Last month, I rambled on social media and also wrote a long ranting article about the Lost Art of the Opening DJ. For me, itâs never enough to just b*tch about your personal opinions but more importantly we need to forge out solutions and answers to the problem. I realized there arenât a lot of content on the subject of being a great opening DJ so here we are and hope you find this article helpful!
Electronic music has come a long way since its inception in the 1970s. It has been embraced by millions worldwide and has produced some of the most iconic artists of our time. From techno and house to trance and dubstep, electronic music has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. However, as the industry has grown, so too has the ego, pride, and self-entitlement of the DJs that make up this scene. Sadly, this has resulted in the lost art of the opening DJ, with many ignoring the importance of setting the tone for the night and respecting the flow of the party.
Chances are, most people who attend an electronic music concert, club night or live event came for the performance of the main act. If you are a relative newcomer in the DJ industry, however, you will most likely be tapped to play the opening set for the event.
Performing as the opener has its own challenges, particularly in getting the audience warmed up for the main act in a manner that is suitable for the event and artist coming after you. This entails being able to create the atmosphere of excitement and energy out of thin air, all without overdoing it and stealing the limelight from the headlining act. And as any DJ will tell you, that makes the job of the warm-up DJ the most difficult of all. Read more
