Versatile DJ Journey Finds a Way to Stand Out in City of Originals
Rules to keeping a Manhattan club crowd happy: One, remember to play plenty of Jay Z, MIA and Beyonce. Two, don’t forget to throw in old school beats by artists like Mos Def and Gang Starr. Three, pay tribute to legends like Biggie and Tupac. Finally, end the night with never fail hits by Madonna and groups like the Killers.
Follow this method, take requests, and you might live to see another night behind NY club turntables. Try getting creative with your “own” style and those daredevil ways may leave your crowd confused and you gig-less.
Now picture this; an LA based DJ who likes being creative, original & daring in the swanky New York night scene, dead in the water right? WRONG!
Ask DJ Journey how he copes with the tough New York crowd on a weekend night. His answer is simple & methodical; you break down the music barriers. “When club-goers enter a venue, they already know what they expect to hear and what songs will make people get down, and sing along. It’s engrained in their mind and so they think that’s all they should hear. It doesn’t mean they don’t like to listen or dance to other music, they just aren’t used to it”.
But hold on people, don’t get images in your head of this DJ playing Lil Wayne and then suddenly switching to a Def Leppard track with no transition. It’s not like that. But it is the idea of combining multiple genres of music throughout a four hour set, carefully blending one track into another, and adding additional beats with superb scratching abilities, all while keeping the crowd happy. Might we add, this may even keep the crowd pleasantly surprised.
This is a technique that DJ Journey says is anything but foreign to him, but does admit in the past few months he’s been more loyal to it than ever.
“In Chicago, where I began my career, I played in everything from House Venues to Reggae clubs. It was those in between mainstream places were I really got to work on the craft of being versatile during one set. I’m known to do this kind of stuff in LA too, but NYC is more competitive than ever and now I’m really working on mastering a signature style, a style that stands apart from the rest.
Side by side with his New York City promoter, Otto Ade, the duo is making their presence known everywhere from upscale lounges in midtown to trendy clubs in the Meat Packing District. Both Chicago natives, these “outside of the box” thinkers believe that while although taking chances with music can be risky it’s the only way to go.
“It’s true switching the routine partiers are used to hearing could get messy. But doing what everyone else does never got anybody anywhere. And this is my style, and it seems to be working” And with venues like Hiro, Imperial, Katra and Butter all requesting him back, DJ Journey has no plans on switching up his style.
Catch DJ Journey on New Years Eve 2008 at Butter Lounge. And yes he will be playing all your favorite beats, he’ll just put his own twist on it.
Written By,
Laura Hoeppner
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