Booking # 118: Local Love @ Liquid Mega Club, Astoria, Queens

This gig had such potential to be great, but was one of the worst of my life... It was a rave, which i would not have played if i knew there would be so much hardcore played. It never works to have melodic funky DnB after hardcore, at least in my experience, its hard to get them to chill a bit. It was in Astoria at a huge club, which meant that for the first time in my life i actually walked to the gig. Took my about 15 minutes lugging a record back with a cdj (more on that in a bit) and it was almost worth it to not have to leave my area. I had to bring a CDJ, because i have not played vinyl in about a year, they did not have cdj's, so i brought some vinyl and figured i would play with 1 turntable and a one cdj.

When i walked in, the music was way to loud and totally obnoxious, hardcore i guess, i cant distinguish stuff like that, just 4x4 pounding beats, no melody or anything, it was empty, flat, loud and agrivating. I was going to play about 2-3, some guy playing techno was assigned the set before me, i figured that would work well. Unfortunately that DJ did not show up, something i did not know at first... I walked on stage to set up the CDJ and notice that they are using Numark turntables or something lame like that. Then i notice 2 beautiful Technic 1200s and ask why those are not set up, the promoter who never bothers to introduce himself to me says those are better. It was to late to set anything else up so did not bother to ask him to switch them out. He proceeds to look at me and ask "i though you were on at 2", to which i replied that i was simply setting up and not looking to get on yet. At this point, not knowing he was the promoter, it was only fair that i wait till my assigned set.

I noticed right away from the stage that it was a very big club and perhaps 25 people in it, with a club that size it looked practically empty. As for the monitor situation, as the promoter explains to me " i dont know, it was working fine when i got here". I looked over at it and it was crispy and practically smoking from all the abuse, someone (ahem: promoter) was redlining for hours and blew it out. I wait around for another 30 minutes only to hear hardcore that apparently the promoter wrote it the night before and included a sample of a vocal clip saying nice things like "cocaine biziness", real wonderful vibes he was setting for my upcoming set. He informed me that he did not have any drink tickets, could have gotten me a drink anyway. By the way at this point it still did not know he was the promoter and would not learn that until the end of the night.

I finally get to go on at about 2:00 with 1 shitty turntable and no monitor in a huge club. Naturally i had to DJ in my headphones as the music reflecting off the back speakers had a huge delay and make mixing out side of my headphones sounds like cans banging (as i learned watching the promoter DJ). Abut 20 minutes into my set, people were dancing, and the few people knew in the crowd seemed to be enjoying it, and just as i'm settling into the groove, one of the many security guards tells me to shut the music off, the nights over... Apparently they did not make enough at the bar, and it was not economical to stay open. Should not be a surprise really, parties that are aimed at 18 year olds have to draw very well and charge alot for clubs to be interested, because they dont drink. The promoter comes over and tells me that 2 dj's no showed and that he played for many hours tonight... It infuriated me to know that he did not let me play when i showed up at about 1:00, instead he asked why i was on stage, so that he could play his third hour of the night.

I knew i was dealing with person who knew nothing about promoting events, it was sad actually. In the end, its my fault for accepting such a booking, i should have seen the signs: depending on myspace and a rave message board for all the promotion as if those actually help much, so much hardcore, the promoter was a dj, his emails were juvenile which i learned is appropriate since he just graduated high school not long before. Even thu i got to walk there, and play my home which was coo, and even thu the club was very very cool, it was a horrible night. Last rave i play for rookies.