Battle of the DJs - HJDF/Swing City

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CafeSavoy
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#16 Post by CafeSavoy » Wed May 28, 2003 12:15 am

Shorty Dave wrote: I dunno about you, but after all this bickering online, I can't wait to see who the crowd likes better: you or Swingboy!

I sure hope the losers don't come running back to this discussion board crying "Well, I may have lost but that's 'cuz the dancers who I'm playing for didn't get it. Dancers are stupid. I'm smarter." Ha Ha. That's a cop-out. I'm sure Duke Ellington debuted Black Brown and Beige at Carnegie Hall and not at a swing dance for a reason.

As Janice loves to say "Can you bring it?".
yep. it does sound like he's laying the foundation for his concession speech.

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Mr Awesomer
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#17 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed May 28, 2003 12:48 am

Shorty Dave wrote:I dunno about you, but after all this bickering online, I can't wait to see who the crowd likes better: you or Swingboy!
I really could care less actually.
Reuben Brown
Southern California

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Mr Awesomer
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#18 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed May 28, 2003 12:51 am

CafeSavoy wrote:yep. it does sound like he's laying the foundation for his concession speech.
What exactly is there to loose?
Reuben Brown
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Greg Avakian
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#19 Post by Greg Avakian » Wed May 28, 2003 6:36 am

GuruReuben wrote:You know all this huggy kissy crap is what's giving this evening the potential to suck. I think Janice has invisioned an spirit of competition between the DJs for this night... and so far I'm feeling none. So I guess we'll just see another night of music to appease the masses.

I think Pete left out the most important part of the email sent out to the DJs:

"...come prepared to do the best job you can representing Lindy Hop music that you think shows off Harlem and its gifts to the world."

It will be interesting to hear the DJs interpretation of this line. Or maybe it won't.
GuruReuben wrote: I really could care less actually.
Hmmm...I'm sure you could. :)

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Swifty
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Re: Battle of the DJs - HJDF/Swing City

#20 Post by Swifty » Wed May 28, 2003 7:10 am

Shorty Dave wrote:That being said, the battle will indeed be based on who the crowd likes (as oppossed, to, say, having five "experts" pick. ha ha...wouldn't that be funny...DJ judges!) So if you play what you love but not what the crowd wants to hear, while you may be proud that you didn't play to the "common denominator", you will lose! I imagine the same was the case back in "the day" with band battles at the Savoy. There weren't judges who decided whether Goodman beat Webb, right? It was word-of-mouth by the crowd, right? That's what's gonna be done here.
There will be plenty of people in the crowd who DJ, I'm sure they'll be vocal about who they prefer.

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#21 Post by julius » Wed Jun 04, 2003 3:51 pm

round one of smack talk goes to dave and rayned.

reuben LOSES.

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#22 Post by julius » Wed Jun 04, 2003 3:56 pm

let's face it, you guys SUCK. I could beat all the listed DJs with a lawrence welk CD and sheer FORCE OF WILL, a.k.a. a big mouth. you guys are piteous: wa wa wa my music is better than your music wa wa wa dancers are sheep wa wa wa. i think collectively you guys have half a ball to go around, and that ball is caught in the zipper of your CD cases!

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Mr Awesomer
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#23 Post by Mr Awesomer » Wed Jun 04, 2003 4:22 pm

Silly Julius, you already know your reverse psychology doesn't work on me.
Reuben Brown
Southern California

KevinSchaper
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#24 Post by KevinSchaper » Wed Jun 04, 2003 5:23 pm

Has anyone ever noticed who wins in audience judged dance contests?

Children, old people, and idiots in red suspenders doing off time airsteps.

I congratualte you all on competing to be the DJ equivalent.

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#25 Post by GemZombie » Wed Jun 04, 2003 6:44 pm

You mean if I wear big red suspenders while DJing, people will like me more?

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Zot
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#26 Post by Zot » Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:15 pm

Has anyone ever noticed who wins in audience judged dance contests?

Children, old people, and idiots in red suspenders doing off time airsteps.

I congratualte you all on competing to be the DJ equivalent
Hey Kevin, I get what you're on about here, but I think that there is probably a distinction to be drawn between dance contests and a Battle of the DJs.

I think the most important distinction to be made is that a DJ actually should play for the dancers (the audience). So in theory at least audience response would be better indicator than just a handful of judges.

It's in the spirit of the Battle of the Big Bands. What's the focus? Playing the best music for the dancers. That tradition of the co-development of swing music and dancing is actually pretty interesting and quite important, I think. As DJs we tread this line constantly -- wanting to introduce and innovate while also pleasing the masses.

I also don't think it's particularly serious. It's a way to generate interest and give the dancers a good time at the same time.

I guess the obvious question that would be interesting to consider is: what better way can we come up with to judge a battle of the DJs? Peer assessment? Judging panel? Interested to hear anyone's thoughts.

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#27 Post by falty411 » Thu Jun 05, 2003 8:17 am

KevinSchaper wrote:Has anyone ever noticed who wins in audience judged dance contests?

Children, old people, and idiots in red suspenders doing off time airsteps.

I congratualte you all on competing to be the DJ equivalent.
I also think the audience members at HJDF will be a whole lot more educated than your typical "Dance Contest Night" at the local bowling alley.
-mikey faltesek

"Dancing is the union of the body with the rhythm and the sound of the music." Al Minns in 1984

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main_stem
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#28 Post by main_stem » Thu Jun 05, 2003 8:36 am

Dude I'm thowing down for Reuben. Given the criteria I think he best suits it. But hey that just me.

As for judging I think it should be both dancers and peers.

Let the cutting begin.
"We called it music."
— Eddie Condon

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mark0tz
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#29 Post by mark0tz » Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:29 am

main_stem wrote:Dude I'm thowing down for Reuben. Given the criteria I think he best suits it. But hey that just me.
Given the criteria? Have you heard about their race restrictions? I'd say Rayned has the edge in that department... :)
Mike Marcotte

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djstarr
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who's going to win?

#30 Post by djstarr » Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:35 pm

of the eight dj's in the battle, I've heard 5 spin (3 fairly regularly). While I've enjoyed all of them, they each have pretty unique styles, so I'm quite excited to hear what will be played.

I've heard through the grapevine that each DJ will have 15 minutes to show off their best stuff, then after everyone has spun the winner gets to DJ the rest of the evening. Anyone care to confirm this?

Also, I'm curious how you are going about preparing for the battle --- reading the Art of War? ;-)

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