16 Songs I Played In My First Ever DJ Set
May 15, 2015
Any excuse for a Bowie reference, amiright?
So anyway, I like music. I can't play any instruments or anything fancy like that but I enjoy singing to it, dancing to it, bopping my head along to it. However, I don't have an enormous stash of vinyl/cassettes/CDs/mp3s. I'm more of a book hoarder, although even that has halted since the acquisition of a Kindle.
What I do have is a great variety of music; from 40s swing and big-band, rock and roll and beat music from the 50s and 60s, disco, rock and punk from the 70s, pop, new wave, dance, pub rock and hip hop from the 80s, Britpop, grunge, big beat and garage from the 90s and electro, house and Europop from the naughties onwards. Plus rando mash-ups, novelty songs, one hit wonders, alt/indie tracks and dance moves for each and every one of them.
Why am I telling you this? Well, a while ago, my friends Jackie and Judy asked me to DJ at a club night they were putting on here in Radelaide. Fully aware that I had never done so, which was very generous of them.
Um, let me just think about - OMG, YES PLEASE!
This has been on my bucket list for a very long time - doing an actual proper DJ set for a paying crowd, not just plugging my iPod in at parties or hogging the jukebox and forcing people to dance to Vanilla Ice. I was very excited about the opportunity and had a good few months to lie awake at night planning potential set lists.
My brief was highly danceable 80s pop so I spent some time combing my music collection for suitable choons with a bit of a new wave feel, plus some sneaky Britpop, and headed on down to the Producer's Bar.
I was given a brief overview of this intimidatingly scary looking machine. Look at all those lights, buttons, dials and sliders!
After dancing my nerves out to Judy and Jackie's first set, I was on!
People danced! Hurray!
I didn't get a full length outfit shot, which is horrendously disappointing. I really do need to get past that insecurity of asking others to do so. However, in related news, I have ordered an iPhone tripod and Bluetooth camera shutter button from eBay so hopefully this will no longer be such an issue. At least the toilets made a decent backdrop.
My sister-in-law at Make-Up By Lorin did my face:
I didn't want to wash it off at the end of the night!
The set was over all too quickly. Here's what I played:
"I Will Follow" - U2
"Dreaming" - Blondie
"Just Keep Walking" - INXS
"The Reflex" - Duran Duran
"True Faith" - New Order
"Rockit" - Herbie Hancock
"Girl U Want" - Devo
"Transmission" - Joy Division
"Personal Jesus" - Depeche Mode
"Fashion" - David Bowie
"Love Plus One" - Haircut 100
"Hazy Shade of Winter" - The Bangles
"Drop Dead Gorgeous" - Republica
"Connection" - Elastica
"Every You, Every Me" - Placebo
"Buffalo Stance" - Neneh Cherry
Would you have danced to any of these? What would you play in your ideal DJ set?
4 comments
Go you! That is super cool and I love your set list. I totally would have danced to those selections! Xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Shannon! Glad it would have got you up and grooving!!
DeleteGreat playlist. Republica and U2 would have seen me scaring everyone on the dancefloor! Sounds like a great night and you looked hawt. I might have to follow your lead and get a tripod too - I just don't have enough hands!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Sammie! I am still awaiting mine through eBay (coming from China of course) . . . $18!
Delete