Live music vs. DJ

[christina]

In NYC, there is an organization called Jelly Roll Productions. They organize live music events for Lindy Hoppers - about 4 events a year. A lot of the muscians are well respected jazz artists who havn't played for dancers in years.

This weekend Jelly Roll celebrated it's 5th anniversary with a mix of special guests. The energy at these dances is always very high - the musicians feed off the dancers and vice versa. People dress up too since they are occasional events.

It got me thinking about how you very rarely hear of WCS to live music. occasionally you hear of an outing to a blues bar (I believe some Chicago dancers go out once in a while as do New Yorkers) or Brother Yuseff out at Reno Dance Sensation. But other than than, never. Whereas lindy hoppers have many musicians and bands they bring in specifically for their big competition weekends like American Lindy Hop Championships and Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown as well as local events across the county.

I love the variety of music a DJ can bring - But there's something so strong about artists feeding off one another, improvising in the moment working together. The feeling in the room is much different than a DJ.

I don't think either is necessarily better Live or DJ - just different, and I think we're missing out of on the Live aspect in our community. No really call to action for replys, although I am curious to other's thoughts.

[dancin_weezie]

I personally love dancing to live music!! I've been to the blues clubs in Chicago as well as other venues in MN and it's true!! You do feed off one another - and I know most bands love having people dancing to their music.

One of the biggest concerns is always the floor of where we go. I personally don't need much more than one slot to go - but others are WAY to picky. If it doesn't have a good sized wood/tile floor they won't go.

It's a shame because some of the best bands I've heard play in some of the crappiest joints.

Laura

[jon]

Lindy and Blues dancers develop in a culture that values and supports live music, and do dances associated with well-defined genres of music. If we ever had those properties, they were lost long ago.

One of the biggest concerns is always the floor of where we go. I personally don't need much more than one slot to go - but others are WAY to picky. If it doesn't have a good sized wood/tile floor they won't go.

Ah yes, WCS, the gritty street dance. So much more "authentic" than those ballroom studio dancers.

It is amusing to read the blues music boards for the frequently negative response they have when WCS dancers show up at their hangouts. They are not without cause.

[SoundInMotionDJ]

I like dancing to a "great" live band. BUT...I prefer a "good" DJ to a "good" band, by a wide margin. Most bands have a single sound - and after an hour or so I'm ready for something else.

In general, the economics of the dance community can not support the expense of a live band more than a few times a year. I'd rather find a way to give those $$$ to the DJs who are at the weekly dances instead.

--Stan Graves

[dancin_weezie]

Ah yes, WCS, the gritty street dance. So much more "authentic" than those ballroom studio dancers.

It is amusing to read the blues music boards for the frequently negative response they have when WCS dancers show up at their hangouts. They are not without cause.

What negativity are you referring to exactly?? Just curious.

Laura

[jon]

What negativity are you referring to exactly?? Just curious.

Laura

What I've seen people complaining of on the local boards has to do mostly with swing dancers taking up too much room / not respecting the regulars and their habits.

[David_D]

I like dancing to a "great" live band. BUT...I prefer a "good" DJ to a "good" band, by a wide margin. Most bands have a single sound - and after an hour or so I'm ready for something else.


Hmm. I'd rather dance to a good band than a good DJ. The bigger problem for me is that most of the venues with live bands have very little space to dance.

Everything else being equal (venue, dancers, and close-ish price), I'd take live music over recorded every time. If I can listen to a 2 hour concert, I can dance to three sets of live music with recorded music in the breaks.

I wouldn't want to hear the same performer every night, though.

Dave

[WestieTash]

While I like dancing to live music, and usually do it up to 3x a month, I will only pick a live band if I know the band. Why? Tempo! There are a lot of songs we dance to that can be played slightly faster than I like. It seems to me that once a band knows they're starting to get a dancer following, they're slightly more inclined to take dancing into consideration when they play.

In the end, I suppose my preference would be:

1. Great live band in a dance friendly (ie good floor) setting
2. Great dj
3. Good dj
4. Good live band

[kansas49er]

I grew up in the days of live bands, and no djs. DJ's simply did not exist. Every bar that featured music had a live band. So, in many ways, I prefer live bands. A great band will vary it's music enough to keep everyone happy. A good band will be boring after about an hour or two. I too prefer great bands, then good DJS, then good bands.

[Dima]

Give me a good partner with great musicality skills and I'll pick a great blues band over a great DJ most of the time.

[SHORTYJOY]

Lindy and Blueser here- LIVE BAND_LIVE BAND_LIVE BAND!!! The cost is the number one reason that we limit our live band Jook Joint Shimmy Parties to 4 times per year. The attendance goes up but the profits go down. Live bands are so much fun for me- I wish we could do it more often.

[dancin_weezie]

What I've seen people complaining of on the local boards has to do mostly with swing dancers taking up too much room / not respecting the regulars and their habits.


Most places we go don't have "regulars". Just freestyle dancers that have had to much to drink :)

[jon]

Most places we go don't have "regulars". Just freestyle dancers that have had to much to drink :)

IME those are (some of) the regulars - they show up every week, they buy lots of drinks, they form part of the bar culture. You think "too much to drink", the barowner probably thinks "profitable customers, unlike those ^%#@! swing dancers with their one bottle of water".

[Zak]

Swinging to live bands rocks! Blues clubs like Black-eyed Sally's in Hartford, CT or Theodore's in Springfield, MA often have blues bands that you can do a lot of swing dancing too. Although, because it's the blues, you'll often get a mix of west coast, east coast, or lindy instead of just west coast. If you ever get a chance to see Little Charlie & the Night Cats at a local blues club, GO!!! They play a great mix of WCS & Lindy music. Little Ed & the Blues Imperials and The Radio Kings are another couple of great blues bands to swing to.

Z.

[dancin_weezie]

IME those are (some of) the regulars - they show up every week, they buy lots of drinks, they form part of the bar culture. You think "too much to drink", the barowner probably thinks "profitable customers, unlike those ^%#@! swing dancers with their one bottle of water".

I know what you mean, but I'm not one of them :D I'm a dancer that usually has a decent bar tab at the end of the night! Especially when I'm in Chicago.

[whipkitten]

I like the variety that a good DJ can bring to the table, but a live band, particularly a blues band can really inject some energy into my dancing.

That being said, I seems that most people don't know what to do witha live band. We've had live bands at two of our contests in Texas and I hear just as many complaints (don't know the songs, too fast, too slow) as I do praise.

[swingdj]

I like the variety that a good DJ can bring to the table, but a live band, particularly a blues band can really inject some energy into my dancing.

That being said, I seems that most people don't know what to do witha live band. We've had live bands at two of our contests in Texas and I hear just as many complaints (don't know the songs, too fast, too slow) as I do praise.

I must say that dancing to live music is better....if you can ride the song with a good dance...there is nothing better....the down side is that band are musicians and not dancers....so sometimes there songs can last 7 to 8 minutes long.

[Dima]

the down side is that band are musicians and not dancers....so sometimes there songs can last 7 to 8 minutes long.

No, that's the upside!!!! Tongue Out

[swingdj]

No, that's the upside!!!! Tongue Out

OK....well, if you like dancing to songs that last that long.....knock yourself out!!! :)