SwingDJs

I have finally arrived as a DJ. I've come to expect requests for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin Daddies, Atomic Fireballs, and other undanceable, crappy music, but this defined my entry into real DJ nirvana.

"Can I make a request?"
"Sure!" (But I probably won't play it)
"How about some Lawrence Welk?"

I WIN!

I don't know. I've had people request salsa, polka, and even heavy metal.

Swifty, you must counter with your request from last weekend.

I've already shared this with Shana, but here it is:

I DJed during the band breaks at the local monthly dance this past Friday. The first song I played was "This Bitter Earth" by LaVerne Butler and followed with "Two O'Clock Jump" by Harry James. During one of these songs, an older man (60ish?) approached me and initiated the following exchange:

Guy: "Can you play some Triple Step?"
Me: "I'm sorry, some what?"
Guy: "Triple Step music."
Me: "I'm sorry, I don't know what 'Triple Step' is, can you explain what that is?"
Guy: "You know, 'One-Two-Triple Step,' like the dance."
Me: "Okay, I'm familiar with the dance but still don't understand what type of music that is. Can you give me an example of a song or artist that would fit the bill?"
Guy: "You, know, like they teach during the lesson."
Me: "Yes, I understand what a triple step is but I don't know what kind of music you would like to hear, I'm sorry. Do you know any names of songs you'd like to hear?"
Guy: "Hold on." *motions to who I can only assume to be his wife to approach*
*Woman initially refuses but eventually caves and approaches*
Guy: "Tell him what you want to hear."
Woman: "He won't have anything we want."
Guy: "Just tell him."
Woman: "Do you have any triple step?"
Me (to myself): "I'll give you a triple step, lady, right to the head."
Me (to Woman): "I'm sorry, I was just saying that I don't know what 'Triple Step' music is. Can you give me an example?"
Guy (to Woman): "Tell him what you want to hear."
Woman: "I don't know any songs. What do you have?"
Me: "Well, I've got about 300 jazz and swing CDs here. Most of it is appropriate for what they taught at the lesson. What I'm playing now isn't anything like what you wanted to hear?" [At this point "Two O'Clock Jump" is on and I'm trying to find another CD to play]
Woman: "No, that's not what I'm looking for. Do you have any Bar Music?"
Me: "'Bar Music?' What is 'Bar Music?'"
Woman: "I don't know."
Me: "Do you know a song you want to hear? Maybe that would help."
Guy: "Tell him a song that's right."
Woman: "I don't know any songs."
Me: *stare*
Woman: "I don't know, like 'It's Raining Men?'"
Me: *stare*
Me: "Well, I don't have anything like that with me, I'm sorry."
Woman: "This will be okay, let's just go. This is fine."
Guy: "Are you sure?"
Woman: "Yes, I don't really feel this music in my bones, but it is okay I guess. It's nice enough."
*Guy and Woman walk away*
*My mind spins for the rest of the night*

holy crap!! that is hilarious..."bar music"...every once in a while at the Century, I get people coming up and requesting things. I don't like playing requests that suck, so I usually just say, "sorry, don't have it" and I hate it when they say "oh, I have it in my bag". I feel bad when I turn down specific song requests, but I feel like it is a bit intrusive in the flow of my set. What do you all think about taking requests? It seems like the longer I have been djing, the more apprehensive I am about messing up my set...is that mean?

No, that's normal.

Requests can be ok, but if it ruins your mood or vibe you got going, then you shouldn't have to play the request.

I've had the "Bar music" type request. It kills me that they can't even name *one* song. You do, however, get good at figuring out cryptic requests... if you call that a plus

That is possibly the most hilarious DJ experience I have ever heard of.

Swifty wrote:Guy: "Can you play some Triple Step?"
Me: "I'm sorry, some what?"
Guy: "Triple Step music."
Me: "I'm sorry, I don't know what 'Triple Step' is, can you explain what that is?"

Sounds like a good Abbot and Costello skit.

Living Traditions in Seattle uses that "Triple step" terminology, they might have been students of that studio. They have "triple time" compilations:

http://ltdance.com/cds.html

Those people were probably asking for West Coast Swing music.

I still think Shana's "Lawrence Welk" request wins!

Or maybe they were ballroom dance types.

I have since heard that they are regulars at a local studio's weekly dance and that they were probably expecting Rockabilly. *shrug*

My best-request-highlight happened just a couple months ago at Swing City in Boston. I kid you not. Someone came up and said "This song doesn't really swing, ya know? Can you play some swing music, please?"

The song? Take the A Train from Ellington at Newport 56.

!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Swifty...funniest....story....EVER!

I have had a lot of requests for latin music. There's been a few times when I'm DJing any good swing song and they'll say "Hey, can you play some swing music?" I say "This is swing music". They say "No, I want real swing music, you know, like Zoot Suit Riot". I just say "I'm sorry, I don't have that". Though there is the odd time I get them bringing up CDs as well. What do people do in those cases? One thing I say is "I already have a set list for tonight (which I don't) and I really don't like ruining the flow".

Harrison

oh man, I have witnessed some of the craziest requests. last week a friend of mine was filling in for a regular dj and this old guy kept coming up and requesting specific songs. he wouldn't know the name, he wouldn't know the artist, he couldn't descrive the song...he only had random verses- often with incorrect words- to 'help' figure out what the song was. he did this at least 2 or 3 times ove the course of 2 hours. this is the same guy who will come up and ask for a foxtrot, even though I've been playing foxtrotable music all night. he needs to be told 'hey, here's your foxtrot' before he'll do it.

i often get requests for ballroom music, even though I don't have it. they always say, "well so and so played a hustle/chacha/samba/polka/waltz on friday...." to which I always reply, "well, that's a mixed event. this is just swing." I think my favourite so far was when someone came up and asked me to play brass monkey, by the beastie boys. when I said, "darn, I don't have that one." he whipped out his palm pilot and a showed me how to hook it up to play his song.

what will people think of next?!?

"I'll see if I can fit it in."

The only thing I ever say, whether it's a request for Lionel Hampton or Lionel Richie.

-FF