There are more DJs than ever before. Technology and the advent of the digital age has made it easier than ever before to begin a career as a DJ/producer. Unfortunately, it may not be enough to simply have hot tracks, the best DJing techniques in the world, exclusive (re)mixes to play in your sets, or an awesome website. If you want to stand out, take time to consider how to develop a memorable live show that complements your DJing prowess – keep reading for inspiration and ideas.
According to A-Trak’s infamous treatise from last year, fans’ expectations have changed in a world of flashy productions and cutting-edge light shows:
“Crowds used to come see DJs for a musical journey (…) now they expect to hear specific songs, and furthermore, they want to see a show.” [via The Huffington Post]
A great DJ is also a great showman. Year after year, audiences will continue to appreciate DJs who give their best on stage, and entertain the crowd. The truth of the matter is that you don’t need a big team and millions of dollars to build an awesome experience – with a bit of creativity (and perhaps a few willing collaborators) you can add some real pizzazz to your sets, and create an amazing experience for your fans. Hopefully you’ll have the time of your life while you’re at it!
(Important note to DJs: A great show isn’t meant to distract from or dilute the musical content of your set; it’s only meant to enhance it. Incredible music should always be the starting point for a good show)
Here’s a few elements of stage performance to consider:
What is the theme of your performance going to be? What do you want your performance to say about you? Take some time to reflect on this, and what you want your visual presentation onstage to communicate to your audience.
The theme of your performance could be based around a particular setting or place. Your theme could relate to a storyline, or the overall message you’d like to convey with your set and/or new music. The theme could be based around a character, perhaps one you represent on stage. Search for theme inspirations in movies, books, plays or even comics. Anything goes here; just remember originality counts.
If this is going to be the first show you’re putting together, I highly recommend collaborating with a creative director (don’t worry, they don’t have to have a business card that has this title on it). It is a good experience to work together with an individual who is visually oriented, and can help you to bring your ideas to life. There’s bound to be someone out there who would like to be a part of your team – be they students, fans, strangers, friends or family. Find them!
Here are some great examples of well-themed DJ shows:
Plastikman Live was an incredible show that explored the connection between visuals, audio and interactivity, and featured Plastikman performing behind an enormous screen. The show’s visuals were created by visual architects Derivative and Richie Hawtin’s frequent collaborator, Ali Demirel.
Kid Koala produced the Space Cadet Headphone Experience, a performance based on his Space Cadet graphic novel and album. The story’s main character is an adventurous space cadet; the plot touches on the relationship between technology and isolation, while celebrating family. The show took place in an large inflatable “space pod” environment. Audience members listened to the music using wireless headphones; only the ambient sounds of a spaceship played in the open air. The visuals included closeups of Kid Koala’s hands on the turntables and moving images from the graphic novel.
Are you a handyman? Is there anything that you could build as a weekend project that would look great, or be fun to play in onstage? Could you create a unique table for your gear, some sort of crazy spaceship enclosure? Gather some inspiration by watching big budget productions, and brainstorm to see if there’s anything you’d be able to emulate from those performances that you could build for your show.
Almost every great show includes visuals these days. You can use software programs to play your own visuals, or collaborate with others for the visual aspect of the performance. Have the visuals correspond with the theme of your set, and make them an important part of the show. Visuals can be very simple, and needn’t be expensive to be effective.
As a starting point, here’s a few ideas of how you can use visuals in your show:
- Collaborate with a VJ: The VJ may have their own visuals already, or you may have to provide them. Most likely, they will present you with the option of mixing the visuals live, or playing pre-made loops. There are plenty of places online where you can purchase good quality visuals, including DVJ Vision,VJ Hive and Source Visuals.
- Use software for video DJing. Popular DJ/VJ hybrid software include Serato Video and Virtual DJ. Dedicated video systems include GrandVJ, Resolume 4, and Modul8 (Editor: watch the DJTT blog in the next month for an article on getting started VJing with controllers)
- Rent a hardware video mixer to mix visual sources (camera, video generators, etc), such as the Roland V-4EX.
- Find someone who can create custom visuals for the show. If you’re on a budget, perhaps try contacting an art school to see if there are students who would appreciate the opportunity.
One of the more inspiring examples is DJ Shadow’s Live! In Tune and on Time:
Read More: 3 Simple Solutions for DJ Visualizers
Most DJs don’t think about the impact of lighting onstage, but it’s a good idea to give this area some thought. The color, and type of lights will have a big impact on your stage presence.
- Call the club to see if you can speak to the lighting tech before the show, and ask them to demo their lighting for you.
- If you have a bit of pocket change, it might be worthwhile to rent a few extra lights for the event if the onsite selection of kit is minimal.
- If you’re interested in learning more about lighting, research online, attend an industry convention (like NAMM) to see examples of lighting and effects, or make friends with a lighting technician to get tips from a pro.
This is common sense, but your clothing and appearance onstage (if visible) are a big part of your show. For example, we all know Richie Hawtin’s classic look is minimal black tops and bottoms, and a stylish haircut. Artists all need to have their own style. Could you imagine Kurt Cobain without his flannels?
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to find cool clothes. If you’re looking more for a costume or vintage threads, try hunting at your local thrift shop or army surplus. If you want a pimp look on a budget, see if a local clothing store will sponsor your show. Offer to feature their store name and logo on your flyer, or do a pre-show photo shoot with them in exchange for a new outfit. If all else fails, borrow something from a buddy who wears the same size as you, or create your own outfits.
Even though the idea might seem cheesy, don’t underestimate the impact of using props in your show. Once again, you don’t have to spend a lot of money here, you just have to be creative. DJ Swamp made himself famous by smashing vinyl records, and scratching with the broken pieces. (He also used to light his records on fire too…not recommended!) In old school DMC competitions, DJs used to try to out-do each other using all sorts of props onstage to DJ with, including oversized records. The key is to make sure your props make sense with your show.
Prop masters The Mega Team at the 1992 DMC’s (watch for 0:42 – Fly Swatter, 2:55 – Violin Bow 3:35 – Oversized Record)
Body tricks are a rare sight in DJing these days, but they can still look really flashy if you pull them off well. They take lots of practice, and you have to be in good physical shape to perform them. If you can manage to pull off a few body tricks during your set, you just might steal the show, and win yourself a few new fans! Controllerists – consider adding body tricks to a routine with your controller and going beyond the movement in relation to turntables.
One of the best examples of well-done body tricks is this classic Roc Raida routine from DMC 1996:
More inspiration: DJ David, DMC World 1991 (watch the b-boy move at 6:05) and Cutmaster Swift (watch the sequence of body tricks at 8:15).
Stand out onstage by customizing your DJ gear and/or instruments – you could think of this as a costume for your kit. We’ve seen DJs color coordinate their equipment with a show’s theme, or their outfit, etc. 12Inchskinz is a company that allows you to design templates for your DJ equipment, including the S4 and the S2. Controllerists of course could consider rocking DJTT’s own Chroma Caps, while DVS users can get custom vinyl labels made over at FakeMake.
If you’d like to really advance the level of your shows, it’s highly recommended you find a sponsor. Partnering together with a sponsor will give you a bigger budget to work with, which is always helpful when you’re creating a great stage performance. No matter what your budget, remember it’s always possible to make something unique if you use your creativity and choose a few talented people to collaborate together with.
Most of all, remember to have fun while creating and performing at your great show!
What DJ and producer live shows have you seen that have been made more memorable due to a great live show? We want to hear your ideas and thoughts in the comments below.
Sorry but bot gone. Can we honestly stop now with the HOW TO DO ANY AND EVERYTHING BLOG POSTS!!!!
It is become very close if not already stupid brainwashing… into 1,2,3 everything. I am sorry but there is absolutely no way to “HOW TO CREATE A MEMORABLE?EPIC LIVE DJ SHOW”
Just make sure your body is stress free, dont abuse substances, and let your skills and selection take em to church thats how a clubber leave the club saying ( who the hell was that dj, he kept me dancing all night long) .
HOW TO CREATE A MEMORABLE SET = HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF THE CENTER OF ATTENTION THAT NIGHT VIA THE MUSIC YOU MIX.
cocaines lines dont matters, guys dont care abt $10 hollywood dress thirsty bitches. the promoter is kissing your ass instead of playing the usual drug bumper for any random chic with make ups and a nice rack of ( o ) ( o )
sweet my Vitamindevo photo of the Dancetronauts!
C2C has the best DJ show right now based on actual DJing skills, music, visuals and crowd interaction. Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h06_xnTVmFY
Feed Me’s staging is some of the best I’ve seen, the teeth with the visuals on them are amazing
i have a simple way of people remembering who i am. i’m just a bar/club DJ that doesn’t do anything extraordinary in my sets. i do wear some flashy clothes and it seems to have people remember me, just like the polish ambassador. it started off with these silver high top shoes from a company called Y-3.. people would see them and be like those are pretty cool.. then i decided to start wearing yellow pants with them.. now that it’s getting warmer out i have a dark blue and light blue thin striped v-neck i wear with the yellow pants and silver shoes.. none of the colors match at all, but each piece is stylish and i don’t look like a bum wearing it.. people like it. i’m the “DJ that wears crazy colors” now.
as much as i hate to have this name be typed across my keyboard, but DJ Blend of all people gave me the idea to have an appearance that stands out.. hate him (which i absolutely do) or not, his mask is what helped him to his fame. it seems that you can be the best local DJ around town now but since everybody wants to be a DJ since it’s the new trend, it’s harder to be noticed.
Very nice topic. There are so many DJs aroud, one shoud realy add a create and personal touch to do a memorable Live DJ show
Very alternative article, different from the usual articles on DJTT and I liked it! Definatly one to look back on for tips *Archived*
this is what I’m using to set me apart from other djs visually…
Who is Sara Simms anyway and how much $$$ does she make with her shows? Or is this charity? Wanna know real bad…
fuck lighting. if you have money to spend, use it for better sound. give me dark rooms and good tunes over fancy shows any day.
http://bambuser.com/v/3582497
Great article… very thorough. I’m from St. John’s and for my semi-monthly event I bought 3x 50″ plasmas directly behind the performer’s heads full of trippy visuals….and just that alone created such an intense vibe…. It was so worth the investment!
I’m totally looking for an art director now …also hitting up a local fashion designer to drape some of her creations on some models for the next one…
great ideas….very inspiring! THANKS SARA!
I really don’t like the article ending with “it’s highly recommended you find a sponsor” and NO TIPS ON HOW TO DO SO.
Hey Jon, here’s an article I wrote on how to land a DJ sponsorship. http://www.djtechtools.com/2011/09/19/how-to-land-a-dj-sponsorship/
ummm….really? who is this for? has everything become an american idol tryout??
You can always scratch with your dick like bad boy bill
You can always scratch with your dick like bad boy bill
Chemical Brothers… one of the most epic sound video and light show 😀
Chemical Brothers… one of the most epic sound video and light show 😀
Check out the Turntablist-Collective C2C. They use CunTROLLERS too. But unlike a lot of pseudo-acting-like-they-do-something-even-though-they-dont-do-shit-CunTROLLERmisfits, they acutally got skills on the production-tip and skillwise on thet turns and the CunTROLLERs
Check out the Turntablist-Collective C2C. They use CunTROLLERS too. But unlike a lot of pseudo-acting-like-they-do-something-even-though-they-dont-do-shit-CunTROLLERmisfits, they acutally got skills on the production-tip and skillwise on thet turns and the CunTROLLERs
I really like how DJTT is stepping up the formatting and information provided in the articles now. This is a really clean, informative article. The only thing I could ask for is a little bit more about what it actually takes (the real work) to get these things to happen.
I really like how DJTT is stepping up the formatting and information provided in the articles now. This is a really clean, informative article. The only thing I could ask for is a little bit more about what it actually takes (the real work) to get these things to happen.
Sara, cheers on the article. I think it is important for a DJ to put on a show when he or she is showcasing technical skills. The DJ Shadow vidoe is case an point. However, I think it’s short-sighted to say DJs have to differentiate themselves though showmanship. Most of the examples that you list are DJs who do very technical things (Kid Koala, Glitch Mob, et al). Many DJs (I guess those of us in out late 20’s and 30’s) who are professionals in the game still see what we do as leading a party and not taking center stage–that is unless we are being technical which requires observance. Most of the time (and like I said this if my perspective, from my scene, not mahor festivals or the super-trendy dance circuits) want a DJ to throw down and make them dance. The visuals, stage props, and all glitter do not matter. It ain’t gold if the musc buy itself doesn’t have the soul to move folks on the dancefloor. If the role of the DJ is evolving into showman/rockstar/whatever for the majority of EDM culture, then mybe we should change the name of what they are as just and “EDM performer” or EDM technologist” of some clever term. What do you think? Because I think many DJs would consider a formal show as antithetical to their craft.
Hi DJ CNTRL, thanks for your kind words. I think there’s many types of DJs out there – some may be interested in showbiz, some not. Many great DJs will prefer to focus more on doing what they do best – mixing and scratching amazing tracks. Other DJs may be interested in becoming performers, as big opportunities are starting to develop for EDM artists around the world. This article is meant to inspire people who would like to create a stage show to enhance their music and create a bit of magic! 🙂
Hi DJ CNTRL, thanks for your kind words. I think there’s many types of DJs out there – some may be interested in showbiz, some not. Many great DJs will prefer to focus more on doing what they do best – mixing and scratching amazing tracks. Other DJs may be interested in becoming performers, as big opportunities are starting to develop for EDM artists around the world. This article is meant to inspire people who would like to create a stage show to enhance their music and create a bit of magic! 🙂
I still think they should be called “EDM performers” or some other title, as the concept of showmanship is not inherent to what the vast majority of DJs do. I understand the reason for the article–and it’s a good one–I just think I speak for many of s who want to focus on the music. The idea of watching being as important as dancing is strange but hey, I guess I will quote James Murphy here and say for many of us DJ’s, “the kids are coming up from behind”, and a generation raised with screens and blinking lights want that to be associated with a dance music experience….ce la vie.
Well, I am off to DJ a roof-top party for me an some friends. No lights, just sound and hopefully feet moving. Hopefully the roof won’t collapse!
This is a great article……but sometimes people are not going to a stadium for a show…..they are going to a location that is made for the music. deep dubstep as in DMZ, TRUTH, MALA, all dont need flashy light shows or a projector behind them…..its all about the bass, the sound, the deep vibes…….the MUSIC.
Gone are the days when great DJs cared only about giving people the music they need; the music that empowered and inspired them, producing sounds to make people happy. Now, it’s about consuming music for gratification. Not surprising that the crowds are getting bored – now we “need” VJs, ridiculous lighting setups and other things just to get the listener (consumer)’s attention. It’s not about the music anymore – it’s about hype, fame, money, and bragging rights. We don’t need all of this additional stuff. We need a change in attitude. It’s about the MUSIC. Capitalism and competition has turned listeners into consumers, and is distorting the role of the DJ.
regretably, you’re right. the world keeps evolving and nothing ever stays the same. Every generation (not just people, trends, products, etc.) are expected to be _____-ER than the last one. bigger, badder, faster, scarier, funnier, brighter, you name it, and to a greater degree.
Also gone are the days of a DJ meaning someone who plays records one after the other. Evolve or get left behind.
It’s interesting to watch the reactions to people and the realizations slowly creep in that what we are doing is not the definition of a classic DJ. The lines between jukebox and musician are more and more blurred every day. We are sound collage artists and digital musicians, not DJs on a radio station or solely at a wedding/similar event.
I like that: “Evolve or get left behind”. So many issues with turntablist, cdj’ers and controllerist judging each other. Technology is evolving and so is DJing. Adapt or die. Simply a matter of survival.
I wish people would recognise this, I respect turntablists and CDJers alot, they are the history and the base to DJs… but the future is coming whether they like it or not, its not a case of an alternative, its just the evolution of technology.
Television became HD, vinyl became CDs and no decks become controllers. Its not my fault it happens but why should i suffer in my pocked and in my creativity because some guy with CDJs doesnt like that I can do as good a job as him, same amount of effort, expect on a smaller,cheaper system? Am I right or am i being to negative?
Nothing negative about it. I only see facts. I used to use CDJ’s, then moved onto serato. Now I am on my traktor kontrol s2. Convenience and versatility.
Well said man!!
Acts like Ritchie Hawtin, S/H/M, Calvin Harris, Justice, Aphex Twin, on and on are acts not so much DJs anymore, they have a team of people to orginize shows for them and make them look good on big stages, thats what they pay for.
For example: the Slam tent at T in the Park , Scotland, usually has a solid line up of techno or house djs, a jackathon if you will; If I spend my time watching the screens and not dancing, somthing is VERY VERY VERY wrong. I’m all for lazers and lights and some cool graphics on a screen, but seriously leave the cannons, the flares , the foam at the circus where it belongs. If you need smoke and mirrors that much, your not much of a dj. People want you to rock the house not mess around with DVDs, light controllers etc, that is another guys job. in fact leave it to the bands IMO.
” but seriously leave the cannons, the flares , the foam at the circus where it belongs” – AMEN.
I just starting working as a VJ in the past 6 months and honestly my best advice to anyone trying to make a custom show is to hire someone to make custom themed visuals for your event, and cut back on physical sets and props.
With video I can make a room feel like you’re inside a bubble with projection on two walls and the ceiling. For $250 you can pick up a bright (3k Lumens), 800×600 native resolution projector. At 30 ft it will fill up most of a 30’x30′ wall with with an image, or multiple images, and allow you to transform a static shape into a moving thing. I am currently working on a space show for my chillout DJ work where my projection rig makes you feel like you are floating and flying through space, seeing planets being born and stars going supernova which was inspired by Carl Sagan’s Cosmos. All of my work is being done in Adobe Flash and Adobe After Effects CS5, with adobe illustrator to make visual assets.
I’d suggest looking into projection software like Resolume to map your images to almost anything… you can even map them to moving things (if done correctly). Also, if you have skrim (or even a proper screen), you can do rear-projection so you don’t have your projector on the same side of the projection surface as your audience (who will typically mess with the images with hand puppets). I’m available if you’re interested.
I use Resolume Arena for my main screen and an iPad running TouchViz for the others. I live breathe and die by resolume. I’ve tried VDMX and a few others but Resolume is my favorite by far.
I use Resolume Arena for my main screen and an iPad running TouchViz for the others. I live breathe and die by resolume. I’ve tried VDMX and a few others but Resolume is my favorite by far.
I’d suggest looking into projection software like Resolume to map your images to almost anything… you can even map them to moving things (if done correctly). Also, if you have skrim (or even a proper screen), you can do rear-projection so you don’t have your projector on the same side of the projection surface as your audience (who will typically mess with the images with hand puppets). I’m available if you’re interested.
I feel the importance of a visual show depends on how fun/boring you are to watch. You can be an amazing dj, but if you don’t look like you’re having any fun doing it, it’s going to be hard to watch you. If you’re dancing, smiling, pointing at people that are in that moment with and having a brief connection, I think a visual show could actually take away from a more intimate connection with the audience. I live for those moments and would hate to lose them because the crowd was too stimulated by a light show…
This is very interesting as I have been making “Scenic” props and environments (sometimes referred to as “Installations”) professionally for about 3 years (with a lot more years in A/V Tech and Carpentry).
As a word of caution, I think it’s important for people who want to try their hand at this kind of thing to know it’s expensive to go big, bright, and fancy, and it takes a lot of time to; (architecturally) design, build, make elements work the way you want and figuring out how and when things need to happen, but it’s also a headache to deal with transportation, set-up, and troubleshooting/logistics (for things like “How do I replace a light in the middle of the array way up there?” and “How to I make sure I have enough fog for the fog machines when they’re way up there on the truss?” or even mundane things like “How to make sure I have enough power for all of these elements?” or “How do I get all the elements of this installation into the space I’m playing?”… these are non-trivial concerns).
If you’re doing this on your own, make sure you have the space to build, the money for each piece and plenty of time to do so… most people think “Oh, this will only take a few hours to build and cost only a few bucks.” I know from first-hand experience that a DJ rig like the giant Pyramid takes several weeks (somewhere around 4-6) by professional scenery builders and the cost is typically over $3,000 – $15,000 (depending on complexity and urgency of the completed installation) but a Scenic company will charge much more to build them (Typically $5,000 – $25,000, but can be much, much more expensive). And then, what do you do with the elements when your night is done? Leaving it there is essentially littering so you should plan for removing the installation after the event is done unless the establishment wants it there, storing the elements will require a strike team, a truck and a storage unit. It’s best to start small and build your way up to bigger elements mainly
because small things are less expensive and are generally more
portable/disposable, just like making your own D.I.Y. entertainment space.
I’m glad people are interested in making their own scenery and props, but I think it’s really important to think about the whole project, not just about the “fun parts.”
I’ve been a lighting designer for 6 years, and involved in theater for 8 now. I’ve worked hundreds of different events, and I cannot agree with you more. The biggest headaches for me are when people have a vison but no understanding of how complex their ideas are technically.
If there’s one thing I could impart on the people planning to coordinate teams is this: “PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, practice and communicate with every member of the team to make sure all the planned changes happen when they’re supposed to.”
The person calling the shots is typically called a “Show or Floor Director.” A
Director (typically) has the entire show planned out with all changes
and warns specific operators that a change is coming BEFORE the change
needs to happen, and talks these operators through each change (when it happens) for the ENTIRE show through two-way, real-time, communication. Typically the pros use a ClearCom (or
something like it) headset. Practice is key to an event’s
success. Do dry runs until the team gets it at least acceptable. This is how lights, video, dance moves, and fog coordinate with
each other to trigger at specific moment in a song… and for how long.
We (the operators) are not mind-readers and it’s hard to “wing it” if we don’t get clear instructions. “Winging it” is always sloppier than coordinated events.
If there’s one thing I could impart on the people planning to coordinate teams is this: “PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, practice and communicate with every member of the team to make sure all the planned changes happen when they’re supposed to.”
The person calling the shots is typically called a “Show or Floor Director.” A
Director (typically) has the entire show planned out with all changes
and warns specific operators that a change is coming BEFORE the change
needs to happen, and talks these operators through each change (when it happens) for the ENTIRE show through two-way, real-time, communication. Typically the pros use a ClearCom (or
something like it) headset. Practice is key to an event’s
success. Do dry runs until the team gets it at least acceptable. This is how lights, video, dance moves, and fog coordinate with
each other to trigger at specific moment in a song… and for how long.
We (the operators) are not mind-readers and it’s hard to “wing it” if we don’t get clear instructions. “Winging it” is always sloppier than coordinated events.
Why did I never think to watch Richie Hawtin youtube clips until now??
He’s a master! We can all learn from him.
Love how you’ve given examples for each of your points!
What might be cool to put yourself as a DJ more in the spotlight would be using something like this: http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Controller-2034RGB-3315-3215/dp/B0040FJ27S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368036907&sr=8-1&keywords=led+strip
Make a sort of suit using those LEDs and some double-backed tape, plug it in, and change the colours depending on the mood of the track.
Bassnectar is by far the best show I’ve seen. I’ve seen him multiple times and have not once been bored or thought to myself “not this song again”. His stage presence, visuals, energy EVERYTHING about his show is amazing
I can vouch for this – seen him 5 times now, each time was different – especially from a selection perspective.
M_NUS Contakt at Amsterdam was one of the most epic shows I’ve been to !
I still got that Contakt card that communicates with the Cube.
Aside from the body tricks and costuming, all those shows take entire teams of creatives and technicians (sometimes also corporate sponsorship) to put together . . . inspiring for sure , but pretty out of reach to those just starting. Few people staring out are give the opportunities (venues, timeslots, etc.) to mount such shows, nor have the capital investment to develop them behind the scenes and just suddenly launch them out there. It should be noted that most of those examples were developed incrementally over the course of those artists’ careers. Also w/ vj’ing, most of the time you’ll need to bring and set up your own projector(s) as well . . .
Hey Andrew! You will gain experience, opportunities and strength as you progress in your DJ career. Yes, you need to put together a team for a show. It is a lot of work! You can still make something cool even if you don’t have a big budget. You need to use your creativity, and be resourceful. (No matter what type of budget you are working with) 🙂
i don’t want to sound like the old, niche-music palying fart that i obviously am, but seriously, what happened to going to a CLUB for the dj and – even more important – the music? if i want a spectacle, a spaceship on a stage, props, makeup, costumes (…) i go and see starlight express…
I hear you buddy. I understand the DJ as a stage show. It makes a lot of sense for larger name acts playing stadiums and festivals. Even for smaller shows it can be cool.
I think a lot of people don’t realize that there is a whole other model of hosting successful shows in which the music and the people are the most important part.
The best shows I’ve been to were not based on everyone staring at the DJ god in some LED booth. These shows were focused on the dance floor and people interacted with one another. It’s more about a sense of community in the club than a scene in which the DJ is the center of entertainment and the crowd are the consumers.
If you want to add an interactive element to your show, I’d say focus on the most interactive element at the show…the people.
With that said, this article certainly provides some great tips for those trying to create a stage show experience.
There’s certainly something to be said for ‘minimal’ events- when you go to see a DJ play, close your eyes, and just listen to the music. There’s also something to be said for being inspired to create something magical for your audience, and combining together a variety of art forms to make something new…
Agreed, its pretty hard to improve on a dark room with a huge well tuned system and a DJ that knows how to read a crowd and guide them through the night.
Sure other things can help enhance the experience. Visionquest’s 13 series of nights sounds like it could be good. Enter at Space was amazing but these are tastefully done and the focus is on the music and the way the audience interacts with the space.
We have had enough of the spaceships masks and cake throwing
If you go to clubs with big name djs, Like in ibiza, most of them have a rather simple set up. Armin Van Buuern’s set up of 2011 was just big LED screens showing any vocal artists he had playing on his decks appear to be singing behind him and that was it. No spaceships or explosions or flares or spotlights. Hes a million dollar man and he kept it relatively simple!
Case in point, David Guetta, talentless man in his djing values and his questionable ability, he HAS to have a big huge show of dancers, burlesque performers naked women, explosions, more women etc…. Kinda maybe puts it into perspective.
This is kind of the idea behind the Boiler Room project, no? A webcam, a DJ, a sound system, and some people. There’s nothing to distract from the music! It’s great.
I like this article a lot, mainly the idea of theming shows, because that still grants the low attention span audience the chance to hear “that track” but also for the people paying attention the whole time its still a journey and has meaning. I live in denver and Sub.mission is probably the biggest label out here. I like the fact that they go out of there way to make the venue look like a setting, i.e. at bass invasion the dj booths were surrounded with sand bags and cages with army netting. this also lets the dj focus more on the music i feel which is beneficial to everyone. other promoters need to take note
The Sub.mission parties sound like they have a unique concept! Has anyone else seen great shows, or been to themed DJ-events that they’d like to share with us?
I’ve been to (and taken part of) themed DJ nights, but they were nothing like your show, Sara (as seen on your videos). I’ve tried (many times) to give the full “Moulin Rouge” night, but it’s very difficult to make that happen here. I’d consider getting my Passport renewed and flying my gear to Canada just to play a bit part with your crew as it seems less painful than trying to get something working here.
Thanks DJ ForcedHand. Putting on shows is probably just as challenging in Canada as it would be in any part of the world. 🙂 It just takes a little effort, that’s all!
“What DJ and producer live shows have you seen that have been made more memorable due to a great live show?”
I went to the first ever white edition of Sensation in the Amsterdam Arena. It was the first time when everyone was dressed white and the whole décor was white as well. It still is the most spectacular event I visited, closely followed by a concert of Rammstein little over a year ago.
This year I’ll go to Sensation again and expect an even bigger show this time. Then again, it is rather easy to put on a great show if you have a few million Euro to spend on it.
Very nice article. When it comes to body-tricks nothing beats DJ David’s handstand from the DMC World Championship 1991. http://youtu.be/39BEkgkCX-c?t=5m49s
I thought the handstand was really impressive too. 🙂
lovin this, lots to get inspired by! think i’m gonna plan out a new show that will amaze this weekend!
Cool, post up a video in the forum of your show afterwards! Here’s the video from my last show, if you’d like to check it out. It’s superhero DJ show, featuring the characters from my new graphic novel series The Future Prophecy. http://youtu.be/Kqi8wqJezxg
I love how you used a fan to not only look cool (with the flowing cape) but you remained cool during the show because you had that fan on you. Keep it up! I’d be a Villain playing Villain music though.
I love how you used a fan to not only look cool (with the flowing cape) but you remained cool during the show because you had that fan on you. Keep it up! I’d be a Villain playing Villain music though.
I really enjoyed the video for your show, Sara! Waves of nostalgia for the parties we used to throw in the early 90’s when everyone came in costumes to sweat their asses off on the dance floor!
Thanks for checking it out Jose, glad you enjoyed the video! I’ll have another video out for you soon… 🙂
Right on! Looking forward to it.