The best. request. ever.

Message

djstarr · #61 Post by **djstarr** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 4:29 pm

Travis wrote:As of late while listening to my cd's, the vast majority of which are vintage swing/jazz, I have made an effort to pick out the slow blues tunes that I like and work them into my sets. Not long ago I would have skipped right over them as being too slow.

you kind of have to since you keep pulling those 4 am sets eh? I've particularly enjoyed the slow stuff you have been playing of late - I really liked your set at the Seattle Exchange.

kitkat · #62 Post by **kitkat** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 10:58 pm

djstarr wrote:you kind of have to since you keep pulling those 4 am sets eh?

I actually have a lot of trouble as a dancer when the music gets slow at that hour. If I'm standing up, it drains me--I have to have a driving song (i.e. at least 150-160 bpm, probably more) to keep me distracted enough that I don't notice it. Fast dancing is hard at that hour, but even worse is standing but not moving much. It makes me want to fall over, crumple up into a little ball, and go to sleep.

djstarr · #63 Post by **djstarr** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 1:51 pm

kitkat wrote:
djstarr wrote:you kind of have to since you keep pulling those 4 am sets eh?
I actually have a lot of trouble as a dancer when the music gets slow at that hour. If I'm standing up, it drains me--I have to have a driving song (i.e. at least 150-160 bpm, probably more) to keep me distracted enough that I don't notice it. Fast dancing is hard at that hour, but even worse is standing but not moving much. It makes me want to fall over, crumple up into a little ball, and go to sleep.

I agree - you can't go too slow *and* low energy otherwise people will go home.

The slow stuff that Travis plays tends to be pre-war so it has a certain drive. We have had a little problem lately with late night sets in Seattle being too fast; this past weekend though I think we did a good job of mixing fast and slow in (and having Mikey work the mood lights helped too

).

djstarr · #64 Post by **djstarr** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 1:02 pm

I dj'ed at the Century last night and it was quite the wild time. Lately the Century has been averaging between 50 - 75 on swing nights; a good night is when they break 100. Last night there were 220 people; over 100 took the beginning ECS lesson; lots of college and high school kids because today is a holiday for them.

I got plenty of requests, Sing Sing Sing, The Music Goes Round and Round, In the Mood - some kid comes up and and asks "Do you have Panama 6 something?", he goes back and talks to his Mom, comes back "It's Pennsylvania 6-5000"

But the kicker was a request for "History Repeating" by the Propeller Heads --- I'm such an old lady that I had never heard of the song, much less danced swing to it.

Nate Dogg · #65 Post by **Nate Dogg** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:02 pm

djstarr wrote:I dj'ed at the Century last night and it was quite the wild time. Lately the Century has been averaging between 50 - 75 on swing nights; a good night is when they break 100. Last night there were 220 people; over 100 took the beginning ECS lesson; lots of college and high school kids because today is a holiday for them.

I got plenty of requests, Sing Sing Sing, The Music Goes Round and Round, In the Mood - some kid comes up and and asks "Do you have Panama 6 something?", he goes back and talks to his Mom, comes back "It's Pennsylvania 6-5000"

But the kicker was a request for "History Repeating" by the Propeller Heads --- I'm such an old lady that I had never heard of the song, much less danced swing to it.

The singer for that song is Shirley Bassey of various James Bond themes fame (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker). I have heard it played at dances from time to time. One of our DJs in Austin (Peace Chen) used to played it. I think I may played it once back in the day.

It was featured on the soundtrack to There's Something About Mary. It is also on various compilation, as well as a Propellerhead album.

As far as I can tell, the song is original (not a reworked cover, but I could be wrong).

http://www.songsofshirleybassey.co.uk/s ... .html#prop

gatorgal · #66 Post by **gatorgal** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:27 pm

djstarr wrote: ... some kid comes up and and asks "Do you have Panama 6 something?", he goes back and talks to his Mom, comes back "It's Pennsylvania 6-5000"

Tina

julius · #67 Post by **julius** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:50 pm

Jeramie played it at the Santa Barbara lindy exchange. I was sitting in the lobby and within 2 seconds said "propellerheads".

Which reminds me, remember when Manu had the Name That Swing Song with DJs at the 2001 SF exchange? Someone should do that again sometime. Then we can all show off our swords.

Roy · #68 Post by **Roy** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 9:39 am

At Soflex someone request "opus one". I said "I played it already", he said "yeah I know, I liked it can you play it again?"

Roy · #69 Post by **Roy** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 9:45 am

julius wrote:Jeramie played it at the Santa Barbara lindy exchange. I was sitting in the lobby and within 2 seconds said "propellerheads".

Which reminds me, remember when Manu had the Name That Swing Song with DJs at the 2001 SF exchange? Someone should do that again sometime. Then we can all show off our swords.

80% of the songs no one knew it was rather boring to watch. Most of the songs picked were obscure swing era songs and most of the dj's in the contest did not play much swing era stuff. Maybe if it was set up with seperate categoires like jeopardy it would have worked better.

julius · #70 Post by **julius** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 12:19 pm

Roy wrote: 80% of the songs no one knew it was rather boring to watch. Most of the songs picked were obscure swing era songs and most of the dj's in the contest did not play much swing era stuff. Maybe if it was set up with seperate categoires like jeopardy it would have worked better.

I don't recall that many songs going by without anybody figuring it out. I know MANY times I was just paralyzed by being in front of people and suffering brainlock, even though I plainly knew the song well.

"Get Happy" by Benny Goodman sticks out in my mind as an example. Maybe it's obscure to some people, but it's featured on like every "best of" Benny Goodman compilation ever, as allmusic shows.

I think categorization would be a good idea, and funny too.

djstarr · #71 Post by **djstarr** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 1:49 pm

julius wrote:I think categorization would be a good idea, and funny too.

I might do ok if there was a "vocals only" category

I really suck at recognizing songs, especially instrumentals, unless I know them really really well. I'm starting to get better though by practicing when other folks DJ - I can usually get the artist and album, but the title often escapes me.

kbuxton · #72 Post by **kbuxton** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 2:50 pm

julius wrote:Which reminds me, remember when Manu had the Name That Swing Song with DJs at the 2001 SF exchange? Someone should do that again sometime. Then we can all show off our swords.

We could do the online version. Have someone upload an untitled chunk of a song somewhere and have people try to figure it out. Or not.

gatorgal · #73 Post by **gatorgal** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 3:47 pm

kbuxton wrote:
julius wrote:Which reminds me, remember when Manu had the Name That Swing Song with DJs at the 2001 SF exchange? Someone should do that again sometime. Then we can all show off our swords.
We could do the online version. Have someone upload an untitled chunk of a song somewhere and have people try to figure it out. Or not.

I'd still be clueless...

Tina

Serg · #74 Post by **Serg** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 5:06 pm

So this older gentleman, a regular at our dances comes to me and asks me if I can play "Barnyard Boogie" by Louis Jordan. He told me that he had a dream that he danced this song with one of our good and beautifull follows. He said that this day he will work out the guts to ask her to dance if I play it. So I told him to give me about 15 minutes and I will work that song in. So when the song was about to be played I told him to go ask her to dance. He walks to her right before the song and asks her if she wants to dance the next song, which is on of his favorites. The follow says OK and they walk to the dance floor.

Now I bust the song out, and as you know it is a wicked fast song on the best of Louis Jordan album. This guy, which is an older gentleman who cannot dance fast at all, finds himself dancing with an awesome follow but he can barely move. The song plays out and he is just there dying for the song to be over. The follow trying to be gracefull just hangs in there to the end of the song.

The songs ends, he comes over to me and says:

-Sergio what happened, you did not play the correct song.
- Yes I did, "Barnyard Boogie" by Louis Jordan
- No, where is the part that goes "There ain't nobody here but us chickens"
- Well that's a different song, that goes by that same name.
- Oh man, I requested the wrong song. I don't know if this girl will ever dance with me again.

Poor guy...

Serg

wheresmygravy · #75 Post by **wheresmygravy** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 5:52 pm

At the Dallas Exchange in April, one of our dancers made a request days in advance. He wanted us to play "The Way you Look Tonight" by Sinatra during the band break. He brought his video camera with a wireless mic. With me rolling the video, his unsuspecting girlfriend was shocked when he dropped to his knee and proposed right there on the dance floor in front of everyone.

Fortunately she said yes. Those very public proposals scare me