ECS/Lindy/WCS - Bridging the Gap

[mousethief]

In my 5 years of Djing I have never heard a newbie request Harris' version of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", Rod Stewart's "Having a Party" off his Unplugged disc, or any other "with a rich, deep, hard-grooving swing".

What I have heard requests for from newbies:

Pardon the sarcasm, but when did this thread change from playing the music that people new to the scene would enjoy to playing the lousy requests by a few ignorant, newbie swing dorks who missed the boat five or six years ago?

The point is to play accessible music that people unfamiliar with Lindy music would enjoy without resorting to Neo crap: music that is the same or similar to music they would hear at a PRESENT-day blues club or on the radio.

Also, I frankly don't want to encourage more hipster daddy-o swing dorks who creep all the good-looking girls out and chase them away. I want to recruit "normal" people; normal guys who will bring in normal women, who will bring in more normal guys, who will bring in more normal women.

Unfortunately, you're being serious. Smilies and whatnot don't cut it when your posts are often in the same vein. So far, you've managed to insult nearly every potential new dancer, half of the DJs on the board, the Austin scene and/or some of their DJs directly and anyone else who does not meet your criteria for *normal.*

I request that we add a 5 year old child as an additional moderator. If he's offended by a post, it doesn't get posted.

Kalman

[yedancer]

Several. The thread is about promoting lindy hop right? But we can't do that if we're always thumbing our nose at newcomers.

Kalman

I disagree. I think the best way to promote lindy is to show new people that their taste in music is really bad, and that their dancing sucks. In fact, if we tell them in a rude and condescending manner that we don't even carry their stupid request in our DJ collection, they will most likely smack their foreheads in realization of their own foolishness, and then take the first chance they can to change their musical taste and their dancing preferences. We must educate these idiotic newcomers that what they think is fun REALLY ISN'T FUN, because they want to dance to music that is simplistic. After all, we lindy hoppers only dance to intelligent, sophisticated, complex music. How could we possibly deign to play the music of the masses? That would sully our cool image and reputation, not to mention our well-tended egos. DAMN these bourgeois simpletons! What gives them the right to want to dance and have fun to any music other than what we are playing? Don't they realize that we Swing DJs know far better than they do what music is fun to dance to?

[Roy]

Damn that was funny

[Roy]

I just tell me people the song is overplayed not that it's a stupid song.

[mousethief]

Several. The thread is about promoting lindy hop right? But we can't do that if we're always thumbing our nose at newcomers.

Kalman

I disagree. I think the best way to promote lindy is to show new people that their taste in music is really bad, and that their dancing sucks. In fact, if we tell them in a rude and condescending manner that we don't even carry their stupid request in our DJ collection, they will most likely smack their foreheads in realization of their own foolishness, and then take the first chance they can to change their musical taste and their dancing preferences. We must educate these idiotic newcomers that what they think is fun REALLY ISN'T FUN, because they want to dance to music that is simplistic. After all, we lindy hoppers only dance to intelligent, sophisticated, complex music. How could we possibly deign to play the music of the masses? That would sully our cool image and reputation, not to mention our well-tended egos. DAMN these bourgeois simpletons! What gives them the right to want to dance and have fun to any music other than what we are playing? Don't they realize that we Swing DJs know far better than they do what music is fun to dance to?

Those poor, poor boobs. Tee hee.

(You better put in a - that way people can tell when you're joking and when you aren't; it's like insurance - BWAHAHA)

Kalman

[Lawrence]

Unfortunately, you're being serious. Smilies and whatnot don't cut it when your posts are often in the same vein. So far, you've managed to insult nearly every potential new dancer, half of the DJs on the board, the Austin scene and/or some of their DJs directly and anyone else who does not meet your criteria for *normal.*

Adrian, you should understand when sarcasm gets misinterpreted. I've misunderstood your sarcasm in the past, as have others, and as you apparently have grossly misunderstood mine. I'll leave it at that and take the rest of my response to P.M.

Nontheless, to again address an apparent misperception that some people seem to have I was being flippant. My words are apparently coming across to some as more condescending and hateful than I actually am. For one thing, I honestly laugh at myself far more than I laugh at any of these "newbie Neo dorks," mostly because I understand that I can be just as "less than perfect" as they can be. I also understand that the worst way to deal with "dorks" (like me) is to try to viciously ostracize them by making them feel like idiots. It only brings the worst out of all involved.

[mousethief]

[deleted]

Kalman

[djstarr]

I think that faster, high-energy music is more attractive to newbies. This is based on personal observation over the past year or so.

Cool. Just curious since it seems some of this discussion is just folks projecting their tastes on newbies. I tend to agree that music with energy and clear rhythms seem to work better; also interesting lyrics.

I totally agree that vocals are more accessible to newbies who probably don't listen to a lot of jazz. Taking the top 40 approach - how many top 40 songs are instrumentals? Not a whole lot. I play a lot of vocals - maybe 80%, but I like to sing - sue me. If I'm dj'ing to a crowd of newbies, I'll play primarily familiar vocals.

And new lindy hoppers need slower music; I remember when I was first learning lindy hop (after 6 months of ECS), and I would get freaking dizzy - at the time the dj would slow things down during the last hour and the floor was less crowded; we would stay specifically for that hour when we could practice our swingout. The lead I practiced with wouldn't be comfortable with anything over 160 when doing a swingout with me.

[kitkat]

My theory is that high-energy, hi-fi big band music is the key to keeping a mixed/crossover crowd happy.

I say is, not was, because I'm bull-headed and won't take no for an answer.

But it sure didn't seem to work last night. I was asked during "Jeep Jockey Jump" to "kick things up a bit." *sigh*

But I did notice that though my first and second sets had nearly empty floors, by my third and fourth big band sets, the dancers seemed to be getting the idea that as long as I was standing at the booth, they weren't going to hear anything else, so they might as well go out and have fun--I only had one empty-floored song during those sets, and that was when I switched back to big band after two extremely modern, blaring salsa numbers. Which only encourages my obstinance that if I keep playing it, they'll finally find out they can dance to it.

If you're curious what I played, it'll be here for a while.

[gatorgal]

kitkat - Thanks for sharing your setlist and your comments! A good read on both counts...

Tina

[Roy]

My theory is that high-energy, hi-fi big band music is the key to keeping a mixed/crossover crowd happy.

it'll be here for a while.

I do like your set list but I do not agree with the assumption that hi-fi/big band will keep a mixed crowd happy. I think mixing it up well will keep the mixed crowd happy.

If people danced because they though they were not going to hear anything else, that may work for one evening but don't be surpised if you find yourseld not asked to DJ as much anymore. Or people start avoiding events alltogether in which it is known you are DJing at.

[kitkat]

If people danced because they though they were not going to hear anything else, that may work for one evening but don't be surpised if you find yourseld not asked to DJ as much anymore. Or people start avoiding events alltogether in which it is known you are DJing at.

Good point--and I probably won't ever get to do it at that venue again.

But right now, since I don't have a big music budget, I'm just working on developing within a certain style...becoming good at being a niche DJ, rather than becoming a broader DJ. It's a style that's appreciated well up north, so it should work till I graduate--by which time I'll have a job and will be able to afford more music if I want to round things out.

Besides, I like the idea that if I get asked to spin for an event, having it known that I'm pretty much a niche DJ, it means the organizers like that niche, and I'll probably love the event overall. I'll never be any worse off than before I started DJing, and I had plenty of fun doing 100% dancing then, so any gigs at all are a bonus to my dance life.

Afterthought: Also, it's not like I won't take requests. I played the Shim Sham Song & 2 salsa tunes. There was another DJ I was alternating with, so I just told people that I didn't have that kind of music, but when the other guy was at the board, I was sure he could find something for them. If I'd been the only one, I probably would've been more generous about playing the kind of stuff those dancers were used to hearing from him and the venue's other regulars. Kind of like a neurologist in a big town will send patients with other problems to a different doctor, but one who's the only doctor on a plane with someone having an attack will not be so reluctant to practice general medicine.
Heh...okay, so dancers aren't exactly sick patients...but my mom's a doctor, so it was the analogy I thought of soonest!

[djstarr]

It's a style that's appreciated well up north, so it should work till I graduate--by which time I'll have a job and will be able to afford more music if I want to round things out.

Your set list would have also played well in Seattle - come on out and visit some time!

[CafeSavoy]

But right now, since I don't have a big music budget, I'm just working on developing within a certain style...becoming good at being a niche DJ, rather than becoming a broader DJ. It's a style that's appreciated well up north, so it should work till I graduate--by which time I'll have a job and will be able to afford more music if I want to round things out.

It is true that it's easier being a niche dj, but it's also an excuse to be lazy and not play for your crowd. If people danced to only two of your four sets, i don't think that's a good sign. Even if you want to stay within the swing-era you can still play songs that will reach more of your crowd. And it's not just what songs but how you put them together.

Also i think that most people who hire djs expect them to be professional and reach the audience even if they know the dj will focus on particular genres. To me limiting yourself to a genre just means that you have to work harder to know your material and your audience so that you can reach them with what's in your book. Actually it's kind of fun limiting yourself, i've dj'ed some swing-era only dances and it's a fun challenge.

[falty411]

but it's also an excuse to be lazy and not play for your crowd.

You could DJ anywhere and be a "try to please everyone DJ" or you can be a niche DJ and most likely be brought to a group of people who are really into and excited about the kind of music you play.

it also strikes me as kind of sad that classic swing is considered a "niche" when it comes to a "swing dj"