Is there such thing as an entertaining DJ performance?

xxxmorphicxxx · Post by **xxxmorphicxxx** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:22 pm

I've been watching a bunch of YouTube vids of DJs and solo artists playing live shows... and I am completely astounded by how boring everything is.

They either use a projector and play something that looks like Windows Media Player kaleidoscope...

Or just use a bunch of strobe/laser lighting.

The artist themselves look sooooooooooooooo lame. It looks boring enough when they are just twiddling a few knobs on their midi controller... but as soon as I see their hand hit the touch pad on their laptop... its like, OMG, it looks like he's surfing the web, checking email, working on a school project.

The bobbing of the artists head to the beat of the music does not entertain the audience.

It's ridiculous. Now I know why hardrock, jazz, or any other type of music will always find success in live music...

What can DJ's do to improve their performance? Or does anyone have any links to videos that are entertaining? I'm not asking to be mean, or put anyone down... I really want to know because I will soon start playing my electronic project live and don't want to put the audience to sleep!

leisuremuffin · Post by **leisuremuffin** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 9:58 pm

you're holding up the wall and you're missing the point.

music is for listening.

sometimes it might even be for dancing.

if you are at an event with a DJ, and you are trying to watch them, you are beyond help.

.lm.

weeddigger · Post by **weeddigger** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:08 pm

Word...

Let the music speak for you and your electronic project...

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:15 pm

Re: Is there such thing as an entertaining DJ performance?

Not for me, I only enjoy the DJ experience if I'm off my head. I much prefer the live band experience. Call me old-skool... Turntablism though, that's a different matter!

kb420 · Post by **kb420** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:55 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wwZXaLm ... re=related

rikhyray · Post by **rikhyray** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:38 pm

Some might feel entertained by the DJs assets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=re ... nTMZ4fddWw

Pepehouse · Post by **Pepehouse** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 11:49 pm

xxxmorphicxxx wrote:I've been watching a bunch of YouTube vids of DJs and solo artists playing live shows... and I am completely astounded by how boring everything is.

They either use a projector and play something that looks like Windows Media Player kaleidoscope...

Or just use a bunch of strobe/laser lighting.

The artist themselves look sooooooooooooooo lame. It looks boring enough when they are just twiddling a few knobs on their midi controller... but as soon as I see their hand hit the touch pad on their laptop... its like, OMG, it looks like he's surfing the web, checking email, working on a school project.

The bobbing of the artists head to the beat of the music does not entertain the audience.

It's ridiculous. Now I know why hardrock, jazz, or any other type of music will always find success in live music...

What can DJ's do to improve their performance? Or does anyone have any links to videos that are entertaining? I'm not asking to be mean, or put anyone down... I really want to know because I will soon start playing my electronic project live and don't want to put the audience to sleep!

You don't understand electronic music, is all about the sound, the music.... in clubs people don't look too much at the DJ booth unless you are another DJ, they are dancing, drinking, talking, is not a rock show, is more interactive than that.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 1:08 am

When you go to see a movie, do you watch the projectionist?

DJing is all about the music. If you want visual entertainment, go and see a band.

ground_control · Post by **ground_control** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:21 am

hambone1 wrote:When you go to see a movie, do you watch the projectionist?

DJing is all about the music. If you want visual entertainment, go and see a band.

If you want visual entertainment, go see a MOVIE.

landrvr1 · Post by **landrvr1** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:26 am

Pfft.

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic. ... ht=dignity

It's fucking hilarious when you Tools say "It's all about the music".

...

EgAD · Post by **EgAD** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 3:39 am

the truth is that there are those that don't 'perform' and those that 'do' in every artform, generally the people who do not perform tell you it's not important and those that do will tell you otherwise not suprising right, so what you need to do is decide which kind of artist you want to be which it sounds like you have an idea already.
if watching djs that don't perform puts you to sleep then by all means don't go out and do that, give a show that you would enjoy yourself and the people will feel it and enjoy it with you. the best thing is to grow and push what ever you do and if people don't agree with you, don't even waste time caring.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 3:52 am

^^^Amen to that. Do what you'd like to see!

beats me · Post by **beats me** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 4:23 am

There's a lot more concentration involved in live PA and DJing than traditional instruments. Also computers, keyboards, and decks don't lend themselves to physically rocking out. I could do back flips all night long if I was just playing guitar, but if a guitarist was a DJ he'd have to pick between a few dozen guitars for each new song and after strapping it on would have to start retuning it to go into the next song....only to discover he picked the wrong guitar and tuning 30 seconds before the next song begins.

So what do you have against visuals?

hacktheplanet · Post by **hacktheplanet** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:02 am

Go see DJ Craze the next time he's in your area.
Then come back to this thread.

Dominik · Post by **Dominik** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:26 am

Is there such thing as an entertaining DJ performance?

yes there it is. it's called musician.
it's a hard reality, nothing can change in btw.30 years what WAS already since beginning of human existenz.