Briggsy Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) I've had promotors on Facebook listening to my mixes, which are blatantly quite hard and techy. They then ask if I want to play for them, I agree, and then they say i'm going to be on warm-up duties - so then I pull out. Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate it when promoters like my mixes and ask me to play for them - but why do they insist on asking me to do warm-ups when my style is blatantly not suited to that style. I'm not being big-headed - i'm not saying i'm too good for warm-ups - I simply wouldn't enjoy it, wouldn't get into my set, and wouldn't be able to give 100% - and I always said when I started DJ'ing that I wouldn't change my style just to get a gig like some DJ's do because my heart wouldn't be with it and I'd never want to give less than 100%. Its really frustrating - my DJ'ing has come on loads over the last 18 months or so, and it'd be nice to just get some gigs under my belt playing the style of music that I love - but it seems I only get offered warm-up sets Edited February 20, 2009 by Briggsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonman Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) you have to work your way up. When i started playing out about 6 years ago, i was doing warmups even though my style is peak time. It's like anything. I remember playing Cafe En Siene in Peterborough i was doing warmups, playing for free, handing out flyers etc etc. Then eventually got a break and used to go back to back with the "main" DJ the weekends when guests weren't playing. Thats just the way it is, you have to build up a "following" or a profile for yourself unless of course you are A/ already established or B/ a producer. Thing is though, i dont mind doing warmups, in a way the pressure is off you and you can get away with stuff you wouldn't normally be able to get away with. I remember playing gigs and having prmoters stood next to me pretty much telling me how to play at peak time - it p***es you right off, whereas on warm up duties, they just leave you alone. The thing i'm finding most frustrating at the minute is getting gigs out of Peterborough. I've got my career kickstarted and the training is all over now, so i'm looking to start DJing again. Obviously with my job, i cant really accept gigs in Boro anymore - The superiors wouldnt like it, and i'd be putting myself at some considerable risk should anyone recognise me - it does happen believe me! But all my connections are here. So i'm basically back to square one. I'm targetting areas like Northampton and Nottingham at the minute as they are fairly close. I'm going to be sending out a few cds over the next few weeks and trying to establish connections in these areas. Edited February 20, 2009 by Moonman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number2Fan Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 OMG Why do you pull out you fool!! Get in there!! Most of us would love the oppurtunity to have a go in a real club, you go in and you show them what you can do and they'll surely put you where they see fit!! I've heard your mixing/mixes they are good, it's not so bad to start out on warm-up is it. It's like any job, you can't just go straight in and rule the roost! There's nothing wrong with being a warm-up DJ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I've heard your mixing/mixes they are good, it's not so bad to start out on warm-up is it. It's like any job, you can't just go straight in and rule the roost! There's nothing wrong with being a warm-up DJ! There's nothing wrong with being a warm-up DJ no, if you're into that kind of music - I just simply don't play music suitable. I like my music hard and boshy - I don't like Progressive stuff that plods along at 132bpm - I can't get into it at all so therefore I never buy any. I couldn't build a warm-up set to save my life to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number2Fan Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 There's nothing wrong with being a warm-up DJ no, if you're into that kind of music - I just simply don't play music suitable. I like my music hard and boshy - I don't like Progressive stuff that plods along at 132bpm - I can't get into it at all so therefore I never buy any. I couldn't build a warm-up set to save my life to be honest. Well just do your usual stuff then. I've heard some banging warm-ups before!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Kane Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Playing warm-ups is really a skill in its own right, I can see Briggsy's argument that he doesn't want to compromise his sound & change the way he plays. It's much easier for someone like me who's core sound is progressive, I can happily play early sets playing what I love & if the opportunity for a peak time set comes along I can adapt to that no problem & raise the bpm. I do agree with Moonman's comments though, you need to start somewhere & playing warmup is the place where most people start, maybe if you're getting all these offers invest in some tech-house & progressive stuff, once you've done a good job on warmup then you may get offered a more peak-time set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Playing warm-ups is really a skill in its own right Exactly! Building a decent warm-up set is probably harder than building any other kind of set - it can make or break a night. A good warm-up set can put people in the mood for a really good night. If done wrong, it leaves people feeling a bit frustrated and disheartened. Mark Eteson (who often gets a lot of negative stick for playing 'too hard' during warm-ups) is a prime example - he's also a natural bosher, who does warm-up sets and gets stiock for it because its not his strongest point. People criticise him saying he's a poor DJ, etc - but he's actually very good - he's just not a warm-up DJ. He'd probably admit himself that he's not the best warm-up DJ around. There are very few DJ's around that can do a "proper" warm-up set - the only three i've heard are Jon O' Bir, Genix and, actually, yourself Tom. Even people like Gavyn Mytchel, Fubar & Lee Haslam, who are resident warm-up DJ's aren't the best at it. Most DJ's have a specific style and are suited to specific times - and mine is later in the night when it gets boshy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardaway Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I see your point, But would advise you to take up these oportunities that you have been offered. Doing warm-up sets can be quite fun as you are building up from basic prog beats to maybe more energitic tech, leaving it primed for the DJ after. I used to hate doing them but now see the importance of a good warm-up set. Give it a go mate, you may love doing it. I do disagree with you about Lee Haslam thou. I've hard many a good warm-up set from him, hard to imagine but he does an excellent job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simcut Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Way of the beast I'm afraid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emy Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) JUST DO IT YOU DJ FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC NOT TO BE THE "MAIN" SET hmmm sorry, but that comes later It sounds like your heart is not in it Edited February 20, 2009 by emy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number2Fan Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 He just need a little "pick me up" from the quacks. When you feel depressed, even the best things in the world can only be seen from the 'down side' I like Briggsy though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tremor Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 I have to agree with most of the replies here that whilst a warm up set may not be ideal for your style, its definitely worth having a go at. Personally I love all the boshy tech trance and peak time tunes the best as well and at home I'm always mixing those sorts of sets. However the only live sets I ever seem to get offered are either warm up sets or house/electro sets in bars. I have generally always gone for it and played these sets even though they aren't where I want to get to eventually because I still love DJing and part of that has to be getting the right reaction from the people your playing to. I have found much to my surprise that I can really enjoy playing a house set if thats what the punters on the night want - its not my main style and I dont even buy much of it unless I have a gig coming up but I still try to get as into it as possible. You also never know what will happen. I recently DJ'd at Derby University for their graduation ball as a last minute booking. I had been asked to play house/electro stuff but was given a bit of freedom to take it where I wanted as long as people were into it. In a 2 hour set I managed to take it from comercial house into trance classics, eventually raising the bpm from 130 to 140 but kept the crowd the whole time by picking the right tunes. To be fair they were a bunch of drunk students but the point is I had a great time playing that set but when I was first offered it my initial reaction was to think it wouldn't be a great gig and potentially more hassle than it would be worth... but I was wrong... dont be afraid to try it mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number2Fan Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 Quite a while back I DJ'd a pub on Christmas eve, last minute thing. Turned out all they wanted to hear was indie stuff, depeche mode, stone roses, etc etc (yes I did say a while back) anyway, they loved us in the end as I luckily had all the tunes they were asking for or near enough, and we were asked back for NYE!! Were slightly better prepared, never did get any rage against the machine though. Anyway, I loved every minute of it. Despite is not being dance music at all, I still snuck a few in there. My point is, get out there and do it, show 'em what ya got!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tremor Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) Indeed. Ive ended up DJing at events where they want non dance music as well. Depending on the crowd and atmposphere these can be pretty good fun to do as well but admittedly they could also be pretty dire. But hey why not give it a go. It's the DJing itself I love as much as the music Im playing - sometimes more. haha Edited February 20, 2009 by Tremor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 JUST DO ITYOU DJ FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC NOT TO BE THE "MAIN" SET hmmm sorry, but that comes later It sounds like your heart is not in it Exactly - I DJ for the love of music - and I LOVE harder music - ie, Hard Trance, Tech-Trance & Techno. Not Progressive stuff or Electro-edged tunes. If my heart wasn't in it, i'd be taking any gig I could get, walking out with some cash in my pocket, and not really caring whether people liked my set or not - but its the complete opposite - hence me starting the thread to start with. I want to play music that I LOVE - not just take a gig for the sake of it and playing music that I can't really get into. Asking me to play warm-up stuff would be like asking Tom Bailey to play a Techno set - he just wouldn't because he doesn't like that style of music. That doesn't mean his heart isn't with it either - it means he has a style too. Anyway, i've got one warm-up set at the end of March - in a hard-trance & techno room, so i'm taking that offer up because it means its going to be a hard night anyway - so the slowest style of what I play would be ideal for that event. After that, it looks like i've got more gigs for the sae bunch playing at a later time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonross46 Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I'm quite impressed you have been getting these offers so quickly and quite a lot of them for that matter too. I dread the days of having to get out there and make my mark. I have spent all my years of practice perfecting my own style, so if I only get offers to play music that I can't I will be kicking myself down so much and I can see myself packing it all in if that is the case. I have nothing but music that I like to play out, so if I had someone stood saying 'oi, play something like this' I would simply have to say 'no, I actually can't!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 (edited) I'm quite impressed you have been getting these offers so quickly and quite a lot of them for that matter too. I've had the odd offer here and there for years - although not very often - but to be honest, i'd never really felt confident enough to play out before. I wouldn't say i've had many - perhaps the odd one or two offers a year. The only time I really played out was when my mate ran a night in Wales for a while - and I always had the closing set, which was ideal for me - it was a bit quieter then with some people having left so I didn't feel too under pressure, and it allowed me to play my preferred style (which, back then, was melodic Trance). Its only since I joined Facebook a few months ago, created a group, and started posting regular mixes, that people have started to take notice. I've never been one for bombarding loads of forums with mixes - the only way I really share my mixes is via Facebook, on here, and more recently, the Matt Hardwick board, so I guess that prooves how good a promotional tool Facebook. I have nothing but music that I like to play out, so if I had someone stood saying 'oi, play something like this' I would simply have to say 'no, I actually can't!' Exactly! I don't understand why anyone would buy music that they don't really like just to get a gig. I only own buy music which I like - and these days, its nothing which would be suited to a warm-up set. Edited February 21, 2009 by Briggsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tremor Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 All sounds fair enough to me. At least you are getting some bookings doing what you really love. I guess really I see why you dont want to play warm up sets but getting offered them isn't so much an issue. You can pick and choose which gigs to play but its always nice to be offered stuff anyway even if you dont want to do it. I dont really buy any music purely to DJ which I dont actually like to listen to at home. However I do have a pretty wide taste in music which covers ground beyond trance or house for that matter. This does enable me to DJ for quite a variety of events at times and I tend to do it so long as its something I'll enjoy. If I can earn a bit of cash for a night as well then I dont mind buying a few extra tracks that I wouldn't normally play to cater for the event. I do agree with you though in that personally I would love to play full on trance sets to crowds that loved it as much as me. I dont think I could beat that feeling playing any other type of music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briggsy Posted February 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 All sounds fair enough to me. At least you are getting some bookings doing what you really love. I guess really I see why you dont want to play warm up sets but getting offered them isn't so much an issue. You can pick and choose which gigs to play but its always nice to be offered stuff anyway even if you dont want to do it. Oh don't get me wrong, i'm grateful that people want to book me - I just find it frustrating when they've heard my mixes, which are always Techy or hard, and then they ask me to play a completely different style of music. I could understand it if i'd recorded the odd proggy mix here and there as "something different" - but I haven't - I only ever put up mixes that reflect my true style. I can vary my music to suit any time of the night except warm-up. The one warm-up set I am doing in March is in the harder room, so i'm going to be playing a style similar to Adam Sheridan's new sound, which will be ideal for that kind of room, and its a style I also quite like. It wouldn't really be suited to a 'normal' Trance night though - hence why I couldn't do regular warm-up sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tremor Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 yeah cool.. sounds good mate. I get your point also. It is a bit pointless hearing someone's demo mix and booking them based on that to play something very different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_k Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 id of been in there like a shot me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_k Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 id of been in there like a shot me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Kane Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 id of been in there like a shot me id of been in there like a shot me So keen he posted it twice, get that man a warm-up set Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emy Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 Sorry about my post, I am just jealous you are getting offers I think I know what you mean being careful what gigs you choose, I plan most of my mixing so I want to save the best mixes for my first proper gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Kane Posted February 21, 2009 Report Share Posted February 21, 2009 I plan most of my mixing so I want to save the best mixes for my first proper gig. I know a lot of people do this but I would really advise against it, you need to be flexible when you play out & pre-planning really can limit the direction you take the set in. Pre-planning promo mixes & such is something I'd recommend but definately not when you're playing out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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