PURA VIDA....just remember those words and you’ll be fine.
I arrive in San Jose for the first time, after a quick 2 hour flight. A local promoter and now friend @Mariano_md was there to greet me and take me to the hotel. It’s rainy season over there now, but the scenery was still beautiful. We stayed in the city side. The beach area was about 1hr 1/2 ride away. I was only there for the weekend and playing that night. Being a local, for 23 years, he was able to show me everywhere in the city and explain everything at the same time, personal taxi / tour guide. That night I was playing the newly re-opened Prive, so we decided to stop by to check out the DJ booth and sound. Located in Escazu, one of the more wealthier areas, Prive is defenitly the perfect club to compliment the clientele. The lights, sound, and visual systems were top notch. I was excited for night.
DJ’s Maxxx and Charlie Stevens opened and closed with some good sets. I played an open format set mixed with house and hip hop. Bottles were popped and the crowd as very responsive. Everyone was very welcoming. I met some great people and look forward to returning more frequently. If you go to Costa Rica, I highly recommend you spend one night on the city side, and take visit to Prive. I will see you there!
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW....there’s a new party in town!
This brand new ultra sushi lounge, Tokyo Blue, just opened a couple of weeks ago, inside the Ocean Manor Hotel/Resort. One night, I went in with my good friend/ business partner Scott Eddy, @MrScottEddy, to grab some food and drinks. We ordered a couple rolls, sake, and some other thing that was really good but I have no idea what it was. Sitting there at this gorgeous all carved glass bar, watching as it changed colors, I’m thinking..wow..this is a really cool spot. The food is amazing! Chef Mai, formerly of Nobu- Chef Akira, a shokunin (Master Sushi Chef) and former owner of Sushin. Sake was hot, staff was quick, and the vibe was good. The feel is definitely more lower Manhattan than upper Ft. Lauderdale.
When I was living and working in New York City, my favorite scene was when you had a variety of people that would come together, clicks were random, and the music was just the same. The energy was good. People weren’t trying to be cool, they just understood what was going on. Surround that with a soundtrack and some good snacks in between, makes one hell of a week night.....real New Yorkers don’t party on weekends.
During sushi, I thought what if I could host a night looking for a different type of crowd. Professionals, artists, designers, girls, guys, black, white, Latin, Asian, gay, straight....taking a whole bunch of colors and putting them together, kind of like this Rainbow Roll I’m eating. Something on a Wednesday, in a place that has a great atmosphere, delicious food, good people and music. And so it began.... Rainbow Roll Wednesdays at Tokyo Blue.
A couple weeks in and I’m watching this night develop. I’m seeing plates of food and sake bombs go by. I’m noticing the people that are conversing with each other. A photographer, a salon owner, a fashion designer, a CEO, classy, beautiful people networking, drinking, and dancing. As it builds, I will be reaching out to the clientele to throw events and be introducing some new elements into the night. Now there are people that might say..wow that’s a little awkward to be around different types of people....I'd say check it out you might like it..you might not. There are also people that are looking for something different. A chill night during the week where you can take a date or meet some one new in a loungey city type setting, surrounded by an ocean. A place where you’ll see people with the same interests, eating delicious food, listening to a DJ that is dedicated to making everyone have great time. I’m excited to see how this night unfolds. I know if I was going out....this is where I’d be.
An up and coming DJ came to me and asked for lessons. I arrived at his house, walked in his “studio” where he had computers, effect boards, mixing programs, cdjs (DJ cd players)....just a techie’s dream. He goes, “Ok, teach me how to DJ.” So I unplugged his computer, his effect board, mixing programs, I took 2 cd’s, handed him headphones and said let’s begin. DJn is about music. Listening to the music. Finding out where you want to take the crowd with that music. Scratching is cool, mixing is key. Learn the beats, learn the breaks. Understand why you’re choosing the next song. What is this song going to do for the crowd? Does is blend smoothly? Do the songs make sense going into one another?
Technology is great. Years ago I traveled with cases and cases of records, then moved to cd's, and now I carry a backpack with a laptop. It’s changed the way DJ’s can do business being more accessible to travel. It’s also made it more affordable for DJ’s to create their own remixes without having to find an actual studio. But, there’s one thing that is sometimes forgotten and that’s the music. Believe me, I even get caught sometimes staring at the laptop screen...feeling like I’m playing DJ Hero or a video game. Yes, technology has been a part of music forever and does nothing but open doors and creativity. On the other end, it can also take you away from the actual activity and in a sense give a false hope of the skill level required for the job. Think about it...hitting home runs on Wii baseball doesn’t really qualify you for the major leagues. The problem with technology is that we get comfortable. I always say if you're given a crate of records, or a stack of cd's, you should be able to rock the party just the same...and sometimes that’s not the case. Pre-mixes, automatic mixing, is like painting with numbers to me. Ever wonder why there are DJ’s that have been doing it for 20+ years and they’re still around? Cause if you use records, cd's, turntables, laptops, or big touch screens..the reality is that the skill is not mastering the technology...it’s mastering the technique. The technique is in the music. It’s in mastering the crowd. It’s taking different music and making it into your art. Personally, the way I look at sets are I try to make it sound like one continuos track. Blending and mixing are important to me..the flow. Now some DJ’s have different styles. Some might scratch and go back n forth, some might be on the mic and drop a song, the list can go on and on. Bottom line, is we are there for one purpose and that is to make people dance or take them on a musical journey. Relying on technology is not a smart move. I suggest to work on the music and go back to the roots. Think about working out. With all the technology and machines...some of the best ways to get in shape are to do push ups, pull ups, and sit ups. Get back to basics first, then use the technology to enhance your skills not replace them. I say this because I’ve seen time and time again, new DJ’s that have “their setup” with effects on their mixer or certain programs, and then they get to the club, realize that 95% of the DJ booths out there aren’t setup correctly and look nothing like your home setup, and they get stuck because they’ve practiced on the learning the technology and not the technic. Listen, technology is not going to stop and I think the music and DJ world are going to see some amazing innovations over the next 10 years, just watch the video above. But rocking a party is rocking a party and no matter what buttons you press, to rock a party in the DJ world there’s only one way to do it and that’s with the music. So my suggestions to DJ’s or to anyone that’s looking to get into art or business or whatever it maybe, is try to understand what it really takes to do something. Get back to the roots. Technology will always change and will be available to everyone, but technique is something that needs to be learned, practiced, perfected, and shared.
I am a horrible athlete. I can’t shoot, I can’t throw, I can’t run....just don’t pick me for your team, I won’t be offended. But I do respect athletes. Basketball players in particular, I’m fascinated with. Just looking at the game now filled with so many mini cultures and having such a variety of people that are able to play at all different skill levels and styles. I look at the ones that made it to the professional level. The NBA players. They work hard, they’ve trained for years and years, practice after practice, game after game, they’ve given every second, emotion, pain, struggle, happiness, sacrifice, good times, bad times, just most of their lives to the game and continue to do so, just to stay at the level they’re at and be able to share their gift with others.
Most of those players started playing when they were kids. They played in town basketball, for middle school, high school, played in college, and after college they could’ve done some semi pro, and then eventually the NBA....most. Now sometimes, there are exceptions. A Prodigy. A Lebron James. That still had to work as hard if not harder, but was just able to do it a little faster. Lebron James, is one of the best and most wealthiest players in world. Yet with all of his fame, fortune, and skill the one thing that I’ve noticed was when he plays, he takes none of that for granted, and treats each game as if it was the first and last one he’ll ever play. That, is respect for the game. It’s understanding what it takes to get to a certain level, and loving the game enough to go thru that process to achieve it. Now there are other people that play basketball that don’t want to be Lebron James. There’s street ballers with a more underground style. There’s entertainers, that use basketball for more of a show then an actual game. There’s people that are in leagues, that play at the gym, and theres some that just like to shoot around in there drive way. So what makes someone a basketball player? A ball, a basket, and a court right? If I went and bought a ball, a basket, and a court, and now am a basketball player, would I be ready to play Lebron James? The answer is no. But, if I played basketball through out my life, gave my time, passion, sacrifice, and natural ability, while working day in and day out, playing games for free, playing morning, noon, and night. If then, I decided to play him, I might have a shot to win or at least be able to handle the competition. Now I’m not saying that I couldn’t do those things eventually, even without doing what was mentioned. I could have a try out, I might play basketball and if I knew somebody that knew somebody, I could set up a game. But if I was to go in there and playing as is, my basketball career would be short, because I couldn’t deliver what was necessary for that level.
I look at DJing the same way. Being a DJ has as many levels and meanings as being a Basketball player. There are turntablists (street ballers), DJ’s that instead of a basketball, use records to do tricks, make sounds through the manipulation of a record (wicka wicka) and really focus on the creative element. There are private event DJ’s (entertainers), that involve more of a show to their performance. There are people that play in the bedroom for fun, or play in the backyard for bqq’s and do it more as a hobby. There’s also another level. A NBA for DJs. DJ’s that do it for a profession. That have worked for years and years at a skill. That gave they’re lives to it and now are in “ The League.” Now like the NBA, not everyone can be Lebron James. I myself feel that I made it to the NBA, but still have a long way to go to achieve that status. So what makes someone a DJ? Now and days, let’s say a laptop, a mixer, two turntables or cd players and a speaker. Oh wait and a Facebook, a Twitter, a Youtube, website, blog, stickers, t-shirts, business cards...but we’ll save that for another blog and yes I have all of them. The point is that lately, what’s happening to the game, and I feel its happening to the music industry as a whole, is that people are not willing to put in the effort, and when they get their try out, when they go to the NBA and play Lebron, most of the time they loose.
I write these blogs mostly to inspire new DJ’s and people in general. I’ve traveled a long road and am still running, but my advice to someone that just went out and bought a laptop, turntables, a mixer, and a speaker, is that you should practice everyday. You should play gigs for free...I still do. Play as much as possible. Play every party, every crowd, play, play, play. You are never too good for any gig. If you really feel this is what you are meant to do, then achieving that level is not impossible, but you have start from the beginning and work your way up. The reason I say this, and I tell new DJ’s this all of the time, is that you only get one shot. You get one try out to make an impression. You can talk your game, you can have all the equipment, you can even be almost there....but unless you’re ready for the NBA, the opportunity to play Lebron won’t be as helpful to your career if can’t do anything with it when it comes. And it will come. And when it does, and every time after that, think of it as if it was the first day. Think of all of the parties you played, the equipment you carried, all of the sacrifices, the good times, the bad times, think of your love and passion. Most importantly, respect the game and the people involved. Anytime you play at a new spot or get an opportunity, be thankful. Be prepared. Be humble. Remember what it takes to get somewhere and respect the ones that already are there. And always play your first song like it was your last, and your last song like it was your first.
PRACTICE and PATIENCE are the two things I think are missing from the next generation of DJ's. The other day I'm out to lunch with a friend of mine, and he says "man you have it easy, all you do is go up there an play a couple songs." Yep...and all Michael Jordan did was shoot a ball through a net. It's a perception that people usually have with entertainment. I call it the "it looks easy" thought.
When I was 15, I started DJing in my basement. At the time, I was into hip hop and house and my CD collection was huge...later on I moved to records..but vinyl is expensive. So with the money that I made from busing tables and washing dishes, since 13, I went and bought 2 Pioneer cdj 100’s and Pioneer 300 mixer. A heavy as hell amp case and 2 JBL’s 15’s....and a vertigo light that my mom bought me. For hours and hours, days and days, I would be down there. Luckily, there was a DJ that lived in town DJ Klemp. He was older, and had been DJing for years by that time, and was running his successful entertainment company DJ’s At Large. He took me under his wing, and before I knew it I was with him at every school dance, wedding, frat house, corporate party, nightclub, wherever. My fee for the lessons.....carry, setup, and break down the equipment.....which wasn’t that bad with 2 four foot high speakers with 2 15inch subs in each, 5 foot high rack system fully loaded, light trusts, lights...basically the biggest heaviest system you can fit in a van. With him and myself for years and till this day, I’ve carried and setup, and played and drivin thru snow, rain, sleet, flat tires, no gas, traffic jams...the list can go on. Most private event DJ’s know what I’m talking about. Besides the private parties, then comes the bars and clubs. Going to foreign countries and walking through cities with a backpack filled with music, DJing at clubs where no one spoke English. Playing clubs til 5-6am to walk out with 200 bucks driving another 1 1/2 home to wake up in 2 hours to go to work. Or just playing for free most of the time. Playing anywhere, anytime for 10 minutes to 10 hours. Then promotion. Before the internet... passing out thousands of flyers every day. Going to school, working 3 jobs, and DJing all night. Still in the room for hours everyday practicing. Just years and years of trying to get that shot.
I mean I have war stories for days. We all do. Anyone that has ever had a passion for anything has them. Athletes, actors, singers, dancers, artists, corporate. But it’s part of the game. It’s a HUGE part. Especially for this business. The entertainment business is not all it seems to be. It’ll put you on stage then boo you right off. That’s why it’s important to respect the game. Ever since the digital age... it seems to be a little lost. All you need is a laptop, some turntables, a mixer, a Myspace or Facebook and your a DJ. See to me...that’s great. I love it when people want to become DJ’s and create new music and express there different styles and flavors....that’s cool to me. What’s not cool...is when the same DJ will walk in the same club as you, demand just as much money, with no history, no resume, and deliver a show..that’s not bad...but not at the level their ready for yet. You hear this from a lot of DJ’s that have been through some of the same struggles. And the reaction back is usually... “don’t hate” It’s not hating. It’s competing. The level of performance has dropped instead of raised. It’s happened to the music industry as a whole. People want instant stardom. No more practice, no more working to get to a certain level, no more grind....instant. I compare it to a micro-wavable meal to grandma’s cooking. The food on the plate might look the same and have the same names, but quality is incomparable. I’m not saying that one DJ deserves more than another. And I would never judge anyone without knowing their story. But for the new DJ’s, be patient. Practice beat matching, scratching, playing different genres, remixing. Play parties...any parties. Play for free...for 1 person..play for 1,000 people. And when you’ve played and played and played..then you’ll be ready to play.
Till this day, I feel like I still have a lot to learn, and still practice everyday trying to become better and better...there are levels and goals that I STILL need to reach....but the advice is that if you truly want to be DJ or anything, do it for the love, for the passion, for the art...don’t do it for the title. Respect the title. Same goes for the fans. Don’t put the instant meal next to home cooking....it’s bad taste. I encourage everyone to go out and pursue their dreams. Anything and everything is possible for anyone if you put in time and hard work. But know when you take steps out of the ladder, it makes it a lot harder to get to the top.
I arrived early around 10 o'clock. The band is playing, usually til about 11-11:30. Looking around I realize that there's people here, but definitely not enough to have a good stage show. The stage is always different than the booth. The "all eyes on you" raises the bar and pressure level way higher. In the booth, you can feel your crowd out, you can play songs a little longer if there's certain verses you want to be heard, if you mess up..and it happens..it's usually not as noticeable. People are focused on the music but also tend to get more involved with the atmosphere, and for me the playlist tends to be a little different.
It's now coming up to about 11 o'clock. I start thinking maybe I should play from the booth tonight. Then over the next half hour, like always, groups and groups of people just start piling in. The band ends. I start playing in the booth while they breakdown. Once the bands off, my DJ coffin gets setup, I put a mixed cd on while I head up to the stage. The process is very quick. I get on, open my laptop, put on my records, tighten the needles, do a quick sound check and it’s time. I give the thumbs up, lights go on, and I press play. My first song was the new Beautiful Monster by Ne-yo.
About 5 minutes in, the dancers join me. I usually base most of my set off them. I try to play them songs that can let them give the best show they can and try not to play too many songs with long breaks in them. Only because that down time gets a little awkward...it’s hard to dance when there’s no beat. You see it a lot in house music...which can be fine, especially if there’s a good build up, but I try to make sure the breaks aren’t that long. That also has to do with the lighting and if your able to I guess “distract” the crowd from the non-moving dancers...really depends on venue. But for that stage, where the lights are directly on the performers, for the most part, you want to keep it moving. That doesn’t mean playing 2 seconds of a song and trying to see how fast you can go to the next one. But stage crowds have a shorter attention span. They’re also expecting more from you. Just playing one song after the another isn’t going to cut it. Sometimes you see a lot of DJ’s talk on the mic to get the crowd going...which I occasionally do but usually only for birthday, venue, or sponsor shout outs. For myself, I try to make that happen through the music.
Preperation is key. People think you go up and just play music. But if your not prepared for when those lights hit, it’s a whole other game. But I’ve BEEN preparing. I’ve prepared in my bedroom, in my basement in front of friends, at bbqs, house parties, weddings, birthdays, charities, malls, hotels, bars, lounges, night clubs, radio stations..and now the stage. The stage is unforgiving. You either come correct or get off. It’s similar to the DJ booth but where every song counts in there...every songs REALLY counts up there. At the same time it’s also inspiring. It gave new life to me where it makes me constantly work on my music and keep coming with better shows every time.
Its now 2:01 am, and the last song has finished. I’m dripping with sweat and the past 2 1/2 hours just flew by. The staff was happy. The crowd had a good time. And I’m thinking about all the things I can do better the next Monday. At the same time, completely grateful for the opportunity to be able to have been up there. Then, walking out to my car I hear some yelling DEAN MICHAELS.....HEY, DEAN MICHAELS...so I turned around and walked up. This guy explains that he’s come to see me a couple times. He’s the president of a record label and works with artist’s such as Pitbull and Casely. He wanted to thank me for the support of play their songs, especially for this one particular song called Sweat by Casely ft. Lil Jon...which is a great dance song btw. We talked about some possible opportunities, we exchanged info and hopefully we’ll be doing some work in the future.
Just a day in the life though...on stage with two dancers at one of the premier venues, playing to hundreds of people, being chased down in the parking lot by record labels...don’t worry I’m still not that cool. But it goes to show how nothing is impossible. And those blood, sweat, and tears were all worth it. To me this is only the beginning. I’m not even close to the level where I want to be at, and I plan to keep working, hopefully making it to even bigger stages, and at the same time inspire others to want to be on there as well.
PACKED! I'm going to say it again, Blue Martini has the perfect atmosphere for the 25+ crowd. It's grown, it's classy, it's sexy. From start to finish everyone shows up for a good time and has one. The place was wall to wall and the energy was there. That's the most important thing with any party is the energy. Yes, there are nights where the place is packed and people are at a 6 or 7 level...but there's nights when they are a 9 or 10 and that's when it becomes a really good time. I know it effects how I play. I constantly feed off the crowd. Some DJ's go in and play. If the crowds dancing or not, they play their songs and set. For me its more complicated. I truly feel like I am YOUR DJ. And as YOUR DJ it is my job to take from the 6-7 and bring you to your 10. The only challenge sometimes is the limitations on music. Because that crowd is so diverse, there needs to be a variety of music played. House, hip hop, top 40, 80s, rock, reggae, latin....you will probably hear me play almost all these genres in one night. At the same time, because theres not a specific type of music, there becomes this thin line of where you can go with certain genres. Play house...but not too hard. Play hip hop...but not too dirty or explicit. Play top 40...but not too cheesy. This is why it is hard for some DJ's to play at these types of venues. It's like telling an artist to paint their own picture but they can only use certain colors and brushes to do so. This is where the DJ ego needs to be put in check.
For me, it's not about ME. It's about everyone else. It's about the crowd having a good time. Its about the staff having a good time. It's about people wanted to stay and party and enjoy the atmosphere, people, and drinks and besides doing it all night, making them want to come back and do it again. And they do.
Any night at Blue Martini you're going to have a good time. I do hold back on some of the music on certain nights because I'm aware of my surroundings and what would be appropriate or not for that time. BUT there are nights..like Mondays ITB where I'm on stage and let it loose. Gives a brief inside on how I like to play. Again, it all depends on the crowd. I can say that if someone is looking for a good crowd, Wednesdays Ladies Night at Blue Martini is def where you can find it.....along with good music.
IT WAS ALL A DREAM...... About 10 years ago, I was watching MTV and DJ Skribble was performing. His music, his style, and the way he rocked the crowd was something amazing. At that moment, already hugely into music, I decided that I wanted to be a DJ. Over the years I followed his career and to keep this short and sweet...let's say he was my Idol. Since day one, I've put my life into DJing. No one really get's to see the sacrifice or struggle it takes to get to a certain level. Years and years of traveling, playing anywhere and everywhere...most of the time for little or no money. But it's your love, it's your passion, and if it's your talent...then you know to keep with it and one day you'll be rewarded. On April 28th...my reward came.
About a week before I get a call from one of the promoters asking me if I'd be interesting in opening for DJ Skribble. After saying yes, before he took another breathe, I then quickly hung up the phone and got a feeling that was pretty indescribable. I compare it to playing a round with Tiger or shooting baskets with Jordan...in my eyes.
I arrived at Blue Martini. There were a couple guys re-arranging the DJ booth. Plan was I was opening from 11:30-12, Skribble goes on, then I close after he's done. At first, it seemed like such a hassle just to let me play for half hour, I told him if it was too much just go ahead and play and we'll switch when you're done. He said no, helped hook everything up, and understood from my large amounts of twitter and facebook posts...that it was a big deal for me. He had no ego, and he was cool even though for the first 10-15 minutes and a couple random times throughout the night my "super fan" kicked in and I explained who he was to me. But I had over 10 years to fit into a couple minutes between everything...and no better time then now. He showed me his gear, especially his new one of a kind proto-type Beats by Dr. Dre head phones. " Only 2 people in the world have these, Me and David Guetta." Very cool.
So I start to play. Now most people would say...go and rock it...don't care what he's playing..try to shine. First, that's not why I DJ and there is a respect factor for ANY DJ, that you don't do that stuff if you open. Get the crowd going, but don't play any hits. So I can't say it was my best set or that I even played as hard as I usually do...but it wasn't about that. Hands were shook, you're standing next to and having conversations with the guy you waited your whole career to meet. Before I knew it, 12 came and he began.
For the next 3 hours, I stood behind watching, listening, and just having fun. The crowd was ok...not really the normal energy level that that place has. But at 12:01, that didn't matter at all. He started up and it was on. The booth was so loud and his #1 fan was rockin out next to him. From start to finish every song had his Skribble flavor on it....and it was clear why he is a legend. It was basically a private lesson/party that I had in the DJ booth. 3 hours flew by and before I knew it, I was switching over quickly and saying goodbye. I finished up the night and it was over. Overall, one of the greatest experiences I ever had. Besides the obvious DJ thing, he's just a good guy....if I could sum it up in one word...just like it was 10 years ago...INSPIRING.
