I guess DJ’ing is a lot like riding a bike?

On Wednesday last week I DJ’ed for the first time in about a year and a half. For those who don’t know, from around 2000-2005 I had regular dj’ing gigs all over Columbus and was spinning at least once a month. It’s funny because after a short hiatus that involved getting married, moving into a new house, and having a baby I’m constantly surprised when friends I’ve known for awhile say “I didn’t know you DJ’ed!”

Anyway, I was asked to DJ at a party at the awesome OSU Urban Arts Space downtown that was part of OSU’s “Back to School” Welcome Week. It was an early gig from 6pm to 8pm, which was very nice. One of the other reasons I stopped DJ’ing was because I felt like I was reaching the point where staying up until 3am on a weekday and trying to get up at a reasonable hour the next morning was becoming nearly impossible.

I was a bit rusty at first, and had a few rough mixes, but fell back into the groove surprisingly quickly I must say. I guess it’s like riding a bike, eh? I only took one of my turntables, and one of my old CD mixers, as well as my laptop. I haven’t bought any new vinyl in awhile, so I mostly played the type of music I’ve been listening to lately via mp3 and cd. Which is quite a bit different than what I spun a few years ago.

My setlist included (in no particular order):

• Kelly – Van She (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix)
• Epic Last Song – Does It Offend You, Yeah? (LIFELIKE Remix)
• Stay The Same – AutoKratz
• Let’s Make Love – CSS (Streelife DJ’s Rappinhood Remix)
• Divine – Sebastien Tellier (Danger Remix)
• The Prayer – Bloc Party (La Mode’s Sunday School Remix)
• Rapture – Data (The Skywriters Remix)
• Cazals – Life is Boring (La Modes Rubber Dub Dub)
• Countdown – Jupiter One (Designer Drugs Remix)
• Island – Pomomofo (Hey Now Remix)
• Editors – Camera (SebastiAn Remix)
• I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend… – Black Kids (80kidz Remix)
• Strangers – Van She (Van She Tech Rework)
• Violet Hill – Coldplay (Cryptonites Remix)
• Hurricane Jane – Black Kids (The Twelves Remix)
• We Are Rockstars – Does It Offend You, Yeah? (Culture Prophet Remix)
• Number One in The UK – Error Love
• Crimewave – Crystal Castles (Lazrtag Remix)
• Talk Like That – The Presets (Miami Horror Remix)

And a handful of others that I’m forgetting about.

Anyway, I’ll probably be DJ’ing again at some other events at the OSU Urban Arts Space. I’ll be sure to post the gigs up here if anyone is interested in coming to hang out in one of the coolest new gallery spaces Downtown with me.