Help W/ Bar DJ set

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I just got a job DJing at a bar on the Upper West Side. The manager wants mainly classic rock, 80s pop, top 40, motown, (he's not excited abt hip hop but admits that it's unavoidable)etc--basically jukebox stuff that people (the clientele is mostly middle-aged white guys and young, wealthy UWS yuppies) will recognize. I'm doing 7 hour sets, so I need a LOT of music andmost of my cd collection is out-of-state, so I'm going mainly from burned cds. Plz suggest some songs I may not have thought of!

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 17:42 (twenty years ago)

Yaz - Situation

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 17:47 (twenty years ago)

Divine - You Think You're a Man

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 17:50 (twenty years ago)

Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl (aka the "Hey Ya" of 2005)

― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

7 hour sets?! That sounds brutal. The problem is that generally classic = overplayed, but for your own sanity, try to find some deep catalog cuts from classic rock artists, i.e. "Prove It All Night" by Springsteen, rather than "Born in the USA." And find fun ways to bridge sets, like using Seger's version of "Nutbush City Limits" to segue into some Ike and Tina, and then some Motown. There are several good DJ related threads here. Are you expected to make them dance, or are you background music?

― Daniel Peterson (polkaholic), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

Background music. Manhattan=no dancing.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

Thanks, btw!

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

Is there any way you can just use an ipod or laptop? I DJ'd a ten hour pool party the other week and just put a couple gigs of outdoor pool friendly tracks on a playlist and put it on random. Occasionally I would go over to the laptop and pretend like I was doing something. Everyone loved it!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

I can use my laptop, but it's a paid job, so I actually have to do things.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 20:05 (twenty years ago)

You're all set then. Just hang out with the laptop, press some buttons once in a while, insert and eject CDs and drink!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

find mixes of things. I was going to suggest get all the Jacques Lu Cont/Thin White Duke remixes and play them, but then I realised none of the songs will be very well known to your audience :(

But mixes will keep things interesting for you while your audience will know the songs.

― jellybean (jellybean), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

Fight those lousy Manhattan laws by playing all of these: Songs about dancing

Really though, the first 7/8 of my initial list should go down pretty well, mostly mid-tempo, highly-melodic, instantly catchy, perfect 80s popdisco that doesn't sound dated. Msg Ian SPACK on Ssk if you'd like them.

― Affectian (Affectian), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:00 (twenty years ago)

make sure you leave a bottle of whiskey by your turntables so anyone can take a swig of it.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:03 (twenty years ago)

spencer post your pool party playlists!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:05 (twenty years ago)

It is proprietary intellectual property!!!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

pretty please!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

"turntables"!

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Spencer pool party playlist definitely had Phoenix, Avalanches, New Order, MIA...

― Yakuza Ghost Six (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:37 (twenty years ago)

that's what i figged!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

phoenix + pool = logic

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:42 (twenty years ago)

I should add that I was not at this pool party (though I probably wish I was).

― Yakuza Ghost Six (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

Adam, shush!

Also, there will be more pool parties throughout the summer. Did I send you the invite to this last one?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

No, but I forgive you.

If you have a 4th July pool party...I may make it.

― Yakuza Ghost Six (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

I'm adding you to the invite list for future hipster pool parties.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

Yay!

― Yakuza Ghost Six (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 8 June 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

More suggestions, plz!

Here's what I played last night (it ended up being more like 5 and a half hours);

T-Rex-Bang a Gong
ELO-Mr. Blue Sky
Three Dog Night-Mama Told Me Not To Come
Al Green-Take Me to the River
Todd Rundgren-We Gotta Get You a Woman
Blondie-The Tide Is High
Rolling Stones-Miss You
BLACKstreet-No Diggity
Michael Jackson-Wanna Be Startin' Somethin?
Curtis Mayfield-Pusherman
Kinks-Til The End of the Day
Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak
Darkness-I Believe in a thing Called Love
Big and Rich-Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Kelly Clarkson-Since U Been Gone
Ashlee Simpson-La La
Tom Petty-American Girl
White Stripes-Seven Nation Army
The Cars-My Best Friend's Girl
The Bangles-Manic Monday
Joe Jackson-Is She Really Goin' Out With Him?
Tommy Tutone-867-5309
Van Morrison-Jackie Wilson Said
Johnnie Taylor-Who's Making Love?
Brenton Wood-The Oogum Boogum Song
Kelis-Trick Me
Jay-Z-Big Pimpin'
Amerie-1 Thing
T.I.-Bring 'Em Out
James Brown-Sex Machine Pt.1
David Bowie-Suffregate City
The Sweet-Ballroom Blitz
The Clash-Rock the Casbah
Blue-Song 2
The Hives-Hate to Say I Told You So
Queens of the Stone Age-No One Knows
Franz Ferdinand-Take Me Out
Modest Mouse-Float On
Amii Stewart-Knock On Wood
Gween Stefani-Hollaback Girl
Madonna-Burning Up
Rod Temperton-Boogie Nights
Dee-Lite-Groove is in the Heart
Dr. Dre-Forgot About Dre
Digital Underground-Humpty Dance
Biz Markee-Just a Friend
Ludacris-Stand Up
Daddy Yankee-Gasolina
The Cure-Just Like Heaven
The Libertines-Time For Heroes
Joe Jackson-Look Sharp
Hall and Oates-Private Eyes
The Killers-Mr. Brightside
Joan Jett-I Love Rock N Roll
Kenny Loggins-Footloose
Sam Cooke-Another Saturday Night
John Mellancamp-Hurts So Good
Solomon Burke-Cry To Me
Missy Elliott-Get Ur Freak On
Lipps Inc-Funkytown
Kylie-Can't Get You Outta My Head
Chic-Le Freak
Bee Gees-Night Fever
Usher-Yeah!
Britney Spears-Slave 4 U
Elastica-Connection
White Stripes-Blue Orchid
GnR-Sweet Child O Mine
Prince-Housequake
Biggie-Hypnotize
Salt-N-Peppa-Push It
Dr. Dre-Next Episode
Aaliyah-Are U That Somebody?
Fat Joe-Lean Back
Justin Timberlake-Like I Love You
Eminem-Without Me
Gwen Stefani-Hollaback Girl (again)
Jay-Z-99 Problems
Run DMC-It's Tricky
Freda Payne-Band of Gold
Bay City Rollers-Saturday Night
Paul Simon-Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
Ohio Players-Love Rollercoaster
Todd Rundgren-Wolfman Jack
Marvin Gaye-Doggone
New Radicals-You Get What You Give
Bobby Hebb-Sunny
Tony Toni Tone!-If I Had No Loot
Doug Sahm-She's About a Mover
Fantastic Johnny C-Boogaloo Down Broadway

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Thursday, 9 June 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

Looks pretty solid, given the remit.

― Yakuza Ghost Six (nordicskilla), Thursday, 9 June 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

How did it go down?

― Yakuza Ghost Six (nordicskilla), Thursday, 9 June 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

esp. the B&R?

― W i l l (common_person), Thursday, 9 June 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

It went pretty well. Though most people were there to watch baseball, so it's pretty hard to gauge. B&R didn't really get a reaction, but it's gone over very well the couple other times I've played it at similar places.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

uhh, could you narrow down the range you're asking for to one or two genres you're especially lacking in?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

I did have drunk girls illegally dancing to that hip-hop block near the end.

x-p

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

Haha, anything upbeat, loud or fun. I'm pretty bad w/ mainstream rock from the past five or so years...

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

You could probably play just about anything from this:

New Rhino boxset: "Whatever: The '90s Pop Culture Box"

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

xxpost
Improper Dancing!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:56 (twenty years ago)

black dice

― glenny g2003 (glenny g2003), Thursday, 9 June 2005 20:59 (twenty years ago)

Looks like a great set Colin!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 9 June 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

I'm pretty bad w/ mainstream rock from the past five or so years...

K, this I can do. Still assuming upbeat, loud, fun:

AFI - "Girl's Not Grey"
The Ataris - "The Boys of Summer"
Blink-182 - "All the Small Things," "The Rock Show"
Bowling for Soup - "Almost"
Crazytown - "Butterfly"
Dandy Warhols - "Bohemian Like You"
The Darkness - "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
Good Charlotte - "I Just Wanna Live," "The Anthem"
Hot Hot Heat - "Bandages"
Jet - "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?"
Jimmy Eat World - "The Middle," "Sweetness"
The Killers - "Mr. Brightside," "Somebody Told Me"
Ben Kweller - "Wasted and Ready"
My Chemical Romance - "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
Phantom Planet - "Big Brat"
Queens of the Stone Age - "No One Knows"
Steriogram - "Walkie Talkie Man"
Sugarcult - "Memory," "She's the Blade"
Sum-41 - "Fat Lip"
Transplants - "Diamonds and Guns"
Weezer - "Beverly Hills"
Yellowcard - "Ocean Avenue"

Can't guarantee you'll like all this stuff, but most modern rock listeners probably would.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 9 June 2005 22:26 (twenty years ago)

Thanks!

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Friday, 10 June 2005 01:00 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.