Pre-gig rituals?

[Woody Rosen]

What does everyone (dj) do on here before you get up to perform? I mean anything from like the minute you wake up on a day that you are going to be playing to right before you get on.

I usually try to practice for like 5 hours during the day if I can. Then when I get to the club, I pee first, then try to hang out for a while and scope out the crowd (if there is one). Then right before I get on, I try to sit down by myself for a couple minutes, in a quiet place if there is one, and just meditate for a couple minutes.

Anyways...discuss http://deephousepage.com/smilies/listen.gif

[ April 30, 2003, 11:52 PM: Message edited by: Woody ]

[Nege]

Originally posted by Woody:
What does everyone (dj) do on here before you get up to perform? I mean anything from like the minute you wake up on a day that you are going to be playing to right before you get on.

I usually try to practice for like 5 hours during the day if I can. Then when I get to the club, I pee first, then try to hang out for a while and scope out the crowd (if there is one). Then right before I get on, I try to sit down by myself for a couple minutes, in a quiet place if there is one, and just meditate for a couple minutes.

Anyways...discuss http://deephousepage.com/smilies/listen.gif I need a medium coffee or some form of caffeine before i go to the club.

[ April 30, 2003, 11:57 PM: Message edited by: Eneg ]

[Woody Rosen]

yeah sometimes Ill drink a Red Bull while Im there but Im always worried Im going to have to pee. Im kind of obsessive compulsive.

[Tenyu]

nice sig, gene

[Nege]

Originally posted by Tenyu:
nice sig, gene Thanks too bad it's not even a joke.LOL

[Nege]

Originally posted by Woody:
yeah sometimes Ill drink a Red Bull while Im there but Im always worried Im going to have to pee. Im kind of obsessive compulsive. thats where a nice long track comes in handy........

[P-Flipp]

I take a big dump.It`s probably nerves.

[Tenyu]

Originally posted by Eneg:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tenyu:
nice sig, gene Thanks too bad it's not even a joke.LOL </font>[/QUOTE]nanu nanu, me feelin that

[mdpm99]

Good Question Woody!

Basically if it is a 8 hour "trip" then I will set aside 3 days. One day of preparation, one day for the event, and one day for re-entry.

In the "preparations" everything from diet, homework and rest is observed strictly.

On the day of the event it is usually sushi for my meal and that is done at least 3 hours before.

On re-entry, the day after, is for perspective and reflection with regard to the previous day.

I believe that if one is in a "state of grace" with respect to music and the "set and setting," is correct than the musical journey will be more profound and spiritual for others and for oneself.

d

[ May 01, 2003, 03:35 AM: Message edited by: david mancuso ]

[Jolyon]

Yeah, sushi before a party is the best.

[Ken1015]

I like to relax before a gig. I often do some creative visualization right before I leave the house. So that I feel no pressure before the party, I like to experiment with different blends and organize my records at least 2 days prior to the event. I also like to program the first 5 or 6 records I'll play. On the way to the party I stop to get a bottle of Gatorade or water.

[ May 01, 2003, 08:42 AM: Message edited by: Soulful1015 ]

[ruse]

Great thread. I never play any records on the day of my gig and never listen to any music remotely connected to what I'm going to play. Usually I will listen to classical Indian music or some of Jimi Hendrix's later work. This gives me some spiritual sustainance and also makes me hungry to play my music. I cannot imagine practicing for 5 hours on the day of my gig, that would be like cramming on the morning of an exam: if it works for you, it works, but in my case it just doesnt.

[ May 01, 2003, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: ruse ]

[Sensei Melei]

I generally like to pull records the day before the party. If it's a special event (holiday party), I may pull records during the week, then decide what goes in the box the day before. Day of I usually relax, go through a few mixes to hear what sounds good together, make sure I have all the essentials (headshells, headphones, needles, cannibus pipe) ready to go. Eat a nice meal during the day, take a nice one (insert here), and be out to the club.

Once at the party, I try to guage the crowd to see who's there and what they're feeling musically (classics, underground, etc.). Sometimes I get a drink to ease the nerves a bit, then get ready to rock...

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/devil10.gif

[JMJ]

I don't play music the day of a gig either. I will workout the system beforehand if possible, but that's it. 4-6 Red Bulls and I'm ready to go all night. Hopefully Sushi afterwards, even better if she's got a sister or hot friend....JMJ

[vinny from the Burgh]

I am a very high strung person. In order to slow myself down my mother gave me something called kava kava. She also said drink cammoille tea. Sometimes I also like to just drink a few beers to relax myself also.

[DJ George Bates]

Woody...This really is a good question !

I will program my first 5 or 6 records... always..! They are the ones that set up my groove so to speak.

i will drive with no music to the event. I don't want to hear anything related to music on the way there.

i pee then ...i go on. Also i don't drink any alcohol before i play...not even a beer. usually i drink bottled water and i typically wear a baseball cap when i play Funky Buddha Lounge...other places I don't. never thought about why ....

peace.

[floorgasm]

i'll have the first 4 or 5 tracks programmed, and i like to play for an hour or two at home before hand so i can jump right on and feel relaxed without having to worry about warming up. a beer or two, perhaps a j -- at least 2 hours before i go on, so i'm not all trippin up there.

[Koffy Brown]

on average how many records do you take to a gig?

[Woody Rosen]

I guess practicing for 5 hours beforehand is kinda like cramming on the morning of a test I hadnt thought of it like that lol. But it sure does help me, I mean I can tell a huge difference in how I play by how much I have practiced, I guess I am still at the level that I need to warm up. I dont really plan out any of the records, however I do have dozens blends that I know will work together well, if I cant think of anything else to do, kind of a cop out of sorts. Listening to classical or jazz is a must too. Gets the creative juices goin. No drugs for me, I cant mix worth a DAMN when Im ****ed up. If I just drink like one beer or something I am ok but I gotta do that before I get in the club (unless I know the people) cuz I aint old enought to drink (legally) yet.
peace

[The Donger]

Masturbation or sex, depending upon availability of the latter. I like a proper dinner, and taking a shit before the gig is an absolute neccesity.

[D J 1 3 8]

I go through my records and pack my boxes the night before the gig.

I usually work during the day, so I try to leave the actual day of the gig as stress free as possible. I'll get home after work, eat dinner, and then try to lie down on the couch and do as little as possible until showtime. Running around right before a gig makes it hard to keep my energy up all night. I also don't listen to any music before the gig.

When I get to the club, I unpack my records, pick out the first record I'm gonna play, then I order a Jameson on the rocks (gotta take the edge off nah'mean?).

[Jolyon]

Originally posted by Ghost Of Donger:
Taking a shit before the gig is an absolute neccesity. Hell yeah!

[vinny from the Burgh]

Originally posted by Ashaki:
on average how many records do you take to a gig? two to three hundred depends on where I am playing, how long, and who I may be playing with.

[Jolyon]

One large bag.

[JMJ]

Originally posted by Ashaki:
on average how many records do you take to a gig? 3-4 crates......JMJ

[Jamie 3:26]

One case and bag and a cd case.That's it.I actually am down to taking one case and my cd's.I don't like to carry a lot of shit and I always want to be able to leave right away if somethin' happens.

If I am playing The Basement...one long ass crate,a record case and cd's.

I am with everyone else,I come up with 4 to 5 songs to start off with,if I am playing with someone or doing a guest spot somewhere.

[MHenderson]

I usually stop by the record store the day of a gig and see if I can find some diamonds in the ruff. I'll listen to the new purchases if any and then I start to pick out what I'm gonna take with me. Once I'm there I like to see wha the crowd is feeling and then pull my first 5 records. I go take a piss get a beer and get ready to get on. I usually bring about 150 records with me.

[Woody Rosen]

I usually bring between 150 and 200 with me. I dont want to get caught with my pants down ya know?

[Querck]

I like to play at home for about half an hour before leaving for the club--gets me warmed up, but this is not a necessity. Pick out records right before I leave. I like to listen to house music on the way to the club in order to get in the moood--keeps my "feel" going after I just warmed up.
Once in da club, I want to chill for at least 10 minutes and think of the first few records I will play, depending on the crowd and the vibe. If I know the club, the sound, the mixer, I like to be a little "lifted" by the kind bud (not the shwag that puts me to sleep), but if it's a new place for me, I prefer to be sober, but once I get comfortable, I love some "green" inspiration.

[Koffy Brown]

Nobody has sex before a gig...what kinda shit is this...just kidding


150 records sound like a lot...

[Woody Rosen]

Originally posted by Ashaki:
Nobody has sex before a gig...what kinda shit is this...just kidding


150 records sound like a lot... Girl if I have sex before a gig Ill be fallin asleep.

And yes 150 is a lot, and it is very heavy.

[D J 1 3 8]

sheeeeeeeit...

I never leave the house without at least 150 records. More like 200+ usually. It's a hard habit to break - left over from the hip hop/reggae days when I carried so many hip hop doubles and ran thru every track on every riddim.

[floorgasm]

i bring a bag and a crate, so maybe 100-120 records.

[DJ George Bates]

I will typically take about 100 or so...

[imported_Kohtake]

I usually try to figure wat my first track wil be.. if chosen correctly, it'll give me some kinda oomph and then the rest will just roll out. A shit is mos def necessary before the gig.

At the club, I'll have one or two cognacs (neat with a cold water chaser). Before I get on, I say a short prayer and make sure there's a jug of water on standby.

I think what David said about reflection on the set the day after is very useful. I usually do that as well and it really helps with personal improvements on your amplitutde as a DJ.

Good Topic graemlins/thumbsup.gif

[%seRge%]

I wait till the absolute last minute to pull out my records. That way I am playing the songs that go with my mood.

and this one is silly....

On the day of a gig I leave all my turntables spinning from the time I wake up till the time I leave the house. graemlins/stupid.gif

Then I eat my cannibus brownies and/or blaze a Redman size spliff. http://deephousepage.com/smilies/joint.gif

[Woody Rosen]

Originally posted by %seRge%:
I wait till the absolute last minute to pull out my records. That way I am playing the songs that go with my mood.

and this one is silly....

On the day of a gig I leave all my turntables spinning from the time I wake up till the time I leave the house. graemlins/stupid.gif

Then I eat my cannibus brownies and/or blaze a Redman size spliff. http://deephousepage.com/smilies/joint.gif man thats a good way to burn out you tables quick

[simon b]

Lots of rest, good food at least 2 hours before, a shower & shave, then about an hour before I choose my records. I like to pick them as close to the time of the gig as possible to reflect what's going on a that time.

At the club I drink a Corona or too and a shot of Jamesion to kick things off. I don't usually have to time to drink, unless I'm playing with other DJs.

The post-gig spliff and reflection period is very important to me, similar to what David was talking about. I can usually recall the exact order of the tracks I played and if it was a good night I just enjoy the andrenaline fueled sensation a good vibe can bring. Then I'll go out dancing myself, if possible, for a few hours.

[Nege]

Originally posted by Sensei Melei-1010:
I generally like to pull records the day before the party. If it's a special event (holiday party), I may pull records during the week, then decide what goes in the box the day before.
http://deephousepage.com/smilies/devil10.gif I usually do that but sometimes I end up scrambling for stuff last minute regardless