I ask each person who inquires about my DJ service the same question: “how did you hear about me?” Many say word of mouth, others find me on Yelp or the Bold Italic, and a few in posts in which I’ve been tagged on Style Me Pretty. One thing I’ve never heard is “in a Google search,” because I don’t show up in any DJ searches there. Or so I thought. When I asked the gentleman who eventually hired me for yesterday’s wedding how he found me, the answer was Google.
“Google? Really? What were your search terms?” I asked, thinking perhaps he had forgotten how he found me.
“DJs Who Don’t Play Hit Songs.”
It all makes sense now.
“You showed up on the first page.”
Rub it in why don’t you? But no, truth be told Google knows best. That’s my exact niche. There are plenty of DJs out there who aren’t able to play much beyond the cliché mix of party classics and whatever’s popular right now. The people who hire me want someone who can read a crowd and get them to dance without resorting to Donna Summer, The Black Eyed Peas, and other predictable fare.
Here’s what I played for yesterday’s lovely Sunday wedding in Wine Country.
Sons and Daughters – The Decemberists
(My Girl’s Got) Miraculous Technique – Belle & Sebastian
Never On Sunday – Pink Martini
Have a Nice Day – Stereophonics
Transatlanticism – Death Cab for Cutie
Hard Candy – Counting Crows
Forever Young (Slow Version) – Bob Dylan
Father and Son – Cat Stevens
My Back Pages – The Byrds
A Brief History of Love – The Big Pink
The Luckiest – Ben Folds
Piece of My Heart (Live) – Cee-Lo
The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance – Vampire Weekend
Out of the Woods – Ryan Adams
Babylon II – David Gray
We Used to Wait – Arcade Fire
Ceremony Music
Recessional Song: Wake Up (Cop’s Big Day edit) – Arcade Fire
Cocktail Music
Rose Rouge – St. Germain
Everyday Is Like Sunday – Morrissey
Step – Vampire Weekend
Yellow – Coldplay
Jesus, Etc. – Wilco
Lebanese Blonde – Thievery Corporation
Kelly Watch the Stars – Air
Mr. November – The National
Can’t Do Without You – Caribou
These Are Days – 10,000 Maniacs
One – U2
Back on the Chain Gang – Pretenders
Suburban War – Arcade Fire
Running Up That Hill – Chromatics
Make You Better – The Decemberists
The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side – Magnetic Fields
Dinner Music
No One’s Gonna Love You – Band of Horses
Half Moon – Blind Pilot
Where the Kids Are – Blondfire
Start a War – The National
Piazza, New York Catcher – Belle & Sebastian
Not Now But Soon – Imogen Heap
I’m On Fire – Chromatics
Picture In a Frame – Tom Waits
All I Want Is You – U2
Everything We Touch – Say Lou Lou
Don’t Save Me – Haim
Just Like Honey – The Jesus and Mary Chain
Time to Pretend – MGMT
Next Exit – Interpol
Minnesota, WI – Bon Iver
The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Bob Dylan
Oh My Love – John Lennon
We’re Going to Be Friends – The White Stripes
Today Is The Day – Yo La Tengo
Heartbeats – José González
Goodnight And Go – Imogen Heap
In Films – Chromatics
We Belong – Pat Benatar
Radio America – The Libertines
Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
Royals – Lorde
The Only Place – Best Coast
Bra – Cymande
My Little Corner of the World – Yo La Tengo
I Want the World to Stop – Belle & Sebastian
At last, the Dance Music!
First Dance: The Book of Love – Tracey Thorn
Kill for Love – Chromatics
Someone Great – LCD Soundsystem
Once In a Lifetime – Talking Heads
Here Comes My Baby – Cat Stevens
Wake Up Little Susie – The Everly Brothers
Twistin’ the Night Away – Sam Cooke
Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin
Hang With Me – Robyn
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) – Arcade Fire
Just Dance [feat. Colby O’Donis] – Lady GaGa
I Really Like You – Carly Rae Jepsen
Tonight – Saint Etienne
Missing [Todd Terry Remix] – Everything But The Girl
One More Time – Daft Punk
Over & Over – Hot Chip
Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
Luck of Lucien – A Tribe Called Quest
Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C.
Panic – The Smiths
Here Comes Your Man – The Pixies
Girls Just Wanna’ Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
Flashdance…What A Feeling – Irene Cara
Fade Into You – Mazzy Star
Kids – MGMT
Ghettochip Malfunction – Beck
Slam – Onyx
Scenario – A Tribe Called Quest
Float On – Modest Mouse
Hava Nagila – The Ku Ensemble
Ooh la la – Faces
Crazy Love – Van Morrison
Doin’ It Right [feat. Panda Bear] – Daft Punk
Heartbeats – The Knife
Rebellion (Lies) – Arcade Fire
Banquet – Bloc Party
Just Like Heaven – The Cure
Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
Manic Monday – The Bangles
Anything Could Happen – Ellie Goulding
All My Friends – LCD Soundsystem