Avid followers of my writing (Hi, Mum – I’ll ring Thursday, promise) know I’m a cool cutting-edge kinda guy so it was no surprise that recently I was asked to DJ a rather grand birthday bash.
Now ok, it was indeed a 70th birthday but there were nearly two hundred people there of all differing ages and nationalities from 5 to 80, from Swiss to Swedish and virtually every age and country in between.
I borrowed some pretty top-end equipment from a jazzy Canadian friend and went about compiling my playlists. As anybody who has done this knows at least half the fum is working out in your head where each track appears during the long evening (carriages at midnight sharp) and, of course, gauging the mood of your audience as the evening progresses.
Given the age of the star attraction I started off with the somewhat predictable medley of Chubby’s “Let’s Twist” through The Beatles “Twist & Shout”, The Stones “Satisfaction” and so on (Yes, I am afraid I played Hi Ho Silver Lining……)
But given my huge musical knowledge (?) I did not play it all safe, sometimes verging off into a bit of Hip-Hop, there a dash of Funky Latin and by and large they LOVED it ! (Free local wine all night long might just have helped)
Part of my pre-gig research involved Googling “Best Party Dancing Hits” and good old Time Out London came up with a belter of a list, at least a dozen of which found their way into the evening’s entertainment. One of these tracks I initially thought “Really? Lovely stuff but not sure it’s right ” but,hey, I am nothing but a risk taker so around 11.00 on it came.
It was the hit of the night, old and young danced and sang along, even the bored old Frenchies in the corner who had sat all night sipping pastis and muttering darkly found themselves on the floor bopping away.
If only I had looked at this YouTube link beforehand…
Anyone other instances out there of Unexpected Delight?
Gary says
Just had a look at that Time Out list. Certainly some surprises! Fleetwood Mac’s awful, crap and un-danceable Everywhere at number 4, yet no mention of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s guaranteed floor filler Relax. Some good choices though.
attackdog says
Unexpected? – not at all. Although I admit it was a reluctant addition to one of my cover bands set.
The first time we played it the venue went bonkers.
We played it every single gig thereafter to heaving dance floors.
I often wondered if the subtleties of the lyrics ever hit home?
Kaisfatdad says
You are far too modest, Lodestone. It’s not just the right song, it’s the right song at exactly the right moment in the evening. Only a maestro can manage that.
When I saw Ed Motta a couple of weeks ago, he ended the set with his big hit Colombina which I had never heard before. All the Brazilians in the audience went bonkers. Instant party!
I was at a party a few years back and this proved to be a very unexpected floorfiller. Goodness gracious me indeed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTBNHwar5o
duco01 says
Re: Peter Sellers & Sophia Loren “Goodness Gracious Me” – Incredibly, that’s an example of the sort of thing George Martin produced before EMI thought it might be a nice idea to put him together with the Beatles.
todayoutof10 says
Ooh, if only I’d been there. I love almost nothing more than an opportunity to dance.
It’s a wonderful, life affirming activity that can strip all of everything, other than the desire to get down with their bad self. And if they’re lucky, some dude beside them who knows it too.
If you’re on Spotify, give us a link to your playlist. It’s such a beautiful thing, a finely crafted playlist – born of nothing but to entertain!
And that Paul Simon tune is a belter. Guaranteed to get me on the floor. As is this one, another of his.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
Now gallivanting across the border in Catalonia so later in the week before I can fire up Spotify (although a few of my choices aren’t actually on Spotify) As someone who really, really can’t dance how I love dancing!!
Jackthebiscuit says
My favourite Paul Simon solo record – thanks for posting it todayoutof10.
Kaisfatdad says
I had a browse on Spotify and see that Time Out London, Paris, New York and Singapore all have accounts and are posting playlists.
Here are just a few samples
New York
London
Paris (some of these look great for hearing the latest French pop.)
jazzjet says
I’m currently compiling a playlist for a wedding (my own! I’m remarrying my first wife – it’s a long story). Great fun to do but I need 3 separate lists – one for the wedding itself (quiet stuff for the pre-wedding wait followed by ‘our song’ as we leave – ‘Color My World’ by Chicago), one for the champagne and canapes phase (not too intrusive) and one for dinner (quieter songs for the actual meal then building up to some dancey stuff as things get politely rowdy towards the end). It all requires a lot of thought (and ‘negotiation’) but it’s great when (if?) it all comes together. It all takes place at a hotel so need to be sure of their playback capability.
Any advice on what to include in my playlists gratefully accpeted.
Moose the Mooche says
An AWer asking for playlist advice… I’ve seen it all now 😉
My suggestion is nine hours of Skrillex…
Seriously, congratulations bud. Dare we call you Richard and Elizabeth ?
Kaisfatdad says
Congratulations JazzJet! That sounds like a story and a half.
I’m hoping that you can use Spotify. It’s unbelievably useful for parties. It will mean you invariably have that song that someone wants.
I have an enormous number of Spotty playlists, several based on Afterword threads and you are welcome to browse through them.
Here’s one that might suit the middle bit. It’s from a thread where Niall asked us for beautiful music. It may give you some inspiration. Or you can just listento it for pleasure.
jazzjet says
Thanks a lot, Kaisfatdad. Lots of interesting ideas. It’s quite a difficult balancing act, with different generations and probably some older types who would normally be scared off by anything unfamiliar. Still a good idea to sneak stuff in, particularly during the quiet bits, and save the familiar songs for the dancey section.
Kaisfatdad says
But it can also be rather fun to do a playlist for a mixed generation audience. Make the older ones feel comfortable with a few songs they know and then, as you say slowly sneak in more modern stuff.
The Beatles , Dusty Springfield, Adele, Glen Miller, Chemical Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Oasisi, Rammstein, Cab Calloway, Spice Girls, Otis Redding, Sergio Mendez, Einsturzande Neubaten etc!
Lodestone of Wrongness says
In the end I played all my stuff through an iPod into a very nice sound system belonging as I said above to a proper musician. I just didn’t fancy something going wrong with the venue’s internet ( I could just hear the boos of derision) and, I know it’s silly, but having had little experience of playing downloaded Spotify lists offline (I know lots of groovy cats who do) I decided to stick with the technology I know. It made me feel a lot safer, as did the four glasses of wine beforehand…
Moose the Mooche says
The booze of derision…
jazzjet says
Yes, that worries me at the moment. I need to have a thorough discussion with the hotel about their sound system before deciding on formats. If it comes to it I’ll have to record the tracks I want from Spotify and stick them on CDs.
Kaisfatdad says
That shouldn’t be necessary. When we use Spotify for parties, it’s just a matter of pressing the Play off line button beforehand and downloading them to your device, We’ve never had any problems.
I can’t imagine you will be the first person who has wanted to connect their device to the sound system. But as you say, check with the hotel. Always good to have a plan B.
Deviant808 says
A mate’s just thrown me the curveball of “You know you’re coming down for my 50th birthday party in two weeks? Would you do me a playlist?”. So armed with no more comprehensive instructions than “It’s music for old f@rts like us” and some vague memories of the stuff he was into at Uni A While Ago, am throwing things into a playlist to see what sticks!
It’s work in progress and not in any order as yet, but here it is…
Kaisfatdad says
Back to the unexpected delght of the OP.
I popped into the marvelous Pet Sounds record shop on Södermalm this afternoon and they were playing this 60s psychedelc gem by Arzachel (on Spotify). They ddn’t have it on vinyl but told me that they wished they did. It would make them some serious money: a major collector’s item.
A gorgeous piece of music anyway. If Booker T had come from Canterbury…..
Want to know more?
http://www.indeepmusicarchive.net/2014/04/11414-arzachel-1969/