To be (drunk) or not to be (drunk), that is the question!
When Hamlet posed this question, it was purely about the conundrum of whether he wanted to live or not to live and what would be a more preferable option. In the reference above, I of course, am referring to rocking up to a gig and living through your set hammered…. or dying in the ass coz you are a train wreck that got a bit too tipsy turvy either before, or during your set.
Alcohol serves a different purpose for everyone. Some can function quite easily with it in their system and some can’t. At the end of the day, alcohol is a depressant and it’s no secret because I’m sure we’ve all been there, that it affects your brain and can alter your reaction time. That might be fine when you out with your mates heckling hotties on the street, but as a DJ, this is not a good thing!
I have been to some gigs where you can clearly see the DJ is wasted but somehow, they are pulling off probably the best set of their career. On the other side of the fence, I have also seen DJ’s that are so wasted, they are swaying behind the decks, eyes closed, zoning out and just pulling it together while they load another average tune up and start zoning out and swaying again. As amusing as it is to see this on occasion, it’s also terribly tragic.
I get a tad nervous before a gig for these reasons.
- I am always hoping the changeover between myself and the previous DJ is seamless, and I don’t fuck it up and look like a dick.
- I am praying that I’ve come prepared with the right music and enough variety to keep the crowd smiling.
- I am always a bit nervous that I’ve forgotten my eyeglasses coz without them, I can’t see the screen and I’ll look like an old lady squinting close to the screen just to make out the name of a track. (really have to remember to get a pair made and keep it with my equipment)
To combat these and other small (ish) concerns that go through my head before I start, I admit, I do go in for the gin and tonics (maybe 1 or 2), but I cap it at that just to take the edge off.
Once I have started playing and I’m on a roll, I’ll say yes to people bringing me drinks but I’m generally too fixated on the set and what I’m doing and forget to drink them. I’ll have 5 different drinks on the table that people will bring me but won’t get to even drink them much coz I don’t want to take myself off my A game. I think my ego plays a little part in that. Ego is not a dirty word Skyhooks!
Basically, to sum up what I’m trying to say, drink if you need to take the edge off but save the partying for when your set is over and you can relax.
Water is really the key. Stay hydrated. Drink a lot but not that much that you need to go pee every 20 mins, because that’s just a whole other pain in the ass.
Peace Out Sista’s
Lainsta
SpiN SiStas 