last night’s set

There’s a thread on the SwingDJs board called ‘last night’s playlist’ which I’m not sure I’m brave enough to post in yet. So I’m going to post last night’s set here. I’ve been listening to the set again this morning, so the ‘last played’ times are a bit off. It was a fun set – I’m enjoying listening to it now!
I played a fair few newer songs (new to me), which was really nice – I’m using all the new music I’ve bought lately. All this purchasing has been very inspiring and made me very happy. I’m loving the Lionel Hampton Mosaic set very much. It has quite a few nice, medium tempo songs which are great for newer dancers… or nannas like myself.
Last night was interesting as it’s the second night of a new door cover charge for the venue. I think $5 (or is it $6?) is kind of crap for a venue where the drinks are really expensive and you’re still not allowed to bring your own water ($1.50 for a glass of water!). I wouldn’t mind a cover charge, but I need to drink a lot of water… it’s also a fucking disgusting place. The toilets leak everywhere and stink, the taps don’t work on the sink (of course – it’s a scam to keep you buying water), it stinks, the floor is inconsistent, the DJing podium thing is a bit scary (a giant crevasse down behind it, etc), and it just generally has a nasty vibe. Plus the bar staff are surly bastards.
Anyhow, the door charge has cut the people through the door by 25% at least. This kind of sucks. But it means that those people who are going are there to dance rather than drink, which means it’s easier to work the crowd – you get a greater proportion on the floor at any one time. The crowd should have been bigger, and the night should have been pumping because it was the Thursday before good Friday, but it wasn’t – and that’s a sure sign that the door charge is having detrimental effects.
But most of the people there were from the classes before, and the retention rate was higher than usual. It felt like a Funbags night – more ‘beginner’ dancers. Which is actually very nice, as they just want to DANCE and they’re not as picky about musical style. They like a solid beat, and they really like the older music that I play, and they’re totally unfazed by higher tempos – they just get out there and shake it, regardless.
But they don’t have a lot of stamina, so you get everyone in the room dancing for 3 songs, then an empty floor (except for more experienced people), then 3 songs of packed floor, then an empty floor. They just don’t have the stamina, the basic fitness and – more importantly – the body awareness and basic muscle memory/awareness to move efficiently and energy-savingly. Which means that they kind of get out there and thrash around, limbs all over the place, wasting energy. They’re having fun, but they’re killing themselves. So they need a rest. But they’re still really keen to dance, so as soon as they’ve caught their breath, they’re back out there, dancing like fools. Which is really very nice.
So I’m happy with the job I did last night, and I enjoyed it. It’s about my fifth set this month (what with the 3 gigs over the MSF weekend just passed), so I’m steadily saving money for more CDs. Yay! I’m also getting my DJing in now before the second semester starts and I have to go back to being working stooge who has to keep normal hours. But I’m down to do a blues set next month, which I’m looking forward to (I only do one a year these days, not counting exchanges). Oh, and excitingly, I’ve been asked to do a set on Yehoodi radio soon. So I’m getting myself a bit worked up about that. I’m not sure whether I should play stuff I usually play for dancers (which could get kind of dull), stuff I’d like to play for dancers, stuff that’s not necessarily for dancing but rocks, a lindy set, a blues set, a combination of the two… I’m also finding part of me is trying to find the most obscure stuff I can. It’s a show off thing. And this obscure stuff is the older, more unusual stuff. And most of that is pre-lindy hop. Which probably isn’t the best way to go. But I’m looking forward to it. All four hours of it (!!).
The Comeback 20/03/08 8:41 PM Barbara Morrison 134 2002 7:41 Live At The 9:20 Special
Froggy Bottom 20/03/08 8:43 PM Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShann And His Band 155 1957 2:37 Goin’ To Kansas City Blues
Walk ‘Em 20/03/08 8:46 PM Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra 131 1946 2:53 Walk ‘Em
Give Me Some Skin 21/03/08 11:08 AM Lionel Hampton and His Sextet 138 1941 3:16 The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-1941 (disc 5)
Apollo Jump 21/03/08 11:12 AM Lucky Millinder 143 3:27 Apollo Jump
Summit Ridge Drive 21/03/08 11:15 AM Artie Shaw and His Gramercy 5 128 1940 3:21 Self Portrait (Disc 2)
Don’t Be That Way 21/03/08 11:17 AM Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra 136 1938 2:36 The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-1941 (disc 2)
I’m Beginning To See The Light 20/03/08 9:02 PM Jonathan Stout And His Campus Five Featuring Hilary Alexander 126 2007 2:57 Moppin’ And Boppin’
Massachusetts 21/03/08 11:21 AM Maxine Sullivan 147 1956 3:19 A Tribute To Andy Razaf
Shoutin’ Blues 21/03/08 11:24 AM Count Basie and His Orchestra 148 1949 2:38 Kansas City Powerhouse
For Dancers Only 21/03/08 11:26 AM Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra 148 1937 2:41 Swingsation – Jimmie Lunceford
Afternoon of a Moax 20/03/08 9:14 PM Charlie Barnet 132 2004 3:24 Charlie Barnet
The Heebie Jeebies Are Rockin’ The Town (Alt Tk) 21/03/08 11:30 AM Red Allen & Lionel Hampton, vocal, & His Orchestra 141 1939 2:44 The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-1941 (disc 3)
Laughing In Rhythm 21/03/08 11:33 AM Slim Gaillard and his Peruvians 142 1951 2:56 Laughing In Rhythm: The Best Of The Verve Years
Ain’t Nothin’ To It 21/03/08 11:36 AM Fats Waller & His Rhythm 134 1941 3:10 Last Years (1940-1943) (Disc 2)
Oh Red! 20/03/08 9:26 PM Sam Price and his Texas Blusicians with Sam Price 182 1940 3:05 1929-1941
A Viper’s Moan 20/03/08 9:29 PM Willie Bryant And His Orchestra 153 3:26 Willie Bryant 1935-1936
My Baby Just Cares For Me 20/03/08 9:33 PM Nina Simone 120 3:38 The Great Nina Simone
Bli-Blip 20/03/08 9:35 PM Jonathan Stout And His Campus Five 140 2007 2:44 Moppin’ And Boppin’
Gotta Do Some War Work 20/03/08 9:40 PM Jonathan Stout And His Campus Five 150 2004 4:10 Crazy Rhythm
Savoy Blues 20/03/08 9:43 PM Kid Ory 134 2002 3:01 Golden Greats: Greatest Dixieland Jazz Disc 3
Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho 20/03/08 9:46 PM Kid Ory And His Creole Jazz Band 160 1946 3:13 Kid Ory and his Creole Jazz Band 1944-46
I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate 20/03/08 9:49 PM Muggsy Spanier and his Ragtime Band 155 1939 2:56 Great Original Performances 1931 & 1939
Moppin’ And Boppin’ 20/03/08 9:53 PM Fats Waller & His Rhythm 173 1943 4:29 Last Years (1940-1943) (Disc 3)
Flying Home 20/03/08 9:56 PM Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra 197 1942 3:11 Lionel Hampton Story 2: Flying Home
Good Queen Bess 20/03/08 9:59 PM Duke Ellington 160 1940 3:00 The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition: Complete RCA Victor Recordings (disc 10)
The Back Room Romp 20/03/08 10:02 PM Rex Stewart and His 52nd Street Stompers 152 1937 2:49 The Duke’s Men: Small Groups Vol. 1 (Disc 2)
Tippin’ In 21/03/08 11:04 AM Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra 144 1942 3:20 Tuxedo Junction