I was amazed this week when I realized I had been DJing one year as of January 13th.
They say that "Time Flies When You're Having Fun." That seems to be very true. It hardly seems possible that I started spinning tunes at the Wharf last year, and it has been a full year plus, now. I've probably done 130 sets - I'll have to go back and count to verify, just for my own knowledge - but its not so much how many, or how long, but whether people enjoy what I'm doing, and as importantly, do I still enjoy it.
My friend Kaj has been DJing for I about 2 1/2 years, and I remember an interview he did for VR Style. To make a long story short, he said he still loved DJing. I reflected on that as the realization hit me this past week. And I came to the conclusion that like my friend, I enjoy DJing. Sure it can be hectic coming up with a playlist on the spur of the moment, or you can get frustrated with technical problems like a hard drive crash, or a misbehaving stream. But thankfully those problems have been few and far between.
I hope I keep an interesting combination of various tunes playing to entertain people. I think I do. But something else seems to have come to me as well during this past year that means as much to me on a very personal level.
This past year has helped me sort of re-connect with something I love, rock music (in all the glorious sub-categories that I really enjoy). Its helped me reclaim a part of my life that had been lacking in the daily RL grind, and inject it back into the forefront of my life. That has been a most excellent experience. I found and breathed new life into a part of me that needed that attention. I have Finnegan to thank for giving me a chance to DJ at The Wharf, back on January 13th, 2009 (the first set where I streamed for a crowd). While DJing itself maybe wasn't stopping me from connecting to music, it certainly has been a catalyst to keeping me active in being involved in music as much for my benefit as those that listen to what I like to play.
A big thanks goes out to all the people that have supported/enjoyed/encouraged me along the way as well. I wouldn 't necessarily *want* to DJ if I didn't have people at my sets.
Special thanks to Kev Darkfold for being at the "Graveyard Shift" at the Wharf during my first late Friday sets.
Special Thanks to Kaj for advice, support and friendship over the last year.
And special thanks to Pookie for encouraging me to be a rock and roll star *LAUGH*
I couldn't have done it without my best friend RL either. You know who you are.
Dude, its good to know you still enjoy DJing. I have only been doing it a little longer than you - I wish I knew when my first set was - and I still very much enjoy it, despite the few annoying hiccups every now and then *ahem*
ReplyDeleteI really like your sets and always try to stay for them whenever I can.
I know what you mean about DJing connecting you with music more.. I am fairly sure that without the incentive of trying to find new tunes for people to hear each week, I would not have nearly as much great music in my collection as I do now and would know nothing about 'the scene' lol
Keep up the good work =]
Esmiel, my friend, to return the compliment, I enjoy your sets all the time, and I am both fortunate and privileged to enjoy your sets when I can get home in time for them.
ReplyDeleteYou might ask Finn to check his logs to see when you DJed first - but for my part, I took a picture of the first time I streamed, and took the date from that xD
And that's the pic on my blog entry.
Thanks again for being here. And keep up the awesomeness yourself xD