Music
Opening up for a big act is a great opportunity to hone your skills, and showcase your own style, but there's an art to getting it right. Here are 10 tips from DJs who've done it many times before.
The warm up is a vital part of any club night. That DJ set before the headliner takes to the decks sets the tone for the night ahead. It can also be a chance for opening DJs to showcase their own musical personality.
Performing a warm up set requires restraint and a willingness to draw for less obvious tracks, while connecting with the crowd at the same time. It's no easy task so we asked a group of DJs who've mastered the warm up slot to share their wisdom.
1. You're not top of the bill, but still to need to connect with the crowd
"I've played warm up sets where it's filled out really quickly, and the crowd are really having it, so I was able to go up a notch," says drum 'n' bass DJ, Mantra. "I generally wouldn't go too hard, but at the same time it's about getting the party started, and sometimes that can happen quite quickly. For me, it's about call and response, and trying to connect with the crowd, no matter how small it might be."
2. Find out who you're warming up for
"I quite often research the headline artists to get an idea of their vibe or, if I know them, I'll chat to them about what type of set they might play," says Anna Wall. "I guess the classic advice is to not play all the bangers, and don't leave the next artist in an outrageous BPM range."
3. Don't play the headliner's tunes before they even set foot in the booth
"Definitely no productions made by anyone on the lineup, unless you've asked them beforehand," says London-based DJ and producer Shy One. "Playing the latest and biggest tunes is another obvious no-no. It's a waste so early in the night, before the floor's even filled. Gradually raising the energy of the crowd is the task so avoiding high energy tracks is important."
4. Pick tunes that are sympathetic to the venue and early vibe
"Choose the right music for the space. Sometimes rooms need people to absorb some of the sound, so tunes can end up sounding a bit harder or colder during warm ups. Patience is needed," advise DJ collective Make Me. "We’re mindful that some people turn up to a club already having been partying somewhere else, so if a big crew rolls through in full party mode, it's important to acknowledge their vibe while still considering the following artist. A good way of doing this is to keep the tempo low, and play tunes with nice intricacies and hooks that they can have a groove to."
5. Take the gig seriously
"The essence is probably respect," explains Shy One. "I can only imagine someone with respect for the slot, the crowd, the night, and the headliner, being able to do a good job of warming up."
6. Explore different angles
"I enjoy warm up sets, because I go in from different angles. I recently played b2b with Forest Drive West at my Neighbourhood party, warming up for three-and-a-half hours before Sunil Sharpe," says London-based Tasha."It was magical, he took me to a deeper level, and we built it to the right level for Sharpe to follow. It was one of my most enjoyable recent sets. We went from ambient to a deep, rolling, funky vibe."
7. Use the early slot to open minds with some weird stuff
"The warm up is an opportunity to play weirder tracks. It's important to play as yourself, but maybe a milder version of that," says HAAi. "I was warming up for a very big DJ recently, and I think we held some differences on what a good warmup set is. I don't play the kind of music that they play, and I wasn't going to play a pseudo version of their set. Having your own personality and being brave, playing more esoteric stuff, is cool. That can really work. It allows you to dig a bit deeper."
8. Show some restraint
"I cut my teeth playing all the slower tracks, which helps build the energy," says Peach. "It teaches you how to deploy restraint, and shows you which leftfield tunes can still be unusual bangers."
9. Try not to use up the crowd's energy before the headliner
"Don’t absolutely lash it out with gnarly bangers. It's respectful for the next DJ, plus people are rarely ready for that right at the start of the night, just as they arrive," argues Tasha. "But I've warmed up at quite a few parties where they've wanted pure energy from the off, so you've just got to see how things are going down. Energy is key."
10. Try and make the room as inviting as possible
"When you don't have the heat, energy or vibrations of other people, a club can feel quite stark and cold. The role of the warm up DJ is to make the space inviting, and to get people to feel less self-conscious, and relax into the surroundings that will be home for the next eight hours or so," explains Mantra. "It's part one of the musical journey, the intro to their night out, so you want to set the mood up nicely."
