record you dont like yourself.  Remember there the top 500 for a reason. Even though Robs session was awesome.

You could blame me for being the promoter and putting Rob on - and I would say it was the first night and I had no Idea 250 would attend all wanting big oldies  

 

Mick

Hi Mick.

Rob's selection would have been nighter tunes, as brilliant as they are... marrying kind etc would have bamboozled most of the crowd. Soul nights are predominately oldies.... that you will know

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by Labeat

There's more than one way to empty a floor.

1/ The crowd don't know the tunes. 

2/ A predictable boring set.

3/ You're shit.

4/ Wrong type of tunes ie: 100mph oldies at an afternoon Modern session.

East Midlands  why am l not shocked 

 

We're not all Shreddie's Dave.

We're not all Shreddie's Dave.

Kev

Yes you are

(Be nice to me or I might forget your pennies tonight )

Cheers

Martyn

ooooh Steve - that's just a jukebox!...

As a DJ you've been hired to play the great records in your box - as a punter I want to hear what the DJ has got....hopefully something a bit different and unexpected - they're the best nights   

Spot on!! There's more than enough so called DJs with a box full of boots playing the same old records at the moment.

The scene would have died years ago if wasn't for DJs prepared to play different stuff, if I don't hear something new or underplayed I'm disappointed.

i did a 20min spot at a free entry  sunday afternoon chill out recently and was asked after why i had played "strange stuff,not the ussual records djs play "................my .first record was mathew barnett on puff ,...for a mate who danced in defiant and splendid isolation on his own throughout the tune. .ez

Playing what you consider to be some great stuff to an empty floor surrounded by people talking and drinking. Do you:

 

Carry on and just play what you want to hear

 

Panic and start looking for sure-fire stuff in your box

 

Get on the mic and berate the crowd for their lack of taste

 

Burst into tears, storm off stage and vow never to DJ again

 

or...?

none of the above

with so many variants under the banner "northern soul" some want rare soul,some oldies,crossover etc trying to attract a big enough crowd to cover the costs. its hard to get the right formula but its the people on the dance floor that payed to be entertained and as its the djs "JOB" to keep the customers happy or no punter equals shit night and eventual closure. if it was as easy u could put a top 500 cd on have no dj and be quids in but its not its takes a good ear and knowledge to keep them entertained and return again to the venue

That doesn't answer the question. Floor is empty, what does a DJ do ?

 

Turn the lights up and confirm there are life forms in there!!   

with so many variants under the banner "northern soul" some want rare soul,some oldies,crossover etc trying to attract a big enough crowd to cover the costs. its hard to get the right formula but its the people on the dance floor that payed to be entertained and as its the djs "JOB" to keep the customers happy or no punter equals shit night and eventual closure. if it was as easy u could put a top 500 cd on have no dj and be quids in but its not its takes a good ear and knowledge to keep them entertained and return again to the venue

 

 

I genuinely believe the masses would be ok with that,a jukebox in the corner so they could put there fave tune on 10 times a night would be perfect for many?

Cheers

Martyn

i did a 20min spot at a free entry  sunday afternoon chill out recently and was asked after why i had played "strange stuff,not the ussual records djs play "................my .first record was mathew barnett on puff ,...for a mate who danced in defiant and splendid isolation on his own throughout the tune. .ez

 

You,? Strange stuff - not having that.

Empty dance floor  DJ panicks  puts same old same old on  dance floor fills  times this by 100, hey presto, the retro scene is born  

Remember Butch at Bretby clearing the floor with Dennis Edwards 'I didn't have to' then saying something along the lines of 'that's the best record you'll hear all year and you must be a bunch of dickheads for not dancing to it' - something of a tumbleweed moment 

 

I .cant see anything clever or profound coming out with statements like that Sorry,! serious GBH could result from insults to an audience like that if anybody called me a dickhead for my musical tastes I'm afraid I would have to have a little  chat with them even if to some not all they represent the best DJ on the planet. CIVILITY COSTS NOTHING BUT MEANS A LOT. Come on soulies deserve better than comments like that they pay their money  have their own opinions and support the venues.Talking down to them can't be helpful to creating a good Atmosphere. remember to some people what might sound clever to others it hurts. Let's be careful out there if their were no soulies their would be no DJ,s

Peace and Tranquility Mick L

 

1/ The crowd don't know the tunes. 

2/ A predictable boring set.

3/ You're shit.

4/ Wrong type of tunes ie: 100mph oldies at an afternoon Modern session.

 

How did you get hold of my DJ guestbook?

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by Matt Male

I think it comes down to, as has been said on this thread and many times before, promoter's booking the right DJs for their venue. I have mates who are DJs who have been booked, turned up at the venue with a box of rarely played and unknowns after being told by the promoter it's a progressive venue and with a open minded crowd, only to find it's an oldies/nostalgia night. You can imagine what happened next...

 

With the best will in the world a DJ can't carry around a box of 1000 records for every situation, he has to rely on the honesty of the promoter knowing their crowd, or better still attend the venue before hand or do some research.

 

I love freestyle rooms, like the one at Rugby, where DJs can play pretty much what they like and people can drift in and out and choose whether to dance or not and an empty floor is not the issue, because there's a massive full dancefloor next door.

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by Matt Male

Empty dance floor  DJ panicks  puts same old same old on  dance floor fills  times this by 100, hey presto, the retro scene is born  

Kev

It's the other way round for us...........

Dance floor fills DJ panicks Puts something different on Empty dance floor  times this by us 2, hey presto, the rare & underplayed scene stays in small rooms 

Cheers

Martyn

 

I've said it before it isn't always the DJ's fault.  You/they could be booked to play a particular type of set but it is totally worng for the crowd, or much of the crowd but it is what the promoter wanted.

 

Very true. Remember a NW booking where I was told to bring "different stuff we don't play the same old here". All I got was a procession of people asking for "What", "My little girl", "Real love" etc. I hadn't bought the records they wanted to hear. All got a bit antsy, with a couple of fluffers being brave and coming up and being rude. They weren't happy, I wasn't happy. No way would I play those records anyway - square peg round hole.

 

Stick loyal to records you believe in. There will always be someone else on after you that can play all the Trophy hunter records.

"I'm gone", "She's gone", but "She'll come running back" so I'll be "Wanted and needed". Anyway theres a "Job Opening" if you "Stick by me baby". 

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by Steve G

If you're not playing to your crowd at an event, just who are you playing too, sounds like an ego trip to me. How anybody can have a 'if you don't like this unknown/rarely played' record is beyond me, how does anyone place their own opinion above someone elses. This is coming from someone who doesn't mind hearing something different, but ultimately I go to dance, it doesn't matter to me if you think it's danceable, it's whether I do, and for me read any punter who goes to dance rather than listen. That will come to us all soon enough, don't hurry it along, or try to get us acclimatised to what our future holds. 

I think it comes down to, as has been said on this thread and many times before, promoter's booking the right DJs for their venue. I have mates who are DJs who have been booked, turned up at the venue with a box of rarely played and unknowns after being told by the promoter it's a progressive venue and with a open minded crowd, only to find it's an oldies/nostalgia night. You can imagine what happened next...

 

With the best will in the world a DJ can't carry around a box of 1000 records for every situation, he has to rely on the honesty of the promoter knowing their crowd, or better still attend the venue before hand or do some research.

 

I love freestyle rooms, like the one at Rugby, where DJs can play pretty much what they like and people can drift in and out and choose whether to dance or not and an empty floor is not the issue, because there's a massive full dancefloor next door.

Times I've heard promoters say to people when they want them to dj at there night......the guy who will be djing asks "What sort of stuff do you want playing?" & the reply comes back from the promoter "Play what you want".........but they don't mean that,they mean make my punters happy.Promoters need to take a lot more responsibility for who dj's at there night's imo,instead the dj gets it in the neck?

Cheers

Martyn

There's more than one way to empty a floor.

1/ The crowd don't know the tunes. 

2/ A predictable boring set.

3/ You're shit.

4/ Wrong type of tunes ie: 100mph oldies at an afternoon Modern session.

Kev

 

I'm No.1 

 

atb Kev 

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by Kev John

I understand what your saying Len and I would sooner be in a rare room than the top 500 room personal.

 

About 10 years ago I put a soul night on in Nottingham and Rob Thomas volunteered his services for the first night, as all DJs were booked I shared my spot with him. He played things like Marrying Kind, Hey You, Oh Baby, Whats Your Game etc etc. It was 100% brilliant. Unfortunately it emptied the floor and gave a feeling of no atmosphere. Time for safety and back to the oldies - Full floor

Robs record selection was ace but not right for this night. So I see it as if your going to DJ at a venue where people are paying there hard earned cash and want to dance to top 500 then its your duty to do so even to the extent of playing a record you dont like yourself.  Remember there the top 500 for a reason. Even though Robs session was awesome.

You could blame me for being the promoter and putting Rob on - and I would say it was the first night and I had no Idea 250 would attend all wanting big oldies  

 

Mick

 

That's a fair comment mate - I don't mean for it to go too far the other way, I mean I wish some people were a bit more tolerant when a D.J tries to play something new (his own stamp if you will)

 

I think we all agree that it's finding that balance - Of course no one wants the atmosphere to disappear from a night out.

 

I 'did a mosses' just the other Sat night. Straight after playing 'The Parisians - Twinkle Little Star', from a really packed dance floor to 'zilch' in one foul swoop! (Bad judgement on my part some might say).....After the record played out I couldn't help but joke about it, so said......."I hope you all appreciate the way I skilfully 'spliced' that last tune in without any of you noticing"...... Luckily that got a laugh, I then whacked on 'Terry Callier - Ordinary Joe', and they all came back - Phew!

 

When it happens like that it's nice, because it showed the people there understood what I was attempting to do......But as has been pointed out, D.Jing is very unpredictable, especially nowadays because the crowds seem to change all the time (at some events)

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

All the best,

 

Len  

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by LEN

Come on Len, with Butch's box? You are joking aren't you?    btw Len I get your point about "Covering the same ground" but that's our small band of open minded Soulies, try explaining to the Oldies crew that it gets boring, it'll fall on deaf ears.      

 

He he - Ok, let's put it to the test! Obviously we may need Butch's input on this experiment, oh, and we need a 'Guinea pig D.J' (Not me, no fear btw!)  

 

Ref your other point, maybe this is 'wishful thinking', but as Steve Smith pointed out earlier with his story (there are no rules) Lets give some of the staunch Oldies crowd a bit more credit - I'm pretty sure some would welcome a lot more tunes on the 'menu'  

 

All the best,

 

Len

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by LEN

If you're not playing to your crowd at an event, just who are you playing too, sounds like an ego trip to me. How anybody can have a 'if you don't like this unknown/rarely played' record is beyond me, how does anyone place their own opinion above someone elses. This is coming from someone who doesn't mind hearing something different, but ultimately I go to dance, it doesn't matter to me if you think it's danceable, it's whether I do, and for me read any punter who goes to dance rather than listen. That will come to us all soon enough, don't hurry it along, or try to get us acclimatised to what our future holds. 

To quote a cliché that I hate, "it isn't rocket science" you mix it up a bit. Get them dancing, then slip in something less well known [just make sure it actually has a dance beat] if you lose them, get them back again. etc. etc.

 

The problems arise when someone decides they are going to play an hour of unknown dirge with no dance beat.  

Chalky i remember that soul night in Chesterfield ran by Dave Manlove? he rang me up and asked me if i would dj for him.gladly accepted ,when i arrived he said we are mainly an oldies night/crowd i sort of said ok and started to play what were then current sounds packed dance floor beffore i finished my spot (about twenty minutes left) he came and thanked me and asked if i would like to come again some time   i finished with the likes of Arin Demain,Larry Clinton and to round it off Little Anthony Goin out of my head.

 

was the start of a few journeys up your way at the time,just goes to show that there are no rules really

 

Steve(now retired )

 

Hi Steve

 

tha would The Hollingwood Hotel me thinks, great venue with travellers from afar at times and proud to have been part of it at the time.  Chesterfield was mainly an oldies hot spot but much of the current crowd then were a bit open minded and were happy to give something a listen and in your case a dance.  Unfortunately the same cannot be said today.  

 

I believe a Dj is there to both educate and entertain and it is all a question of getting the balance right.  Why people want to listen to juke box DJ's is beyond me.

 

What f**** me off thoughs when a  particular venue is advertised as anything BUT an oldies night and you gets fools complaining and asking for summat from Wigan.

I genuinely believe the masses would be ok with that,a jukebox in the corner so they could put there fave tune on 10 times a night would be perfect for many?

Cheers

Martyn

 

 

Ten times Martyn!! I thought there favourite was Nine Times!!       Ooops!!    

 complaining and asking for summat from Wigan.

 

Give 'em a pie Chalky!!     

I think it comes down to, as has been said on this thread and many times before, promoter's booking the right DJs for their venue. I have mates who are DJs who have been booked, turned up at the venue with a box of rarely played and unknowns after being told by the promoter it's a progressive venue and with a open minded crowd, only to find it's an oldies/nostalgia night. You can imagine what happened next...

 

I've had that, we walked in and immediately my mate turned to me and said........"Oh shit"......with a f*ckin' huge smile on his face -  I'm no 'through and through' newies D.J, and always have some records with me that I think everyone knows, alas I did have someone shouting at me from the dance floor regardless of this (but that's another story)

 

I agree that ultimately it is the promoters responsibility to pick the correct D.J's for a venue, but sometimes maybe the promoter is trying to push boundaries (adding something else to the mix) by picking a different D.J.

 

Anyway, it's only a night out init?  

 

Len  

 complaining and asking for summat from Wigan.

 

Give 'em a pie Chalky!!     

 

I was thinking summat more like a rugby tackle from the stage and an eye gouge on the way down

how does anyone place their own opinion above someone elses.

 

Easy  

 

Len  

I always try to book dj's that will play a set consisting of some the crowd knows, some they dont and some they should, within the parameters of whats advertised.  I always go and listen to a dj a few times and have a conversation with them, that have been put forward by someone, or have appealed to me when Im out, before inviting them to spin at Cream Cracker . I invite them along as a V.I.P. first so they can get a feel for the crowd, the venue and the flow perse. This does seem to work quite well and generally ensures a smooth flowing night IMHO. Admittedly tunes will be played that dont appeal to the crowd but thats the point, because in my experience they're the tunes that someone will come up to you afterwards and ask you what it was, and for us minions thats a huge buzz.

 

Kev

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by kev such

Something along the lines like this happened to me put on Timi Yuro, no one got up at all, didnt panic just got on with it, then put on dust my broom, and couldnt see the dance floor it was packed. Think it just depends on the time of the night and what the current mood is in the room. 

He he - Ok, let's put it to the test! Obviously we may need Butch's input on this experiment, oh, and we need a 'Guinea pig D.J' (Not me, no fear btw!)  

 

Ref your other point, maybe this is 'wishful thinking', but as Steve Smith pointed out earlier with his story (there are no rules) Lets give some of the staunch Oldies crowd a bit more credit - I'm pretty sure some would welcome a lot more tunes on the 'menu'  

 

All the best,

 

Len

Yes Len as long as they were Top 200 NS Oldies, so lets not give them any credit, as Ricky Tomlinson would say, "Baggie trousers, my ar*e!!!"    

Spot.  

p.s. Remember Len, records maketh the Man, not the other way around.

Edited February 28, 201510 yr by spot

I was thinking summat more like a rugby tackle from the stage and an eye gouge on the way down

Chalky

Now I would pay to see that

Cheers

Martyn

There's more than one way to empty a floor.

1/ The crowd don't know the tunes. 

2/ A predictable boring set.

3/ You're shit.

4/ Wrong type of tunes ie: 100mph oldies at an afternoon Modern session.

So which one of the four is your excuse then Kev?? Only joking mate, you don't need an excuse!!