New York DJ

DJ NYC Indie Pop & Rock Song Favorites of 2009 to Enliven All Kinds of Events

These days, if you’re not that familiar with indie pop and rock, and only see and hear the bands or singers at the more popular end of the indie spectrum, it’s easy to think all this kind of music falls into one of two types: either, 1) quiet, mopey acoustic folk sung by skinny white guys with thick beards, or, 2) spastic, nervy pop songs sung by skinny white guys (or girls) wearing tight jeans. 

That may be a little simplistic, but judging from the covers of Spin or Rolling Stone for the past couple years, that conclusion doesn’t seem complete hyperbole because these are the two type of indie music that tend to be most hyped. Many who don’t know indie music much might think then that indie is either only for private listening, since the quiet folksy stuff is too sad to play at the mellower parts of an event like dinner or cocktail time, and the dancier pop stuff is just too obscure for all but a few to know.

But as a dj in nyc who is exposed to so much new music of all genres each year both new and old, both obscure and mainstream, trust me – the world of indie pop and rock is much more wide-ranging than simply the sounds of what grabs the most media attention. (If you're looking for a general and expansive list of all kinds of indie songs from the '60s until now, check out our indie playlists on iTunes by typing in "iMix", then searching "djnyc", as well as looking at the indie categories on this blog and at the dj nyc news & music blog located here.) In our list below, and playable on iTunes here there’s a huge diversity of sound and level of media visibility in terms of the artists: There’s fun, upbeat indie music great for cocktail time that looks back to the sounds of early Prince (Empire of the Sun’s “Walking On a Dream”, MGMT’s very recognizable “Electric Feel”) or the pop soul of 1960s era girl groups (The School’s “I Want You Back”, Camera Obscura’s “Honey in the Sun”); there’s melodic dance grooves that look to the future by creating fresh, lush electronic soundscapes (Annie’s “Bad Times”); there’s lovely, sentimental songs of a folksy-country mood (Laura Cantrell’s cover of New Order’s “Love Vigilantes”, The Avett Brothers’ "I & Love & You”) that will probably be the talk of your dinner party for a bit. 

In fact, the “indie” label that has become so popular and rather thoughtlessly thrown around in the past decade or so has become such a catch-all that it’s almost without meaning in terms of defining a specific sound; to many people it means a lot of different sounds. About the only thing the term is useful for is alerting you to the likely presence of a certain sensibility – being somehow new and fresh and adventurous, and going against the grain of the mainstream in a variety of ways, even if at times that newness is a retro sound that’s been off the map for awhile.

And don't think indie music can only be used here and there as an occasional filler; it often can be showcased. There’s some indie songs on our list we played this year for important signature moments, like wedding first dances: The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Hysteric (acoustic version)”, a strikingly simple and tender song about love enduring after difficult experiences that features a beautifully crisp female vocal, and the quite close-to-mainstream Ray LaMontagne, with “You Are the Best Thing”, a bouncy, smoky tune that echoes ‘70s Rod Stewart, from that time long ago when his music had a gritty, rough-edged sexiness to it.

And remember, the indie music you choose to play today at your event could give you some "cool points" tomorrow for being seen to be the first to break out a song that later becomes popular and loved. Not so long ago bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and singers like Ray LaMontagne were considered obscure, and now they’re on Saturday Night Live.

1. Electric Feel - MGMT
2. Bruises - Chairlift
3. First Train Home - Imogen Heap
4. Walking On a Dream - Empire of the Sun
5. The’59 Sound - The Gaslight Anthem
6. Honey in the Sun - Camera Obscura
7. Lisztomania - Phoenix
8. Vanished - Crystal Castles
9. Love Vigilantes - Laura Cantrell
10. Sleepyhead - Passion Pit
11. I & Love & You - The Avett Brothers
12. Hysteric (acoustic version) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
13. My Girls - Animal Collective
14. Dominos - The Big Pink
15. This Tornado Loves You - Neko Case
16. You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
17. I Want You Back - The School
18. Bad Times - Annie

Try These Jamaican R & B Tracks to Warm Up Any Winter Event: Rico & the Matador All-Stars, "Continental Shuffle" and Owen Gray & the Jets, "Nobody Else"

With the holidays over and the two coldest months of the year ahead, now is the time when winter in New York City and much of the country quickly loses its romantic appeal and instead becomes, to be polite, a real drag. Sorry to remind you, but remember, the weather doesn't really get consistently nice around here again until around the time we have to get our taxes in.

So, to “tropicalize” the atmosphere of events that you may have planned in the next two or three months of our annual struggle through blizzards, slush, and 37-degree rain, here’s two songs that are sunny, cozy, and fun. Both are Jamaican rhythm and blues tunes. If that genre sounds unfamiliar, don’t be surprised. It’s a rather small and obscure style, but fortunately some of its best songs recently have been made much more accessible for those of you who don’t have the time or interest to spend digging in record crates for hours a day by the release of the excellent compilation Trojan Jamaican R & B Box Set. Both songs here are available on the box set, as well as a few other less comprehensive compilations.

Jamaican R & B, born in the late ‘50s, is both like everything and nothing you’ve heard before. It combines shuffling jazz beats, the upbeat horns of what would soon become ska, festive Trinidadian-accented vocals of calypso, and a bit of the sultriness and gritty attitude of rhythm and blues and early rock ‘n’ roll. Most people are familiar with each of these styles, but put together in the right amounts, they create a sound that feels new and fresh and most of all, cozy and friendly.

Both these mid-tempo songs here have pleasantly catchy melodies that will get your snow-stained shoes tapping at any sort of event. “Continental Shuffle,” by Rico and the Matador All-Stars, a brief but swingin’ instrumental with masterfully mellow, pre-ska "skank" of a horn riff, immediately seems to brightens the mood of any room when we play it. The same reaction happens when we spin “Nobody Else,” by Owen Gray and the Jets. With its sturdy piano, its warm, fuzzy saxophones and its sweet calypso-inflected vocals, the song sounds like what Ray Charles might have recorded if he got his start in Kingston.

Have a listen to both; I think you'll agree they'll make things feel a little less "January-ish."

Matador All-Stars - Continental Shuffle

Owen Gray & the Jets - Nobody Else

Hiring a Non-Cheesy DJ: How to Make Sure the DJ You Hire for Your Event Actually Likes Music

Trying to determine if your DJ likes music may sound silly – if they're DJs, a passion for music, or at least for a few styles of music, is a given, right? Well, unfortunately, it's not. Over the years of being in the mobile DJ business in the New York City metropolitan area, we've seen first hand - and heard from many clients - that often DJs and DJ companies don't seem to put a lot of attention to diversifying their playlists or taking the time to create an original mix of songs that is both accessible and fresh.

You probably know the kind of DJs I'm talking about – the cheeseball who cracks lame one-liners and wears a "cur-razy" silver sequined suit to incite you to getting up to dance to tired disco hits; or the cooler-than-thou hipster behind the turntables that yes, really knows his one genre of music, but, unfortunately, that’s all he knows, and so he plays it to death all night; or the DJ company that comes with a bunch of “party motivators” dressed in sexy or silly costumes and practically rips you out of your chairs after dinner, bullying you into dancing to a generic mix of recent Top 40 singles.

Yes, these are all things we’ve either witnessed or have had clients witness. Perhaps you have as well. And seeing this kind of thing calls into question that very basic assumption that a DJ actually likes music. If more of them did, maybe they'd be able to switch between genres more impressively, or need less gimmicks to cover up the limp quality of their song selections.

You’d think that even if a DJ or DJ company wasn’t that into the songs and instead more into the entertainment or MCing part of an event, at least they’d put a little time in to freshen up their playlist a bit for the events at which they spin. But this takes a bit more effort – to do it, you often need to meet more than once with a client to learn more about their specific musical preferences, or you need to spend time discovering what songs are popular in a newer or vintage genre that you might not be that familiar with. It’s much easier for these DJs or DJ companies to simply stay in their limited musical comfort zone, or to “help out” lame songs by doing something like having party motivators put on plastic dog masks and bark at guests as the DJ spins "Who Let the Dogs Out." (Unfortunately, that's a real anecdote about a DJ company that we recently heard from a client.)

So, to help you find someone who’s actually excited about crafting a playlist for your event instead of relying on a tired, limited, or a one-size-fits-all mix of songs, here’s a few questions you can ask when you interview DJs or DJ companies for your event. We welcome these questions from clients, and the good thing about asking these questions is that after you do, you should know from the DJ’s answers rather quickly whether they’re enthusiastic about music or certain genres of it rather quickly – luckily, passion tends to be hard to fake.

1) Ask The DJ What They Like to Listen to On Their Own – You can quickly find out a little information about a DJs personal preferences if you ask them this question. While they may tell you about songs or artists that you haven’t heard of, or ones couldn’t play at your event (the DJ may even be aware of this and mention it to you, just so you don't get worried), getting an indication of their private tastes can be a window into seeing how unusually deep they are into a few types of music, or be the start of a slightly too detailed but endearing story about their large vintage record collection that's threatening to take over their apartment. These answers are both good indicators that there's a real enthusiasm for music going on there. Or, on the other hand, this question could result in an answer from the DJ about how they really dig the newest popular dance songs, like that new one "Tonight's the Night" by The Black Guy Peas, and you'll try to not crack your smile or a laugh since they don't even realize they got the name of the song and the band wrong. You get the idea - either way, whether the answer's good or bad, after asking this question you’ll probably have a better idea of what the DJ is more familiar with musically, and what they’re not.

2) Ask Them How They Got Started – This is a great way to see where their experience and motivation is coming from. In the answer, you might get a pleasant story about how the DJ was inspired by how his father would sit down by the record player and share his soul 45s with him when he was a kid. Or, again, on the other hand, you might find out that the DJ mostly runs a computer printer replacement cartridge business but DJs because his brother recently left him with the equipment and song library after moving to Arizona, so hey, why not? Now, this kind of answer doesn't automatically mean a DJ like that doesn’t enjoy music a lot, but it probably also means that his motivation lies more in seeing entrepreneurship opportunities than it does in crafting an original mix of songs for several hours.

3) Ask Them What They Like Best About DJing – By asking this question, you can often see where a DJ’s specific passions are. Some may tell you they love the preparation of listening to the requests of the client and thinking about how they will likely fit these in with the songs that the DJ already feels will work for that client. Others may tell you they really enjoy that they’ve learned to move around organically between genres of music that one might not think would go together automatically, and in doing this, feel they make guests appreciate songs a little more that they might not have before. Or, some might give you a vague and slightly hesitant answer about how they love “just...playin’ the music…for the crowd…and, you know…just playin’…all kinds of great tunes.” In this case, it’s a safe bet that their passion is simply collecting your check at the end of the event.

Fresh Oldies: Nappy Brown, "Little By Little" & Ella Mae Morse, "Give a Little Time"

At most kinds of events at which we perform, we’ll often mix in some bouncy “oldies” from the 50s or 60s, whether the genre is a major one like rock, soul and jazz, or is another, slightly lesser-played style, such as calypso, doo-wop or rockabilly.

We find that when we play these oldies, the songs tend to pleasantly surprise people and give the vibe of the event a touch of sentimentality and fun, as often it’s not just those in the crowd who remember when these the songs were released that will respond, but also those younger as well, as they may recall these classic songs from films or may simply enjoy the spirit of the time that the song evokes.

However, many oldies simply can feel stale due to decades of being overplayed, or from being overused in films and commercials. Sadly, one of the best examples of this is James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)." When you hear that song these days, it probably brings to mind images of mundane household products like a Dustbuster instead of a vision of an awesome hip-shakin' concert in the mid '60s at the Apollo Theater. And while we find at events like weddings or corporate parties, yes, crowds tend to respond more to songs they know, there’s always room – especially at cocktail hour and dinner – for spinning a few oldies that are more obscure, as long as they have a great rhythm and melody.

Two lost gems from the mid-50’s that were ahead of their time and that sweeten the atmosphere of any event where there’s a bit of sentimentality involved like weddings, birthday or anniversary parties, and even some types of fashion shows, are “Little By Little” by Nappy Brown, and “Give a Little Time” by Ella Mae Morse. Both songs are short, fun bursts of bouncy melodic pop that measure up to any of the better-known rock and R & B classics of the time, and will make you think you’re suddenly hearing an undiscovered classic from, in the case of the former tune, a Caribbean-sounding Ray Charles, and, in the case of the latter, a rockabilly Ella Fitzgerald.

“Little By Little,” with its upbeat lyrics about a guy slowly but steadily falling in love, effortlessly blends touches of blues, gospel and R & B to come quite close to the sound of what in several years would become soul music. And while this early version of a soul-ish sound is impressive, on top of it, Brown and his musicians add in a touch of Caribbean calypso to the song, giving it a sunniness that makes it not just a soul precursor, but something all its own.

“Give a Little Time” (later titled “Give a Little Time to Your Lover”), a sassily-delivered piece of advice for the guys out there, also seamlessly fuses genres that at the time were just beginning by other artists to be blended into rock and roll. In this song, there’s a dash of swing backing rhythms, barbershop-quartet style crooner pop, R & B vocals, and even a revving up of some rockabilly-ish guitars here and there. What really makes the song memorable, though, is Morse’s smooth, silky, but at the same time crisp and powerful voice. When you hear how she belts out the chorus to the tune, you’ll wonder why she wasn’t ever a household name.

Have a listen to both…

Nappy Brown - Little By Little

Ella Mae Morse - Give a Little Time

Some Great Covers by Indie Pop & Rock Artists to Enliven Your Event

Though indie pop and rock artists tend to have a more offbeat sound than those who dominate the mainstream pop and rock charts, one aspect of recording indie musicians have in common with even the most bland bar bands out there is having at least a couple of cover songs they like to perform. However, if an indie band or singer is at all worth its weight in quirkiness, they better well bring a memorable take on the classic (or, sometimes, more obscure) tunes they choose to play.

This iTunes mix of cover songs by indie pop artists (also included are a few bands that were called “alternative” not so long ago) contains unexpected but yet fun and accessible takes on a wide range of mostly well-known songs that can do a lot to enliven many kinds of events. These covers will hopefully leaving you remembering them when you come across the original the next time – which is perhaps the best sign of a great cover.

This mix includes indie bands and singers not only performing a diverse selection of song genres, but also doing covers that are performed in a large variety of musical styles. As far as genres, there’s jazz standards (Over the Rhine’s crisp, smoky take on “My Funny Valentine”), bluesy soul (Feist speeding up Nina Simone's famous version of the song "See Line Woman" and changing the title to "Sea Lion Woman"), ‘80s pop favorites (“In Your Eyes” is given a strikingly pretty stripped-down treatment by Matt Ketteman and Cameron Mizell), innocent girl-group '60s pop made a bit badass (The Raveonettes’ sweet yet more raw version of “My Boyfriend's Back”), and even well-known indie songs from several years ago (“Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service is done by Iron & Wine in its usual hushed, acoustic folk style).

As far as musical styles, the artists here are all over the place - here, a good thing - in their approach to interpreting their cover songs. There’s some once-popular but now-forgotten songs that are pleasantly resurrected (“Holiday Road” from the ‘80s film National Lampoon’s Vacation, made shimmering and pretty and completely "de-cornified" by Matt Pond PA), electronic pop re-imagined with gentle acoustic treatments (“Take On Me” as done by A.C. Newman of The New Pornographers), classic rock performed with a danceable electro beat (Scissor Sisters’ version of “Comfortably Numb”), ‘80s hard rock given a sleek electro-samba feel (Sixth Finger’s take on Guns ‘n’ Roses’ “Patience”), and dancier tunes downshifted into unlikely but lovely ethereal dreaminess (David Bowie’s “Modern Love” as done by The Last Town Chorus).

The great thing about well-done cover songs – whether by indie artists or others – is that they can be played at so many kinds of events, and they can be played at almost any time during events which have different components that call for different energy, such as fashion shows, corporate parties and weddings. We’ve found in our years of experience DJ-ing throughout the city and the metropolitan area that covers are great to play because they offer both the familiar and the unfamiliar at the same time – your guests get something new and fresh, but built on a tune to which they know the beat or lyrics. Hearing a well-chosen cover song done in a fun style adds a playful touch to background-music atmosphere that can boost the energy of guest arrivals, cocktail hours and dinners without being too overpowering, or calling too much attention away from the conversation. And some of the songs in this mix can even be placed into a dancing set to add a rather un-risky fresh surprise into a group of songs of an appropriate genre or style of music your guests are dancing to at the time. As for smaller events like dinner parties or barbecues, playing a few of these songs here and there is almost sure to kick-start a few conversations, or even turn your guests onto new indie bands.

The first half of the mix contains mostly bouncy acoustic songs that would work well when guests are just getting to your event or having some cocktails, as well as faster songs that have a more electronic feel and can be used for dancing. The last half of the mix features more sentimental and/or quieter music, appropriate for dinner or smaller, more intimate gatherings.

Many of you might be fans of the indie bands on this mix, but you might not have heard these covers, simply because many times covers are left off of albums in favor of original songs, or because the covers were recorded for tribute compilations or were featured on movie soundtracks. Hopefully you’ll find some songs here you didn’t know existed from bands you like, and also be able to use some of those songs for events you’re planning, or for events for which you want to contribute to the music playlist.

Listen to the mix here.

A Mix of Sunny, Laid-Back Hip-Hop to Add Some Bounce to Your Event’s Cocktail Hour

When guests arrive at an event and grab their first drinks, many years of DJ-ing have made me know that the music that goes best with most cocktail hours are songs that have a vibe that's upbeat and fun, but not overpowering - regardless of the kind of music being played.

I'm not talking about "chill-out" music, though. Whether it's vintage or new R & B, or the more recently popular genre of electronic lounge music such as those tunes featured on the seemingly endless editions of the Bhudda Bar CD compilation series, a chill-out vibe often has too much of an after-hours sexiness or a spacey ethereal feel to totally fit with cocktail hour. Usually, cocktail hour is the part of the event where guests only begin to interact, much less start to become a bit tipsy and become more prone to engaging in the kind of activities for which the chill-out vibe would be more appropriate. (You know what kind of activities I mean.)

I think that cocktail hour goes best with music that isn't "all party," but also isn’t "all chill," either. Often at events I attend as a guest I find the DJ is playing one or the other - being too harsh with aggressive dance music, or too mellow with the electronic dreamy stuff. What people seem to really respond to at our events over the years had been the sweet spot in between - music with an easy groove, a pronounced melody, a catchy chorus, and, as a bonus, lyrics that are light, fun or positive. A song about celebrating some hard-earned good fortune that you can bounce to a bit as you head to the bar to refill your drink often works magic for the vibe during cocktail hour, be it in a ballroom or at a rooftop gathering. The goal of a great cocktail hour is, at most events, not to get people dancing, but to get them primed for it. Songs with this light, upbeat, melodic vibe put it in the heads of the guests that the party is rampin' up, and dancing will soon follow. Basically, the music for cocktail hour should a bit of a tease.

The tricky thing is, while there's long been a lot of great songs with a mellow, after-hours feel in both vintage and new R & B, as well as a growing number over the past 20 years in all kinds of electronic lounge music, the amount of songs that have this "rampin' up" quality aren’t as easy to find in any genre. And to those not that familiar with hip-hop, you might think that there's even less, as the media coverage of the genre seem to only focus on its most crude examples, like groups and songs with only booming beats and profane lyrics.

But if you look around a bit, hip-hop tunes with an airy, melodic touch are not that difficult to find. And it's worth it, too, as often hip-hop songs of this type does the most to bring out the hip-shaking during cocktail hour - not just because these mellower hip-hop songs are usually fun and a bit sexy, but because older guests will many times recognize parts of the songs as well, as hip-hop artists will often use deftly-chosen samples of beats and melodies from familiar soul and funk songs from a generation or more ago.

I've put together an iTunes mix of bouncy, upbeat, but rather mellow hip-hop songs that we've found work for us during cocktail  hour and exactly fit the vibe of "rampin' up." Included is wide range of hip-hop styles, from the relatively newer genres of crunk (which tends to feature a lot of infectious call-and-response choruses and a lyrical obession with partying) and Southern rap (which tends to put a stylized lazy slurring on words and rhymes); California G-funk, which, with it's slower tempo and spacey synth riffs, puts a laid-back, sun-drenched spin on ganstga life; old-school rap, with its disco samples, record-scratching DJs and freestylin'-on-the-streetcorner MCs; underground and alternative hip-hop with a less aggressive, often humorous and acoustic touch, from De La Soul to newer artists in this genre like Lyrics Born; a mellower side of the often sharper-tongued New York/East Coast-style hip-hop; and more radio friendly "pop" hip-hop, from Will Smith in the early '90s to Jamie Foxx and T-Pain's new hit single "Blame It."

So get yourself some gin 'n' juice, and listen to the mix here.

Indian Bhangra Music: A Festive, Increasingly Popular Genre to Consider Including at Your Event

With the massive popularity and acclaim of Slumdog Millionaire - the film set in the Indian city of Mumbai that won this year's Best Picture at the Oscars - and its celebratory anthem "Jai Ho," the Indian music genre of Bhangra has entered the American mainstream like never before. As a DJ who knows Bhangra and enjoys playing it at events when I can, for me this is exciting - it means many more people will not only be familiar with this type of music for the first time, but will also likely enjoy hearing it and dancing to it for the first time as well.

While this newfound familiarity may be fortunate, I realize many of you planning events will not suddenly now be confident with a DJ spinning Bhangra for your guests, especially if you know none of those guests have any or much exposure to Indian music. Though our company has been spinning Bhanrga for years, we still appreciate the opinion of those who think it will not "go over" at their event. However, if done in delicate way, and by including accessible Bhangra in the song selections, the increasing enthusiasm everyone seems to have for the genre (not just in the last year, but for about a decade now) can be used to add a touch of exotic - and now suddenly hip - flavor to your event.

First, a little background: Bhanrga refers to a style of drum-based folk music often accompanied by a single-stringed, high-pitched guitar, and the genre originated in the northern Indian state of Punjab. (Bhangra also refers to a form of dance that is performed to the music.) In the U.S., the sound of Bhangra music is probably most familiar to those from hearing hip-hop artists mix it into their songs in rougly the last decade or so. In 2001, Missy Elliott’s Top 40 hit "Get Ur Freak On" used a bhangra guitar riff, and two years later, Jay-Z had a Top 40 hit with a remix of a song called "Mundian to Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys)" where he rapped over singing by the song's original artist, Panjabi MC. "Mundian" (listen to the song below) also featured a high-pitched Indian guitar riff, as well as use the theme of the '80s TV show Knight Rider as a surprisingly potent danceable backbeat. The songs featured in relatively popular 2002 British film Bend It Like Beckham also no doubt introduced many to the sound of Bhangra for the first time as well.

But with the recent popularity of "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire (the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song), Bhangra has seemingly connected with its largest American audience yet. "Jai Ho" (the words apparently mean, roughly, "may you have victory" in Hindi) is featured in the film over credits in a large, intense dance sequence, and is sung by Bhangra artist Sukhwinder Singh and composer A.R. Rahman. The song (listen to it below) has a Bhangra drum-and-vocal foundation, but is also quite a multicultural mix of other elements: the lyrics are at times sung in Hindi, Urdu, Panjabi, and Spanish; there's dramatic violins; there's even the so-in-vogue robot-ish vocoder vocals (popularized over the past few years by the suddenly ubiquitous hip-hop artist T-Pain). And "Jai Ho" has recently been released as a single remix with English lyrics and featuring vocals by recent Top 40 mainstays the Pussycat Dolls. This reworking of the song quickly climbed up the charts.

Guests to an event may indeed recognize these versions of "Jai Ho," and it's fairly infectious as a dance song. Most important, because it's extremely well-known, it will likely bring people out to the dancefloor regardless of if they know how to properly dance in any sort of Bhangra style. While this may be encouraging for you to play the song, you may wonder if anything else can be played before or after "Jai Ho" for your guests instead of this isolated burst of Bhangra. Well, this is where the delicate approach to introducing Bhangra to your guests comes in.

First, the aforementioned hip hop songs are great lead-ins and follow-ups, as they sound much more hip-hop than pure Bhangra, which should mean that a crowd will not be intimidated and will feel comfortable dancing. If guests are feeling the Panjabi vibes, the DJ can add in some of the more infectious tunes from the Bhanrga-centric soundtrack to Bend it Like Beckham, such as "Darshan" by B21, or other catchy Bhangra like it, such as Sukshinder Shinda's hip-hop-influenced "Panjabi Clap." Also great is to try a more mid-tempo traditional Bhangra song, like "Hey Jamalo (Tootak Tootak Tootiyan)" by Malkit Singh (pictured), considered the "King of Bhangra." (Listen to his song below.) If guests still want more, the faster-paced but sublimely goofy "Tutak Tutak Tun" (which, a few years ago became a hit as an internet video) by Daler Mehndi might work to take the intensity up a notch.

The important thing to remember, as I emphasized in an entry I recently posted on salsa, is that the songs be accessible – easy to dance to, fun, upbeat – and therefore, guests who aren’t very familiar with the genre will be not be intimidated by their "foreignness," which is something which those of us familiar with world music need to always be sensitive toward.

So next time you're planning an event - be it a wedding, corporate party, fashion show - don't be afraid to have the DJ pull out some Bhangra for the guests. If accessible songs are chosen, and played at the right time at the event, this genre quite new to many American ears will do wonders to elevate the mood of your celebration.

Jai Ho

Mundian to Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys)

Hey Jamalo (Tootak Tootak Tootiyan)

Hiring a Non-Cheesy DJ: Recognizing Policies DJ Companies Have But Aren't Eager to Share

Unfortunately, too many people have a very low opinion of the mobile DJ/MC. People always seem to expect something lame or offensive. The mobile DJ/MC is often considered to be either cheesy, obnoxious, coarse, unfunny, unresponsive, sloppy-looking (wearing jeans to a formal event), schmaltzy-looking (wearing a sparkly suit to any event) or even an unenviable combination of all these bad qualities. For the past few months I have written about this negative image and how to sniff it out and avoid it in a series of posts called “Overcoming DJ Fear,” which you can read here.

But in our mission to make sure you always get a non-cheesy DJ for your event, this post is going to reveal to you a few other things that mobile DJ companies do which you should shy away from, but that you probably didn’t know many regularly do. Yes, most of us fear the aforementioned tacky sparkly suit, or the 8-minute Richard Marx remix played at the height of the wedding reception, or enduring the tired jokes of the MC all night at a corporate event. But there are also certain business policies that many DJ companies have that are quite lame as well. They tend to straddle that line between very shrewd and slightly sneaky. And from what we've heard from our clients who've sniffed out some of these policies in DJ companies, the DJs aren't exactly eagerly bringing them up, so maybe they even feel a bit guilty about them. These policies are not of the obvious variety, such as just the adding of extra fees for bringing additional equipment or performing overtime. No, these policies that are a little more insidious; they're not as automatically thought about by a potential client, but they can adversely affect your event unless you are aware of them and therefore can bring them into the discussion with your DJ, and react accordingly.

(Non-hypocrite alert: Our company doesn’t engage in either of the three practices mentioned below, so we feel comfortable exposing them, in the Obama-esque hope that one day enough clients will demand a higher-quality product from mobile DJs, and that the business as a whole will get some well-needed respect. Okay, end of plug.)

So, here we go:

1) The DJ You Meet With Might Not Be Your DJ – Often, DJ companies, especially the larger ones, will send the company owners – who tend to be the most confident, well-spoken, experienced DJs they have – to an initial prospective client meeting, to impress the customer. This is Business 101, of course. And this may win you over. But, this impressive DJ might not mention that they won’t be there the day of your event. They might give you a phone consultation, take note of your requests, answer all your emails promptly, and then pass all of it on to some other guy in the company. To be fair, this other DJ you get for your event might not be a bad DJ, but if he is going to be doing your event, wouldn’t you feel more comfortable meeting with him instead of having a go-between, where important details could get lost or miscommunicated, such as song requests, or pronunciations of the names of guests to be introduced? So, if you like the DJ you meet with initially during the "sales pitch," make sure to ask if he will be the one doing the event. If not, ask to meet – in person – the DJ who will. If this offer is refused, I’d move on.

2) The DJ May Have Another Gig That Day – Many clients, in focusing on arranging your event, may forget that a DJ business succeeds on booking as many events as the company thinks they can handle well. Again, to be fair, that’s understandable for a business owner. But the problem comes in when a DJ company misjudges what they can handle well, or has a different idea from you of what being able to “handle well” means. To some DJ companies, this might mean just showing up with some generic playlist for your event, since they put all their effort into the event before or after yours. You should be sure to ask if your DJ already has another event on the day of yours, or if they do not, if they do multiple events in a day. It tends to be the larger companies that have the resources (many DJs, some “roadies," a lot of equipment, several vans or trucks) to do multiple-day events, so if you’re meeting with these companies, they’re the ones to flesh out a " line of questioning" on how this may affect your event. If they’re assigning the DJ for your event another event that day, I’d be a little nervous, since it brings in some other potential complications - most importantly travel time to or from the other gig will now be an issue. If the DJ is doing multiple events, make sure that the reassurances of the company satisfy you to the fullest, and think of getting some guarantees of prompt arrival in writing. And make sure to remember that even the most experienced DJ companies can’t predict what the weather, traffic, or highway conditions will be like that day.

3) Free or Easy DJ Consultations May Not Be Guaranteed – Part of the peace of mind of having a DJ for your event is having access to them, of being able to ask them a question or being able to have a responsive line of communication, such as knowing quickly if they found that obscure first-dance song, or what they think about changing the style of music for cocktail hour. This not to say that every element revolving around music needs to be discussed in detail, but it is nice to know that the DJ is regularly available to you if it is needed. Some DJs know they need to be available a lot to clients, and they could charge for it, like some wedding planners do. You may get one free consultation after you hire the DJ, but any others may cost you. Just make sure to ask. If they do charge, this is probably a sign to move on to ne where you can get unlimited commuinication included in your original contract price. If you have a DJ who doesn’t charge, great, but then make sure to ask about their availability, and when is the best time to contact them. This answer, right there, might give you an idea of their schedule, and how open it is. But most importantly, make sure to gently but firmly emphasize that you expect to have a relatively quick line of communication with your DJ. This is not to expect a lightning-quick, 15-minute response to all emails, but at least a 24-hour response is reasonable and should be expected.

(If you've experienced a rather shrewd or sneaky policy from a DJ company that annoyed you and that you'd like to mention to help those needing a DJ for any sort of event - from weddings to corporate parties to fashion shows to art gallery openings - feel free to leave a comment below. Let your frustration known, so others won't have to share it!)

Ensuring Your Fashion Show Arrival Music is the Right Fit

When people think of music played at fashion shows, the thumping bass and dreamy melodies of intense house grooves likely come to mind. It’s no surprise that house seems to be present a lot when we see models strutting down runways, be it during the city’s Fashion Week, or at fashion shows at shopping malls. Intense musical energy boosts the drama in witnessing the debut of a designer's creations, but this energy has to be somewhat airy and unobtrusive to not interfere with observing the designs. For this, house works well – it's often fast, has a stylish sheen, and because it doesn't often reach mainstream radio, it’s rather anonymous and never competes for your attention more than the clothes.

But when it comes to the music before the runway music – the mix of songs played during the arrival of guests – many of the same background music rules don’t apply. Sure, the goal of fashion show arrival music is to be in the background while guests chat, grab a drink or a snack, and make their way to their seats, so it need not initiate any dancing. However, unlike the more sedate arrival music played at other events – like art receptions, corporate events or wedding ceremonies – at fashion shows, the mix needs to be "amped up" a bit more. Why? Simple: The mood in the room before the start of  fashion shows we’ve performed at (the photos above and below are from a recent show we spun at in the West Village) has more of a fun, exciting air of anticipation than almost any other kind of event, and that feeling of rising action should be reflected in the songs played.

So what kind of music goes best with this sense of anticipation? Hip-hop? Indie rock? House music grooves? Glam rock from the ‘70s? A more internationally-flavored mix of festive meringue, or sensual Indian Bhangra? Well, almost any genre of music can do it, as long as there’s an intensity to the music and it’s compelling in some way. People don’t want to walk in and be overpowered by the music's mood (or volume) so it interferes with their conversations, but the songs also shouldn’t ever be constantly familiar or predictable. The arrival music should add palpably to the anticipation and excitement, not lessen it. Overall, the best arrival music seems to have a bit of an unexpected, even mysterious (but usually at the same time playful and fun) quality about it, with, of course, little sexiness thrown in.

We're able to establish a mix like this in many ways. For example, we might spin a classic rock song  done in French, or pull out out a song by some obscure vintage jazz vocal artist with a clever lyrical hook, or simply ride the killer melodies and rhythms of a pair of spicy, gritty Latin soul tunes that you don’t need to have heard before to start bobbing you head along.

But the most important element to creating a tight mix of arrival music often simply depends on the fashion show organizer (or the DJ themselves, if the organizer desires) taking the first step – consulting with the designers to brainstorm about what the right “feel” of the arrival music should be. The designers might have many ideas of what kind of music they would like to get the audience most pumped up for the show, and this way they can be discussed and integrated. When the designers are picking their own songs for their collections, then the organizer (or DJ) should look at what overall mood all of their selected music will likely create during the show, and think how to complement it. For example, if most of the designers’ songs are more ethereal and airy, it might be more appropriate to play a more ambient mix of songs as guests arrive. If many of the designs have a provocative and edgy look, a bit of indie rock, glam, or punk might be the best choice. Or, if there doesn’t seem to be a consistent mood to the designers’ works, then at least this will be known, and the DJ can create an eclectic but smooth mix based on the genres that will be included in the show.

This might all seem like a lot of fuss over what is not even the main section of the show. But because the arrivals often can last an hour,or even, at times, more than that, doing a little homework to put the guests (many of whom are buyers, of course!) in a positive, intrigued, loosened-up mood from the start the first model takes the runway (and giving the guests the sense that the start, middle and end of the event all fit together seamlessly) will only make your show more successful.

 

Our Most Well-Received Top 40 of 2008 – and the Place of Current Radio Hits at Your Event

While it’s rare that we spin exclusively current Top 40 at any event, it’s also rare to not play several current Top 40 songs at an event, either. While many of us - especially here in New York City - have our pet preferences for music we’d love to hear at an event, be it in the background over a drink, or that would quickly get us out to the dancefloor, there’s a few genres of music out there where cultures and genders and ages can meet happily. One of the biggest of these is Top 40 – basically, the ubiquitous pop, rock, R & B and hip hop tunes that you hear on the radio, blaring from a passing car on the street, or being pumped down at you from the ceiling of a Rite Aid.

Some people are totally at ease with Top 40 and love featuring it at their events, but, this being a city of many tastes, opinions and cultures, others have a negative or more complex relationship with this music: Some look down on it and think it’s all shallow. Some like a lot of it, but only after a certain number of drinks loosens them into open-mindedness. And some have to firmly emphasize that they like only one or two mainstream artists, but that's it, and the rest, as I've often heard this kind of person say, are crap. Now, I understand. Those who are a bit reticent toward Top 40 have a good point about its disposability and its seemingly cynical focus-grouped origins – many of these songs are quite bland, or, because the songs are often played everywhere, when you hear a good one, you may quickly tire of it from hearing so much.

But, just like Hollywood will often get it right and produce a couple of great mass-market blockbusters every year that most of us agree are very good, there’s always more than a handful of Top 40 tunes from every year that are more than just guilty pleasures or songs you will only let yourself enjoy when you’ve had a few too many drinks. Sometimes, these radio-friendly hits have great dance beats, fresh and catchy melodies, a new and exhilarating sound, a fun or sexy feel, or all of these qualities. Yes, it might be hard for some of the Lower East Side or Williamsburg hipsters to admit, but songs targeted for mass consumption are quite good at times, and their accessibility, simplicity and “bigness” are often exactly what is needed to liven up an event, and bring different types of people together to so willingly share a vibe - whether it’s a song that gets the hips moving at a cocktail hour, provides lyrics to sing along with at a dinner, or makes a lot of people rush out to the dancefloor at once.

Here’s 20 of the songs released in the past year or so that have really proven to excite the crowds we’ve spun for at all kinds of events – from West Village fashion shows to multicultural weddings, from huge midtown corporate parties to smaller, more exclusive private events. There is some variety to the genres here as well - though dominated by R & B, some crunked-out southern hip hop (Lil' Wayne), retro British female soul (Duffy) and indie rock (Ting Tings) also made the list. As a bonus, most of these songs will likely continue to go over well for the early part of 2009, and perhaps some will have a shelf-life that’s even longer. And our winners are (in no particular order):

1) Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce
2) Dangerous – Kardinal Offishall ft. Akon
3) Human – Killers
4) Forever – Chris Brown
5) Disturbia – Rihanna
6) Don’t Stop the Music – Rihanna
7) Got Money – Lil’ Wayne ft. T-Pain
8) A Milli – Lil’ Wayne
9) Shut Up and Let Me Go – Ting Tings
10) Paper Planes – M.I.A.
11) Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis
12) Mercy – Duffy
13) Womanizer – Britney Spears
14) Green Light – John Legend ft. Andre 3000
15) American Boy – Estelle ft.Kanye West
16) Whatever You Like – T.I.
17) I Kissed a Girl – Katy Perry
18) Hot & Cold – Katy Perry
19) Just Dance – Lady Gaga
20) No Air - Jordin Sparks