Tue 22 Apr 2008
Hey Kids -
So Saturday night we had our first FlashDance of the season at the 24th & Mission BART station, very close to “Deep International HQ. Not surprisingly, this 13th FlashDance ROCKED. Why did it rock? An excellent question, Dear Reader! It rocked for the same reasons FD always rocks:
- great people
- good music (I was pretty happy with the mix – see the playlist after the jump)
- random sillyness (human arch, dancing in the streets, 12 year old (?) break dancing girl, invasion of the Dance Mission dancers, and me serenading the crowd to the Pet Shop Boys’ “You Were Always On My Mind” 
)
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(for more GREAT pix just click here)
Anyway – if you missed this one, get on the list & get ready for May when we’ll have another one – I hope you make it!
For the Playlist – click “More” below
Here’s the Playlist:
- Flash – Queen
- Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
- Jungle Love – The Time
- Callin it Back – AC/DC v. Lyrics Born
- Stronger (Clean) – Kanye West
- Feel Good Roboto 2 – Gorillaz vs Styx
- Bucky Done Gun – M.I.A.
- September – Earth, Wind & Fire
- Cosmic Girl – Jamiroquai
- Give It To Me Baby – Rick James
- Timba Funk Land – Timbaland vs. Daft Punk
- Crazy in Love – Beyoncé
- LoveStoned / I Think She Knows Interlude – Justin Timberlake
- U Got The Look – Prince
- Track 01 –
- Always On My Mind – Pet Shop Boys
- I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
- Mundeya De Dil Hil Gaye – Kais Feat. D.S.I.
- Beware (Jay-Z Remix) – Panjabi MC
- Hello Remix (ft. Lifesavas) – Lyrics Born
- Dec. 4th, Oh What A Night – Jay-Z vs. Frankie Vallie & the Four Seasons
- Head – Prince
- Working Day And Night – Michael Jackson
- (Come ‘Round Here) I’m The One You Need – The Jackson 5
- Black Or White – Michael Jackson
- Let’s Dance (ft. Busta Rhymes) – Brand Nubian
- Walkin’ Out Yo Girlfriend (Unk Vs. Avril Lavigne Vs. Toni Basil) – Lobsterdust
- White Lines – Duran Duran
- Get Down (Calvin Harris Remix) – Groove Armada
- Get Up Offa That Thing – James Brown
- Dil Le Gayee – Jassi
- Rock With You – Michael Jackson
- Request + Line (Deep Edit) – Black Eyed Peas
- Like A Prayer – Madonna
- Milkshake It Up – Kelis vs. The Cars
- Music – Madonna
I think FD needs more Earth, Wind, and Fire
My first FlashDance ever! Where hava I been? IT was “like a prayer” being answered. That was my idea when you played that Madonna song. Oh, and the energy and bonneure lasted for a few days; my friends barraged with FD commentaries (how it all unfolded) that I subsequently found as your (‘deep’s) motivations for FD’s origin, what a coincidence… serendipitious? Karmic? Universal truth?
FD was a fantastic experience, the best energy that I’ve experienced in a long time, and the crowd was animated and peaceful. A loving environment pervaded the whole event.
In regards to the alternative DJ, I loved your music, ‘deep, but I believe you would also enjoy like 15 or 20 mins to dance worry-free for the upcoming song. But your musical taste, manifested during FD13, was great. Remember when I told you about that song that sounded “awesome”? At that point, after a brief introduction and hand shaking, you invited me to sign up for the mailing list.
Finally, suggestions: funk must always be there. Additions: trance or up-beat electronica like PaulVanDyke or Ferry Corsten would crown a FD party. Then again, these are suggestions.
PEACE:
Looking forward to the next FD and to many more.
ferzalez
As the saying goes: you can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time.
Deep: This was your great idea, and it’s your party, so you should not feel obligated to turn it over to a guest DJ. I’m also not quite convinced that a DJ who throws in some cool Bollywood music is really that conservative. Seems like you’re willing to take the occasional leap…
Potential Guest DJs: Start a FD coop and get this movement shaking all of the Bay Area! I offer as a humble suggestion a mid-day flashsundance at the Jack London Square Farmer’s Market on a summer Sunday, when the City is all afog.
Hey there -
I think FD is a gorgeous, lovely, fabulous thing. I can see where anonymous is coming from, though I totally appreciate your challenge too. How much are you able to respond to the crowd energy with the music picks? The risk of a guest DJ to me would be that half hte set would have a radically different flavor. But I feel like there are some songs that have such a great beat that the booties shake even if they’re unfamiliar. Deceptacon, Get Ur Freak On, King of the Jungle, and some of the Bollywood hits all have this unfamiliar but awesome quality. Maybe brainstorm some of that sort of thing and pull back if the crowd starts wandering?
Keep up the amazing work though. I think it would also be fair to place the onus on flash dancers to make requests and suggestions, and help keep the energy going even if they don’t like every song.
~lilly
I have been coming to FD off and on since the first one. Have always loved and supported the cause, but yes, fresh music would be lovely. Love the idea of folks making you mixed cds, bringing jump drives for you to peruse…mix it up, baby! And keep dancing
hey ‘deep,
honestly, i absolutely love FDs replete with jackson, prince, and other danceable hits–old and new. and i appreciate the sporadic obscure artist or song, but much prefer your ‘crowd favorites’ (i particularly loved when you played kanye west over and over and over again).
i think if you have a good mix of a set song list + requests, you’re on the right track. who’m i kiddin’? you are already so on the right track.
i <3 FD.
I have been disagreeing with Amandeep about what constitutes good dance music since 1985, when I returned from college to find him lumbering across the dance floor with my high school sweetheard to some Prince song or other; I still get mad when he dances with my date.
Anyway, I noticed Deep has iLike on Facebook. I just dedicated a song to him that I particularly like when he plays it.
I love the music!!! That said, I like the idea of putting in a bit of new stuff every time, just to mix it up. But it’s nice to know that some “standards” will always be there.
P.S. I have some great new Tamil music that I brought back with me that is very danceable.
hey deep,
how about asking people to bring you mix CD’s (in MP3 format) so you have some new stuff to choose from. Still your mix, but a chance for new things to filter in…
That said, you can’t please everyone with the mix, don’t let it worry you too much.
I’ve always had a blast, thanks so much for doing this!
-s
I am absolutely CRAZY about Flashdance and love it to death… that said, I agree that it could mix up the music more, a bit more international flavor would be much to my taste, Balkan especially, maybe some Amadou and Mariam from Mali, Manu Chao as suggested above, some ska would be great, a great band from Valencia, Spain is Obrint Pas (super danceable)… less mid-80s pop and more serious funk and fast danceable world music would be my humble advice… but truly, I have had a great time every time I’ve been (about 6 or 7 times now)…
I’ve always thought Deep does a great job with the music.
You need music that is not too highbrow and that works with people of all ages and backgrounds for a flashmob dance party where people are expected to join in, and Deep does a great job with the 80s-centric stuff. It might not be music I listen to at home, but it works for Flashdance.
That being said, I’m always up for playing guest DJ
Deep, one idea might be a multiple guest dj flash where each person brings a 20 minute playlist on an mp3 player – just a thought.
Anonymous does make a suggestion for how to achieve more diversity, with the half-set by a guest dj. If not to your liking, maybe get a friend to help stock the setlist beforehand. You’ve gotta admit, this set was pretty heavy on the Jacksons (5 of 36!). Maybe challenge yourself – make every artist on this FD’s list off-limits for the next one?
I love the music choices – and you’re doing it right…in fact, I’ve always been kinda surprised that you seem a little self-conscious about playing “predictable” music.
We love it, it is doing the job and getting random people – all kinds of people – to dance. Keep it up!
‘Deep — Love the music, keep it going, man! I don’t see anything wrong with the occassional departure from norm (as suggested by Deseo) but ultimately you’re doing the right thing to keep a broad range of people interested. Even maduros like me!
(I meant the first poster, not the one above me!)
I have to disagree with person above^^ My friends and I stayed the entire time and had an awesome night. We started the london bridge! The musix was rockin’, also we requested a couple things which you played. You can’t go wrong with Prince or the Jackson5, in my opinion. A dj would kind of take away from the free and random feel of flashdance. Thanks and keep doing your thaang ‘deep!
PS; Can’t wait to see those pictures in the Guardian, ha.
Hey Deep! I love Flashdance. I would go nuts if you did something like a world music ska-ish session. Since I am Mexican I am thinking something like Café Tacuba, Manu Chau, Maldita Vecindad, Pito Perez, etc mixed in with Gypsie music, Turkish, African, etc I was bouncing in my room this morning listening to the new Manu Chau record.
Jiggle away!
i believe crowd favorites are a must when trying to get a diverse group of people dancing.
‘deep, you are a great dance dj!
anonymous, maybe you should throw your own flashdance style dance party? no?
Anonymous-
Thanks for the comment and input. I’m sorry you feel that way, and honestly I’m a bit bummed – but also I do understand in part.
The playlists do have a lot of similarity and are conservative to a degree: I try to find stuff that a lot of people will dance to & that means there are a lot of “crowd favorites” type music. I also try to appeal to various demographics both agewise & culturally. That being said, I do get bored with some music & with DJs that are totally predictable & I try to add a steady stream of new stuff.
In the end, it is a struggle that does tend to produce a certain level of predictability, but one with a slow steady change I hope. I’d love suggestions of how to do this better & with more songs I haven’t played before… but other than that, maybe FD is just isn’t your cup of tea? The “Makes me not want to go to dance” seems a bit harsh – is it really my responsibility to play music that makes you specifically want to dance?
I do wonder if more people feel the way you do, or feel that the music IS a good mix?
‘deep
Love the concept and much love to Deep for putting himself out there, but music needs some freshness for maximum danceability.
Have been to many flash dances and though some songs may change, artists very predictable and much not to my liking. Makes me not want to go to dance.
Maybe have a guest DJ for half of the dance to mix things up?