My First DJ Gig In 18 years: I Was Amazed!

**QUINNY** · December 15th, 2005, 03:04 AM

Did a DJ gig last night (my first in over 18 years) at a local university student bar and I was amazed at certain things.

1) The massive sound system for such a small room. 3000 watts for a room of about 1200 square feet (110 sq. metres).

2) The sonic purity of the sound system compared to any that I worked with BITD.

3) The fact that most of the kids stayed and got into most of the sounds played.

4) The ease of working with CDs, even mixing. I was totally at home with it, even though I couldn't get the particular controller supplied to cue the tracks as effectively as I would have liked. I was dreading this gig, but all my fears were totally unfounded. It was like getting back onto a bike...once learnt, never forgotten. I just slipped back into DJ mode...maybe too easily.
Only one problem. My old eyes can't read the relatively small print on the CDs very easily. Had one near panic attack when I couldn't find the track I was looking for. I'll take a few records with me next time as back up, or figure some cheap, easy way of getting my CD database onto a portable device, so that I can easily refer to it.

5) Only one record recognised/asked about...Galaxy 12" by War(but hey, that was a bonus so far as I was concerned) and by a girl, to boot.

6) Asked back to do some more on a regular basis.

**RetroRuss** · December 15th, 2005, 03:49 AM

Originally Written by QUINNY

It was like getting back onto a bike...once learnt, never forgotten. I just slipped back into DJ mode...maybe too easily.

There, I told you!! 8) 8) :lol:

Originally Written by QUINNY

Only one problem. My old eyes can't read the relatively small print on the CDs very easily. Had one near panic attack when I couldn't find the track I was looking for.

I have the same problem!! :roll:

Originally Written by QUINNY

6) Asked back to do some more on a regular basis.

Brilliant! Well done!!

**Disco Funk** · December 15th, 2005, 07:18 AM

Great to hear that you had fun. Did you play all old school disco/funk? Or did you play recent tracks too? If it was old school, did they advertise that you'd be playing old stuff? And did you beat match, or just fade and cut.

Disco Funk

**JussiK** · December 15th, 2005, 08:33 AM

[quote="QUINNY"]Only one problem. My old eyes can't read the relatively small print on the CDs very easily. quote]

Well well, would that have happened had you used the only true acceptable format for cool deejaying: vinyl? Yes, it would have. The last gig I did was a nightmare cause I too had forgotten to bring my classes, and can't read small print after sundown. My eyes were so tired at 2 in the morning I couldn't see where tracks began. In Paris last spring the dj booth had NO ILLUMINATION whatsoever, it was like almost completely dark in there. Luckily I never travel without a small but powerful maglite - saved that gig.

**QUINNY** · December 15th, 2005, 08:59 AM

It was advertised as an 'Old School' gig and I didn't play any new music. The most recent track I played was Johnny Kemp - Just Got Paid and the oldest was Sly & The Family Stone - Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again with a fair smattering of well known tracks and relative obscurities in between.

I mixed some tracks, segued a few and faded the odd one or two if appropriate (e.g. changing from a disco funk 120 BPM vibe to a true funk 100 BPM vibe). The night was put together by an old DJ colleague from 25 years ago who works at the Uni. He co-DJ'd (just the odd announcement), but left it up to me really. No pressure as there wasn't a dance floor, but most people got moving to some extent.

It was good fun and great to hear tracks nice and loud with a big, phat bottom end.

**QUINNY** · December 15th, 2005, 09:12 AM

[quote="JussiK"]

Originally Written by QUINNY

Only one problem. My old eyes can't read the relatively small print on the CDs very easily. quote]

Well well, would that have happened had you used the only true acceptable format for cool deejaying: vinyl? Yes, it would have. The last gig I did was a nightmare cause I too had forgotten to bring my classes, and can't read small print after sundown. My eyes were so tired at 2 in the morning I couldn't see where tracks began. In Paris last spring the dj booth had NO ILLUMINATION whatsoever, it was like almost completely dark in there. Luckily I never travel without a small but powerful maglite - saved that gig.

I was thinking just the same thing, Jussi. Either a small torch or an LED swing lamp. Something/anything to see with. The major problem I faced was a speaker about 2 feet behind my head, that made it almost impossible to hear what was in the headphones (good job I took some, as there weren't any there) and one of the CD trays wouldn't load without a struggle.

A lot of what I played were 12" vinyl transfers that I'd made. So much easier to carry 150 or so CDs with the best part of 3000 tracks than the same number of 12"ers.

BTW: In all honesty, I can't see any advantage vinyl has over CD apart from the availability of vinyl on CD issue. Most CD controllers are just as intuitive as a record deck and far more flexible in every department, except for scratching (which I don't do). I'd draw the line at iPods or hard disc/computers though.

**remicks** · December 15th, 2005, 10:56 AM

****

Dude !! :D Had a little secret project going on did we ???

Sounds like a terrific experience ... I'm happy for you and proud of ya!!! :D

*****

**nrgbeat** · December 15th, 2005, 01:49 PM

Did you play Roland The Rat???????

**QUINNY** · December 15th, 2005, 04:55 PM

Originally Written by remicks

****

Dude !! :D Had a little secret project going on did we ???

Sounds like a terrific experience ... I'm happy for you and proud of ya!!! :D

*****

It's no secret that I'm moving to Spain (probably one of the Canary Islands) in a few months time and I'm hankering after doing radio DJing and/or mobile/club DJing as a job over there. I can't see me getting any other type of work apart from a simple driving job, bar work or maybe estate agent or similar. I'll try the DJing avenue first.

Soooooo, I've bought myself some gear in the last few months and been busy buying loadsa CD compilations over the past two years in preparation. If you've seen my "10 tracks Today" posts you'll also know that I've been doing lotsa DJ demos, ready to send out to as many English speaking radio stations that I can find.

Late tonight, I had an email from my ex-DJ colleague who organised last nights gig and he says everyone has been coming up to him today and shaking his hand, enthusiastic about both last night and the next one. He's even got some of his music course students interested in trying to lay down some funk tracks, just on the back of what they heard last night. What a response!!

**Videoskooter** · December 16th, 2005, 02:42 PM

Originally Written by QUINNY

It's no secret that I'm moving to Spain (probably one of the Canary Islands) in a few months time

:o :o :o :o Q, darling, shouldn't we give an official warning to the Spanish government that you are heading their way :o :o :o

Glad you enjoyed your DJ-experience so much and I always liked people who are trying to fulfill their dreams, even when it means moving to another part of the world and starting all over again.

Hope everything works out fine for ya!