View Poll Results: What should the DJ's do?....

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  • .. tailor the music, to meet the needs of the dancers coming from the Mainroom

    0 0%
  • ...remain true to the vibe thats already been created

    7 58.33%
  • ..gradually raise the tempo in the Blues room, so it doesn't become such a shock to the system

    4 33.33%
  • gradually start to bring the tempo down in the Main room for the last half hour-ish?

    7 58.33%
  • I have another idea.. see my post

    0 0%
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Thread: Problem solving.. what to do when the main room closes, and the influx to the COZ

  1. #1
    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Problem solving.. what to do when the main room closes, and the influx to the COZ

    MOVED FROM THE SWISH AFTERMATH THREAD Lory

    Quote Originally Posted by martingold View Post
    Another bad point for me was that when the main room closed on saturday night Eric came to the chill out room and pumper up the tempo (admitedly the floor was full at all times when he did so) which really made it into a time extension of the main room

    This is purely my personal opinion as others clearly enjoyed it but when i see something advertised as chill out thats what i think i am paying for and thats where i want to dance
    again this was sorted by karen when i spoke to her the next day

    Thanks for the review

    We had the above problem at Bliss in November last year, and I fear we'll get it again at Storm next weekend. As soon as the Thunderball room closed, the chill out session in the Cyclone Dance zone finished and they started playing more up-beat music. The die-hards from upstairs came down and danced, yes, but what about those of us who were already occupying that space and enjoying ourselves? Have to admit that it rather spoilt the mood for us, and quite a few folks were grumbling and went back to their chalets.

    If there is still the demand for the faster music, then keep the main room open, and let those who want to enjoy some chilled-out dancing keep doing what they're doing...
    Last edited by Lory; 24th-February-2009 at 03:16 PM.

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    Commercial Operator Rocky's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    We had the above problem at Bliss in November last year, and I fear we'll get it again at Storm next weekend....
    This is an interesting one as there are two schools of thought on this. For purists they love the chill vibe the whole way through - but for people who dip in and out, or who have a broader understanding of what COZ means to them, this can come across as bland.

    IMO when the main room shuts it is the DJ's job in the COZ to catch as many people coming through who maybe thinking of going to bed and to hold onto them. This has a double effect: firstly it raises the energy in the room which IMO is an important thing to do at 3am in the morning with potentially another 3-4 hours of dancing left, and secondly it potentially means that there will be more people dancing later.

    Now that said there is a difference between just playing 'up-tempo' tracks and playing slower tracks with energy - and it's an important difference.

    For me - and you know I'm no Blues room slouch..., I need a boost in the earlier hours of the morning to keep me going until day break, and most people I know who dance extensively in the Blues/COZ room feel the same - and on that basis I believe there's no better time to pick the energy up then when the main room closes. Yes, that means it gets a little crowded for an hour or so, but with another 3 hours or so of dancing left, that IMO, isn't an issue as I will spend that hour socializing if it gets too busy (assuming I'm not DJing).

    As an additional point I've always considered it important to introduce more people into the Blues/COZ culture, as the more the merrier - and hooking them as they come through from the main room and then reverting gradually back to the chill vibe is IMO a great way of doing it.

    We don't want to be accused of being elitist now do we...

  3. #3
    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    IMO when the main room shuts it is the DJ's job in the COZ to catch as many people coming through who maybe thinking of going to bed and to hold onto them.
    There is a flip side to this though.. You may be in danger of loosing some of the people who were already in there, as they're already 'in the zone' and it might just push them into leaving, if an large influx of hyped up people descend on the room and the DJ cranks the tempo up.

    I have to admit, I do like 'varying' tempo's myself but I do feel that the people coming down from the Main room, should respect the vibe, whatever it might be at that time and not expect it to instantly change to match what they've been dancing to upstairs
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    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Interesting point Rocky, but Lory has hit the nail on the head.

    It’s not only a case of the music having more energy I’m afraid. That energy can be taken by the influx of dancers coming from a higher energy room and be translated into some exceedingly energetic and sometimes bouncy dances This can be a bit of a shock to the system after several hours of more chilled out, smooth dancing.

    So maybe the energy levels in the chilled out room need to be raised before the main room closes so it’s not such a shock to the system for those of us down there, and the music in the main room should be calmed down a little to allow the dancers to blend a little more with those in the chilled out space.

    The way it’s done at present, it feels like an invasion

    And Martingold - apologies for hijacking your thread

  5. #5
    Commercial Operator Rocky's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    C'mon ladies, dancing is supposed to be FUN! If you want to take your dancing so seriously that you can't smile occasionally then take up WCS or Tango...

    As you know, I've been known to play soul and disco in the COZ occasionally and for many people it really worked - but of course there were some people grumbilng on the sidelines. For those who spoke to me my response was to relax and have a drink because there was 3 hours of superb Blues/Chill to follow.

    Ceroc are fortunate in having a plethora of extraordinarily gifted Dj's and they do work as a team. So if I (or whoever) go up-tempo/energy a bit Marc, John or SF will bring it back down. I really can't believe that some people would go to bed on the basis of a short interlude of up-tempo tunes when they know they have another 3 hours dancing left - seriously??

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    So if I (or whoever) go up-tempo/energy a bit Marc, John or SF will bring it back down. I really can't believe that some people would go to bed on the basis of a short interlude of up-tempo tunes when they know they have another 3 hours dancing left - seriously??
    Agreeing with Rocky twice in the same week? where's my tablets.. I'm having an odd turn

    have to say in the UNLIKELY circumstances of me making it to 3am in the first place.. I'd probably be quite happy for a SLIGHTLY more upbeat session just to give me the aural equivalent of a cup of strong coffee.

    Am not suggesting they immediately jump from Buble's Sway to Rogue Trader's Voodoo Child ()but slightly more energized tracks might be good and , as Rocky states, pick it up so you can appreciate it slowing down again for longer.

    mind you.. this is a moot point anyway. I'm unlikely to make it past the witching hour anyway (what can I say? I'm a lightweight! )

  7. #7
    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    I really can't believe that some people would go to bed on the basis of a short interlude of up-tempo tunes when they know they have another 3 hours dancing left - seriously??
    While I have been known to go and have maybe a couple of faster dances in a main room if I need an energy kick to go back into blues room, at that time of the night I find if I stop dancing for more than about 30 mins that's it - too tired to get back to it. So I can't opt to socialise for an hour while a DJ plays an up tempo set.

    And while I'm all for people coming down and sampling the blues room, or COZ, if they all pile down when the main room closes and the music goes uptempo then they aren't really getting the COZ experience are they?

    If there is that much demand for uptempo music why not just keep the main room open longer?

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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Thanks for the review Martin.

    Interesting topic this......the one question that comes into my head.

    WHY close main room so early?

    If they want up tempo let them have it.

    If others want chilled out let them have it.

    No clash of styles required.

    You know it makes sense.

    Variety is the spice of life.

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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    I have to admit, I do like 'varying' tempo's myself but I do feel that the people coming down from the Main room, should respect the vibe, whatever it might be at that time and not expect it to instantly change to match what they've been dancing to upstairs
    I agree with Lory, if you go into a chill out room you are not going there for up-tempo music. However, it is good to have a variation of tempos otherwise it can seem a bit bland but I err to towards the mellow smooth sounds.

    I really enjoy coming from the main room into a chill out room and the smooth mellow vibes just hitting me makes me feel instantly lifted.

    Where is the rest of the feedback from Swish though, I want to know more.

  10. #10
    Commercial Operator Rocky's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Lynn View Post
    If there is that much demand for uptempo music why not just keep the main room open longer?
    Apart from the odd operational issue, the main issue is one of atmosphere. By 3am the main room is down to usually 100-150 people and in a massive room that had a 1,000 people in it, it just starts to lack buzz. So around 3am is normally a natural time to close so people still feel upbeat rather than feeling that the evening has just fizzled out.

    The other thing is that when I'm referring to 'up-beat' I don't mean pop - I mean stuff around 105-120bpm - so we're not talking main room pop music, but a step down from there and a small step up from COZ - AND when I DJ this slot I still play at least one proper COZ track every 3 or so other tracks.

    And finally we are also talking about a change in energy. And as an example of that there's funky tunes like Superstition. I play that at 105bpm which is very slow in main room standards but a good tempo for COZ - so tempo wise it's not that much faster but it's sense of energy is superb - it's also a track most main room dancers are happy to dance to.

    I think all that is a good compromise, and as I said before, I just find it difficult to understand why some people would object when it is offering a bit of diversity within a total COZ set of over 10 hours.

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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Speaking as a main room man, I would also ask why the main room can't be kept open longer.

    I am surprized to hear this happened at Storm tho.
    I too have been kicked out of the main room on at least one night at every Storm I have been too, and have had to go downstairs to the COZ. To be honest, I went straight to bed each time put off by the bland lifeless slow beginner music being played. I didn't hear any uptempo stuff at all.
    I don't object to that, it's advertised as a COZ, and if that is COZ music (To be honest, what I heard each time, if I had to label it, 'elevator music' would be my label) then fine.

    I have no idea why the main room is closed early, I presume saying it's 'money' is too simplistic, but I would question why, whatever the reason, the main room people that are left arn't just moved to a smaller different room that isn't the COZ room. Say the latin room. (seems to be a third room at most weekenders now).

  12. #12
    Registered User martingold's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    C'mon ladies, dancing is supposed to be FUN! If you want to take your dancing so seriously that you can't smile occasionally then take up WCS or Tango...
    anyone who knows me will know my feelings on this one most follows dance with me for comic value anyway ( i might learn to dance one day)
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    As you know, I've been known to play soul and disco in the COZ occasionally and for many people it really worked - but of course there were some people grumbilng on the sidelines. For those who spoke to me my response was to relax and have a drink because there was 3 hours of superb Blues/Chill to follow.

    Ceroc are fortunate in having a plethora of extraordinarily gifted Dj's and they do work as a team. So if I (or whoever) go up-tempo/energy a bit Marc, John or SF will bring it back down. I really can't believe that some people would go to bed on the basis of a short interlude of up-tempo tunes when they know they have another 3 hours dancing left - seriously??
    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    I

    The way it’s done at present, it feels like an invasion

    And Martingold - apologies for hijacking your thread
    and invasion it was
    by the way dont worry i like follows who hijack and play

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    There is a flip side to this though.. You may be in danger of loosing some of the people who were already in there, as they're already 'in the zone' and it might just push them into leaving, if an large influx of hyped up people descend on the room and the DJ cranks the tempo up.

    I have to admit, I do like 'varying' tempo's myself but I do feel that the people coming down from the Main room, should respect the vibe, whatever it might be at that time and not expect it to instantly change to match what they've been dancing to upstairs
    and i paid for chill out at that time of night whereas the main room people paid for up tempo also with a time limit

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    This is an interesting one as there are two schools of thought on this. For purists they love the chill vibe the whole way through - but for people who dip in and out, or who have a broader understanding of what COZ means to them, this can come across as bland.
    music doesnt have to be bland (ask snow white ) to be chilled nor does blues have to be slow
    but it has to have heart and this was the whole problem

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    IMO when the main room shuts it is the DJ's job in the COZ to catch as many people coming through who maybe thinking of going to bed and to hold onto them. This has a double effect: firstly it raises the energy in the room which IMO is an important thing to do at 3am in the morning with potentially another 3-4 hours of dancing left, and secondly it potentially means that there will be more people dancing later.

    Now that said there is a difference between just playing 'up-tempo' tracks and playing slower tracks with energy - and it's an important difference.

    For me - and you know I'm no Blues room slouch..., I need a boost in the earlier hours of the morning to keep me going until day break, and most people I know who dance extensively in the Blues/COZ room feel the same - and on that basis I believe there's no better time to pick the energy up then when the main room closes. Yes, that means it gets a little crowded for an hour or so, but with another 3 hours or so of dancing left, that IMO, isn't an issue as I will spend that hour socializing if it gets too busy (assuming I'm not DJing).
    as highlighted you keep arguing about the three to four hours of dancing left
    well this was at swish where the chill out room finishes two hours after the main room and Erick only played two chill out tracks in that two hours

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    As an additional point I've always considered it important to introduce more people into the Blues/COZ culture, as the more the merrier - and hooking them as they come through from the main room and then reverting gradually back to the chill vibe is IMO a great way of doing it.
    i am a huge advocate of this but people need to respect others space and when the room has TWO hours of chill at the end of an evening that is just the time when you want to be settling into the dance and calming down before bed not have your whole evening disrupted by an unadvertised extension of a room that has closed

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post

    If there is still the demand for the faster music, then keep the main room open, and let those who want to enjoy some chilled-out dancing keep doing what they're doing...
    i am all for people to have as much fun as possible so why close the main room when so many still want to dance in there
    BUT LEAVE THE CHILL OUT ALONE
    I mean the main room would hate it if us blues/chilled dancers went in there got john baker on the decks and he played nothing but guitar blues for the last two hours of the evening

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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    Ceroc are fortunate in having a plethora of extraordinarily gifted Dj's and they do work as a team. So if I (or whoever) go up-tempo/energy a bit Marc, John or SF will bring it back down. I really can't believe that some people would go to bed on the basis of a short interlude of up-tempo tunes when they know they have another 3 hours dancing left - seriously??
    Not to mention dazzlingly handsome and ever so humble.................... Of course we all know that this is simply a tongue a cheek comment Rocky, but there could be some doubters out there

    I don't think anyone worries about little interludes, it's when the flood from the main room change the whole feeling in the chill-out room and then the gifted DJ's interlude becomes larger as he suddenly sees the bouncing predominate.

  14. #14
    Registered User martingold's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by TA Guy View Post
    . I didn't hear any uptempo stuff at all.
    I don't object to that, it's advertised as a COZ, and if that is COZ music (To be honest, what I heard each time, if I had to label it, 'elevator music' would be my label) then fine.
    possibly the wrong dj was in there but also possibly you have not had a good chill out dance cos all you have been taught is to lead moves
    Next time you get a chance or if you see her at a venue grab someone like kel warminster get her to show you how to dance blues

  15. #15
    Meglio del Cioccolato Demo
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by TA Guy View Post
    To be honest, I went straight to bed each time put off by the bland lifeless slow beginner music being played.
    Yeah, I'd do the same if I were to hear bland, fast, thumpy thumpy beginner music....

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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by azande View Post
    Yeah, I'd do the same if I were to hear bland, fast, thumpy thumpy beginner music....
    Everyone has an opinion.

    But not everyone has the same opinion.

    *doesn't sigh*

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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post

    I think all that is a good compromise, and as I said before, I just find it difficult to understand why some people would object when it is offering a bit of diversity within a total COZ set of over 10 hours.
    They are not objecting. Voicing an opinion, a preference.

    You offer diversity what the customer appears to be asking for is choice.

    If there are legitimate reasons why the choice cannot be offered then fine...... but you know the customer will have an opinion, is allowed to have preferences and ultimately is always right.
    So the motto goes.
    Last edited by under par; 24th-February-2009 at 02:55 PM.

  18. #18
    Forum Bombshell - Our Queen! Lory's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    C'mon ladies, dancing is supposed to be FUN! If you want to take your dancing so seriously that you can't smile occasionally then take up WCS or Tango...
    Damn, I've taken up both but I still can't manage to keep a straight face when I dance.

    Is there no hope for me?
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  19. #19
    Meglio del Cioccolato Demo
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven666 View Post
    Everyone has an opinion.

    But not everyone has the same opinion.

    *doesn't sigh*
    Yes, I was just espressing mine

  20. #20
    Commercial Operator Rocky's Avatar
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    Re: Swish the Aftermath

    I think what this discussion demonstrates is what we all know - and that is you can't please all of the people all of the time.

    As regards Swish Martin I can't comment as I wasn't there and really I was talking in general terms about most weekenders where the COZ room shuts around 6am+.

    All I've done is explain how I feel and explained the rationale behind that. I'm lucky in that I have a very understanding partner who is also my perfect partner to dance with when we seek each other out inbetween other dances. I'm also very comfortable in the Blues/COZ environment. On the flip side many people don't have a regular dance partner, are cautious of dancing close and are subsequently less comfortable in the small hours - and for those people I think it's important that a range of music is played for them to start to feel their way - yes, we could just chuck them all in at the deep end and tell them to like it or lump it, but I prefer the use of funky water wings and a gentle but firm guiding thigh...

    I'm just advocating a bit of variety and a bit of flexibility that's all so that more people overall have a better time.

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