My Faith Is Restored in a Saturday Night Audience

I know that I don’t usually post on a Sunday, but I just got home from a DJ gig at a newer lounge/ venue here in Asbury Park called The Annex. I do Wednesday nights there, and also a few Saturdays a month. Many of you DJ’s out there know the deal when it comes to the public and music. If it’s not cookie cutter MTV or Hot 97 (insert local Commercial Hip Hop station that plays mainstream stuff and blows up a bomb every night at 7 PM) music, then they are not satisfied. Really? You asked me to play Afro Man? Do I look like I’m in a fraternity? Oh, hold on, can I play Puddle of Mud, when the last artists I played for a half hour were Classic Hip Hop? How about the classic line of: “You don’t have Bruce Springsteen? What kind of a DJ are you?” I think my reply was: “I suck, really”. Tonight….my faith was restored in people. Top four requests tonight: 1) J Dilla 2) GZA 3) Mos Def 4) Gangstarr. I thought I was dreaming. We’re talking about a mixed gay and straight crowd, a bit on the younger side who may or may not be Hipsters. People are yelling out for MF Doom. Who am I to say no? How about some DJ Shadow? Hold on, here comes Maggie Threatt and Wilbur Bascomb. It was my kind of night. I just thought I’d share. Basically, it’s the first night in a long time ( I DJ 3 to 4 nights a week) that people finally get what good music is. It looks like they’re finally opening their ears and minds to sounds other than the latest garbage being played around the dial. I say Amen Brother. Keep Diggin’!

5 responses to “My Faith Is Restored in a Saturday Night Audience

  1. Last week I first was asked to play some “hadbanging stuff” and later on a desparate houswife stared at me angrily: “Couldn’t you play something I can dance to, for example Abba?” Anyway I think it’s easier to get records in the states, but easier to play them in Europe.

  2. The Black Milk stuff got some good reactions for me out here in SF. I think people are starting to look for the stuff not being jammed down their throats and actually want to hear something different. I think the age of the crowd accounts for a lot of it too..

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