DJing Sober

I was a little bit concerned about DJing totally sober on a Friday night straight after a long week at work, without even a red bull allowed.

So I took a flexible half-day so I could sleep in and then have a disco nap in the afternoon.

I slept in until 7am and had a 15 minute afternoon nap.

As has become my new plan, I practiced the first two tracks only, though I had an idea of what else I wanted to play.  It was quiet when I started – the downstairs bar had only just opened but it gradually started to become busy.

I played a lot of minimal to start – in fact someone told me that everything I played was minimal – though I like to think that I finished on underground house.  It was an opportunity to play tracks that I love that I wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to play.

I did get some good feedback, though one German guy questioned me on why I would play minimal.  I didn't see him again.  My good friend JP told me that he actually liked it - kind of hypnotic I think he said.  Especially this track by Cristi Cons - one of my favourites from 2014.

Fairly quickly I have worked out what the crowd there like – and that is punchy kickdrums – and basslines.

And when I played this monster by Enzo Sirasuga & Alexkid, people flooded in, and it was already quite busy.

I handed over a reasonably busy dancefloor to my hosts to take the tempo up a notch and then danced for as long as my tired, sober self managed, which was about 45 minutes.

So what was it like DJing totally sober?

Well pretty much the same.  I was still a little nervous beforehand and my love of the music carried me through any tiredness with a dose of adrenaline too.  I don't recall any mistakes, one or two mixes could have been tighter and I had less confidence when it came to being adventurous in my mixing style so there was more blending than I had planned.

I enjoyed it just as much as DJing drunk and managed to resist all temptations - and there were a lot of temptations.

Next up I am DJing at the Eli and Fur night on 14th March at Zeus, in the garden from 230am until 4am.

I won't be sober and I won't be playing minimal.  Well, maybe a little to bring it down at the end.

And I'll be back at the Purple Turtle every 3rd Friday until I get barred.