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Do you play to a crowd or do you do your own thing when it comes to playing music?

What I mean is do you play what you WANT to play? Or do you play what the audience is expecting and is wanting? Im trying to be as objective as possible so the discussion is starting with a neutral position. Its not necessarily bad to play what the crowd wants, have an honest opinion!

Lets discuss.

I'm not a DJ, but I feel I can answer this question to a certain extent

First of all, it depends a lot on the crowd. For example, you're not gonna be playing Top 40 shit if you're at FWD, if you catch my drift. I'd say the venue/event/audience plays the biggest role in what one plays. After that, I think it pretty much comes down to putting a bit of your personal taste into the selection and also how the crowd responds and the general vibe of the place

If I was ever in the bill and it was predominantly filth, I would play some

I play whatever the fuck I want and if the crowd don't like it they can fuck off.

untill you are a superstar dj you are booked because of your music and mixes not as a brand, play what you want.

Phigure wrote: I'm not a DJ, but I feel I can answer this question to a certain extent

I buy records and I mix them so let's say I can answer as much as anyone who considers himself a dj.
lately I have been doing my best efforts to make clear to people I don't mix only old school jungle, as many people thought in the last few years.
now that I have clearly stated to music I know involved in music I get to do whatever I want.

probably mainly started out when playing at a party a few months ago where the dj's are more record collectors than people taking themselves serious as dj's.
so my selection consisted of latin american folklore music, hip hop, '60 and '70 rock, modern day gypsy music (fanfare ciocarlio to gogol bordello), raggacore, breakcore, hardcore (as in '97 dutch gabber shit), dubstep, grime,...
afterwards someone came asking me if i wanted to play at a little festival and i got carte blanche for it so i can do whatever i want.
this evening the same thing, i've been asked to play at a little party and i get to do what i want, so i decided to do a hip hop set (stones throw, rawkus, delicious vinyl, blak twang, whatever), but i know that i can come up with a box full of dnb if i want to.
as a "dj" i think you always have the freedom of playing what you want, you're booked for the way you show you interact with music.

I'm a dj not a jukebox.

I have confidence in my ability to get most dancefloors moving. If they don't like it I don't care, cos I'm still having fun.

If your a good dj you will be able to get dancefloors moving playing what you want, obviously within reason. Can't remember who said it for the quote is "The best djs arent the ones that fill dancefloors, they are the ones that empty them then fill them back up again.".

Saying that i have never really been to a club night...

that quote makes no fucking sense what so ever

I'm not a DJ, but it shouldn't be black and white IMO.

I can't imagine it's much fun playing tunes you hate just to get the crowd going, but it can't be particularly rewwarding playing to a completely empty room either.

And it depends on the booking as well, I guess - at one extreme, if you're playing a night you promote yourself, then you can play what you like. If you've been booked to play a wedding and they want The Lady In Red for the first dance then you play it, even if you'd rather bust out some Remarc. Halfway in between, at a normal night the promoter's probably struggling to keep things together as well so just telling the crowd to fuck off because you feel like playing an hour of ambient drones that night is being a bit arsey but pushing what you believe in as much as you can is kind of why you're there...

tr0tsky wrote:I play whatever the fuck I want and if the crowd don't like it they can fuck off.

this.

I've been playing out quite a few years so for me it all depends on..

Crowd - You gotta know what sorta crowd it is. If your playin say a commercial / urban night your not gonna start drawing for loads of underground tracks. Its gonna be mainly tracks people know, old and new.

Time - If your on early its silly to play all the massive tracks. Save that for the headline DJ, your job when on early is to warm up the crowd.

I always like to slip in a few tracks that I like myself to try and educate. If it don't go down well you need to switch it up quick!

gwa wrote:that quote makes no fucking sense what so ever

It doesnt?

IS A BAND BOOKED TO PLAY COVER SONGS?

oh oops. my last post in here wasn't for you


but initially why would a better DJ be one that could clear it and then bring people back....tbh that's like going

IMA SHOOT MYSELF IN THE FOOT AT THE START OF THE RACE, BUT IF I WIN THE RACE THAT MEANS I AM BETTER THAN YOU

Cos he is playing stuff that the crowd arent into, or isnt "cool" enough, or just not feeling or whatever. Then cos he is good a dj playing good music the crowd come back around.

It does make sense. (you might not agree though lol)

yeah i understand you but still, no.

an even better DJ would be able to play music they wouldn't usually dance to and still keep them dancing

Ill play what i want, fuck what other people wanna hear